La Via Campesina | newsletter| We will be stronger in 2019!
by La Via Campesina
*|MC_PREVIEW_TEXT|*
La Via Campesina | e-newsletter | Sept - Dec 2018
"Special Edition"
Donate [1]
This edition of the newsletter is the result of a collective effort of
organisations, which are part of_ La Via Campesina_ movement worldwide.
This is also a SPECIAL EDITION that celebrates the adoption of the _UN
Declaration on Rights of Peasants and Other People Working in Rural
Areas_. We are ending 2018 on a high note, with renewed energies and a
high momentum that will make us stronger in 2019!
To subscribe to our monthly newsletter click here [2]
FINALLY, THE UNITED NATIONS ADOPTS PEASANTS RIGHTS DECLARATION!
_On 17 December 2018, the 73 Session of the United Nations General
Assembly (UNGA 73) in New York adopted the UN Declaration on the Rights
of Peasants and Other People Working in Rural Areas. Now that the
declaration is an international legal instrument, La Via Campesina (LVC)
and its allies will mobilise to support regional and national
implementation processes. With 121 votes in favour, 8 votes against and
54 abstentions, the forum of UNGA representing 193 Member States,
ushered in a new promising chapter in the struggle for the rights of
peasants and other rural communities throughout the world._
Read our press release [3]
RECOMMENDED READING;
* Communique [4] from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the
Plurinational State of Bolivia
* FAO hails landmark UN resolution [5] that enshrines rights of
peasants and rural workers
* UN Human Rights Chief welcomes adoption [6] of the United Nations
Declaration on the Rights of Peasants
* Declaration Represents Huge Advance for Human Rights, reports Common
Dreams [7]
[8]
For more videos and reactions, visit our Facebook page [9]
This UN Declaration can provide a global framework for national
legislation and policies to:
* better protect the rights of peasants - women and men - and improve
livelihoods in rural areas
* reinforce food sovereignty, the fight against climate change and the
conservation of biodiversity
* take actions to implement comprehensive agrarian reform and a better
protection against land-grabbing
* realise the right of peasants to conserve, use, exchange and sell
their seeds
* ensure remunerative prices for peasant production and rights for
agricultural workers
* recognise the rights of peasant women and bring about social justice
for people of all origin, nationality, race, colour, descent. Sex,
language, culture, marital status, property, disability, age, political
or other opinion, religion, birth or economic, social or other status
without discrimination
RELATED ARTICLES FROM 2018
THIRD COMMITTEE APPROVED THE UN DECLARATION IN NOVEMBER
_The resolution was approved by 119 votes in favour, 7 votes against and
49 abstentions. It is a significant leap forward in a campaign led by La
Via Campesina, the world's largest peasant movement supported by many
organizations across the world, including FIAN and CETIM._. Read more
[10]
INFORMATION NOTE ON THE UN DECLARATION
The UN Declaration was originally initiated by the international peasant
movement La Vía Campesina (LVC) over 17 years ago, with other social
movements, mainly supported by - FIAN International and CETIM (Centre
Europe-Tiers Monde) within the UN. Read more ... [11]
UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL PASSED A RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE DECLARATION IN
SEPTEMBER
_Declaration on the Rights of Peasants awaiting final voting and
adoption_
The resolution was passed with 33 votes in favour, 11 abstentions and 3
against. Read more ... [12]
A LIFE OF PEASANT DELEGATES IN GENEVA: UNDERSTANDING THE STRUGGLE
Union of Agricultural Work Committees and Palestinian Peasants Movement
denounced the continuous attacks of Israeli Occupation Naval forces
against the Palestinian fishermen while fishing within the allowed
fishing zone. Read more ... [13]
PEASANT VOICES
Peasant leaders and farmers' representatives from across the
continents react to the news of adoption and explains why the struggle
in their territories will gather more strength now.
[14]
[15]
[16]
[17]
[18]
[19]
[20]
[21]
[22]
YOU ARE AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE AUTONOMY OF OUR MOVEMENT
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As a supporter who has contributed financial resources to La Via
Campesina, and as an activist who joins us on the streets and in the
fields, your support is always welcome and put to good use.
You can renew your contribution to La Via Campesina by clicking here
[1]. [23]
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Twitter [24]
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Facebook [25]
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Vimeo [26]
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For questions or comments, email LVCWEB(a)VIACAMPESINA.ORG
WEBSITE: www.viacampesina.org [27]
TV: www.tv.viacampesina.org [28]
To subscribe to this newsletter - Click Here [2]
Links:
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[1] https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/viacampesina
[2] https://mail.viacampesina.org/lists/listinfo/Via-info-en
[3]
https://viacampesina.org/en/finally-un-general-assembly-adopts-peasant-ri...
[4] http://www.cancilleria.gob.bo/webmre/comunicado/2985
[5]
http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/1175208/icode/?utm_source=twitter&a...
[6]
https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=24026&a...
[7]
https://www.commondreams.org/views/2018/12/18/global-peasant-declaration-...
[8] https://vimeo.com/307418750
[9]
https://www.facebook.com/viacampesinaOFFICIAL/videos/278365602867959/
[10]
https://viacampesina.org/en/united-nations-third-committee-approves-the-u...
[11]
https://viacampesina.org/en/information-note-un-declaration-on-rights-of-...
[12]
https://viacampesina.org/en/un-human-rights-council-passes-a-resolution-a...
[13]
https://viacampesina.org/en/palestine-uawc-denounces-the-continuous-attac...
[14] https://vimeo.com/307419098
[15] https://vimeo.com/308033411
[16] https://vimeo.com/307419120
[17] https://vimeo.com/307419055
[18] https://vimeo.com/307418973
[19] https://vimeo.com/307419027
[20] https://vimeo.com/307418941
[21] https://vimeo.com/307418994
[22] https://vimeo.com/308032630
[23] https://viacampesina.org/en/donations/
[24] http://www.twitter.com/via_campesina
[25] https://www.facebook.com/viacampesinaOFFICIAL/
[26] https://vimeo.com/viacampesina
[27] http://www.viacampesina.org
[28] http://www.tv.viacampesina.org
6 years
Global Compact for Migration is more of the same: migrants as cheap labour, criminalised for simply being migrants
by La Via Campesina
GLOBAL COMPACT FOR MIGRATION (GCM) DOES NOT REPRESENT A CHANGE IN THE
CURRENT OFFENSIVE AGAINST MIGRANTS AND REFUGEES : LA VIA CAMPESINA
At the PEOPLE'S SUMMIT FOR A GLOBAL PACT OF SOLIDARITY WITH MIGRANTS AND
REFUGEES, held in Marrakech December 8th and 9th of 2018, hosted by La
Via Campesina and its member organisations of the Middle East and North
Africa (MeNa) Process, the global peasant movement and its allies have
issued a scathing critique of the Global Compact on Migration and
rejected it.
The Agreement on an International Pact of Solidarity and Unity Of Action
[1] For The Full Rights Of All Migrants And Refugees, that was issued at
the People's Summit reads;
"In this summit, we have concluded that the Global Compact for Migration
(GCM) does not represent a change in the anti-migrant policies and
current offensive against migrants and refugees being waged by many
States, especially of the North. The GCM is more of the same: migrants
as cheap labour, criminalised for simply being migrants. Analysing it
further, we consider the GCM a step backwards with respect to human
rights and the protection of migrants and our families as established in
past International Conventions approved by the United Nations and other
institutions such as the International Labour Organisation (ILO).
While it is true that some countries have decided not to sign the GCM,
this is not the result of their is agreement with the agreement which
represent a step backward regarding migrant rights. Their disagreement
is motivated by a refusal of any multi-lateral engagement on migration.
Those state have clearly stated their anti-migrant position. The GCM
proposes to discipline and organise migration to serve the interests of
States and their true owners, transnational corporations and financial
capital. Other than a few apparent mentions of migrants, human rights
are left beneath security concerns of states and economies.
For the above reasons, we express our public rejection of the Global
Compact for Migration and place in the hands of social movements,
collectives for the protection of migrants' human rights, progressive
States and civil society, our alternative that brings together the
spirit, conclusions and recommendations of our Summit."
Download the Complete Agreement [2]
Links:
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[1]
https://viacampesina.org/en/global-compact-for-migration-gcm-does-not-rep...
[2]
https://viacampesina.org/en/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/12/EN-AGREEME...
6 years
Nyéléni Newsletter | Food Sovereignty at the rural-urban interface
by La Via Campesina
NYÉLÉNI NEWSLETTER: FOOD SOVEREIGNTY AT THE RURAL – URBAN INTERFACE
The rural-urban interface is a complex social space where politics and
culture are in constant flux.
It can also be a physical place, where the wealth and resources of
villages, towns, peri-urban suburbs, and suburbanized rural areas are in
dispute.
Taken globally, it is a vast territory with potential to grow food
sovereignty.
This issue of the Nyéléni Newsletter addresses the challenges and
opportunities of building food sovereignty in peri-urban areas, and the
ways that the producers and consumers of urban and rural communities
form alliances to transform the food system.
Click here to download the English edition [1]
Links:
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[1] http://www.nyeleni.org/ccount/click.php?id=130
6 years
New “genome-editing” techniques generate even more risks to biodiversity
by La Via Campesina
THE BIOTECH INDUSTRY IS TRYING TO BLOCK THE UN CONFERENCE ON
BIODIVERSITY, BUT IT WON'T BLOCK FARMERS
Despite lengthy negotiations, the 14th Conference of Parties of the
Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) ended on 29 November in Sharm
El Sheickh (Egypt), leaving the door open to contamination and
appropriation of all natural biodiversity and the food chain through
patents from the biotech industry.
The "exterminating" GMOs developed using "gene drive" techniques aim at
the permanent eradication of entire species: animals, plants or
microbial. Once dispersed, no border can stop them until they have
completed their deadly mission. The promises to eliminate in this way
any vector of diseases such as malaria mosquitoes are lies: nature
abhors the void and may even reveal new and even more aggressive
vectors. Progressive governments have not been able to obtain the
long-awaited moratorium to prohibit the spread of these chimeras. The
Convention only recommends precautions: risk assessment, consultation
with indigenous or local populations, but above all not with all
interested citizens who could support them against the promoters of the
"gene drives".
By reducing the genetic modifications thus obtained to a simple
dematerialized "information" to fit into computer algorithms, the
industry extends the scope of its patents to all plants, animals or
microorganisms that naturally contain the same "information". The patent
on the genetic information associated with genes that accelerate the
growth of chickens thus allows the appropriation of all naturally fast
growing chickens! We had hoped that this genetic information would be
verified so that we could ban these patents on "native genes".
By multiplying uncontrollable artificial genetic modifications, the new
"genome-editing" techniques generate even more risks to biodiversity,
health and the environment than transgenic GMOs, while violating the
very principles of the CBD. They were expected to be regulated in the
same way as recently decided by the Supreme Court of the European Union.
The Convention confined itself to referring these two issues to new
expert committees. In the meantime, industry can continue to release its
new patented GMOs, even in countries that reject them, but will not be
informed in the absence of binding international standards.
Delegates of the International Planning Committee for Food Sovereignty
(IPC) and La Via Campesina, who participated in Sharm El Sheikh,
strongly denounce the arrogance of a handful of rich countries that
block all reasonable decisions and the hidden tricks of industry that
has corrupted some representatives of developing countries to create the
illusion of meaningful support for their new patented chimeras.
Until stronger international decisions are taken, it is up to each
country now to oppose all patented GMOs, whatever they may be. The
millions of farmers in La Via Campesina, as well as all IPC
organizations, will work with their many civil society allies to do so.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
Antonio Gonzalez (ES) - atunkuljay(a)gmail.com
Guy Kastler (FR) - guy.kastler(a)wanadoo.fr
Marciano da Silva (ES) - marcianotol71(a)yahoo.com.br
Genevieve Lalumiére (FR-EN) - genevieve.lalumiere(a)gmail.com
https://viacampesina.org/en/the-biotech-industry-is-trying-to-block-the-u...
6 years, 1 month