No.

1/09 (WFSLB)
Date. 31-8-2009

APPEAL TO All WORKERS AND FARMERS OF BURMA

1. Today in Burma, the realities of the situation of farmers and workers are that we are the most
exploited and marginalized, our lives are far from the beautiful words propagandized in the State
owned and controlled media. Farmers and workers we know best the oppressive situation of our
lives.
2. The inherited lands of farmers have being occupied continuously by military authorities, regional
authorities and the regime's crony-businessmen in the name of so-called development projects such
as airport-building, road-buildings, building factories for arms and ammunitions and establishing
contract-farming system. The State fails to pay compensation and also fails to provide any subsidies
to farmers so that we could buy necessary equipment or pesticides or livestock. Even to get small
loans for farming, farmers have to bribe the authorities. Moreover, the authorities force the farmers to
cultivate planned-crops, coerce us to take security-responsibilities such as guarding railways, compel
us to work unpaid on building roads and railways. There is no freedom in farming and in managing
and trading farming-products as well. Farmers have been facing more and more restrictions. Since
farmers can not get enough loans and subsidies from the government, we have to take loans with
high interest-rates and we can not overcome the cycles of debt. Therefore, our lives are set deep in
troubles.
3. As workers, government-servants and urban poor, we have to struggle just for our survival with our
low incomes. Rights for us are just a word. We have to work silently under the oppression of
bureaucrats, employers and authorities, but in our hearts the flames of anger burn. We can be easily
dismissed from our jobs and treated like small birds and chicken in the hands of the superiors. There
is no such thing as overtime pay in Burma. The government usually takes no action on complaints of
the workers for their exploited situation. Even trishaw cyclists, bus conductors and streets vendors
have to face arbitrary taxations by the authorities. The life of workers and farmers is like our saying:
While rowing the raft, the oar breaks.
4. We live in an era of hardship, not knowing how to put the next meal in front of our family.
Everything is subject to arbitrary taxations and fees. We pay for the fire-wardens, for the porters,
when we have to inform the authorities of visitors, for the repair of roads, for receiving VIPs. All of
these fees taken from the small incomes which we, the urban poor, workers and farmers, have to
work hard for the whole day and which means there is little left to quell the hunger pains in our
stomachs.
5. We, farmers and workers, have no alternative except to stand up for our rights to overcome
oppression and exploitation. For our security of food, shelter and clothing; for our security of health;
for the education of our sons and daughters, we, farmers and workers have founded this ''Workers
and Farmers Solidarity League of Burma'' to fight for the betterment of the lives of workers and
farmers in Burma. We therefore appeal to the masses of our sisters and brothers to join with us to
stand up for our rights.

Workers and Farmers Solidarity League of Burma (WFSLB)

To contact : w.f.s.l.b2009@gmail.com