Ownership of land” the only solution
– Punjab Government must register 68000 acre of land on the name of tenants
– Protest campaign to continue, thousands will demonstrate on 6th April in Okara and 17th April in Lahore, Anjaman Mozareen Punjab (AMP)
Press Conference Lahore Press Club 1st April 2010 by Mehr Abdul Sattar, secretary AMP, Liaqat Ali chairman, Khushi Mohammed Daola president, Mian Mohammed Asharaf Senior vice president, Mohammed Nadeem Asharaf, Mohammed Shabir Sajid, Malik Salim Jhakkar vice president AMP, Mohammed Yaseen Bhutta president AMP Prinseb Abad military Farms Pakpattan AMP, Mohammed Hanif chairman AMP Lahore Benghali military Farms and Farooq Tariq secretary Pakistan Kissan Rabita Committee
Dear Journalist friends, we welcome you in the press conference:
Anjaman Mozareen Punjab (Tenant Association Punjab) want to make it absolute clear that they will not accept any solution except the ownership of the land they are cultivating over 100 years. The movement of AMP for landownership rights has entered in 10 year. During the movement at the time of Musharaf dictatorship, Benazhit Bhutto and MIan Nawaz Sharif both promised to give these 68000 acres of land to the tenants if they come to power. Two years of their power have passed already, yet the promise has still to be fulfilled.
The government of Punjab must adopt a clear position on this question of land rights. We demand that the tenants of Military Farms Okara, Army Welfare Trust of Proban Abad Depalpur and Bail Gunj Pakpattan, Benghali Military Farms Lahore, Punjab Seed Corporation Khanewal, Rice Research Farms Kala Shah Kakoo Lahore, Live Stock Farms Bahadar Naghar Okara, Live Stock Farms Qadarabad Sahiwal, Allah Dad Cattle Farm Jahania, Military Farms Sarghoda, Maiz research Farms Sahiwal and Iqbal Nagar, Mozareen Auqaf Department Nankan Sahib, Dhakar Resaerch farms Sahiwal, Cotton Research Frams Rahim Yar Khan, Kulyana Military Estate Okara, Robert Farms Rahim Yar Khan and other public sector Farms must be given immediate the rights of ownership of the land they are cultivating for generations.
We want to make it absolute clear that the notification of Punjab Government on the issue of farming committees of tenants and government official has left out several areas. There is no mention of Pakpattan, Lahore and Kala Shah Kakoo tenants land. We demand that the Punjab government should only negotiate with the real representatives of tenants and Lahore, Pakpattan and Kala Shah Kakoo should be included in the notification.
The Government of Punjab must clearly state that they are giving ownership rights not only to civilian public sector agriculture land but also that under occupation of Military. Those agriculture Farms occupied by Military are Army Welfare Trust Pakpattan, Depalpur, Military Farms Okara, Sarghoda and Lahore.
We are demanding that military should withdraw from all civilian departments including agriculture. It is not the task of the army to cultivate the land. The military have occupied land owned by Punjab government in Okara, Renakhurd, Lahore and Okara and they are not ready to leave the agriculture for the tenants. Giovernment of Punjab are reluctant to announce clearly in favour of the tenants.
They said that 10 peasants have lost their lives during the 10 years of struggle at the hands of the state forces including the army. Dozens have been injured and arrested on false cases. The sacrifices for the cause of iownership rights will continue.
The tenant leaders announced the 6th April 2010 programme on the eve of the first death anniversary of three peasant leaders Mohammed Abbas, Amir Ali and Abdul Rahim. The three were killed by the firing of the goons of the military officers at Kulyana military Estate Okara. Thousands of peasants will gather at the village 28/R Kulyana Estate where the incident took place last year on 6th April. Abid Hasan Minto president Workers Party Pakistan, Farooq Tariq spokeperson Labour Party Pakistan, Bushra Khaliq, secretary Women Workers Help Line, Nazli Javed member Federal Committee LPP, Asim Sajad Akhtar of WWP and leaders of the peasants will address the public meeting at 11am on 6th April. Later a rally will be taken to Okara city to demand the land rights. It is expected that peasant women will participate in large numbers in the event.
On 17 April, the international day of peasants, a massive rally of peasants will start from GPO Chouck Lahore to Charing Cross Lahore to press the Punjab government for land rights. The peasants will demand an end of feudal system, distribution of all state agriculture land to landless peasantry and tenants, just water distribution for all areas of Pakistan and subsidies for agriculture sector be restored.
Noor Nabi media adviser
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Rabia Shahbaz
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