The preprations for the Peasant conference in Lahore are going on. A consultative meetings of civil society organizations, trade unions, peasant organizations and political parties will take place on 11th January Thursday at 2pm at office Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, 107 Tipu Block, New Garden Town Lahore.
Another meeting is planned by Awami Jamhoori Tehreek (the left alliance) on 9th January at the office of National Workers Party, 5 Mcloed Road Lahore at 2pm. The organizing committee of Pakistan Kissan Rabita Committee is meeting in Lahore on 7th January to discuss the details of the conference.
The Kissan Conference at Minar Pakistan will attract thousands of peasants accros Pakistan mainly from Punjab.
Detail of the conference and the Rabita committee is in the following message
Pakistan Kissan Rabita Committee has decided to call an all Pakistan Kissan Conference on 4th February 2007 at Minar-i- Pakistan Lahore. The conference is been called to discuss the present worsening situation of peasantry in Pakistan.
The strict implementation of WTO conditionalties in agriculture sector has resulted in growing poverty among peasantry. It has meant more expenditure on agricultural inputs by the peasantry and a consistent withdrawal of subsidies by the state in different sector of agriculture.
Feudalism is been strengthened by the present military regime and army has become hand in hand with the feudal class to benefit from the system. Over 12 percent of agriculture land in Pakistan is now owned by military or military related institutions.
The privatization of fertilizers companies, expensive electricity, over dated agric drugs imports, usage of genetic seeds, intellectual property rights of crops and several other issues are now becoming a headache for the peasants.
The All Pakistan Peasant Conference will be an opportunity for several thousands of peasants to listen and share their views with other for a fight back. This will pave the way for more unity among progressive peasants’ organizations in Pakistan.
Pakistan Kissan Rabita Committee was formed in 2003 at a peasant conference in Chishtian to unite the progressive forces among peasants in Pakistan. PKRC held another conference in Mir Pur Khas Sind in 2004. It helped one of its affiliate organizations Pakistan Kissan Committee to organize another Kissan Conference in 2005 at Toba Tek Singh. Thousands of peasants have participated in these activities.
PKRC is an independent peasant organization not part of any political parties. Although all the Left parties of Pakistan are supporting this committee and their supporter peasant organizations are part of the committee. Majority of radical social organizations have also lent their support for this effort to bring all the progressive peasant organizations to one plate form. PKRC is like a federation of peasant organizations but all the linked organizations are independent in their activities as well.
At present, there are 23 peasant organizations that are part of the Pakistan Kissan Rabita (coordination) Committee. They include
1- Anjaman Mozareen Punjab
2- Ghareeb Kissan Tehreek
3- Peoples Rights Movement
4- Sind Hari Committee
5- Ghareeb Itehad Anjaman Shamsia, Sheikhupura
6- Tameer Millat Welfare Society, Layya
7- Saved Traqiayati Tanzeem, Chishtian
8- Progressive Youth Front
9- Sind Hari Tehreek
10 Pakistan Kissan Committee
11 Sweera Foundation, Chishtian
12 Shanji Shooch Foundation, Layya
13 Umeed development Foundation, Layya
14 Sublime Foundation, Behalwalpur
15 Anjaman Zameedaran Chagi, Baluchistan
16 Danish Foundation, Layya
17 Anjaman Kissan Sarhad
18 Sarhad Agricultural Development Organisation
19 Look Mehaz, Depalpur
20 Anjaman Kissan Mutasreen Mercedez Benz, Sheikhupura
21 Bhandar Hari Sanghat
22 Pakistan Kissan Itehad
23 Punjab Lok Sujag
Please contact if you know any peasant organisation who want to join the Pakistan Kissan Rabita Committee. Social Organizations who are involved with the welfare of peasantry can also become part of PKRC.
Please help spread the news of the con Please contact if you have suggestion to make the conference successful. If you want a formal invitation, please contact. We would like to invite different peasant organization worldwide.
For more information, please contact
Secretariat:
Farooq Tariq
Mehr Abdul Sattar
Tariq Mehmood