PAKISTAN: A human rights defender suffers an illegal and unwarranted raid by the Rangers 

Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a leader of a fisher folk rights-based movement and human rights activist was threatened with abduction and death by a Lieutenant Colonel of the Pakistan Rangers on 9 February 2012. At around midnight, 20-25 rangers cordoned off his house and entered it without any official orders. It is alleged that the owner of a factory bribed the ranger officers to take action against the human right activist who was working hand in hand with the factory workers to secure their labour rights. This act is a flagrant example of felony and lawbreaking by the law enforcement agency that should be condemned.

CASE NARRATIVE:

A troop of twenty-five rangers illegally and gratuitously raided the house of Mr. Muhammad Ali Shah, a profound human rights activist and the chairperson of a prominent civil society organization, the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum.

On Thursday 9 February, 2012 around 7pm in the evening, Mr. Shah out of the spirit of camaraderie participated in a protest organised by the labourers of M/S MASCO (A Germen Garments Factory situated in Ibrahim Hyderi, Karachi) against the unjust and inhuman working conditions imposed by the management.

The peaceful protesters suffered a brutal crack including being fired upon from the upper floors of the building and also by direct firing by the MASCO Security team resulting in many casualties. Moreover a number of protesters were then abducted by the police. They were given no reason for their arrest. Mr. Shah condemned the criminal and inhuman acts of the factory management and unlawful support of the Police. He talked to the officials and had the labourers released.

This act of kindness towards the poor labourers infuriated the factory owner and he contacted one of his friends in the rangers named Lt. Col. Jawaid.

The Rangers already had a grudge against Mr. Shah due to his campaign against the contract system that led the Rangers to take control of various water bodies thereby preventing the fisher folk from carrying out their occupation. Lt. Col. Jawaid therefore wasted no time in taking up his friend’s unofficial complaint. The same evening he phoned Mr. Muhammad Ali Shah, abused him verbally and threatened him with kidnapping and death. He warned Mr, Shah to keep himself away from social work or get ready to bear the harsh consequences. Mr. Shah clarified him that he was not undertaking any unlawful acts and that he was only showing support to the people who are deprived, marginalized and victims of injustice.

Lt. Col. Jawaid became even angrier and sent 20-25 armed Rangers at around midnight to kidnap Mr. Shah and teach him a lesson. The soldiers cordoned off the area where Mr. Shah lives as if they were acting against some terrorist threat and raided his house without having any legal order or complaint in black and white. Fortunately, Mr, Shah was not at home at that time otherwise he might have been treated brutally before being abducted.

This is a blatant example felony, misdemeanor and favouritism shown towards a ‘friend’ of the Rangers. However this is not a new trend as the agencies have been implacable in their attitude towards Mr. Shah as he always stood at the forefront to defend the human rights violations by state and non-state actors.

In order to condemn this act and forestall the possible threats and assault, the Pakistan Fisher Folk Forum-PFF held a series of protests throughout the entire province of Sindh.

The Pakistan Fisher folk Forum has a very effective network of national and international friends who have always extended their full support from across the globe whenever needed. Please show your solidarity by forwarding the letter given below to the relevant authorities.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF) is a civil society organization. It began its struggle almost 14 years ago to advance the goal of socioeconomic and political justice for the fishermen of Pakistan. PFF known as a welfare organization has accomplished number of achievements in a short span of time which have promoted its status from a welfare organization to a ‘mass or right based organization’. Many even call it a right based ‘social movement’ of backward and marginalized fishers of Pakistan because it has strived through a true political and democratic process and has made numerous number of volunteers, including a considerable female members, across Pakistan.

Mr. Muhammad Ali Shah; the chairperson and founder of Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum is a social activist struggling for the socio-economic and political rights of the fisher folk in Pakistan. He is also the General Secretary of World Forum of Fisher Peoples (WFFP); an international alliance of 36 mass based national organizations of fisher folk working in 32 countries of all continents of the world. WFFP aims to protect, defend and strengthen the communities that depend on the fishery for their livelihood and play the role of global political organ of the same communities.

Mr. Shah has devoted his entire life struggling on a wide array of issues which are directly or indirectly associated with more than 4 million fishers in Pakistan. Not only the fishing community, but he is also advocating and lobbying for the rights of same the marginalized excluded communities like peasants, labours etc. Apart from many issues Mr. Shah is very much concerned regarding increasing depletion of natural resources in the sea, protection of resources from the use of destructive gears, releasing and rehabilitation of detained fishermen in Pakistani and Indian jails and the abolition of contract system on the inland water bodies.

On the records, in Sindh, there are 1209 fishing waters, including ponds, depressions, reservoirs, canals and Indus River. Millions of fisher and semi-fishers draw their livelihood from these fishing grounds of the province.

After the independence of Pakistan, till 90s fisher communities of Sindh had been fishing freely in lakes, ponds, depressions and in Indus River to earn their livelihoods. But the scenario got changed when rich and greedy poachers in company with state’s representatives started getting contracts through auctions of water bodies. Then the fishers’ survival rested at the disposal of landlords, bureaucrats and state’s weak laws in the fishing sector.

Sindh Government introduced contract system on the water bodies through which waters were auctioned to influential contractors and allowed to carry out fishing through fishers. The bureaucrats maneuvered the term ‘lease’ and ‘contract’ mentioned in the section 3[1] of the Ordinance 1980. In the beginning this exploitative system was introduced on few fishing lakes, however, gradually more and more fishing lakes were brought under this system, replacing fisher friendly License System.

Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum in the strong leadership of MR. Muhammad Ali Shah, had also run a massive advocacy-campaign against contract system which was wantonly suppressed by the Sindh government through Rangers in Badin.

He was also arrested by the police and the rangers for raising the awareness in the fishing communities about their rights and the means to get these rights. It was his continuous efforts and determination that the contract system was eventually abolished in Sindh province and the poor indigenous fishermen got entitlement to fish independently on the water bodies.

Due to this, rangers has always wage war against Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum and specially Mr. Shah and spare no chance to take any action against him no matter if they have to cross their legal boundaries.

SUGGESTED ACTION:

Please write the letter mentioned below, to the relevant authorities calling for prompt action against the harassment of a fisher folk activist and human rights defender. Please urge them to take action against unlawful act by the rangers officers

The AHRC writes a separate letter to the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders.

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