The Asian Peasant Coalition (APC)

Send to friendPrinter-friendly version

Organizational Matters

History
Asia is a region where millions of peasants have been struggling against worsening land and agrarian problems. Asian agriculture remains feudal; basic problems related to land remains unresolved; vast tracts of agricultural lands are converted and geared for export crop production leading to more eviction of farmers and a threat to food security and food sovereignty.

The ASIAN PEASANT COALITION (APC) emerged from the Asian Peasant Conference that took place in March 2003 in the Philippines. It took a very strong anti-imperialist stand and symbolized the strengthening and further consolidation of peasant movements throughout Asia.

What is APC?
APC is an Asia-wide peasant coalition of farmers, landless peasants, fisherfolks, , agricultural workers, dalit, indigenous peoples, herders and pastoralists, including the women and youth across these sectors. It has more than 15 million members representing 21 organizations coming from 9 countries in Asia such as Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines and Sri Lanka.

APC fosters close relationship with all democratic and progressive people’s movements towards gathering their support for the plight of the peasants of the region. Likewise, it also support the struggles of all the toiling masses in the world.

APC advocates for the following:

    A genuine agrarian reform program that will abolish all forms of exploitation and a national industrialization as the foundation for over-all economic development;
  • An independent nation free from foreign domination and control, and protect the people’s civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights;
  • A comprehensive and pro-people social program that provides basic social and public services;
  • Advancement of peasant women rights and welfare that abolish all forms of discrimination, violence and oppression against women and children;
  • Protection of the rights of agricultural workers for fair and just wages, safe and good working conditions;
  • A pro-people, mass-oriented, and scientific culture; and
  • Solidarity and support to the struggles of the peasantry and peoples of the world against imperialism.

APC aims to:

  • Attain the broadest and widest unity among the peasants and other toiling classes from various Asian countries on the issues and concerns it has vowed to fight with;
  • Mount a strong advocacy and lobby force against the issues and concerns the APC has vowed to fight with;
  • Unite with the struggles of other oppressed and exploited peoples in Asia;

    • The strategies of the APC to achieve its aims are: holding of meetings, workshops, seminars, conferences, rallies and demonstrations, exchange visits, research, information dissemination, training, publications and all other activities in accordance with the furtherance of the APC aims.

    Organizational Structure
    The General Assembly is the highest policy-making body of APC that will be held once in every three years. It elects the Executive Committee (EC) that implements and evaluates its three-year program. APC has a Secretariat (based in the Philippines) headed by the Secretary General that leads the implementation of the decisions of the executive committee.

    Contact Us
    Office Address:
    Rm. 23, 2nd Floor, 3J Heights Bldg., 35 Visayas Avenue, Quezon City, Philippines
    Telephone: +632-3793083
    E-mail: apc_secretariat@yahoo.com (with copy to: roda_g04@yahoo.com)
    Website: www.asianpeasant.org