2008 APC Year-End Report

The year 2008 bore witness to various peasant struggles in different parts of Asia and the globe, from the rice crisis in the first quarter of the year to the G20 Summit in November. There was also the continuous persecution of peasant leaders. Numerous malicious charges were filed against them, while others became unfortunate victims of extrajudicial killings or enforced disappearances. Violations of peasant rights were also rampant. Construction of Special Economic Zones in India resulted to more landlessness for thousands of farmers while a community in Indonesia was bombarded with napalm bombs in order to evict the villagers.

But despite all these crises, Asian peasants have remained militant and steadfast in their fight for land, livelihood, resources and justice. Their struggle in the countryside manifests in different forms and continue to widen and even become stronger. In the urban setting, mass demonstrations are carried on to the streets, as it is the only effective way to voice out the peoples’ protests against the oppression they are experiencing. Through all these the Asian Peasant Coalition (APC) has always been there to further strengthen and consolidate the ranks of the peasant communities in Asia as well as linking with other peasant groups and organizations at the international level.