On 21 May 2008, in continuity of struggle against the banning of fishermen to anchor their boats nearby shoreline in Gizri Creek by Defence Housing Authority (DHA), Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF) observed hunger strike in front of Karachi Press Club. The hunger strike will go for two more days till 23 May. At this occasion, we invite everyone to join us for an hour or a day.

Apart from the Gizri area, several fishermen, women and children had joined the strike from Ibrahim Hyderi, Rehri Goth, Hacks Bay, Deh Allah Dino, Kiamari, Khada and so on. The fishers were holding play cards, banners in their hands which were colored with words like ‘save fishers from the DHA atrocities’, ‘save us from hunger and deprivation’, ‘restore fishermen’s basic rights’, ‘restore our jetty’ and ‘stop eviction of fishermen’.

On the occasion, Hussain Dhorai claimed that he has ownership documents which were issued to him by the then Mumbi government. DHA has gulped nine thousands acres in Gizri while they cannot spare one acre for the fishers who are living in the area for centuries. It is an open injustice. For the last two months the fisher families are going through depressed and miserable life. He slammed DHA who violated an understanding reached between the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum along with the fishermen and DHA. That understanding took place in a meeting on 5^th June 2005. After the meeting, the then Director Vigilance (DV), Lt Col Javed Ahad, of DHA issued a letter on 10^th June 2005 with reference DHA/119/Ph-5/Vig. That letter says “the competent authority is pleased to allow fishermen of Gizri area to carry out fishing from 0600 hours to 1800 hours”.

Addressing to the crowd, Mohammad Ali Shah, Chairperson PFF, condemned the increasing cruelties of DHA on the fishers which has forced the fishers to come on the streets to protect their basic livelihood rights. Shah said precious lands were sold to DHA at insignificant prices and then sold for millions of rupees to bureaucrats and elites. DHA is exercising its power in the name of army. Consequently, centuries old residents are the subject of victimization. The fishers are banned to catching fish in the sea which is merely the sources of their livelihood and in the given state of poor economy and unemployment. If the fishers are deprived of their rights then there will be no other way to take their rights back except coming on the streets. He added that since 1980 three makeshift jetties in Gizri creek have been demolished. Now the last one is under the target of the same aggressive course. Shah urged the newly elected government representatives, whom the fishers have given their votes, in Sindh and center that they should take immediate measures to stop DHA for doing unjust with poverty ridden fishers. Instead, DHA should be asked to build a proper jetty for the fishers. He warned the DHA authorities, if they did not end evicting and harassing fishers and the ban on the catching fish in the Gizri area then there will be a mass protest all over the Sindh.

After the issuance of letter, fishermen peacefully continued their fishing activities for three years, but in 2008, the current DV did not accept the above mentioned letter and barred the fishermen to catch the fish in the sea and anchor their boats at any spot along the shoreline in Gizri creek. With the given unacceptable attitude of the DV, fishermen did not leave the curtain of negotiation and continued to have dialogue with him for their rights, but DV ruled out every thing.

However, the current administrator refuses to honour the statement of the letter on the grounds that there is no reference of a jetty in the agreement. Shah asked all the civil society members, public, and media personnel to come forward and help the fishers to save their only source of livelihood. He warned that if the fishers demands are not fulfilled then PFF will adopt worse paths to attain the rights.

PFF’s General Secretary Khuda Bux Ganj, Deputy General Secretary Musrat Mandherio, senior Vice Chairperson Tahira Ali and other participated in the hunger strike.

Second day on the hunger strike: Both DHA and government are indifferent

On 22^nd May 2008, PFF sat for the second of three days hunger strike in front of Karachi Press club. The strike was observed in continuity of struggle against the banning of fishers to anchor their boats nearby shoreline in Gizri creek by the Defence Housing Authority (DHA). A large number of the fishers coming from Ibrahim Hyderi, Rehri Goth, Hawkesbay, Deh Allah Bano and Keamari took part in it. They had placards and banners in their hands in which they demanded the government to save the fishers from the DHA atrocities, save the fishers from hunger and deprivation, restore the fishers’ basic rights of livelihoods, restore their jetty and stop eviction of the fishers. Khuda Ganj Shad, Saeed Baloch, General Secretary PFF, Umeed Bux Baloch and Hussain Dhorai led the campers.

During the second day of three days strike, several political parties’ leaders, civil society representatives and others visited the camp. Among those were Saleem Zia, PML (N) Sindh, Yousif Masti, General Secretary of Pakistan National Workers Party, Usman Baloch, Khalique Junejo, Jaye Sindh Qumi Mahaz and Sahla Rizwan, Labour Party of Pakistan. These visitors condemned the DHA’s attitude.

Majeed Motani, president PFF Karachi Committee, said that DHA is making the world fool. It has double standards. On the one hand, it is not letting the fishers to anchor their boats around Gizri creek. On the second, it refuses to accept that it has not restrained the fishers to catch the fish in the area. Motani said if DHA is not stopping the fishers to catch the fish but it is accepting that it is not allowing the fishers to leave their boats at their traditional makeshift jetties. It is very shameful statement by the DHA because it is obvious that without the boats the fishers cannot catch fish in the sea. It is not merely about the boast but there is too much off the record which DHA has been doing against the poor fishers.

Motani surprised over the present government’s response said that still no government representative has come to ask about the fishers’ problems and DHA’s ill-treatment. Also there is no pressure on DHA as it should leave its harsh attitude behind and come forward to accept the fishers’ demands. He warned that after the end of three days strike if DHA again stopped the fishers to anchor their boats around Gizri creek then the fishers from across the country will rush to the DAH office and will stay there until their demands are accepted.

On the occasion, Saeed Baloch asked the Federal Government and Sindh Governments representatives, particularly Nisar Khuhrro, Speaker Sindh Assembly, Qaim Ali Shah, Chief Minister Sindh to solve the problems of the fishers of Gizri area. Otherwise, PFF’s will go for a mass struggle.

We request all the international friends to write a complain letter to DHA at
http://www.dhakarachi.org/Complaints/Feedback1.aspa

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