------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~-->
What would our lives be like without music, dance, and theater?
Donate or volunteer in the arts today at Network for Good!
http://us.click.yahoo.com/Tcy2bD/SOnJAA/cosFAA/e0EolB/TM
--------------------------------------------------------------------~->
The News on Sunday (Pakistan)
May 29, 2005
rights
NET LOSS
Fishermen in Sindh are again in protest against a contract system
that is tilted heavily towards contractors
By Rubina Jabbar
Protesters in the country are increasingly coming under the official
hammer. Exactly a day after the police manhandled human rights
activists in Lahore on May 14, the Hyderabad police arrested Muhammad
Ali Shah, chairman Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF), and his four
colleagues, following a protest rally and sit-in outside the offices
of the Sindh Fisheries Department.
Fishermen from all over Sindh had gathered there to protest against
the auction of fishing grounds. Police arrested Shah and his
colleagues -- Sultan Ahmed Memon, Jamal Mustafa Shoro, Allah Dino
Mallah and Muhammad Mallah -- under sections 341, 147 and 149
(Pakistan Penal Code), and later added another section 506/2 in the
already lodged FIR.
Shah was granted bail on May 19, three days after his detention, only
to be re-arrested the same day under the Maintenance of Public Order
(MPO). This has led to many NGOs getting together to launch a 'civil
society action committee against the contract system'.
PFF Manager Programmes Sikander Brohi claims Shah is the first NGO
activist in the country ever arrested under the MPO. He says the
arrest came in the face of a day-long peaceful demonstration by more
than 2,500 fishermen in scorching heat while the government officials
were busy in auctioning fishing grounds to politicians and other
influential people.
Shah's arrest drew greater public attention to fishermen's campaign
against the contract system and evoked widespread protest rallies and
sit-ins throughout Sindh. A 'black day' was also observed on May 19
against the contract system and for the release of PFF leaders.
The contract system has taken time evolving. To the fisherman, it
reflects the government's desire to extract maximum financial rewards
from the fisheries sector. Realising this fact, Fishermen's
Co-operative Society's (FCS) director Haji Shafi Muhammad Jamote had
suggested the government should introduce a system under which the
fishermen were to surrender 3 per cent of their catch to the
government.
The contract system has been a major cause of concern for the
fishermen in Sindh. These fishermen earn their livelihood from 1209
fishing grounds including coastal waters, inland lakes, ponds,
depressions and Indus River. Known as mallahs and mirbahars, their
centuries' old profession has now become their identity.
Up until 28 years ago, fishermen had been fishing here free of cost.
But back in 1977, the Sindh government introduced a 'licence system'
on major fishing grounds of the province with the objective of
regulating fishing activities and registering indigenous fishermen in
the province. Licences were issued against payment of a fee that
varied between Rs 1000 and Rs 1500 per fisherman. In many cases,
licence system generated revenues more than the auction system,
despite the existence of fake licences and embezzlement of funds.
To give you an idea, inland fishing waters of Sindh produced 1,13,919
metric tonne fish catch in the year 2000. The licence system was so
successful that even after the contract system was introduced on some
fishing grounds during the last decade, the government had to
reinforce the licence system on four major fishing grounds. In
certain cases fishermen were even exempted from paying the licence
fee.
While the licencing system worked smoothly, the Sindh government
introduced the contract/auction system of fishing in the 90s. A major
complaint against this system has been that it 'exploits the fishing
community.' Besides, it is being widely assumed that bureaucrats
prefer the contract/auction system over the licence system because
they receive substantial commissions on it from contractors.
The contractors allowed fishing only on the condition that fishermen
would hand over 75 per cent of the fish catch to them. Besides, the
fishermen would have to sell the remaining 25 per cent of the catch
to the contractors at 50 per cent lower than the market price. These
conditions compelled fishermen to borrow from contractors and
virtually serve them as if they were their slaves.
Apart from depriving fishermen of their due share, the contractors
are also blamed for indulging in unlawful fishing practices. Section
7 of the Sindh Fisheries Ordinance 1980 reads, "no person shall use
dynamite or other explosive substances or put any poison, lime or
noxious material in any waters with the intention of catching or
destroying fish or aquatic life therein." Contractors, however,
reportedly resort to over-fishing and fishing after spraying
poisonous chemicals, which not only kill fish species but also
degrade the fishing grounds.
Jadam Mangrio, Sindh Chief Minister's adviser on fisheries, claims
the fishermen fully support the contract system and the opposition,
if any, is coming only from the 'touts' of PFF or the PPP. He says
the PFF and PPP transporting haris and farmers for staging rallies in
different cities.
Jadam says the protests announced by PFF are nothing more than pranks
used by NGOs to get attention of international donors. "They would
take pictures of these events and send them abroad to gain financial
support," he adds.
The adviser describes the auction system as a "good system" which
will generate revenue for the government to carry out development
work like constructing roads and improving water supply.
PFF's Sikander Brohi points out there is not even a single case on
record where a contractor has vacated the fishing ground in his
control after completion of the annual contract. Contractors are wont
to seeking stay orders from the court, complaining of a poor fish
catch.
_________________________________
Labour Notes South Asia (LNSA):
An informal archive and mailing list for trade
unionists and labour activists based in or
working on South asia.
LNSA Mailing List:
Labour Notes South Asia
To subscribe send a blank message to:
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
LNSA Web site:
groups.yahoo.com/group/lnsa/
Run by The South Asia Citizens Web
www.sacw.net
_________________________________
To join the Labour Notes South Asia Mailing List, send a blank message to:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
To Unsubscribe, send a blank message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lnsa/
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
