November 22, 2008	Saturday	Ziqa'ad 23, 1429

KARACHI, Nov 21: South Asian labour leaders speaking at the conclusion of the three-day regional consultation on “Workers as citizens: markets and rights in South Asia” on Friday urged all countries of the region to ensure social security, peace, sustainable livelihood and easy across-the-border movement for their labour force.

The event was organised jointly by the Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research and the South Asia Alliance for Poverty Eradication. Eight foreign delegates, two each from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal and India, and a large number of local trade union leaders and activists participated.

Speaking at a press conference after the conference, Dr Wajeed-ul-Islam (Bangladesh), A Muthulingam (Sri Lanka), Sarba Raj Khadka (Nepal), Ashok Kumar Ghosh (India) and Karamat Ali (Pakistan) stressed that the trade unions in the formal sector should integrate the workers associated with the labour bodies of the informal sector and particularly the agricultural workers. They also called for inducting women workers in their rank and file and increasing interaction with civil society organisations, women and youth groups, etc as well as with their counterparts in other countries of the region.

They said that the conference had decided to start work for preparing a “South Asian Charter” and develop a framework regarding labour standards for South Asian workers. A committee would be formed at the regional level with three members each from the countries of region to set the standards, they added.

The labour leaders pledged that they would mobilise public opinion and lobby for a no-war pact among the countries of the region, a minimum of 10 per cent cut in the annual military expenditure, besides dismantling of nuclear arms and allocation of the money thus saved for development of the social sector.

They said that they would work actively to persuade their respective governments to redirect economic policies and encourage trade and investment within the region, instead of seeking loans and aid from international financial institutions, and repudiate payment of loans to the IFIs.

They called for a visa-free movement across the region for all citizens of the regional states on the pattern of the Asean region and European Union.

The delegates stressed the ratification and full implementation of the UN convention on the protection of the rights of all migrant workers and members of their families (2003) as well as the new ILO convention No.188 on work in the fishing sector (2007). They said that the South Asian states should sign an agreement to stop arrest and harassment of fishing workers within the waters of the region.

Demanding effective agrarian reforms to ensure social justice, they called for equal distribution of land among indigenous farmers by the state, stressing that feudal lords or the state should not own excessive land. They also demanded a ban on corporate farming and allotment of land to multinational companies for the purpose. They said the WTO regime must be rejected and biodiversity and food sovereignty be ensured.

The delegates emphasised a time-bound joint strategy and action plan to address the challenges of global warming and climate change.

They also announced that the South Asian labour and other civil society organisations would commemorate Dec 10 (Human Rights Day) as “South Asian Workers Rights Day”.

Welcoming the end of monarchy in Nepal, resumption of peace process between India and Pakistan, revival of train service between India and Bangladesh and some other similar developments in the region, they observed that the overall situation of inequitable development did persist and a majority of South Asian people were continuing to be denied the core labour rights and while minimum labour standards were not being observed.

Other foreign delegates, Shahidullah Chowdhury (Bangladesh), M. R. Shah (Sri Lanka), Hari Dutta Joshi (Nepal), N. P. Samy (India) and many local labour leaders and civil society representatives were present at the press conference.