Peasants Assembly representing highly committed activists, hailing from different districts of the province, on Saturday reminded the government to effectively implement all their obligations, under international conventions, particularly those related to human rights, in consultation with the agriculture workforce.
They were giving reactions during a national peasants' assembly, organised by Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF) at London Town, Hyderabad, which attracted a large number of men and women, associated with fishing, farming, animal rearing and artisans depending on traditional resources for livelihoods.
The speakers focused on the fast depletion of natural resources, including land fertility and increasing urbanisation throughout the province, which they apprehend may cause food insecurity among the village communities. They emphasised the need of unity, among peasants, to launch effective campaign for legislation to protect the rights of the workforce. PFF Chairperson, Mohammed Ali Shah, Oxfam GB Grow Campaign Programme Manager, Shehbaz Bukhari, Action Aid Regional Manager, Shah Jehan Baloch, SPO Regional Head, Mustafa Baloch, writer Zulfiqar Halepoto, Punhal Sario, of Sindh Hari Porhiat Council, Saffed Baloch, Mustafa Meerani, Director Inland Fisheries, Ghulam Mujtaba Wadhar, Ghulam Ali Leghari, Ashfaq Khaskheli, Faiz Zardari and others spoke on the occasion.
Mohammed Ali Shah portrayed the situation in which landless peasants live without basic facilities at the farms. There is no school for their children; no health facilities for the community women; they do not have accessibility to potable drinking water he said.
Shah added that this is the time to follow the slogan, once the great socialist leader Sufi Shah Innayat gave, "those who cultivate the piece of land can get the product."
He said hundreds of thousands of acre fertile land has been ruined by the excessive use of fertilisers, pesticides and genetically modified (GM) seeds. Increasing soil infertility has forced hundreds of families to shift to other places for livelihood and security. Shah Jehan Baloch of Action Aid said the peasants' rights campaign should be linked to the political agenda, convincing the political parties to include land reforms in manifestos.
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