La Vía Campesina | Colombia Peace Agreement "Ceasefire" Bulletin | III Edition 2020
by La Via Campesina
La Vía Campesina | "Ceasefire" Bulletin | III Edition 2020
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This bulletin is the result of a collective effort by La Via Campesina
to share information on the implementation of the Peace Agreement in
Colombia.
To subscribe click here [2]
LA VIA CAMPESINA: COLOMBIA PEACE PROCESS CHARACTERIZED BY NON-COMPLIANCE
AND SURGE IN VIOLENCE
November 24th was the fourth anniversary of the day when the Colombian
State and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC-EP) signed an
agreement to end the oldest armed conflict in Latin America.The hope
that this event had raised among Colombian people and the whole world
four years ago has vanished since then.Read more ... [3]
FEATURED ARTICLES
COLOMBIA PEACE PROCESS: FORUM IN NOVEMBER 2020 CALLS FOR COMPREHENSIVE
AGRARIAN REFORM
On November 24th, La Via Campesina organized a forum to celebrate the
4th anniversary of the signing of the Peace Agreement in Colombia with
the objective of sharing reflections on the state of implementation of
the Agreement, as well as the challenges facing the peace-building
process in the country.
Read more ... [4]
COLOMBIA PEACE PROCESS: THE ABANDONMENT OF THE PNIS AND THE RESUMPTION
OF THE "WAR ON DRUGS"
Undoubtedly, the economic, political and social dimensions of drug
trafficking have been one of the main factors favoring the persistence
of the armed conflict in Colombia. The Peace Agreement includes a
chapter aimed at transforming the logic of the failed war on drugs with
comprehensive programs to transform the most affected territories,
hitting the strongest links in the chain and adopting a differentiated
penal treatment for the weakest sectors such as growers and consumers;
_INTEGRATED NATIONAL PROGRAM FOR THE SUBSTITUTION OF ILLICITLY USED
CROPS – PNIS, __contemplated in point 4 of the Peace Agreement._ Read
more ... [5]
COLOMBIA: A PEACE AGREEMENT THAT IGNORES DIFFERENTIAL APPROACHES
Reports from various entities monitoring the peace process agree that
the degree of implementation of the whole Agreement is limited to the
legislative execution of the commitments, there is little progress in
actual delivery of the transformative challenges of the Agreement. The
implementation of the chapters on gender and ethnicity, to date, follows
the same logic and there's only advancements in normative and
enunciative matters, but none at all has been made in the development of
policies containing concrete actions.Read more ... [6]
COLOMBIA PEACE PROCESS UPDATE: COMPREHENSIVE RURAL REFORM – ONLY 4%
COMPLETION!
Since the signing of the Peace Agreement on November 24, 2016, the
normative development of the Comprehensive Rural Reform - CRR has been
limited to the creation of the Development Programs with Territorial
Approach - PDETs, the creation of the Land Fund, the adoption of the
procedure for the Formalization of Property, the initiation of the
Multipurpose Cadastre, and the adoption of 6 National Plans for the
Comprehensive Rural Reform - PNCRR. Read more ... [7]
COLOMBIA PEACE PROCESS UPDATE: "IF WE SPEAK, THEY KILL US, IF WE STAY
QUIET, THEY KILL US TOO"
"If we speak, they kill us, if we stay quiet, they kill us too", this is
the statement of one of the Minga representatives who arrived in Bogotá
on October 17.
Close to 10,000 indigenous, peasant and Afro-descendent people travelled
around 600 km from their territories to the capital, their objective: to
call for respect for the lives of indigenous peoples, Afro-descendants
and peasant communities, for their right to land tenure and for the
implementation of the Peace Agreement. In the words of an indigenous
reservation leader:
. Read more ... [8]
PRESS RELEASE: CLOC DENOUNCES ARBITRARY ARRESTS OF PEASANT LEADERS IN
COLOMBIA
The intensification of violence and stigmatisation of social movements
in South America has increased in an abysmal fashion. The pandemic has
become an occasion for further dispossession, stigmatisation, and
violence in countries like Paraguay, Brazil, Chile, Peru, Columbia, and
in general, the majority of countries in the lower region. These actions
are meant to stomp out resistance through the extermination of peasants,
students, workers, and social organisations more broadly. Read more...
[9]
YOU ARE AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE AUTONOMY OF OUR MOVEMENT
-------------------------
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 [1]clicking here
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--
Viviana Rojas Flores (Biby)
La Via Campesina International Operative Secretary (based in Ecuador)
Email: viviana.rojas(a)viacampesina.org
Phone: (593) 995213177
Skype: bebebiby
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/la-via-campesina-colombia-peace-process-chara...
[4]
https://viacampesina.org/en/colombia-peace-process-forum-in-november-2020...
[5]
https://viacampesina.org/en/colombia-peace-process-the-abandonment-of-the...
[6]
https://viacampesina.org/en/colombia-a-peace-agreement-that-ignores-diffe...
[7]
https://viacampesina.org/en/colombia-peace-process-update-comprehensive-r...
[8]
https://viacampesina.org/en/colombia-peace-process-update-human-rights-if...
[9]
https://viacampesina.org/en/press-release-cloc-denounces-arbitrary-arrest...
[10] https://viacampesina.org/en/donations/
[11] http://www.twitter.com/via_campesina
[12] https://www.facebook.com/viacampesinaOFFICIAL/
[13] https://vimeo.com/viacampesina
[14] http://www.viacampesina.org
[15] http://www.tv.viacampesina.org
4 years
Ten Years of Nyeleni Newsletter: Much to Celebrate!
by La Via Campesina
A decade ago, the movements of peasants, fisherfolk, shepherds, women,
migrants, workers, young people, and indigenous peoples sowed a crucial
seed in the defence of Food Sovereignty and the right to food - the
Nyéléni Newsletter.
During this ten year germination period, we have shared challenges,
experiences, reflections, and acts of unity. In recent times, the
COVID-19 pandemic has reaffirmed the fundamental role of those who feed
communities in a healthy, fair, and sustainable manner. Alarmingly, we
have also witnessed how extractive capitalism, authoritarianism and
agribusinesses have taken over land and territories with total impunity,
causing lives to be put at risk while governments continue to enact
policies, regulations, and laws that favour corporations and industrial
food systems.
DESPITE THIS, THERE IS STILL PLENTY TO CELEBRATE.
This newsletter is a unique instrument of solidarity, exchange,
training, and communication for the organisations that are advocating
for urgent reforms of the Industrial Food System in favour of Food
Sovereignty. Today we applaud legislation promoting Food Sovereignty,
the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the
United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Peasants and Other People
Working in Rural Areas, the mass expansion of Agroecology in practice
and training through hundreds of schools, as well as the constant fight
to keep peasant seeds in the hands of small-scale food producers.
DOWNLOAD THE NEWSLETTER HERE [1]
Links:
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[1] http://www.nyeleni.org/ccount/click.php?id=152
4 years
“A Summit Under Siege” | Corporate control of 2021 UN Food Summit endangers food sovereignty!
by La Via Campesina
_Corporate lobbies defending Agribusiness interests are influencing the
2021 UN FOOD SYSTEMS SUMMIT preparations, making the process opaque and
exclusionary. La Via Campesina explains why this endangers people's food
sovereignty and threatens the planet's future._
-----------------------------------
There is little doubt that the world needs to come together to deal with
the severe and ongoing impact of COVID-19 on our food systems. When the
2021 United Nations Food Systems Summit (UNFSS21) was announced in
December 2019, the world was a different place. Even then, concerns
existed about the non-transparent and illegitimate process behind
developing, announcing and organizing that Summit. Consequently, in
March 2020 LA VIA CAMPESINA (LVC) JOINED AROUND 550 [1] other social
movements and civil society organizations in opposing the corporate
takeover of the Summit.
[2]
As the UNFSS21 process has been moving forward, as La Via Campesina, we
are getting more and more alarmed. At the same time, we affirm that a
global conversation on our food systems is of utmost importance, as the
COVID 19 pandemic has only reinforced and exposed the failure of the
corporate food system to address hunger, inequality and the ecological
crisis.
This paper presents LVC's concerns and reflections related to the
Summit, both in terms of process and contents. It also aims to express
La Via Campesina's engagement and demands towards a necessary food
system transformation guided by the principles of food sovereignty and
agroecology.
We, at LVC, have not only advocated but also actively participated in
democratizing the United Nations. LVC has had a critical role in the
reform of UN food policy processes after the 2008 food crisis. The
crisis made UN bodies and member states recognize the importance of
including the voices of rural social movements and civil society in
shaping food policies. In particular, the FAO STRATEGY FOR PARTNERSHIPS
[3] with Civil Society Organizations, and the reform of the Committee
for World Food Security (CFS) with its Civil Society Mechanism (CSM)
brought forth new paradigms, logics and processes that started paving
the way to the democratization global food systems policy. This brought
about a progressive shift that levelled the "field of play" not only for
civil society but also for national governments. LVC, through the
unified and committed work and processes of the International Planning
Committee for Food Sovereignty (IPC), has played a vital role in
empowering the CSM and CFS processes.
Many of the advances were indeed born out of the principles of food
sovereignty - a comprehensive model for transforming food systems,
restoring the health of our peoples and nature - supported and advocated
by LVC since the World Food Summit of 1996. These institutional
processes have allowed several significant advances, including the
Guidelines on Land Tenure, the Guidelines for Securing Sustainable
Small-Scale Fisheries, the ongoing process regarding the Guidelines on
Agroecology and Other Innovations, and more broadly, the United Nations
Declaration on the Rights of Peasants and Other People Working in Rural
Areas. Many of these new instruments have posed direct obstacles to the
global corporate agenda, as well as the imperial interests of global
economies and elites.
DOWNLOAD THE POSITION PAPER (PDF) [4]
Links:
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[1]
https://www.foodsovereignty.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/EN_Edited_draf...
[2]
https://viacampesina.org/en/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/LVC-Positi...
[3] http://www.fao.org/3/a-i3443e.pdf
[4]
https://viacampesina.org/en/position-paper-a-summit-under-siege-corporate...
4 years
India’s farmers seek urgent solidarity. Globalise the Struggle, Globalise Hope!
by La Via Campesina
INDIA'S FARMERS SEEK URGENT SOLIDARITY. GLOBALISE THE STRUGGLE,
GLOBALISE HOPE!
#SUPPORTINDIANFARMERS #PEASANTFORPEASANTSOLIDARITY
Thousands of our sisters, brothers and kins are pressing on with
protests in and around India's National Capital, against three
agricultural legislations that could be exploited by the private sector
to buy crops at low prices. Despite the cold weather and brutal police
crackdowns in some areas, protesting farmers and farm workers are
resolute in their demand for a complete roll-back of these legislations.
Since September 2020, several farmers' organisations in India, among
them Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha and Bhartiya Kisan Union and many
others, have been protesting the national government's attempts to bring
in three legislations, that could make small-scale food producers
vulnerable to exploitation by big corporations.
*
*
These legislations, the farmers allege, would provide a perfect cover
for corporations to further push down the prices of the produce. It
would also weaken the government's procurement system, whereby the
government buys staples, such as wheat and rice, at guaranteed prices.
PROTESTING FARMERS WANT THE GOVERNMENT TO FIRST ROLL-BACK ALL THE THREE
LEGISLATIONS, which they say were brought in with little or no
consultation with them. They have demanded that the Government forms a
Panel, which will then evaluate these legislations in consultation with
the farmers and then build a consensus with the people who are affected
by any reforms.
THE FARMERS ARE ALSO DEMANDING THAT GOVERNMENT BRING IN A LAW THAT
GUARANTEES MINIMUM SUPPORT PRICE FOR THEIR PRODUCE so that under no
conditions, farmers are forced to sell their produce at losses.
On 08 December 2020, farmers have called a nationwide strike across
India, which also found support from trade unions, transport unions and
many others.
As La Via Campesina South Asia, representing and led by small-scale food
producers in the region, WE CALL UPON ALL PEASANT ORGANISATIONS AROUND
THE WORLD TO SEND MESSAGES OF SUPPORT AND SOLIDARITY TO THE PROTESTING
INDIAN FARMERS and echo their demands. It is time that peasants of the
world unite, as the struggle for dignity and respect binds us all
together, irrespective of where we are. Time has come to 'Globalise the
Struggle and Globalise the Hope' for a dignified life for the
communities who feed a majority of the world's population. It is
essential to show our collective strength and remind the world that
injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere!
HOW CAN YOU SHOW SOLIDARITY?
* MOBILISE IN YOUR REGION, in support of Indian farmers and send
photos/video messages to SECRETARIATLVCSOUTHASIA(a)GMAIL.COM
* WRITE LETTERS TO INDIAN HIGH COMMISSIONS in your country and extend
your solidarity to India's small-scale food producers. Find the contacts
of Indian Missions in your country/region here:
https://mea.gov.in/indian-missions-abroad-new.htm#A
* ISSUE STATEMENTS OF SOLIDARITY WITH INDIAN FARMERS and email them to
secretariatlvcsouthasia(a)gmail.com
* SHARE YOUR MESSAGES OF SOLIDARITY ON SOCIAL MEDIA WITH THE HASHTAGS
#SupportIndianFarmers and #PeasantForPeasantSolidarity and tag
@lvc_southasia on Twitter and @lvcsouthasia Facebook
-------------------------
_issued by LA VIA CAMPESINA SOUTH ASIA | _08 December 2020
ail [1]
ail [1]
Links:
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[1] https://viacampesina.org/#email
4 years, 1 month
03 Dec 2020: International Day of Action for Life and Against Agrotoxics
by La Via Campesina
*|MC_PREVIEW_TEXT|*
View this email in your browser
03 DEC: PEASANT AGROECOLOGY NURTURES LIFE! #AGROTOXICSKILL |
INTERNATIONAL DAY OF ACTION FOR LIFE AND AGAINST AGROTOXICS
-------------------------
03 DECEMBER 2020, HARARE: This _'INTERNATIONAL DAY OF ACTION FOR LIFE
AND AGAINST AGROTOXICS'_ La Via Campesina, in association with Heinrich
Böll Stiftung, is releasing a short video that highlights the promise of
peasant agroecological practices, which is based on centuries of
evidence and expertise.
[1]
We require a radical shift away from resource-intensive and wasteful
production and consumption patterns and a deep transformation towards
ecological sustainability and social justice. Demanding this
transformation is not 'naïve' or 'politically unfeasible', it is
radically realistic.
Peasant agroecology is people's response to the inefficiencies and
ill-effects of the Industrial food system, which is based on extensive
use of agro-chemicals. Agrochemicals are the main source of greenhouses
gases responsible for climate change. Research points out that [2]
chemical fertilisers are responsible for numerous environmental and
health calamities and are dwindling yields. Over the past 40 years, the
efficiency of nitrogen fertilisers has decreased by two-thirds globally,
and their distribution per hectare has increased by seven times.
Yet, the use of agro-toxics is one of the main pillars of agribusiness,
together with transgenic (genetically modified) seeds. The production
and marketing of agro-toxics is monopolised by four large transnational
companies that recently merged and have, working with and through
subsidiaries and front companies, gained full control of the world
agricultural input market: Monsanto-Bayer, DowDupond, Syngenta-ChemChina
and BASF.
The use of agro-toxics is no longer an issue solely related to
agricultural production, but rather it's becoming a hazard for public
health and the preservation of nature. Several European countries have
already banned and punished the use of GMOs and agro-toxics due to their
dangerous side effects.
Inspired from a chapter that La Via Campesina contributed [3] in the
publication Radical Realism for Climate Justice and edited by Heinrich
Böll Stiftung, the video highlights how industrialised agriculture and
the corporate food system are at the centre of the climate crisis and
cannot be ignored in discussions about pathways to a 1.5 degree Celsius
world.
On this day, it is important to remind our communities and the world
that food sovereignty is our compass and agroecological transition is
the roadmap to achieve these needed systemic transformations.
PEASANT AGROECOLOGY NURTURES LIFE! #AGROTOXICSKILL
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For questions or comments, email lvcweb(a)viacampesina.org
Website: www.viacampesina.org [4]
TV: www.tv.viacampesina.org [5]
Links:
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[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBnQurZDivo&feature=emb_logo
[2]
https://www.grain.org/en/article/5373-is-industrial-farming-a-tech-fix-or....
[3]
https://viacampesina.org/en/publication-la-via-campesina-in-action-for-cl...
[4] http://www.viacampesina.org
[5] http://www.tv.viacampesina.org
4 years, 1 month