TURCP Strongly Condemn the Police Brutality and Organized Solidarity Demonstration
The workers of DADU and THATHA Sugar mills are protesting against the non payment of their dues. They organized a peaceful demonstration and tried to march towards Chief Minister House in Karachi. The riot police attacked the peaceful demonstrators and arrested at least 45 workers. The police not only baton charged the workers but also brutally tortured the female family members of protesting workers. The police grab the females from their hairs and beat them up. The Workers and their families defy the arrests and police tortures and tried to organize another protest rally on Monday 15th May. The police surrounded the place where families of these workers were staying and not allowed them to join the protest rally. The police also arrested the 30 workers which were sitting in the protest huger strike camp. The police was trying to stop the workers to march towards the Governor House.
This police brutality and excessive use of force has once again expose the real face of the present regime, which claims to be a champion of human rights and democracy. The government officials, ministers and General Musharaf himself daily claims that they are introducing a real democracy in Pakistan. They also claim that there is no ban on peaceful demonstrations and political activities. But this brutality against the peaceful protesting workers clearly shows that this regime has respect to the fundamental rights of the working masses. Their lies about democracy and human rights have been fully exposed again.
The workers of Dadu sugar mill and Thatha sugar mill are protesting against the non payment of their dues. These sugar mills were privatized in 1995 and 1998 respectively.
The government signed an agreement with the workers to pay their dues. 800 workers have not been paid their dues since then. Government also agreed to provide the alternate jobs to the employs with service of less than 10 years. The government violates the agreement ad yet paid the dues of Golden Hand Shake.
TURCP organized a protest demonstration against police brutality on 16th May in front of the Karachi Press club. TURCP strongly condemn this police action and showed solidarity with protesting workers and their families. This demonstration got excellent coverage in the print and electronic media. All the main TV channels and newspapers cover this protest and they also repeatedly mentioned about the horrific and miserable condition of these workers. TURCP members in Karachi are also helping the workers to organize protest demonstrations and marches. Yesterday TURCP members led the protest march towards Press club. 200 workers participated in this march; police tried to stop the march but failed. TURCP is preparing another solidarity demonstration on Sunday.