Stop Drone Attacks, Stop Religious Fundamentalism

Labour Education Foundation (LEF) and South Asia Alliance for Poverty Eradication (SAAPE) are jointly organizing a peace rally “Labour for Peace” at

Shimla Pehari ground Lahore  

Thursday, 21^st October, 2010 

3:00 pm

Main theme of the rally is

“Stop Drone Attacks, Stop Religious Fundamentalism”.

Hundreds of trade unions and social and political activists will take part in this rally. They will come from different industrial zones of Lahore, Sheikhupura and industrial suburbs of these two districts.

South  Asia not only a home to the largest number of world’s poor but also a region where minimal efforts are made to promote justice and peace. Different types of internal conflicts are prevalent in almost all countries. At the same time occupation of Afghanistan and presence of imperialist forces in the region is generating different kind of threats to peace and justice. Human rights of different communities and people are violated in various pretexts.

The consequence of conflicts, violence and war causes unbelievable suffering particularly for women and children. Communities have been reduced to terror, suspicion and insecurity. The livelihood of millions of people has been severely affected and the fabric of social relationship between people and communities torn apart.

In last few years, Pakistan has faced terror of religious extremism and attacks by the US forces in form of drone attacks and direct military operations. Thousands of people have been killed by Taliban in Kyber Pakhtunkhwa province and Tribal areas of the countries and in other provinces by suicide attacks and targeted killings. Since January this year more than 700 people are killed in drone attacks in Northwest of Pakistan by US forces.

The strategy of the American imperialism to curb the growing influence of religious fundamentalism by drone attacks mounts a direct attack on Pakistan sovereignty. The military solution of religious fundamentalism is counterproductive and helping the fanatics to grow more. We can not support one monster against the other. We have to oppose the both and create an alternative social voice. This peace rally is a effort in that direction.

Even though some national and bilateral peace initiatives at the level of civil society are taking place, there is need of a vibrant civil society initiative to take this issue at the regional platform. So under South Asia Alliance for Poverty Eradication (SAAPE) a comprehensive peace initiative has been taken. It is being further strengthened and expanded by organizing different peace initiative at the country level.

You all are cordially invited to attend the rally.

Fraternally,

Khalid Mahmood

Director
Labour Education Foundation
Ground Floor, 25-A Davis Road,
Lahore, Pakistan.
Tel: 0092 42 6303808, 0092 42 6315162
Fax: 0092 42 6271149
Mobile: 0092 321 9402322
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Help Flood Victims in Sindh, Pakistan

Appeal for Donations
UN declares that “the floods in Pakistan are worse than the 2004
tsunami". Massive floods in Pakistan during August have created
unprecedented damage to all the peoples of Pakistan. UN estimates
that 14 million people are affected by this natural disaster, and the
worst repercussions of the flooding are yet to come. Public health
officials anticipate a higher death toll due to diseases associated
with environmental disasters, such as malaria and diarrhea, to which
children are the most vulnerable.

The famine and devastation at the lack of food and the total destruction of infrastructure will persist
far longer than the actual flood. The province of Sindh, situated at a lower riparian of the Indus River and possessing the worst poverty index in the region is especially in dire need of relief.

On behalf of Sindhi Association of North America (SANA), we appeal to you to send your donations. Your donations will be disbursed to non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working in the area for rehabilitation projects. A 100% of the donations will be given to affected people directly.

SANA is registered as a 501c(3), so donations are tax deductible in USA

Make your donations payable to SANA and send them here:
In the USA
6441 E. McDonald Drive, Paradise Valley, AZ 85253
In Canada
1001 13 Ave SW, Calgary, AB T2R, Canada
Pay Online
You can pay through your credit card:
http://www.sanalist.org/sana/newsite/onlinepayment.aspx

Ask your employer for donation matching
Tax ID # 13-369-8207

More Information:
•       Aijaz Turk (+1-269-998-3206)
•       Saghir Shaikh (+1-818-917-910)
•       Asim Kaghzi (+1-403-975-2746)

Or write to saghir.shaikh@gmail.com
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Albany, NY Rally, July 25 Solidarity with the Muslim community

Follows United National Antiwar Conference -- July 23 to July 25

Sunday Demonstration info: www.projectsalam.org

Registration, information for conference: nationalpeaceconference.org

The Muslim Solidarity Committee and Project SALAM (Support And Legal Advocacy for Muslims) have called for a public demonstration on Sunday, July 25 in Albany in solidarity with the Muslim community there, that has been subject to discrimination and persecution by the U.S. political police. The demonstration is set for the end of a national anti-war conference in the city. The organizers have called on conference participants to meet at east steps of the Capitol, Washington & State Streets, a block from the Conference site, at 1 p.m. for a march to Masjid As-Salam at 278 Central Avenue. The Muslim Solidarity Committee and Project SALAM will also participate in a luncheon panel on political repression and closing Guantanamo. (See www.projectsalam.org)

The resentencing of attorney Lynne Stewart on July 16, quadrupling her sentence from 28 months to 10 years in federal prison, has put on the front burner of the movement the need to fight against the demonization of Muslim people and the FBI and police frame-ups of Muslim youth and all who defend Muslims against state repression.

The International Action Center will participate in this protest demonstration, after taking part from Friday, July 23 to Sunday July 25 along with hundreds of other anti-war and community activists in the anti-war conference at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Albany. This National Conference to Bring the Troops Home Now will be an intense weekend of plenary sessions, workshops, education, resolutions and networking.

The weekend comes as casualties among NATO and especially U.S. troops are rapidly increasing, and when the disarray in the U.S. command following Gen. McChrystal’s “resignation” highlight the disintegration of the U.S. war strategy.

The conference’s action proposal demands an immediate end to the illegal occupations of Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan, and calls on the movement to be prepared to respond to an attack on Iran. It also joins those essential anti-war demands with others that call attention to the enormous waste of human resources to feed the war machine. The conference will take up actions for the coming Fall and next Spring.

Workshops will take up issues from Palestine, the U.S. occupation of Haiti, U.S. intervention in Colombia, global warming and the environment, the role of poor people’s movement’s and developments in the GI resistance movement.

The IAC is committed to determined activism and resistance to U.S. militarism, racism and corporate greed. We want to link international solidarity to fighting oppression in the U.S. We are interested in meeting up with other revolutionary activists and militant community organizations at this conference.

Along with 30 other antiwar, peace and justice national organizations, the International Action Center is a co-sponsor of this conference.

A look at the schedule for the weekend indicates that there will be opportunities for anti-imperialists to intervene and fight for their positions within the context of building the broadest possible anti-war actions.

(See nationalpeaceconference.org for more details of Conference registration, schedule of speakers, workshops, panels and housing)
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8 March celebration across Pakistan

Labour Party Pakistan and its sympathizing organizations are organizing various activities on the occasion of International Women Day on 8 March 2010.

Women Workers Help Line (WWHL), National Trade Union Federation, Anjaman Mozareen Punjab and Labour Education Foundation have announced the following activities:

Hyderabad
Bangle Women Workers Rally
7th March, 3pm, from Comrade Hyder Bux Jatoi chowk to Hyderabad Press Club
Organized by Labour Education Foundation and Home Base Bangle Women Workers Union

Karachi
8 March, Seminar 'Women workers: Globalization and movement building'
3pm at Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) House near Garden
Organized by Labour Education Foundation, Home Based Women Workers Federation,

Islamabad
8th March, 2pm, Rally by Home based and Domestic Women Workers
National Press Club to Super Market, Islamabad
Organized by Labour Education Foundation

Mardan
8th March, Seminar: 'Home Based Women Workers and Rise of Fundamentalism in Pakhtunkhuwa' 10 am at office Labour Education Foundation, Old Identity Card office near Railway Lines New Adda, Mardan
Organized by Labour Education Foundation

Lahore
13th March, 11am, 'Dialogue with Women Workers on Feminism'
Organized by LEF at office Labour Education Foundation, 25A Davis Road, Lahore

Baluchistan: Jhal Maqsi
8th March, Seminar on 'Women issues in Baluchistan' 9am at Tehsil Hall Ghandara, Jhal Magsi
Women Rally from Main Adda to Ghandara Press Club
Organized by Labour Party Pakistan, Baluchistan Chapter in association with Young Development Society Jhal Maqsi

Sheikhupura
8th March, 11am, Meeting of women working in Carpet industry at Mandhi Dhaba Singh, District Sheikhopura
Organized by Itehad Labour Union Carpet Industries

Okara
8th March, Meeting of peasant women and 8th March at all different Military Farms including:
Military Farms Okara
Military Farms Renalakhurd
Kulyana Military Estate
Army Welfare Trust Pakpattan and Depalpur
Organized by Anjaman Mozareen Punjab
Contact Mehr Abdul Sattar 03006961545

Lahore Main Rally
8th March, Speeches & Cultural Program: 12:00pm at Nasir Bagh, Lahore
Rally: 1.30pm from Nasir Bagh to Assembly Hall, The Mall Lahore
Organised by Women Workers Help Line (WWHL)

Mardan
8th March, Seminar: 12:00pm Press Club, Mardan
Organized by Women Workers Help Line (WWHL)

Sibbi
8th March, Seminar: 12:00pm, Sibbi
Organized by WWHL

Toba Tek Singh
9th March, Seminar: 02:00pm, Goband Pora, Toba Tek Singh
Organized by WWHL

Gujranwala
14 March, Seminar: 2pm, Rasool Nagar, Kasur
Organized by WWHL

Kasur
15 March, Seminar: 11:00am, Rasool Nagar, Kasur
Organized by WWHL

Faisalabad
18 March, Seminar: 12:00pm, Faisalabad
Organized by WWHL

Contact for WWHL functions
Bushra Khaliq 03219402316
Email: wwhlpk@yahoo.com

Contact for LEF functions
Kalid Malik 0321 9402322
Email: lef@lef.org.pk

Contact for Sindh LEF functions
Zara Akbar 03003770755