Press Release
April 4, 2008
The farmers of Asia militantly greet Mrs. Arroyo with condemnation
on her birthday; likewise, we wish that she would not have many
years to come as the president of the Philippines.
At this point in time when Asia is experiencing an alarming rice crisis primarily brought about by the liberalization policies of GATT-WTO, the Filipino farmers do not need a corrupt, anti-people and fascist president who cling on to power whatever the cost.
The Asian Peasant Coalition joins the Filipino peasants in their struggle to end the morally bankrupt Macapagal-Arroyo regime which continuously oppress the farmers by implementing a bogus land reform program coupled with land use conversions, militarization, harassments and human rights violations among the peasantry.
We believe that with the end of this regime and with the creation of a people's transition council, liberalization of agriculture in the Philippines will also come to its end; and the end of liberalization in the Philippines will further ignite the struggle of farmers all over Asia to permanently end liberalization and its bondages. ###
Erpan Faryadi, APC Vice-Chairperson for Internal Affairs; Secretary General of Alliance of Agrarian Reform Movement (AGRA) in Indonesia