We, representatives of peasant organizations, women, migrants, workers,
urban and rural poor, fisherfolks, social movements and civil society
organizations from East and Southeast Asia call for the rejection of the
revival of the Doha “Development” Round.
We condemn and urgently call the attention of others to the attempts of the
big trading powers to revive the Doha “Development” Round with unfair and
imbalanced texts as the basis of further negotiations. The Agriculture and
Non-Agricultural Market Access (NAMA) texts clearly reflects the interests
of the developed countries and further shows that the Doha Round is
essentially about increasing market access and should not be equated to
development.
The negotiations continue to ignore and undermine the demands of developing
countries for more flexibilities to protect its small farmers, fishers and
workers. The current texts show that the developed countries are demanding
much more from developing countries in exchange for nothing. In agriculture,
while the US and EU maintain their subsidies, they demand that the
developing countries not have the right to special products (SP) and special
safeguard mechanisms (SSM) which are mechanisms to protect their small
farmers from import surges and volatile markets. In NAMA, they are demanding
for a drastic reduction of industrial and fisheries tariffs in developing
countries that could lead to huge job losses, deindustrialization and
devastation of small fisherfolk.
We reiterate our call to end the Doha Round and reject all attempts to
revive it, knowing that in the three major areas of negotiations –
agriculture, NAMA and services – the majority of proposals under discussion
are designed to protect and promote the interests of the rich countries and
transnational corporations.
After 12 years of the World Trade Organization, it is clear that the
promises of development are false and instead it has further impoverished
the people and lead to the loss of land, access and control of fishing
grounds and other natural resources, jobs and livelihoods. The WTO is an
instrument of neo-liberal globalization and inherently anti-development.
Trade should not be at the expense of our right to food, agriculture,
fisheries, public services, natural resources and livelihoods.
In East and Southeast Asia, we have experienced firsthand and continue to
suffer from the negative impacts of neo-liberal economic policies as same as
with other peoples across the world. If the Doha “Development” Round is
concluded and these unfair trade agreements are implemented, millions will
lose their jobs and livelihoods and will further impoverish the majority of
the people in the region.
Our vision of alternative trade relations is based on the principles of food
sovereignty, secure and sustainable jobs and livelihoods, human rights,
workers rights, universal access to services, womens equality and rights,
democracy and peoples participation in decision making and environmental
sustainability.
We call on our governments to abandon the attempts to revive the Doha
“Development” Round, it should not be saved at the expense of the people. We
call on our governments to listen to the demands of its people and begin
working with us in building alternative trade relations. A world without the
WTO is not only possible but necessary.
We commit to mobilize at the national, regional and international levels to
stop the revival of the Doha “Development” Round. We call on other
movements, peoples organizations and civil society groups to join us in our
struggle to end the Doha Round.
Globalize hope, globalize the struggle!
SIGNED:
Alliance of Progressive Labor, Philippines
Anti Debt Coalition (KAU), Indonesia
Asian Migrant Center, Hong Kong
ATTAC Japan
Center for Economic Democracy Studies, University of Gadjah Mada,
Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Federation of Indonesian Peasant Union (FSPI), Indonesia
Focus on the Global South
Global Network – Philippines
Jubilee South-Asia Pacific Movement on Debt and Development (APMDD)
Kababaihan ng Kilusang Mangingisda (Women of Fisherfolk
Movement-Philippines)
KALAYAAN (Katipunan para sa pagpapalaya ng sambayanan-Philippines)
Kilusan para sa Pambansang Demokrasya (Movement for National
Democracy-Philippines)
Kilusang Mangingisda (Fisherfolk Movement-Philippines)
Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU)
Migrant Forum in Asia
Pagkakaisa ng Kababaihan para sa Kalayaan
Stop the New Round! Coalition Philippines
Woman Health Philippines
Women’s March Against Poverty and Globalization (WELGA)
Womyns Agenda for Change, Cambodia
