Anjuman Mazarain
Punjab
(AMP)
(“Tenant’s Association of the Punjab”)
Privatisation, Dispossession and the Anjuman Mazarain Punjab Three years ago, the military government of Pakistan announced plans to privatise a series of state companies controlling vast areas of land in central Pakistan. For the people who have worked this land as tenants for generations, it was apparent that behind this plan was an agenda of eviction and dispossession. From this realisation, under the slogan of Malki ya Maut - Ownership or Death – the Anjuman Mazarain Punjab, literally Tenants Association of the Punjab, was formed, one of the largest grassroots social movements in the world. The AMP have ignited a whole new debate within Pakistan centred around land, the agenda of privatisation, the elite capture of resources, and the persistent sabotaging of the democratic process by the military.
Siege, arrest, abduction, torture and
murder: The state’s reaction has been
brutal. Siege, arrest, abduction, torture and murder – all under the auspices
of ‘anti-terrorist’ legislation – have become commonplace. So far, eleven
people have died, tens have been seriously injured and thousands are charged
with terrorism. Peaceful resistance on part of the tenants has met with open
firing, tear gassing and baton charges on crowds of unarmed women and children
defending their villages from being invaded by the soldiers.
Urgent call for International Solidarity
– The Coming Siege: For the last
three years the harvest month of April has been the flashpoint. Under
increasing pressure to sign away existing rights to their land, the farmers of
the AMP have responded by refusing to relinquish the traditional 50% share of
their harvest to authorities. We have no reason to believe that this April will
be any different.
In
response to the expected renewal of human rights abuses against the people of
the AMP we call for solidarity actions this April - in particular on April 17, the International Day of
Farmers’ Struggle.
For
more information contact ampsolidarity@yahoo.com.
Further Reading:
“Dispossession, Democracy, Solidarity and Community in
Ireland and Pakistan”
How leaked documents of the European Commission reveal that through demands in ongoing GATS negotiations, Europe is undermining the people of the AMP, and on attempts to build solidarity through the Irish Social Forum.
http://homepage.eircom.net/~ampinfo/articles/mazarain.htm
“Rebellion in Pakistan: Letter to Subcommandante
Marcos”
Asha Amirali briefly describes the struggle to Marcos
http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?SectionID=32&ItemID=2073
“Freedom in Struggle”
Asha Amirali on the role of women in the struggle of the AMP.
http://www.jang.com.pk/thenews/mar2003-weekly/nos-09-03-2003/pol1.htm#5
“What I saw in Okara”
Pakistani Scientist and activist Pervez Hoodbhoy describes the situation on Okara, one of the key locations of the AMP.
http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?SectionID=32&ItemID=2339
“The Colour Khaki”
Tariq Ali writing in New Left Review on the Pakistani politics under the dictatorship of General Musharaf, see the section “rural intafada” which discusses the AMP.
http://www.newleftreview.net/NLR25301.shtml
“Fighting an Empires Army”
Washington Post on the AMP.
“Special Report on the struggle for land
ownership in Punjab”
UN
report on human rights abuses against the communities of the AMP. (UN Office
for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs)
http://www.irinnews.org/print.asp?ReportID=35213
This page maintained by the Irish Solidarity Network, for updates, to join, or for more information contact ampsolidarity@yahoo.com.