Pakistan: Report from Rangmala Camp

Activities in the Rangmala camp are continuing with revolutionary zeal and fervor. The committees established for different tasks are working to help the people in the camp, who are living in the most dangerous conditions.

The relief camp in RangmalaThe education committee surveyed the whole area and prepared a list of all the children and then set up makeshift schools according to their needs. A list of volunteer teachers was also prepared.

The people here, as in the rest of Pakistan, are mad about cricket. The sports and culture committee is making efforts to hold a cricket tournament for the people living in the camps. Lists of teams have been prepared and now the cricket bats and balls are being collected for the tournament. The ground has already been selected and enthusiastic matches are being played.

In such a dangerous environment the safety of the camp dwellers is obviously paramount. The security committee regularly patrols the camps with volunteers wearing red caps and badges to take care of this. Such a large scale operation demands a lot of administration and the registration committee is also performing a very necessary duty. One volunteer is appointed for every ten tents and one supervisor is in charge of 5 such volunteers.

Rangmala camp with the banner of PTUDC MalakandMembers of the health committee are collecting medicines which are not easily available. In order to do this, they are going on dangerous trips to collect these medicines from areas out of war zone than coming back to camps.

The services committee is looking after electricity supply, maintenance, repairing, wiring, bedding, blankets, water cooler and other necessary things for the people living in camps.

The tireless work of the PTUDC is gaining a lot of sympathy from the people. All the people living in the camps and from the surrounding areas are now sympathizers of PTUDC and are ready to listen to the ideas of socialism and fight for a revolutionary change in society.

Lahore fundraising campComrades in other parts of the country are holding solidarity campaign for the people living in Rangmala camp. A camp was held in Laxmi Chowk Lahore to raise funds and awareness among the people. Working class people showed their appreciation for the positions of PTUDC and contributed to the campaign launched by PTUDC.

Comrades from North Punjab have visited the camp with relief goods and funds and this has raised the morale of people living in the camps.

Comrades visited the camps and attended the meetings of volunteers organized in various committees. They had to travel a dangerous route in war zone where they had to face curfews and shelling but they were determined and reached their destination.

They had brought with them the reports of solidarity from international and other parts of Pakistan, which were keenly heard by the volunteers and people living in camps. On their return, they remarked that they had gone there to raise the morale of the distressed people but by their conviction and revolutionary spirit they themselves got a morale booster.

Rangmala campThe activities of our comrades in the war zone are attracting attention from the provincial government of Pushtoonkhwa (formerly the North West Province) led by PPP and ANP. They have been threatening the comrades, as a result of which some were forced to move to another camp. The government officials are creating problems, which may result in serious consequences in the future.

However, the comrades are determined and are following the revolutionary path of socialism with courage. Only through the united action of the workers of Pakistan and the whole world we can defeat these forces of black reaction and raise the flag of socialism.

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