Silence the Guns, Stop the Killings!
by La Vía Campesina
Silence the Guns, Stop the Killings! [1]
Published on Thursday, 29 October 2015 18:16
(Turkey, October 29, 2015) We peasants are the ones who watch over a
plant as it comes into leaf and grows tall; who plant seeds, seedlings
and saplings in the earth; who are filled with joy when we observe their
healthy progress; who lose sleep when they fall sick; who care for our
animals like our children.
Yet now, we are losing sleep over events in the Middle East and Turkey,
we are following developments with great concern. Why? Because war
strikes small farmers first. Peasants are being forced to abandon their
villages and land. Peasant families are not only losing their land, but
also their lives, and they are being forced to migrate. Forests are now
being destroyed, the water is being polluted and nature faces ruin.
Each new dawn brings more news of massacres. News of massacres in Turkey
have been added to the already devastating news of massacres in Syria
and Iraq.
In June, a bomb exploded in Suruç the midst of a gathering of young
people who wanted to take some toys to children in Kobanî, and 33 of
them lost their lives. Instead of finding and capturing the perpetrators
of the Suruç Massacre by the government, we observe an increasing of
police operations targeting progressive and democratic forces. Young
people are dying: It makes no difference whether they are soldiers or
civilians, Kurdish or Turkish. The peace process has now been declared
to have been put "on ice". The policies of the current government are
dividing the people in Turkey along lines of race, nationality and
religious denomination. Every single social demand, every step for
democratic progress is being stifled under oppression.
The AKP government and the President have failed to accept the outcome
of the June 7, 2015 general election, taking advantage of
anti-democratic laws and legal loopholes. The formation of a new
government has been blocked; and the President has announced a new snap
election.
Then, bombs exploded on 10 October in the midst of a peace rally that
opposed the policies that rapidly polarize the country and lead to a
civil and international war. The rally aimed to raise the voice of peace
over war and was organized by DISK (Confederation of Revolutionary Trade
Unions), KESK (Confederation of Public Workers Unions), TMMOB (Union of
Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects), and TTB (Turkish Medical
Association). Dozens of mass organizations, including Çiftçi-Sen, and
left political parties supported the rally. According to official
figures, 97 peace defenders were murdered and 400 were injured in the
capital city of the country in front of the eyes of the state
authorities.
In light of recent events, we demand that the international community
and everyone across the world who cares for justice and peace put
pressure on the AKP government and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to
abandon their policy of war and anti-democratic practices to Silence the
Guns and Stop the Killings!
_Çiftçi-Sen (Small Farmer Unions Confederation in Turkey)_
Links:
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[1]
http://viacampesina.org/en/index.php/main-issues-mainmenu-27/human-rights...
9 years, 2 months
"Together, we can cool the planet!" - full video
by La Vía Campesina
"Together, we can cool the planet!" - full video [1]
Published on Friday, 16 October 2015 14:55
[2](Harare, October 16, 2015) For many years, La Vía Campesina and
GRAIN have been telling the world about how the agroindustrial food
system causes half of all greenhouse gas emissions. But the world's
governments are refusing to face these problems head on, and the Paris
Summit in December is approaching without any effective commitment to
doing so on their part.
This new video (Together, we can cool the planet [3]!) by La Vía
Campesina and GRAIN gives you the information you need to understand how
the agroindustrial food system is impacting our climate, and at the same
time what we can do to change course and start cooling the planet. And
every single one of us is part of the solution!
In the Americas, Asia, Europe and Africa, for many years, we have been
criticizing false solutions to climate change like GMOs, the "green"
economy, and "climate-smart" agriculture. No two ways about it: the
solution to the climate crisis is in the hands of small farmers, along
with consumers who choose agroecological products from local markets.
This is the message we're taking to the Paris Climate Change Conference
this December.
Join the campaign! Share this video! Together, we can cool the planet!
[3]
More information at:
http://tv.viacampesina.org [4]
http://viacampesina.org [5]
http://www.grain.org [6]
Food and Climate:
https://www.grain.org/article/categories/526-food-and-climate [7]
Follow us on Facebook and Twitter:
https://www.facebook.com/viacampesinaOFFICIAL [8]
@via_campesina [9]
facebook.com/GRAIN.org [10];
@GRAIN_org
Links:
------
[1]
http://viacampesina.org/en/index.php/actions-and-events-mainmenu-26/-clim...
[2]
http://viacampesina.org/en/images/2015-10-15%20GrainLVC%20videoccen%201.png
[3] http://tv.viacampesina.org/Together-we-can-cool-the-planet?lang=en
[4] http://tv.viacampesina.org/
[5] http://viacampesina.org/
[6] http://www.grain.org
[7] https://www.grain.org/article/categories/526-food-and-climate
[8] https://www.facebook.com/viacampesinaOFFICIAL
[9] https://twitter.com/via_campesina
[10] http://facebook.com/GRAIN.org
9 years, 2 months
Brazil: MPA holds a historic peasant congress to build food sovereignty
by La Vía Campesina
Brazil: MPA holds a historic peasant congress to build food sovereignty
[1]
Published on Wednesday, 14 October 2015 20:58
[2]
More than 4 thousands people, from all Brazilian States, have left their
homes and farms to join caravans from different regions of the country
towards Sao Paulo, to attend the First National Peasants Congress of
MPA, the Small-Farmers Movement of Brazil, member of La Via Campesina.
The symbolic Pavilion of Vera Cruz, the same place where the biggest
trade union in Brazil, the CUT, and the Workers Party (Partido dos
Trabalhadores) were founded, decades ago.
MPA has mobilised thousands of rural women and men to come together and
consolidate all the work the movement has been doing in the last 20
years and reaffirm their class identity as peasants. MPA is re-affirming
at this congress the strategic alliance between rural peasants and urban
workers.
"This congress has the task to put together what we have built so far in
various areas such as health, food production, work on seeds, youth and
organisational strengthening. Now, we want to take a great step and
consolidate our understanding as a peasant class that we need to
articulate with the workers class", said Isabel Ramalho, from MPA
National Board.
For Deolinda Carrizo, representative of CLOC-Via Campesina, this
Congress represents the strength of an organised peasantry, not only in
Brazil, but in the world.
"This congress represents the struggle for Food Sovereignty, represents
the call and action in defence of land, in order to fulfil the social
mission of feeding the world. It is an inspiring event", said Carrizo.
Former Brazil president, Inacio Lula da Silva, attended the opening of
the Congress. Lula started by stressing that the congress is a gold
moment in the history of Brazil. In his speech, Lula reminded the
participants that the Peasant (and workers) struggle is not only a
struggle for land and food. "As small-scale producers you are a social,
economic but also political agents. Your struggle is in fact a political
one". Lula said that, to call on Brazil Social Movements to take clear
positions when it comes to defend what he called "social revolution"
that Brazil is reported to have achieved in the last decade, by
alleviating poverty in millions of people. Lula mentioned the Bolsa
Familia programme that is believed to have taken 36 million people out
of poverty in ten years.
One of the "achievements" Lula and the current minister of agrarian
development, Patrus Ananias, spoke about in the opening of the Congress
is the famous Food Purchase Programme, in Brazil known as Programa de
Aquisição de Alimentos, that requires that municipalities and federal
facilities (hospital, military headquarters, prisons, university
restaurants and care centres) purchase at least 30% of the total supply
of foodstuffs from small-scale family producers.
"This program is a clear signal that our government is strongly
committed to your work as small-scale producers", stressed Lula.
Although acknowledging the efforts of the former president's government
in the social transformation, Isabel Ramalho of MPA seems not to be
completely impressed.
"It is true that so many people came out of poverty in Brazil, but
social and economic inequalities are still scaring. Solving individual
problems is not enough. We need a structural transformation in this
country", she said.
MOBILIZING THE PEASANTRY TO CHALLENGE AGRIBUSINESS
MPA is mobilising peasants to take the task of building a peasant
agricultural project that fights and challenges the agribusiness model
that is still powerful in Brazil.
"This same government has also allowed the progress of the capital and
of the agribusiness model", said Isabel Ramalho.
Brazil is one of the top agribusiness drivers in the world. The country
has become the world´s top agricultural exporters. In 2012 Brazil
surpassed the United State as the largest buyer of pesticides for its
agriculture.
Agribusiness, which includes biofuels, is responsible for 27% of the
country's GDP and corresponds to at least 37% of the Brazilian export.
The First National Congress takes place in a context of a political
turbulence in Brazil. The gains that former president Lula talked about
may risk being eroded Brazilian President, Workers Party Dilma Rousseff,
is facing strong criticism from conservative right wing sectors. In the
last years, many street protests called even for the impeachment of
President Dilma Rousseff.
Brazilian social movements, however, have taken the stand to support
Dilma Rousseff since, although not always satisfied with the government
policies, "we should not allow a step back on what we have achieved in
this country", said Willian Clementino, from National Confederation of
Farmworkers.
_The communication team of the MPA Peasants Congress_
Links:
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[1]
http://viacampesina.org/en/index.php/news-from-the-regions-mainmenu-29/18...
[2]
http://viacampesina.org/en/images/stories/agrarianreform/congress-mpa.jpg
9 years, 2 months
Peasants’ rights belong to peasants! Don’t take a single one away!
by La Vía Campesina
Peasants' rights belong to peasants! Don't take a single one away! [1]
Published on Saturday, 10 October 2015 00:33
FINAL STATEMENT OF LA VIA CAMPESINA DURING THE SIXTH SESSION OF THE
GOVERNING BODY OF THE INTERNATIONAL TREATY ON PLANT GENETIC RESOURCES
FOR FOOD AND AGRICULTURE. ROME, OCTOBER 9TH, 2015
[2]
_Thank you Mr. Chair. Ladies and Gentlemen,_
30 years ago, in this very same room, civil society already suggested
the debate on farmers' rights to the FAO. Now, 30 years have gone by; an
entire generation. Finally, the Treaty was approved but in reality, its
implementation is still incomplete.
Together with many farmers' seed networks from across the world, La Via
Campesina has warned about the risk of abuses created by the
collaboration between the Secretariat and Divseek regarding the access
to plant genetic resources and Farmers' Rights. The time has come to
reiterate our warning: it must not be allowed that the violations of the
principles and rules of governance of the Treaty lead to its
destruction. Now, it seems that the Treaty is becoming a "gigabyte
treaty" which does not defend farmers' rights, in situ conservation, nor
peasant seeds.
Given the speed at which the negotiations on the Global Information
System are taking place, the Treaty must cease to cooperate with
DivSeek. Within the next few years, all genetic material held in public
germplasm banks will be sequenced and available for corporations to
access without having to sign a SMTA (Standard Material Transfer
Agreement). This is a violation of the Treaty. We take the Governing
Body's decision to delve into this issue into account. However, we fear
that once this will be done, damage will be irreversible. All resources,
as they become "dematerialized" will end up becoming a part of the
patenting game.
La Via Campesina thanks the Governing Body for having permitted civil
society to suggest a space which enables greater participation. However,
we are outraged by the Governing Body's decision to leave it in the
hands of agricultural research, UPOV and WIPO to define farmers' rights,
without having foreseen participation of national and international
peasants' organizations, which are the ones that keep and renew the
diversity of seeds in their fields.
La Via Campesina thanks the numerous countries which have supported our
suggestions. We also thank the Indonesian government for offering to
host the debate on farmers' rights.
Nevertheless, we decry the behavior of two countries which have set
stumbling blocks in the way of any positive decisions in favor of
farmers' rights.
Doors for increased peasant participation could be opened. But to do so,
first, governments must assume their responsibilities, cooperate fully
and open these doors in their own countries.
The difficulty in realizing Farmers' Rights is due to the fear of
corporations. But we, peasants, are not afraid. The agro industrial
system is depleted. It is destroying our biodiversity, our local seeds
and production systems. And they do not have a "Plan B". What will
happen when all this comes to an end?
For industry, the priority is to maximize profits, as quickly as
possible. Quite to the contrary, the priority, for peasants' is to feed
the world's population and maintain biodiversity, the basis of food
production.
Governments are responsible for making citizens, city dwellers,
consumers and workers participate in this debate.
But if governments do not fulfill their duty, La Via Campesina will take
the initiative to raise awareness among citizens.
La Via Campesina will take action in every country, so that peasants can
participate in defining and implementing their own rights as stipulated
in the Treaty.
_PEASANTS’ RIGHTS BELONG TO PEASANTS!_
_DON’T TAKE A SINGLE ONE AWAY!_
Links:
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[1]
http://viacampesina.org/en/index.php/main-issues-mainmenu-27/biodiversity...
[2] http://viacampesina.org/en/images/Foto%20LVC%20Semillas.jpg
9 years, 2 months
An Open Letter - Threats in Colombia: Serious Concern regarding lack of guarantees
by La Vía Campesina
An Open Letter - Threats in Colombia: Serious Concern regarding lack of
guarantees [1]
Published on Tuesday, 13 October 2015 17:02
TO THE PRESIDENT OF COLOMBIA
TO THE GOVERNMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, THE COUNTRIES OF EUROPE, AND
THE UNITED STATES
TO PUBLIC OPINION
October 13th, 2015
_Subject: Threats in Colombia: Serious Concern regarding lack of
guarantees_
The government of Juan Manuel Santos and the FARC guerrilla movement
recently announced that they had reached an agreement on the topic of
Justice, one of the subject under discussion in their ongoing talks in
Havana. This is an important step, allowing us to look forward with
optimism to the possible signature of an agreement that will bring to an
end the armed conflict between the Colombian government and the FARC
guerillas after more than 60 years of war, we believe that this is a
possibility that must not be lost. Furthermore, we hope that talks,
leading to an eventual agreement, will soon be started with the ELN
guerrilla movement.
At the same time, we see with grave concern that, although there is talk
of peace, there are no safeguards for the activities of the social
organisations that are working to defend social rights and to oppose an
economic model that is deepening inequality and that violates
fundamental rights. We observe that human rights defenders, leaders of
social movements, parties of the Left, people who are trying to recover
their land, and independent journalists continue to be the victims of
threats, acts of harassment, attacks and assassinations that are
perpetrated by paramilitary groups such as the Urabeños, the Rastrojos,
Aguilas Negras or Autodefensas Gaitanistas de Colombia, and others.
As was noted in the latest report on attacks against human rights
defenders from Front Line Defenders, in 2014 Colombia was the country
where there were the most assassinations of human rights defenders, with
a total of 42 victims. The "We are Defenders" programme has signalled
the fact that in the first 6 months of 2015 alone 399 acts of aggression
were committed against human rights defenders and leaders of social
movements; 34 human rights defenders were assassinated.
We particularly want to draw attention to the following recent
incidents:
On October 6th, 2015, a threat signed by the paramilitary group Águilas
Negras was sent to 8 people and 3 organisations. We want to stress the
targetting of Eberto Díaz, member of Fensuagro and a leader of La Via
Campesina International, and of several leaders and spokespeople of the
Agrarian, Peasant, Ethnic, and Popular Summit, as well as of
representatives of the trade union movement and social organisations,
and independent journalists - including: Javier Betancourt, Andrés Gil,
Carlos Ancízar Rico, Guevara Robert Daza, Jaime Cortez Suarez, la
Guardia indígena, Prensa Rural, Julio Roberto Gómez, Jesús Elkin
Rodríguez Moya and the CGT (General Confederation of Labour).
This is not a question of an isolated incident. At the end of September,
a pamphlet was circulated bearing the signature of "the capital bloc of
the águilas negras". The pamphlet contained threats against recognised
communications media, but its main message concerned more than 100
members of social and human rights organisations, members of the office
of the Mayor of Bogotá, and other people connected with local peace
processes - all of whom were declared to be military targets.
To the foregoing must be added: assassinations, disappearances, and
threats against social movement leaders in different regions of the
country. These incidents raise the question as to whether the limited
security measures offered by the government are sufficient or effective.
Conversely, the incidents are evidence of the absence of safeguards for
the essential work of human rights advocacy.
This situation confirms the existence of important anti-peace forces
which want to maintain a state of permanent conflict, in order to
further their own interests. If these criminal groups, whether they be
called paramilitaries or "bacrim" (criminal bands), are not disbanded
and brought before the law - together with those members of the public
security forces who maintain ties with them -- we are certain that they
will become the seed from which renewed conflict will grow.
Only a Peace with guarantees of respect for human rights, and real
guarantees for the work of social organisations in the defence of human
rights, is a Peace with prospects of lasting. It is imperative that the
Colombian State take decisive action and that it disband the
paramilitary groups.
In addition, the international community of friends of the Colombian
peace process: Governments, representatives of civil society, churches,
and international organisations, must state firmly and clearly their
opposition to the actions of these groups and their support for the
legitimate and democratic activities of the different political forces
and social movements. We invite the European Union, in accordance with
its own commitment to human rights, to observe and accompany the work of
human rights defenders in Colombia.
_Signing Organisations:_
* Alianza por la Justicia Global
* All Nepal Peasants' Federation
* Alliance Against Hunger and Malnutrition
* Asociacion Sindical de Trabajadores Bananeros Agricolas y Campesinos
* Attac
* Canadian Community Economic Development Network
* Centro de Documentación en Derechos Humanos "Segundo Montes Mozo
S.J."
* Centro Internazionale Crocevia
* Confederación Sindical de Trabajadores/as de las Americas
* Confédération Paysanne
* Consejo Latinoamericano de Iglesias
* Convergence globale des luttes de la Terre et Eau Ouest Africaine
* Convergence malienne contre les accaparements de terres
* Ecologistas en Accion
* Farmworker Association of Florida
* FOS Andes
* Fundacion Mundubat
* Global Forest Coalition
* GRAIN
* Grupo Sur
* Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy
* La Vía Campesina
* México vía Berlin
* Mouvement contre le Racisme et pour l'Amitié entre les peuples
* Plataforma Interamericana de Derechos Humanos, Democracia y
Desarrollo
* Réseau Maghrébin d'Associations de Développement Local en milieu
Rural
* Sindicato Galego Labrego
* SOA Watch Austin
* SOLdePaz-Pachakuti
* Solidaridad Suecia - America Latina
* Transnational Institute
* Union Paysanne
* Uniterre
* World Forum of Fisher Peoples
Links:
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[1]
http://viacampesina.org/en/index.php/main-issues-mainmenu-27/human-rights...
9 years, 2 months
16th October - International Day of Action for Peoples’ Food Sovereignty and against transnational corporations
by La Vía Campesina
16th October - International Day of Action for Peoples' Food Sovereignty
and against transnational corporations [1]
Published on Monday, 12 October 2015 19:32
CALL FOR ACTION: _AS THE WORLD MARKS WORLD FOOD DAY ON THE 16TH OCTOBER,
WE CALL FOR TRUE SOLUTIONS TO CLIMATE CHANGE, FOR FOOD SOVEREIGNTY, AND
FOR AN END TO THE CORPORATE CONTROL OF OUR FOOD AND OUR LIVES. _
[2](Watch the trailer of the video "Together we can cool the planet!
[3]" to be launched this October 16)
(Harare, October 12, 2015) La Via Campesina calls its members and
allies, and civil society organizations to mobilize and organize actions
on October 16th, THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF ACTION FOR PEOPLES’ FOOD
SOVEREIGNTY AND AGAINST TRANSNATIONAL CORPORATIONS (TNCS). The current
climate, hunger and migrant and refugee crises affecting millions of
peasants, small farmers, families, especially women and youth show that
corporate solutions are false and won't yield human dignity.
TNCs displace and dispossess millions of peasants and family farmers,
women and men of their land, forests, water and territories to set up
profit seeking destructive enterprises.Globally, over 1.2 billion
peasants and their families : ensure food sovereignty and the right to
food by providing up to 80% of locally consumed food and cool the planet
and conserve biodiversity and seeds. On October 16th, let us raise our
voices and resist land grabbing,_so-called climate smart agriculture_
laden with agro-toxins and genetically-modified seeds; and call for a
radical transformation towards a fair and decent food system for all.
_We continue to propose wider adoption of agroecology and the
construction of people's food sovereignty._
The power and impunity of TNCs through _"bribery democracy"_ stifles
peoples' voices in_policies and legislative processes_ at all levels.
Democracy wanes as governing classes scheme with TNCs in search for more
private profits. They use Free Trade Agreements (TTIP, CETA, TTP, EPAs
etc.) to dominate, discriminate and monopolize in an attempt to survive
the capitalist crisis. Neither nature nor humanity are respected but
rather are destroyed and exploited to regenerate TNCs and create new
markets for profits. Thus,millions of affected people leave their
territories, migrate to developed industries countries. The recent surge
in migrants from North Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Latin America
is also a testament to the geopolitical conflicts and neo-liberal
economic interests that cause wars and displacement. _We decry and
denounce the current cruel migration policies, as well as all measures
put in place to prevent or to complicate the free access to Europe
[4][i],US and other developed countries. We denounce the incoherence of
the neoliberal system that claims free access for goods but create
borders for human beings. _We push for a system change that recognizes
peoples' needs, accords dignity and respects nature, and people not
profits!
To globalize the struggle and the hope, share your actions by sending us
(lvcweb(a)viacampesina.org) photographs and videos, marches, forums,
stories and other actions, which we will share through our website
(viacampesina.org/en/ [5]), TV (tv.viacampesina.org/ [6]) and social
media.
-------------------------
[7][i] The European Coordination Via Campesina in solidarity with
migrants [8]; See also We who come from Africa, the Maghreb and other
countries [9]
Links:
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[1]
http://viacampesina.org/en/index.php/main-issues-mainmenu-27/food-soverei...
[2]
http://viacampesina.org/en/images/2015-10-12%20Foto%2016%20Oct%20EN.jpg
[3] http://tv.viacampesina.org/Together-we-can-cool-the-planet?lang=en
[4]
file:///C:/Users/nyoni/Downloads/2015-09-25%20Draft%20call%20for%20October%2016th%202015.docx#_edn1
[5] http://viacampesina.org/en/
[6] http://tv.viacampesina.org/?lang=en
[7]
file:///C:/Users/nyoni/Downloads/2015-09-25%20Draft%20call%20for%20October%2016th%202015.docx#_ednref1
[8]
http://viacampesina.org/en/index.php/main-issues-mainmenu-27/migrations-a...
[9]
http://viacampesina.org/en/index.php/main-issues-mainmenu-27/migrations-a...
9 years, 2 months
Via Campesina and other social movements in Rome to warn against threat of new patents
by La Vía Campesina
VIA CAMPESINA AND OTHER SOCIAL MOVEMENTS IN ROME TO WARN AGAINST THREAT
OF NEW PATENTS [1]
Published on Tuesday, 06 October 2015 15:17
[2]MEDIA RELEASE
(Rome, October 5, 2015) La Via Campesina and other social movements came
to Rome from 5-9 October for the Sixth Session of the Governing Body of
the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and
Agriculture (IT-PGRFA) to warn the Governing Body against the threat of
new patents on native seeds. The Seed Treaty is the only international
agreement that clearly recognizes the right of farmers to save, use,
exchange and sell their seeds. The Member States of the Treaty have the
responsibility of realizing farmers' rights, but so far nothing has been
done. Until now, the Treaty has not been able to guarantee the promised
sharing of benefits. The industry, which has been using our seeds for
breeding, has never paid anything. Quite to the contrary, more than 10
years after it entered into force, we have seen a shift towards the
patenting of our native seeds' genes, thereby turning the Treaty into a
tool of biopiracy, serving industry's interests.
This is why LVC decided to share its concern with the Governing Body of
the Treaty by presenting the statement signed together with many other
peasants' seed networks around the globe. You will find the full text of
the statement here [3]
_Contact in Rome_
Ivan Mammana 0039 3407801399 (ES-EN-FR-IT)
Links:
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[1]
http://viacampesina.org/en/index.php/main-issues-mainmenu-27/biodiversity...
[2] http://viacampesina.org/en/images/2015-10-06-GuyTIRPAA.jpg
[3]
http://viacampesina.org/en/index.php/main-issues-mainmenu-27/biodiversity...
9 years, 3 months
Victory of the peasants’ movement in the struggle for the recognition of their rights within the UN
by La Vía Campesina
Victory of the peasants' movement in the struggle for the recognition of
their rights within the UN [1]
Published on Tuesday, 06 October 2015 15:33
PRESS RELEASE - LA VIA CAMPESINA
(Geneva, October 5, 2015) On the afternoon of October 1st 2015, the
United Nations Human Rights Council adopted by majority a resolution
where it decides that the open-ended intergovernmental working group,
with the mandate to negotiate, finalize and submit to the Human Rights
Council a draft United Nations declaration on the rights of peasants and
other people working in rural areas, shall continue the process for the
next two years.
The resolution was presented by the governments of Bolivia, Ecuador,
Cuba and South Africa and sponsored among others by Switzerland, Brazil,
Eritrea and Argentina, in a joint effort from all regions to support
this decisive step. In the final vote, the US government was the only
one to vote against. The governments of Europe have abstained from
voting and have continued with the same bloc-voting position as in June
2014, in the vote on resolution 26/26. In total, 31 countries voted in
favor, 15 abstained, and only one voted against.*
La Via Campesina, an international movement which brings together more
than 180 organizations from around the world and that represents
approximately 200 million peasants, has together with FIAN and CETIM,
taken a historic momentum to this process by positioning for the first
time within a UN mechanism, a project intended to fill the gaps in human
rights legislation of the rural population and rural fishing
communities, nomadic peoples, pastoralists, rural workers, landless,
rural women and indigenous peoples. The current draft statement
submitted by the government of Bolivia in Geneva in February 2015 during
the last working group, advocates for a universal charter containing a
set of rights in order to improve the conditions of those who live in
rural areas and produce 80% of the food in the world.
In the days before the vote, leaders from all continents were present in
Geneva in order to alert governments about the growing conditions of
exclusion, land grabbing, repression and criminalization faced by
peasants' organizations and the devastating effects of agrochemicals on
the health of rural and peasant population. Meanwhile, national
organizations supported the work done in Geneva by carrying out lobbying
activities in the capitals.
La Via Campesina and alliances redouble efforts to demonstrate that
there is no North-South division in the violations of the rights of the
peasants' population against the reluctance of many northern states to
accept the need for such a statement. La Via Campesina advocates for a
model of peasant agriculture in both the North and the Global South
based on agroecology and equal relations between peasants.
Finally, La Via Campesina wants to express its deep appreciation to the
Governments of Bolivia, South Africa, Cuba and Ecuador for their
continuous efforts within the Human Rights Council to carry out this
initiative emanating from the peasant movement, highlighting an example
of good governance, dialogue and involvement of farmers' organizations,
civil society and governments.
-------------------------
_*__ Results of the vote on the resolution_
In favor (31): Algeria, Botswana, Congo, Ivory Coast, Ethiopia, Gabon,
Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Sierra Leone,
Bangladesh, China, India,Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Maldives, Pakistan,
Saudi Arabia, UAE, Vietnam, Argentina,Bolivia, Brazil, Cuba, El
Salvador, Paraguay, Venezuela, Russia / Votes abstention (15): France,
Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Portugal, United Kingdom, Macedonia,
Montenegro, Latvia, Estonia, Albania, Mexico, Qatar, Japan, Korea /
negative Feedback(1): United States
Links:
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[1]
http://viacampesina.org/en/index.php/main-issues-mainmenu-27/human-rights...
9 years, 3 months
