The progress and prosperity of Sindh demands implementation of the revolutionary teachings of Comrade Haider Bux Jatoi, said speakers who had gather here on Sunday to observe death anniversary of legendry Hari leader Comrade Haider Bux Jatoi.
The moot was jointly organised by Sindh Agricultural General Workers Union CBA and National Trade Union Federation (NTUF) with central deputy general secretary NTUF Nasir Mansoor in chair and attended by a large number of Haris, workers, social and political workers, women and youth.
They said it was necessary to apply the labour laws on all agricultural workers to give them their rights under the law. They said the feudal lords (waderas) had always supported the anti-Sindh forces. They said to foil the conspiracies of these elements it was necessary to raise a joint voice against the atrocities of feudal lords.
The speakers noted that Sindh had been facing the worst economic, political and social crisis. In rural areas, millions of Haris have been living a life worse than animals. “They lack all basic facilities of life including clean drinking water, electricity, gas, education, healthcare and jobs. The feudal lords treat them as their slaves. The Haris are still treated with dark medieval customs. They are sent to private jails of the landlords. They are subjected to forced labour and they are bought and sold like slaves. They have seen no betterment both in the periods of dictatorships and democracy.”
The speakers told the moot held at the Hyderabad Press Club as per Sindh Industrial Relations Act (SIRA 2013) the labours working in the agriculture sector have come in the orbit of labour laws, but there was no mechanism devised by the concerned government departments to implement this law. Resultantly, millions of these workers are deprived from the facilities of registration with the social security institutions, old age benefits, pension and other facilities, which are now their legal and constitutional rights. Almost half a century has passed since the enactment of Tenancy Act for Haris but it has yet to be implemented. Moreover, in the changing conditions this Act also needs proper amendments.
The speakers said in the towns and cities the capitalists and armed mafias have made the lives of workers a living hell. The factories and industries have turned into torture centres. The voice of labours for their due rights is always suppressed with brutal force. The legal and labour rights institutions have become virtual personal properties of the capitalists. To harm the unity of workers, ethnic and religious extremism has been fanned which has already claimed the lives of thousands of workers. There is an unholy nexus of feudal lords of rural areas who torment Haris, and political outfits ruled by the capitalists suppress the workers in towns and cities. However, the state institutions fully safeguard this nexus. When the vested interests of these anti-worker and Hari forces are at the stake, they fan the ethnic and linguist feelings of masses to divide and rule the workers. These forces even do not shy away to attack even the national unity of Sindh.
Due to the exploitation-based character of these ruling classes, the whole Sindh is in the grip of the worst poverty and deprivation. The resources of the province are being looted with both hands. Precious lands of the province are being given to foreign companies for peanuts in the name of mega projects, but sadly all political parties have kept a criminal mum on this important issue. In Sindh province, thousands of seminaries are spreading sectarian hatred. Some so-called custodians of shrines are involved in forced marriages and conversion of the daughters of Hindu Haris.
“Realising this situation the Haris, workers and other exploited classes are uniting their hands to play their historical role. In Sindh, a revolutionary movement has already been started in the light of philosophy of Comrade Haider Bux Jatoi. The workers of Sindh in collaboration with other pro-people forces will bravely resist the increasing class-based exploitation, nationalistic oppression, and religious and ethnic extremism.”
The meeting demanded that feudalism should be ended and labour laws should be applied to all agricultural workers. The process of privatization should be stopped and the resources of Sindh should not be sold to traders. Hari Courts on the pattern of labour courts should be established and due amendments should be brought in Sindh Tenancy Act.
It demanded to end religious extremism. The government should take control of all seminaries for 10 years and start modern education in them. Harassment of the original sons of soil, Kolhis, Bheels and Menghwars should be stopped. The process of changing religion of Hindu girls forcefully should be stopped.
Artificial changes in the demography of Sindh should be stopped. The first rights of the locales on jobs should be accepted. Chapters on the life and work of Comrade Haider Bux Jatoi should be added to curriculum. TandoJamAgricultureUniversity should be named after Comrade Haider Bux Jatoi, they demanded.