Anjuman Muzareen Punjab is a movement of 1 million landless tenants based in villages stretching over 10 districts of the Punjab (Okara, Khanewal, Multan, Lahore, Vihari, Sahiwal, Faisalabad, Sargodha, Pakpattan and Sheikhupura and so on). In these districts of Punjab landless tenants settled this uncultivated land with their hard labour and they have tilled the soil for over a century. In other words these tenants have been cultivating the land for four generations. The official documents state that the land belongs to the Government of Punjab. However, on these lands companies and military agencies such as the RVFC, Military Seed Corporation, Livestock Agricultural Department, and Dairy Farm, Seed Research Farm and so on are operating. These companies have been collecting revenue from the Muzareen both in kind and in money terms. According to Government of Punjab Board of Revenue the payments from the tenants to these Departments and companies are unlawful since these organizations have no legal claim over ownership or revenue generated from this land. In the past the tenants of these areas have voiced their concern but despite several proclamations they have been unable to obtain ownership rights over land that should belong to the tenants.
In July 2000 a new piece-rate and a yearly lease agreement was introduced in these farms. This new system and agreement represented a severe loss in the social and economic position of tenant farmers. In fact, it was widely felt that this new system and agreement was deliberately harsh in order to impoverish the tenants thereby forcing them to abandon their lands. In other words, this new system and agreement was designed to evict these tenants from their lands.
Given this situation the tenants of the area mobilized under the slogan “Maliki Ya Maut” (Ownership or Death) and rejected the new system of piece-rate and yearly agreements. The movement organized under the title of Anjuman Muzareen Punjab(AMP). The movement grew rapidly to encompass hundreds of thousands of tenants all over Punjab. During this period the movement attempted to negotiate with the district and provincial administrations, the farm management, the Revenue Board, and even the governor of Punjab. However, the authorities were unwilling to negotiate and began a campaign of intimidation, coercion and cruelty towards the movement. On several occasions unprovoked violence erupted when the authorities sent armed police and paramilitary Rangers forces to terrorize the tenant farmers. Consequently 11 tenants lost their lives, hundreds including women and children sustained terrible injuries and hardships. Hundreds were arrested and went to jail. Today, 4 tenants are still in Central Jail Sahiwal and behind prison but they stay defiant in the call for “Ownership or Death”. The government has also applied severe economic pressure by dismissing over 350 government employees because they were relatives of these tenants.
Here is a brief list of the abuses inflicted by the Rangers and Police on the Muzareen:
· Telephones, electricity and canal water was stopped by the Administration and Rangers for over 3 month period.
· Relatives and children of the tenants were badly beaten by Rangers and Police. Tenants faced these bad situations bravely and they are ready to face any trouble and suffering.
· The Police and Rangers have also applied pressure on families to divorce young men and women who come from these villages.
· 45 tenants (men, women and children) died due to the lack of medical treatment during the siege of these villages by the Rangers and the Police.
It is important to note that in 1997, Mian Mohammad Nawaz Sharif, promised even before he was elected as Prime Minister, that the ownership of residential and agricultural land be given to the tenants of Military Farm, Okara. He ordered the Chief Secretary Punjab to give the residential and agricultural Land to tenants. The authorities put the decision in log back and did not implement the orders. However, the tenant farmers have taken up their own cause under the slogan ‘Malki Ya Maut’ (Ownership or Death). A Movement of Peasants (Farmers) & Landless Tenants
Introduction:
Anjuman-e-Muzareen Pakistan (Punjab) is a movement of approximately I million landless tenants bases in villages stretching over ten districts of Punjab (Okara, Khanewal, Multan, Lahore Viharri, Sahiwal, Faisalabad, Sargodha, Pakpatten, and Shekhupura and so on). In this district of Punjab landless tenants settled this uncultivated land with their hard labour and have tilled the soil for over a country. In other words these tenants have cultivated the land for four generation. The official documents state that the land belong to the government of Punjab. However, on these land companies such as the RVFC, seed corporation livestock, agriculture department and dairy farms, seed research farm and so on are operating and are receiving revenues from tenants in kind and in money terms. According to the revenue Board of the Government of Punjab these payments from the tenants to these departments is unlawful since these department have on legal claim over ownership or revenue generated form this land. Through the years the tenants of these areas have voiced their concern but despite several proclamation and attempts towards land reform they have been unable to obtain ownership rights over lands that should belong to the tenants.
In July 2000 a new piece-rate system and a yearly leas agreement was introduced in these farms. This new system and agreement represented a severe loss in the social and economic position of tenants. In fact, it was widely felt that this new system and agreement was deliberately harsh in order to impoverish the tenants thereby forcing them to abandon their lands. In other words, this new system and agreement was designed to evict these tenants from their lands.
Given this situation the tenants of the area mobilizes under the slogan “ownership or death” and rejected the new system of piece-rate and yearly agreements. This movement organized it self under the tile of Anjman-e-Muzareen Punjab. The movement rapidly grew to encompass hundred of thousand of tenants all over the Punjab. During this period the movement attempted to negotiate with the distract and provincial administrations, the farm management, the revenue boards, and even the governor of Punjab. However, the authorities were unwilling to negotiate and began a campaign of intimidation, coercion, and cruelty towards the movement. On several occasions unprovoked violence erupted between the movement and the authorities during the course of which 13 tenants lost their lives and dozens including women and children sustained terrible injuries and hardship. Even from behind prison bars the slogan of “ownership or death” continues to be raised boldly and defiantly.
The objectives of our movement
1) The AMP struggles for the rights of ownership of agriculture and residential land for the tenants of Punjab.
2) The AMP struggles for the universal and free education and health care.
3) The AMP struggles for the elimination of poverty, unemployment, inflation and ignorance.
4) The AMP struggles for the equality and participation in all walks of life women.
5) The AMP struggles for the education of tenants in the method of modern agriculture.
6) The AMP supports the effort towards the development of creative recreational activities such as a sports and culture for the children of poor tenants.
7) The AMP struggles for the protection of orphans and widows.
In order to promote these objectives, the anjuman-e-muzareen Punjab hlevel.
Olds meetings, seminars press conferences, workshops and so on
Organization structure
The organization structure of the AMP encompasses units from the village, union council, tehsil, and district, provincial and country level.
Constitution
1) the AMP is based on the principles of democracy
2) all the decisions of the AMP are taken on the bases of the rule of the majority
3) the AMP re-elects all the officials of the organization after every three years
4) the president of every zone is an executive member of the AMP
5) the AMP include a separate organization for women stretching from the village to the provincial level
6) the opinion and vote of women in all decisions of the organization holds equal weight
7) the president of the AMP reserves the rights through a majority vote to take action against any member or official of the AMP who is found to be in breach of the basic principles of the organization
8) if there are complain against the president or general secretary the local unit retains the right by majority vote to take a decision
9) all local units should transfer 30 percent of their funds to the provincial and country level
10) All units from the local to the provincial and country level will keep a written record of all income and expenditures.
Message:
We welcome all NGOs, (human rights, farmer organizations, labour unions women rights organizations) those want to take interest and encourage our straggle.
