On 19^th May 2008, Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF) organized a gathering in the memory of victims of 19^th May 1999 Cyclone in Badin and Thatta. Nine years ago A2 cyclone with 72 kilometers speed hit the costal belt of Sindh and adversely damaged the social and economic life of the region as well as took away 400 lives with it. It kept hitting the coast for 36 hours. The programme also aimed to review so for actions taken to by the government in the rehabilitation of the victims. Also some concrete measures to reduce a huge impact of any future disaster coming from the sea and state’s programmes and policies.

19^th May is a gloomy day for the PFF which brought sorrows, tears and pain in the lives of the fishers of Badin and Thatta. Cyclone, on the day, wiped out hundreds of villages in the coastal belt of Badin and Thatta. The most affected were poor fishers who still have not forgotten the severity of that natural havoc occurred suddenly and took away their beloved who were toiling in the sea and only bread earners of their families. The cyclone caused massive destruction and left houses covered by mud and water and bodies strewn among the debris of collapsed homes. Each year PFF organizes a day in the memory of victims of 1999 cyclone affected. We remember them and remind ourselves about a struggle that can ensure the fishers for a society where they can in advance be informed about such disasters. We also look at the perspectives to comprehend such natural disasters and their huge impact and how we and state can take measures from becoming those mass killers.

The gathering was held at Gym Khana Badin. Hundreds of fishers from the coastal belt of Badin and Thata had gathered to remember their beloved. Also media persons, civil society representatives, teachers, students and local politicians and activists joined the conference and shared their feelings with the fishers’ community over the loss of their beloved, economy and shelters.

All the gathered stood up and observed two minutes silence in the respect of victims. Muhammad Ali Shah, Chairperson PFF, Abdullah Mallah, principal Public School, Tahira Ali Shah (senior Vice chairperson), Sohail Mirza, ex district Nazim Badin, Mithal Mallah, president of PFF Badin district, Mohammad Khan Samoon, Allah Bachayo Jamali, Majeed Lund, Musrat Mandhryio, Shahnawaz Sayal and other delivered their speeches.

Mr Abdul Salam Memon, Coordinator PFF in Badin, provided glimpses of the disastrous cyclone. The Cyclone affected about half million people; 56,678 houses and 600 were completely destroyed; 18,000 livestock population was killed; about 200,000 wild birds lost their lives; agriculture production on 152,000 acre land was ruined; about 150,000 trees uproot.

Ghafoor Mallah told that at the time of cyclone he was with his two brothers, paternal cousin and friend which he lost in about 15 feet high waves. He said they were not informed about the sea killer winds and waves. Noor Mohammad Themore from Thatta district complained that the promises that the government had done with them for their rehabilitation have yet not come true. He said that Mai Leelan’s seven family members had died, most of them were bread earners but no one has looked after her and her two daughters. Nawaz Sharif government pledged to make the Abdul Rehman village as a model village. Abdullah Mallah from Jati (Thatta) recited his poetry that he had done in the grief of his beloved that were killed in the cyclone.

Sohail Mirza, ex district nazim Badin, said that Pakistan Peoples Party is preparing to install desalination plants in the deltaic region as well as it aims to construct big shelters for the times of emergencies. Also trainings will be provided to the fishers to deal with emergency situation.

Tahira Ali, senior vice chairperson PFF said that government should devise a proper strategy that should address the fishers’ problems in the coastal belt. She warned PPP government that if this time PPP goes reverse to its slogan of Roti Kaprra or Makan (bread, clothe and shelter) then they will be stroked off from the fishers’ political vision. No fisher will vote them in the future.

Khadim Talpur said that due to changing climate and donor led developmental projects, the people of coastal belt have to get ready to face numerous natural disasters that can come at any time. In this respect, if governments did not give priority in solving these issues than the fishers may not be found on the coastal belts.

Professor Abdullah Mallah said that it is always unfair that governments’ developmental schemes as well as nature proved to be enemies of poor fishers. However, the impact of natural disasters can be reduced if the early warning systems are improved but there is no excuse if the developmental schemes like RBOD bring havoc in the fishers’ lives. While recalling the struggle of PFF and the fishers of Badin, he said we should learn from these deprived people who had no weapon but through the weapon of courage and clear vision they defeated Rangers. He demanded the government to declare sovereignty of the fishers on the water resources.

Muhammad Ali Shah, Chairperson PFF, said cyclone A2 brought havoc for the fishers because of the governments programmes and indifferent attitude. Government department knew about the cyclone but they deliberately did not warn to the fishers about the disaster. Government aims to remove the fishers from coastal belts as they can erect fancy and luxurious cities for elites. Particularly metrological department and the district administrative officers let the cyclone to kill the poor fishers. Shah said that so for 8 cyclones have hit the Sindh’s coastal belt.

While recalling the battle between the poor fishers and Rangers, he said that the fishers are determined to face all the manmade and natural challenges. No force can nail them down. He demanded the present government to table the bill on the fishers rights, before tabling it the fishers representatives should be involved into preparing the bill. Shah said proper legislation on the fisheries sector can protect the fishers from manmade and natural disasters.

He said the temperature is rising gradually and within a decade there are great chances the sea intrudes the coastal cities of entire world. He asked the fishers to be ready for such challenges and demanded governments to take measure to save deltaic region that will help to protect the people from sea intrusion.

The Federal Government of Pakistan should take sincere and serious efforts for the implementation of 1999 Water Accord. Although 10 Million Acres Feet (MAF) freshwater decided in the accord does not fulfill the actual water needs of the Indus Delta but even in the nine years (from the year when accord came into being) the decided 10 MAF freshwater has not been sent to downstream Kotri barrage, that is the main cause of the depletion and devastation of the Indus Delta. The Federal Government should immediately provide 35MAF water to downstream until the proposed an independent study come up with estimated or required quantity of the water downstream.

There should be conducted an independent study through national and international universities. This study will determine the flow of fresh water to downstream Kotri for the rehabilitation of Indus Delta and its survival in the future. The study should also determine about the ecological, environmental and social losses of Indus Deltaic people because of the upstream diversion, cuts and constructions of dams and barrages prior the partition of India to onward. In the light of above study the federal government should compensate all affectees people.

He added that there is Sindh Coastal Developmental Authority and other departments which are mainly responsible for the protection of natural resources on the coast and support of local communities but they are doing the formality. He demanded that government should compensate the fishers’ families who lost their family members in the cyclone on 19^th May 1999 and to those who are affected by the destruction of Indus delta. He demanded that there is dire need to leave 35 million acre feet to the downstream Kotri as the Indus delta could be saved. The gathering ended with this commitment that until the fishers rights are not given to the fishers till than peaceful struggle will continue.