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 this campaign was discussed during the recent visit to Pakistan of Alan McCombes of the Scottish Socialist Party. The SSP has already decided to actively support this campaign.
The LPP and ALRO are appealing to all international left organisations and trade union movements to support this campaign.
The main aim of this campaign is to help the Afghan workers in their struggle to survive. It will bring material help for the Afghan workers which will be distributed inside Afghanistan and also in refugee camps in Pakistan. It will help to strengthen the progressive organisations of the Afghan workers. It will collect and bring the necessities of everyday life to Afghan workers.
The suppression by the religious fundamentalists of all democratic and human rights in Afghanistan over the years has left the organisation of left forces in an absolutely weak position.
Many had lost lives for the cause of socialism in Afghanistan. The rest of them are spending their lives underground, even in exile. Their families have been tortured and sentenced to death by the religious fundamentalists.
But the so-called victory of the imperialist forces leaves no better situation for the Afghan left forces. They still have to live a very difficult life in order to spread the ideas of socialism.
Helping the Afghan left forces in their struggle to survive and promote their organisations means active international support. 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 Pashtu language to help the Afghan left in the promotion of their ideas and strategy.
The LPP has already started collecting clothes, medicine, blankets, shoes and everyday food items to be distributed among Afghan refugees in the camps through the ALRO and other Afghan left groups.
The LPP plans to send its first truckload of these items on November 24.
What can you do?
Sponsor the AWSC formally by paying the initial amount of US$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.
Most second-hand items like blankets and clothes are available cheaply in Pakistan. If you like, send us the money and we can buy these items for you.
If you have time and money to travel, please come to Pakistan to help build this campaign. We need volunteers from abroad to help this campaign. Please contact us immediately for this.
Please send your donations to the following bank account: Education Foundation, Donation Account number 01 7967128, Standard Chartered Grindlays Bank, Gulberg Branch Main Boulevard, Gulberg, Lahore, Pakistan. (This is a US dollars account.)
Sponsors so far: Labour Party Pakistan; Scottish Socialist Party; Women Workers Help Line, Lahore; Afghan Labour Revolutionary Organisation; All-Pakistan Para-medical 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; Democratic Socialist Party (Australia).
From Green Left Weekly, November 28, 2001.
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