[asia-apec 1679] People's Caravan 2000 Culminates in Massive Protest against TNC's

[Anuradha Mittal]

People's Caravan 2000 Culminates in Massive Protest Against TNCs and
Corporate Globalization

Thousands of farmers belonging to the Kilusang Magbubukid ng
Pilipinas (KMP) and 20 foreign participants are building to a climax
of the "People's Caravan 2000 - Land and Food Without Poisons" today.
After the successful activities in India and Bangladesh, the
international Caravan ends today with a massive protest rally against
globalization and for genuine agrarian reform to achieve food
security, social justice, and land and food without poisons.

The last day of the caravan brings the participants from the
Department of Agriculture, where they held a vigil, to the office of
Monsanto in Makati. According to the Caravan participants, the
company deserves a notice of eviction, as it is one of the biggest
transnational corporations (TNCs) that have become notorious for
pushing harmful pesticides and genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
Simultaneous protest actions are being held in front of the Monsanto
office in General Santos City in Mindanao. The culminating activity
is a rally in front of the US embassy to commemorate "One Year since
Seattle" and condemn US domination on Asian agriculture.

"Marginalized communities all over Asia are making a stand against
globalization and TNC control of their lives, including increased
pesticide use, the onslaught of genetic engineering, increased
landlessness, and the erosion of food security," said Ms. Sarojeni
Rengam, executive director of Pesticide Action Network Asia and the
Pacific (PAN AP). She added: "Now the people are fighting back."

Mr. Ganarai Dorairaj Xavier of the Society for Rural Education and
Development (SRED) of India joined the Caravan from the very start on
November 13. He said that the People's Caravan is an expression of
the frustration of millions of peasants, fisherfolk and indigenous
people with the exploitation by landlords and TNCs of their lands and
food, and ultimately their lives.

Bangladeshi Mr. Rafiqul Haque of UBINIG (Policy Research for
Development Alternatives) advised Philippine farmers to junk the
seeds and pesticides of the TNCs altogether. Habibur Rahman, a farmer
from Nayakrishi Andolon (New Agriculture Movement), added: "the
Bangladeshi farmers reject genetically engineered rice and I was
pleased to learn about the strong resistance here in the Philippines."

"The People's Caravan is an important development in the increasing
solidarity among Asian farmers against imperialist globalization,"
KMP chair Rafael Mariano said. "We have forged an International
Alliance against Agrochemical TNCs in order to continue this
struggle," he added.

Mariano explained that it is through the International Monetary Fund
(IMF), the World Bank and the World Trade Organization (WTO) that
farmers are driven from their lands and become virtual slaves of the
poison industry. According to the peasant leader, these problems even
worsened in the Philippines under the Estrada administration.

"One year ago, the WTO sparked massive protest in Seattle," he said,
"and we will continue to oppose liberalization, privatization and
deregulation as long as they are wreaking havoc on the peasantry."

The People's Caravan 2000 is organized by PAN AP; the Tamil Nadu
Women's Forum and SRED from India; UBINIG and the Nayakrishi Andolon
of Bangladesh; and KMP in collaboration with SHISUK (Bangladesh);
CIKS and PREPARE (India); Gita Pertiwi (Indonesia); NESSFE (Japan);
CACPK (Korea); and Food First (USA).

For more information about the People's Caravan please go to 
http://www.foodfirst.org

Join the fight against hunger. For more information contact foodfirst at foodfirst.org.

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