
Pakistan: Release the
“Faisalabad 6”
Help the campaign for the release of workers leaders
facing 490 years in jail
Six labor leaders from
Faisalabad, Pakistan, have been handed jail
sentences of 490 years in total. Their only crime
was to lead a peaceful strike for an increase in
minimum wages as announced by the government. They
are Akbar Ali Kamboh, Babar Shafiq Randhawa, Fazal
Elahi, Rana Riaz Ahmed Muhammad Aslam Malik and
Asghar Ali Ansari. Four of them were arrested in
July 2010 while the other two were arrested in July
2011 on the same charges.
All are leaders of a
power looms worker organization called, Labour Qaumi
Movement (LQM) in Faisalabad, the third largest city
of Pakistan. LQM is a community based labour
organization fighting for the rights of the textile
workers since 2004. It has a mass base among textile
workers of the city and surrounding areas.
An
anti-terrorist court judge on November 1, 2011,
sentenced six leaders under terrorism charges in
Faisalabad. As is frequently observed that
Terrorists are set free by these courts and workers
leaders are charged under terrorist laws in
Pakistan.
They were accused of burning down a factory during
the strike. This is a fabricated charge. The facts
are that on the day of strike, July 20, 2010,
gangsters in the pay of the factory owner started
shooting at the workers who were leaving the factory
to demand better wages. Some workers dared to go
inside the factory and forced the gangsters to stop
firing. Some of them were beaten up by the angry
workers.
During the trial, the workers' advocate asked if the
factory had been burnt down, then how was it able to
operate again, three days later.
More than 100,000 power loom workers in Faisalabad
district went on strike on July 20, 2010, for an
increase of wages that had been announced by the
government. The government announced 17 percent rise
in the minimum wage for the private sector workers.
The LQM in Faisalabad, Jhang and other districts of
Punjab had been in negotiations with power loom
owners for three weeks before the strike.
The long term jail
sentences of these workers leaders has been a
devastating blow to the workers movement in
Faisalabad, and indeed across Pakistan. That the
court could hand out such a draconian anti-labor
judgment was beyond anyone's expectations,
especially since this judiciary itself had been
restored through the support of a powerful people's
movement. Yet, the anti-terrorist court chose to
give a verdict with the sole aim of damaging the
power loom workers movement which was slowly
becoming a symbol of working class militancy all
over the country.
One of the principal
methods of disciplining labor under capitalism is to
push them to the point where they are only left with
an option of negotiating with the bosses on the
latter's terms. This is done either through brute
state force or by financially crushing the working
class so that they only have the option of
compromising in order to survive within the system.
The bosses have used
the latter tactic to ensure that these labor leaders
become examples for anyone who dares to raise
his/her voice against the injustices meted out to
the workers. All of our jailed comrades are married
and were the primary breadwinners of their families.
Their families have been pushed to the brink of a
financial catastrophe. The families are
contemplating removing children from the schools
since they are unable to even buy enough groceries.
Knowing that this is
part of the political strategy of the bosses to
subjugate the workers, and that it is having severe
consequences for the families of the jailed leaders,
the Labour Party Pakistan, the Labour Qaumi
Movement, the National Trade Union Federation and
the Labour Education Foundation are launching a
finance appeal to support the families of our jailed
comrades.
These leaders have
shown tremendous courage and steadfastness in
refusing to compromise with the authorities and
instead suffer the consequences of speaking the
truth. These families deserve our generous support
not only because these comrades are suffering due to
their involvement with a working class movement. But
also, because the outcome of this movement, and our
ability to extend solidarity and support to our
comrades in difficult conditions, will dictate
whether this particular event will deter working
class militancy (as wished by the bosses) or act as
a shining example of working class solidarity
against the hideous tactics of the ruling classes.
Anti-terrorist laws are
frequently used against protesting industrial
workers in Punjab. Thirteen trade union leaders are
facing such charges of terrorism at present time.
Their real crime is fighting for a better life for
their members and demanding higher wages. The Punjab
government is all out to crush any trade union
movement in factories which is challenging their
authority.
We need your support.
Social movements in South Asia particularly must
come forward to show solidarity with the jailed
labour leaders. We ask you to make a donation to the
campaign for the release of workers.
If you wish to
transfer funds, below are details of the account for
sending money to this finance appeal:
A/C
Title: Labour Education Foundation A/C Number:
01801876
Route: Please advise and pay to Citi Bank, New
York, USA Swift CITI US 33 for onward transfer to
BANK ALFALAH LTD., KARACHI, PAKISTAN A/C No.
36087144 and for final transfer to BANK ALFALAH
LTD., LDA PLAZA, KASHMIR ROAD, LAHORE, PAKISTAN
Swift: ALFHPKKALDA for A/C No. 01801876 OF LABOUR
EDUCATION FOUNDATION.
Please send motions
and/or messages of solidarity to the
Labour Education
Foundation: 25-A Davis
Road, Lahore, Pakistan.
Tel:
+92-42-36303808 Fax: +92-42-36271149 Email: lef@lef.org.pk
Website: www.lef.org.pk
For more
information, please contact
Khalid Mehmood,
Director Labour
Education Foundation
(kahlid@lef.org.pk)
00 92 321 9402322
Farooq Tariq,
Spokesperson Labour
Party Pakistan
(farooqtariq@hotmail.com)
00 92 302 8411945
Rana Mohammed Tahir,
President Labour Qaumi
Movement Faisalabad
(Note: we three are participating in
South Asian Social Forum Dhaka, Please contact us if
you want to make a donation to the campaign)
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