G8-Sponsored `Development' Meeting: Nothing But A Myth

Press Release
April 6, 2008

The Asian Peasant Coalition (APC) condemns in the strongest possible terms the on-going "G8 Development Ministerial Meeting" in Tokyo, Japan. The assembly of the eight great powers of the world this April 5-6 aims to "promote economic growth and development" for the African continent by increasing private investment.

"The capitalist countries are set to once again deceive the people in promoting their myth of ending poverty. While claiming that private investment and multinational as well as transnational companies are saviors of underdeveloped countries, the capitalist West and Asia's great power, Japan continue to plunder with these underdeveloped nation's wealth and resources.", said Erpan Faryadi, APC Chairperson for internal affairs and concurrent secretary general of the Alliance for Genuine Agrarian Reform (AGRA) based in Indonesia.

Said ministerial meeting is held at the same time the major powers and institutions such as the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank hold their annual meeting. This clearly shows that the powers of the G8 countries try to cover-up their real agenda of self-interest which entails abuse of human rights, exploitation, environmental devastation and most of all, further suffering and poverty.

"The members of APC in 8 countries in Asia join other civil society organizations in Japan in their efforts to fight this indiscriminate deception and exploitation of the Group of Eight Countries, the multilateral institutions and other organizations espousing liberalization for the glory of imperialism.", added Faryadi.

"APC resolutely stands against the hegemony of these exploitative powers. The sufferings of the Asian peasants who bear the brunt of the binding agreements in trade and agriculture between the underdeveloped countries and the capitalist countries who blindly adhere to neo-liberal policies are enough to prove that the imperialist concept of development is nothing but a myth. We call on the G8 member countries to listen to the voice of the Asian peasants to implement genuine agrarian reform to really end hunger and poverty. We don't need 'Aid for Trade' that will result in an even more inequitable and distorted global agricultural system especially destructive for Third World rural producers," ended Faryadi. ###