On 11th August, a peoples assembly on the issues and problems of rural workers was organized by Green Rural Development Organization(GRDO)in Hyderabad, Sindh.

More then five hundred people, with the majority of women from rural and urban areas of Sindh, participated in it. Most were from rural areas and many of them had been bonded labour by the agricultural land owners.

In this assembly people spoke in Sindhi, Urdu, Gujrati and Marwari languages. The hall was full of banners for example, demanding Food as Basic Right, Freedom from the clutches of World Bank, IMF and WTO.

Panel of chairpersons consisted on Madam Badar-un-nisa Qazi, an educationalist, Mr. Adam Malik, program manager Action Aid Sindh office, Mr. Nazir Memon, an expert on irrigation water, Comrade Jam Saqi a long time marxist and human rights activist and Mr. Ahsan Azeem trade unionist and speaker of this assembly.

In the first part participants presented their problem and issues they face. They raised issues about non-availability of basic services in their areas, the issue of bonded labor, torture by police, administration and land owners, especially targeting women and children. They described the apathy of judiciary and administration towards their problems, especially related to bonded labour, non-availability of drinking and irrigating water because of the barrage and dams constructed on river Indus, non-availability of natural gas, electricity, roads, health services, education.

The absence of land reform as well as unwillingness of land-owners to lease land to liberated bonded labourers, unwillingness to provide jobs in private and public sector were also emphasized. Many participants complained that the administration is not issuing the national identity cards to them so they can not obtain passports, can not register themselves with election commission's voter list, cannot move apply for the provision of basic services with government departments because in Pakistan the national identity cards are the basic citizenship document.

They informed the assembly that owing to unavailability of sewage systems in many rural areas, people are sick with Hepatitis, T.B, Malaria, Diarrhea, skin diseases and kidney infection. One participant complained about the saline water in lower Sindh after the earthquake which shook Gujrat (India) and Sindh.

At the same time, they appreciated the role of civil society organization in providing the basic services and in empowerment of under-privileged communities and asked the betterment of these services. In this regard they have special words of appreciation for GRDO.

The workers from recently privatised cement factory complained about their layoff and non provision of dues. They informed the forum that the private owner of said cement factory has hired a retired military official who is using his army connections to pressurise the factory labour.

A liberated bonded labour woman was recently abducted by the landowner and was released after civil society organizations launched a campaign to get her freed. She also shared her stories of torture and abuse during the captivity.

The story of Manoo Bheel received much focus during this gathering. Nine members of Manoo's family are under captivity of a private land owner for the last five years. The gathering was unanimous that the struggle for their release should continue and many proposals were discussed in this regard.

After the four hours of proceeding panel of chairpersons gave the ruling on the raised issues. Panel was of opinion that
(1) The present Planning Commission of Pakistan should be dissolved and in its place a new planning commission should be establish with the assurance of representation of rural and urban labour and under privilege communities
(2) Government immediately should take the steps for the elimination of bonded labour and the rehabilitation of released bonded labor
(3) Government must implement the tenancy act for the welfare of agricultural workers
(4) Panel declared that the citizenship of the corrupt officials who are creating hurdles in issuing the citizenship documents of workers are here by annulled because their job is to serve the people and they have failed.
(5) Panel declared that the property of the private cement factory must be nationalised and its income to be used for the dues of the workers.

Aslam Khwaja is a journalist and activist in Pakistan working on rights of people and peace in South Asia.

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