FARMERS AND SCIENTISTS GROUP SLAMS BIOSAFETY MANUAL [Philippines]
PRESS RELEASE
January 30, 2012
“Biosafety is not the intent of this new government policy. It will only facilitate the entry of more genetically-modified organisms (GMOS) into the country. This is bio-entry, not biosafety.”
Such is the assertion of the RESIST! Agrochemical TNCs Network, which held a picket in front of the Department of Agriculture in Quezon City on Monday, January 30. The group, composed of farmers, scientists, environmental activists, health professionals, NGOs and development workers, protests against the on-going consultation by the National Commission on Biosafety in the Philippines (NCBP) for the Manual on Biosafety Decision Making Process, which details the processes and forms for a proposed GMO to be studied, tested and eventually commercialized in the country. The group emphasized that the consultation is just a way to hasten the institutionalization of a policy that would make it easier for GMOs to enter the country, without a comprehensive safety, environmental impact and socio-economic impact study.
Termination of Planned Construction of Bus-Train, Depot and MRT Station Sought [Philippines]
24 January 2012 09:29:58 AM
Writer: Salvacion T. Beleo, MRS-PRIB
Party-list lawmakers are calling for the termination of the planned construction of the intermodal bus-train station/depot and other stations of Metro Rail Transit 7 saying this will displace the farmers and urban poor residing in the affected areas in Bulacan, Caloocan City and Quezon City.
In House Resolution 1713, Reps. Rafael Mariano (Anakpawis), Teddy Casiño (Bayan Muna) and Emmi De Jesus (Gabriela) asked the House Committees on Agrarian Reform and Transportation to review the contract and dig deep into complaints, particularly of the affected farmers, that they were not consulted on the planned construction of the intermodal bus-train station/depot of MRT 7 in the area.
RCBC orders the arrest of Luisita farm-workers for Bungkalan [Philippines]
As a form of protest against the imminent arrest of 22 farm-worker leaders and Amabala members, peasant leaders and Church people tore the joint-resolution of DOJ-Tarlac which contains the RCBC complaint. (Macky Macaspac)
“We will answer the threat to arrest our leaders and comrades with immense protests.” This is what the farm-workers of Hacienda Luisita said after the Office of the City Prosecutor in Tarlac recently issued a joint resolution regarding the two cases filed by Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) against the 22 farm-workers leaders from Alyansa ng mga Manggagawang Bukid sa Asyenda Lusita (Amabala) and its members, including some of the hacienda’s barangay officials.
Thousands of Militant Peasants rally to Halt Landgrabbing in Indonesia
Jakarta, INDONESIA - On January 12, 2012, the Aliansi Gerakan Reforma Agraria (AGRA), a militant and genuine peasant movement in Indonesia, marked the New Year with a big mobilization in front of the Presidential Palace. Thousands of peasants came down from the villages in the rural communities travelling from the mountains and valleys with one battle cry - stop landgrabbing!
“We are protesting massive land grabbing practices by the state, landlord and foreign capitalist. We also condemn fascist attack of the government perpetrated by their police and army by interfering in agrarian conflict in Indonesia,” remarked Rahmat Ajiguna, secretary general of AGRA and deputy secretary general of the Asian Peasant Coalition (APC).
Farmers demand free land in Luisita [Philippines]
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO—A left-wing farmers’ group declared support for the demand of farm workers in a 6,000-hectare sugar estate owned by relatives of President Aquino to be given parcels of land in the estate for free.
In a statement, the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) said farmers that would benefit from a Supreme Court decision ordering the distribution of land in a 4,915-hectare portion of Hacienda Luisita should get the lands for free.
Pakistani farmers welcome decision of Punjab government in rejecting BT cotton
NEWS RELEASE
January 15, 2012
Multan, Punjab, PAKISTAN - - In response to the rejection of Monsanto's BT cotton by Government of Punjab on January 2, the Pakistan Kissan Mazdoor Tehreek (PKMT), an alliance of small and landless farmers, held a press conference on January 12 in Multan, Punjab.
