April 17, 2024 – International Day of Peasant Struggles
by La Via Campesina
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*/April 17, 2024 – International Day of Peasant Struggles/*
On April 17, we mark the International Day of Peasant Struggles, our
annual action day that brings us together to commemorate the Eldorado do
Carajás massacre* in 1996 and to honor the resistance of peasants
worldwide who persist in their struggle for social justice and dignity.
Following our 8th international conference
<https://viacampesina.org/en/viiith-international-conference-la-via-campes...>
last December, we, peasants, youth, women, men, and diversities,
migrants, rural and landless workers, fisherfolk, and indigenous
peoples, stand with renewed hope and strength, heightened awareness,
unwavering commitment, organized unity, and determination to confront
the multifaceted crises. We continue an unwavering fight against
genocides, wars, violations of people’s sovereignty, evictions of
peasant families, the criminalization and persecution of peasants and
their leaders, as well as extractivism and violations of peasants’
rights. United, we safeguard our mother earth against the grip of
agribusiness multinationals, neocolonialists, fascists, and repressive
military forces.
This devastation involves various actors in the shadows, notably
neoliberal institutions such as the WTO, the World Bank, and the
International Monetary Fund. Their interference in national agricultural
policies, related to trade, and social protections, is evident. Free
trade agreements (FTAs) and other economic partnership frameworks
imposing neoliberal conditions linked to loans and financial assistance
programs, or measures favoring the interests of corporations, jeopardize
the livelihoods of peasants, agricultural workers, and migrants. Yet, it
is the peasants who provide sustenance to 70% of the global population
with healthy and quality food.
*Poster:* /Inspired by the Andean cosmovision, our poster this year
reflects the interconnectedness of all elements of nature, with humanity
as an integral part. It illustrates how Mother Earth supports peasants
and their struggles, defending their existence and rights. According to
this vision, we can also be an offering of the earth, even as part of a
collective movement like the peasantry. Portrayed as a unifying force,
Mother Earth sustains us, alongside its natural expressions, with
mountains symbolizing our ancestors and collective memory./
*Enough with the genocide, evictions and violence!*
Today, the world witnesses multiple crises affecting every aspect of
life on Earth. The capitalist system now reveals its true destructive
nature, driving peasants in Asia and other parts of the world to suicide
due to unpayable debts. It corrupts governments in the interest of a few
elites, violating nature and ecological balance, thereby compromising
the future of humanity. This system generates genocides, not only
through militarism but also by denying access to food, using starvation
as a weapon of war, as currently seen in Gaza. It also takes the form of
slow genocide, as experienced by the Haitian population with
anti-peasant policies and gangsterization orchestrated to facilitate a
new foreign intervention, allowing the seizure of peasant lands and the
looting of commons.
Neocolonialism is inherent in this system, extending to countries like
Niger, where EU sanctions affect the right to food of the populations.
Political and armed conflicts provoked in Libya, Syria, and Sudan have
led to massive population displacements, infrastructure destruction, and
difficulties in accessing agricultural lands. In countries such as
Guatemala, Argentina, Paraguay, and Turkey, multinational corporations
impose their profits over the fundamental rights of peasant families,
leading to their eviction and the exploitation of Mother Earth. This
capitalist logic undermines peasant struggles for peasant rights, food
sovereignty, sustainable and diversified agroecological production
methods, family farms, biodiversity preservation, and peace, with social
justice serving as peasant solutions to the food and climate crisis**.
It crushes diversity in all its gender and ethnic forms and ignores
local and ancestral agricultural knowledge, masking its true intentions
behind development solutions that serve only the economic interests of a
minority. Those who control and commodify our commons hinder youth
peasants from accessing land and break the autonomy of peasants and
peoples, pushing them toward agrarian conflicts, poverty, starvation,
and agriculture without peasants.
*Build Solidarity, Unite for Food Sovereignty!*
2024 started with massive protests of peasant farmers in Europe, Asia,
and other parts of the world against destructive agricultural policies.
These demonstrations are not limited to seeking fair prices and a
dignified life for peasants but also express the need for a society
oriented toward a future where peasant agroecology prevails over
agribusiness methods and where social justice and the dignity of
everyone are ensured. It is imperative to guarantee that no one is
forced to leave their land, family, and culture to seek a better life
elsewhere while sacrificing their lives to feed their families.
Our peasant struggles, deeply rooted in the principles of food
sovereignty, aim to establish an inclusive system that promotes rural
economies and sustains the livelihoods of peasants, while cultivating
hope to mitigate tragedies such as suicide, family breakdowns, and
forced migration in rural areas. Recognizing food sovereignty, popular
agrarian reform and peasant agroecology as genuine solutions to global
crises, La Via Campesina fervently advocates for the implementation of
the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Peasants and Other
People Working in Rural Areas (UNDROP)
<https://viacampesina.org/en/undrop-illustrations/>, a vital
international instrument addressing the multifaceted crises faced by
peasants. Furthermore, we advocate for the establishment of a new
international trade framework based on cooperation and food sovereignty
<https://viacampesina.org/en/free-trade-agreements-failed-trade-agreements...>
to challenge the neoliberal trade system perpetuating hunger.
Simultaneously, we are preparing for the Nyéléni World Forum in 2025,
which will convene the international movement for food sovereignty to
confront the challenges of hunger and poverty by advancing the
development and fortification of local economies.
On April 17, we will occupy the streets and all spaces where peasant
struggles are left to forcefully reaffirm our peasant path and
strengthen food sovereignty in our territories. We strongly urge all
members, allies, and supporters of La Via Campesina to mobilize now and
throughout April, united in a single solidarity voice to support the
struggles of peasants against global crises.
*Build Solidarity! Enough with the genocide, evictions and violence! *
#17April #PeasantStruggles #FoodSovereigntyNow #PeasantRightsNow
------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Here are the actions we can take together:*
1. Download our communication kit
<https://comms.viacampesina.org/s/dRRbpYzRkkwGKYH> to disseminate
the official materials, including our poster of April 17. Translate
it into your local languages
<https://www.canva.com/design/DAFdZvOBCLQ/ix4MZ5DZYE-Y0EjRNokmtQ/edit?utm_...>,
and engage in solidarity actions in support of peasant struggles in
your country and everywhere in the world.
2. Organize activities, webinars, and workshops focused on the rights
and struggles of peasants, including access to land, fair pricing,
the promotion of peasant agroecology and seeds, as well as the
defense of people’s sovereignty, among others.
3. Write declarations, articles, and create impactful audiovisual
material to amplify the voices of peasant struggles and promote food
sovereignty. You can then share your contributions with us at the
following address: communications(a)viacampesina.org
4. We aim to map global actions. Don’t forget to tag us in your social
media publications by identifying La Via Campesina on: Facebook:
@viacampesinaOFFICIAL
<https://www.facebook.com/viacampesinaOFFICIAL/> Instagram:
@la_via_campesina_official
<https://www.instagram.com/la_via_campesina_official/>, Twitter:
@via_campesina <https://twitter.com/via_campesina>
5. You can use these hashtags to associate your social media
contributions with the global campaign for Peasant Struggles:
*Main:* #17April #PeasantStruggles#FoodSovereigntyNow
#PeasantsRightsNow; *Complementary:* #IncomeForFarmers#CeaseFire
#StopGazaStarvation #HaitianSolutionForHaiti
6. Get involved in all actions and protests against the genocide in
Gaza, foreign interference in Haiti, economic sanctions in Niger,
evictions of peasants, impunity for human rights violations, free
trade agreements, rural indebtedness, false solutions to the food
and climate crisis, measures favoring multinational interests over
people’s sovereignty, and other peasant struggles in your territories.
7. Share your activities on our global map of actions
<https://padlet.com/lvcweb/17april-international-day-of-peasant-s-struggle...>
-------------
* Twenty-eight years after the tragic massacre of landless peasants by
Brazilian military police, impunity persists for crimes committed
against rural communities. Although two agents were convicted in 2012,
no other police or political officials have been held accountable.
Autopsies revealed executions and serious injuries, leaving 69 wounded
and a total of 21 dead.
** The challenges facing women and the impact of the climate crisis are
exacerbating the difficulties faced by farmers. The United Nations (UN)
has stated that by 2030, around one in four women will face food
insecurity. Source : https://news.un.org/es/story/2023/09/1523922
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Webinar Live from Haiti : No more foreign interventions! 16/03
by La Via Campesina
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*Webinar > Live from Haiti: No more foreign interventions!*
*With: Peasant organizations, members of La Via Campesina in Haiti*
Peasant organization representatives and anti-colonial activists
worldwide will bring us up to speed on Haiti’s recent developments, as
the nation grapples with a multifaceted crisis. Our discussion will
delve into the geopolitical implications of potential foreign
intervention, examining the significant roles of countries like Kenya,
the Dominican Republic, and the United States. We’ll scrutinize
colonialist interests and the rising violence amid the Haitian
government’s inaction in response to growing insecurity in
Port-au-Prince and other gang-affected areas.
Moreover, we’ll spotlight internal resistance efforts by Haitian
organizations and the global peasant movement. Hosting organizations
advocating solidarity with Haiti, we’ll stress the importance of
respecting a Haitian-led solution for the country.
*WHEN? *Saturday, March 16, at 9 am (Haiti), 10 am (Brazil), 2 pm (CET),
4 pm (Kenya), 8 pm (Indonesia), 10 pm (Korea)
*WHERE?* Via Zoom: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89378217137
*REGISTRATION* (on the form): https://ee.kobotoolbox.org/B6gqYwQK
*#StopNeocolonialism*
*#HaitianSolutionForHaiti*
*Globalize the struggle, globalize hope!*
Facebook <https://www.facebook.com/viacampesinaOFFICIAL>
Twitter <http://www.twitter.com/via_campesina>
Link <https://www.instagram.com/la_via_campesina_official/>
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Sign up to build an Alternative to WTO's Trade Regime
by La Via Campesina
*|MC:SUBJECT|* *|MC_PREVIEW_TEXT|*
CALL FOR AN ALTERNATIVE TRADE SYSTEM
LA VIA CAMPESINA | MARCH 2024
It is time to build an alternative to the current global trade regime.
Join us in the effort!
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13) of the World Trade Organization
(WTO) has concluded with no meaningful outcome. The WTO and the current
system of global trade must come to an urgent halt. And an alternative
must emerge.
*La Via Campesina is calling all our members, allied social movements,
civil society organizations, and friends in academia and policy spaces –
including those in governments – to join us in this effort of building a
framework that can help build a fair system of trade, rooted in
principles of food sovereignty and social justice. *
*Sign up to the idea of building an alternative. Add your details here
<https://ee.kobotoolbox.org/cYxoVChl>*
HIGHLIGHTS - THE WEEK OF MOBILIZATION AGAINST THE WTO
Free Trade Agreements are Failed Trade Agreements. An alternative is now
urgent and necessary. Read the full statement.
<https://viacampesina.org/en/free-trade-agreements-failed-trade-agreements...>
*Farmers’ protests in Europe and the deadend of neoliberalism*
We have reached this point after decades of neoliberal agricultural
policies and free trade agreements. Production costs have risen steadily
in recent years, while prices paid to farmers have stagnated or even
fallen. *Read More*
<https://viacampesina.org/en/farmers-protests-in-europe-and-the-deadend-of...>
*ECVC puts forth concrete suggestions to guarantee fair prices*
ECVC firmly believes that the EU Unfair Trade Practice (UTP) directive
(implemented in Spain) offers several pragmatic steps to guarantee fair
prices for farmers’ products. *Read More*
<https://viacampesina.org/en/europe-ecvc-puts-forth-concrete-suggestions-t...>
*‘Quit WTO Day’: Indian peasant unions agitate against the World Trade
Organization*
Reportedly, on the 26th February, farmers staged protests against the
World Trade Organization at over 400 district centers across India. They
handed over petitions to the officials of the State urging the Indian
government to protect domestic support programs and food stockholding
programs at the 13th Ministerial Meeting of the WTO in Abu Dhabi. *Read
More*
<https://viacampesina.org/en/quit-wto-day-indian-peasant-unions-agitate-ag...>
*WTO is unfit for purpose in an era of multiple crises; It is time for
an Alternative: Asian Civil Society*
Members of La Via Campesina in Asia have joined a host of other civil
society organizations and social movements to call out the World Trade
Organisation (WTO), which is meeting in Abu Dhabi from 26-29 February
2024. The way forward for the South is a path outside of the WTO. An
alternative is now more urgent than ever. *Read More*
<https://viacampesina.org/en/wto-is-unfit-for-purpose-in-era-of-multiple-c...>
*Korean Peasants: Free trade is over! Stop the WTO ministerial
conference destroying agriculture!*
Free trade has already ended. The unequal world order created by free
trade has also ended. The WTO ministerial conference, trapped in past
glory, should be immediately halted. The Western world is pressuring
developing countries to abolish domestic subsidies for agriculture,
claiming they distort trade. *Read More*
<https://viacampesina.org/en/korean-peasants-free-trade-is-over-stop-the-w...>
*Chile: ANAMURI denounces the WTO Ministerial, reiterates the call for
an alternative trade framework*
ANAMURI strongly opposes the character of Free Trade Agreements which,
following WTO rules, endanger the Food Sovereignty of the world’s
peoples, undermining the autonomy and self-sufficiency of national and
local economies with adverse effects on the living conditions and wages
of all workers, including migrants and especially women who daily
struggle for the right to food. *Read More*
<https://viacampesina.org/en/chile-anamuri-denounces-the-wto-ministerial-r...>
*Debt Crisis and Free Trade Agreements endanger Kenya’s food
sovereignty: Kenyan Peasants League*
The Kenyan Peasants’ League,underscores this link by referencing the
several Free Trade Agreements, which now permit cheap imports of
pesticides, eggs and sugar. *Read More*
<https://viacampesina.org/en/debt-crisis-and-free-trade-agreements-endange...>
*Indonesia: SPI Urges Government to Exclude Agriculture from WTO
Discussions*
The importation of 3 million tons of rice in 2024 led to a decrease in
rice prices at the local farmer level across various regions. This
policy is aligned with WTO principles, prioritizing free trade over
domestic producers. *Read More*
<https://viacampesina.org/en/indonesia-spi-urges-government-to-exclude-agr...>
READ ALL ARTCILES CONNECTED TO MC13 <https://viacampesina.org/en/tag/mc13/>
/As protests against the EU-Mercosur trade agreements grow louder, we
are republishing the La Via Campesina statement based on a proposal from
the Latin American Coordination of Rural Organizations (CLOC-Vía
Campesina) and the European Coordination Via Campesina (ECVC)/: Read the
full statement.
<https://viacampesina.org/en/eu-mercosur-trade-deal-a-threat-to-peasant-ri...>
RECENT VIDEOS
<https://vimeo.com/917155210>
As thousands of farmers protest across Europe against low prices and
cheap imports Morgan Ody, a farmer and coordinator of La Via Campesina,
joins CNN's Amara Walker to discuss what the protesters want from the
European Union.
<https://vimeo.com/917166048>
Hundreds of tractors in Bilbao (Spain) also flooded the streets of the
city, joining European and worldwide mobilizations. In a mobilization
not seen for many years, the Basque peasantry denounced the abuses of
free trade agreements on their production and demanded the relocation of
food systems in favor of the people.
<https://vimeo.com/909991854>
On Thursday, February 1, 2024, European peasant farmers staged a
blockade in Brussels against the EU-Mercosur agreement, demanding fair
prices for peasant farmers and meaningful state support towards
agroecological transition. Here is the video report.
Twitter <http://www.twitter.com/via_campesina>
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