We have received a report from the comrades on the ground in Kashmir. Despite the devastation and the loss of life the work of the PTUDC continues to move forward and the morale of the comrades remains high. The PTUDC has now established relief camps in Muzafferabad, Bagh, Hajira and Rawlakot. Three PTUDC solidarity caravans have arrived in Kashmir, two from Pakistan and one from India, with more to arrive in the coming weeks. Our medical camps have treated nearly 1500 people. Plans have also been made to expand our distribution of relief goods to outlying areas and villages which are now faced with an acute humanitarian crisis.
The comrades have been hard at work maintaining the relief camps and coordinating the distribution of goods. Many of the comrades were themselves injured in the earthquake, and many lost their homes, friends, and family in the disaster. Sadly, we can confirm that six young comrades and sixteen young supporters of the PTUDC lost their lives in the disaster. They were all twenty years old or younger.
Despite this the comrades are determined to complete the difficult tasks of the relief operations, and determined to continue the struggle for socialism. With no means of communication and very little to work with by way of infrastructure and materials, the comrades have done some truly amazing and inspiring work in the midst of the devastation and the severe Himalayan winter. Against all odds, travelling through the devastation and destruction of the region, comrades have come from all across Pakistan and Kashmir to assist with the work in camps. The comrades are determined to rise to the challenges posed by nature and the capitalist system and continue their work. Many comrades have said that they came to visit the camps to raise the morale of the comrades there, only to find that “they have sent us back with our morale boosted.”
A good deal of this enthusiasm and determination comes from the support that the comrades have received from around the world. The PTUDC financial appeal has been a tremendous success. We again would like to express our gratitude and thanks to all of those who have helped us to raise an incredible amount of money in a very short space of time. There are too many people to name, but we would like to extend a special mention of thanks to Comrade Ted Crawford, the NUJ Central London Branch, the Harlow Trades Council, the PCS Leicester Network, Comrade Darrall Cozens, Comrade Tracey Warren, Comrade Tham Burke and Comrade Rune Bremseth.
The comrades in Kashmir have also made a series of important decisions. The relief camps have been set up for the long-term and will eventually be established as permanent centres. The idea is to establish our relief camps as centres of distribution of relief goods to entire areas, as well as to make them centres of cultural and political activity. The PTUDC has also printed a new leaflet outlining our political position on the disaster. Some of the points on the program include:
1. Establishment of people’s relief and rehabilitation committees, that should be formed on a volunteer basis, to oversee rescue, relief and rehabilitation operations.
2. A 25 % “Zalzala Tax” (Earthquake Tax) on the profits of all multinationals, capitalists and feudal lords of Pakistan, so that this money can be used in rescue, relief and rehabilitation of the affected areas.
3. Establishment of an emergency programme for access to basic human needs like safe drinking water, health, education, and electricity, so that basic utilities could be provided to victims in a swift and prompt manner.
4. Cancelling of all taxes in Earthquake affected areas for all peasants and workers.
5. Either jobs for the unemployed youth in the affected areas, or a Rs 5000/- (US $ 80) per month unemployment allowance should be paid.
6. All rehabilitation /reconstruction should be supervised by Panchayats (i.e. people’s councils) abolishing the contracting system. Reconstruction activities should be under the democratic control of the Panchayats on a voluntary basis.
7. Supply of free electricity, natural gas, and oil for victims.
8. Learn the lessons from the impotence and failure of the ruling clique and the devastation suffered by the masses at the hands of their system. The class struggle should be organized and sharpened towards a victorious socialist revolution.
9. For the announcement of an immediate moratorium on the imperialist debt and interest repayments for the next twenty years. All this money to be diverted to the rescue and relief operations as well as the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the quake devastated areas.
10. The capitalist system has only aggravated the loss of life and damage caused by the earthquake. We must develop the struggle to overthrow capitalism and for the socialist transformation of society.
Despite the marvellous work of the PTUDC in these difficult conditions, there is still much to be done. The UN has urged everyone in remote and outlying villages to head for the cities and relief camps before the winter hits. There is a chronic lack of aid and materials getting into the region, and the winter is settling in. The PTUDC financial appeal has been a success, but more must be done. More money must be raised. Our relief camps have been established for the long term. We must maintain these relief camps with a steady supply of goods, and must be available to provide for the people there. We need to raise more money to continue the flow of solidarity caravans and goods into the region and must be able to provide for the outlying and remote villages. Any amount of financial assistance you can offer will go a long way in directly aiding those who need it most after this devastating disaster!
The Kashmiri people cannot rely on anyone but themselves to rebuild their lives in the aftermath of this disaster. They will need the assistance and solidarity of people from around the world, but cannot rely on the generosity of Western governments. The people of Kashmir will pick up the pieces of their lives from the rubble and move forward on their own power. Capitalism has utterly failed them. It could not even provide decent housing or living standards before the earthquake, and will not be able to provide these things afterwards. This struggle for survival will fill the Kashmiri people with the realization of their revolutionary power, and will drive the struggle for the socialist transformation of the whole subcontinent forward. From the rubble, forward!