Just a Plain Farmer

By Hamit Siyit

I am just a plain farmer
May you listen to my story
I will share it with you
All Truth and No Lies
I will write about long green beans and melons
I am on my way to the Central Government
To tell my sufferings
To Write it All
See it for Yourself
Hard to be a farmer in Yengisar

Ordered to construct green houses
Forced to plant long green beans
Failed to sell the long green beans
All farmers became debt bearers
See it for yourself
Hard to be a farmer in Yengisar

Brought long green beans to the government
Profit from long green beans
Not even enough to buy half a meal
Farmers lining up to join a team of poor
May you listen carefully to my story
See it for yourself
Hard to be a farmer in Yengisar

Forced to remove the long green beans
Forced to plant more long green beans
On the same field
Otherwise must promptly pay a fine
Otherwise being scolded, beaten and accused
See it for yourself
Hard to be a farmer in Yengisar

Mandatory unpaid labor working for government
Still exists in Yengisar today
Otherwise 700 yuan in lieu of labor
Even after paying such money
Still being forced to work for free
How can a farmer survive under such hardship
See it for yourself
Hard to be a farmer in Yengisar

Irrigation fee for each mu up to 80 yuan
If failing to pay it
Officials’ harassment does not stop
Less harvest of food
Causes fears among farmers
Thinking fow to survive the Incoming winter
See it for yourself
Hard to be a farmer in Yengisar

Forced to cut Trees
Forced to make shade with melon plants
If no money to buy strings to tie
If no money to buy seeds to grow
No worry
Sell the barrel in your Home

Forced to make shade in wheat field
Otherwise to be Jailed for Insanity
Disappearing from your children’s life
Selling your cows in lieu of a fine
See it for yourself
Hard to be a farmer in Yengisar

Worked like slaves in Aksu, Kucha and Korla
Made a little money picking cottons
Nothing left after paid back bank loans
Life gets harder and harder
No money to get married
Young people still stay single

Our hard work worth nothing
Not even a ten yuan saving in the bank
Can’t even afford a lamb after harvest
Can’t even afford enough meat in a meal
After an entire year of hardwork
Can’t even have a better life
See it for yourself
Hard to be a farmer in Yengisar

Central government vows to help farmers
But local government destroys farmers’ life
Standing up alone to complain
I commit all I have to my people
See it for yourself
Hard to be a farmer in Yengisar

Can’t go anywhere leaving our land behind
Can’t sfford a living in our own land
No food no clothes
We have nothing Left
Don’t ask me where I am from
I am from Yengisar
See it for yourself
Hard to be a farmer in Yengisar

Being jailed for complaining to county government
Being searched and robbed illegally by police
No law in Yengisar
No way for farmers to speak out
See it for yourself
Hard to be a farmer in Yengisar

Met a real man in Urumqi
A man with true dignity like me
Conveyed my story to this man
Where else can I go to Tell my sufferings
See it for yourself
Hard to be a farmer in Yengisar

Lost contact with the man for three days
Police came to arrest me again
Incapable of fighting with police
My hope is all on you Now
See it for yourself
Hard to be a farmer in Yengisar

Heading to Yengisar on Tuesday
With the police on my side
Everyone stared at me suspiciously
Tears dripping down on my face
See it for yourself
Hard to be a farmer in Yengisar

Farmers are the most Innocent people on earth
Why the world is so narrow for them
If wondering where on earth the most narrow place
Yengisar is where you see it all .

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