[WSF-Discuss] PAKISTAN SOCIAL FORUM

[CACIM]

 *PAKISTAN** SOCIAL FORUM *

*National Secretariat; ST-001, Sector X, Sub-Sector V, Gulshan-e-Maymar,
Karachi-75340*

*Phones: 021- 635 1145, 46, 47 Fax: 021- 635 0354, e-mails:
helious_s at yahoo.com, piler at cyber.net.pk*



*PSF Bulletin-8*

* *

*07th February 2009 - WSF symposium on 'Rights of Indigenous People' at Arts
Council of Pakistan, Karachi*







*DAWN*

* *

*KARACHI**: WSF activists call for action against capitalism*

*By Shamim-ur-Rahman*

KARACHI, Feb 7: Liberal and progressive participants of the World Social
Forum event held on Saturday strongly condemned the ongoing Israeli
aggression in Gaza and the genocide of the Palestinian people taking place
there with the "abetment" of the United States. They also deplored
extremists' acts of terrorism and the ongoing military operations in the
NWFP and Balochistan.

Participants also condemned the "exploitative" capitalist system, which was
trying to deprive indigenous people of their independence and rights.

Saturday's event was organised at the Arts Council as a follow-up to the
World Social Forum held in Belem, Brazil, from Jan 27-Feb 1, 2009. The main
themes of activities included "mobilization against Zionist and imperialist
aggression against unarmed Palestinian, Iraqi Afghan and Pakistani people
and the 'Rights of Indigenous People', under the over-arching themes of
Globalisation and Militarism, Peace, De-militarisation and Freedom of the
Media & Democracy," according to a press release.

A colourful display of folk music, symposia, a poster and picture exhibition
and film, theatre and other cultural events were part of the day's schedule.
Books, films, music CDs and souvenirs were also on sale.

While endorsing the Belem declaration, the participants were of the view
that the objective of wars was to create or install subservient and puppet
regimes, establish political and cultural hegemony, occupy territories and
control/dominate the economic resources of these regions.

Prominent speakers included former Senator and HRCP co-chairperson Iqbal
Haider, M.B. Naqvi, Dr Mohammad Ali Siddiqui, Saleha Athar, Fahim Zaman,
Shumaila Jabeen and Zulfikar Halepoto.

The main thrust of the day's speeches was the rights of indigenous people,
as spelt out in the UN General Assembly's non-binding declaration of 2007,
which emphasises the rights of indigenous peoples to maintain and strengthen
their own institutions, cultures and traditions and to pursue their
development in keeping with their own needs and aspirations.

The resolution also prohibited discrimination against indigenous peoples and
promoted their full and effective participation in all matters that concern
them. It further reaffirmed their right to remain distinct and to pursue
their own visions of economic and social development.

It was noted that even with this progress, indigenous peoples still face
marginalisation, extreme poverty and other human rights violations. They are
often dragged into conflicts and land disputes that threaten their way of
life and their very survival and they suffer from a lack of access to
healthcare and education.

Fisher folk, trade unionists and human rights activists contended that the
theme of the discussion was particularly relevant in Pakistan. Speakers were
critical of human rights violations across the country, and condemned the
ongoing military operations in the NWFP, FATA and Balochistan. They called
for an immediate halt to military operations, and also condemned all
extremist activities.

Participants at the WSF event committed themselves to the Belem declaration
at the WSF in Brazil, which calls for a Global Week of Action against
Capitalsim and War from March 28-April 4, 2009. The week will include an
anti-G20 mobilisation on March 28, a mobilisation against war and crisis on
March 30, a day of solidarity with the Palestinian people to promote
boycotts, disinvestments and sanctions against Israel on March 30 and a
mobilisation for the 60th anniversary of NATO on April 4, among other
events.

Speakers emphasised that the ongoing global economic crisis was a direct
result of the capitalist system's characteristics, and therefore a solution
could not be found within the system. They said that current efforts to
fight the crisis are aimed at saving the system, while putting the burden of
losses on the masses.

The WSF declaration adopted at Belem, and endorsed by the participants of
the follow up moot in Karachi, held that the present system is based "on
exploitation, competition, promotion of individual private interests to the
detriment of the collective interest, and the frenzied accumulation of
wealth by a handful of rich people. It results in bloody wars, fuels
xenophobia, racism and religious fundamentalisms; it intensifies the
exploitation of women and the criminalisation of social movements."

*THE NEWS*

*Anti-imperialism' pervades WSF event*

* *

February 08, 2009: The World Social Forum (WSF) organised a small event for
indigenous communities at the Arts Council on Saturday to mark this year's
theme 'Rights of Indigenous People, Peace, Demilitarization, Freedom of
Media and Democracy'.

Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF) activist Tahira Ali opened the debate at WSF
with her speech on the rights of indigenous people. She condemned the
government's policies, which she believed threatened the lives and
livelihood sources of the fishing community. She said that despite the fact
that the fishermen were the founders of this mega-city, their rights were
being violated and they were being deprived of their right to live.

Faheem Zaman, Saeed Baloch, Nigar Barkat and other organisers of the WSF
said that they wanted to change the world, where everybody felt secure and
their rights were protected. They demanded that measures be taken to ensure
food and energy security, stop wars, withdraw occupation troops and
dismantle military foreign bases, as well as acknowledging peoples'
sovereignty and autonomy.

Groups of musicians, which were sponsored by the Sindh Cultural Department,
received participants at the forum by playing different classical songs. The
event was the most striking and colourful event of the WSF where indigenous
communities including fisherfolk, human rights activists, political
campaigners, writers and development experts made their presence felt.

Embroidered work of female artisans that depicted the typical culture of
Thari was also on display, attracting a large number of people to buy
different items. Publication houses also set up book stalls on various
topics, ranging from politics, folklore, history, politics and literature to
environment and flowers.

Political activists and human rights groups also set up stalls. CDs
containing themes of social mobility, T-shirts with WSF slogans, posters and
photographs depicting the massacre of people in Gaza by Israeli were also on
display. Meanwhile around 300 female activists from the PFF, wearing their
traditional colourful costumes, expressed solidarity with world activists
who were struggling for change.

At the film and documentary section, videos were shown to lobby against
imperialism, capitalism and exploitation. Activists believed that the world
was facing a terrible crisis, which was the direct result of capitalist
system.





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