Another sorry state of affairs with Rangers occupying lands that belong to locals and not paying for it and abusing locals. Another repeat of Okara military farms debacle in Punjab. Is it any wonder that all people of Pakistan now hate Rangers and Army so much? Aziz Sanghur is a good friend of mine and I applaud him for bringing this issue to the press.
Withdrawal of Rangers from fishing areas urged
BY AZIZ SANGHUR
KARACHI - A joint meeting of the civil society organisations, trade union leaders and intellectuals on Wednesday urged for withdrawal of Thar Rangers from fishing areas of Badin District, and putting an end to widespread atrocities being committed against fishermen community in the coastal areas.
The meeting was held at a local hotel, organized by Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF), and it was attended by a large number of civil society organization office-bearers, trade union leaders and intellectuals.
Chairman, PFF, Muhammad Ali Shah, Secretary, PFF, Saeed Baloch, Former Vice Chairman, Fishermen Cooperative Society (FCS), Haji Shafi Jamot, Akthar Baloch of HRCP, Hoth Khan Jamali of WWF, Shahid Baloch of Amnesty International, Syed Qaeem-ul-Den of Sindh Graduate Association, Syed Ummad Ali of Pakistan Workers Confederation, Asia Tariq of PPPP, Sharafat Ali of PILLAR, Zahid Farooq of Urban Resource Centre, Latif Mughal of PPPP, Allies, a foreign journalist and Sikandar Brohi of PFF spoke on the occasion.
The speakers who debated on the issue unanimously considered the occupation of the coastal fishing lakes of district Badin by Rangers and introduction of contract system on those lakes by Rangers as an illegal, unconstitutional and immoral act.
The meeting demanded that the Rangers occupation of the coastal fishing grounds and the contract system introduced by rangers be brought to an end ‘and these fishing lakes and grounds be handed over to the local fishing communities.
The meeting considered the Thar Rangers act of indulging itself in occupation and contracting of the fishing grounds as not only unconstitutional but deviation by Rangers of its sworn duties of safeguarding the borders of country as the key role of Thar Rangers is to man Sindh -India borders and safeguards national interest.
The participants said that Rangers act was also a clear violation of the rights of provincial autonomy as the fishing grounds constitutionally belong to Sindh government which have been occupied by the Rangers
They expressed their serious concern over attack of Rangers personnel on the villagers and demanded registration of cases against them.
They demanded that the government should put an end to the prevailing illegal contract system and announce the withdrawal of Rangers. The speakers demanded that Rangers involved in the torture on fishermen should be prosecuted.
They said the fishermen were being harassed and tortured and false cases were being registered against them. They alleged that two Rangers had subjected even women and children to torture in Kandri village.
They said that the fishermen had been protesting against such atrocities committed against them in Badin and Thatta districts. They said they would widen the scope of protests if Rangers continued fishing and FIRs were not registered against personnel who had tortured fishermen.
They said 15,000 fishermen had already been forced to migrate due to atrocities committed by law enforcement agencies. They demanded contracts of fishing allotted to outsiders be cancelled and given to local fishermen, as it was their sole mean of livelihood.
They said the fish catch, which had been 200 tons per vessel in 1992 had dropped to 75 tons per vessel since 1998.
They also alleged that the fishermen of the Sindh coast had been compelled by Rangers to keep their boats anchored off the shore on different pretexts, something which calls for an urgent action by the authorities concerned.
http://www.nation.com.pk/daily/oct-2004/28/nationalnews8.php