Hail International Workers’ Day
Manipur Programme
1st May 2017
We
would like to convey the message of International Workers’ Day. The
workers’ day, as it is being organised in various parts of the globe, we
take this opportunity on the 1st
May 2017, to organise the labour of our land to stand in unity to
building a collective strength. This occasion also exemplifies our role
in the workers’ movement across the globe and also adds inspiration to
fulfilling the objectives of our struggle. We express our heartfelt
gratitude to all those organisations and individuals who support us
morally and physically.
A
worker is someone who lives by selling labour and constitutes the most
important component of the society. The workers are distinctive and
constitute the most important component of the forces of production that
are essential for the development of society. The progression of social
development is continued as long as workers enjoy development of their
technology of production, skills, proper organisation and improvement of
their economic livelihood.
A
society that could not create the necessary objective conditions— for
the release of the forces of production that are essential for the
production of the socially required goods and improvement of the
relation of production— but remain outnumbered by people without regular
job and income and without improvement of the economic livelihood of
those who live by selling their labour; that society recedes into
dependence and underdevelopment.
As we study the economy and condition of the workers of our society, we are extremely disappointed and worried.
(1) First,
the survival of our society is largely dependent on imported
commodities. The government does not take up worthy initiatives to
develop the means of production. No goods producing factory and industry
are being established to reduce the degree of dependence on imported
commodities. The government does not invest in any worthy programme to
develop various sectors of skilled labour. The lack of proper policy to
improve the means of production, relation of production and productive
forces resulted into perpetuation of comparative backwardness of the
society. Instead of heading towards overcoming the burden of dependence
on import, the society is perpetually heading towards dependence. It
will not be an exaggeration to point it out that the government is
responsible for the dependency of the society.
(2) Second,
the responsibility of employing contract labours in the construction
sectors— such as infrastructures for administrative conveniences, big
projects by the outside companies, etc. — is rested in the personal
choice of the private construction thikadars. In all the higher wage major construction works, the private thikadars
imported outside labours who subsequently go outstate and deprive the
‘native’ labour of employment and higher wage. On the one hand the
relation of production between the thikadars
and labour is based on casual contract system, on the other hand it
occurs in the unorganised sector. The contract system that functions in
the interest of the thikadarsexemplifies
uncertainty in regards to security of employment, regularity of payment
and chances of steady growth in wage. Because of the unorganised
nature, there is difficulty in labour congregation and building up of a
common union. The inability to build up strength cripples the labour
into powerlessness and they could not effectively bargain for wage rise
and facility. For all these reasons, our labourers remain weak and could
not develop.
(3) Third, other than the construction workers employed by the thikadars,
the number of daily bread earners, who sell labour at sub-standard wage
rate is increasing. There is emergence of daily wage earners whose
daily income are irregular and too low, such as; porters at market and
shops, cleaners at feasts and festivals, domestic helpers who are paid
for drudgery household works, those who dig tanks and clean drainages,
those who sell labour for seasonal cultivation works in private farms
and gardens, underpaid helpers who work for master masonry and
carpentry, underpaid apprentices, rickshaw drivers and pullers,
impoverished barbers and cobblers, outsourced salespersons and street
vendors, semi-skilled and skilled mechanics in small workshops, and etc.
They are vulnerable to and badly affected by social unrests and
political instabilities such as general strike, blockade and shutdown.
They constitute the larger bulk of the labour force whose means of
earning is instable, underpaid and lack facility in contrast to those
who are employed in the organised sector.
(4) Fourth,
the government does not initiate any worthy scheme for the welfare of
the workers. The meagre amount of daily wage is utilised to support
family sustenance. It could not match with the living standard and
facilities that are enjoyed by the rich. The impoverished labour class
bears the burden of the steady increase in the prices of commodities,
hospital expenses and medicines, electric supply, transport cost,
educational costs, indirect taxes, foods and cloths, house maintenance
cost, and other essential items. In this scenario, class contradiction
becomes openly manifested— the condition of the labour class goes down
at the bottom of the social hierarchy while the rich grows higher.
Certain sections from amongst certain wealth category of peasant and
working people, by sheer chance or by means of disposing of property to
pay bribe, could get employment in either private or public service
sectors. However, there is indication of permanent reservation of the
most prestigious or highly paid jobs for the rich, which becomes openly
visible. Instead of creating productive forces and promoting social
equity to ensure peaceful co-existence, the degree of impoverishment the
peasant and working people continues to grow. It will not be an
exaggeration to point out that the government is meant for the rich to
facilitate their accumulation of wealth, and, as such, there is hardly
any agenda to take up adequate welfare schemes towards social
development.
There
is no controversy about formulation that British rule in Manipur from
1891 to 1947 was a colonial rule. The objective of colonialism was
British growth by suppressing us. By keeping us suppressed they achieved
the agenda of colonial expansionism. They withheld the growth of our
means of productions. They did not improve our productive forces. They
did not promote us to develop to their level. On the contrary they
transplanted and popularised a capitalist system, that is founded on the
principle of unequal relation of production and social inequality,
which become socially rooted in the form of a culture of class divide
between the rich and poor. It remains a question if we are being ever
liberated from this condition. How did our society become a territorial
part of India? Are we living in a colonial condition similar to the
British colonial condition? What could be the reason that the Government
of India does not develop our means of productions and productive
forces? Why it does not make effort in making our economy freed from
dependency? Why is there no effort to improve the conditions of the
peasant and working peoples? All these questions are now being raised.
We
are witness to the objective conditions of dependency (marked by
survival at the mercy of Delhi that controls the economic string) and
terrorism perpetrated by the reactionary forces or regular troops that
enjoy the protection of draconian laws, which are being deployed to
protect extractive projects in the name of Act East Policy and
development. Are we going to perish without any chance of enjoying the
rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948? Do
we really enjoy the rights prescribed by the International Covenant on
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights? While living under the political
system of India, will it be possible for us to achieve the agenda of
eradication of poverty and promotion of sustainable development as
envisioned in the UN Sustainable Development Goal; Agenda 2030? Are we
going to be refugee in our land? What is the role of the wealthy
sections of the citizens who live amongst us? These are the important
questions that are being raised in order to arrive at practical
solutions to the prevailing conditions of dependence and burdens that
are being faced by the working people. The search for a collective
solution is of utmost necessity in order to address the basic grievances
of the working individuals who constitute the marginalised class. The
working people had to find answers to take up the leading role towards
development of the society.
Long Live International Workers’ Day
Love Live People’s Democracy
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