Peasant groups slams further Liberalization of Agriculture at WTO Meeting in India

In a joint statement today, the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) and the Asian Peasant Coalition (APC), calls on the World Trade Organization (WTO) ministers attending the “mini-Ministerial” n New Delhi, India, to refuse any attempt to push through a conclusion to the Doha Round because it will worsen the crises, hunger, poverty, landlessness and agricultural production globally.”

The two-day meeting of 35 WTO trade ministers began yesterday (September 3), in New Delhi emphasizing the need to strengthen the multilateral regime to boost $32 trillion global trade.

According to Danilo Ramos, KMP and APC secretary general, “The Doha Round, or the so-called ‘development agenda’ is being used to sugarcoat the neo-liberal offensive of imperialist countries on underdeveloped economies. Unfortunately, when WTO meeting in Geneva collapsed in 2008, the Philippine government under President Arroyo still continue to put its faith in the multilateral trading system but has also embarked on various initiatives and efforts to seal bilateral and regional trade agreements outside of the formal WTO process such as the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement, RP-China Agreement and the secretly negotiated US-ASEAN and EU-ASEAN free trade deals. The WTO has collapsed for the 4th time and we want it to happen again in India”.

“Whatever the nuances of the particular discussions in Delhi, little has really changed in WTO negotiations in recent years. The narrow basis of the Doha Round is hinged on the promise of economic growth for underdeveloped countries through more trade opportunities. However, as further trade liberalization is being pushed, gains are being enjoyed by the rich countries and their translational corporations (TNCs) which are operating in underdeveloped countries. Even a World Bank simulation study shows that under the most likely Doha scenario, this would yield benefits of only $16 billion to underdeveloped countries and $96 billion to the world by 2015. (IBON, 2008). This means that the share of poor countries from the supposed gains of the Doha Round would only be about 16% or less than one cent per person per day.” added Ramos.

“Yesterday, in Delhi, different farmers’ organization joined with other groups and mobilized together against the Indian government’s initiative to revive the WTO Doha Round. While the WTO Director General Pascal Lamy had expressed hope that the Delhi meeting could be the "end game" leading to conclusion of the Doha trade talks. For the Asian farmers, this will be the end of WTO,” said P. Chennaiah, APC deputy secretary general and current general secretary of the Andhra Pradesh Vyavasaya Vruthidarula Union (APVVU),

“It is unfortunate that amid protests, on July 29, India finally signed the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with other countries such as Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Maldives, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Singapore, and Nepal. The FTA would eliminate tariffs on over 4,000 products including electronics, chemicals and textiles that account for more than 80 percent of total trade in goods. Tariffs on those products would be reduced to zero by 2016,” added P. Chennaiah.

Today, similar rally in India took place in the Philippines. in front of the national office of the Department of Agriculture led by the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas and the PUMALAG (Peoples’ Network against Liberalization of Agriculture).

At the international level, the Our World Is Not for Sale (OWINFS) initiated a petition letter address to the WTO Trade Ministers to reject any attempt to push through a conclusion to the Doha Round. The letter was endorsed by 125 major farmer organizations, NGOs, trade unions and social movements from over 50 countries and sent to Trade and Agriculture Ministers as well as WTO Ambassadors.

The letter was signed by international federations and national organizations including the African Trade Network, Action Aid International, the International Union of Foodworkers, the Asian Peasants’ Coalition (APC), and the Hemispheric Social Alliance. It urges Ministers to “represent the interests of farmers, workers, consumers, women, and the environment, by rejecting the further liberalization of trade in food in the WTO and instead, calling for policies which will achieve food security, rural development and safeguard farmers’ livelihoods through Food Sovereignty. #