LAHORE, Aug 25: Hapless tenants of the military farms around Okara seem to have locked their horns with powerful state organs — police, the Rangers, district administration. The district government also seems to have arrayed against them.

On Sunday, the police took the lead when it booked and arrested several farmers on charges of killing Suleman Masih. It failed to appreciate the fact that only a victim party has the right to lodge an FIR; in this case farmers of the area. Instead, it lodged the FIR on the complaint of the Rangers and arrested those who came to Okara district hospital after receiving bullet injuries at the hands of the Rangers. The entire leadership of Anjuman-i-Mazareen has also been placed on the list of murderers.

It further distorted the facts when, in sheer violation of its practice, it simply did not include farmers’ version in the FIR. Those in know of the legal procedure realize that once facts are distorted at the FIR stage, they cannot be easily rectified at following stages, and the facts have been distorted in this case. The farmers’ claim that Suleman was killed by the Rangers is of no value for police.

On Sunday, the Rangers were also trying to convince the heirs of Suleman Masih to let them bury him at one of the “safe graveyards” because taking his body to Chak 10/L could inflame the situation. But, they refused and were handed over the body late last night. According to SSP M.A Tareen, farmers’ version, if any, could be investigated later on.

In addition to police, district management conduct is also regrettable. The farmers appeal against a Lahore High Court decision, which was referred to the Punjab Board of Revenue by the Supreme Court, is lying with the assistant commissioner concerned for the last many months. “No one dares to touch it and offend the army or rangers,” says a farmer.

All local teachers, policemen and workers of the dairy farms have been put on the notice for “their parents’ involvement in, what the managers called, anti-state activities.” They may lose their jobs if they do not contain their parents or other relatives. On one hand, they risk losing their lands if they fail to toe the official line and on the other, their jobs. This is being done on the excuse of “law and order situation created by the farmers.”

As if these steps were not enough, the Acting District Nazim told a team of visiting journalists recently that these farmers were creating a bad situation for themselves and the army. They must agree to what the Rangers were saying because it was in their benefit. One wonders for how long can these poor farmers survive against this kind of oppression. Going by the spirit they still maintain, one can predict that situation would only worsen. They can hardly beat the army with sheer determination, which is their only weapon. “Defending these lands have become article of faith for us,” claimed a Christian farmer. The community forms 40 per cent of farmers.

When the struggle started, every farmer was taken to either mosque or church and made to pledge on the holy books to continue struggle till “ownership or death.” No one will back out now,” he asserted.

On the other hand, a Rangers official claimed that the “only thing that keeps army moving is it pride. No one can defeat it. How can these farmers defeat us.”—Ahmad Fraz Khan