PUNJAB-mini-war against unarmed farmers
post by a3m from IMC editorial inbox | 30.06.2002 17:25
Anjuman Mazarain Punjab (Tenants Association of Punjab) is the representative organization of landless tenants on state land in Punjab province in Pakistan. Roughly one million tenants work on farms owned by the government of Punjab in more than 10 districts across the province...agencies have been claiming harvest shares from tenants for decades, despite not being legal owners of the land.
hello imc people,
My name is (removed, a3m), I'm writing from Islamabad.
I write you because we need your help. A situation has developed in Punjab which is unique in its urgency right now. Thousands of police and rangers are waging a mini-war against unarmed farmers - the latter asserted their
right to keep their whaet crop this instaed of handing over a large chunk to the authorities that have no right to it whatsoever. 5 people have already died, many are injured. I have attached a message that the People's Rights Movement (a federation of different social movements across Pakistan) circulated to the english speaking community in the country about two weeks ago - much has happened since then, but this will suffice as background.
This issue, inspite of its magnitude, has not received more than token press coverage. We harbour no illusions that the Pakistani media will take it up, ruled as it is by military pressures. We tried getting the BBC to cover it, but they backed out as well. Clearly, the responsibility of getting the word out is ours, and I am writing in the hope that you will be able to help us make a stink. Once I hear back from you, i will send more information. things are developing at a rapid pace. we need to get the word out before there is a bloodbath.
People’s Rights Movement (PRM)
PD-1154B Irum Plaza, Shahrah Stadium Rd, Rawalpindi
Ph: 2278134 Fax: 2278135
URGENT SUPPORT NEEDED FOR LANDLESS TENANTS MOVEMENT
Anjuman Mazarain Punjab (Tenants Association of Punjab) is the representative organization of landless tenants on state land in Punjab province in Pakistan. Roughly one million tenants work on farms owned by the government of Punjab in more than 10 districts across the province. While
the land is owned by the provincial government, the farms are actually operated by different government agencies including the military, livestock department, and Punjab Seed Corporation. These agencies have no legal claim
to the land. Some of them had at one point or the other been lessees of the provincial government, but presently, none of the agencies are owners or lessees.
These agencies have been claiming harvest shares from tenants for decades, despite not being legal owners of the land. Unfortunately, the tenants have never seized the rights accorded to them under various tenancy acts in the
country. In fact, in recent times, the operating agencies have attempted to disown the fact that tenants have been tilling the land for decades. These agencies have tried to change the tenure arrangement to a contract system,
offering contracts of 3 to 5 years. Naturally, when these contracts expire, the tenants can be evicted from the land, an eventuality that is prohibited under tenancy acts.
It was an attempt to alter the tenure arrangement on the military farms in Okara district in June 2000 that sparked the tenant uprising that has now become the most compelling resistance movement in the country. Anjuman Mazarain Punjab was formed as an organization that resisted the move towards contract arrangements, instead asking for permanent ownership rights, a slogan that General Musharraf has repeatedly used since coming to power in October 1999. As the movement spread, so did the panic within the status
quo. The movement for ownership rights has intensified over the past few months. In January 2002, a tenant was shot and killed in Renala Khurd, Okara by the Director of Renala State military farms, Col. Mohammad Ali. In April,
the tenants decided to hold back the traditional wheat harvest share that is surrendered to operating agencies. The boycott was complete. In the middle of May, two more tenants were shot and killed, one in Bhelganj, Okara, and
the other in Pirowal, Khanewal. Again, it was retired or serving army officials who were responsible.
On June 9, 2002, a massive police contingent of over 1000 descended upon village no.81/82 in Pirowal and carried out a massive operation in which firing and shelling continued incessantly for over 3 hours. At the end of the operations, 4 persons had been shot and seriously wounded while another
tenant had died from a heart attack. On June 11, 2002, tenants on Multan’s military farm were attacked. Five have been shot and are in critical condition. On the same day, tenants in Kala Shah Kaku were attacked, and forced to give up their wheat harvest shares, while being forced to mark
their thumbprints on contracts against their will.
The level of state repression against tenants has reached unprecedented heights. It is quite unbelievable that the state is employing war-like tactics against its own citizenry, when the only weapon available to the tenants are chappas, or wooden sticks used to wash clothes. Thousands of criminal cases have been registered against tenant activists. General Musharraf made many promises during his referendum campaign, and on top of the list was a promise to allot 70,000 acres of state land to landless
tenants in Punjab. The one million tenant members of Anjuman Mazarain Punjab occupy 68,000 acres of land in the province.
There is absolutely no excuse for violence to be used against the tenants in this manner. Their movement has been, and will continue to be, peaceful, and based on a moral right that comes from tilling land for almost a century. They have been exploited and deprived of their genuine rights. It is high time that harassment against them is halted immediately and they are given their due. We urge you to support us in this regard. Please write to the
following authorities, condemning the state violence against the tenants, most of whom live below the poverty line.
Thank you.
In solidarity,
People’s Rights Movement (PRM)
PRM is a confederation of social movements across Pakistan. Anjuman Mazarain Punjab is a constituent member of PRM.
Write to:
General Pervez Musharraf
President of Pakistan
CE Secretariat, Islamabad
Email:
ce@pak.gov.pk
Khalid Maqbool
Governor Punjab
Governor House, Lahore
Fax: 92-42-9200077
Moinuddin Haider
Minister for the Interior
‘R’ Block
Pak Secretariat, Islamabad
Fax: 92-51-9202642
Dr. Khalid Ranjha
Minister for Law, Justice, Human Rights, and Parliamentary Affairs
‘S’ Block
Pak Secretariat, Islamabad
Fax: 92-51-9202628
Email: molaw1@comsats.net.pk
add your own comments
My name is (removed, a3m), I'm writing from Islamabad.
I write you because we need your help. A situation has developed in Punjab which is unique in its urgency right now. Thousands of police and rangers are waging a mini-war against unarmed farmers - the latter asserted their
right to keep their whaet crop this instaed of handing over a large chunk to the authorities that have no right to it whatsoever. 5 people have already died, many are injured. I have attached a message that the People's Rights Movement (a federation of different social movements across Pakistan) circulated to the english speaking community in the country about two weeks ago - much has happened since then, but this will suffice as background.
This issue, inspite of its magnitude, has not received more than token press coverage. We harbour no illusions that the Pakistani media will take it up, ruled as it is by military pressures. We tried getting the BBC to cover it, but they backed out as well. Clearly, the responsibility of getting the word out is ours, and I am writing in the hope that you will be able to help us make a stink. Once I hear back from you, i will send more information. things are developing at a rapid pace. we need to get the word out before there is a bloodbath.
People’s Rights Movement (PRM)
PD-1154B Irum Plaza, Shahrah Stadium Rd, Rawalpindi
Ph: 2278134 Fax: 2278135
URGENT SUPPORT NEEDED FOR LANDLESS TENANTS MOVEMENT
Anjuman Mazarain Punjab (Tenants Association of Punjab) is the representative organization of landless tenants on state land in Punjab province in Pakistan. Roughly one million tenants work on farms owned by the government of Punjab in more than 10 districts across the province. While
the land is owned by the provincial government, the farms are actually operated by different government agencies including the military, livestock department, and Punjab Seed Corporation. These agencies have no legal claim
to the land. Some of them had at one point or the other been lessees of the provincial government, but presently, none of the agencies are owners or lessees.
These agencies have been claiming harvest shares from tenants for decades, despite not being legal owners of the land. Unfortunately, the tenants have never seized the rights accorded to them under various tenancy acts in the
country. In fact, in recent times, the operating agencies have attempted to disown the fact that tenants have been tilling the land for decades. These agencies have tried to change the tenure arrangement to a contract system,
offering contracts of 3 to 5 years. Naturally, when these contracts expire, the tenants can be evicted from the land, an eventuality that is prohibited under tenancy acts.
It was an attempt to alter the tenure arrangement on the military farms in Okara district in June 2000 that sparked the tenant uprising that has now become the most compelling resistance movement in the country. Anjuman Mazarain Punjab was formed as an organization that resisted the move towards contract arrangements, instead asking for permanent ownership rights, a slogan that General Musharraf has repeatedly used since coming to power in October 1999. As the movement spread, so did the panic within the status
quo. The movement for ownership rights has intensified over the past few months. In January 2002, a tenant was shot and killed in Renala Khurd, Okara by the Director of Renala State military farms, Col. Mohammad Ali. In April,
the tenants decided to hold back the traditional wheat harvest share that is surrendered to operating agencies. The boycott was complete. In the middle of May, two more tenants were shot and killed, one in Bhelganj, Okara, and
the other in Pirowal, Khanewal. Again, it was retired or serving army officials who were responsible.
On June 9, 2002, a massive police contingent of over 1000 descended upon village no.81/82 in Pirowal and carried out a massive operation in which firing and shelling continued incessantly for over 3 hours. At the end of the operations, 4 persons had been shot and seriously wounded while another
tenant had died from a heart attack. On June 11, 2002, tenants on Multan’s military farm were attacked. Five have been shot and are in critical condition. On the same day, tenants in Kala Shah Kaku were attacked, and forced to give up their wheat harvest shares, while being forced to mark
their thumbprints on contracts against their will.
The level of state repression against tenants has reached unprecedented heights. It is quite unbelievable that the state is employing war-like tactics against its own citizenry, when the only weapon available to the tenants are chappas, or wooden sticks used to wash clothes. Thousands of criminal cases have been registered against tenant activists. General Musharraf made many promises during his referendum campaign, and on top of the list was a promise to allot 70,000 acres of state land to landless
tenants in Punjab. The one million tenant members of Anjuman Mazarain Punjab occupy 68,000 acres of land in the province.
There is absolutely no excuse for violence to be used against the tenants in this manner. Their movement has been, and will continue to be, peaceful, and based on a moral right that comes from tilling land for almost a century. They have been exploited and deprived of their genuine rights. It is high time that harassment against them is halted immediately and they are given their due. We urge you to support us in this regard. Please write to the
following authorities, condemning the state violence against the tenants, most of whom live below the poverty line.
Thank you.
In solidarity,
People’s Rights Movement (PRM)
PRM is a confederation of social movements across Pakistan. Anjuman Mazarain Punjab is a constituent member of PRM.
Write to:
General Pervez Musharraf
President of Pakistan
CE Secretariat, Islamabad
Email:
ce@pak.gov.pk Khalid Maqbool
Governor Punjab
Governor House, Lahore
Fax: 92-42-9200077
Moinuddin Haider
Minister for the Interior
‘R’ Block
Pak Secretariat, Islamabad
Fax: 92-51-9202642
Dr. Khalid Ranjha
Minister for Law, Justice, Human Rights, and Parliamentary Affairs
‘S’ Block
Pak Secretariat, Islamabad
Fax: 92-51-9202628
Email:
molaw1@comsats.net.pk add your own comments
post by a3m from IMC editorial inbox