> Murder by the Pakistani military, in Okara

Over the past few months, I’ve had the privilege of working with the peasant movement in Okara, Pakistan.

These peasants, under the leadership of the Anjuman Mazareyeen e Punjab (AMP), have struggled for years to win back the right to own their own land, which was taken over by the predatory Pakistani military.

A few days ago, local thugs allied to the Military shot and killed three peasants who resisted their land-grabbing efforts, and wounded more than 20.

I rushed to the scene the day after this happened, with some friends and companeros. We attended a funeral, where around 2-3000 peasants showed up, in a defiant and angry mood.

I will never forget the scene where one of the women whose male relatives were shot, walked through a field, lamenting her loss. She was followed by some other women, who were trying to comfort her in her grief. Suddenly, she just fell down, face first, and lay there in the middle of a field.

I have rarely seen such an expression of grief and sorrow.

We met with some local leaders of the movement, and they tell us that on the 17th of this month, a massive rally is being planned in Okara. We assured them of our full participation, along with progressive students from Lahore.

One can only hope that from this point on, the Okara peasant movement will take an even more militant stand against the military, the state and the local landlords.

I look forward to the rally on the 17th of April.