Dear friends,
We wish to share with you the following statement from Anjuman Mozareen Punjab.
Asian Human Rights Commission
Hong Kong
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A Statement from Anjuman Mozareen Punjab forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission
PAKISTAN: Thousands of peasants to attend a protest rally on December 10, the international day of human rights
Anjaman Mozareen Punjab (Punjab Tenants Association) has announced a protest rally on 10 December 2010, the international day of human rights. This is to mark their 10 year of struggle for land rights. Thousands of peasants will come from different districts of Punjab to Lahore. They will demand land rights and food sovereignty. “Land rights is human rights” will be their slogan.
The decision was taken by a meeting of AMP leaders in Lahore on 9th November. Chaired by Mehr Abdul Sattar, the meeting decided to mobilize thousands of peasants from all over Punjab to come to Lahore. They will come on their tractors trolleys, cycle and motor bicycles and other means of transport whatever is available. Women peasants will lead the protest rally from different areas. The main rally will start from Okara Military Farms.
The Mozareen has been demanding land rights of the land their elders have been cultivating over 110 years. Over 68000 acres of land belonging to Government of Punjab have been mainly occupied by Military Farms administration, an institution of Pakistan Military, and serving and retired military officers. During Musharaf dictatorship period, there were failed attempts to vacate this land from the tenants and use it for corporate farming or allotting it to the military officials. The peasants organized themselves in an organization called Anjaman Mozareen Punjab in 2000 and started a very militant struggle on the slogan of Malki Yaa Mout (death or ownership). During 10 years of struggle, over 15 have lost their lives, hundreds injured and dozens of false police cases registered against hundreds of peasants. Many were arrested.
Benazir Bhutto and Mian Nawaz Sharif, former prime ministers, promised to the tenants, who led the first militant mass struggle against the Musharaf dictatorship, years ahead of lawyers, the land rights, once in power. Parties of both are in power. Both have failed to give this land to tenants. Both have been making all sorts of excuses.
This year, 10 December, the international day of human rights will be marked by a unique entry of peasantry in the social circles whose human rights have been violated by over 110 years in particular. It will not be several groups in Lahore getting together on the day in a more routine manner. The peasants will remind the human rights activists and the rulers in Lahore that they are also human being.
This is an appeal to all the social activists, trade unions and political activists to join the peasantry on 10th December in Lahore to mark the international day of human rights in a manner that will be remembers for long times.
Please contact for more information: Noor Nabi Email; amppunjab@yahoo.conm
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About AHRC: The Asian Human Rights Commission is a regional non-governmental organisation monitoring and lobbying human rights issues in Asia. The Hong Kong-based group was founded in 1984. The above statement has only been forwarded by the AHRC.
