From kmp at info.com.ph Sat Aug 1 17:47:58 1998 From: kmp at info.com.ph (kmp@info.com.ph) Date: Sat, 1 Aug 1998 16:47:58 +0800 (GMT+0800) Subject: [asia-apec 538] Young Agrarian Reform Advocates' - AS A PEASANT STRATEGY Message-ID: <199808010847.QAA24464@central.info.com.ph> dear friends, advocates of peasant, rural workers and the struggle of the landless and to KMP's [Peasant Movement of the Philippines] counterpart peasant organizations in the different parts of the world. this is to share with you [pls. read NNARAA - Youth statement on its 2nd Generaal Assembly below] one of the approaches or strategies that KMP is employing to broaden its support base for the struggle of the peasants for land and for genuine land reform. surely, we will discuss more approaches and peasant strategies when we meet and share during the PEASANT FORUM - Throwing Off the Yoke of Imperialist Globaalization in November 11-12, KUAALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA as one of the issue forum of the Asia-Pacific Peoples' Assembly's [APPA] - Confronting Globalization, Reasserting Peoples'Rights in time with the 6th APEC world leaders' meeting. SO FILL UP YOUR REGISTRATIONS FORMS TO THE PEASANT FORUM AND TO THE APPA [November 8-15] See you then! PEASANT FORUM SECRETARIAT c/o Mr. RAFAEL MARIANO, KMP #69 MAAYUSIN corner MALAMBING STS. UP VILLAGE, DILIMAN, 1100, Q.C. PHILIPPINES TEL: 632 - 920/5668 / TEL/FAX: 632 - 435/3564 E-MAIL: KMP@INFO.COM.PH / PX.ISDA@SKYINET.NET ................................................................................ To: (Recipient list suppressed) Subject: Young Agrarian Reform Advocates' second general assembly National Network of Agrarian Reform Advocates Youth Sector NNARA-Youth NEWS RELEASE 22 July 1998 Reference: Phoebe Mendoza, publicity officer e-mail: px.isda@skyinet.net YOUTH RENEW VOWS TO CHAMPION PEASANT RIGHTS IN ASSEMBLY STUDENT leaders from 13 schools in Manila reaffirmed their vows to help peasants fight for genuine agrarian reform in the second general assembly of the National Network for Agrarian Reform Advocates Youth Sector (NNARA-Youth) last week. The group's newly-elected chair Mary Ann Alejo of the College of Holy Spirit told the crowd of two hundred delegates that the group hopes to expand membership among the students in double the number of schools for 1998 in anticipation of intensifying social conflicts to be raised by landless peasants under the Estrada administration. NNARA-Youth had its beginnings in 1995 to provide an accessible venue for students and teachers especializing in community work, for them to sustain links with rural villages in a manner that would make academics more deeply aware of the peasants' problems. By 1997, the increasing number of chapters pushed for its first assembly. During its existence, NNARA-Youth developed into a movement of idealistic activists whose commitment to helping the poor took them to march alongside peasants during rallies and visit victims of agrarian injustices jailed or killed while fighting for their farmlands. The student council of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines hosted the assembly at the school's Sta. Mesa campus. The other elected officers are: Ma. Elena Urbano, vice-chair; Ma. Clara Ibarra, secretary-general; Anna Espilimbergo, finance officer; and Phoebe Mendoza, education and publicity officer. # # # From alarm at HK.Super.NET Wed Aug 5 06:37:08 1998 From: alarm at HK.Super.NET (ALARM (APEC Labour Rights Monitor)) Date: Tue, 4 Aug 1998 14:37:08 -0700 Subject: [asia-apec 539] Resource Book on EPZ Message-ID: <199808040640.OAA00372@kwaifong.hk.super.net> A newly-published book on export processing zones (EPZs) in Asia contains information and reports about EPZs in South Korea, China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Hong Kong. It contains the results and analyses, conclusions and action recommendations of the study done by more than 30 country partners and contacts of the EPZ project of Asia Monitor Resource Center (AMRC). It highlights the key issuees affecting zone workers - particularly women - in each of these countries and analyses these in the current context of EPZs, the export-oriented development strategy and current global trends. The purpose of this book is to provide detailed reference for labour and women advocates to enrich their knowledge for labour and women advocates about EPZs and women workers around the region. Dimension: 5.8" x 8.5"; No of pages: 268 pages; Price (including postage): US$25. To order, please send a cheque made to "Asia Monitor Resource Center Ltd." and send to 444, Nathan Road, 8-B, Kowloon, Hong Kong. From alarm at HK.Super.NET Wed Aug 5 06:35:56 1998 From: alarm at HK.Super.NET (ALARM (APEC Labour Rights Monitor)) Date: Tue, 4 Aug 1998 14:35:56 -0700 Subject: [asia-apec 540] KFC Indonesia Message-ID: <199808040640.OAA00241@kwaifong.hk.super.net> ---------- > From: LBH Surabaya > To: iufasia@peg.apc.org; alarm@HK.Super.NET; laborrights@igc.org > Subject: Kentucky Fried Chicken's workers staged demonstration > Date: 01 August 1998 19:45 > > Dear Brothers and Sisters, > > Following their colleauges from Mc Donald's whom staged demonstration few > weeks ago, yesterday and today 1-2 August 1998, at least 325 workers of > Kentucky Fried Chicken from 8 outlets in Surabaya have peaceful strike > demanding 5 points as follows : > > 1. They want that food allowance separated from basic wage, because of > soaring price of food. Their basic wage is Rp 4,400 per-day (around US $ 0,30). > 2. Increasing transport allowance from Rp 1,500 (around US $ 0,10) to Rp > 3,000 (around US $ 0,20). > 3. Increasing wage depend on how long the workers work from Rp 2,500 > per-annum (around US $ 0,15) to Rp 10,000 (around US $ 0,60). > 4. Health care allowance separated from 20% wage per-annum. > 5. Bonuses for rider, drygoods and driver. > > The workers held placards and banners. One banner written "KFC: > International product but local wage". Another banner read "We are making > KFC successful". The workers have a union affiliated with FSPSI. The > chairman said that on the 14th and the 31th of July he sent a letter of > protest to the management, but the management didn't reply. They will > continue to strike until the management agree to have negotiation with them > regarding workers' demand. > > In solidarity, > > Poengky Indarti. > > ========================================================= > Lembaga Bantuan Hukum (LBH) Surabaya > Surabaya Legal Aid Institute > > Director : Indro Sugianto > Head of Operational Dept. : Andik Hardiyanto > Head of Internal Dept. : Ansori > Chief of Fundraising Dept. : Eko Nuryanto > 1. Chief of Labour Division : Pungky Indarty > 2. Chief of Land Division : Ansori > 3. Chief of Environmental Div. : Eko Sasmito > 4. Chief of Civil & Political Rights : Yudi T. Burhan > 5. Chief of LBH Malang : Deddy Prihambudi > > - Staf of Labor Division : Sudarto > - Staf of LBH Malang : Agus Yunianto > > Manager of Paralegal Bulletin : Susianto > Manager of Wowan Rights Advocacy : Ulfa > Manager of Migrant Workers Advocacy : Sudarto/Agus Yunianto > > Address: > Jl. Kidal No. 6 Surabaya 60131 > Jawa Timur - INDONESIA > Phone: (62-31) 502 22 73, > (62-31) 502 48 26 > Fax: (62-31) 502 47 17 > Email: lbhsby@indo.net.id > ========================================================== > > > > ============================================================================ > From alarm at HK.Super.NET Wed Aug 5 06:34:28 1998 From: alarm at HK.Super.NET (ALARM (APEC Labour Rights Monitor)) Date: Tue, 4 Aug 1998 14:34:28 -0700 Subject: [asia-apec 541] Job Opportunity Message-ID: <199808040639.OAA29948@kwaifong.hk.super.net> From alarm at HK.Super.NET Wed Aug 5 06:39:12 1998 From: alarm at HK.Super.NET (ALARM (APEC Labour Rights Monitor)) Date: Tue, 4 Aug 1998 14:39:12 -0700 Subject: [asia-apec 542] Resource Book on EPZ Message-ID: <199808040641.OAB00599@kwaifong.hk.super.net> A newly-published book on export processing zones (EPZs) in Asia contains information and reports about EPZs in South Korea, China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Hong Kong. It contains the results and analyses, conclusions and action recommendations of the study done by more than 30 country partners and contacts of the EPZ project of Asia Monitor Resource Center (AMRC). It highlights the key issuees affecting zone workers - particularly women - in each of these countries and analyses these in the current context of EPZs, the export-oriented development strategy and current global trends. The purpose of this book is to provide detailed reference for labour and women advocates to enrich their knowledge for labour and women advocates about EPZs and women workers around the region. Dimension: 5.8" x 8.5"; No of pages: 268 pages; Price (including postage): US$25. To order, please send a cheque made to "Asia Monitor Resource Center Ltd." and send to 444, Nathan Road, 8-B, Kowloon, Hong Kong. From alarm at HK.Super.NET Wed Aug 5 08:58:36 1998 From: alarm at HK.Super.NET (ALARM (APEC Labour Rights Monitor)) Date: Tue, 4 Aug 1998 16:58:36 -0700 Subject: [asia-apec 543] Job Opportunity Message-ID: <199808041008.SAA15416@kwaifong.hk.super.net> Dear Friends: As our current editor is leaving Hong Kong, we are looking for someone to fill the position of editor/publications officer. We would very much appreciate it if you would pass on this message on to anyone who might be interested. ANNOUNCEMENT Job Opportunity at Asia Monitor Resource Center in Hong Kong AMRC is an independent non-governmental organization which focuses on Asian labor concerns. The center provides information, research, publishing, training, labor networking and related services to labor groups, trade unions and other development NGOs in the region. It has been based in Hong Kong for over 20 years. Publications Coordinator/Editor: AMRC is seeking an individual to fill the full time, program staff level position to be responsible for writing, planning and editing AMRC's publications, including the quarterly Asian Labor Update and other occasional papers and publications. Requirements: We are looking for an individual who is committed to the goals of AMRC with strong English writing skills, a strong foundation in labor related issues, experience in working with non-governmental organizations, labor groups, trade unions or other development groups as well as journalism and computer skills. Experience working in Asia and Asian language ability preferred. If you are interested in this position, or would like more information about AMRC, please send a cover letter and resume by August 31 to Apo Leong, Director, Asia Monitor Resource Center, 444 Nathan Road, 8-B, Kowloon, Hong Kong; fax: 852-2385-5319; tel: 852-2332-1346; email: amrc@hk.super.net. From amc at HK.Super.NET Wed Aug 5 20:59:52 1998 From: amc at HK.Super.NET (AMC) Date: Wed, 05 Aug 1998 19:59:52 +0800 Subject: [asia-apec 544] Asian Migrant Yearbook 1998: Now Available Message-ID: <3.0.32.19980805180902.006f6048@is2.hk.super.net> 4 August 98 Dear Friends, Thank you so much for the enthusiastic response (over 50 requests) for our report on the impact of the Asian crisis on migrant workers (if, for any reason, we missed to e-mail the report to you or you can't open it, please inform us). We are happy to announce that the Asian Migrant Yearbook 1998 (AMY 98), which contains that report, plus the most updated reports on the situation of migrant workers in 16 Asian countries, is now available. If you are interested to subscribe here are the details: * dimensions: 20 cm. x 27 cm., 160 pages; with some full-color maps and photos * commercial price (includes airmail postage): US$55 (outside Asia); US$40 (Asia) * 50% discount for non-profit groups/advocates (i.e. US$ 27 and US$20, respectively) * complimentary copy for grassroots migrant organisations and AMC partners * this is a 1-year subscription (June 1998-June 1999) which includes AMY 98, and other publications that AMC releases during the year (e.g. poster, pamphlet, monograph). If you want to order, please confirm by replying to this email (sorry, we don't have an on-line order form), and please give us your mailing address. We will then airmail a copy to you (takes about 5-7 days). You can pay us by US$ cheque payable to "Asian Migrant Centre Ltd.", or remit through our US$ account (the remittance details are in the inside front cover of the yearbook). We welcome comments, suggestions, feedback on AMY98. We are now also preparing the next issue (AMY 99) which will come out in June 1999. Contributions, information, reports and photos are welcome. Thank you very much. Sincerely, Rex Varona Executive Director Asian Migrant Centre 4 Jordan Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong Tel: (852) 2312-0031 Fax: (852) 2992-0111 From lbyster at igc.apc.org Thu Aug 6 00:35:53 1998 From: lbyster at igc.apc.org (Leslie B) Date: Wed, 5 Aug 1998 08:35:53 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [asia-apec 545] Re: Asian Migrant Yearbook 1998: Now Available Message-ID: <2.2.16.19980805073109.46d7a382@pop.igc.org> Dear Rex--- No, I never got the report. Can you please send it to me again. THanks. Leslie Byster At 07:59 PM 8/5/98 +0800, AMC wrote: >4 August 98 > >Dear Friends, > >Thank you so much for the enthusiastic response (over 50 requests) for our >report on the impact of the Asian crisis on migrant workers (if, for any >reason, we missed to e-mail the report to you or you can't open it, please >inform us). > >We are happy to announce that the Asian Migrant Yearbook 1998 (AMY 98), >which contains that report, plus the most updated reports on the situation >of migrant workers in 16 Asian countries, is now available. > >If you are interested to subscribe here are the details: >* dimensions: 20 cm. x 27 cm., 160 pages; with some full-color maps and photos >* commercial price (includes airmail postage): US$55 (outside Asia); US$40 >(Asia) >* 50% discount for non-profit groups/advocates (i.e. US$ 27 and US$20, >respectively) >* complimentary copy for grassroots migrant organisations and AMC partners >* this is a 1-year subscription (June 1998-June 1999) which includes AMY >98, and other publications that AMC releases during the year (e.g. poster, >pamphlet, monograph). > >If you want to order, please confirm by replying to this email (sorry, we >don't have an on-line order form), and please give us your mailing address. >We will then airmail a copy to you (takes about 5-7 days). You can pay us >by US$ cheque payable to "Asian Migrant Centre Ltd.", or remit through our >US$ account (the remittance details are in the inside front cover of the >yearbook). > >We welcome comments, suggestions, feedback on AMY98. We are now also >preparing the next issue (AMY 99) which will come out in June 1999. >Contributions, information, reports and photos are welcome. > >Thank you very much. > >Sincerely, > >Rex Varona >Executive Director >Asian Migrant Centre >4 Jordan Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong >Tel: (852) 2312-0031 Fax: (852) 2992-0111 > > Leslie Byster From P.Ranald at unsw.EDU.AU Thu Aug 6 08:51:15 1998 From: P.Ranald at unsw.EDU.AU (Pat Ranald) Date: Thu, 6 Aug 1998 09:51:15 +1000 (EST) Subject: [asia-apec 546] Re: Asian Migrant Yearbook 1998: Now Available Message-ID: Dear Rex How are you? I would like to order a copy of the Asian Migrant Yearbook. As you know, the Public Sector Research Centre is a non profit centre which works with public sector unions in Australia and the Asia Pacific area on privatisation issues. I will forward a money order as soon as I receive the book and invoice. Thanks Pat Ranald. Patricia Ranald Senior Research Fellow Public Sector Research Centre Morven Brown Building University of New South Wales NSW 2052 Australia tel 61-2-93851010 fax 61-2-93853059 From laborrights at igc.apc.org Fri Aug 7 11:12:58 1998 From: laborrights at igc.apc.org (Pharis J. Harvey) Date: Thu, 6 Aug 1998 19:12:58 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [asia-apec 547] Re: Asian Migrant Yearbook 1998: Now Available Message-ID: <2.2.16.19980806210908.3dc72bc4@pop.igc.org> Dear Rex, Your study sound very important. Congratulations on completing it. Please send a copy and invoice to: Pharis Harvey International Labor Rights Fund 733 15th Street, N.W., Ste. 920 Washington, DC 20005 Thanks! Pharis At 07:59 PM 8/5/1998 +0800, AMC wrote: >4 August 98 > >Dear Friends, > >Thank you so much for the enthusiastic response (over 50 requests) for our >report on the impact of the Asian crisis on migrant workers (if, for any >reason, we missed to e-mail the report to you or you can't open it, please >inform us). > >We are happy to announce that the Asian Migrant Yearbook 1998 (AMY 98), >which contains that report, plus the most updated reports on the situation >of migrant workers in 16 Asian countries, is now available. > >If you are interested to subscribe here are the details: >* dimensions: 20 cm. x 27 cm., 160 pages; with some full-color maps and photos >* commercial price (includes airmail postage): US$55 (outside Asia); US$40 >(Asia) >* 50% discount for non-profit groups/advocates (i.e. US$ 27 and US$20, >respectively) >* complimentary copy for grassroots migrant organisations and AMC partners >* this is a 1-year subscription (June 1998-June 1999) which includes AMY >98, and other publications that AMC releases during the year (e.g. poster, >pamphlet, monograph). > >If you want to order, please confirm by replying to this email (sorry, we >don't have an on-line order form), and please give us your mailing address. >We will then airmail a copy to you (takes about 5-7 days). You can pay us >by US$ cheque payable to "Asian Migrant Centre Ltd.", or remit through our >US$ account (the remittance details are in the inside front cover of the >yearbook). > >We welcome comments, suggestions, feedback on AMY98. We are now also >preparing the next issue (AMY 99) which will come out in June 1999. >Contributions, information, reports and photos are welcome. > >Thank you very much. > >Sincerely, > >Rex Varona >Executive Director >Asian Migrant Centre >4 Jordan Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong >Tel: (852) 2312-0031 Fax: (852) 2992-0111 > > From amc at HK.Super.NET Fri Aug 7 13:18:24 1998 From: amc at HK.Super.NET (AMC) Date: Fri, 07 Aug 1998 12:18:24 +0800 Subject: [asia-apec 548] Re: Asian Migrant Yearbook 1998: Now Available Message-ID: <3.0.32.19980807121815.00721bb0@is2.hk.super.net> 7 August 98 Dear Pharis, Thanks. I am mailing a copy to you, with an invoice for US$27. With warm regards, Rex At 07:12 PM 8/6/98 -0700, you wrote: >Dear Rex, > >Your study sound very important. Congratulations on completing it. Please >send a copy and invoice to: > >Pharis Harvey >International Labor Rights Fund >733 15th Street, N.W., Ste. 920 >Washington, DC 20005 > >Thanks! > >Pharis > > >At 07:59 PM 8/5/1998 +0800, AMC wrote: >>4 August 98 >> >>Dear Friends, >> >>Thank you so much for the enthusiastic response (over 50 requests) for our >>report on the impact of the Asian crisis on migrant workers (if, for any >>reason, we missed to e-mail the report to you or you can't open it, please >>inform us). >> >>We are happy to announce that the Asian Migrant Yearbook 1998 (AMY 98), >>which contains that report, plus the most updated reports on the situation >>of migrant workers in 16 Asian countries, is now available. >> >>If you are interested to subscribe here are the details: >>* dimensions: 20 cm. x 27 cm., 160 pages; with some full-color maps and photos >>* commercial price (includes airmail postage): US$55 (outside Asia); US$40 >>(Asia) >>* 50% discount for non-profit groups/advocates (i.e. US$ 27 and US$20, >>respectively) >>* complimentary copy for grassroots migrant organisations and AMC partners >>* this is a 1-year subscription (June 1998-June 1999) which includes AMY >>98, and other publications that AMC releases during the year (e.g. poster, >>pamphlet, monograph). >> >>If you want to order, please confirm by replying to this email (sorry, we >>don't have an on-line order form), and please give us your mailing address. >>We will then airmail a copy to you (takes about 5-7 days). You can pay us >>by US$ cheque payable to "Asian Migrant Centre Ltd.", or remit through our >>US$ account (the remittance details are in the inside front cover of the >>yearbook). >> >>We welcome comments, suggestions, feedback on AMY98. We are now also >>preparing the next issue (AMY 99) which will come out in June 1999. >>Contributions, information, reports and photos are welcome. >> >>Thank you very much. >> >>Sincerely, >> >>Rex Varona >>Executive Director >>Asian Migrant Centre >>4 Jordan Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong >>Tel: (852) 2312-0031 Fax: (852) 2992-0111 >> >> > > > From gab at mnl.sequel.net Fri Aug 7 13:56:47 1998 From: gab at mnl.sequel.net (GABRIELA-Philippines) Date: Fri, 07 Aug 1998 12:56:47 +0800 Subject: [asia-apec 549] Re: Asian Migrant Yearbook 1998: Now Available Message-ID: <1.5.4.32.19980807045647.0071afbc@mnl.sequel.net> We are wondering why your mails are entered into our mails. Kindly check on this. Thanks At 12:18 PM 8/7/98 +0800, you wrote: >7 August 98 > >Dear Pharis, > >Thanks. I am mailing a copy to you, with an invoice for US$27. > >With warm regards, >Rex > >At 07:12 PM 8/6/98 -0700, you wrote: >>Dear Rex, >> >>Your study sound very important. Congratulations on completing it. Please >>send a copy and invoice to: >> >>Pharis Harvey >>International Labor Rights Fund >>733 15th Street, N.W., Ste. 920 >>Washington, DC 20005 >> >>Thanks! >> >>Pharis >> >> >>At 07:59 PM 8/5/1998 +0800, AMC wrote: >>>4 August 98 >>> >>>Dear Friends, >>> >>>Thank you so much for the enthusiastic response (over 50 requests) for our >>>report on the impact of the Asian crisis on migrant workers (if, for any >>>reason, we missed to e-mail the report to you or you can't open it, please >>>inform us). >>> >>>We are happy to announce that the Asian Migrant Yearbook 1998 (AMY 98), >>>which contains that report, plus the most updated reports on the situation >>>of migrant workers in 16 Asian countries, is now available. >>> >>>If you are interested to subscribe here are the details: >>>* dimensions: 20 cm. x 27 cm., 160 pages; with some full-color maps and >photos >>>* commercial price (includes airmail postage): US$55 (outside Asia); US$40 >>>(Asia) >>>* 50% discount for non-profit groups/advocates (i.e. US$ 27 and US$20, >>>respectively) >>>* complimentary copy for grassroots migrant organisations and AMC partners >>>* this is a 1-year subscription (June 1998-June 1999) which includes AMY >>>98, and other publications that AMC releases during the year (e.g. poster, >>>pamphlet, monograph). >>> >>>If you want to order, please confirm by replying to this email (sorry, we >>>don't have an on-line order form), and please give us your mailing address. >>>We will then airmail a copy to you (takes about 5-7 days). You can pay us >>>by US$ cheque payable to "Asian Migrant Centre Ltd.", or remit through our >>>US$ account (the remittance details are in the inside front cover of the >>>yearbook). >>> >>>We welcome comments, suggestions, feedback on AMY98. We are now also >>>preparing the next issue (AMY 99) which will come out in June 1999. >>>Contributions, information, reports and photos are welcome. >>> >>>Thank you very much. >>> >>>Sincerely, >>> >>>Rex Varona >>>Executive Director >>>Asian Migrant Centre >>>4 Jordan Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong >>>Tel: (852) 2312-0031 Fax: (852) 2992-0111 >>> >>> >> >> >> > **************************************************************** GABRIELA A National Alliance of Women's Organizations in the Philippines Address: 35 Scout Delgado or P.O. Box 4386 1103 Quezon City, Metro Manila Manila 2800 Philippines Philippines Telephone: (63-2) 928-8034/926-9653 Fax: (63-2) 924-6901 Email: **************************************************************** From amc at HK.Super.NET Fri Aug 7 15:50:28 1998 From: amc at HK.Super.NET (AMC) Date: Fri, 07 Aug 1998 14:50:28 +0800 Subject: [asia-apec 550] Apologies Message-ID: <3.0.32.19980807145006.0071a9d0@is2.hk.super.net> 7 August 1998 Sorry. This email was missent to the whole [asia-apec] list. Human error. Rex At 12:18 PM 8/7/98 +0800, you wrote: >7 August 98 > >Dear Pharis, > >Thanks. I am mailing a copy to you, with an invoice for US$27. > >With warm regards, >Rex From pspd at soback.kornet.nm.kr Sat Aug 8 15:37:54 1998 From: pspd at soback.kornet.nm.kr (PSPD) Date: Sat, 08 Aug 1998 15:37:54 +0900 Subject: [asia-apec 551] Re: Paper on APEC and Infrastructure Development References: <1565@panap.po.my> Message-ID: <35CBF242.1CDC04B2@soback.kornet.nm.kr> Dear Devlin, Thank you for informing us about your paper. I would like to get it soon. Thanks Chief Coordinator Korean House for International Solidarity (KHIS) From alarm at HK.Super.NET Tue Aug 11 02:47:50 1998 From: alarm at HK.Super.NET (ALARM (APEC Labour Rights Monitor)) Date: Mon, 10 Aug 1998 10:47:50 -0700 Subject: [asia-apec 552] Fw: Coca Suki Restaurant's workers staged demonstration Message-ID: <199808100325.LAA18071@kwaifong.hk.super.net> ---------- > From: LBH Surabaya > To: iufasia@peg.apc.org; alarm@HK.Super.NET; amrc@HK.Super.NET; fow@mozart.inet.co.th; chalida@mozart.inet.co.th; boonthan@mozart.inet.co.th; cwanet@loxinfo.co.th > Subject: Coca Suki Restaurant's workers staged demonstration > Date: 06 August 1998 23:38 > > Dear Brothers and Sisters, > > At least 300 workers from Coca Suki Restaurant in Jakarta and 40 workers in > Surabaya staged demonstrations since yesterday. They demanded 8 points : > 1. Management reformed > 2. Increased wage > 3. Overtime wage > 4. Refusing long working hours > 5. Social Security > 6. Wage receipt > 7. Bonus > 8. Menstruation leave > > Coca Suki Restaurant is a Thai international restaurant, and having several > branches in several countries : Indonesia, Malaysia, Japan, Singapore, > Taiwan, USA, Myanmar, and Australia. In Indonesia, Coca Suki has 7 outlets, > 5 in Jakarta, 1 in Bandung, and 1 in Surabaya. > > In Surabaya, workers only paid Rp 5,000 per-day (US $ 0.30). The management > opressed workers to work overtime until 13 hours a day without paid overtime > wage. During the strike in Surabaya, around 6 trucks of policemen and 1 > truck of military guarding the restaurant. > > The workers in Jakarta had a union, but they didn't have in Surabaya. They > try to set up a union soon. > > In solidarity, > > Poengky Indarti. > > > ========================================================= > Lembaga Bantuan Hukum (LBH) Surabaya > Surabaya Legal Aid Institute > > Director : Indro Sugianto > Head of Operational Dept. : Andik Hardiyanto > Head of Internal Dept. : Ansori > Chief of Fundraising Dept. : Eko Nuryanto > 1. Chief of Labour Division : Pungky Indarty > 2. Chief of Land Division : Ansori > 3. Chief of Environmental Div. : Eko Sasmito > 4. Chief of Civil & Political Rights : Yudi T. Burhan > 5. Chief of LBH Malang : Deddy Prihambudi > > - Staf of Labor Division : Sudarto > - Staf of LBH Malang : Agus Yunianto > > Manager of Paralegal Bulletin : Susianto > Manager of Wowan Rights Advocacy : Ulfa > Manager of Migrant Workers Advocacy : Sudarto/Agus Yunianto > > Address: > Jl. Kidal No. 6 Surabaya 60131 > Jawa Timur - INDONESIA > Phone: (62-31) 502 22 73, > (62-31) 502 48 26 > Fax: (62-31) 502 47 17 > Email: lbhsby@indo.net.id > ========================================================== > > > > ============================================================================ > From alarm at HK.Super.NET Tue Aug 11 03:20:58 1998 From: alarm at HK.Super.NET (ALARM (APEC Labour Rights Monitor)) Date: Mon, 10 Aug 1998 11:20:58 -0700 Subject: [asia-apec 553] Solutions to beat SE Asian Crisis Message-ID: <199808100326.LAA18218@kwaifong.hk.super.net> Mitec'98 to seek solutions to beat SE Asian Crisis by Wang Yong and Ju Chuanjian China Daily, August 7, 1998 Yantai, Shandong Province - More than 3,000 government officials and entrepreneurs from the Asia-Pacific region will attend a conference on how to cope with the Asian financial crisis. Conference organisers said all of the 21 members will send delegates to the Second Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) International Small/Medium Enterprises Technology Exchange and Fair (Mitec'98). The conference will be held here in the 2nd week of October. It is co-sponsored by APEC and the State Economic and Trade Commission of China. Although China has so far been apparently immune to the worst of the financial woes besetting its neighbours, some speculate that it's only a matter of time before China suffers, too. ALready, China's exports to Japan and the Southeast Asian countries declined by a big margin resulting from their weakened currencies. BUt Long Yongtu, Vice-Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Co-operation (Moftec), said yesterday that the upcoming APEC affair will help the countries revive their battered economies by more and closer technological co-operation. That, along with trade and investment liberalisation, tops the agenda of the October meeting. Of the APEC members, Indonesia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia are the hardest hit by the financial crisis which has led to a domino devaluation of their currencies. "Consolidated co-operation among small and medium firms can stimulate the process of trade liberalisation," Long told a preparatory meeting for Mitec'98. APEC members account for nearly half of global trade volume and half of world gross domestic product (GDP). Conference attendees attend workshops and trade negotiations. Co-operative projects range from telecommunications to automobiles. "Chinese firms may consider buying more raw materials and equipment from certain Asian countries, while cautiously investing more abroad as currencies of crisis-affected economies have depreciated," Yang said. Chen Bangzhu, Vice-Minister of the State Economical and Trade Commision, said Mitec'98 will also offer small Chinese companies a chance to study western-style management. He said many domestic firms have been developing rapidly but haphazardly. From panap at panap.po.my Mon Aug 10 15:33:40 1998 From: panap at panap.po.my (PAN Asia Pacific) Date: Mon, 10 Aug 1998 15:33:40 Subject: [asia-apec 554] Expert: Globalisation will lead to instability Message-ID: <2171@panap.po.my> The Sun August 10, 1998 p. A7 EXPERT: GLOBALISATION WILL LEAD TO INSTABILITY (Petaling Jaya, Malaysia) Globalisation may be the springboard of economic success, but this free market system may lead to political and economic instability. Even industrialised nations tend to suffer if they are not regulated properly, said Hans Koechler, professor of political philosophy at University of Innsbruch, Austria. Eventually, industrialised states will disintegrate and eradication of poverty become obsolete, he said. Statistics indicate that the disparity between the rich and poor in Europe is increasing, he said in a public lecture here on "Globalisation: Its impacts upon politics and the economy." In the wake of globalisation, developing economies too may suffer serious repercussions if not protected from the powerful nations. He cautioned that economic colonisation will be the result of the globalisation theory which is propogated by the west. "A system where there is no boundary or limit to economic activity, no moral, legal or political restriction which will lead to instability among states." The thawing of the Cold War led to the emergence of a new market concept called globalisation, which preaches free market democracy and borderless societies. But its long-term effect on domestic economies and politics can be devastating, according to Koechler. The concept impinges on the independence of smaller nations as there are no proper checks and balances. Ultimately these nations lose their bargaining capacity and fall prey to the hegemony of industrialised countries, stated Koechler. In some countries, multinationals are much stronger thatn local politicians in influencing political decisions, to the extent they even challenge the sovereignty of the state. Hence, economic and social freedom is totally lost, he added. The economic arena is no exception. "Human labour is treated like raw materials and production centres shift according to profitability which leads to unemployment. Trade unions are slowly phased out and workers lose their rights." The dynamics of unrestricted free market has led to severe unemployment as companies tend to base their manufacturing outfits where labour is cheap. He mentioned that responsibility or commitment towards a common economic goal is absent. Unaccountability towards free flow of capital, exploitation of currency and anti-foreign sentiments are the outcome of globalisation. This political structure is narrowed to support only a special group of people, pointed out Koechler. On the issue of Asian currency, Koechler strongly criticised currency trading. "Currency trading should be strictly regulated. Otherwise it makes currency very volatile." From panap at panap.po.my Mon Aug 10 14:57:26 1998 From: panap at panap.po.my (PAN Asia Pacific) Date: Mon, 10 Aug 1998 14:57:26 Subject: [asia-apec 555] ARTICLE: Free Trade's Revenge (part 1 of 2) Message-ID: <2169@panap.po.my> FREE TRADE'S REVENGE By David Bacon IRVINE, CA (8/2/98) -- Daimler St. extends for three unimpressive blocks, between anonymous crackerbox buildings in an aging Irvine industrial park, next to Interstate 55. It's hard to tell what goes on in these concrete warehouses - they look pretty much alike. In some of them, it's apparent that nothing goes on at all -- real estate signs hang across their facades, advertising that their occupants have fled or disappeared. The Friction plant is one of these anonymous tiltups. Soon it will be vacant too -- already a real estate agent's sign partially hides the arrow telling truck drivers where to turn to find the loading docks. Friction is so anonymous that no other sign even announces the company's name. If you don't know the address already, presumably you have no business there. Friction Corp. gets its name from the simple, automatic process every driver uses a hundred times a day, every time they press downward on the brake pedal of a car or truck. As the brake pad squeezes the rotor or pushes out against the brake drum, friction from the contact brings their vehicle safely to a halt. Friction makes brakes. Inside its concrete box, the company's workers bake the pads. They drill the holes and attach them to the metal flanges, which later bolt into the wheel assemblies of a million cars and trucks. For over a hundred people, Friction has been a familiar place for years -- even decades. Since working life absorbs a third of all waking and sleeping hours, these folks have spent as much time in this long low edifice as they have in their own kitchen or living room. Maria Villela and her husband Raquel spent a combined 32 years in this Irvine auto parts plant. They were there when the business was bought by Echlin, a Connecticut-based transnational corporation. The two were leaders in the organizing drive that brought in the union in 1994, and Maria became its president. And they were there last summer, when three workers from another Echlin plant, three thousand miles away, showed up at lunchtime on the grassy strip between the factory and the street. When the lunchtruck pulled into the lot that day, sounding its horn, Friction workers began streaming out of the plant's huge doors into the parking lot. A small group took their lunches, walked out of the gate to the street, and sat down on the grass to hear what the three strangers had to say. Like the majority of Friction's workers, who are immigrants from Mexico, Guatemala, and El Salvador, the strangers spoke Spanish. They told the tale of their own factory, a plant in Mexico City with a history of accidents, where wages are a tenth of those in Irvine, and where a government-controlled union prevented workers from acting independently to improve conditions. Their story was not a complete surprise to Friction workers. "We used to get boxes of parts from their plant," explains union shop steward Ruben Cabrera. "When we'd open them up, the parts were covered in dust." Brake pads are made from asbestos. Friction workers thought the dust in the boxes was that fibrous mineral which causes mesothelioma, a kind of lung cancer, when it's inhaled. Dust in the boxes, they say, already gave them the idea that conditions in the Mexico City plant were not healthy. Nevertheless, "we were surprised by what they said, and some of us got pretty mad," Cabrera remembers. "The situation they described was very unjust -- I felt they were being treated like slaves." As the quiet lunchtime discussion wore on, Friction workers described to their Mexican visitors the improvements they'd been able to make in Irvine after organizing their union. The Mexicans, on their part, explained that they were starting an effort to organize their own independent union, and get rid of the government-affiliated union the company favored. Many Friction workers, who as Mexican immigrants were already familiar with the country's system of "charro" or management-friendly unions, identified with the effort in Mexico City to win a democratic union. "We wanted to help the workers there win their rights," says Maria Villela. In February, Echlin Corp. formally notified Villela's union it was closing the Friction plant. By August 31, the gate into the Irvine factory will shut for the last time. The ovens will be turned off. The machinery that churned out brake pads and auto parts for over two decades will be loaded onto trucks and hauled away. The plant's 110 production workers will give the boxy building a last look, and move on with their lives. Friction will be gone. Echlin spokesperson Paul Ryder says only that the work is being moved, and claims it's only going to other U.S. factories. "We have overcapacity for that product line," he says. "The closure is just the normal course of business." But Friction workers are convinced that their desire for a common, human bond of sympathy and support for their lunchtime visitors is the reason why Echlin is shutting Friction's doors. Friction managers, they say, interpreted their desire as a danger signal. The move came as a shock to Friction workers, who have an average of 11 years on the job. "We think it's revenge," Villela declares. "We work like crazy here, and make the best product in the industry. Now they say they're transferring the work to other plants." According to Cabrera, a couple of years ago Sears Roebuck, one of Friction's principal customers, was so pleased with the quality of the factory's product that it gave the company money to reward its employees. Each worker took home a $100 bonus. At lunchtime last week, a group of workers eating on the small grassy strip next to the street speculated that the company would actually sacrifice quality and efficiency by transferring the work to other plants. "We hear that in Virginia" one reported, "where some of the work's going, that they have eight people working on each oven. Here we only need two." It seems evident that economic motives are not the only ones driving the plant's closure. According Leanna Noble, a representative for the United Electrical Workers (UE), the parent union for the local at the Friction plant, "the company also told us that the closure reflected a change in corporate management, that it was an effort to reorganize the production mix and the location of production. It's clear that the company isn't cutting production back - it's moving it." "I think it's likely that the company found out about the Mexico City workers' visit to Irvine, and concluded that the Irvine workers had a special role in encouraging the organization of their independent union," speculates Bob Kingsley, the UE's organizing director. That conclusion is supported by conversations with supervisors that workers reported to Cabrera. "They were told that 'this is what you get for what you've done,'" he says. "What hurts isn't just the shock of losing a job. It's losing friends and people you've known and worked with for years. I came here from a small town in Michoacan seventeen years ago. I got a job here right away, and I've been here ever since. Working at Friction has been a big part of my life." Encouraging workers from the Mexico City plant to organize an independent union was not the first time that the employees of the Irvine factory found themselves mired in serious conflict with the company. Echlin has a reputation as an extremely union-hostile employer. On March 13, 1998, Echlin senior vice-president Milton Makoski made perfectly clear the company's raging antipathy to unions. In a letter to Teamster Union vice president Tom Gilmartin, who proposed that Echlin negotiate a corporate code of conduct, Makoski wrote, "We are opposed to union organization of our current non-union locations ... We will fight every effort to unionize Echlin employees who have chosen not to be represented by a union." He went on to note approvingly that, despite "60 years of determined and relentless efforts" by unions, a majority of its employees are still unorganized. "There is only one [operation] in existence," he regrets, "where the employees, while they were part of the Echlin organization, have elected to be represented by a union." (The company's other unionized plants were already union at the time that Echlin bought the companies.) That operation was the Friction plant. In the Irvine factory, workers had formed their union, UE Local 1090, in a fierce organizing battle in 1994. "We got tired of having supervisors tell us, 'do this or there's the door,'" Cabrera recalls. "If we stopped our machine just to go to the bathroom, they'd yell at us. Even those of us who had been here for years were only making $6.00 an hour." Cabrera is a heavyset, softspoken man. It's not hard to see why he might inspire confidence in other workers trying to speak up to a hostile management, or why they might later have chosen him as steward. As he desribes these conditions there's no whine in his voice. He speaks carefully and slowly. It's a demeanor that would carry credibility even with the foremen themselves. But had union depend simply on the credibility of leaders like Cabrera, or the bravery of the other workers inside the plant, it still might not have succeeded in overcoming the company's intense opposition. The union tried to back them up by finding support for them from other factories in the Echlin chain. "We put one of our organizers on the road," Kingsley explains, "meeting with workers and unions at other Echlin plants. Workers in one Virginia factory where the Amalgmated Clothing Workers (now UNITE) had a contract, and at various Teamster locals around the country signed petitions, sent letters of support, and wore buttons at work supporting the local in Irvine. That was the origin of what grew to be the Echlin Workers Alliance." The effort was successful. Echlin signed a contract and recognized the union in the Friction plant. Two years later, during a second round of contract negotiations, unions in the Echlin alliance again sent faxes and petitions to plant managers throughout the company in support of the Irvine workers. Villela, who was elected president of the Local 1090, credited the alliance's involvement with helping them win a sizable raise. Given the company's stated attitude towards unions, these actions may have won the company's respect, but not its goodwill. Nevertheless, the union organizing alone was probably not sufficient to provoke the closure of the Friction plant. From panap at panap.po.my Mon Aug 10 14:58:53 1998 From: panap at panap.po.my (PAN Asia Pacific) Date: Mon, 10 Aug 1998 14:58:53 Subject: [asia-apec 556] ARTICLE: Free Trade's Revenge (part 2 of2) Message-ID: <2170@panap.po.my> The series of events which set that into motion may have had their start instead on the outskirts of Mexico City, at Echlin's ITAPSA brake factory. There, throughout 1996 and 1997, workers at the ITAPSA plant endeavored to join STIMAHCS, an independent metal- and steelworkers union. That effort was thwarted last summer through the combined efforts of the company, the government-backed "official" union federation and the local police. While squelching independent unions in Mexico is nothing out of the ordinary, the international response to it broke new ground. Since '96, STIMAHCS has been part of a NAFTA-zone alliance of unions with contracts in Echlin's factories, including the Teamsters, the United Electrical Workers (UE), the Paperworkers and UNITE in the U.S., and the Canadian Steelworkers and Auto Workers. This unique labor alliance sought to mobilize the unions' combined membership at Echlin factories to assist each other in bargaining and organizing. "Our primary purpose," says Kingsley, "is to achieve a situation where we're all sitting down at the table with the same company, and bargaining together." When ITAPSA workers began facing firings in June of 1996, unions in the alliance responded. The most active U.S. local in that campaign was the one at the Irvine Friction plant. Local 1090 members signed a petition after the September 10 sham-election at ITAPSA, demanding that Echlin stop firing workers and recognize STIMAHCS. When Villela and other executive board members presented it to Friction plant manager Mark Levy, "we could see in his face how angry he was. He told us we had drawn a line between the union and the company," she recalls. The battles around both Friction and ITAPSA show a new level of union resolve to reach across borders in an effort to deal with a common employer in the era of free trade - even as they underscore the difficulties of prevailing in such efforts. As the U.S. auto industry relies increasingly on parts made in maquiladoras and other Mexican plants, however, the increased U.S. focus on struggles such at those at ITAPSA may just be beginning. NAFTA had only been in effect for a few months when Ruben Ruiz got a job at ITAPSA in the summer of 1994. As his new boss showed him around, Ruiz noticed with apprehension that the machines were old and poorly-maintained. He had hardly begun his first shift when workers around him began yelling out as a machine suddenly malfunctioned, cutting four fingers from the hand of the man operating it. "I was very scared," he later remembered. "I wanted to leave." But he needed a job. Accidents were only part of the problem. Asbestos dust from the brake parts manufactured at the plant coated machines and people alike. Workers were given X-rays, Ruiz says, and later some would be fired. Echlin says its ITAPSA plant complies with Mexican health and safety laws. "Medical records indicate that since Echlin has owned the ITAPSA plant there have been no work-related employee deaths," a company statement says. It seemed obvious to Ruiz, however, that things were very wrong. When his friend David Gonzalez asked him to come to a meeting to talk about organizing an independent union, he went. As workers at ITAPSA organized, they discovered that the plant already had a union -- Section 15 of the Confederation of Mexican Workers, Mexico's largest labor federation. But ITAPSA's 300 employees had never even seen the union contract. The CTM agreement with Echlin is a "protection contract," insulating the company from labor unrest. Jesus Campos Linas, the dean of Mexican labor lawyers, says there are thousands of such contracts, arrangements of mutual convenience between government-affiliated unions such as the CTM, and foreign companies who want to take advantage of Mexico's low wages. In the process of making their decision to challenge the protection union system in their factory, three ITAPSA workers visited their Irvine counterparts to find out about conditions in U.S. plants. Once ITAPSA managers knew about the independent union, the firings began. In early June, 1996, 16 workers were terminated. Ruiz was called into the office of Luis Espinoza de los Monteros, ITAPSA's human relations director. "He told me he had received a phone call from the leaders of the Echlin group in the U.S., who told him that any worker organizing a new union should be discharged without further question," Ruiz recounts. "He told me my name was on a list of those people, and I was discharged right there and then." Despite the firings, the independent union chosen by ITAPSA workers, STIMAHCS, filed a petition with the regional office of Mexico's labor board. A date was set for an election between STIMAHCS and the CTM -- August 28, 1997. That morning, the fired workers went to the plant, where they were joined by union supporters from the swing and grave shifts, anxious to vote. But the day before, at the CTM's insistence, the labor board had postponed the election without notifying STIMAHCS. Company supervisors, looking at the off-shift workers assembled at the gate, got a very good idea of who was supporting the independent union. "That afternoon the company began to fire more workers," says Benedicto Martinez, general secretary of FAT, a Mexican federation of independent unions. He says that 50 workers were eventually terminated - a claim Echlin disputes. "Allegations of retaliation and dismissal of 50 employees as a result of their allegiance to FAT are false," it says. The election was finally held 13 days later. The evening before, a member of the state judicial police drove a car filled with rifles into the plant, unloading them openly. The next morning, two busloads of strangers entered the factory, armed with clubs and copper rods. STIMAHCS tried to get the election canceled. But the labor board went ahead, even after thugs roughed up one of the independent union's organizers. As workers came to vote, escorted by CTM functionaries, they passed a gauntlet of the club-wielding strangers. At the voting table, they were asked to state aloud which union they favored, in front of management and CTM representatives. STIMAHCS observers couldn't even inspect the credentials of the voters. Many voted who were unknown to the factory's workers. Predictably, STIMAHCS lost. "The UE had a staff organizer present during the [ITAPSA] election, Sam Smucker, who was on leave in Mexico at the time," Kingsley notes. "Together with the way in which the Alliance was formed, and its origins, this all made the UE a target. That's why we believe the closure of the plant in Irvine is an act of vengeance and retaliation." Echlin's Paul Ryder wouldn't respond to the allegation that the closure is revenge for workers' solidarity actions. After the Mexico City election, the trinational alliance of unions filed a complaint over the violation of workers' rights at Echlin, before the administrative body set up to enforce the North American Agreement on Labor Cooperation. This treaty, commonly known as NAFTA's labor side-agreement, allows workers, unions, and other organizations to charge that either Mexico, Canada or the U.S. is failing to enforce its laws guaranteeing workers' rights. The Echlin case alleges collusion by the Mexican government, the company and the CTM to deny workers the right to representation by an independent union. The charges were heard before Irasema Garza, secretary of the National Administrative Office, a division of the U.S. Department of Labor, in Washington on March 23. A number of ITAPSA workers submitted affidavits about the firings and intimidation of workers. Ruiz himself testified. And - just days after being told her own Friction plant was closing -- Maria Villela also went to Washington to support the ITAPSA workers at the NAO hearing, "We don't regret what we did for a minute," she says. "The company is responsible for a great injustice." Echlin never showed up to contest the testimony. The NAO has not yet reported its conclusions. In hundreds of small factories scattered across the California southland, job security is evaporating as it did at Friction. They've become cogs within large corporations seeking to cut labor costs to the bone, whipsawing workers and shifting production from plant to plant, country to country, as though borders and distance have vanished. For years, workers have agonized over the resulting devastation to lives and communities. In Irvine, Friction workers moved beyond complaining to action. Villela and her union argue that the closure provides telling evidence that agreements like NAFTA have undermined their jobs. To date, however, NAFTA's side agreement has been largely ineffective in protecting them, or other workers who have tried similar efforts. The problem workers face at Mexican plants like ITAPSA is not a lack of laws to protect them. Mexican labor law is "very advanced and progressive," according to STIMAHCS attorney Eduardo Diaz. "The Federal Labor Law and Article 123 of the Constitution [cover] fundamental social rights," he points out. But Mexican economic development policy depends on encouraging foreign investment. "Low wages are part of that policy, and every maquiladora that opens its doors is born with a union that protects it," says STIMAHCS general secretary Jorge Robles. U.S. trade policy reinforces those priorities, using NAFTA and bailout loans to create favorable conditions for U.S. investment. Corporations like Echlin reap the benefits. According to University of California Professor Harley Shaiken, "the productivity of workers in Mexican plants is on a par with plants in the U.S. Investors get first-world rates of productivity, and a workforce with a third-world standard of living." It's not a surprise that NAFTA's labor side agreement has a hard time overcoming these obstacles. "We recognize there's not enough power in the process to overcome the economic incentives of free trade," says Robin Alexander, the UE's director for international solidarity. "It's an extremely weak tool, and the lack of penalties for violating union rights is a gaping hole." Nevertheless, the union alliance convinced the AFL-CIO, the Canadian Labour Congress and a new union federation in Mexico, the National Union of Workers, to join in a complaint against Echlin under the side agreement. It is the first time they've taken such action together. "Wherever I look, I see unions making efforts to figure out how to deal with each other, and face the danger of transnational corporations," Alexander observes. "Maybe there is no single answer, at least not yet. But we won't find any answers at all without getting out there and looking for them." Workers at Irvine's Friction plant were some of the first to do so. They may have been forced to sacrifice their jobs, but they see themselves as pioneers, reaching across international boundaries to find new ways of enforcing labor rights. - 30 - --------------------------------------------------------------- david bacon - labornet email david bacon internet: dbacon@igc.apc.org 1631 channing way phone: 510.549.0291 berkeley, ca 94703 --------------------------------------------------------------- From plawiuk at connect.ab.ca Mon Aug 10 14:42:11 1998 From: plawiuk at connect.ab.ca (EW Plawiuk) Date: Sun, 09 Aug 1998 23:42:11 -0600 Subject: [asia-apec 557] Labour Uses the Internet to Challenge Globalization Message-ID: <3.0.32.19980809234158.00e7cfe4@pop3.connect.ab.ca> Read my new article on line: The World Is Our Picket Line Labour Uses the Internet to Challenge Globalization by Eugene Plawiuk published in the Parkland Post Summer 1998 href="http://www.ualberta.ca/~parkland/postv2n2a.html#PicketLine The World Is Our Picket Line http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/5202/wsn.html From videa at Islandnet.com Tue Aug 11 02:32:04 1998 From: videa at Islandnet.com (VIDEA) Date: Mon, 10 Aug 1998 10:32:04 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [asia-apec 558] Removal from list server Message-ID: Hello, We would like our email addy removed from your list server. If there is a special method, please let us know as soon as possible. If this message is enoungh, please let us know when done. Thank you, Dennis. ____________________________________________ VIDEA (Victoria International Development Education Association) 1921 Fernwood Rd., Victoria, B.C., Canada V8T 2Y6 Phone: (250) 385-2333 Fax: (250) 388-5258 E-mail: videa@islandnet.com Website: http://www.islandnet.com/vglobe From panap at panap.po.my Tue Aug 11 14:50:57 1998 From: panap at panap.po.my (PAN Asia Pacific) Date: Tue, 11 Aug 1998 14:50:57 Subject: [asia-apec 559] THE RAG-- Issue No. 1, July 1998 (part 3 of 3) Message-ID: <2183@panap.po.my> *************THE RAG************* (Resistance Against Globalisation) The Monthly Newsletter of the Asia-Pacific Peoples' Assembly Issue No.1, July 1998 In this issue: -The APEC Roadshow hits Malaysia -Mahathir: Globalisation only for the rich -The Third Women's Conference Against APEC -Monsanto and AHP merge in latest multi-billion dollar merger -The MAI drowns in a flood of protest -Report on APEC (Finance Ministers' Meeting and Trade Ministers' Meeting) -Notes From the APPA Secretariat What the heck is APEC? The June Trade Ministerial in Kuching, Malaysia highlights one of APEC's key functions: APEC is a springboard for WTO agreements (see previous article). Once again, the US is trying to use consensus on voluntary liberalisation to push forward binding commitments at the WTO. But the relationship between APEC and the WTO functions in other directions as well. Most of APEC's activities are designed to build the capacity within the region to implement WTO liberalisation agreements. Thus, APEC has workshops and roundtables on such issues as infrastructure financing, government procurement, and human resource development. These meetings and workshops are part of APEC's "economic and technical cooperation" (ecotech) programme. It builds capacity, but it also makes recommendations that rapidly develop into government action plans and strongly influence government policy. The areas of focus for APEC's ecotech activities are largely determined by the recommendations of the APEC Business Advisory Council, a grouping of regional corporate leaders that represents the business community in an official capacity. Corporate business is well represented in ecotech activities while representatives of other social sectors are excluded. You will find plenty of agribusiness representatives at the agricultural workshops but you won't find farmers. APEC's motto after all is "APEC Means Business". Upcoming issues of The Rag will look more closely at some of APEC's ecotech programmes. Upcoming Official APEC events: Intellectual Property Rights Meeting, Aug. 25-26, Singapore; Senior Officials Meeting III, Sept. 11-13, Kuantan, Malaysia; Workshop for Sustainable Mining Development, Oct., Chile Workshop on Sustainable Agriculture, Oct. 28-30, Davao City, Philippines CONFRONTING GLOBALISATION: REASSERTING PEOPLES' RIGHTS This year's Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders' Meeting will be held in November in Malaysia. Since the first Leaders' Meeting in 1993, representatives of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), people's organisations, and social movements have met in parallel gatherings to highlight concerns about the "free trade, free market" model of trade and investment liberalisation that APEC promotes. Today, a strong global movement continuously monitors, educates and mobilises people to fight the neoliberal economic programmes causing untold hardship to workers, women and peoples the world over. More than 500 participants from the Asia-Pacific region are expected to attend the Peoples' Assembly in Kuala Lumpur. This year's assembly is of utmost importance given the current financial crisis in Asia, the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and upcoming negotiations at the WTO. Issues and sector forums, some of which may take place outside of Malaysia prior to the Peoples' Assembly, will feed into a two-day plenary session on November 13-14 in Kuala Lumpur. Each Forum will be required to commit to at least two specific actions that it can present at the plenary session. The plenary will build a common analysis and a plan of action with the overall objective to strengthen the peoples' movement against globalisation. NATIONAL FORUMS THE FINANCIAL CRISIS AND GLOBALISATION: The APPA Secretariat will organize a public seminar on the financial crisis and its relationship to globalisation. The seminar will take place on August 29 from 9:30-16:30 at the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (1 Jalan Maharajalela, Kuala Lumpur). Admission is 10 RM and includes lunch. Invited speakers have yet to be confirmed. Contact the APPA Secretariat for more information (tel: 03-28336245 fax: 03-2833536 email: appasec@tm.net.my) STUDENTS: A campus tour will take place across Malaysia from July 25-August 2, 1998. The tour will address the issues of globalisation and APEC through talks and speeches. A second national workshop on globalisation is scheduled for September during the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur. For further information, call Christian Kumar at 016-2250194 or Nusrat Muhammad at 012-7385988. URBAN POOR: The first of a series of workshops for urban poor communities will be held on 22&23 August 1998 in Johor Baru. It will be followed by another workshop in Kuala Lumpur in September and a final one in Ipoh in October. The workshops will focus on making communities aware of the impact of a globalising economy on their lives and what can be done to confront it. For further information contact Abdul Rahim Ishak at 03-6262989 or 03-7744531. NEXT ISSUE: Reports from the Forum on Malaysian Food Security and Agriculture held in Kuala Lumpur July 24-26 and the Conference on the Impacts of Globalisation on Sarawak Indigenous Peoples held in Sibu July 9-11. **************************************************************** The Rag is the monthly newsletter of the Asia Pacific Peoples' Assembly ( APPA). All organizations and individuals from within and outside of Mala ysia that are concerned about globalisation are encouraged to participate and join in hosting APPA. If you or your organisation are interested in participating in or hosting or assisting with a Peoples' Assembly event, an issue or sector forum, or a cultural activity, please contact the Secretariat for more information. The intention is to create a genuine space to contest crucial ideas and issues in an open and participatory way. Comments about and contributions to the Rag should be addressed to the Secretariat. If you would like to receive the printed version of The Rag, please send a request by email to the Secretariat with your complete address. The Secretariat 57 Lorong Kurau, 59100 Lucky Gardens, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Email: appasec@tm.net.my Tel: 604-2836245 Fax: 604-2833536 *************************************************************** From panap at panap.po.my Tue Aug 11 14:50:29 1998 From: panap at panap.po.my (PAN Asia Pacific) Date: Tue, 11 Aug 1998 14:50:29 Subject: [asia-apec 560] THE RAG-- Issue No. 1, July 1998 (part 1 of 3) Message-ID: <2181@panap.po.my> *************THE RAG************* (Resistance Against Globalisation) The Monthly Newsletter of the Asia-Pacific Peoples' Assembly Issue No.1, July 1998 In this issue: -The APEC Roadshow hits Malaysia -Mahathir: Globalisation only for the rich -The Third Women's Conference Against APEC -Monsanto and AHP merge in latest multi-billion dollar merger -The MAI drowns in a flood of protest -Report on APEC (Finance Ministers' Meeting and Trade Ministers' Meeting) -Notes From the APPA Secretariat THE APEC ROADSHOW HITS MALAYSIA A series of important APEC meetings were held in June in Kuching, Sarawak , Malaysia. The second Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) took place from June 18-20 and the 1998 APEC Trade Ministers Meeting was held from June 22-23 in Kuching (see p.4). A number of other meetings and working groups will occur in Malaysia in the build-up towards the APEC Ministerial Meeting and Economic Leaders' Meeting in Kuala Lumpur in November. The latter is actually a meeting of all 21 APEC Heads-of-State, the most substantial annual gathering of its kind. Given the enormity of hosting such an event, it is surprising that APEC has received so little attention in the media. Last year, Canada spent over US$50 million on the APEC Meetings in Vancouver and other APEC activities and New Zealand, the host for 1999, has already allocated US$35 million. The APEC events in November will bring massive disruptions to KL. The meetings in Manila in 1996 were marked by appalling traffic jams, the militarisation of the surrounding area, human rights abuses, and the suppression of domestic opposition to APEC. Thousands of poor Manila dwellers were relocated and squatter communities demolished as the government sought to hide the visible effects of APEC's liberalisation agenda from view. (with info from "Overview", May 1998) Mahathir: Globalisation for the rich At a gathering of economists in Tokyo during the first week of June, Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamad lashed out at the proponents of liberalisation. Malaysia's PM described the current financial system as "messy, unreliable and destructive" and criticised economic theorists who "had never run any country, much less help (sic) it grow." Mahathir singled out the IMF for its policy flip-flops in response to the Asian crisis. "Just two weeks before the July 2 'currency hurricane' struck, the IMF director Michel Camdessus was handing bouquets to Malaysia for its sound economic management," he said. The IMF and like-minded institutions keep pushing globalisation as the remedy, but, according to Mahathir, so far the advantages have only accrued to the rich. Mahathir's frustration with the current economic system was obvious recently when he lamented the state's declining power in the face of global capital. "If we cannot direct the banks, then our objectives cannot be realised. But if we try to order the banks then we will not only be criticised, but our ringgit will depreciate further," he said. Yet, while Mahathir attacks liberalisation of the financial sector, the Malaysian government engages in agreements and multilateral forums that further this process. APEC is a prime example. At last year's APEC Trade Ministerial, "Ministers were unanimous in their view that continuing trade and investment liberalisation and facilitation is essential to economic growth and employment in our economies, and acknowledged their responsibility for helping to promote a better understanding of these benefits." And, at this year's Finance Ministerial, Ministers, including Malaysian Deputy PM Anwar Ibrahim, reaffirmed "our commitment to doing our part to support the goal of free and open trade and investment" and endorsed "the approach of the IMF, the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank in addressing the financial instability in Asia." Despite the obvious causes of concern generated by the recent crisis in Asia, APEC's liberalisation agenda is moving ahead without any assessment of its impacts. In Vancouver, APEC Leaders called for a study of the impacts of liberalisation, but the study will only be a PR job. The request for proposals states that "the aim of the . . . project is to provide tangible and easily-understood examples of the benefits of liberalisation" in order to "obtain community support for APEC's trade and investment liberalisation and facilitation agenda." (Info from The Star, June 3, 1998 and The Sun, July15, 1998) The Third Women's Conference Against APEC "Resisting the integration of globalisation and the disintegration of people" Trade liberalisation and globalisation impact women adversely. The current economic and political agenda in the Asia-Pacific region disempowers women, feminises poverty, and disintegrates families and communities. It has also given rise to dangerous anti-globalisation forces, based on narrow, chauvinistic nationalisms. In South Asia, fundamentalism increases violence against women. In East Asia, nationalist reactions to the crisis amplify harsh treatment of migrant workers. In Australia, the lobby against Asian immigration escalates. These emerging local and national trends are especially worrying for women. It is essential that we define and build a resistance: one that is people-centred and feminist in perspective and practice. There is a more positive reaction to globalisation: the people's and women's resistance from the grassroots, which is gaining ground throughout the world. There are many examples of such struggles: the Forum of the Poor in Thailand, the Wheat Revival Movement in Korea, the movements against the trafficking of women, and the anti-dam movement in Malaysia. There are movements for alternative development that support ecological agriculture, that ensure community livelihoods, and that empower women. These efforts are becoming more prominent as the impacts of globalisation are felt at all levels. Women need to share, strengthen, and be a part of these movements. Women are not victims; they are survivors-- a force of resistance. The Women's Conference will be held on November 8-9 in Kuala Lumpur. The forum intends to enhance women's participation and leadership in developing alternatives, build a women's network against globalisation that will maintain discussions, analysis, and actions, and develop strategies of resistance. Conference workshops will include: Labour; Migration; Trafficking; Land, Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture; Indigenous Women; Health, Privatisation and Reproductive Rights; UN Instruments; and Struggles, Gains, Strategies and Challenges for Women. Keynote speakers include Vandana Shiva and Irene Fernandez. At least 100 participants from outside of Malaysia are expected to attend. To find out more about the conference or to register please contact PAN-AP at tel: 604-6570271 fax: 604-6577445 email: panap@panap.po.my **************************************************************** The Rag is the monthly newsletter of the Asia Pacific Peoples' Assembly ( APPA). All organizations and individuals from within and outside of Mala ysia that are concerned about globalisation are encouraged to participate and join in hosting APPA. If you or your organisation are interested in participating in or hosting or assisting with a Peoples' Assembly event, an issue or sector forum, or a cultural activity, please contact the Secretariat for more information. The intention is to create a genuine space to contest crucial ideas and issues in an open and participatory way. Comments about and contributions to the Rag should be addressed to the Secretariat. If you would like to receive the printed version of The Rag, please send a request by email to the Secretariat with your complete address. The Secretariat 57 Lorong Kurau, 59100 Lucky Gardens, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Email: appasec@tm.net.my Tel: 604-2836245 Fax: 604-2833536 *************************************************************** From panap at panap.po.my Tue Aug 11 14:50:41 1998 From: panap at panap.po.my (PAN Asia Pacific) Date: Tue, 11 Aug 1998 14:50:41 Subject: [asia-apec 561] THE RAG-- Issue No. 1, July 1998 (part 2 of 3) Message-ID: <2182@panap.po.my> *************THE RAG************* (Resistance Against Globalisation) The Monthly Newsletter of the Asia-Pacific Peoples' Assembly Issue No.1, July 1998 In this issue: -The APEC Roadshow hits Malaysia -Mahathir: Globalisation only for the rich -The Third Women's Conference Against APEC -Monsanto and AHP merge in latest multi-billion dollar merger -The MAI drowns in a flood of protest -Report on APEC (Finance Ministers' Meeting and Trade Ministers' Meeting) -Notes From the APPA Secretariat Monsanto and AHP merge in latest multi-billion dollar merger Monsanto and American Home Products merged this June to form a combined company with market capitalisation in excess of US$96 billion. Monsanto has just completed a US$6 billion buying spree of seed companies and its merger with AHP makes the combined company the largest agrochemical/life-industry company in the world. This marks a giant advance in the ability of Monsanto to control global agriculture. The Monsanto-AHP deal comes in the wake of a series of massive buy-outs and mergers between such corporations as NationsBank and BankAmerica, SBC Communications and Ameritech, Daimler-Benz and Chrysler, and the US$37 billion merger of WorldCom and MCI. In June, the largest merger in American history took place when Travelers Group bought-out Citicorp for US$70 billion. The new company, Citigroup, will force other mergers in the financial services industry as corporations struggle to compete. Company spokesmen say the merger will improve customer services, but others argue that the merger will limit competition and further reduce services to low-income communities. According to one US community activist, "I am honestly scared at the thought of them getting together, getting bigger, getting even less interested in anyone who is not already part of their world." (info from WashingtonPost, WSJ) The MAI drowns in a flood of protest This April, ministers at the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development were to finalise the Multilateral Agreement on Investments (MAI ). It is intended to remove obstacles to international investment among its signatories by eliminating investor performance requirements and discriminatory treatment of investors by host nations. It would allow any investor to sue the government of its host nation if it considers laws or regulations to be discriminatory and detrimental to its profits. The MAI would therefore disable regional development and national measures to protect the wellbeing and culture of people, create employment, safeguard small business, conserve resources and protect the environment. And while developing countries were not party to the MAI negotiations, it is clearly the intent of MAI supporters to force the agreement upon the developing world once it is finalised. Public outcry against the MAI has been fierce. Protests and international and national campaigns successfully exposed the MAI and forced government officials to respond. In a clear effort to appease the opposition, the Ministerial Statement conceded that "the MAI must be consistent with the sovereign responsibility of governments to conduct domestic policies." The statement goes on to say that "Ministers note the increased convergence of views on the need for the MAI to address environmental protection and labour issues" and that "Ministers are committed to a transparent negotiating process and to active public discussion on the issues." (with info from http://www.islandnet.com/~ncfs/maisite) Forcing governments to listen The solidarity in opposition to the MAI negotiations is representative of the growing resistance to globalisation across the world. In a parallel gathering to the Second Summit of the Americas in April, over 1000 deleg ates met to oppose free-trade inthe hemisphere. In early May, thousands of peasants, agricultural labourers, tribal people, and industrial workers took to the streets of Hyderabad, India to demand India's withdrawal from the World Trade Organisation (WTO). To coincide with the May Ministerial Meeting of the WTO, Global Street Parties against the WTO were held in over 35 cities across the world, and 50,000 landless, homeless, and unemployed joined in a protest march into Brasilia, Brazil. Governments had to respond. At a press conference during the WTO Ministerial, Charlene Barshefsky, the US Trade Representative, remarked, "The greatest threat to the global system comes . . . from the failure of public trust and the public suspicion of the system, the public mistrust of secretive organisations." Of course, Barshefsky would not admit that it is the global system itself that the public is reacting against. The US is now looking at ways to soften public resistance to its agenda. We should brace ourselves for a major public relations campaign and more long battles. REPORT ON APEC The Finance Ministers' Meeting (Kananaskis, Canada, May 23-24, 1998) It is somewhat surprising that this year's Finance Ministers' Meeting proceeded so smoothly. Certain APEC nations, in particular Malaysia, have been openly grumbling about IMF policies, currency speculators, and ratings institutions. Yet, there was firm consensus in the Ministers' statement on the need to continue with financial deregulation and market liberalisation. Discussions during the meeting focussed on two dimensions of the regional crisis: restoring stability and promoting recovery and developing and strengthening financial markets. Within the first, Ministers acknowledged the deep social impacts of the crisis and urged that social safety nets be expanded in the worst hit areas. But they stopped short of offering any new analysis or solution, choosing instead to applaud the IMF's activities in the region and to support the "movement towards open markets." The Ministers' statement on developing and strengthening financial markets calls for improved supervision and prudential regulatory frameworks to prevent future crises. But it also urges nations to pursue market deregulation and liberalisation in order to increase foreign investment and restore confidence. For APEC Finance Ministers, the objective is "to promote freer flows of capital while maintaining macroeconomic and financial stability." This begs the question: If free flows of capital generated instability, why would you want to make them any freer? Of course, this question will never be addressed by a forum whose stated objective is liberalisation. The Trade Ministers' Meeting (Kuching, Malysia, June 22-23, 1998) The Trade Ministerial had a little more colour than its financial counter part. This was bound to happen with the presence of US Trade Representative Charlene Barshefsky. APEC's consistently soft discussions retreated in the face of hard-nose negotiations and lobbying by the US and Japan. Disagreement between the US and Japan centred upon the early voluntary sectoral liberalisation (EVSL) agreements that were reached last year in Vancouver. Nine sectors are scheduled for EVSL by next year: environmental goods and services, fish products, forest products, medical equipment, energy, chemicals, toys, gems and jewelry, and telecommunications. Barshefsky is aggressively promoting EVSL "as a package" backed by a strong APEC consensus so that the US can advance it in the WTO. Once in the WTO, the commitments would no longer be voluntary, and all WTO nations would have to comply with the tariff reductions. The US used APEC for similar purposes when it pushed through the Information and Technology Agreement in the WTO. Japan, on the other hand, wants comprehensive negotiations where deals can be made to avoid liberalisation in certain sectors in exchange for facilitation and cooperation or liberalisation in others. But the final statement of the meeting did not concede to Japanese demands, offering flexibility only in terms of timelines for implementation. As Barshefsky said, "We will come out of Kuching quite well-positioned to move forward on these initiatives and ultimately take them to the WTO so we can get a larger group of economies participating." The "package" approach to liberalisation makes APEC a very useful tool for the US's strategy to open world markets. (with info from AP and Reuters) **************************************************************** The Rag is the monthly newsletter of the Asia Pacific Peoples' Assembly ( APPA). All organizations and individuals from within and outside of Mala ysia that are concerned about globalisation are encouraged to participate and join in hosting APPA. If you or your organisation are interested in participating in or hosting or assisting with a Peoples' Assembly event, an issue or sector forum, or a cultural activity, please contact the Secretariat for more information. The intention is to create a genuine space to contest crucial ideas and issues in an open and participatory way. Comments about and contributions to the Rag should be addressed to the Secretariat. If you would like to receive the printed version of The Rag, please send a request by email to the Secretariat with your complete address. The Secretariat 57 Lorong Kurau, 59100 Lucky Gardens, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Email: appasec@tm.net.my Tel: 604-2836245 Fax: 604-2833536 *************************************************************** From appasec at tm.net.my Tue Aug 11 20:53:55 1998 From: appasec at tm.net.my (appasec) Date: Tue, 11 Aug 1998 19:53:55 +0800 Subject: [asia-apec 562] THREE MALAYSIANS ARRESTED IN RANGOON Message-ID: <001701bdc51e$b9583b60$9d17bcca@tmnet.tm.net.my> PRESS STATEMENT 10th August 1998 THREE MALAYSIANS ARRESTED IN RANGOON SUARAM confirms that three Malaysians, two of whom are SUARAM members, have been arrested in Rangoon yesterday by the Burmese military regime. The three were part of the multi-national peace-making team mainly from ASEAN countries; they were arrested and taken away from the streets of Rangoon. Presently their whereabouts are still unknown. The team was distributing messages of friendship and goodwill in Burmese and English, during the 10th anniversary of the military crackdown on students and pro-democracy movement. The cards read: "We are your friends from around the world. We have not forgotten you. We support your hopes for human rights and democracy. 8888 ~ Don?t Forget ~ Don?t Give Up" For this simple message which extends solidarity and friendship across the borders, they are being detained for allegedly "attempting to incite unrest"? SUARAM is deeply concerned for the welfare of the Malaysians. We are shocked that the Burmese government would consider any expressions of goodwill to the people of Burma as constituting "inciting unrest". SUARAM urges the Burmese government for the immediate and unconditional release of all the detainees. We further urge the Malaysian foreign affairs department to intervene and assist in hastening the return of the Malaysians. Released by: Elizabeth Wong Coordinator SUARAM -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/private/asia-apec/attachments/19980811/d3fb7a53/attachment.html From panap at panap.po.my Wed Aug 12 11:17:18 1998 From: panap at panap.po.my (PAN Asia Pacific) Date: Wed, 12 Aug 1998 11:17:18 Subject: [asia-apec 563] URGENT APPEAL: Msians arrested in Burma (fwd) Message-ID: <2198@panap.po.my> FORWARDED MAIL ------- From: wkpeng@pc.jaring.my (suaram) Date: 11 Aug 98 Originally To: sttm@rocketmail.com UPDATE: 1. We have received information that governments of Philippines, Thai, US and Australia have condemned the Burmese regime and have asked for immediate release of their nationals, except for the Malaysian and Indonesian government!) 11th August 1998 MALAYSIAN ARRESTED IN BURMA The Burmese military government on 7 August (Sunday) has detained three Malaysians and 15 other human right activists on the 9th of August, 1998. Most of the activists were arrested as they were leaving Yangoon after attending the solidarity event to commemorate the anniversary of student massacre in 1988. The Malaysians detained are: Jonson Chong (staff of SUARAM) Ong Ju Lin (SUARAM member) See Chee How (member of SACCESS and Burma Solidarity Group Malaysia) The 18 detained activists went to Burma as part of the international effort in solidarity with the democratic movement in Burma. Their entire activities have been peaceful. The arrest again shows the total disregard of human rights and international practice by the Burmese junta. To date the military government has not announced any charges against the detained activists. However there have been reports quoting Myanmar military spokesperson saying that they should be tried in court to teach them a lesson. Furthermore he had accused them of inciting bloodshed and violence in Burma. According to information received by SUARAM, they are said to be detained in a prison ‘guest house’ and have no access to familiy members or the Malaysian embassies. SUARAM met with Wisma Putra officials this afternoon and their present stance is not to issue a formal statement until they investigate whether the Malaysians have "broken any laws". We feel that this is a defeatist stance as Wisma Putra can and should intervene as soon as possible to secure their immediate and unconditional release. The foreign ministries of Thailand and Philippines have already urged the Burmese government to release their nationals - so should we. SUARAM urge all concerned organisations and individual to 1) send an appeal letter to call upon the Foreign Ministry of Malaysia to take effective action to secure the release of all detainees; Mr. Arshad; Ketua Setiausaha, Bahagian Asia Tenggara dan Pasific Selatan, Kementerian Luar Negeri, Wisma Putra, 50602 KL; fax: 242 5125 / 242 4551 (cc. To Mr. Ramlan Kimin, Ketua Penolong, Bahagian Asia Tenggara dan Pasific Selatan) 2) A protest letter should also be sent to the Burmese Embassy in Malaysia; Mr Kyaw Myunt Hman, Embassy of the Union of Myanmar, 10 Jalan Menkuang, off Jalan Rhu, Ampang K.L. 55000; fax: 4568380 3) Send letters of support to the families of Jonson, Ju Lin and Chee How through SUARAM. PLEASE TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION! THEIR LIVES DEPENDS ON OUR PRESSURE ON THE MALAYSIAN AND BURMESE GOVERNMENT! From alarm at HK.Super.NET Fri Aug 14 06:06:26 1998 From: alarm at HK.Super.NET (ALARM (APEC Labour Rights Monitor)) Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1998 14:06:26 -0700 Subject: [asia-apec 564] Fw: Up date on Lasimo case Message-ID: <199808130633.OAA28953@kwaifong.hk.super.net> Dear friends, Here's an update on the case of Lasimo in Indonesia. On behalf of our Lasimo and friends in Indonesia, we would like to thank you for extending your support and solidarity. Bong ---------- > From: LBH Surabaya > To: alarm@HK.Super.NET; amrc@HK.Super.NET; werner.dejonghe@ping.be; laborrights@igc.org > Subject: Up date on Lasimo case > Date: 12 August 1998 01:22 > > Dear Brothers and Sisters, > > The regional military police continued to investigate and find out the > killer. Actually, many witnesses said that the suspect is a military > personnel from Army on Air Defence (ARHANUD). But the suspect is not yet > arrested now. The police military told that they were interrogating > commanders and soldiers from ARHANUD and Commander of Sidoarjo Military > Distrik. According to worker witness who became head of enamel division > (division of Mr. Lasimo), he testified that he knew Lasimo beaten by > military personnel from ARHANUD with gun. At these time, Lasimo shouted the > military to calm down because all the workers just civilians who wanted to > speak out their demands and they don't bring the guns like the soldiers. > Soon after Lasimo shouted, he beaten several times with gun by military > personnel. Ironically, it took place inside the factory. The worker's > testified is strong enough against military arguments who denied using guns > to beat Lasimo. > > Meanwhile, the management of Maspion only paid very small compensation to > Lasimo's family. The management paid Rp 600,000 (US $ 60) for condolence, > plus Rp 100,000 (US $ 10) for burial, and Rp 1,200,000 (US $ 120) for social > security. But workers solidarity gave Rp 11,500,000 (US $ 1,150) for the family. > > Your letters of solidarity were powerful to opress the government, the > factory and the police military. Since journalists published your letter > soon after I received, the military police made a full speed of > investigation on these case. The government, military, and Maspion > management are afraid that you will boycotts against Indonesian products if > situation in Indonesia is not change soon. > > I promise to keep you informed about this case. > > In solidarity, > > Poengky Indarti. > > ========================================================= > Lembaga Bantuan Hukum (LBH) Surabaya > Surabaya Legal Aid Institute > > Director : Indro Sugianto > Head of Operational Dept. : Andik Hardiyanto > Head of Internal Dept. : Ansori > Chief of Fundraising Dept. : Eko Nuryanto > 1. Chief of Labour Division : Pungky Indarty > 2. Chief of Land Division : Ansori > 3. Chief of Environmental Div. : Eko Sasmito > 4. Chief of Civil & Political Rights : Yudi T. Burhan > 5. Chief of LBH Malang : Deddy Prihambudi > > - Staf of Labor Division : Sudarto > - Staf of LBH Malang : Agus Yunianto > > Manager of Paralegal Bulletin : Susianto > Manager of Wowan Rights Advocacy : Ulfa > Manager of Migrant Workers Advocacy : Sudarto/Agus Yunianto > > Address: > Jl. Kidal No. 6 Surabaya 60131 > Jawa Timur - INDONESIA > Phone: (62-31) 502 22 73, > (62-31) 502 48 26 > Fax: (62-31) 502 47 17 > Email: lbhsby@indo.net.id > ========================================================== > > > > ============================================================================ > From jkellock at amnesty.org Fri Aug 14 01:33:16 1998 From: jkellock at amnesty.org (jkellock@amnesty.org) Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1998 17:33:16 +0100 Subject: [asia-apec 565] Job Opportunity Message-ID: <8025665F.005AB4C3.00@fox.amnesty.org> Amnesty International International Secretariat JOB ADVERTISEMENT Coordinator South Asia Human Rights Defenders Project Fixed Term Contract for 12 months, starting in October 1998 Grade C (Salary : ? 22,431.20) Following on from worldwide campaigning activity to mark the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Amnesty International is launching a special project in South Asia which aims to bring together human rights defenders from across the sub-region and the spectrum of human rights issues for mutual support, development and campaigning. The initiative will be focussed primarily on India in its initial stages, but develop over time into a program across the region. As coordinator of a small project team, you will be responsible for designing and implementing a series of workshops for human rights defenders in a number of regional centres in the course of 1999. These workshops will be focussed on training and capacity building, but also aim to create an ongoing network of activists and non-governmental organisations which can act in mutual support and defence of each other and undertake state, national and sub-regional level human rights campaigning initiatives. The network will involve local Amnesty International membership structures and link to Amnesty International?s membership worldwide. Based on the principles of the universality and indivisibility of human rights, the network will be inclusive of a wide range of human rights activism but give special emphasis to women?s rights and children?s rights issues. You will need experience and knowledge of South Asia, particularly India, and a strong commitment to human rights. You should have strong organisational skills, with experience in developing strategies, planning, project management, budget control and evaluation. You will need initiative and the ability to manage your own work priorities, consulting when required. You should have experience of research and networking, as well as producing campaigning and training materials. In working with a culturally diverse team and NGO network, you will need good interpersonal, communication and liaison skills. You will need to be able to represent Amnesty International to other organisations, government agencies and the media. The ability to speak and write English is essential, and knowledge of a regional language highly desirable. The post will initially be based in London but involves extensive periods working in the field. A limited assistance package will be available to help with any temporary relocation. Closing date : 11 September 1998, Reference No. ASIA/98/3 For further information, application form and person specification please contact: Human Resources Program Amnesty International International Secretariat 1, Easton Street London WC1X 8DJ tel: +44 171 413 5500 (24 hour answerphone) fax: +44 171 956 1157 email: amnestyis@amnesty.org The International Secretariat of Amnesty International actively promotes cultural diversity and equal opportunities. Please remember to quote the reference number in any correspondence. From videa at islandnet.com Thu Aug 13 12:32:49 1998 From: videa at islandnet.com (videa@islandnet.com) Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1998 12:32:49 Subject: [asia-apec 566] Removal from your list server Message-ID: <3.0.5.16.19980813123249.1f2f8092@mail.islandnet.com> HELLO, This my second email. PLEASE TAKE US OFF YOUR LIST. WE DON'T WANT YOUR EMAILS ANYMORE. From jagustin at devp.org Fri Aug 14 04:39:37 1998 From: jagustin at devp.org (Jess Agustin) Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1998 15:39:37 -0400 Subject: [asia-apec 567] RE: Removal from your list server Message-ID: <01BDC6D0.96BB5AC0@host39.devp.org> yes, but you are sending to all the people in the list server... -----Message d'origine----- De: videa@islandnet.com [SMTP:videa@islandnet.com] Date: August 13, 1998 8:33 a.m. ?: asia-apec@jca.ax.apc.org Objet: [asia-apec 566] Removal from your list server HELLO, This my second email. PLEASE TAKE US OFF YOUR LIST. WE DON'T WANT YOUR EMAILS ANYMORE. -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: application/ms-tnef Size: 2041 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/private/asia-apec/attachments/19980813/6ae28841/attachment.bin From jkellock at amnesty.org Sat Aug 15 01:17:30 1998 From: jkellock at amnesty.org (jkellock@amnesty.org) Date: Fri, 14 Aug 1998 17:17:30 +0100 Subject: [asia-apec 568] Statement by Amnesty International on the Burma 18 Message-ID: <80256660.00592035.00@fox.amnesty.org> News Service 158/98 AI INDEX: ASA 16/23/98 14 AUGUST 1998 PUBLIC STATEMENT Myanmar 18 sentenced to five years? hard labour to be deported Amnesty International was deeply disappointed to learn that 18 foreign nationals detained since 9 August in Myanmar were sentenced today to five years? hard labour at a court in Insein Prison. All 18 were prisoners of conscience and as such should never have been arrested in the first place. They are due to be deported tomorrow morning to Thailand. Their sentences are reportedly suspended, but suspension is conditional on them "not offending again". They were arrested for peacefully distributing leaflets expressing solidarity with the Burmese people on the 10th anniversary of the military?s violent suppression of the pro-democracy movement. The 18 -- who include three Thais, two Filipinos, three Malaysians, one Australian, three Indonesians and six US nationals -- were taken to court today and sentenced under the vaguely-worded provisions of the 1950 Emergency Provisions Law. Although Amnesty International is pleased at reports that the 18 will be released, it remains concerned that hundreds of Burmese prisoners of conscience and possible prisoners of conscience remain imprisoned in terrible conditions. The organization renews its calls on the international community, particularly ASEAN member countries, to continue to urge the Myanmar authorities to release all prisoners of conscience and to reverse a continuing failure to respect fundamental human rights in Myanmar. ENDS.../ From kmp at info.com.ph Mon Aug 17 11:43:57 1998 From: kmp at info.com.ph (kmp) Date: Mon, 17 Aug 1998 10:43:57 +0800 (GMT+0800) Subject: [asia-apec 569] Young Agrarian Reform Advocates' - AS A PEASANT STRATEGY Message-ID: <199808170243.KAA07109@central.info.com.ph> dear friends at the appa-sect., hello! i am sending this article below as it was not posted in the appa-mail services. pls. post this for the info of our readers and possible delegates. we will send you soon our second announcement for the Peasant Forum. many thanks and pls. find time to relax amidst your heavy work. kmp [peasant movement of the phil.] peasant forum sect. ............... >Date: Sun, 16 Aug 1998 08:33:54 >To: asia-apec@jca.ax.apc.org >From: kmp@info.com.ph >Subject: Young Agrarian Reform Advocates' - AS A PEASANT STRATEGY > >dear friends, advocates of peasant, rural workers and the struggle of the landless and to KMP's [Peasant Movement of the Philippines] counterpart peasant organizations in the different parts of the world. > >this is to share with you [pls. read NNARAA - Youth statement on its 2nd Generaal Assembly below] one of the approaches or strategies that KMP is employing to broaden its support base for the struggle of the peasants for land and for genuine land reform. > >surely, we will discuss more approaches and peasant strategies when we meet and share during the PEASANT FORUM - Throwing Off the Yoke of Imperialist Globaalization in November 11-12, KUAALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA as one of the issue forum of the Asia-Pacific Peoples' Assembly's [APPA] - Confronting Globalization, Reasserting Peoples'Rights in time with the 6th APEC world leaders' meeting. > >SO FILL UP YOUR REGISTRATIONS FORMS TO THE PEASANT FORUM AND TO THE APPA [November 8-15] > >See you then! > >PEASANT FORUM SECRETARIAT >c/o Mr. RAFAEL MARIANO, KMP >#69 MAAYUSIN corner MALAMBING STS. >UP VILLAGE, DILIMAN, 1100, Q.C. >PHILIPPINES >TEL: 632 - 920/5668 / TEL/FAX: 632 - 435/3564 >E-MAIL: KMP@INFO.COM.PH / PX.ISDA@SKYINET.NET > >........................................................................... ..... >To: (Recipient list suppressed) >Subject: Young Agrarian Reform Advocates' second general assembly > >National Network of Agrarian Reform Advocates Youth Sector >NNARA-Youth > >NEWS RELEASE >22 July 1998 >Reference: Phoebe Mendoza, publicity officer >e-mail: px.isda@skyinet.net > > YOUTH RENEW VOWS TO CHAMPION PEASANT RIGHTS IN ASSEMBLY > >STUDENT leaders from 13 schools in Manila reaffirmed their vows to help >peasants fight for genuine agrarian reform in the second general assembly of >the National Network for Agrarian Reform Advocates Youth Sector >(NNARA-Youth) last week. > >The group's newly-elected chair Mary Ann Alejo of the College of Holy >Spirit told the crowd of two hundred delegates that the group hopes to >expand membership among the students in double the number of schools for >1998 in anticipation of intensifying social conflicts to be raised by >landless peasants under the Estrada administration. > >NNARA-Youth had its beginnings in 1995 to provide an accessible venue for >students and teachers especializing in community work, for them to sustain >links with rural villages in a manner that would make academics more deeply >aware of the peasants' problems. By 1997, the increasing number of chapters >pushed for its first assembly. > >During its existence, NNARA-Youth developed into a movement of idealistic >activists whose commitment to helping the poor took them to march alongside >peasants during rallies and visit victims of agrarian injustices jailed or >killed while fighting for their farmlands. > >The student council of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines >hosted the assembly at the school's Sta. Mesa campus. The other elected >officers are: Ma. Elena Urbano, vice-chair; Ma. Clara Ibarra, >secretary-general; Anna Espilimbergo, finance officer; and Phoebe Mendoza, >education and publicity officer. # # # > > > From appasec at tm.net.my Fri Aug 21 16:38:45 1998 From: appasec at tm.net.my (appasec) Date: Fri, 21 Aug 1998 15:38:45 +0800 Subject: [asia-apec 570] Announcement of 3rd Women's Conference Against Globalization Message-ID: <002501bdccd6$bc908f20$0100a8c0@tmnet.tm.net.my> Initial Announcement and Invitation 3rd Women's Conference Against Globalization November 8-9, 1998 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Workshop on Strategies, Gains and Challenges in Women's Struggle Against Globalization November 8 (2:30 - 10:00 p.m.) Sponsored by Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD) Society for Rural Education & Developement (SRED), Madras Tamilnadu Women's Forum GABRIELA (National Alliance of Women's Organizations in the Phil) Rationale Women have been in the forefront of the struggle against globalization. This comes as no surprise as women shoulder the heaviest burden of denationalization, liberalization, deregulation and privatization, the main components of the globalization scheme that throw women and men to the sharkteeth of the so-called free market. Women workers suffer mass lay-offs, insecurity of tenure due to casualization and contractualization, slave wages, debilitating working conditions, sexual harassment and violations of their right to strike and unionize. Rural and indigenous women continue to be deprived of their right to own land due to monopoly land ownership by big landowners and agrocorporations, land conversion to tourist resorts, residential subdivisions and so-called industrial centers, crop conversion to export products, and maldevelopment projects like logging and mining by multinational corporations and construction of huge dams. The urban poor are driven away from their communities as their houses are demolished to give way to commercial centers. Women have to work even longer hours to keep their families afloat with additional income that can absorb currency devaluation and spiraling prices of basic commodities and services. Small wonder that women from various sectors are forced to go abroad to earn a living, despite the low wages, terrible working conditions, violation of contracts, racial discrimination, cultural trauma, the loneliness of being away from their loved ones and even physical and sexual violence. Some women are also forced into prostitution in their own countries and abroad. Globalization, instead of easing, only intensifies the global economic and financial crisis. It benefits a few, not the majority of the peoples of the world. It is the handiwork of the centers of global power - the US, Japan and the European Union led by Germany - and the multi national and transnational corporations (MNCs/TNCs), all of them expanding their wealth and power to further exploit and dominate the poorer nations. They have their client states of the Third World and the local ruling elite as their partners. "The current economic and political agenda in the Asia-Pacific region disempowers women, feminizes poverty and disintegrates families and communities. It has also given rise to dangerous anti-globalisation forces based on narrow, chauvinistic nationalisms. In South Asia, fundamentalism increases violence against women. In East Asia, 'nationalist' reactions to the crisis amplify harsh treatment of migrant workers. In Australia, the lobby against Asian immigration escalates. These emerging local and national trends are especially worrying for women." (Rag, 1 Jul 1998). It is therefore important to share and replicate pro-people and pro-women strategies of resistance and alternatives to globalization as more and more women and men among the workers, peasants, indigenous peoples, urban poor communities, youth & students, professionals, church people, health sector, teachers, government employees and local entrepreneurs have become aware of the true nature and ill effects of globalization. More and more have taken up the fight against globalization and found alternatives: the Assembly of the Poor in Thailand, Wheat Revival Movement in South Korea, anti-dam campaign in Malaysia and Cambodia, the Cordillera people's campaign against open pit mining in the Philippines, campaigns against trafficking of women and the International People's Campaign Against Imperialist Globalization led by the Philippine people's movement. APWLD, SRED, the Tamilnadu Women's Forum and GABRIELA are sponsoring the workshop Strategies, Gains and Challenges in the Women's Struggle Against Globalization to provide a venue through which women can share and learn from each other and plan concerted actions. Objectives To learn from one another's strategies and gains in the women's struggle against globalization. To determine challenges for the next decade in the women's struggle against globalization. To determine burning issues that will be the basis for regional and/or international women's action in the next years. End results Statement of Unity Resolutions that will guide national, regional and international women's action Initial regional and/or international campaign plans Tentative Programme 02:30 Introduction by Elisa Tita Lubi of APWLD and GABRIELA 03:00 A Challenge to Women: Resist Globalization, Liberalization and Privatization by Dr. Pao-Yu Ching, university professor and social activist, U.S. and Taiwan 03:30 Impact of Globalization and Challenges for South Asian Women by Nimalka Fernando, President, IMADR 04:00 Tea Break 04:15 The Indonesian Situation by women from Kalyanamitra Foundation, Aceh, West Papua and East Timor 05:15 Tamilnadu Rural Women's Caravan by Fatima Burnad Executive Director, SRED 05:45 Organizing and Mobilizing Young Women by a representative of Gabriela Youth 06:15 From the Point of View of Socialist Women by Joan Hinton a former nuclear physicist who has worked in agriculture in China in the past 50 years 06:45 Legal Strategies in the Hands of Women Radhika Coomaraswamy UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women 07:15 Dinner 08:00 Open Forum: Issues Resolutions Action plans for regional and international women's campaigns 10:00 Adjourn Please write to APWLD copy furnish the 3rd Women's Conference Secretariat if you would like to attend: APWLD Tel (66-53) 404 613 to 614 Fax (66-53) 404 615 Email Sarojeni Rengam Tel (60-4) 657 0271 Fax (60-4) 657 7445 Email Participants to the 3rd Women's Conference are enjoined to stay for the Asia Pacific People's Assembly (APPA) which will be held on November 10-15. The APPA schedule is indicated below: Nov 10 (whole day) Registration (evening) APPA Opening Ceremony 11-12 Issue and Sector Forums/Workshops (We are holding the women's conference earlier than APPA so the women can join these forums/workshops.) 13-14 APPA Plenary 15 People's Action For purposes of budgeting, food and accomodation in Malaysia will cost approximately M$120-150 (~US$30-38) per person per day. There is also an APPA registration fee of US$50 per person. The Malaysian government charges US$11 for airport tax. Taxi from the international airport to Kuala Lumpur is M$70. See you in Kuala Lumpur! -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/private/asia-apec/attachments/19980821/1fc83c65/attachment.html From appasec at tm.net.my Fri Aug 21 17:06:49 1998 From: appasec at tm.net.my (appasec) Date: Fri, 21 Aug 1998 16:06:49 +0800 Subject: [asia-apec 571] Financial Crisis : Our Responses Message-ID: <003101bdccda$a8e8ae40$0100a8c0@tmnet.tm.net.my> Financial Crisis : Our Responses Conference Orgnaised by Hong Kong Based Regional NGOs, 15-18 June, 1998 FINAL STATEMENT The meeting was jointly organised by Regional NGOs namely, Asia Alliance of YMCAs, Asian Regional Exchange for New Alternatives, Asian Center for the Progress of Peoples, Asian Human Rights Commission, Asia Monitor Resources Centre, Committee for Asian Women, Oxfam Hong Kong, and World Student Christian Federation (Asia Pacific Region). Twenty five participants representing local and regional NGOs met at the YMCA in Hong Kong from June 15 to 18, 1998 on the theme "Financial Crisis: Our Response." The participants examined the situation of crisis in the region and listened particularly to perspectives coming from people's organizations and NGOs in Thailand, Korea, Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia, and Hong Kong. The participants reached the following conclusions: 1. That what we are witnessing and experiencing in Asia is not just a financial crisis but an economic crisis that has wide-ranging social, political, and cultural dimensions; 2. That the roots of the current crisis run deep and are very much related to the kind of economic models that many Asian societies have been pursuing for many years, the inability of national governments to exercise leadership that is responsive to people's needs and interests, the dominant role that multilateral financial institutions have had in shaping economic and social policies of Asian countries, and the entire globalization process which has aggressively pushed for "free market" economic policies and practices worldwide in the service of global capital and the economic elite; 3. That this present crisis which has resulted in the impoverishment of millions and millions of people, has now become a threat to the basic right to life of Asian peoples, the worst affected being those sectors who have been the pillars of Asian economies and who now have to suffer the burden of the crisis such as workers, migrant workers, rural sectors, indigenous peoples, and women; 4. That unfortunately, the response of Asian governments and multilateral institutions, posing themselves as "saviors" in this time of crisis, resorted to the very same economic policies that have created the conditions leading to Asia's economic collapse, and that such "short-term recovery programs," and "bail-out packages" are not only not viable but will, in the long run aggravate and threaten Asia's economic future; and finally 5. That the solution to the crisis lies not in the hands of the very actors that have created the problems but in the Asian people who are the victims of development and at the same time are their country's primary producers and forgers of their future. Civil society organizations and grassroots people's movements are now being challenged to strengthen their efforts toward concerted action and coordinated response in seeking short-term and long-term solutions to the crisis that are oriented towards meeting the people's basic needs and aspirations. In light of the above, the participants to this conference offer the following insights, perspectives, and commitments: A Crisis of Structures and Paradigms : The economic crisis that erupted in the Asian region last year took most of the world by surprise. For many years the phenomenal growth of the economies of Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, and Taiwan, paved the way for the image and reputation of Asia as the growth region. It is an extreme irony that the most dramatic indications and impacts of the crisis are in the very countries that were held up as models for the other developing countries in the region and the world. Many analysts and international financial institutions call the crisis a "currency crisis." While it is true that the crisis first made itself known in the Asian monetary values and exchange rates, participants of this conference do not believe that it is simply a currency crisis. It is a crisis of the economic structures and paradigms promoted by the economic elites, the multilateral financial institutions such as the IMF and WB, and the governments subservient to their interests. This Asian economic crisis has in turn affected the full fabric of society with staggering effects. Crony capitalism is indeed a problem in many Asian nations but we refuse to accept the analysis that cites this as the main cause of the crisis. The same economic strategies used by the Asian dragon economies to pursue growth were the same policies that pushed them over the edge of the high precipice. Some examples: ? Capital accounts liberalization, promoted by the IMF, was deemed necessary in order to encourage the entry of foreign capital which in turn was necessary to finance economic projects and achieve high growth targets. However, this same policy led to the massive inflow of short-term capital, rendering the economies extremely vulnerable to any sudden movement of this capital. ? High interest rate regimes, espoused by the IMF, was similarly held important for attracting foreign capital and maintaining the currency peg, official or de facto, to the dollar. High interest rates fueled speculative economic activities at the same time weakened or undermined domestic production. ? Privatization was promoted with the aim of raising government revenues and fiscal stability, but led to the commercialization of public services and undermined whatever limited safety nets that existed for the poor. ? Trade liberalization was pursued to stimulate the market but indiscriminate liberalization further marginalized the small producers and consumers in whose name it was being pushed. Causes of the Crisis : Globalisation Globalisation is a process that is variously defined and differently understood. However, it is commonly used to refer to integration with the prevailing free market system characterized by trade liberalization, structural adjustment programs, and export-oriented growth. This crisis is an inevitable consequence of this indiscriminate, unregulated, neo-liberal development model. It is a system that prioritizes the profits of the few while ignoring the livelihood of the many. This profit oriented, structurally inequitable system has been aggressively imposed upon the peoples in Asia. Indeed, this is re-colonization par excellence. We reject this model. Elites and the Private Sector Governments and multilateral institutions are not solely responsible for the crisis. Local elites and the private sector served as active agents in creating and exacerbating the crisis, e.g. through their speculative activities, profiteering from currency fluctuations, and huge debts and non-productive investment. Ironically, bail-out programs pass on the responsibility of repayment to governments and peoples. Such bail-out packages are bound to not only aggravate the present economic crisis, but also jeopardize Asia?s economic future. We do not accept that the poor will take over the debt burden that was accumulated by the private sector. Poor Governance and the Absence of Substantive Democracy After the period of decolonization 35-40 years ago, most of the countries in the region had authoritarian regimes. Such mentality which described democracy as an hindrance to economic development was widespread among the ruling elites, Asian leadership and financial institutions. The culture of authoritarianism, militarisation, violence, corruption and immorality has prevailed all over the region for decades. Social control, education and media were used as effective tools to oppress the ordinary people. General elections in these countries are being used merely as a trick to distort democratic principles and make the election process meaningless. A participatory democracy which gives the people and community a significant role should be a key concern alongside the establishment of democratic institutions to ensure a meaningful decision making process. The crisis today exposed the reality that those outdated dictatorial regimes are no longer able to handle the situation. Similarly, the "Asian Miracle" under undemocratic governments no longer exists. The concept of "Good Governance" sponsored by the IMF and the WB, which is intended to primarily benefit the market, is also questionable in terms of how it handles the crisis and responds to the needs of the people in our region. Such process of decision made by governments, financial institutions, and private sector must be transparent. Therefore, the monitoring mechanism needs to be in place. Consequences of the Crisis : The policies that produced this crisis have brought adverse consequences to everyone from white to blue collar, migrant workers, rural populations, women and children. The crisis has intensified urban and rural poverty, unemployment, ethnic and racial sentiments, and domestic and societal violence. The workers are subject to gross exploitation in wages and conditions. More than 21 million from Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Hong Kong and Indonesia alone, will go unemployed in 1998 due to the crisis. In the past decade, migrant workers have moved to Asian countries en-mass. At least one million Asian migrant workers will be deported due to the crisis. The absence of legal remedies in the receiving as well as sending countries, and the absence of adequate international mechanisms for protection, expose them to extremely harsh situations, particularly during deportation. Even when they can stay legally, unscrupulous agents and politicians have aggravated tensions between migrant workers and the local population to divert attention from the real cause of the crisis. Globalization and the crisis have increased social tensions and intensified discrimination and racism. In urban areas, loss of employment also means loss of housing, health facilities, educational facilities for children and the civil amenities that connect a citizen to his society. In some instances, workers have resorted to suicide, after they have murdered their own families for fear that they will be left without proper care. In recent decades, many from rural communities have migrated to urban centers in search of employment. With the crisis often comes a mass exodus back to the rural areas that were unable to support the people in better times. Reductions in welfare, education and medical facilities removes the safety net for the entire country, rural and urban so there is really no escape. Like in any crisis, the most affected are the women and children in the poor sectors of society. Women are the ones to bear the double responsibility to take care of the economic need of the family and the old and the young. With the privatization of the public and social services, like water, supply of electricity, health care and education, the burden on women increased. Women are regarded as the secondary labor force and most of the low-paid, unskilled jobs are taken up by women. With the economic crisis, women workers are the first ones to be retrenched. With the limited social support system, their situation is very severe. Challenges to People : It is clear that the present neo-liberal system has increasingly become a threat to the Right to Life of Asian people, and has also evolved in such a way that it has become increasingly complex for peoples to understand and respond. The challenge remains to provide for a more integrated approach to answering the regional financial crisis, which is only a manifestation of the fundamental contradictions in this development model. To meet this challenge, it is essential to safeguard, protect and develop democratic processes and mechanisms as well as foster the development of alternative development models on the ground. These alternative economic and social models must be based on the tenets of equity, plurality, and sustainability. At the heart of the search of these alternatives is the centrality of the role of the people in determining their own histories and seeking solutions to crises. Over the years, the peoples of Asia have pursued campaigns against structural adjustment programs, debt issues, and economic globalization. Concurrently, local and international groups have been engaged in alliance work, trans-border solidarity, local campaigns and organizing, and intervening in international fora. This serves as fertile grounds and foundations for the development of alternative practices, models and alliances. Recommendations : The conference participants believe in the primacy of the struggles of peoples? organizations and grassroots communities in addressing the economic crisis and advancing alternative economic policies and paradigms. These struggles should also be primarily waged in local and national arenas and contexts. Regional and global initiatives have played an important role in supporting and reinforcing local and national struggles. In the era of globalization, issues have been increasingly common across countries. In addition, regional and international arenas have gained significance as sites for many waging resistance and advocating change, because many issues can now no longer be won solely within national boundaries. Therefore, participants in the conference believe that regional and global engagements are imperative With the above statement the participants adopted the following recommendations for participation: Grassroots/Local Cooperation : 1. Grassroots organizing ? key task, conscious part of NGO agenda to devote more effort on this: assisting, supporting, reinforcing, facilitating grassroots organizing. Need to give primacy to the agenda of grassroots communities. Objective is to build groups that can speak for and represent themselves, without mediation from any NGO, and help them to develop responses and alternatives. One possible venue for this is participation in the Asia Europe Meeting to be held in Seoul in the year 2000. 2. Providing linkages between and among grassroots groups and across borders ? globalization seeks to isolate and divide grassroots groups. NGOs can help them to build links with each other, within and across borders, and help break down divisions created or reinforced by the crisis and mainstream development models that create the crisis. NGOs can facilitate dialogues among these groups. 3. Build up and expand alliance at local level. This kind of forum will have: common analysis and strategy; short-term goal of easing burden of the poor; long-term goal of sustainable development. 4. Bring the issues to the public through people's platform?involve POs in different sectors (women, workers, rural and urban poor, farmers, academics and professionals) Regional/Global Cooperation : 1. Role of regional organizations is to support the building of local movements and alliances, information sharing and networking. Bringing local agenda of grassroots groups to international fora and bodies?NGOs should carry agenda of local groups and help them lobby at international fora. Lobby should not just be for policy changes but also for more direct grassroots participation. 2. NGOs should monitor the economic globalization process and its entailed impacts on grassroots, and of compliance of governments with covenants, international laws, etc., that the governments have ratified?NGO role is to force government to have transparent mechanisms in its economic reforms. They need to assess government performance, thereby compelling governments to be more accountable to their people. 3. Utilize media as an alternative voice. Many NGOs and POs should learn how to utilize media, including mainstream media, effectively in order to raise their issues to the public. Timeliness and relevance of issues raised are important. 4. Promote alternative development models, and explore with various networks, the feasibility of these models. 5. Promote an effective state that is responsive to the demands and interests of the people, priorities should always include social security and services, health and education. It must be based on democratic policy-making and administration that gives substances and true meaning to citizenship rights and participation. 6. Emphasize the role of regional organizations in initiating appropriate campaigns to inform the public and mobilize public opinion toward developing alternative models and modes of intervention to address the crisis. 7. Promote new forms of solidarity within and among peoples of all countries, poor, developing and industrialized. 20/6/98 (FinCrisis-FinalStatement98) -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/private/asia-apec/attachments/19980821/e6412178/attachment.html From gattwd at corso.ch.planet.gen.nz Mon Aug 24 14:54:14 1998 From: gattwd at corso.ch.planet.gen.nz (Gatt Watchdog) Date: Mon, 24 Aug 1998 17:54:14 +1200 Subject: [asia-apec 572] GATT Watchdog on South Pacific Forum Message-ID: <4g8Pue1w165w@corso.ch.planet.gen.nz> GATT Watchdog PO Box 1905 Christchurch 8015 Aotearoa (New Zealand) Media Release For Immediate Use 24 August 1998 South Pacific Forum Agenda Spells Disaster For New Zealand's Neighbours This week's South Pacific Forum in the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) is promoting a model of development which is already having disastrous consequences for New Zealand's small Pacific neighbours, says fair trade coalition GATT Watchdog. The group is also criticising New Zealand's role in imposing a free market economic model in the Pacific. "The South Pacific Forum provides yet another opportunity to goad Pacific peoples and governments into getting "their house in order" according to a kitset model of export-oriented, market-driven growth and a narrow set of economic theories which hold that economic growth is the be-all and end-all of development," says Aziz Choudry, a GATT Watchdog spokesperson. Mr Choudry has just returned from attending the Fourth NGO (non governmental organisation) Parallel Forum held in Pohnpei, FSM, prior to the official meetings, where he gave a talk on APEC and the Pacific Islands. The Heads of Government meeting began today and runs until 26 August. "Forum Leaders and Ministers meetings have increasingly focussed on an economic agenda already promoted throughout the region by World Bank/IMF structural adjustment programmes, Asian Development Bank loan conditionalities, free trade arrangements like the World Trade Organisation and APEC (which only a minority of Pacific Island nations have joined), and pressure from donor countries like New Zealand and Australia which explicitly links future aid commitments to undertakings by governments of recipient countries to pursue further economic reforms to open up their economies and decrease government size and expenditure," said Mr Choudry. "Pressure to open up small island economies to the global market smacks of the same callous disregard with which the Pacific has long been treated by Pacific rim powers. It has been used as an unwilling guinea pig for nuclear tests, toxic waste dumping, and a source for cheap raw materials. The latest economic blueprint for the region sees Forum Island Countries having little input into the development of macroeconomic policies which they are supposed to accept." In Madang in 1995, South Pacific Forum Leaders endorsed the APEC non-binding investment principles. A report of the progress and implementation of these investment policies is to be completed by the end of this year. The 1997 Forum Economic Ministers Meeting (FEMM) stated that "private sector development is central to ensuring sustained economic growth, and that governments should provide a policy environment to encourage this". Last month's FEMM in Nadi, attended by Winston Peters, exhorted Forum members to implement "domestic measures consistent with WTO and APEC principles and obligations." "Moves to push Forum Island Countries further and faster in this direction ignore the structural causes of their economic, social and environmental problems, and the strengths of traditional lifestyles, values, resource use and social support systems. They take no account of the realities of countries like the FSM where 55% of people are engaged in the subsistence economy - the figure may be as high as 85% in Papua New Guinea." "They ignore the diversity of the distinct peoples, cultures and societies which make up the Pacific. They obscure the political and economic agendas behind the aid programmes which have resulted, in many cases, in 70-90% of official aid returning to donor countries like Japan, Australia and New Zealand in the form of education, consultants, and technical services, creating lucrative investment opportunities and new markets for goods and services. And they ignore the vulnerability of small, exposed nations to the vagaries of unregulated markets." "Forced dependency on imports has had dire consequences for small Pacific Island farmers, unable to compete with lower priced products from overseas. While Pacific Island countries are told to export more to earn more foreign exchange and pay back loans to multilateral financial institutions like the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, commodity prices on the world market have plummetted, and the floods of overseas goods and services into these small nations continues unabated." "This year's Forum theme, "From Reform to Growth: The Private Sector and Investment as the Keys to Prosperity" says it all. A key "practical impediment" to rendering Forum Island Countries attractive to investors is the strength of traditional land tenure systems. There is fierce resistance to attempts to reform these systems. In 1995, in Papua New Guinea, where 93% of the land is in community hands, and seen as "our bank, our fridge, our supermarket", massive popular opposition to a World Bank-driven programme to register customary title forced the defeat of the government's proposed Land Mobilisation Bill designed to attract foreign investment. The strong connections between peoples and the land and ocean are under renewed threat from a vision of development that sees only dollar signs and commodities to be bought and sold on a mythical level playing field of the free market." "The New Zealand Government has long portrayed itself as a concerned friend of the Pacific. That claim needs to be closely examined as it promotes the key features of "the New Zealand Experiment" which has been tried, tested, and has failed to benefit the majority of us. Especially concerning is the way in which commitments of NZODA to Pacific Island nations are being made conditional on the willingness and speed with which governments adopt economic reforms in line with the New Zealand Government's extremist free market prescriptions." "The government is mischievously marketing the New Zealand reforms as a model for Pacific Island governments to emulate. For example, next month an FSM government delegation comes here on a study tour to look at New Zealand public sector reforms," he said. "Free trade and investment regimes are resulting in a new relationship of servitude to the economic powers - countries and companies - which have their eyes on the region. The Pacific deserves far better than to be locked into a permanent race to the bottom to provide cheap labour and natural resources and new frontiers for profit at the expense of its peoples and fragile environment." Neither Jenny Shipley nor John Howard will attend this week's Forum for domestic political reasons. "It is rather ironic that Mrs Shipley's non-attendance would appear to have mcuh to do with the shambles that has engulfed the Coalition Government over the economic reforms and further asset sales - supposedly triggered by disagreement over the sale of Wellington Airport". From panap at panap.po.my Mon Aug 24 11:01:07 1998 From: panap at panap.po.my (PAN Asia Pacific) Date: Mon, 24 Aug 1998 11:01:07 Subject: [asia-apec 573] KCTU and Hyundai Message-ID: <2271@panap.po.my> KCTU====================================KCTU Korean Confederation of Trade Unions KCTU Action Alert August 21, 1998 KCTU====================================KCTU Settlement at the Hyundai Motors Stalled By Management's Refusal to Accept A Compromise Created by Union's Most Painful Decision In late afternoon of August 21, 1998, Mr. Noh Moo-hyun, the vice-president of the ruling National Congress for New Politics, the leader of the mediation team, announced to the press that the intransigence of the management is the only obstacle remaining in the peaceful settlement of the current dispute at the Hyundai Motors. He told the press that the Hyundai Motors Workers Union had given positive response to the final proposal put to the union by the ruling party's "Mediation Team". He declared that this was the most critical decision made by the union which had until then insisted that an arrangement for cost reduction demanded by the management can be produced without resorting to "redundancy dismissal". Mr Noh explained that the central aim of the "Mediation Team" when it first arrived in Ulsan was to find ways to persuade the union to accept "redundancy dismissal". He admitted that he understood the pain it must cause the union to accept the "idea" of agreeing to the dismissal of the fellow workers. He declared, now that the union has accepted the mediator's proposal in principle, that there was no further role left for the mediation team and that the choice was now with the management. All that was left to settle the situation, he explained, was the decision by the management to accept the mediators' proposal. He also expressed that there would be no one who can justifiably call in the police troops to end the situation. The proposal the mediation team put to the union and the management of the Hyundai Motors in separate meetings -- after the three-party negotiations failed to proceed due to the management's procrastination -- calls for "redundancy dismissal" of 200 to 300 workers out of the some 1,500 workers the management had originally wanted to terminate. The remaining 1,200 to 1,300 workers would be given 6-month leave without official wage with 6 month in-house skills training at the end of the 6-month leave. Employment Retention Assistance Fund of the Employment Insurance could be utilised to finance the 6-month leave and the in-house training. The proposal also calls for the creation of an "employment stabilisation fund" by the equal contribution from the management and the labour. This fund is to be used to provide subsidies to the workers on leave. If the proposal is finally adopted, the management must give the first right of employment for the dismissed workers. The conclusion of the dispute would be followed by a joint declaration for industrial peace and cooperation and a commitment by the management to withdraw all civil suits -- and state's criminal action -- taken against the unionists. -*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*- Yoon Youngmo International Secretary KCTU email: inter@kctu.org fax: +82-2-765-2011 tel.: +82-2-765-7269 -*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*- From apwld at loxinfo.co.th Tue Aug 25 14:27:36 1998 From: apwld at loxinfo.co.th (apwld) Date: Tue, 25 Aug 1998 12:27:36 +0700 Subject: [asia-apec 574] Re: Paper on APEC and Infrastructure Development Message-ID: <1.5.4.32.19980825052736.006aa24c@chmai.loxinfo.co.th> Dear Devlon Kuyek In case of no one from our office has already done so , please enlist us for your paper distribution! Thank you very much indeed. sincerely, Virada Somswasdi Regional Coordinator At 03:40 PM 6/2/98, you wrote: >If anyone is interested in a paper I've written on APEC and >Infrastructure Development, send me an email (directly, not >through the listserv) and I will send it to you as an attachment. > > >Devlin Kuyek >PAN-AP > > > From gab at mnl.sequel.net Wed Aug 26 11:29:41 1998 From: gab at mnl.sequel.net (GABRIELA-Philippines) Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1998 10:29:41 +0800 Subject: [asia-apec 575] Re: Paper on APEC and Infrastructure Development Message-ID: <1.5.4.32.19980826022941.00716320@mnl.sequel.net> Your letter is missent. Please take note. At 12:27 PM 8/25/98 +0700, you wrote: >Dear Devlon Kuyek > >In case of no one from our office has already done so , please enlist us for >your paper distribution! > >Thank you very much indeed. >sincerely, > >Virada Somswasdi >Regional Coordinator > > >At 03:40 PM 6/2/98, you wrote: >>If anyone is interested in a paper I've written on APEC and >>Infrastructure Development, send me an email (directly, not >>through the listserv) and I will send it to you as an attachment. >> >> >>Devlin Kuyek >>PAN-AP >> >> >> > > **************************************************************** GABRIELA A National Alliance of Women's Organizations in the Philippines Address: 35 Scout Delgado or P.O. Box 4386 1103 Quezon City, Metro Manila Manila 2800 Philippines Philippines Telephone: (63-2) 928-8034/926-9653 Fax: (63-2) 924-6901 Email: **************************************************************** From panap at panap.po.my Wed Aug 26 20:35:44 1998 From: panap at panap.po.my (PAN Asia Pacific) Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1998 20:35:44 Subject: [asia-apec 576] THE RAG, Issue Number 2 (part 3 of 3) Message-ID: <2314@panap.po.my> *************THE RAG************* (Resistance Against Globalisation) The Monthly Newsletter of the Asia-Pacific Peoples' Assembly Issue No.2, August 1998 Indonesian KFC workers on strike Following recent demonstrations from Indonesian McDonald's workers, at least 325 workers of Kentucky Fried Chicken from 8 outlets in Surabaya held a peaceful strike on August 1-2 demanding: -that, because of the soaring price of food, the food allowance should be separated from the basic wage. Their basic wage is Rp 4,400 per-day (around US $0.30); -that transport allowance be increased from Rp 1,500 (US $ 0.10) to Rp 3,000 (US $ 0.20); -that the annual wage increment increase from Rp 2,500 (around US $ 0,15) to Rp 10,000 (around US $0,60); -and, that the health care allowance be separated from wages. As it is now, workers contribute 20% of their wages to a health plan. KFC rejected the demands and threatened to dismiss those who joined the strike without compensation. CONFRONTING GLOBALISATION: REASSERTING PEOPLES' RIGHTS This year's Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders' Meeting will be held in November in Malaysia. Since the first Leaders' Meeting in 1993, representatives of non- governmental organisations (NGOs), people's organisations, and social movements have met in parallel gatherings to highlight concerns about the "free trade, free market" model of trade and investment liberalisation that APEC promotes. Today, a strong global movement continuously monitors, educates and mobilises people to fight the neoliberal economic programmes causing untold hardship to workers, women and peoples the world over. More than 500 participants from the Asia-Pacific region are expected to attend the Peoples' Assembly in Kuala Lumpur. This year's assembly is of utmost importance given the current financial crisis in Asia, the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and upcoming negotiations at the WTO. Issues and sector forums will feed into a two-day plenary session on November 13-14 in Kuala Lumpur. Forums include: Human Rights, Democracy and Militarisation, Food Security and Agriculture, Consumers, Community Livelihood, Sustainability, Urban Poor, Labour, Migrant Labour, Women, Youth and Students, Strategies of Peasant Movements, Globalisation and Children, Environment and Forestry, Privatisation and Financial Deregulation, Media, and Indigenous Peoples. The plenary will build a common analysis and a plan of action with the overall objective to strengthen the peoples' movement against globalisation. To register for APPA please contact the secretariat. NATIONAL FORUMS MAKING SENSE OF GLOBALISATION: The APPA Secretariat will organize a public seminar about globalisation and its impact on our distressed economy. The seminar will take place on September 6 from 9:30am-4:30pm at the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (1 Jalan Maharajalela, Kuala Lumpur). Admission is RM10 and includes lunch. Invited speakers include Premesh Chandran of MTUC, Syed Sharir of the National Union of Transport Equipmment, Sarojeni Rengam of PAN-AP, and economist Charles Santiago. A second seminar will be held in Penang late in September. Contact the APPA Secretariat for more information (tel: 03-28336245 fax: 03- 2833536 email: appasec@tm.net.my) URBAN POOR: The first of a series of workshops for urban poor communities will be held on 22 & 23 August 1998 in Johor Baru. It will be followed by another workshop in Kuala Lumpur in September and a final one in Ipoh in October. The workshops will focus on making communities aware of the impact of a globalising economy on their lives and what can be done to confront it. For further information contact Abdul Rahim Ishak at 03-6262989 or 03-7744531. Subscribe to our email listserv for free Here's how: Send a message to with the following in the body of your email message: subscribe asia-apec Further information will then be sent to you. NEXT ISSUE: Reports from the workshop for urban poor communities and the seminar "Making Sense of Globalisation". **************************************************************** The Rag is the monthly newsletter of the Asia Pacific Peoples' Assembly (APPA). All organizations and individuals from within and outside of Malaysia that are concerned about globalisation are encouraged to participate and join in hosting APPA. If you or your organisation are interested in participating in or hosting or assisting with a Peoples' Assembly event, an issue or sector forum, or a cultural activity, please contact the Secretariat for more information. The intention is to create a genuine space to contest crucial ideas and issues in an open and participatory way. Comments about and contributions to the Rag should be addressed to the Secretariat. If you would like to receive the printed version of The Rag, please send a request by email to the Secretariat with your complete address. The Secretariat 57 Lorong Kurau, 59100 Lucky Gardens, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Email: appasec@tm.net.my Tel: 604-2836245 Fax: 604-2833536 *************************************************************** From appasec at tm.net.my Thu Aug 27 13:17:15 1998 From: appasec at tm.net.my (appasec) Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1998 12:17:15 +0800 Subject: [asia-apec 577] People's Campaign Against Imperialist Globalization Message-ID: <009801bdd179$403b0660$0100a8c0@tmnet.tm.net.my> People's Campaign Against Imperialist Globalization (PCAIG) to Hold Forum/Workshop in the Asia Pacific People's Assembly (APPA) in November in Kuala Lumpur -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Malaysian NGOs, in coordination with Asia-Pacific regional networks, are convening APPA as a parallel people's activity to the APEC Leaders Summit to be held in Malaysia this November. APPA's theme is Confronting Globalization, Reasserting People's Rights! The first two days (November 11-12) of the People's Assembly will have sector and issue forums/workshops for in-depth discussion of specific issues and the impact of globalization on particular sectors. PCAIG network members have linked up with APPA to run forums/workshops such as: * Peasant Forum: "Throwing Off the Yoke of Imperialist Globalization" to discuss the strategies which peasant movements have effectively used in their fight against globalization. Convenors of the peasant forum are KMP (Philippine Peasant Movement), APWN (Asian Peasant Women's Network), AMIHAN (Federation of Philippine Peasant Women's Organizations) and PAMALAKAYA (Federation of Philippine Fisherfolk Organizations). * Workshop on Privatization to discuss the over-all negative impact of privatization on the economy and the specific effects on the different sectors. The workshop convenor is IBON Philippines. There will be speakers from HEAD (Health Alliance for Democracy) and COURAGE (an alliance of government employees' associations in the Philippines). * Workshop on the US-Japan Security Agenda in the Asia Pacific to discuss the US-Japan Security Agreement, attempts to ratify the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) in the Philippines which will effectively nullify the rejection of the US Military Bases Treaty, and arms deals in specific Asian countries like Malaysia. Convenors of the workshop are BAYAN (New Patriotic Alliance) and AWC (Asia Working Committee), the latter to be confirmed shortly. * Sub-workshop on the impact of globalization on the fisherfolk being organized by PAMALAKAYA. This is part of the workshop on Food Security and Agriculture being convened by the Pesticide Action Network - Asia Pacific (PAN-AP). Preceding APPA is the 3rd International Women's Conference Against APEC on November 8-9 with the theme: Women, Resist Globalization! Assert Women's Rights! GABRIELA is one of the convenors of the workshop on Strategies, Gains and Challenges for Women. WE ENJOIN YOU TO ATTEND APPA AND THE 3RD INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S CONFERENCE AGAINST APEC! For your information, below is the schedule of activities: Nov. 8-9 3rd International Women's Conference Against APEC Nov. 10 Registration to APPA and the sector/issue forums/workshops (whole day) APPA Opening Ceremony (early evening) 11-12 Issue and Sector Forums/Workshops 13-14 APPA Plenary 15 Closing and People's Action Please contact the following for further information. Registration forms and the APPA information package can be requested from the APPA secretariat: APPA Secretariat 3rd Intl Women's Conf Sec't Attn. Sarojeni Peasant Forum or Attn. Rafael Mariano/Lu Baylosis Workshop on Privatization Attn. ATujan Workshop on US-Japan Secu Agenda Workshop on Strategies, Gains and Challenges for Women Fisherfolk Sub-worshop Attn. Jun -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/private/asia-apec/attachments/19980827/128285e7/attachment.html From panap at panap.po.my Wed Aug 26 20:36:01 1998 From: panap at panap.po.my (PAN Asia Pacific) Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1998 20:36:01 Subject: [asia-apec 578] The Rag, Issue Number 2 (part 1 of 3) Message-ID: <2316@panap.po.my> *************THE RAG************* (Resistance Against Globalisation) The Monthly Newsletter of the Asia-Pacific Peoples' Assembly Issue No.2, August 1998 In this issue: -The Impacts of globalisation on Indigenous Peoples -Indonesian KFC workers on strike -Responses to the crisis in Hong Kong -Plantation workers set for September 5 -Report on APEC (electronic commerce and distance education) Sarawak Indigenous Peoples' Destiny Dictated by Market! "Our water sources are polluted and our life is badly affected by the palm oil plantation scheme," said one of the indigenous participants to the conference on the "Impacts of Globalisation Towards Sarawak Indigenous Peoples", held in Sibu, July 9-11. The participant was referring to the "New Concept" and "Land Bank's Concept", currently promoted by the Sarawak government to persuade indigenous peoples to sign away their lands for large scale palm oil plantation schemes. Palm oil is the main export commodity of Malaysia and has been very profitable in the world market. Under the "New Concept" policy, indigenous peoples are encouraged to lease their Native Customary Land, their source of livelihood for generations, to palm oil scheme developers for 60 years. Although the indigenous peoples reserve the right to join the scheme or not, in reality many are "forced" to sign contracts through fear of discrimination or the lure of sweet promises made by politicians. In Kanowit, a company entered and bulldozed the land first and then threatened the indigenous people by saying that if they did not sign a contract they would lose everything without any compensation or benefit. Under the land bank concept, landowners are collectively given a 30% share in the company for the land they "contributed". But the shares are entrusted to government assigned statutory bodies, like the Land Consolidation and Development Agency and the Sarawak Land Development Board, with a power of attorney. Participants maintained that with this heavily promoted palm oil scheme, the livelihood and cultures of Sarawak indigenous peoples are at stake. The opening up of their land by bulldozers has polluted their drinking water sources with yellow mud. With no more forest to source wild vegetables, fruits and animals for food and no more land for agriculture, the indigenous peoples are left with no choice but to work on the oil palm plantations for approximately RM12 a day! Even if the indigenous peoples get back their land after 60 years, it will no longer be suitable for agriculture, having been destroyed by the extensive use of pesticides on the oil palm plantations. Participants also discussed the threats of the aggressive encroachment of logging activities and dam building projects such as the infamous Bakun Dam and Batang Ai Dam. Participants agreed to support the hosting of APPA in Kuala Lumpur and endorsed POASM (The Association of Indigenous Peoples of Peninsular Malaysia) to host an indigenous forum at the Assembly. The conference was organised by Ideal Time and attended by various indigenous longhouse communities and indigenous groups from Sarawak, including Borneo Research Institute, Indigenous Peoples Centre of Development, Baram Self Development Association and Sarawak Access. For more information about the APPA Indigenous Forum contact: Borneo Research Institute-tel: (608)5-438580, fax: (608)5-438580 Colonialism survives on the Malaysian plantations Over 80 percent of Malaysia's agricultural land is used for plantation crops for export. For workers on these plantations, little has changed since the oppressive years of colonialism. The only change that independence brought to the plantations was new owners. As one worker representative put it, "the managers still wear the short-pants of the old imperialists." Since independence, the revenues of Malaysian plantation companies have soared. Last year alone, earnings from the major plantation crops, palm oil and rubber, rose by 67 % and 35% respectively. For the year ending June 30, Golden Hope Plantations made a profit of RM 541 million, up 32% from the previous year. These profits have not been shared with the workers. From 1981 to 1990, while real wages for workers in the manufacturing and construction sectors rose by 27%, wages for rubber estate workers rose by only 2%. And when the government recommended a small retrenchment fund to protect workers during the present crisis, the Malayan Agricultural Producers Association (MAPA) was quick to reject it, saying that it would "further increase the cost of production, making us even less competitive." The Plantation Workers' Wage Campaign Many Malaysian plantation workers earn less than RM 300 a month. Most are paid per day not by monthly salary; so on days when they cannot work (due to sickness or the weather) they can't make money. Their jobs offer them no security and they suffer ill health from exposure to pesticides and sheer poverty. Poverty also affects the education of estate children, offering them little opportunity of finding other work. Plantation workers refuse to remain silent about these conditions. On May 1, 1996, 1000 estate workers throughout the country came together to launch a wage campaign. They demand a monthly minimum wage of RM 750, a minimum yearly wage increment of RM 50, an annual minimum bonus of one month's wages, and retirement benefits of RM 1000 per year of service. On September 5, plantation workers will converge in Kuala Lumpur to press for these demands and to meet with Prime Minister Mahathir. People are urged to show their support for the workers by joining in the rally. For more information, contact the Plantation Workers Support Committee d/a ALAIGAL, 26 A Tingkat Jaya 1, Taman Tasek Jaya, 31400 Ipoh, Malaysia. **************************************************************** The Rag is the monthly newsletter of the Asia Pacific Peoples' Assembly (APPA). All organizations and individuals from within and outside of Malaysia that are concerned about globalisation are encouraged to participate and join in hosting APPA. If you or your organisation are interested in participating in or hosting or assisting with a Peoples' Assembly event, an issue or sector forum, or a cultural activity, please contact the Secretariat for more information. The intention is to create a genuine space to contest crucial ideas and issues in an open and participatory way. Comments about and contributions to the Rag should be addressed to the Secretariat. If you would like to receive the printed version of The Rag, please send a request by email to the Secretariat with your complete address. The Secretariat 57 Lorong Kurau, 59100 Lucky Gardens, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Email: appasec@tm.net.my Tel: 604-2836245 Fax: 604-2833536 *************************************************************** From panap at panap.po.my Wed Aug 26 20:35:55 1998 From: panap at panap.po.my (PAN Asia Pacific) Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1998 20:35:55 Subject: [asia-apec 579] THE RAG, Issue Number 2 (part2 of 3) Message-ID: <2315@panap.po.my> *************THE RAG************* (Resistance Against Globalisation) The Monthly Newsletter of the Asia-Pacific Peoples' Assembly Issue No.2, August 1998 Hong Kong conference responds to financial crisis NGOs from the Hong Kong region organized a conference from 15-18 June entitled "Financial Crisis: Our responses". Participants stated that the crisis is "a threat to the basic right to life of Asian peoples". They denounced the response of Asian governments and multilateral institutions, posing as "saviors", that "have resorted to the very same economic policies that have created the conditions leading to Asia's economic collapse." For participants, the solution to the crisis lies not in the hands of these saviors but in the Asian victims of development-the primary producers and forgers of the future. Participants defined globalisation as an "indiscriminate, unregulated, neo-liberal development model . . . that prioritizes the profits of the few while ignoring the livelihood of the many. This profit oriented, structurally inequitable system has been aggressively imposed upon the peoples in Asia. It is re-colonization par excellence. We reject this model." The conference singled-out the role that poor governance and the absence of substantive democracy played in bringing about the crisis. "The culture of authoritarianism, militarisation, violence, corruption and immorality has prevailed all over the region for decades . . . The crisis today exposed the reality that those outdated dictatorial regimes are no longer able to handle the situation. The "Asian Miracle" under undemocratic governments no longer exists." For participants, the policies that produced this crisis have brought adverse consequences to everyone: workers are subject to gross exploitation in wages and conditions and more than 21 million from Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Hong Kong and Indonesia alone, will go unemployed in 1998; migrant workers have moved to Asian countries en-mass and at least one million will be deported; people in urban areas who lose their jobs also lose "a citizen to his society" and many return to the rural areas that were unable to support them in housing, health facilities, educational facilities for children and the civil amenities that connect better times; and women, who occupy most of the low-paid, unskilled jobs, are the first to be retrenched and the privatization of public and social services has increased their domestic burden. Finding globalisation in Penang Last week I was speaking to an American who works for one of the world's leading information technology multinational companies (MNCs). He was in Penang to help the company's Malaysian factories set up a tool for failure analysis. He said that the company had been operating in Malaysia for thirty years. So why, after thirty years, did the company still need to send Americans over here? He said that he was here because the tool was developed in the US and only a few people there could train others to work it. His answer was revealing; the company was sending Americans here because all of the company's research and development was done in the US. After thirty years of operation in Penang's free-trade zones, the Malaysian branches had not developed beyond simple low-wage assembly plants. As the American explained, the only reason the tool was even sent here was in case an earthquake took place in California. The next day on a bus to Kuala Lumpur, I met a gentleman from the Universiti Sains Malaysia. He told me about how the university faced increased enrolement and large budget cuts. I asked him if the private sector was offering any financial help. He said that national companies give scholarships and grants to students to study overseas but foreign MNCs do not. "What has Coke ever given Malaysian students," he said. Then he said a friend of his was just hired as a manager by a foreign multinational in Kuala Lumpur. He said she was studying business in Ohio, where a number of Malaysians study on scholarship, when she saw the ad for the position. The company was eager to cash in on Malaysia's education programmes but unwilling to invest in them. Foreign MNCs are benefiting from globalisation: is Malaysia? -ed E-commerce: Who needs it? The United States surprised everybody this year at the WTO ministerial when Bill Clinton proposed that tariffs not be levied on electronic commerce (e-commerce involves any transaction done over the Internet in which no physical delivery of goods across borders takes place). Most countries were caught off guard by the US proposal because electronic commerce hardly appears on their trade statistics. At present, few countries conduct much trade over the Internet; the US accounts for 85% of all revenue generated by the Internet and is probably the only net exporter of electronic commerce. But electronic trade is rapidly expanding and will eventually affect all countries. Estimates are that trade will balloon from $3 billion in 1997 to over $200 billion by 2000. Free trade in e-commerce only benefits the North. While both the South and the North give-up revenues from custom fees, only the North exports through e-commerce only the North gets something in return. E-commerce is only for the rich; the poor, without access to the Internet, are left out of this telecommunications revolution and tax-break scheme. So why would any Southern countries want to endorse a trade agreement that so little of their populations can ever hope to benefit from? Big business wants e-commerce in a big way. The potential for industry, primarily in the North, where most financial services, telecommunications, and software companies are located, is massive. This month, some of the Asia-Pacific's biggest banks met in Singapore to form an alliance to set standards for more secure financial services and e- commerce over the Internet. The banks are eager to profit on bill payments, on-line sales and electronic invoicing, and a host of other financial and business services that can all be done over the Internet. Not surprisingly, electronic commerce was one of the APEC Business Advisory Council's key areas for recommendation to APEC Leaders and APEC will be leading the drive in the WTO for acceptance of the US proposal. E-commerce and education APEC's ecotech program gives special attention to a new concept called "distance education". Distance education provides education or training over the Internet and across long distances. APEC claims that the technology will bring high-levels of training and education to areas where it was previously unfeasible. Just how these areas without proper schools will be able to provide widespread access to the Internet isn't clear. And whether areas with deficient education systems should import education instead of continuing to develop their own systems isn't debated. But there's more to the story. Distance education quickly captured the attention of multinational industries, and the major industrial lobby groups of the North are busy promoting it. It's easy to see why. First, Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) members spend US$1000 billion annually on education. Distance education would dramatically alter how this money is distributed. Less would be spent on teachers, classrooms, and the development of public education programs catered to local contexts; more would be spent on telecommunication services and infrastructure and computer software that private corporations provide. Students would also pay for a greater share of their education, as the system would operate on a fee-for-service basis. Second, corporations spend massive amounts on training their employees; distance learning would shift the burden to employees, who could do the training on their own time from home or computer sites. The training would be especially relevant to the growing telemarketing industry. Developments in distance education to date suggest that the programs offered will only cater to the education and training demands of industry, making education more of a business than a learning process. The EU is even attempting to revoke the exclusive right of nations to grant diplomas; distance education institutions will be able to grant "competency accreditation cards" that will read like CVs, describing the number of training programs that the individual has completed. **************************************************************** The Rag is the monthly newsletter of the Asia Pacific Peoples' Assembly (APPA). All organizations and individuals from within and outside of Malaysia that are concerned about globalisation are encouraged to participate and join in hosting APPA. If you or your organisation are interested in participating in or hosting or assisting with a Peoples' Assembly event, an issue or sector forum, or a cultural activity, please contact the Secretariat for more information. The intention is to create a genuine space to contest crucial ideas and issues in an open and participatory way. Comments about and contributions to the Rag should be addressed to the Secretariat. If you would like to receive the printed version of The Rag, please send a request by email to the Secretariat with your complete address. The Secretariat 57 Lorong Kurau, 59100 Lucky Gardens, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Email: appasec@tm.net.my Tel: 604-2836245 Fax: 604-2833536 *************************************************************** From gattwd at corso.ch.planet.gen.nz Thu Aug 27 08:34:02 1998 From: gattwd at corso.ch.planet.gen.nz (Gatt Watchdog) Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1998 11:34:02 +1200 Subject: [asia-apec 580] Re: 1669 POLITICS: 29th South Pacific Forum communique In-Reply-To: <35E471DA.474A@usp.ac.fj> Message-ID: >From null@maneaba.pactok.net Wed Aug 26 21:00:46 1998 Received: by corso.ch.planet.gen.nz (1.65/waf) via UUCP; Thu, 27 Aug 98 09:51:18 +1200 for gattwd Received: from vlib.hum.uts.edu.au ([138.25.138.248]) by tofu.ch.planet.gen.nz (8.8.5/8.8.5) with SMTP id VAA16577 for ; Wed, 26 Aug 1998 21:00:46 +1200 (NZST) Received: from [139.130.37.212] by vlib.hum.uts.edu.au (NTMail 3.00.06) id aa099305 Wed, 26 Aug 98 10:26:45 +1000 (AEST) Received: from [144.120.8.5] by maneaba.pactok.net (NTList 3.02.13) id ea087390; Wed, 26 Aug 1998 18:41:45 +1000 Received: from teri.usp.ac.fj by usp.ac.fj (PMDF V5.1-10 #28367) with SMTP id <01J12MLPCA0W002JVD@usp.ac.fj> for nius@pactok.net.au; Wed, 26 Aug 1998 20:42:03 +1200 Received: from [144.120.10.232] by teri.usp.ac.fj (5.65v3.2/1.1.10.5/19Nov97-1014AM) id AA10295; Wed, 26 Aug 1998 20:39:19 +1200 Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1998 20:37:00 +0000 From: David Robie Subject: 1669 POLITICS: 29th South Pacific Forum communique To: Pasifik Nius Reply-to: robie_d@usp.ac.fj Message-id: <35E471DA.474A@usp.ac.fj> Organization: Journalism, University of the South Pacific MIME-version: 1.0 X-Mailer: Mozilla 3.04 (Macintosh; I; PPC) Content-type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-transfer-encoding: quoted-printable X-Info: The Papua Niugini Nius X-Unsubscribe: to leave this list send 'leave nius' to listserver@pactok.net X-ListMember: gattwd@corso.ch.planet.gen.nz [nius@maneaba.pactok.net] Title -- 1669 POLITICS: 29th South Pacific Forum communique = Date -- 26 August 1998 Byline -- None Origin -- Pasifik Nius Source -- Taholo Kami, www.sidsnet.org, 26/8/98 Status -- Abridged ------------------- TWENTY-NINTH SOUTH PACIFIC FORUM Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia 24 - 25 August 1998 FORUM COMMUNIQU=C9 The Twenty-Ninth South Pacific Forum was held in Palikir, Pohnpei from 24 to 25 August 1998 and was attended by Heads of States and Governments of the Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Palau, the Republic of Marshall Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu; and representatives of Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa and Solomon Islands. The Forum Retreat was held on Pohnpei at the Village Hotel. 2. The Forum thanked the Government and people of the Federated States of Micronesia for their warm welcome and the generous hospitality provided to all delegations to the Forum and for the arrangements made for its meeting. =93From Reform to Growth : The Private Sector and Investment as the Keys= to Prosperity=94 3. Leaders thanked the President of the Federated States of Micronesia for his presentation on the Forum theme =93From Reform to Growth : The Private Sector and Investment as the Keys to Prosperity.=94 The Forum noted the importance of the private sector and investment as the keys to economic growth and agreed that efforts should be made to ensure macro economic stability by improving fiscal discipline, further progressing public sector reforms and broadening the tax base. It also emphasised the need to introduce a wide range of policy, legal, regulatory and institutional reforms which provide the private sector with a more favourable and competitive business environment. 4. Leaders also thanked the Deputy Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea for the presentation on the sub-theme of =93Reform and the Private Sector= : Experience To Date=94. Leaders emphasised the critical need for Forum Governments to implement their Economic Reform Programmes through private sector participation that would encourage the promotion of economic growth and prosperity among member countries of the region. 5. Leaders recognised the importance of tourism and fisheries to the economies of its member countries in particular the smaller ones. The Forum heard presentations by the President of Kiribati on fisheries and the President of Palau on tourism under the sub-theme =93Tourism and Fisheries : Key Sectors for Private Investment and Growth=94. Leaders gave strong endorsement to the proposed strategies for promoting these sectors as outlined in the presentations as well as in the FEMM outcomes. 6. In recognition of the fundamental role played by education and training in enhancing the adaptability of Pacific Islanders to the rapidly changing world and region, the Forum heard a presentation by the Prime Minister of Tonga on the sub-theme =93Education =96 Capacity Buildi= ng for Private Sector Growth=94, and agreed to address the key constraints identified in the presentation. 7. The Forum recognised the crucial importance of accessibility to capital and the need for improved dialogue between the private sector and financial institutions to better understand financial sector operations and how it can facilitate economic development. It heard a presentation by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of New Zealand on the sub-theme =93 Banks as the Engine of Growth in the Private Sector=94 whic= h addressed this dimension of private sector development. 8. Forum Leaders asked the Secretary General to consult members, SPOCC agencies and other multilateral organisations on a programme of action to advance the proposals contained in the thematic presentations and to report to the Forum Chair. In regard to the recommendations on fisheries issues presented by the President of Kiribati, Leaders agreed that FFA consider them and take appropriate action as early as possible. Leaders welcomed the offer by Kiribati to host the Fisheries Conference in Tarawa to advance these initiatives. Forum Economic Ministers Meeting 9. The Forum welcomed the outcome of the second Forum Economic Ministers Meeting (FEMM2) which was held in Nadi, Fiji on 7-8 July 1998 and thanked the Government of Fiji for hosting the meeting. Leaders noted that good overall progress had been made in the implementation of the FEMM Action Plan, taking into account capacity constraints facing some members, the back drop of region-specific difficulties, notably drought, and other natural disasters and the problems faced by some member countries from the Asian economic crisis. 10. Leaders affirmed that the best way to respond to such difficulties is by continuing to strengthen their economies by pursuit of the Forum Economic Action Plan. They acknowledged that the success of the FEMM process depended on effective implementation of the Action Plan by member Governments. 11. Leaders were encouraged by the additional strategies and measures adopted by FEMM to enhance the impact of the Action Plan in furthering economic reform. Leaders endorsed specific recommendations concerning the region=92s response to undesirable financial activities, the promotio= n of competitive telecommunication markets, the development of information infrastructure as well as work related to the Forum Free Trade Area. They agreed that when work on the free trade area framework is sufficiently advanced that a meeting of Forum Trade Ministers be convened to make recommendations to the next Forum. 12. Recognising the importance of efficient and effective communications services for both national and regional development, the Forum agreed to convene a Forum Communications Policy Ministerial meeting. The aim of the meeting will be to promote competitive telecommunications markets and, taking into account social and rural/urban equity concerns, discourage unwarranted cross-subsidisation between service sectors; work towards the development of a cooperative approach to information infrastructure and regulatory services; and examine developments in relation to international settlement rates for telecommunications services. 13. The Forum considered international settlement rates for telecommunications services and the very serious implications for some Forum Island Countries of the decision by the United States to adjust those rates with respect to its own telecommunications services. Leaders strongly urged the United States to recognise the adverse consequences for all Forum Island Countries of that decision and to respond favourably to their concerns in that regard. 14. The Forum recognised the special circumstances of the smaller Forum member countries in the implementation of economic reforms under the Action Plan and the need for strong support for their reform processes by regional organisations and the donor community. 15. The Forum directed that the Forum Secretariat continue to accord high priority to facilitating the implementation of the Action Plan and requested FEMM to report to the 1999 Forum on further progress in its implementation. New Caledonia 16. The Forum noted the report by the Forum Chair on his visit to New Caledonia and expressed its appreciation to the Government of France and the authorities in New Caledonia for facilitating the Chair=92s visit. Forum Leaders also warmly welcomed the signing of the Noumea Accords by the two main parties in New Caledonia, the FLNKS and the RPCR, and the French Government. 17. The Forum reaffirmed its support for continuing contact with all communities in New Caledonia and reiterated its recognition of the rights of the people of New Caledonia to self-determination. In this regard, Leaders agreed to a continuing future monitoring role for the Forum Ministerial Committee on New Caledonia during the period of the Noumea Accords, particularly with respect to the referenda that will be conducted pursuant to the Accords. 18. The Forum issued the Statement at Annex 1 on observership at the Forum for New Caledonia. 19. The Forum further noted that the existing criteria for observer status would be re-examined in the light of New Caledonia=92s imminent admission as an observer at the Forum. Forum Aviation Policy Ministers Meeting 20. Leaders welcomed the outcomes of the Forum Aviation Policy Ministers Meeting and recognised the value of the sectoral policy meeting format adopted in this case. It endorsed the Meeting=92s Forum Aviation Policy Action Plan and the Secretariat progressing in 1998 the work arising from the Forum Aviation Policy Ministers Meeting. It also agreed that another Forum Aviation Policy Ministers Meeting should be convened to review the Forum Aviation Policy Action Plan and report to the next Forum. Future Trade and Aid Relations between the European Union and the Pacific ACP States 21. The Forum noted that the Lom=E9 Convention has been invaluable for it= s Pacific ACP members (Fiji, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu) and acknowledged its appreciation to the European Union and its member states for their substantial contribution to the development of the region. It endorsed the outcomes from the Pacific ACP Ministers Meetings held in Suva on 8 April 1998, including the proposed strategies for re-negotiating the Lom=E9 Convention. 22. The Forum welcomed the decision by Pacific ACP Ministers to support the expansion of the ACP to include other Pacific Island Countries not presently parties to the Lome Convention, namely the Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Palau and the Republic of Marshall Islands. Third Session of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Conference Pacific (MHLC3) 23. Leaders welcomed the successful outcome of the Third Session of the Multilateral High Level Conference (MHLC3), now known as the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Conference, held in Tokyo in June 1998, and thanked Japan for hosting this important meeting. 24. Leaders also noted the positive strides in the negotiations for the development of a legally binding conservation and management arrangement which will ensure, on a cooperative basis with Distant Water Fishing Nations (DWFNs), the maintenance of a sustainable fishery in the region as well as enhance the economic security of coastal states particularly those whose economies are highly dependent on this one resource. 25. The Forum further called on developed States to honour their obligations and commitments to provide financial assistance to facilitate the participation of Pacific Island Countries at future inter-sessional working group meetings and MHLCs to help them discharge their management and conservation responsibilities. Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) 26. The Forum reiterated its endorsement for the concept of a Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) for the Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) member countries, which will be progressively implemented for DWFNs vessels operating in the exclusive economic zones of FFA member countries. Leaders also noted the opportunities for improved technology in such systems which may enhance their roles in fisheries conservation and management. Leaders again called on DWFNs operating in the region to support the VMS initiative of FFA member countries. 27. Leaders welcomed the interest by the European Union and New Caledonia in concluding fisheries agreement with FFA member countries and requested the FFA to continue discussions on the matter with both the EU and New Caledonia and provide further advice to FFA members. Leaders agreed to consider this again at the next Forum. 1999 United Nations Special Session on Small Island Developing States (UNSSSIDS) 28. The Forum reaffirmed its endorsement of the Barbados Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States (BPOA) as a comprehensive framework with great potential for the region and commended implementation efforts currently underway at the national and regional levels. 29. Leaders endorsed the development of arrangements for the United Nations Special Session allowing for the involvement of non-UN members, and noting that specific mandates on a range of issues will be developed and brought to the next Forum Officials Committee Meeting for consideration. 30. Leaders noted that the Special Session to review the BPOA in 1999 represents an important opportunity for the region. They reiterated the importance of facilitating the participation of the Forum Island Countries in the Special Session and its preparatory process, and called on countries to pledge support through voluntary contributions. 31. The Forum agreed that in giving focus to the interests of Small Island Developing States in the run-up to the Special Session, a single regional presentation be made at the forthcoming Intersessional meeting of the Commission on Sustainable Development. The Secretariat was asked to arrange a meeting of members to coordinate these preparations. 32. Leaders, conscious of the importance of reliable data and information systems in the pursuit of sustainable development endorsed the early implementation of SIDSNET activities in the region as part of its efforts to implement the BPOA. Vulnerability Index 33. The Forum reiterated the importance of the vulnerability index and commended the positive developments at the United Nations and within the Commonwealth as well as in the region towards the completion of a comprehensive vulnerability index encompassing such factors as environmental and capacity considerations that can be broadly applied and included among the criteria for developing Least Developed Country status and for deciding concessional aid and trade treatment. 34. The Forum agreed to pursue as a matter of urgency in the appropriate United Nations and other fora the deferral of a decision on graduation of any Forum member from the list of LDCs until an acceptable vulnerability index is developed and can be taken into account in classification decisions. Climate Change 35. Leaders adopted a Statement on Climate Change which is attached as Annex 2. Sea Launch Project 36. The Forum expressed its concern over the potential environment effects from the proposed Sea Launch Project and called for a comprehensive environmental impact assessment of the proposal to be undertaken. It further agreed that this be communicated to the United States in the Post-Forum Dialogue. 37. Leaders further agreed that there was a need for a consultative mechanism to be established in the region for considering the environmental and economic impacts of proposed developments such as this, in international waters adjacent to the exclusive economic zones of Forum member countries. Shipment of Radioactive Wastes 38. The Forum reiterated its position that shipments of plutonium and radioactive wastes through the region posed a continuing concern and agreed to adopt a consistent position on the issue, taking into account the risks of an accident occurring and the consequences of such an accident. It reiterated the expectation that such shipments should be carried out in a manner which addressed all possible contingencies and the concerns of relevant countries, including coastal states of the region. The Forum expected that shipments would be made only if the cargo is of demonstrably minimal risk, ships are of the highest standard and shipping states agree to promote the safety of the material and provide compensation for any industries harmed as a result of changes in the market value of the region's fisheries and tourism products in the event of an accident. 39. In this regard, the Forum noted the efforts of Japan, France and the United Kingdom in providing information about the recent shipment of high level wastes and expressed the hope that this would be continued. 40. Leaders agreed to pursue discussions with France, Japan and the United Kingdom on the current liability regime for compensating the region for economic losses caused to tourism, fisheries and other affected industries as a result of an accident involving a shipment of radioactive materials, even if there is no actual environmental damage caused. After an assessment is made on the adequacy of such a regime, the Forum will consider strategies for ensuring that an adequate and comprehensive compensation scheme is put in place. 41. The Forum further agreed that members, through the Forum Secretariat, pursue in the relevant international agencies a strong regime of prior notification to, and consultation with, coastal states on planned shipments of hazardous wastes, the development of a regime for the preparation of Environmental Impact Statements and Emergency Response Plans. Whale Sanctuary 42. Leaders recalled their support in 1993 for the International Whaling Commission=92s moratorium on commercial whaling and the proposal to establish a Southern Ocean Sanctuary. The Forum continued to attach importance to the sustainable use of marine resources, noting that a greater level of protection for whales was appropriate, and also noting the internationally recognised need for sanctuaries to assist with the long term conservation of great whales. 43. In this context, the Forum gave its support to the development of a proposal to establish a South Pacific Whale Sanctuary for great whales to complement the existing Indian and Southern Ocean Sanctuaries, with particular attention to the need to protect Forum members traditional and cultural practises and the sustainable use of their marine resources. The Forum recognised that the issue was an important one for some Dialogue Partners and that it would be necessary to fully consult with them as part of this process. Nuclear Testing 44. The Forum reaffirmed its strong opposition to nuclear testing and condemned the recent tests by India and Pakistan. It expressed grave concern at the challenge that the recent nuclear tests constitute to the international nuclear non-proliferation regime, and its deep concern at the risk of a nuclear arms race in South Asia. 45. Leaders, in pursuit of genuine and universal disarmament, sought a successful outcome to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference in the year 2000, while focussing on key issues of interest to the region such as nuclear weapons free zones and cooperation between the nuclear weapons free zones in the southern hemisphere in particular, and the transport of nuclear materials in the region. 46. The Forum urged its members and those countries that have not already done so to ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) before the end of the three year period after the Treaty was opened for signature. Anti-Personnel Landmines 47. Recalling their endorsement at their meeting last year of international developments in the campaign to ban anti-personnel landmines, Leaders welcomed the signing of the Ottawa Convention, and commended the support for the Convention by members. Biological Weapons Convention 48. Leaders also expressed their abhorrence of other weapons of mass destruction and expressed the hope that progress would be made for an early conclusion of a protocol to strengthen the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC). Leaders also welcomed the initiative by Australia for a high level meeting to assist in achieving this goal. South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone Treaty 49. Leaders noted from the Secretary General=92s report that there had been no further signatures or ratifications of the Rarotonga Treaty or its Protocols since the United Kingdom=92s ratification on 19 September 1997, and called upon the United States to promptly ratify the Protocols. Results of the Study on the Radiological Situation at the Atolls of Mururoa and Fangataufa 50. The Forum noted that the finding of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Study indicates negligible residual contamination as a result of nuclear testing. Leaders recalled that the Forum had called for such a study to be carried out and expressed appreciation that the results of the study had been presented to the region prior to publication and subsequent international scientific scrutiny. 51. Leaders commended Dr Vili Fuavao for his participation as the Forum representative on the International Advisory Committee which undertook the study as well as Dr Shorten of the South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission who represented the region at the International Scientific Conference in Vienna to review the results of the study. 52. Leaders agreed that the concerns by the Forum representative at the International Scientific Conference about the lack of geological detail in the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Study on the Radiological Situation at the Atolls of Mururoa and Fangataufa should be fully assessed and responded to. 53. The Forum called on France to carry out ongoing radiological monitoring of the environment on Mururoa and Fangataufa, and strongly urged France to address fully, concerns of the people of French Polynesia especially regarding the possible health effects of the nuclear testing programme. 54. The Forum called on all nuclear powers which had conducted nuclear tests in the region to accept full responsibility and liability for past nuclear testing. Leaders also called on all States concerned to fulfil their responsibilities to ensure that sites where nuclear tests have been conducted are monitored scrupulously and to take appropriate steps to avoid adverse impacts on health, safety and the environment as a consequence of such nuclear testing. 55. The Forum recognised the special circumstances pertaining to the continued presence of radioactive contaminants in the Republic of Marshall Islands, and reaffirmed the existence of a special responsibility by the United States towards the people of the Marshall Islands, who had been, and are continuing to be, adversely affected as a direct result of nuclear weapons tests conducted by the United States of America during its administration of the islands under the UN Trusteeship mandate. 56. The Forum again reiterated its call on the United States to live up to its full obligations on the provision of adequate and fair compensation and the commitment to its responsibility for the safe resettlement of displaced populations, including the full and final restoration to economic productivity of all affected areas. Regional Security Cooperation 57. Leaders expressed their deep sympathy at the tragic loss of lives in Aitape and commended Forum members and other donors which contributed in response to the tsunami tragedy in Sanduan Province, Papua New Guinea. 58. The Forum noted the briefing provided by the Deputy Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea on the progress made in restoring peace in Bougainville. It acknowledged that Bougainville remains an integral part of Papua New Guinea. It also noted the appreciation by the Government of Papua New Guinea for the assistance provided by members towards the reconstruction and rehabilitation programme and the peace process, including the participation in the Peace Monitoring Group. It welcomed these positive developments in Bougainville, and commended all members involved in bringing about peace and normalcy on the island. Leaders also welcomed the United Nation=92s positive response in despatching a Peace Monitoring Team to Bougainville. 59. Leaders welcomed the report on progress on the implementation of the Aitutaki Declaration. 60. Leaders noted that a Status of Forces Agreement might not be required at this stage given that assistance could be provided in its absence, and that the Secretariat be requested to coordinate model legislation and relevant agreement and report to the Forum Regional Security Committee (FRSC) at its next meeting. It further noted the circumstances under which a second meeting of FRSC might be convened in response to emergency situations. 61. Leaders also noted the existence of mechanisms for preventive diplomacy which can be useful in the peaceful and early resolution of conflict in the region which include the FRSC, the use of the good offices of the Secretary General, eminent persons, fact-finding missions and third party mediation and tasked the Secretariat to further consider cost implications of these preventive diplomacy mechanisms taking into account United Nations and Commonwealth practice. 62. The Forum expressed concern over the continued lack of progress in implementing the legislative priorities of the Honiara Declaration on Law Enforcement Cooperation and reiterated its commitment to ensuring that a regional legislative framework be put in place by the year 2000. Leaders endorsed the FRSC=92s Action Plan to help members achieve this objective and welcomed Australia=92s offer to assist members in their implementation of these legislative priorities, acknowledging the limited capacity of some member states to meet the provisions of the Honiara Declaration. 63. The Forum noted the progress on work done by the South Pacific Conference of Police Chiefs and the Customs Heads of Administration Meeting sub-committees on a Common Approach to Weapons Control, and a Regional Consultative Mechanism on Security Issues and endorsed the Forum Secretariat=92s continued administrative support to specialist law enforcement agencies and as may be appropriate, funding support to undertake specific tasks as may be decided by FRSC. 64. Leaders endorsed the continuing role of FRSC as the body responsible for the oversight of effective regional law enforcement coordination amongst specialist law enforcement agencies and for the development of recommendations on policy approaches to broader regional security issues. 65. The Forum noted with concern recent acts of terrorism at Nairobi, Dar Es Salaam, and Omagh with tragic loss of innocent lives. The Leaders reiterated their collective condemnation of international terrorism and reaffirmed their support for international cooperation aimed at its eradication. Drug Issues 66. The Forum welcomed the outcomes of the 20th Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly convened to consider the fight against the illicit production, sale, demand, traffic and distribution of narcotics drugs and psychotropic substances and the proposed new strategies, including practical measures and activities to address the problem of drug abuse and trafficking. 67. It further agreed to encourage its members to examine the specific outcomes of the Special Session and the proposed new strategies for implementation. 68. It further requested the Secretariat to provide to the 1999 Forum Regional Security Committee upon receipt of views and comments from members on the outcomes of the Special Session of the General Assembly, a draft implementation schedule for a regional response that takes into account measures already being undertaken under the current Secretariat=92s 5-year programme and the priority areas identified by members. 69. The Forum also called for early ratification and implementation by members of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961, that Convention as amended by the 1970 Protocol, the Convention of Psychotropic Substances, 1971, and the United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, 1988. Japan-Forum Leaders' Summit 70. Leaders welcomed the opportunity to meet with Leaders from Japan at the South Pacific Forum-Japan Leaders Summit held in October, 1997 at Tokyo. The Forum expressed its appreciation to Japan for the initiative which is another step forward in the expanding already strong links between the region and Japan. The Forum reaffirmed the value that the region places on this relationship as well as its commitment to the Joint Declaration issued at the conclusion of the Summit. The Forum welcomed the offer by the Prime Minister of Japan to host such Summits every two years. Relations with ASEAN 71. The Forum welcomed the continued efforts by the region to establish closer relations with ASEAN, noting the possible value of reciprocal annual visits by the respective Chairs of the Forum and ASEAN, and encouraged continuing consultations between the respective Secretaries General. Post-Forum Dialogue 72. Forum Leaders welcomed the increased interest in the Post-Forum Dialogue meetings which are a major vehicle for multilateral political and economic consultations with the region=92s partners. 73. Leaders further accepted the following criteria for admission of a country to Post-Forum Dialogue status: long- established historical links with the region which may include significant security links; significant trade and investment links with the region; long term commitment to the region through participation in regional organisations and/or the establishment of diplomatic missions; cultural and social identification with communities in the region; development assistance to the region through bilateral and/or multilateral programmes and shared interests or common positions on key international issues. Canada Security Council Candidature 74. The Forum supported and endorsed Canada=92s Security Council candidature. Trade Office in China 75. The Forum agreed that, while it supported the establishment of a trade office in China, these efforts should not be progressed further if sufficient additional funds cannot be identified. Pacific Islands APEC Centre 76. The Forum noted the progress made to date on the establishment of the Pacific Islands APEC Centre and thanked Papua New Guinea for its efforts to secure benefits for the Forum Island Countries from the APEC process which should compliment the role played by the Forum Secretariat on APEC matters. Funding for SPREP Headquarters 77. The Forum noted the current status of funding for the construction of a new headquarters for SPREP and expressed appreciation to Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Samoa for their contribution to the project. 78. Emphasising the importance of environment issues and the work of SPREP in support of sustainable development in the region, Leaders encouraged Japan to assist with the proposed SPREP Training and Education Centre component of the project, and called on other SPREP members and Dialogue Partners to support the project. Commonwealth Secretary-General position 79. The Forum noted the importance of the Commonwealth both at the regional and international level. It also noted that the position of the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth will shortly be vacant and recalled that the first Secretary-General was from Canada, the second from the Caribbean and the third from the African region. It also recalled the New Zealand Government=92s intention to nominate Rt Hon Don McKinnon for the vacant position. Leaders agreed that this vacancy represents an excellent opportunity to promote a candidate from among the South Pacific Forum members. Compact Renegotiations 80. The Forum took note of the upcoming economic negotiations between the Governments of the Federated States of Micronesia and the United States of America and wishes both Governments a successful renegotiation. Appreciations 81. The Forum commended the outgoing Chairman, the Hon Sir Geoffrey Henry, MP, Prime Minister of the Cook Islands, for his leadership of the Forum over the past year. The Forum also warmly welcomed the new Secretary General, the Hon Noel Levi, CBE, and thanked him for the successful arrangements and his support to the Leaders. It also extended its sincere appreciation to Mr Tony Slatyer, Deputy Secretary General for his services to the Forum and wished him well as he leaves the Secretariat. Date and Venue of Next Meeting 82. The Forum reaffirmed its appreciation and acceptance of the kind offer by Palau to host the 30th South Pacific Forum. The date for the Forum will be finalised by the Republic of Palau in consultation with the Secretariat. Annex 1 29TH SOUTH PACIFIC FORUM Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia 24 August 1998 FORUM LEADERS' RETREAT STATEMENT ON NEW CALEDONIA Forum Leaders meeting today in Pohnpei have warmly welcomed the signing of the Noumea Accords. 2. Leaders agreed to a continuing monitoring role for the Forum Ministerial Committee on New Caledonia during the period of the Noumea Accords, particularly with respect to the referenda that will be conducted pursuant to the Accords. 3. Leaders agreed that the Forum would give favourable consideration to a formal request from New Caledonia for its admission to the 1999 Forum as an observer. 24 August 1998 Annex 2 CLIMATE CHANGE 1. The Forum recognised and endorsed members=92 deep concerns regarding the impact of greenhouse gas emissions on rising sea levels and changing weather patterns on all Forum members, especially low lying island nations, as recorded in the =93Forum Leaders=92 Statement on Climate Chan= ge=94 issued at the 28th South Pacific Forum and the =93Statement on Climate Change and Sea Level rise=94 issued by the 7th Economic Summit of Smaller= Island States Leaders. 2. The Forum recognised the legally binding commitments agreed in the Kyoto protocol as a significant first step forward on the path of ensuring effective global action to combat climate change. 3. The Forum encouraged all countries to sign the Kyoto Protocol and to work toward its earliest possible ratification. 4. The Forum urged that the momentum achieved in Kyoto be maintained and built upon at the Fourth Conference of the Parties (COP4) to the Framework Convention on Climate Change in Buenos Aires in November 1998. 5. The Forum highlighted the importance of implementation of measures to ensure early progress toward meeting these commitments. They urged all Annex 1 Parties, especially the United States, European Union, Russia, Japan, Canada and other major emitters to take urgent action in this regard. 6. The Forum called for the achievement of substantial progress in establishment of the rules for international implementation mechanisms, particularly emissions trading, the Clean Development Mechanism and Joint Implementation to ensure that these mechanisms assist the effectiveness of greenhouse gas reduction efforts in the attainment of Kyoto commitments. 7. The Forum noted the recognition in the Kyoto Protocol of the importance of the adaptation needs of vulnerable Pacific Island states. Leaders urged all parties to recognise the need for adaptation measures to be undertaken within Pacific Island States. They called for adequate resources to be generated through the implementation mechanisms of the Kyoto Protocol and the Global Environment Facility for the full range of adaptation measures. 8. The Forum recognised the importance of COP4 initiating work to develop verifiable, enforceable, effective and transparent accountability mechanisms through emissions inventory monitoring, recording and reporting requirements, and supported the need for an effective compliance regime to back the legally binding commitments under the Kyoto Protocol. They called for work to commence at COP4 on the elaboration of procedures and mechanisms for non-compliance with the Protocol. 9. The Forum stressed that an effective global response to the problem of climate change required ongoing active cooperation and strengthened action by all countries, in accordance with the principles of the UNFCCC, including of their common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities and that developed country parties should take the lead in combatting climate change and the adverse effects thereof. The Forum commended recent work done by SPREP in support of PIC=92s in their international negotiations and recommended that this continue. The Forum stressed the urgent need to initiate a process to develop procedures and future time frames for wider global participation in emission limitation and reduction efforts in which significant developing country emitters would enter into commitments which reflect their individual national circumstances and development needs. 10. The Forum recommended that these positions should be actively advocated by Forum member countries and the Forum Chair, who would work together to advocate these positions to other countries and any broad grouping that members can influence in the lead up to, and at, COP4 in Buenos Aires and beyond. +++niuswire This document is for educational and personal use only. Recipients should seek permission from the copyright source before reprinting. = PASIFIK NIUS service is provided by the niusedita via the Journalism Program, University of the South Pacific. = Please acknowledge Pasifik Nius: niusedita@pactok.net.au http://www.usp.ac.fj/www/usp/soh/journ/nius/index.html From rob at essential.org Fri Aug 28 07:54:13 1998 From: rob at essential.org (Robert Weissman) Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1998 18:54:13 -0400 (EDT) Subject: [asia-apec 581] intl sign-on against the IMF expansion Message-ID: Below is a letter being circulated by Walden Bello and a variety of individuals and organizations urging the U.S. Congress to deny funds for IMF expansion. We are seeking signatures for the letter from groups and individuals both outside of and inside the United States. Please send endorsement information to Robert Naiman of the Preamble Center . Robert Weissman Essential Information | Internet: rob@essential.org --------- To: Members of the United States Congress Re: Why we Oppose the IMF Quota Increase The undersigned organizations and individuals from around the world are opposed to any increase in the size, power, or funding of the International Monetary Fund [IMF], and in particular are opposed to any increase in the quota of member countries. The disastrous impact of IMF-imposed policies on workers rights, environmental protection, and economic growth and development; the crushing debt repayment burden of poor countries as a result of IMF policies; and the continuing secrecy of IMF operations provide ample justification for denying increased funding to the IMF. Economic Growth and Development: The IMFs overwhelming preference for high interest rates and fiscal austerity, even in the absence of any economic justification, has caused unnecessary recessions, reduced growth, hindered economic development, and increased poverty throughout the world. There is now a consensus among economists that the IMFs recent intervention in the Asian financial crisis actually worsened its impact. Many believe that the Fund bears the primary responsibility for turning the financial crisis into a major regional depression, with tens of millions of people being thrown into poverty and no end in sight. Labor: IMF policies undermine the livelihood of working families. IMF policies have mandated mass layoffs and changes in labor law to facilitate or encourage mass layoffs, as happened recently in South Korea. IMF policies regularly force countries to lower wages, or often undermine efforts by governments to raise wages-- as, for example, in Haiti in recent years. Environment: IMF policies encourage and frequently require the lowering of environmental standards and the reckless exploitation of natural resources in debtor countries. The export of natural resources to earn hard currency to pay foreign debts under IMF mandates damages the environment while providing no benefit to poor and working people in debtor countries. Debt: IMF and World Bank policies have forced poor countries to make foreign debt service a higher priority than basic human needs. The World Bank claims that it is "sustainable" for countries like Mozambique to pay a quarter of their export earnings on debt service. Yet after World War II, Germany was not required to pay more than 3.5% of its export earnings on debt service. Poor countries today need a ceiling on debt service similar to the one Germany had. According to UN statistics, if Mozambique were allowed to spend half of the money on health care and education which it is now spending on debt service, it would save the lives of 100,000 children per year. Openness of IMF operations: IMF policies which affect the lives of a billion people are negotiated in secret, with key conditions not released to the public. The people who bear the burden of these policies often do not even have access to the agreements which have been negotiated. The policies of the IMF have undermined the ability of developing countries to provide for the needs of their own peoples. Such an institution should not be expanded. Thank you for your consideration of our concerns. Sincerely, Initiators: Walden Bello, Co-director, Focus on the Global South, Bangkok; Professor of Sociology and Public Administration, University of the Philippines Carlos Heredia, Congressman, Mexico Dennis Brutus, Jubilee 2000 Africa Noam Chomsky, Professor of Linguistics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Organizations-International Third World Network, Africa Regional Secretariat Public Interest Research Group, India Center for Orang Asli Concerns, Malaysia DAWN (Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era) Secretariat, Fiji Asociacisn Ecologista Costarricense-Friends of the Earth, Costa Rica Coordination gegen BAYER-Gefahren (Coalition Against BAYER-Dangers), Duesseldorf, Germany Both ENDS, Amsterdam,The Netherlands Rettet den Regenwald e. V., (Rainforest Rescue) Hamburg, Germany Indigenous Peoples4 Biodiversity Network, Cusco, Peru Organizations -US Friends of the Earth 50 Years Is Enough Network Institute for Food and Development Policy -- Food First FoodFirst Information and Action Network -- USA Development Group for Alternative Policies International Labor Rights Fund Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy Interhemispheric Resource Center Resource Center of The Americas Overseas Development Network Campaign for Labor Rights California Fair Trade Campaign Minnesota Fair Trade Coalition United Church of Christ Network for Environmental and Economic Responsibility Unitarian Universalists for a Just Economic Community - (UUJEC), Pittsburgh, PA Sisters of the Holy Cross, Notre Dame, IN Alliance for Justice Network, Medical Mission Sisters, USA Carolina Interfaith Task Force on Central America Campaign for Food Safety (formerly the Pure Food Campaign) Pesticide Action Network North America Arizona Toxics Information, Bisbee, Arizona Rural Advancement Foundation International-USA, Pittsboro, NC Native Forest Council National Forest Trust Essential Action WorldWise Preamble Center for Public Policy International Society for Gandhian Studies Alternatives In Action!, Atlanta, Georgia Rainforest Relief, Brooklyn, New York Federal Land Action Group, New York, New York Individuals-International Patrick Bond, Senior Lecturer in Economic Policy, University of the Witwatersrand Graduate School of Public and Development Management, Johannesburg, South Africa Francisco Martmnez, Instituto De Promocion Para El Desarrollo Rural, A.C., (Institute for the Promotion of Rural Development) Mixico Herbert Mujica Rojas, journalist, Peru Dr. Maxwell Mwase, School of Veterinary Medicine, Lusaka, Zambia Susi Newborn, Vice Chair, Greenpeace New Zealand Paul Phillips, Professor of Economics, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Marie-Josee Massicotte, York University, Toronto, Canada Ute Sprenger, Publicist/Consultant, Berlin, Germany Peter R Wills, Associate Professor, Department of Physics, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand Anita Idel , Arbeitsgemeinschaft Kritische Tiermedizin, Barsbek, Germany Stephen Morey, Department of Linguistics, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia Mike Zmolek, Dept. of Political Science, York University, Toronto Gregory Schwartz, Dept. of Political Science, York University, Toronto, Canada Floyd Rudmin, Professor of Social Psychology, University of Tromso, Norway Individuals-US Romesh Diwan, Professor of Economics, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY Michael Perelman, Professor of Economics, California State University, Chico, California David Ranney, Professor of Urban Planning and Policy, University of Illinois, Chicago Dr. Kimberly Grimes, Director, Made By Hand International Cooperative; Anthropologist, University of Delaware David V. Carruthers, Department of Political Science, San Diego State University Ellen R. Shaffer, School of Hygiene and Public Health, Johns Hopkins University From aditjond at psychology.newcastle.edu.au Fri Aug 28 10:01:44 1998 From: aditjond at psychology.newcastle.edu.au (George Aditjondro) Date: Fri, 28 Aug 1998 11:01:44 +1000 Subject: [asia-apec 582] Re: intl sign-on against the IMF expansion In-Reply-To: Message-ID: Robert; Pls put my name and position on this letter. Meanwhile, what about my check and also about MM running my Habibie story, or not? I'm still waiting for your answer. Thanks, George J. Aditjondro Lecturer in Sociology of Corruption Department of Sociology and Anthropology University of Newcastle, NSW 2308, Australia >Below is a letter being circulated by Walden Bello and a variety of >individuals and organizations urging the U.S. Congress to deny funds for >IMF expansion. We are seeking signatures for the letter from groups and >individuals both outside of and inside the United States. Please send >endorsement information to Robert Naiman of the Preamble Center >. > >Robert Weissman >Essential Information | Internet: rob@essential.org > >--------- > >To: Members of the United States Congress > >Re: Why we Oppose the IMF Quota Increase > >The undersigned organizations and individuals from around the world are >opposed to any increase in the size, power, or funding of the International >Monetary Fund [IMF], and in particular are opposed to any increase in the >quota of member countries. The disastrous impact of IMF-imposed policies on >workers rights, environmental protection, and economic growth and >development; the crushing debt repayment burden of poor countries as a >result of IMF policies; and the continuing secrecy of IMF operations >provide ample justification for denying increased funding to the IMF. > >Economic Growth and Development: The IMFs overwhelming preference for high >interest rates and fiscal austerity, even in the absence of any economic >justification, has caused unnecessary recessions, reduced growth, hindered >economic development, and increased poverty throughout the world. There is >now a consensus among economists that the IMFs recent intervention in the >Asian financial crisis actually worsened its impact. Many believe that the >Fund bears the primary responsibility for turning the financial crisis into >a major regional depression, with tens of millions of people being thrown >into poverty and no end in sight. > >Labor: IMF policies undermine the livelihood of working families. IMF >policies have mandated mass layoffs and changes in labor law to facilitate >or encourage mass layoffs, as happened recently in South Korea. IMF >policies regularly force countries to lower wages, or often undermine >efforts by governments to raise wages-- as, for example, in Haiti in recent >years. > >Environment: IMF policies encourage and frequently require the lowering of >environmental standards and the reckless exploitation of natural resources >in debtor countries. The export of natural resources to earn hard currency >to pay foreign debts under IMF mandates damages the environment while >providing no benefit to poor and working people in debtor countries. > >Debt: IMF and World Bank policies have forced poor countries to make >foreign debt service a higher priority than basic human needs. The World >Bank claims that it is "sustainable" for countries like Mozambique to pay a >quarter of their export earnings on debt service. Yet after World War II, >Germany was not required to pay more than 3.5% of its export earnings on >debt service. Poor countries today need a ceiling on debt service similar >to the one Germany had. According to UN statistics, if Mozambique were >allowed to spend half of the money on health care and education which it is >now spending on debt service, it would save the lives of 100,000 children >per year. > >Openness of IMF operations: IMF policies which affect the lives of a >billion people are negotiated in secret, with key conditions not released >to the public. The people who bear the burden of these policies often do >not even have access to the agreements which have been negotiated. > >The policies of the IMF have undermined the ability of developing countries >to provide for the needs of their own peoples. Such an institution should >not be expanded. > >Thank you for your consideration of our concerns. > >Sincerely, > >Initiators: > >Walden Bello, Co-director, Focus on the Global South, Bangkok; Professor of > Sociology and Public Administration, University of the Philippines >Carlos Heredia, Congressman, Mexico >Dennis Brutus, Jubilee 2000 Africa >Noam Chomsky, Professor of Linguistics, Massachusetts Institute of > Technology > >Organizations-International > >Third World Network, Africa Regional Secretariat >Public Interest Research Group, India >Center for Orang Asli Concerns, Malaysia >DAWN (Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era) Secretariat, Fiji >Asociacisn Ecologista Costarricense-Friends of the Earth, Costa Rica >Coordination gegen BAYER-Gefahren (Coalition Against BAYER-Dangers), > Duesseldorf, Germany >Both ENDS, Amsterdam,The Netherlands >Rettet den Regenwald e. V., (Rainforest Rescue) Hamburg, Germany >Indigenous Peoples4 Biodiversity Network, Cusco, Peru > >Organizations -US > >Friends of the Earth >50 Years Is Enough Network >Institute for Food and Development Policy -- Food First >FoodFirst Information and Action Network -- USA >Development Group for Alternative Policies >International Labor Rights Fund >Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy >Interhemispheric Resource Center >Resource Center of The Americas >Overseas Development Network >Campaign for Labor Rights >California Fair Trade Campaign >Minnesota Fair Trade Coalition >United Church of Christ Network for Environmental and Economic > > Responsibility >Unitarian Universalists for a Just Economic Community - (UUJEC), > Pittsburgh, PA >Sisters of the Holy Cross, Notre Dame, IN >Alliance for Justice Network, Medical Mission Sisters, USA >Carolina Interfaith Task Force on Central America >Campaign for Food Safety (formerly the Pure Food Campaign) >Pesticide Action Network North America >Arizona Toxics Information, Bisbee, Arizona >Rural Advancement Foundation International-USA, Pittsboro, NC >Native Forest Council >National Forest Trust >Essential Action >WorldWise >Preamble Center for Public Policy >International Society for Gandhian Studies >Alternatives In Action!, Atlanta, Georgia >Rainforest Relief, Brooklyn, New York >Federal Land Action Group, New York, New York > >Individuals-International > >Patrick Bond, Senior Lecturer in Economic Policy, University of the > Witwatersrand Graduate School of Public and Development > Management, Johannesburg, South Africa >Francisco Martmnez, Instituto De Promocion Para El Desarrollo Rural, A.C., > (Institute for the Promotion of Rural Development) Mixico >Herbert Mujica Rojas, journalist, Peru >Dr. Maxwell Mwase, School of Veterinary Medicine, Lusaka, Zambia >Susi Newborn, Vice Chair, Greenpeace New Zealand >Paul Phillips, Professor of Economics, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, > Manitoba, Canada >Marie-Josee Massicotte, York University, Toronto, Canada >Ute Sprenger, Publicist/Consultant, Berlin, Germany >Peter R Wills, Associate Professor, Department of Physics, University of > Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand >Anita Idel , Arbeitsgemeinschaft Kritische Tiermedizin, Barsbek, Germany >Stephen Morey, Department of Linguistics, Monash University, Melbourne, > Australia >Mike Zmolek, Dept. of Political Science, York University, Toronto >Gregory Schwartz, Dept. of Political Science, York University, Toronto, > Canada >Floyd Rudmin, Professor of Social Psychology, University of Tromso, Norway > >Individuals-US > >Romesh Diwan, Professor of Economics, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, > Troy, NY >Michael Perelman, Professor of Economics, California State University, > > Chico, California >David Ranney, Professor of Urban Planning and Policy, University of > Illinois, Chicago >Dr. Kimberly Grimes, Director, Made By Hand International Cooperative; > > Anthropologist, University of Delaware >David V. Carruthers, Department of Political Science, San Diego State > University >Ellen R. Shaffer, School of Hygiene and Public Health, Johns Hopkins > University From gattwd at corso.ch.planet.gen.nz Fri Aug 28 10:38:35 1998 From: gattwd at corso.ch.planet.gen.nz (Gatt Watchdog) Date: Fri, 28 Aug 1998 13:38:35 +1200 Subject: [asia-apec 583] MAI Update/Action Alert Message-ID: <1aaXue2w165w@corso.ch.planet.gen.nz> GATT Watchdog PO Box 1905, Christchurch Aotearoa (New Zealand) 28 August 1998 MAI UPDATE & URGENT ACTION ALERT! ACTION ALERT! ACTION ALERT! ACTION ALERT! ACTION ALERT! ACTION ALERT! ACTION ALERT! ACTION ALERT! ACTION ALERT! ACTION ALERT! PLEASE COPY AND DISTRIBUTE TO ALL NETWORKS After a frenzied year of campaigning to expose and oppose the OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) Multilateral Agreement on Investment (MAI), described as a charter of freedoms for the transnational corporations which dominate the global (and local) economy, things seem to have gone quiet. NOT SO! While the MAI talks might have "paused" with the calling of a six-month moratorium at the late April OECD Ministerial Meeting in Paris, suspending negotiations, and promising transparency and public consultations, it is far from dead. Now is the time to crank up the opposition once again... Several US non-governmental organisations (NGOs) were briefed in Washington DC on July 15 by the State Department, confirming their suspicions that MAI negotiations have taken place on a bilateral level. While there won't be a multilateral negotiationg session at the OECD until October 19/20, MAI negotiators from the US, European Union (EU), and Canada have been meeting to discuss issues relating to the agreement, including exceptions. The US seems to be hoping that not much will happen on the MAI until after November's Congressional elections, but that it will be concluded at the OECD rather than in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) at which it doubts it will be able to secure as comprehensive a set of investment protections. Some non-OECD countries, especially in the "Third World" oppose an agreement on investment taking place at the WTO. The EU, however, appears to favour moving the MAI negotiations to the WTO. Last month Leslie Swartman, press secretary for Canadian Trade Minister Sergio Marchi, said that Canada was definitely "still at the table" and anticipating talks to resume in October. It also looks likely that the observer group of Argentina, Brazil, Chile and the Baltic states will become participants in the negotiation of the text, although none are OECD members. No doubt these countries will be used to say that "developing" countries are now being involved in MAI talks. New Zealand Involvement In The MAI An Australian contact has alerted us to the fact that New Zealand Treasury officials have been in recent contact with their Canadian and Australian counterparts about the MAI. According to Australian Treasury sources, resumption of MAI negotiations in October is expected to lead to a further meeting in April 1999, with the aim of concluding the MAI before the WTO launches its next trade liberalisation round. Apparently New Zealand officials are pushing for a general exception of government procurement from the MAI's coverage. GATT Watchdog currently has an Official Information Act request in to Finance Minister Bill Birch in relation to recent and current New Zealand involvement in discussions on the MAI, and has also written to other government and opposition MPs on the issue. Unresolved Differences As you may recall, there remained a number of serious sticking points among OECD countries about the MAI. France, Canada and others wanted to exempt film and other cultural material from the MAI. European countries have criticised US trade sanctions laws like the Helms-Burton Act against companies investing in Cuba (investors in Iran and Libya are also targeted by US legislation). The US is critical of an EU proposal to allow EU countries to treat investors from other EU member countries more favourably than others. Other disputes include ones about wording relating to the environment and labour standards, and a long list of reservations setting out areas to which the MAI won't apply. How much progress has been made in ironing out such differences among OECD member countries in bilaterals or other meetings since April remains to be seen. US negotiators have described recent bilateral discussions on the MAI as "clearing cobwebs" and working out how to move on to resolve different positions. TIME FOR ACTION The New Zealand Government and other governments pushing ahead with the MAI show little sign of rethinking their economic direction in the wake of the Asian crisis which many critics of free trade and investment have predicted for some time. And a minority National government will be unconstrained from within in its push to conclude the MAI. Back in April, we warned that the MAI should not be allowed to slink back into the darkness only to spring up again when we were least expecting it. With only a few weeks to go before the six-month "pause" is over, it is time to turn our attention back towards fighting the MAI. European opponents of the MAI are calling for an international week of action against the MAI from September 21st-28th. But GATT Watchdog believes that NOW is the time to be getting active on the MAI again! WHAT YOU CAN DO * Write letters to the editor, ring up talkback using this update and what you already know about the MAI. * Raise the matter in groups, organisations and unions which you belong to. Talk about the issue in your community. Talk to your local media. Copy and distribute this GATT Watchdog update. * Visit and/or write to your MP. Ask what they know about NZ's current involvement in discussions on the MAI. If they don't know, ask them to find out for you. * Raise the issue with local body candidates. Remember, Local Government New Zealand, and a number of Councils (including the Dunedin, Invercargill and Christchurch City Councils, and community boards in Waikato) have already put out statements critical of the MAI and the anti-democratic way in which the Government has participated in MAI negotiations. Make this a local body election issue. For more information contact GATT Watchdog ph: (03) 3662803 From lkuehn at bctf.bc.ca Sat Aug 29 01:27:16 1998 From: lkuehn at bctf.bc.ca (Larry Kuehn) Date: Fri, 28 Aug 1998 09:27:16 -0700 Subject: [asia-apec 584] MAI Update/Action Alert Message-ID: <3.0.1.32.19980828092716.008f40c4@pop.bctf.bc.ca> GATT Watchdog PO Box 1905, Christchurch Aotearoa (New Zealand) 28 August 1998 MAI UPDATE & URGENT ACTION ALERT! ACTION ALERT! ACTION ALERT! ACTION ALERT! ACTION ALERT! ACTION ALERT! ACTION ALERT! ACTION ALERT! ACTION ALERT! ACTION ALERT! PLEASE COPY AND DISTRIBUTE TO ALL NETWORKS After a frenzied year of campaigning to expose and oppose the OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) Multilateral Agreement on Investment (MAI), described as a charter of freedoms for the transnational corporations which dominate the global (and local) economy, things seem to have gone quiet. NOT SO! While the MAI talks might have "paused" with the calling of a six-month moratorium at the late April OECD Ministerial Meeting in Paris, suspending negotiations, and promising transparency and public consultations, it is far from dead. Now is the time to crank up the opposition once again... Several US non-governmental organisations (NGOs) were briefed in Washington DC on July 15 by the State Department, confirming their suspicions that MAI negotiations have taken place on a bilateral level. While there won't be a multilateral negotiationg session at the OECD until October 19/20, MAI negotiators from the US, European Union (EU), and Canada have been meeting to discuss issues relating to the agreement, including exceptions. The US seems to be hoping that not much will happen on the MAI until after November's Congressional elections, but that it will be concluded at the OECD rather than in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) at which it doubts it will be able to secure as comprehensive a set of investment protections. Some non-OECD countries, especially in the "Third World" oppose an agreement on investment taking place at the WTO. The EU, however, appears to favour moving the MAI negotiations to the WTO. Last month Leslie Swartman, press secretary for Canadian Trade Minister Sergio Marchi, said that Canada was definitely "still at the table" and anticipating talks to resume in October. It also looks likely that the observer group of Argentina, Brazil, Chile and the Baltic states will become participants in the negotiation of the text, although none are OECD members. No doubt these countries will be used to say that "developing" countries are now being involved in MAI talks. New Zealand Involvement In The MAI An Australian contact has alerted us to the fact that New Zealand Treasury officials have been in recent contact with their Canadian and Australian counterparts about the MAI. According to Australian Treasury sources, resumption of MAI negotiations in October is expected to lead to a further meeting in April 1999, with the aim of concluding the MAI before the WTO launches its next trade liberalisation round. Apparently New Zealand officials are pushing for a general exception of government procurement from the MAI's coverage. GATT Watchdog currently has an Official Information Act request in to Finance Minister Bill Birch in relation to recent and current New Zealand involvement in discussions on the MAI, and has also written to other government and opposition MPs on the issue. Unresolved Differences As you may recall, there remained a number of serious sticking points among OECD countries about the MAI. France, Canada and others wanted to exempt film and other cultural material from the MAI. European countries have criticised US trade sanctions laws like the Helms-Burton Act against companies investing in Cuba (investors in Iran and Libya are also targeted by US legislation). The US is critical of an EU proposal to allow EU countries to treat investors from other EU member countries more favourably than others. Other disputes include ones about wording relating to the environment and labour standards, and a long list of reservations setting out areas to which the MAI won't apply. How much progress has been made in ironing out such differences among OECD member countries in bilaterals or other meetings since April remains to be seen. US negotiators have described recent bilateral discussions on the MAI as "clearing cobwebs" and working out how to move on to resolve different positions. TIME FOR ACTION The New Zealand Government and other governments pushing ahead with the MAI show little sign of rethinking their economic direction in the wake of the Asian crisis which many critics of free trade and investment have predicted for some time. And a minority National government will be unconstrained from within in its push to conclude the MAI. Back in April, we warned that the MAI should not be allowed to slink back into the darkness only to spring up again when we were least expecting it. With only a few weeks to go before the six-month "pause" is over, it is time to turn our attention back towards fighting the MAI. European opponents of the MAI are calling for an international week of action against the MAI from September 21st-28th. But GATT Watchdog believes that NOW is the time to be getting active on the MAI again! WHAT YOU CAN DO * Write letters to the editor, ring up talkback using this update and what you already know about the MAI. * Raise the matter in groups, organisations and unions which you belong to. Talk about the issue in your community. Talk to your local media. Copy and distribute this GATT Watchdog update. * Visit and/or write to your MP. Ask what they know about NZ's current involvement in discussions on the MAI. If they don't know, ask them to find out for you. * Raise the issue with local body candidates. Remember, Local Government New Zealand, and a number of Councils (including the Dunedin, Invercargill and Christchurch City Councils, and community boards in Waikato) have already put out statements critical of the MAI and the anti-democratic way in which the Government has participated in MAI negotiations. Make this a local body election issue. For more information contact GATT Watchdog ph: (03) 3662803 **************************************************** Larry Kuehn, Director lkuehn@bctf.bc.ca Research and Technology lkuehn@vcn.bc.ca B.C. Teachers' Federation (604) 871-2294 (Fax) www.bctf.bc.ca From plawiuk at junctionnet.com Fri Aug 28 19:58:54 1998 From: plawiuk at junctionnet.com (E.W. Plawiuk) Date: Fri, 28 Aug 1998 04:58:54 -0600 Subject: [asia-apec 585] Re: [mai] Future of MAI Message-ID: <3.0.32.19980828045847.00b11564@mars.junctionnet.com> VICTORY! City of Edmonton Alberta Canada Rejects MAI It was moved by Councilor Phair that the Executive committee reject the Administrations motion in favour of support of the MAI. This passed. A new motion opposing the MAI based on the Canadian Federation of Municipalities (CFM) motion was introduced. It was expanded to include having City Council and the CFM lobby the provicincial government and federal government to protect city/muncipalities rights if any accord is signed. Phair also emphasized the need to protect arts and culture from the MAI. The Executive committees motion opposing the MAI was passed on August 18, 1998 except for Councilor Phairs reccomendation on protection for Arts & Culture! For more information go to: Edmonton MAI ALERT Page http://www.geocities.com./CapitolHill/5202/mai.html From tpl at cheerful.com Sat Aug 29 12:10:14 1998 From: tpl at cheerful.com (tpl@cheerful.com) Date: Sat, 29 Aug 1998 11:10:14 +0800 Subject: [asia-apec 586] US Pro-VFA Lobbying At ASEAN Regional Forum Message-ID: <3.0.3.32.19980829111014.006ae9bc@pop.skyinet.net> JUNK VFA Movement News Release >>>>
U.S. Security Lobbying at ASEAN Regional Forum Exposed
A movement vowing to drumbeat opposition to the ratification of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) said the next venue for U.S. lobbying will be the Asean Regional Forum (ARF). According to the Junk VFA Movement, formal and informal discussions on the Senate approval of the agreement is high on the agenda of the U.S. delegation headed by Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. Capt. Danilo Vizmanos, PN (Ret.), Convenor of the Junk VFA Movement observed that the ARF, the ASEAN's venue for security dialogue and cooperation with other non-member countries like the United States, Japan and Australia, has become the "U.S.'s multilateral vehicle in pushing for its military and security interest in the region." Vizmanos explained that, "the U.S. needs a multilateral body to ensure that such bilateral deals are forged and enforced." But since there is no multilateral security group yet in the Asia-Pacific region, "the ARF conveniently fills this void," he said. According to Vizmanos, the U.S. will use the economic crisis as an excuse for ASEAN members and other countries to agree that a stronger U.S. military presence is needed in the region and crucial to this goal is the resumption of joint military exercises in the Philippines. This will add more pressure for the Philippine government to ratify the VFA. A document from the U.S. Department of State said discussions on "the implications of the crisis for regional stability, cooperation...will figure prominently" in the ministerial meetings in Manila. The U.S. maintains a 100,000-strong army in East Asia through bilateral agreements ranging from military-to-military cooperation, joint military exercises, and access arrangements. In a speech delivered by U.S. Defense Secretary William Cohen in his Asian visit in January 1998, he mentioned bilateral agreements and the ARF as stepping stone towards the creation of a US-led multilateral security group. Vizmanos noted that aside from formal closed-door discussions, the U.S. can further exercise the other side of its own brand of diplomacy. The ARF provides opportunities for "informal" discussion with the Philipines and negotiate exchange deals. The Junk VFA Movement calls on all freedom-loving Filipinos and Asian peoples to resist and oppose U.S.'s moves to ram its politico-military interests at their expense. "The ARF and other bilateral agreements should be pursued in the interest of Asian peoples and not to assure the economic and military might of a superpower," said Vizmanos. A rally to oppose U.S. move to have the Philippine senate ratify the VFA was held in front of the U.S. Embassy on the day of arrival of State Secretary Albright last July 25. The Junk VFA Movement includes BAYAN, GABRIELA, KMP, KMU, League of Filipino Students, Promotion for Church People's Response, COURAGE and other groups. ### From: BAYAN < From tpl at cheerful.com Sat Aug 29 12:36:38 1998 From: tpl at cheerful.com (tpl@cheerful.com) Date: Sat, 29 Aug 1998 11:36:38 +0800 Subject: [asia-apec 587] Migrante-Australia Statement Against Racism Message-ID: <3.0.3.32.19980829113638.006ae9bc@pop.skyinet.net> Statement of Migrante-Australia August 1998 >Let Not Racism Divide the Oppressed Peoples of Australia > >"Australia's commitment to racial equality and religious and cultural >freedom is enshrined in our history" - William Fisher, Australian Ambassador to Thailand > >Racism is an issue that very much affects whites and non-whites, the >indigenous peoples of Australia, the Asians, Europeans - in fact, >everyone in Australia. And long before Pauline Hanson and the likes of her >became the new mouthpieces of racist prejudice, racism has been out >in full force in Australia. Thus, William Fisher’s statement above >is nothing but a diatribe of colonial whitewash, ignoring the true >history of bigotry, dispossession and atrocity against the indigenous >peoples of Australia. And now, while white Australians have yet to come >to terms with their shameful treatment of Aborigines, racism has reared >its ugly head, this time towards the Asians in Australia. > >MIGRANTE-Australia, an organisation of Filipinos in Australia does not >tolerate Pauline Hanson nor the Australian government’s racist bent. >Filipinos are Asians and we believe - contrary to the claims of Hanson >and other racists - that we are contributing our collective strength and >spirit to the enrichment of Australia. We do not enjoy special >privileges and in fact, we lack social security and genuine government >protection. > >Neither the Asians nor the Aborigines should be blamed for what the >Australian government could not provide to the whole of Australia. We >are not the thieves who steal away jobs from Australians. It is the >government whose policies of economic irrationalism policy has destroyed >employment opportunities. We do not take special privileges from the >government. It is the government who uses us as an excuse to cover-up >its inability to provide social welfare and social security to everyone. > >The Howard government is an immoral government. It cannot deal >decisively with the current rise of racism in Australia. This is proof >of its pro-racist bias. Howard’s reluctance to deal with the issue of >racism and his total lack of leadership has added to the misery of >Indigenous Australians, Asian migrants and refugees in Australia. Asians >will never forget Howard’s infamous anti-Asian immigration statements of >1988. Neither will Aborigines forget a leader who cannot apologise for a >racist, inhumane government policy that has left a legacy of hurt and >trauma on thousands of indigenous people. The country has certainly gone >backwards with him and his redneck colleagues in power. > >But while we attack the racists in power and those who are being carried >away with a "better alternative than Howard’s inutile government", let >us not forget that racism’s ultimate aim is to divide the people, >safeguard the economic interests of the rich and steer attention away >from the economic mismanagement and follies of those in power. > >In today’s globalised world, racism will be permitted to reign as it is >an important tool for the oppressors and exploiters of peoples and >natural resources. Therefore, we the oppressed people must be vigilant >not to allow such a divide to be wedged amongst us. > >We must not allow ourselves to be used as weapons against our own >people. > >We must not allow ourselves to lose sight of the real issue. Our real >enemy is an enemy that is artfully using economic globalisation as a >tool to corner the human and natural resources of the world. Our enemy >uses racism in its many mutated forms to break the unity of the >oppressed and exploited. Black or white or yellow, Asian, non-Asian >immigrants and indigenous peoples in Australia are not spared from the >economic backlash of Australia’s not-so-stable economy. Racist or not - >if we belong to the working class, the toiling class, working women, >etc. - we all are on the same boat which the Howard’s government is not >managing well. > >We must fight against racism. And more so, we should fight - together - >for social justice and economic equality. > >Stop racism in Australia! >No to economic rationalism! No to privatisation, liberalisation and >deregulation! >Oppressed peoples of Australia unite! > >MIGRANTE (Philippines-Australia) >Organisation of Filipino Migrants in Australia >Address: 66 Albion St. Surry Hills 2010, NSW >Phone: (02) 9281 4360 >Contact Person: Ms. Hazel de los Reyes >Phone: (02) 95161950 (home) > >1 August 1998 > > > > From tpl at cheerful.com Sat Aug 29 20:03:12 1998 From: tpl at cheerful.com (tpl@cheerful.com) Date: Sat, 29 Aug 1998 19:03:12 +0800 Subject: [asia-apec 588] RECENT US BOMBINGS Message-ID: <3.0.3.32.19980829190312.006ae9bc@pop.skyinet.net> >Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1998 12:22:38 -0700 >From: KARAPATAN > >Press statement >25 August 1998 >Reference: Antonio Liongson, KARAPATAN Deputy Secretary General > > U.S., THE NUMBER ONE TERRORIST AND BULLY IN THE WORLD > >“Under the pretext of retaliating against the bombings of the US embassies >in Kenya and Tanzania, the United States resorted to bullying and terrorism >to remind the world that it is still the most dominant military power. >According to a high ranking US official, it will use all means to protect its >political and economic interests. KARAPATAN therefore condemns the recent >missile attacks launched by the US in Afghanistan and Sudan. This is in >itself terrorism, in the highest order. > >What else can we call the missile attack at a pharmaceutical factory in >Sudan? With the attack, the US practically murdered innocent people and >will cause the death of hundreds more who will be affected by the probable >dearth in medicines,” said Antonio Liongson, deputy secretary general of >the human rights alliance KARAPATAN. > >“The US government is historically and currently the world’s number one >terrorist. Gunboat >diplomacy and bullying tactics were routinely employed against other >nations. Nations and peoples struggling against US domination experienced >the harshest and most violent terrorist attacks of the US military forces,” > Liongson added. > >US terrorism is accustomed to bombing civilian targets. Examples of which >are the Balangiga Massacre in Samar and the My Lai massacre in Vietnam. >Added to this are the dropping of two atomic bombs in Japan which killed >and injured millions in 1945, carpet and napalm bombing in Vietnam in the >60’s and 70’s , and the massive bombings in Iraq in 1990. > >Liongson expressed alarm over the intensified security measures of the >government in the name of safeguarding US government facilities and >ensuring safety for all US citizens and their interests in >the Philippines. Liongson said, “The all-out fight against supposed >extremists has only sown terror among the Filipino people in the Southern >Philippines. The exaggerated international manhunt for Bin Laden is >expected to create an upsurge of human rights violations.” > >Liongson added that the beefing up of military and police forces around >‘potential terrorist targets’ is not directed against alleged Muslim >extremists, but against the struggling Filipino masses. He further >averred, “The doubtful reports on the purported activities of foreign Muslim >extremists in Mindanao can be used by the government as another excuse to >attack Muslim rebels and the struggling Filipino people who continue to >resist US imperialist domination.” > >“Consequently, it is highly probable that this will be used as a >justification to further the dire intent of the two governments to ratify >the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA). It is also not coincidental that the >government suddenly revealed that Bin Laden as well as other ‘terrorists’ >are regular >visitors in Mindanao. With this strategy, the US and the Philippine >government are jointly creating a climate of fear among the people in the >area. They will also be able to make this as a lame excuse for the people >to accept the VFA and the immediate operation of one of the main ports in >General Santos which was specifically designed and built for the US >military forces who shall visit >the country under the agreement,” said Liongson. In fact, the VFA would >only attract more attacks from forces fighting US economic, political, and >military aggression in different parts of the world. > >Moreover, as the government bolsters the ‘alarming threat of terrorism,’ >Liongson averred that this may be used as a reason to enact the >Anti-Terrorism Bill, as an amendment to the Immigration Act of 1940, >proposed by Defense Secretary Orlando Mercado. > >“Unquestionably, the US and its local allies in government will not >hesitate to employ terroristic means to protect US imperialist interests in >the Philippines paradoxically under the guise of battling international >terrorism. In the end, it will primarily be directed against the >struggles of the Filipino >people and other oppressed peoples of the world who are constantly >subjected to exploitation and repression,” Liongson concluded. ### > >---------------------------------------------------------------------- >KARAPATAN (Alliance for the Advancement of People's Rights) >23-D Mabuhay St., Central District, Diliman, Quezon City, PHILIPPINES >Tel. Nos. (++632) 434-1865 / 435-7828 >Permanent E-mail Address: karapatan@bigfoot.com >Permanent Web Address: http://www.bigfoot.com/~karapatan >---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > From gattwd at corso.ch.planet.gen.nz Sun Aug 30 11:08:05 1998 From: gattwd at corso.ch.planet.gen.nz (Gatt Watchdog) Date: Sun, 30 Aug 1998 14:08:05 +1200 Subject: [asia-apec 589] NZ Trade Minister on APEC/Asia Message-ID: <7Z11ue1w165w@corso.ch.planet.gen.nz> > New Zealand Executive Government Speech Archive > --------------------------------------------------------------- > > 1.00 pm > Wednesday 24 June 1998 > (Malaysian Time) > > 5.00 pm > Wednesday 24 June 1998 > (New Zealand Time) > > ADDRESS BY HON LOCKWOOD SMITH, MINISTER FOR INTERNATIONAL TRADE > > New Zealand in the Asia Pacific > > Launch of Sarawak Chapter > New Zealand Malaysia Business Council > Kuching > Malaysia > > Deputy Chief Minister, Tan Sri-Tan Sri, Dato-Dato, Friends. > > Links between New Zealand and Malaysia - and between New Zealand and > Sawarak - are already very strong. New Zealand troops helped to > liberate Sawarak in the Second World War. Today, both Malaysia and New > Zealand are members of the Commonwealth and APEC. The launch of this > new chapter of the Malaysia New Zealand Business Council is another > example of how our ties continue to grow. > > In the five years since they were formed, the Malaysia New Zealand > Business Council and its sister organisation back home have made a > very positive contribution to building economic links between our two > countries. Already, the business council here in Malaysia is involved > in the annual policy dialogue arranged by your Trade Minister. It has > helped bring people together and it helps continually build the > bilateral relationship. We in New Zealand have appreciated its support > for scientific cooperation in Antarctica and its assistance with our > preparations for this year's Commonwealth Games - to mention just two > examples. > > Given its success, it makes sense for the council to establish > chapters in other parts of Malaysia. I'm confident this will only be > the first. And it's fitting that Sarawak is the first new chapter, > given the especially close ties between Sarawak and New Zealand. > > I understand that Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Alfred Jabu, State > Secretary Tan Sri Datuk Amar Hamid Bugo and Honorary Consul Datuk Amin > Satem and many others of you here today have studied in New Zealand. > Today, well over 300 young Sarawak people are following in your > footsteps and studying in New Zealand universities. Links between New > Zealand universities and UNIMAS are growing. A Chair of Malay Studies > has been established at Victoria University in our capital city. > > Economic links between New Zealand and Sawarak are just as strong, > going well beyond our growing trade in goods. New Zealand assisted > with the tourism master plan for Sawarak. We have longstanding links > in the surveying area. Your Chief Veterinary Officer recently visited > New Zealand. > > We in New Zealand were also honoured that your Chief Minister has been > able to visit us twice in recent years. In late 1997, he joined us for > Sawarak Week which involved cultural and trade promotions as well as > meetings with ministers. > > This new chapter can only help strengthen relations further. My thanks > to all involved. I wish you every success. > > New Zealand's particular interest in Malaysia stems most obviously > from our shared geography. We are both Asia Pacific countries. But New > Zealand is also of the firm view that the next century will be the > Asia Pacific century, the current difficulties notwithstanding. > > Those difficulties have not dampened our enthusiasm for Asia, and your > country. Reciprocal prime ministerial and ministerial visits in recent > years have helped to update our relationship. Last year, we signed a > new Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement. New Zealand is a keen > participant in the annual consultations between the AFTA economies and > Australia and New Zealand. We regard ourselves as a leading member of > APEC, fully behind the liberalisation agenda. > > Our trade with Asia remains critically important. That's why our > Deputy Prime Minister led a delegation to Kuala Lumpur and Penang last > week. It included many of our most senior businesspeople, our former > Prime Minister, Rt Hon Mike Moore, and the chair of our Asia 2000 > Foundation. The delegation was pleased to send a representative to > Sawarak. > > The extent of our integration with Asia means that what happens here > impacts directly on us. That applies to the current downturn. > > It is clear that different economies are addressing the downturn in > different ways. Some, like Malaysia, have taken on board the need for > reform. Others are still grappling with what they see as the enormity > of that they need to do. Because of the close links between all the > economies in the APEC region, we need to encourage them to make those > reforms. Failure to act will impact negatively on us all. New > Zealand's recent history may offer a guide to those governments in the > region having to make the necessary reforms. > > For most of our history, New Zealand acted as a farm for the United > Kingdom. Producing food for what many still called the "mother > country" was the source of our prosperity. But in 1973, the United > Kingdom joined the EU, and our market access was restricted. The '70s > also saw the oil shocks. It was clear we would have to take a > different economic approach than we had for most of our history. > > For a variety of reasons, we took the wrong path. We subsidised our > major industry of agriculture. We implemented a system of > protectionism as vast as you would have been able to find outside the > communist world. Our government grew in size and ran budget deficits. > > By 1984, that approach had clearly failed. We had slipped from near > the top of the OECD in terms of living standards to near the bottom. > Unemployment was rising. Inflation was controlled only through a wage > and price freeze. Our debt was becoming unsustainable. Our farm > subsidies had reached 30% of the value of agricultural production. The > top rate of tax was 66%. > > Since 1984, both the main political parties in New Zealand have > contributed in different ways to turning that around. > > Government spending has been controlled so that deficits have been > turned into surpluses. We now have zero net foreign public debt. Taxes > have been cut - the top rate halved. Our central bank has the sole > responsibility of keeping inflation at between 0% and 3%. Our labour > market has been deregulated. The size of the central bureaucracy has > been slashed. We have privatised over US$6 billion of assets, > including our telephone network, our railways and our airline. That > enabled us to cut our debt, freeing up debt servicing payments for tax > cuts and for greater investment in social services. > > And we have opened up our economy to fair competition with the world. > Our farm subsidies were abolished in one year. We abolished import > licensing. We have no tariff quotas and we will abolish all remaining > tariffs ahead of APEC's 2010 deadline. Our economy is now more open > than Hong Kong's. > > That reform process was not easy. There was some initial pain, but not > to the extent many expected. The abolition of farm subsidies, for > example, meant that fewer than 1% of farmers needed to stop farming. > > And the returns have been clear to see. We have experienced economic > growth this decade far higher than in the previous decade. Two hundred > thousand new jobs have been created this decade, in a country with a > population of fewer than 4 million. > > What's more, our reform process will continue. I mentioned the > abolition of all tariffs. We're also reforming our electricity > industry, the provision of roading and our accident insurance regime. > We are carefully planning for the removal of the special powers of our > agricultural producer boards. Further privatisations will occur when > the government is clearly identified as not the best owner. > > New Zealand's experience shows that reform can be achieved with less > pain that many believe. And our experience shows that it is the > country which makes the reforms fastest that will get the biggest > returns the earliest. > > There is no reason at all why Asia cannot come through its current > difficulties, with sufficient dedication to reform. It is critical > that economies do not follow the example of New Zealand in the 1970s. > It is critical that the path they follow more closely resembles New > Zealand's path since 1984. If they do, there is no reason why next > century should not be the Asia Pacific century. > > As long as the region deals appropriately with the current > difficulties, I believe New Zealand and Malaysia can both look forward > to being part of the most dynamic and fastest growing region of the > 21st Century. That can only be good for our countries, and good for > the Sawarak Chapter of the Malaysia New Zealand Business Council. > > I wish every one of you all the best for the future. > > Home || Ministers || Policies || Speeches || Search|| Departments > ----------------------------------- http://www.executive.govt.nz/minister/smith/s980624.htm From gattwd at corso.ch.planet.gen.nz Sun Aug 30 11:10:56 1998 From: gattwd at corso.ch.planet.gen.nz (Gatt Watchdog) Date: Sun, 30 Aug 1998 14:10:56 +1200 Subject: [asia-apec 590] NZ Trade Minister on APEC (II) Message-ID: New Zealand Executive Government Speech Archive --------------------------------------------------------------- 6.00 pm Tuesday 25 August 1998 ADDRESS BY HON LOCKWOOD SMITH, MINISTER FOR INTERNATIONAL TRADE Asia & New Zealand's Economy Annual General Meeting Wellington Branch New Zealand Institute of International Affairs BP House Wellington Domestic politics have certainly been interesting over the last fortnight. Tomorrow, New Zealand's Government will formally change from the National/NZ First Coalition minority government to a National-led minority Government. It is nothing surprising under MMP that the Government can change without an election. It happens regularly in all proportional representation systems. But one thing has not changed: the National Party is determined to deliver the good government that New Zealanders deserve. We have the support of 62 MPs on confidence and supply. That will allow us to deliver stable and constructive government for New Zealand. That is particularly important right now because of the Asian Economic Crisis. No one in the Government has ever underestimated the seriousness of the turmoil in Asia. Asian economies account for half our top 20 export destinations. Japan alone takes 15% of our exports. Not only that, but we are also affected indirectly through Australia, our biggest export destination. The effect of the turmoil so far has been significant on key sectors. Our forestry exports to Japan and Korea over the past six months were $170 million down on the same time next year - a full third. According to the Reserve Bank, our GDP growth rate for 1998/1999 is now expected to be only 0.1%. But the Reserve Bank also expects growth to strongly bounce back in 1999/2000 to 4%. And one of the key reasons for that is because of the way in which our economy has been restructured since 1984. We are now a flexible, innovative economy. Our dollar has automatically adjusted to take account of our balance of payments deficit, falling around 30% against the US dollar in the last year. According to Statistics New Zealand, our exports during the three months to March were up 11% compared with the same quarter in the previous year. The latest forecast for the June quarter is that exports will be down less than 1% compared with the very successful June quarter in 1997. Clearly, New Zealand's economic framework is one which allows our exporters to respond and diversify quickly - with the US possibly set to shortly overtake Japan as our second biggest export market. That ability to respond shows the danger of any notion that we should return to the high-tax, protectionist, union-dominated New Zealand of the past. The Shipley-led Government is clear that we need to continue on our path of price stability, sensible spending policies, an innovative labour market, a low-rate, broad-base tax system and continual improvements to our competitiveness through microeconomic reform. But none of this is to suggest that New Zealand should turn its back on Asia. To the contrary. Even now, economies like Japan still offer huge consumer markets. The East Asian market continues to import around NZ$3 trillion worth of merchandise each year. There continue to be good opportunities in services such as tourism and education. Longer-term, Asian markets will continue to be our natural trade, tourism and investment partners into the future. Even if they don't offer the levels of economic growth seen in the past, they will offer strong, more sustainable rates of growth in the future. New Zealand's growth and development will always be strongly linked with Asia. And nothing is more certain than that Asia will recover. The only question is how long it will take. In the last part of this century, Asia has enjoyed the fastest economic transformation the world has ever witnessed. Many of the factors that made that possible remain entrenched - high savings rates, an increasingly skilled and educated workforce, a dynamic business environment and low rates of tax. What is now required is for Asian economies to implement the reforms necessary for speedy and sustainable recovery. Most crucial is Japan. Because it is by far the wealthiest economy in the region, the Japanese people have not felt the same direct impact as those from other Asian economies. It means there is little sense of crisis on Japanese streets. That makes the necessary reforms more politically difficult. But Japan must show leadership, in reforming its banking sector, rationalising its public service and liberalising trade. In the short-term, Japanese leadership will help to keep the yen above the level at which China would be forced to devalue the RMB. In the medium-term, Japanese leadership will be essential to restoring the business confidence that Asia needs, and engine to get Asian economies moving again. And, longer-term, reform will mean that the world's second largest economy will be on a much stronger footing. The rest of APEC has a crucial role in encouraging Japan to take that leadership role. And, collectively, we have an important role in demonstrating that the problems we are facing in our region will not send us back down the dead-end road of protectionism. We need to continue to open and integrate our economies. That will help to build business confidence and spur economic growth. APEC's key goal has been free trade and investment by developed economies by 2010 and by developing economies by 2020. We remain fully committed to those goals. At the same time, we have been working on early liberalisation of trade in certain sectors. Work will be completed this year on nine sectors: energy, toys, gemstones and jewellery, chemicals, medical equipment and instruments, telecommunications, environmental goods and services, and - of greatest importance to New Zealand - forest and fish products. Getting agreement on that package was not easy. When I arrived in Vancouver in November last year, to consider the broad outline of the package, I was advised it was highly unlikely agreement would be reached on any but a handful of sectors. But the New Zealand team and I persisted and, working with our allies, we achieved agreement for the much more comprehensive package of nine sectors - a package which is balanced to ensure all economies see some immediate benefit. The package again struck some problems in Kuching in June, mainly because Japan was about to hold Upper House elections. Economies like Thailand and Indonesia - with their problems - showed tremendous courage in remaining fully committed to the package of nine sectors. Korea and China also showed a tremendously constructive approach in being prepared to sign up. The package remained intact, with only the last few details still to be decided in Kuala Lumpur in November. Should all APEC economies finally commit to the package, it will mean free trade in sectors already worth NZ$3 trillion in exports around the APEC region every year. It will go far beyond the elimination of quotas and tariffs, also dealing with standards recognition and other issues which can be used as de facto trade barriers. The significance of that package alone would be enormous. First, it would show that APEC is working. There are a lot of naysayers around the world who are critical of APEC's goals-based approach, as opposed to the EU's rules-based system. This would be a clear demonstration that a goals-based system can work, and work well. Second, from New Zealand's perspective, the inclusion of forest and fish products would provide an opportunity for those industries to increase their exports of high value products into high value markets. They are major industries for us, but they are constrained by protectionism internationally. Third, it would be the first time a major international group had agreed to free trade in primary products. It would set the scene for further progress both through APEC and through the World Trade Organisation. Next year, when New Zealand chairs APEC, we will consider a further six sectors for early liberalisation: natural and synthetic rubber, fertilisers, automobiles, civil aircraft, oilseeds and oilseed products, and food. Liberalisation of food will be on the APEC agenda when New Zealand is in the chair. It provides us with a unique opportunity. Already, we are working with the National Centre for APEC in Seattle on its Efficient Food System proposal. The idea is to design what an Efficient Food System - free trade in food - would look like. We will be wanting to use our year in the chair to make as much progress as possible. All our best brains and most extensive experience will be necessary. With the taxpayer having spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on travel for me to meet and build relationships with all the key players, I have committed my life to ensuring they and New Zealand exporters get the best possible return from that investment. I am determined we will make progress. What makes that APEC work even more important is that it will set the scene for the World Trade Organisation negotiations to liberalise agricultural trade, scheduled to be launched in the United States near the end of 1999. APEC covers half of world trade. If we can achieve progress towards liberalisation of trade in food around the APEC region, we will be half way towards a good outcome from the WTO, before negotiations have even begun. One of the key issues which will determine our success in making progress through APEC and the WTO is the degree to which economies remain committed to globalisation following the turmoil in Asia. Since 1950, the world has generally moved towards freer and more open trade and investment regimes. According to the OECD, world production has increased sixfold since 1950, but world merchandise trade has increased by 16 times. Outflows of investment have increased by 25 times, in just 25 years. When comparing our relative performance through the 1970s and early '80s with our progress since then, we in New Zealand know full well the benefits of opening and liberalising our economy. And, despite its recent troubles, the performance of South Korea, compared with North Korea demonstrates the lesson even more clearly. OECD work makes clear that the more open an economy, the more likely it is to grow. But globalisation also leads to a backlash, by those who feel threatened by it. Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party in Australia is a good example of that. Here in New Zealand, the Alliance is currently the vehicle for unthinking nationalist sentiment. Asian economies also risk a rise in that kind of thinking. In New Zealand we saw a totally irrational campaign against the idea of establishing clear rules for investment through the OECD's proposed Multilateral Agreement on Investment. Even the pause in negotiations hasn't stopped the conspiracy theorists from suggesting that the negotiations may secretly be transferred to the IMF. In Asian economies, the reality of IMF involvement may well fuel that kind of paranoia. The reasons for these fears are simple. Globalisation does involve a reduction in national power. Through international agreements, New Zealand, for example, is not allowed to test nuclear weapons, recklessly use landmines, trade in endangered species, reintroduce a death penalty or introduce tariffs or quotas above our Uruguay Round commitments. We need to demonstrate that losing these types of powers as a result of being involved with the rest of the world is far outweighed by the benefits from globalisation. Intellectually, it is not a difficult argument. Politically, it can be, because objections to globalisation are emotional, based on deeply-held fears of change and the outside world. These can not be arrogantly dismissed, and nor can they always be countered just by statistics. They can only be fully countered by careful explanation of New Zealand's place in the world and the opportunities globalisation provides to our people. As people committed to involvement with the rest of the world, this institute has a role to play in that process. And, as a nation committed to globalisation, New Zealand has a role to play in leading the process internationally. That is the way for us to ensure that New Zealand takes our place as a dynamic, outward looking and growing economy, part of a dynamic, liberal and growing APEC region. Home || Ministers || Policies || Speeches || Search|| Departments ----------------------------------- http://www.executive.govt.nz/minister/smith/s980825.htm From gattwd at corso.ch.planet.gen.nz Sun Aug 30 12:12:23 1998 From: gattwd at corso.ch.planet.gen.nz (Gatt Watchdog) Date: Sun, 30 Aug 1998 15:12:23 +1200 Subject: [asia-apec 591] NZ & WTO - Ministerial Statement Message-ID: New Zealand Executive Government Speech Archive --------------------------------------------------------------- Tuesday 19 May 1998 ADDRESS BY HON LOCKWOOD SMITH, MINISTER FOR INTERNATIONAL TRADE, AT THE MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE & 50TH ANNIVERSARY SESSION OF GATT/WTO The New Zealand Statement Geneva As we celebrate the fiftieth birthday of the GATT/WTO we can look back with a real sense of accomplishment at what has been achieved since the GATT was established in 1948. New Zealand was one of the 23 founding members, and has been a committed and active member of the organisation ever since. Over the eight rounds of trade negotiations that have been held in the half century of the organisation ?s existence, very significant progress has been made. At first the focus was entirely on lowering tariffs, with large increases in global trade as a result - around 8% a year on average during the 1950s and 1960s. By the end of the 1970s, the average tariff on industrial products was brought down to 4.7%. With the realisation that non-tariff barriers were increasingly presenting difficulties in on-going trade liberalisation, the focus in the Tokyo Round was on subsidies, technical barriers and trade remedies. The Uruguay Round, however, represents a clear milestone in that it produced truly significant, wide-ranging results across a whole range of trade-inhibiting and trade-distorting issues. Clearer rules, stronger processes, broader coverage and further substantial liberalisation were achieved. And that time, 125 countries were participating in the negotiations. For New Zealand, not only did we see a more significant integration of agriculture into the multilateral trading system - with new disciplines on domestic support, export subsidies, market access and sanitary and phytosanitary measures - but we also achieved valuable agreements on services and industrial tariff liberalisation and the establishment of an effective dispute settlement system. In sum, we have much to celebrate on this most significant anniversary. This year?s WTO Ministerial conference takes place against the background of the recent financial crisis in a number of Asian economies, and the shock to the international financial system that this entailed. The difficult but critical structural reform process necessary to lessen the chances of a recurrence of such a shock has already begun in some of the economies affected. But these countries also need the ability to trade their way out of their difficulties. For this open markets are required, not just in Asia, but in Europe and the Americas. As exports from Asia expand, the United States and Europe will face mounting domestic pressure to restrict imports in the face of increasing trade deficits and declining surpluses. Governments will need to be resolute in their determination to sustain the momentum of trade liberalisation. In Japan, a more open economy is needed both to ensure sustainable growth, and in response to the concerns of many of its trading partners over Japanese export surpluses. And in the rest of Asia, a continued commitment to trade liberalisation is needed to ensure that resources go towards the pursuit of areas of real comparative advantage rather than into protected, inefficient industries. A broad-based set of global trade negotiations would provide the context for continuing the liberalisation momentum, in which all can link their efforts. The problems experienced by certain Asian economies highlight the growing linkages that exist between international trade and domestic structural policies as liberalisation and globalisation have progressed. These linkages have now become so strong that the distinction that traditionally has been maintained between domestic and trade policies must now be seen as largely artificial. This entails significant challenges for the WTO. The WTO must concern itself with a range of issues that traditionally it has not dealt with, and not all of which are conducive to a rules-based approach. As well as looking at border trade the WTO must continue to expand its focus on behind-the-border issues. It is only by taking this approach that our efforts will have the coherence needed to improve the functioning of international markets and to maintain the momentum for liberalisation in future. This Ministerial Conference comes, therefore, at a crucial point. Not only do recent events make very apparent the need to continue to work for more open markets for the benefit of all WTO members, but it is critical that appropriate Ministerial decisions are made at this juncture to ensure not only continued vigorous implementation of the Uruguay Round result and the launch of the mandated negotiations at the end of next year, but also a future trade liberalisation agenda. What more appropriate moment to demonstrate our united resolve to work for the success of Uruguay Round implementation and these resumed negotiations than on the fiftieth birthday of the GATT/WTO? And what more appropriate moment than this important anniversary to declare our joint intention to be even more ambitious in moving the trade liberalisation process vigorously ahead? The Uruguay Round agreements provided an impressive range of new concessions, commitments and rules across a much wider range of trading activity than ever before. Good progress has been made on implementation in an improved but not yet perfect system. But there are still problems -- which relate often to areas of the agreements that are unclear or to issues that were not covered satisfactorily by discussions in the Uruguay Round. Trade-distorting subsidies, the curtailing of market access, and the erection of new barriers to trade continue. We acknowledge and sympathise with the concerns of a number of developing countries relating to the need for continued and focussed attention to be given to Uruguay Round implementation. We agree that there is much unfinished business here which must not be lost sight of. Equally, we acknowledge that many developing countries are experiencing resource problems in undertaking some of their quite extensive WTO commitments, and this situation too must be approached in a realistic and supportive manner. These problems must be tackled - but tackled in the context of moving forward the trade liberalisation agenda in the interests of developing a system that can deliver more. Negotiations in agriculture and services are already mandated to begin in 1999/2000, and substantive preparations must be made for these. But in order for us all to link our individual broader trade liberalisation efforts, and also to engage all participants to the maximum so successful negotiations can be achieved, further broad-based, comprehensive multilateral trade negotiations are inevitable. Each economy must feel that there will be real benefit in participation, with their key interests part of the negotiating package. For this reason the negotiations must be wider than those already mandated, and should include industrials in addition to agriculture and services. Electronic commerce, which encompasses all of these latter areas, has recently been highlighted in the WTO as a cross-cutting issue that must also be included in these wider negotiations. We should not, as governments, be closed to the reality of an expanding and changing global trading environment, which in terms of overall trade is seeing a lessening rate of growth in traditional trade in goods and services, and much greater growth in trade by electronic means, including the internet. Agriculture remains of key interest for New Zealand. We look forward to a strong, clear outcome of the mandated negotiations which will place agriculture on the same basis as trade in other goods and achieve a fair and market-oriented agricultural trading system. We look forward to an end to agricultural export subsidies, including government-subsidised export credits. We look forward to improved market access, where the access opportunities are commercially viable and are not blocked through prohibitive tariffs. And we look forward to the elimination of trade-distorting domestic subsidies. Domestic polices in many countries are already heading in this direction; we now have to work on the crucial trade dimension. But if any of us are to achieve our objectives in any sector we will need widened negotiations in which each can pursue their own key interests. All participants need to perceive advantage in serious engagement. For the overall process of trade liberalisation to remain multilateral it needs to be broad-based. With a view to further supporting the primacy of the multilateral trading system, WTO Members should pursue with vigour stronger and deeper multilateral trade liberalisation which addresses the interests of all trading countries. Equally, it will be important in future negotiations to clarify and strengthen the GATT/WTO rules that regulate regional trade initiatives. In these ways, we will ensure that regional initiatives support the multilateral process. So our agenda must be ambitious, in order for all to achieve their objectives. A fiftieth birthday is a time to take stock. We can be well satisfied with what we have achieved. But now we should look at how to maintain the momentum of trade liberalisation into the future. A further round of broad-based negotiations, and a timely conclusion to these negotiations, is the way forward. Therefore, let us make sure at this conference that as well as setting in train substantive preparations for the mandated negotiations in 1999 as soon as possible, a strong, substantive, coherent negotiating package for new, broad-based negotiations will emerge by next year for decision by Ministers, which does not prejudge the nature and scope of the negotiations by the exclusion of potentially new areas. Let us look to the future, with clearsightedness, resolve and determination, for the good of all member countries, and of the future generations of us all. Home || Ministers || Policies || Speeches || Search|| Departments ----------------------------------- http://www.executive.govt.nz/minister/smith/s980519.htm From tpl at cheerful.com Sun Aug 30 08:00:31 1998 From: tpl at cheerful.com (tpl@cheerful.com) Date: Sun, 30 Aug 1998 07:00:31 +0800 Subject: [asia-apec 592] VFA and the Anti-Terrorism Bill: Boon or Bane? Message-ID: <3.0.3.32.19980830070031.006af574@pop.skyinet.net> >KARAPATAN >Press Statement >Reference: Antonio Liongson, KARAPATAN Deputy Secretary General > >VFA and Anti-Terrorism Bill: >A boon to the US, >A bane to the Filipino people > >Human rights advocates join other militant organizations and individuals >in opposing the ratification of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) between the US and Philippine governments. > >According to Antonio Liongson, deputy secretary general of KARAPATAN, >“It is not coincidental that Defense Secretary Orlando Mercado >is also pushing for the certification of the Anti-Terrorism Bill as an >amendment to the Immigration Act of 1940. Foreign Secretary Siazon’s >admission that the VFA will one-sidedly benefit US military forces and >Secretary Mercado’s affirmation that the proposed amendments to the >Immigration Act is precipitated by the bombings of the US Embassies in >Africa, show the Philippine government’s subservience to US interest.” > >Liongson averred that “the true meaning of the VFA to the Filipino people >is - Violence, climate of Fear, and Attacks against the toiling masses.” > >With the ratification of the VFA, there will be rampant violation of the >peoples’ rights in the country and the Asia-Pacific region. “Since the VFA >provides that the US military forces could enter and utilize the country’s >twenty-two ports anytime, human rights violations perpetrated by US >military personnel could happen to anybody, anywhere and everywhere. Our >grave experience with the US military bases should have taught us enough,” >said Liongson. > >Liongson cited incidents of human rights violations at a time when the US >military bases were still in the country. In 1987, Lourdes >Ramos, 39 years old, was arrested by two American personnel while >scavenging inside the Clark Air Base. At gunpoint, she was forced to take >off her clothes and was raped by her captors. In another incident, on >April 21, 1987, Isagani Pioquinto and Rowena Custodia were sprayed with >bullets when they passed by the Crow Valley Firing Range. The two victims >sustained multiple gunshot wounds. > >Worse, the VFA does not guarantee that local courts will have jurisdiction >over American personnel committing criminal acts. Should there be a crime >perpetrated by an American soldier it could very well be passed-off as “an >act of official duty” and/or the US may compel the Philippine government to >turn over the suspect to them. > >“This shows that the agreement is one-sided, with the US government getting >the better end of the deal, as the case has always been. We believe there >is a hidden agenda here, that is, the granting of immunity to American >offenders,” Liongson averred > >Under the VFA, there is no provision preventing the entry of weapons of >mass destruction (nuclear, chemical and biological) into the country. And >the poor Filipinos could not scrutinize or even question what their 'Big >Brothers' are bringing in as pasalubong (gifts).“With its loopholes on the issue >of nuclear weapons, the Filipino people will be living dangerously and >under a climate of uncertainty and fear. Accidents or leaks will be costly >to the lives of the people and would imminently harm the environment,” said >Liongson. > >“The Americans need the VFA, we don’t. With all its loopholes and >one-sidedness, the VFA can only be advantageous to the US. It is obvious >that the Americans are using this strategy of creating military allies to >secure its economic and political interests in the Asia-Pacific region.” > >“On the other hand, Mercado’s Anti-Terrorism Bill can be utilized >to intimidate the people’s militant anti-imperialist struggles.” > >“The VFA is an attack on the Filipino people and undermines our >sovereignty. Only the Violent Forces of America will be protected by both >the VFA and the Anti-Terrorism Bill. It is highly probable that the >ratification of the VFA and the Anti-Terrorism Bill will spur the >commission of human rights violations in the country. And while the >Estrada government acts fast in giving protection to the US, it drags its >feet in providing justice to the victims of human rights violations,” >Liongson concluded.### > >---------------------------------------------------------------------- >KARAPATAN (Alliance for the Advancement of People's Rights) >23-D Mabuhay St., Central District, Diliman, Quezon City, PHILIPPINES >Tel. Nos. (++632) 434-1865 / 435-7828 >Permanent E-mail Address: karapatan@bigfoot.com >Permanent Web Address: http://www.bigfoot.com/~karapatan >---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > From cmuban at essex.ac.uk Mon Aug 31 21:15:48 1998 From: cmuban at essex.ac.uk (C M U Banda) Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1998 13:15:48 +0100 (British Summer Time) Subject: [asia-apec 593] Re: RECENT US BOMBINGS In-Reply-To: <3.0.3.32.19980829190312.006ae9bc@pop.skyinet.net> Message-ID: On Sat, 29 Aug 1998 19:03:12 +0800 tpl@cheerful.com wrote: > >Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1998 12:22:38 -0700 > >From: KARAPATAN > > > >Press statement > >25 August 1998 > >Reference: Antonio Liongson, KARAPATAN Deputy Secretary General > > > > U.S., THE NUMBER ONE TERRORIST AND BULLY IN THE WORLD > > > >“Under the pretext of retaliating against the bombings of the US embassies > >in Kenya and Tanzania, the United States resorted to bullying and terrorism > >to remind the world that it is still the most dominant military power. > >According to a high ranking US official, it will use all means to protect > its > In all what you have said try to think of the innocent Kenyans and Tanzanians who have no power to retalliate and cannot speak out because nobody will listen. Ask an ordinary Kenyan and Tanzanian whether what the US did was right or wrong they will tell you they do not care. How do we stand up for the cause of the oppressed people in the Middle East if they do not care how many Africans they slaughter in the name of fighting imperialism.Does an African life really matter in world politics.Why should the bombing of a pharmaceutical company overshadow what happened in Kenya. Please before you condemn America unequivocally condemn the people who bombed Kenya and Tanzania.Iam telling you if Moi(the Kenyan President ) had his way and power he would have declared war on the people who shelter those who caused such devastation in Kenya. What America did in Sudan and Afghanistan does not comew close to the brutality that occured in Kenya .So let us wake up and stop bluffing. Bye,