Another mass meeting of peasants was organised in Lahore Benghali Military Farms today on 29 March at Jallo Park. Over 700 attended the peasant convention organised by Anjman Mozareen Punjab. This was the largest meeting of peasants in the area for years.

They demanded the ownership of the land they are cultivating for over 100 years. At present, the land is occupied by the Military Farms administration.

The peasants came to the convention raising red flags and slogans for ownership. They came on their tractor and trolies. The convention was addressed by the leaders of AMP, some of them came from other districts. Also Labour Party Pakistan leaders spoke and expressed their solidarity and total support for the ownership campaign.

Mehr Abdul Sattar, general secretary AMP, Nadeem Ashraf of Renalkhurd, Shabir Choudry of Depalpur AMP, Abdul Ghafar of Kulyana Military Estate, Mian Ashraf and Mohammed Hanif of AMP Lahore and several other peasant leaders addressed the gathering and declared that the campaign will continue till it meet the success and peasants become the ownership of the land.

Labour Party Pakistan women secretary Nazli Javed, Maqsood Mujahid member LPP EC and myself spoke at the gathering and expressed their total support for the campaign.

This was the fourth large gathering of peasants during the last two months. Earlier such peasant conventions were held at Renalkhurd, Depal Pur and Kulyana Estate where over 10000 have already participated. They are demanding from PPP government to fulfill their promise of granting land ownership rights. Benazir Bhutto promised the peasants in writting that PPP will hand over this state land to the peasants when it will come to power.

Over 68000 acres of land in different districts of Punjab is been occupied by Military Farms administration. The land is been main cultivated by tenants who had been promised by successive governments to give this land to them but failed to implement it.

AMP was the first peasant organisation to offer resistence to Musharaf dictatorship when they tried to evacuate them by deception. The AMP launched a movement unprecedented in Pakistan history during 2002, 2003. This led to the arrests, false cases, killings and injuring of many during the resistence. The women played an important role.

The AMP has decided to re launch the movement of land ownership.

On 17-18 April 2009, a two days peasant conference will take place in Okara Military Farms. It is expected that over 20,000 will attend the mass rally on 17 April.

Today, I warned the Zardari government of another long march b y workers and peasants if the demand for land ownership is not accepted till the end of April this year. I also asked the chief justice to take a sue motto notice of the situation.

We demanded from Nawaz Sharif that the land belong to Punjab government and it must decide for land ownership of the tenants.

A revolutionary wave is erupting among the Mozareen of Punjab at present. It will lead to another round of mass resistence to the present government on a class issue this time,

Report by: Farooq Tariq

Land issue to dictate party results - Rights bodies unite to take on industry patrons

Ranchi, April 5: Anti-displacement activists are rolling up their sleeves. It’s time to take on those politicians, who had been pitching for industrialisation at the cost of ancestral and agricultural land.

Over two lakh acres of land in the state are being eyed by prospective investors in steel, power and other sectors. As a result, hundreds are on the verge of losing their land. In such circumstances, anti-displacement organisations have made this issue the central point of their campaign against political parties.

Several of these organisations — Adivasi-Moolvasi Astitva Raksha Manch in Torpa-Kamdara (Khunti and Gumla districts) opposing ArcelorMittal’s proposed Greenfield project, Bhumi Raksha Samiti in Potka (East Singhbhum) objecting to Bhushan Steel’s project and Tontoposhi (Seraikela-Kharsawan) opposing Tata Steel’s projects — have decided to vote for the candidate, who would raise voice against displacement irrespective of his/her win in the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls.

Social activist Dayamani Barla, who has been spearheading a fight against ArcelorMittal’s bid to acquire over 12,000 hectares in Torpa-Kamdara, said after a series of meetings with villagers of Potka, Tontoposhi and Khunti, they took this decision.

Dumka-based Jharkhand Ulgulan Manch, a rights group campaigning against displacement, has fielded a candidate against former chief minister Shibu Soren under whose regime the Kathikund police firing incident took place.

Sitting Congress MP from Khunti, Shushila Kerketta, who was denied a ticket, had spoken in favour for ArcelorMittal’s project in Khunti and Gumlas.

Sources said Kerketta lost her grounds apparently due to her open support for the company.

AMIT GUPTA
Source : aid-awareness@lists.aidindia.org

70 -years old farmer died by hunger strike

It is to inform you about this very sad news that 70-year old Farmer protesting with his family against influencial land lord of Sanghar died after 20 consecutive days hunger strike infront Karachi Press Club. More than 15 farmers including women and children belonging from village Essa Muhammad Khaskheli Taluka Sanjhoro District Sanghar reached Karachi and started hunger strike infront Karachi Press club some 20 days ago. They were protesting against influencial zamindar named Waryam and his armed men who forced these poor farmers to vacate the 14 Acre land (actually owned by Irrigation Department Government of Sindh). Some 120 households are said to be cultivating and earning from this piece of land for many years. But an influencial Zamindar Waryam and his armed men invaded and occupied on this piece.
On the death of this old farmer Ms: Sharmila Farooqi Advisor to Chief Minister Sindh blamed Human Right Organizations and Media. She said that Human Right Organizations getting millions of dollors why they not came to rescue? Where was media before the death? Why the matter was not brought to their notice by media? However Mr Babar Khan Ghori Minister of Shiping belonging from MQM accepted the responsibility and said that Landlords and Wadaras are taking the law in their own hands on their influence.
We condemn and protest against the silence of Sindh Government and want to ask the Police of Sangher District why they are providing shelter to such influencial landlords like Waryam and Nazir Thakur?

Krishna
Mehergarh
Hyderabad