22.11.2001

Afghan Workers Solidarity Campaign launched

The Labour Party Pakistan, in close association with the Afghan Labour Revolutionary Organisation, has decided to launch the Afghan Workers Solidarity Campaign. The idea to start it was discussed during the visit of Alan McCombs, editor of Scottish Socialist Voice, newspaper of the Scottish Socialist Party. The SSP has already decided to actively support this campaign.

The LPP and ALRO are appealing to the international leftwing and trade union movement to do the same.

The main aim of this campaign is to help the Afghan workers in their struggle to survive. Its aims are to:

• provide material help for the Afghan workers, which will be distributed inside Afghanistan and also in refugees camp in Pakistan
• strengthen the progressive organisations of the Afghan workers
• collect and bring everyday life necessities to the Afghan workers on an emergency basis

The suppression by the religious fundamentalists of all democratic and human rights in Afghanistan over the years has left the organisation of the left forces in a weak position. Many lives have been sacrificed for the cause of socialism in Afghanistan. Many other socialists are spending their lives underground or even in exile. Their families have been tortured and sentenced to death by the religious fundamentalists. The so-called ?victory? of the imperialist forces leaves the situation no better for the Afghan left forces. Spreading the ideas of socialism is still difficult.

International solidarity is needed to help the Afghan left forces in their struggle to survive and promote their organisations. The LPP has been active in promoting the Afghan left for some years. It now has a plan to produce a monthly paper in the Pushto language to help the Afghan left in the promotion of their ideas.

The LPP has already started collecting clothes, medicine, blankets, shoes and other everyday food items to be distributed among Afghan refugees through the ALRO and other Afghan left groups.

How you can help

• Sponsor the AWSC formally by paying an initial amount of $300 for organisations and $100 for individuals.
• Collect everyday items in your country and send the shipment to Education Foundation, 40 Abbot Road, Lahore, Pakistan. As most second-hand items like blankets and clothes are available cheaply in Pakistan, you can also send us the money and we can buy these items for you.

Please send all donations to: Education Foundation Donation (account number 01 7967128), Standard Chartered Grindlays Bank, Gulberg branch, Main Boulevard, Gulberg, Lahore, Pakistan.

If you have the time and money to travel, please come to Pakistan to help build this campaign. We need volunteers from abroad to help. Please contact us immediately for this.

Shoaib Bhatti
(Central chairman, Labour Party Pakistan)
Organiser, Afghan Workers Solidarity Campaign

Sponsors so far:

Labour Party Pakistan; Scottish Socialist Party; Women Workers Help Line, Lahore; Afghan Labour Revolutionary Organisation; All-Pakistan Paramedical Staff Federation; Pakistan Printing and Graphic Workers Union; All-Pakistan Bhatta Mazdoor Federation; Pakistan Railway Workers Union (democratic group); Itehad Workers Union Carpet Industries, Pakistan.