2003: Press Releases
Press Releases from 2003
 Memorandum To President Thabo Mbeki
Landless People's Movement
November 13, 2003 - A memorandum to President Thabo Mbeki issued by the Landless People's Movement of South Africa. The LPM openly criticizes the general treatment of landless citizens by the South African government inlcuding the forced removal of almost a million people from their homes. The LPM makes six demands on the South African government to rectify these and other injustices.
TAKE ACTION-South African Organizer Kubheka Harassed by Land Owner
The Landless People's Movement
October 09, 2003 - A call for public action to exonerate LPM National Organizer and land activist, Mangaliso Kubheka, from false charges made by a white farmer in South Africa
Urgent Appeal for Support for Landless Tenants Movement
People's Rights Movement (PRM)
August 07, 2003 - Anjuman Mazarain Punjab's (AMP) historic struggle has stunned
the Pakistani state into virtual paralysis. After over 2 months of
sustained state repression on Okara military farm, paramilitary
Rangers forces have been forced to remove the majority of
barricades and road blocks leading to and from the 19 villages in the area. This
retreat is a tribute to the ongoing resistance of the more than
100,000 residents of the area, and the almost one million people
across the province struggling for ownership rights of 68,000 acres
of state land under the banner of AMP.
NLC National Office: Letter to Partners
NLC National Office
July 23, 2003 - The Board of the NLC dismissed the NLC Director, Zakes Hlatswayo last Wednesday in what can only be described as a "witch-hunt". The decision to dismiss Zakes is seen by the major stakeholders in the NLC as being motivated primarily by politics of containment. The board’s strategy has been to suppress and intimidate the NLC staff who are most vocal in their support for the Landless People's Movemement (LPM) and its activities, such as the march during the WSSD. The second reason is what is increasingly being seen as an attack with serious racist undertones by a pre-dominantly white board.
LPM REJECT NLC BOARD’S EFFORTS TO CRUSH LANDLESS STRUGGLE
Landless People's Movement National Council
July 23, 2003 - The Landless People’s Movement - an independent national movement of poor and landless people struggling for land reform across South Africa - rejects and condemns the decision of the National Land Committee’s(NLC) Board to dismiss NLC Director Zakes Hlatshwayo, and demands that the Board immediately withdraws this decision and restores Hlatshwayo to his rightful place as the head of the NGO network that has previously supported our movement.
NLC Network Staff Reject NLC Director's Dismissal
National Land Committee
July 23, 2003 - The National Staff Forum of the National Land Committee (NLC) Network - a national network of 10 land rights NGOs - unreservedly rejects and condemns the decision of the NLC Board to dismiss NLC Director Zakes Hlatshwayo, and demands that the NLC Board immediately and unconditionally reverse this decision.
Peasants Assassinated in Honduras
COCOCH (Honduan Coordinating Council of Peasant Organizations)
July 21, 2003 - After more than 18 years struggling for a piece of land, a number of farmers and peasant activitst were killed when working in their community by group of hitmen under command of the Honduran landowner Jos Len Argueta. Together COCOCH and CNTC condemn these acts of violence and call on the Honduran government and Human Rights Councils to take action.
Crisis in South Africa Land Reform Movement
Landless People's Movement
July 18, 2003 - The Landless People's Movement (LPM) rejects and condemns the decision of the National Land Committees(NLC) Board to dismiss NLC Director Zakes Hlatshwayo, and demands that the Board immediately withdraws this decision and restores Hlatshwayo to his rightful place as the head of the NGO network that has previously supported our movement.
MST and Via Campesina Launch Campaign Against the Latifundio
Dawn Plummer, Friends of the MST
April 11, 2003 - Throughout the month of April, the MST and the other peasant movements that make up the Via Campesina around the world will be involved in activities to denounce the large-landholder system and in favour of agrarian reform.
The Right of Peasants to Produce Food is in Danger
Via Campesina
April 09, 2003 - Millions of peasants have been evicted from their farming land. The development of huge plantations for cash crops aimed at exportation and industries, and the rapid increase of other land use forms such as the construction of hotels, golf courses and supermarkets haven taken away the land from the peasant often in the name of national development.
Stop Forced Removals & Evictions! Stop Privatisation!
People's Rights Campaign
March 26, 2003 - More than seven million poor and landless urban people living on the edges South African cities in informal settlements are threatened by apartheid-style forced removals carried out at gunpoint by private security companies on instructions from the elected government.
Benoni Ruling a Victory for South Africa's 26-million Landless People
Landless People's Movement
February 25, 2003 - The court's decision to refuse the State the right to appeal against an earlier ruling which said the State is responsible for providing 40,000 landless people with alternative land and housing confirms the LPM's position that it is primarily the duty of the State to ensure that the poor and landless gain access to land, housing and other basic needs.
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