UMERKOT: Declaring the growing number of police raids on the orders of various courts to liberate bonded labourers from ‘private jails of their employers’ a conspiracy to destroy the agriculture sector in Sindh, many small and big landholders on Wednesday vowed to fight their case jointly and mobilise all forums to avoid further financial losses.

Speaking at a convention of growers held at Ghosia Nursery under the title of ‘Private prisons — a fact or drama’, Pakistan Muslim League-Functional Senator Syed Muzaffar Hussain Shah, Sindh Minister for Population Welfare Syed Ali Mardan Shah and other growers called for legislation to protect both landowners and their peasants and decided to take the issue to the floors of the national and Sindh assemblies. The speakers suggested that growers should establish their own organisation to plead their case effectively.

Lawyers, activists of various political and civil society organisations also spoke at the convention.

Almost all the speakers endorsed the view that in most cases the existence of ‘private prisons’ was merely a drama aimed at providing relief to those peasant families that defaulted on loans extended to them by their employers.

The convention was held in the backdrop of more than 490 police raids carried out across the province on court orders and release of several hundred members of peasant families through courts.

The affected landholders claim that in most cases, courts provided relief to ‘loan defaulters’ and caused losses to lenders but in the absence of any documentary evidence regarding the loans, they had to release the families without recovering the loan amounts.

Of the many suggestions presented at the convention were for landholders to stop lending any loan (advance or peshgi) to their peasants and document all deals and transactions between landholders and peasants and register them with the mukhtiarkar concerned.

Senator Syed Muzaffar Hussain Shah suggested that if a false case of bonded labour against a landowner was instituted, the respondent must move an application for permission to become a party so that he could be heard. He said it was just a matter of maintaining accounts for which the Tenancy Tribunal was the right forum for peasants to approach.

Syed Ali Mardan Shah said it was time for growers to form their own organisation and protect their interests.

He said he would raise the issue on the floor of the Sindh Assembly as the issue of “so-called private prisons” had been causing great harm to the agriculture system in the province and huge losses to growers.

Dr Noor Ali Shah said the allegations of maltreatment, wrongful confinement and excesses often levelled by peasants defamed landowners, who had never been given the right to defend themselves.

Akbar Dars said that the losses caused by peasants in the shape of bad debts were in addition to those inflicted by natural disasters, bad crop, water shortage, insect/pest attack etc suffered by growers.

Mian Pir Mohammad Walhari observed that most peasants would approach courts in December and January, which was generally the time to settle the accounts and peasants had to adjust their loans against their rightful wage and share in crop.

Mir Amanullah Talpur said unfair treatment to growers could force them to opt for mechanised farming which might render a huge number of peasants without work.

The convention decided to appeal to the judiciary to ensure proper investigation of cases pertaining to bonded labour before taking a decision.

It was also announced that a peasants-growers convention would be convened soon to sort out the issue.

Meanwhile, a joint statement issued by several human rights, farmer and civil society organisations including Green Rural Development Organisation, Hari Himet Welfare Society, Hari Mazdoor Tanzeem and Sath Saharo Society welcomed the suggestions made at the growers’ convention and said it was fair to ensure settlement of accounts between the two parties.

It said landholders must ensure fair dealings and treatment with their peasants.

It advised all landholders to get all their peasants registered with the mukhtiarkars concerned, settle their accounts as per the relevant provisions of the Tenancy Act, abide by the terms and conditions agreed upon by the two sides and ensure proper health and welfare of peasants, including education for their children, as well as their safety and security.