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, migrants 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
FTA Watch Thailand
Global Network Philippines
Globalization Monitor, Hong Kong
Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions (HKCTU)
Institute for Global Justice, Indonesia
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
Women¹s March Against Poverty and Globalization (WELGA)
Womyns Agenda for Change, Cambodia
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