Musicians Against the WTO
Filipino musicians are Rocking Against the Round this Friday, July 25 at Mogwai in Cubao X, Metro Manila, PHILIPPINES, joining activists around the world in the global call to reject the Doha “Development” Round.
The World Trade Organization (WTO) is holding a Mini-Ministerial this week – July 21-26 in its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. This informal meeting being hosted by WTO Director General Pascal Lamy aims to conclude the Doha “Development” Round but is only being participated in by around 30 trade ministers out of the more than 140 plus members of the WTO and is using unfair and imbalanced texts as the basis of negotiations.
Launched in Doha, Qatar, seven years ago, the Doha Round of negotiations has moved farther and farther away from its promises of development for developing countries. Instead, what can be seen from the texts being used in the talks is the push of developed countries for more market access in goods and services, while refusing to heed the demands of developing countries for rich countries to end their trade distorting subsidies in agriculture.
Civil society organizations, social movements and activists around the world are calling for the rejection of the Doha “Development” Round. Many have stated that Doha is the problem, not the solution to the current global crisis of rising food prices.
“What is happening in the WTO, the domination by the rich over the poor, the powerful over the powerless is colonialism revisited. Only now it goes by the name globalization. Artists today like those that resisted colonialism in the past must act against and inspire resistance to the oppression and domination” said musician Jess Santiago.
Filipino musicians are joining this worldwide call to reject the so-called Development Round. Musicians including Noel Cabangon, Jess Santiago, Pedicab, Peryodiko, Radioactive Sago Project, Village Idiots and Sandwich are all Rocking Against the Round this Friday, July 25 at Mogwai in Cubao X.
“In these times, for musicians and artists to be apathetic in face of a reprehensible anti-people force like the WTO is a criminal act” said Lourd de Veyra of Radioactive Sago Project.
The event, Rock Against the Round is co-organized by Focus on the Global South, Freedom from Debt Coalition, Jubilee South-Asia Pacific Movement on Debt and Development, Stop the New Round! Coalition, Tambuyog Development Center and Kilusang Mangingisda.
Entrance is free. Show starts at 8pm, Friday, July 25 at Mogwai, Cubao X.
For more information, please contact: Gerry Arances at [email protected] or Mary Lou Malig at [email protected]
