HYDERABAD, Nov 26 Regular allocation of state land to multinational companies has ruined the prospects of landless peasants which is systematically drowning them into the pit of poverty. Prevalence of bonded labour, non-implementation of Tenancy Act in letter and spirit and excesses against these poor people are additional weapons slicing their wellbeing, said civil society members and hari and labour leaders.

They asked the government to immediately take measures for improving the lot of peasants and provide them land instead to MNCs, abolish bonded labour and implement the Tenancy Act.

Furthermore, they said that water supply to tail-end growers should be ensured along with judicious distribution of funds of Benazir Income Support and Baitul Maal among the poor and the destitute.

The demands were made during Hari Conference convened by the Green Rural Development Organization at the Sindh Museum auditorium here. Hundreds of haris, including women and children and workers attended the conference.

The representative of the Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (PILER), Karamat Ali was aghast over the contrast in living conditions of peasants and feudal lords as the former were reeling under abject poverty and the latter in full luxury. The condition of former could be judged from the fact that haris, after the floods could not don another pair of dress, he added.

He deplored the doling out of Sindh's rich land among feudal lords and foreign companies and said that if the government was sincere in alleviating the lot of haris then it should allot them land or else the tyranny of feudal elements would not give peasants a chance to betterment.

The government should allot 26,000 acres among hari families of Sindh and Punjab at the ratio of five to ten acres, he said.

Dr Haider of Green Rural Development Organization cajoled the haris and workers to unite for joint struggle against exploitative forces for they had endured oppression for too long. Their unity, he said, would emerge as a strong challenge to feudal lords.

Speakers warned the government that further allocation of land to foreign companies is sure to ruin the future of haris and workers. They criticized the allocation of government land to foreign companies in Ghotki, Thatta, Mirpurkhas and Hyderabad districts. They stressed the need for launching a joint struggle against this conspiracy.

The conference adopted several resolutions demanding the removal of encroachments from forest land and abolition of bonded labour abolition and implementation of Tenancy Act. Speakers opposed construction of any dam or canal on River Indus and called for regularisation of villages while demanded opening of special schools for girls.

Sindh Taraqqi Pasand Party leader Hoat Khan Gadhi and hari leaders Vero Kolhi, Shahida Khaskheli, Amb Bheel and Ghulam Haider Rind also spoke on the occasion included.