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Demonitisation in India: Farmers' Groups write an open letter to the Prime Minister
by La Via Campesina 09 Jan '17

09 Jan '17

DEMONITISATION IN INDIA: FARMERS' GROUPS WRITE AN OPEN LETTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER [1] [2]Several farmers' groups in India have written a joint letter to the Prime Minister of India, highlighting the severe distress that exists in the countryside after the Indian Government withdrew nearly 86% of the currency in circulation overnight, in a supposed crackdown on corruption and 'black economy'. Three months since the decision to partially demonitise all bills worth 1000 INR and replace all bills worth 500 INR, the move has been widely criticised by economists of all leanings as chaotic and unwarranted. India is a predominantly cash-based economy. The government's drive to turn India into a cashless society,one where digital banking and plastic transactions would become the norm, has taken much of the rural society by surprise where digital infrastructure necessary to facilitate such a transition is barely existent. While mobile phone usage in India is impressively common, number of smartphone users are only a fraction of that number. More so, much of the rural population are out of the formal banking system due to lack of adequate infrastructure in the forms of bank branches and ATMs. The crackdown, announced abruptly on 8 November 2016, was intended to catch currency hoarders by surprise and thereby obliterate the black economy. The government had estimated that nearly 20% of the total cash in circulation were hoarded as 'black money' and this surprise step would effectively force the hoarders to either destroy those cash or come clean. At the time of publishing this article, reports indicate that nearly 97% of the cash currency have returned to the banks, effectively raising doubts about the claims that '20% of currency were being hoarded as cash'. Critics say that most of those who involve in money laundering and tax evasion have parked their assets in tax havens or in real estate properties and that this crackdown would do nothing to retrieve that back. Effectively, the rural agricultural economy which is heavily dependent on cash is in tatters. The English version of the open letter, reproduced below, gives a sneak peak into the distress that has dawned upon Indian farmers and farm workers, who were already reeling under back-to-back droughts and price crash on their produce due to cheap imports and agricultural dumping brought about by free trade agreements. Bharatiya Kisan Union, a member of La Via Campesina is also a signatory to the letter. ------------------------- DATE: 5 JAN 2017 DEAR PRIME MINISTER, Namaste! The signatories to this open letter to you represent lakhs of farmers of this country across various states and regions. We have been deeply distressed at the hardships that rural India in general, and farmers including agricultural workers have been going through from the time that you brought in demonetization of 86% of India's currency on November 8th 2016, in the name of curbing black money in our economy. Right from the beginning, it was clear that our rural and agrarian contexts/economies were not kept in mind and measures not taken specifically for these vulnerable and critical groups in this entire demonetization episode. We also listened to your address to the nation attentively and carefully on 31st December 2016 evening, hoping to hear some good news that will signal an end to the hardships. We had hoped that you will share some evidence on the gains from this "surgical strike" on the economy. We have however been disappointed. On the agriculture front, you talked about the government taking care of the interest on agri loans from DCCBs and Primary Societies for 60 days, by paying directly into the bank accounts of farmers. NABARD will be re-capitalising cooperative banks and societies to a tune of Rs. 41000 crores, you said. You also said that 3 crore Kisan Credit Cards will be made into RuPay Debit cards within three months so that they can be used by farmers anywhere. We find all of these inadequate when the entire season has been affected badly for the farmers. We also find that this is a rehash of what already exists. A reality check against these three major measures that you announced to ameliorate the sufferings of farmers shows the following: * When the entire agricultural season suffers due to an adverse effect on timely operations because of the demonetization move, postponing the loan repayment period by 60 days or the government bearing the interest for those 60 days to a tune of Rs. 333 for Rs.50000/- crop loan (usual short term loan amount for the average farmer covered by institutional credit) is a pittance against the hardship inflicted, that too in a good year. It is bad enough that farmers suffer natural disasters of all kinds, without having to face such surgical strikes in years when they could have recovered some losses. * The provision for RuPay and other debit cards against KCC existed since 2012 and 5.66 million such cards have already been issued in 2013-14 itself. A natural extension of this move by the UPA government should have actually covered 3 crore farmers by now and it would be surprising if that did not happen in the natural course of scaling up of this measure. * About the infusion of 41000 crore rupees of low interest credit to cooperative banks and societies by NABARD: this is not new, and in 2015-16, NABARD sanctioned credit limits aggregating 71497 crores under short term refinance portfolio and Rs. 48,064 crores in long term refinancing. This is the unutilized last quarter funding that was in any case available. * Given all the above, given that no clear benefits have been created from the demonetization move and our collective sacrifice, and given that there are no clear timelines indicated on when full cash availability will be restored, we are forced to conclude that farmers' hardships do not seem to matter to the government at all. In fact, your timing of the demonetization move had shown a dismaying disregard to farmers' livelihood cycles / agricultural seasonal calendars. Selling of kharif produce was affected as were the rabi season agricultural operations. Showing higher rabi sowing in 2016-17 against a bad season last year (2015-16) is not the measure to indicate that demonetization has had no impact on this Rabi. Estimating the contraction in rabi operations vis-à-vis a good year, without the demonetization impacts, would be the right thing to do. In villages all over India, we have come across numerous tales of hardship and woes, ranging from agricultural workers not being paid in time by farmers owing to shortage of cash, to farmers cutting back on investments on the crop management in this season, to farmers not being able to sell their produce with traders citing their own difficulties and importantly, loanee farmers from cooperative banks not even being able to repay their loans! Even timely repairs of machinery are becoming difficult. The thrift and credit activity in self help groups and their federations has also been affected. The difficulties of producers of perishable produce are particularly acute. There are also the hardships of returning migrant workers, who are unable to find work outside villages in other sectors. The biggest negative impact of this entire demonetization process so far is the destruction that is taking place of the rural cooperative banking sector,, whereas there is a dire need to actually strengthen rural banking and agricultural credit in numerous ways, including removal of political interference. The DCBs were not allowed to exchange or deposit invalidated 500 and 1000 rupee notes. This affected 12 crore customers of 33 State Cooperative Banks and 367 District Cooperatives Banks, even though all these SCBs and 349 DCBs are on the core banking platform. About 5 crore farmers, despite having fulfilled due KYC norms and having received kisan credit card loans, are unable to repay loans and reports suggest that loan offtake has come down drastically. If the current trends continue, cooperative banks are headed towards decimation. For those farmers/agricultural workers operating Jan Dhan Yojana accounts, the norms have been inequitable in terms of withdrawal limits. Coming to the policy dream of moving India to a cashless/less-cash digital economy, we can only say that farmers and other rural Indians would like basic infrastructure and services like uninterrupted power supply to be ensured, in the first instance, before such dreams can become a reality. Such services will directly contribute to our livelihoods and add to the economic growth of the country. It appears that "war on black money" and demonetization are being used to forcibly integrate the rural masses into certain techno-financial regimes. While these assure profits for the corporate sectors that run these techno-financial systems, they imply tremendous hardships on the average rural person, whose access to such systems is limited and for whom such systems will serve little purpose. The implementation of such a system does not take into account the gap between metropolitan financial systems and that of the rural and agrarian economies, and reflects a lack of intimate knowledge about rural economies. In the final reckoning, the current demonetisation will have introduced new forms of corruption (as already evident in the commission system for old notes, the transfer of large amounts of new currency to hoarders and income-tax evaders), punitive financial systems that will ensure huge profits to the corporate financiers, and will intensify the pauperisation of the rural masses, especially small and marginal farmers who form the bulk of the farming population. Like other sections of society, we had remained silent since you had sought sacrifices for 50 days from all citizens, till December 30th, in anticipation of some major benefits to be gained by the economy. However, it is unclear what the objective was for this entire exercise and how it has been achieved. History will remember this scheme as the most hurtful one since independence, in the name of resolving the problems of corruption, black money, and terrorism. During the Pre-Budget consultation on agriculture held by the Finance Minister on 19th November 2016, one of the important demands of various farmer unions to the government was to find ways of exempting farming transactions from demonetization rules. However, no positive intervention was taken up in this regard, other than to allow farmers to purchase some inputs like seeds from public sector bodies using demonetized notes. That was an extremely inadequate response from the government. There has also been an additional 60 days provided for repayment of farm loans, in addition to extension of timelines for crop insurance premium. All of these would have been helpful only if cash flows were actualizing and were getting enhanced, which is not the case right now. Meanwhile, the latest NCRB figures on farm suicides in 2015 highlight yet again, the deep distress in Indian agriculture, affecting both farmers and agricultural workers, with a vast majority of the farmers' suicides being related to indebtedness/bankruptcy. This nation cannot afford to put any more burden on its *anna daatas* who are keeping the country fed. At this juncture, we seek from you the following actions to ameliorate the hardships being faced by farmers: >From the black money netted (non-return of demonetized notes back to the banking system, or from the taxes and revenues collected by the current crackdown and new tax amnesty measures), each farm household (we are using an expansive definition of a farmer here to include agricultural workers too) should be paid through Direct Benefit Transfer Rs. 10,000/- at least. This would amount to around Rs.1.2 lakh crores of rupees, which is less than the projections made initially about the outcome of this war against black money. Cooperative Banks be immediately brought on par with other banks, first and foremost. All restrictions on deposits and withdrawals from the cooperative banks should be withdrawn. All withdrawal and deposit curbs on farmers should be withdrawn fully even in the context of Jan Dhan Yojana accounts. Announce a loan waiver immediately to all farmers, owing to the massive disruptions caused in the agricultural activities in this season. With increased NABARD funding, enhance soft loans to Joint Liability Groups and Self Help Groups. Provide for village level funds to finance and support women farmers. Further, in the kisan credit scheme, the scale of finance should be increased, interest rates should be lowered and agriculture credit expanded for more coverage. Given that the cash crunch is expected to continue, set up an MGNREGS-like mechanism to fund agricultural operations so that all agricultural operations continue smoothly even as workers get paid by government into their accounts, from where withdrawals should be allowed unconditionally. Double the allocation of MNREGA. Adequate arrangements be made from now itself for Rabi season sales and marketing to take place unhindered. Adequate cash flows be ensured with traders and other agencies so that farmers do not suffer in any way. Government should step in to procure as much as it can, including dals like arhar which are at present seeing a crash in the markets, and pay these amounts into farmers accounts immediately. ------------------------- SINCERELY, * Yudhvir Singh, General Secretary, All India Coordination Committee of Farmers Movement (AICCFM) * Virendra Kumar Shrivastava, President, Laghu Simant Krishak Morach, Uttar Pradesh * Virendra Dagar, State President, Bhartiya Kissan Union (BKU), Delhi Rural * Vijay Jawandhia, Shetkari Sanghathana, Maharashtra * Vidyadhar Olkha, State President, Bhartiya Kissan Union (BKU), Rajasthan * Sukhdev Singh Gill, State President, Bhartiya Kissan Union (BKU), Himachal Pradesh * Satnam Singh Cheema, State President, Bhartiya Kissan Union (BKU), Uttarakhand * Rusikulya Rayat Sangha * Ratan Singh Mann, State President, Bhartiya Kissan Union (BKU), Haryana * Rajveer Singh Gadaun, State President, Bhartiya Kissan Union (BKU), Uttar Pradesh * Poguri Chennaiah, Rashtriya Vyavasaya Vruthidarula Union (A Federation of Unions of agri.workers,marginal farmers & Fisher people in India) * Paschima Odisha Krushak Sangathan Samanvaya Samiti * Nallagounder, Uzhavar Ulaippalar Katchi (Tamil Nadu Farmers Association) * Mahila Kisan Adhikaar Manch (MAKAAM) * Krushak Bikash Mancha * Kiran Vissa, Raithu Swarajya Vedika * Kavitha Kuruganti, ASHA-Kisan Swaraj * K. Sella Mutthu, President, Tamil Nadu Farmers Association * Jayant Verma, Vice President, All India Agragami Kissan Sabha * Jagdish Singh, State President, Bhartiya Kissan Union (BKU), Madhya Pradesh * Gurnam Singh, President, Bhartiya Kissan Union, Haryana * Dr Sunilam, Kisan Sangharsh Samiti * Dhan Singh Sherawat, Bhartiya Kissan Union (BKU), Maharashtra * Deshi Bihan Surakshya Mancha, Odisha * Com Hannan Mollah, General Secretary, All India Kisan Sabha * Ch. Rakesh Tikait, National Spokesman, Bhartiya Kissan Union (BKU) * Ajmer Singh Lakhowal, State President, Bhartiya Kissan Union (BKU), Punjab * Adi Krushak Sangathan Links: ------ [1] https://viacampesina.org/en/index.php/news-from-the-regions-mainmenu-29/221… [2] http://media.indiatimes.in/media/content/2016/Dec/cf267b4a-826e-45f9-bfcc-d…

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170 Global Groups Call for Moratorium on New Genetic Extinction Technology at UN Convention
by La Via Campesina 27 Dec '16

27 Dec '16

170 GLOBAL GROUPS CALL FOR MORATORIUM ON NEW GENETIC EXTINCTION TECHNOLOGY AT UN CONVENTION [1] At the 2016 UN Convention on Biodiversity held in Cancun Mexico this month, international conservation and environmental leaders called upon [2] governments to establish a moratorium on the controversial genetic extinction technology called gene drives. Gene drives, developed through new gene-editing techniques- are designed to force a particular genetically engineered trait to spread through an entire wild population - potentially changing entire species or even causing deliberate extinctions. The statement urges governments to put in place an urgent, global moratorium on the development and release of the new technology, which poses serious and potentially irreversible threats to biodiversity, as well as national sovereignty, peace and food security. Over 170 civil society organisations from six continents have joined the call [2]. Among them were environmental organizations including Friends of the Earth International; trade unions such as the International Union of Food Workers representing over 10 million workers in 127 countries; the largest global organization of small-scale famers La Via Campesina International, and organics movements like the International Federation of Organic Agricultural Movements; the international indigenous peoples' organization Tebtebba; scientist coalitions including European Network of Scientists for Social and Environmental Responsibility and Unión de Científicos Comprometidos con la Sociedad (Mexico); as well as ETC Group and Third World Network. Also read [3] the briefing by Civil Society Working Group on Gene Drive. _(This article is an abridged, slightly edited version of what appeared on ETC Group website, early this month. To read the original article, click here [4])_ Links: ------ [1] https://viacampesina.org/en/index.php/main-issues-mainmenu-27/biodiversity-… [2] http://www.synbiowatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/CBD-Gene-Drive-Sign-o… [3] http://www.synbiowatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/case-for-gene-drive-m… [4] http://www.etcgroup.org/content/160-global-groups-call-moratorium-new-genet…

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Forward, to 2017!
by La Via Campesina 22 Dec '16

22 Dec '16

WISHING EVERYONE THE POWER TO CONTINUE OUR FIGHT INTO 2017, FIERCELY AND FEARLESSLY!

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La Via Campesina and GRAIN Comic book: Together we can cool the planet!
by La Via Campesina 13 Dec '16

13 Dec '16

COMIC BOOK: TOGETHER WE CAN COOL THE PLANET! Published on Tuesday, 13 December 2016 16:54 LA VÍA CAMPESINA, GRAIN Based on the video Together we can cool the planet! [1] co-produced by La Vía Campesina and GRAIN in 2015, we have created a comic book [2] to support training activities of social movements and civil society organisations around climate change. This comic book looks at how the industrial food system impacts our climate and also explains what we can do to change course and start cooling the planet. La Via Campesina and GRAIN have pointed out that the industrial food system is responsible for half of all greenhouse gas emissions. In the Americas, Asia, Europe and Africa, we have been denouncing the false solutions to climate change such as GMOs, the "green economy" and "climate-smart agriculture". We say loud and clear: it is peasants and small farmers, along with consumers who choose agroecological products from local markets, who hold the solution to the climate crisis. We must all rise to the challenge! Click here to download the comic book in pdf format. [2] And share the video, available from: https://www.grain.org/e/5310 More information is available from: http://tv.viacampesina.org [3] http://viacampesina.org [4] http://www.grain.org [5] Visit GRAIN's page on food and climate at: https://www.grain.org/article/categories/526-food-and-climate Follow us on Facebook y Twitter: https://www.facebook.com/viacampesinaOFFICIAL [6] @via_campesina [7] https://www.facebook.com/GRAIN.org [8] @GRAIN_org [8] Links: ------ [1] https://tv.viacampesina.org/Together-we-can-cool-the-planet-801?lang=en [2] https://www.grain.org/attachments/4105/download [3] http://tv.viacampesina.org/ [4] http://viacampesina.org/ [5] http://www.grain.org/ [6] https://www.facebook.com/viacampesinaOFFICIAL%0d@via_campesina [7] https://twitter.com/via_campesina [8] https://www.facebook.com/GRAIN.org%0d@GRAIN_org

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La Via Campesina | e-Newsletter | November, 2016
by La Via Campesina 13 Dec '16

13 Dec '16

La Via Campesina | e-Newsletter | November, 2016 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. To subscribe click here [2] LA VIA CAMPESINA MESSAGE OF SOLIDARITY WITH CUBA, IN THEIR TIME OF NATIONAL MOURNING ------------------------- We the men, wo [3]men, and youth of La Vía Campesina, salute the people of Cuba during their time of national mourning over the death of Comandante Fidel Castro Ruz, historic leader of the Cuban Revolution and an inspiration for struggles of emancipation of poor people of the world, from imperialism and capital. We would like to express our most heartfelt condolences and solidarity with our brothers and sisters of the Asociación Nacional de Agricultores Pequeños (ANAP) who, inspired by Comandante Fidel, have led the fight for food sovereignty and in this way feeding the people and protecting the natural resources. Just a few months ago, during their national congress, the members of ANAP celebrated the anniversary of the Agrarian Reform promulgated by Comandante Fidel 57 years ago. Read the full statement [3] 'NOT ONE LESS': NO MORE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN! La Via Campesina reaffirm its commitment to women's struggles for equal rights and human dignity ------------------------- We as women carry enormous responsibilities in this world, and feed entire nations using agroecological practices, without our economic, social, legal and political rights being recognised, and without public programmes to guarantee equal social and economic participation.For this reason we are making a global call to our organisations, allies and friends to join forces to support actions, mobilisations and activities to denounce the different types of violence faced by women and to criticize the capitalist patriarchal model and the encroachment of agribusiness in our territories. On this day of struggle we join the voices of millions of women who came together in Latin America on 19th October to shout "Not one less, we want us alive" to denounce the alarming growth in femicide[1] and male-chauvinist and misogynist violence against women. Read the full statement [4] NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD COP22: FALSE SOLUTIONS TO THE CLIMATE CRISIS MAY CONSTITUTE CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY ------------------------- Approximately 40 people, from Morocco and all over the world, the majority of which were youth, represented La Via Campesina at Marrakech during COP 22. Read the press release [5] SYSTEM CHANGE, NOT CLIMATE CHANGE ------------------------- System change is an expression of root cause analysis, which is a critical part of what Vía Campesina is doing in Morocco this week. Instead of jumping haphazardly from the problem of the climate crisis to solutions, activists are affirming that they must first get to the heart of its contention. Read More [6] OVER 1500 POLICE PERSONNEL UNLEASH BRUTAL ATTACK ON PEASANTS IN MEKAR JAYA VILLAGE, INDONESIA ------------------------- Langkat Nusantara Kepong, a Malaysian plantation company, assisted by local police officials, unleashes brutal attack on peasants in Mekar Jaya Village in Indonesia to appropriate nearly 554 hectares of land! Read More [7] FAO SYMPOSIUM ON AGROECOLOGY ------------------------- A delegation representing La Via Campesina spoke at the FAO led symposium on Agroecology, held in Budapest from the 24-25th of November. The symposium was hosted by the Government of Hungary with support from the Government of France. Read More [8] "SPARKS HAVE TURNED INTO RAGING FIRES" KARNATAKA FARMERS PROTEST ------------------------- Farmers had been on a campaign trail for a month prior, mobilizing cities and villages with a three-point demand: complete waiver of loans of farmers, farm workers and women's self-help groups; scientific compensation for crop losses; implementation of a comprehensive drought management plan. Read More [9] COP 22 : OUR LAND IS WORTH MORE THAN CARBON ------------------------- In its haste, COP 22, being called the "action COP" or the "agriculture COP", is in danger of adopting various misguided solutions for agriculture. Read the Civil Society Statement [10] "CUANDO SERA" A MUSIC VIDEO DEDICATED TO FOOD SOVEREIGNTY STRUGGLES ------------------------- Colombian-Argentine music group Che Sudaka, which is based in Barcelona has released a new music video "Cuando Sera" as part of their album "Hoy" and has dedicated the song to La Via Campesina's peaceful struggle for food sovereignty and social justice. Read More [11] GLOBAL DIALOGUE ON THE INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF PULSES ------------------------- Elizabeth Mpfou, general coordinator of La Via Campesina and a small holder farmer who also leads the Zimbabwe Small Holder Farmers' Forum (ZIMSOFF), made a presentation at the Global Dialogue held in Rome as part of the International Year of Pulses (IYP) on the 23rd of November 2016. She is also the IYP Special Ambassador for Africa region. Read More [12] UPOV must respect farmers' rights: Guy Kastler ------------------------- UPOV must evolve to accept this fair balance between the rights of breeders and the rights of farmers, in the interests of its own survival and, above all, of food security, writes Guy Kastler Read More [13] GLOBAL SOLIDARITY POURING IN FOR KARNATAKA FARMERS DEMANDING LOAN WAIVER ------------------------- After, farmers from the state of Karnataka in India took to a unique protest by auctioning off a big businessman's assets in a symbolic act of resistance, global solidarity is pouring in from farms and universities. Read More [14] COOLING THE PLANET | FRONTLINE COMMUNITIES LEAD THE STRUGGLE Year: 2016 Summary: A new _Hands on the Land_ publication highlights how communities of small scale food producers are increasingly confronted by the grabbing of natural resources and systematic violations of human rights. Download the Publication (English [15]) Also available in Spanish [16] and French [17] [18] The Field Liberation Movement takes action to demand real solutions to climate change, by resorting to a symbolic act of authorizing the felling of a field of genetically engineered poplar trees. Watch Now [19] [20] Two GE poplar trees discuss VIB's false solutions. A video by The Field Liberation Movement following an action in Wetteren on 20th November 2016. Watch Now [21] [22] At the III World Meeting of Popular Movements held in Rome and promoted by Pope Francis, Paul Nicholson of La Via Campesina (EHNE), from the Basque country speaks to FocusPuller [23] explaining the need to build alliances on issues of land, housing and work. Watch Now [24] 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 clicking [1]here. [1] [25] Follow us on twitter [25] [26] Find us on Facebook [26] [27] Subsribe our Vimeo Channel [27] To unsubscribe from the distribution list, questions or comments, write to VIACAMPESINA(a)VIACAMPESINA.ORG WEBSITE: www.viacampesina.org [28] TV: www.tv.viacampesina.org [29] To subscribe to this newsletter - Click Here [30] Links: ------ [1] https://viacampesina.org/en/donations/ [2] http://ttps://mail.viacampesina.org/lists/listinfo/Via-info-en [3] https://viacampesina.org/en/index.php/our-conferences-mainmenu-28/5-maputo-… [4] https://viacampesina.org/en/index.php/main-issues-mainmenu-27/women-mainmen… [5] https://viacampesina.org/en/index.php/actions-and-events-mainmenu-26/-clima… [6] https://viacampesina.org/en/index.php/actions-and-events-mainmenu-26/-clima… [7] https://viacampesina.org/en/index.php/main-issues-mainmenu-27/human-rights-… [8] https://viacampesina.org/en/index.php/main-issues-mainmenu-27/sustainable-p… [9] https://viacampesina.org/en/index.php/news-from-the-regions-mainmenu-29/219… [10] https://viacampesina.org/en/index.php/actions-and-events-mainmenu-26/-clima… [11] https://viacampesina.org/en/index.php/main-issues-mainmenu-27/food-sovereig… [12] https://viacampesina.org/en/index.php/main-issues-mainmenu-27/sustainable-p… [13] https://viacampesina.org/en/index.php/actions-and-events-mainmenu-26/10-yea… [14] https://viacampesina.org/en/index.php/news-from-the-regions-mainmenu-29/220… [15] https://viacampesina.org/downloads/pdf/en/Cooling_the_Planet-EN.pdf [16] https://viacampesina.org/downloads/pdf/sp/Cooling_the_Planet-ES.pdf [17] https://viacampesina.org/downloads/pdf/fr/Cooling_the_Planet-FR.pdf [18] https://youtu.be/zFBPcS26sAM [19] https://tv.viacampesina.org/Joke-you-may-cut-these-trees?lang=en [20] https://youtu.be/uX6OPyOQkVQ [21] https://tv.viacampesina.org/Action-No-to-false-climate?lang=en [22] https://youtu.be/i3HPpoF9Spo [23] https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO-vTv8pQXQ11bmWnBPEKLA [24] https://tv.viacampesina.org/III-World-Meeting-of-Popular?lang=en [25] http://www.twitter.com/via_campesina [26] https://www.facebook.com/viacampesinaOFFICIAL/ [27] https://vimeo.com/viacampesina [28] http://www.viacampesina.org [29] http://www.tv.viacampesina.org [30] https://mail.viacampesina.org/lists/listinfo/Via-info-en

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Murdering and bombing of Syrian citizens has to cease immediately – a political solution with the Syrian people has to be found
by La Via Campesina 09 Dec '16

09 Dec '16

MURDERING AND BOMBING OF SYRIAN CITIZENS HAS TO CEASE IMMEDIATELY – A POLITICAL SOLUTION WITH THE SYRIAN PEOPLE HAS TO BE FOUND [1] Published on Friday, 09 December 2016 13:30 [2]LA VIA CAMPESINA STATEMENT ON SYRIA SITUATION (Harare, December 8, 2016) The war in Syria goes on, never ending bombardments directly aimed at the civilian population, destroying any social infrastructure including hospitals, food markets and food production. At the moment the regime is on its way to destroy totally East-Aleppo and other cities and regions will follow. Despite the incredible aggression of the Syrian government together with supporting governments and loyal paramilitary groups against the Syrian people, a strong resistance fighting for a political and democratic alternative exists. Syrian peasant and citizens keep on defending themselves, fighting for a self-determined future and demand a political solution of the conflict. They keep on growing food crops under the most adverse circumstances in rural and also in any spaces in the cities. Food that helps them to survive and strengthen their resilience and their independence to resist becoming victim of the Syrian regime's policy of "starve or surrender". La Via Campesina supports these self-organized structures through the 15th Garden, a network of Syrian peasants and activists who risk their lives every day to bring seeds into many areas in Syria so that people can keep on growing their food. This terrible war will not bring any solution to this conflict other than destroying Syria and making millions more flee to other parts of the world. It is crucial that the UN together with other governments not involved in the massacre of the civilian population and the destruction of Syria undertake any effort to stop the bombing and push all parties involved to build a political solution that integrates all the Syrian people at all levels and hereby acknowledge the right for self-determination of the Syrian people. We call upon other social movements and organizations to pressure their governments to undertake any effort to stop this war on the Syrian people and build a political process towards the reconstruction and peace and democracy. Links: ------ [1] https://viacampesina.org/en/index.php/main-issues-mainmenu-27/human-rights-… [2] https://viacampesina.org/en/images/2014%20Logo.jpg

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Message of Solidarity with Cuba, in their time of national mourning
by La Via Campesina 30 Nov '16

30 Nov '16

MESSAGE OF SOLIDARITY WITH CUBA, IN THEIR TIME OF NATIONAL MOURNING [1] We the men, women, and youth of La Vía Campesina, salute the people of Cuba during their time of national mourning over the death of Comandante Fidel Castro Ruz, historic leader of the Cuban Revolution and an inspiration for struggles of emancipation of poor people of the world, from imperialism and capital. We would like to express our most heartfelt condolences and solidarity with our brothers and sisters of the Asociación Nacional de Agricultores Pequeños (ANAP) who, inspired by Comandante Fidel, have led the fight for food sovereignty and in this way feeding the people and protecting the natural resources. Just a few months ago, during their national congress, the members of ANAP celebrated the anniversary of the Agrarian Reform promulgated by Comandante Fidel 57 years ago. To our brothers and sisters who work on the land: we are united with you in this time of national mourning paying posthumous homage to Comandante Fidel and with ANAP's untiring struggle to achieve food sovereignty through the use of a sustainable agroeconomy, because it is through this work that ANAP continue to keep alive the revolutionary spirit of Comandante Fidel. To the people of Cuba, we restate our commitment to friendship, our appreciation for their example of solidarity with the people of the world as well as our admiration of the irrefutable accomplishments in the construction of a socialist society. ¡Comandante Fidel Castro Ruz! ¡PRESENTE! INTERNATIONAL COORDINATING COMMITTEE OF LA VÍA CAMPESINA Links: ------ [1] https://viacampesina.org/en/index.php/our-conferences-mainmenu-28/5-maputo-…

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Brutal Attack on Peasants in Mekar Jaya Village, Indonesia
by La Via Campesina 22 Nov '16

22 Nov '16

OVER 1500 POLICE PERSONNEL UNLEASH BRUTAL ATTACK ON PEASANTS IN MEKAR JAYA VILLAGE, INDONESIA [1] _LANGKAT NUSANTARA KEPONG, A MALAYSIAN PLANTATION COMPANY, ASSISTED BY LOCAL POLICE OFFICIALS, UNLEASHES BRUTAL ATTACK ON PEASANTS IN MEKAR JAYA VILLAGE IN INDONESIA TO APPROPRIATE NEARLY 554 HECATRES OF LAND!_ Over 1500 police personnel launched a despicable attack on peasant members of SPI (Indonesian Peasants' Union), in Langkat District of North Sumatra Province of Indonesia and exterminated hundreds of acres of peasant land, so as to favour a foreign plantation companies. Several protesting peasants were severly injured in this brutal attack that took place on the 18th of November in Mekar Jaya village. Suriono, from SPI Langkat explained, "Before the eviction and extermination, we asked the police to sit together and discuss this issue in the National Land Agency of Langkat District. But they refused it". Suriono requested the large battalion of cops to leave the land as it would only frighten the peasants and local residents. "But instead of going away and regardless of our the explanation, they continued bulldozing and leveling agricultural land and peasant's housing," he said. "This brutality notwithstanding, police officers chased the peasants inside the village and Sadikun, a peasant member of SPI Mekar Jaya village was arrested by the police," added Suriono. According to the information last received several memebrs of SPI were kicked and punched. Sadikun, a peasant suffered arrest and bruises on the face, ZULKIFLI (IN THE PIC) had ruptured his head and had bruises on the face. He is now hospitalized. Boimen another peasant member suffered beatings, Legiman suffered beatings, Sari was beaten, Boiran suffered beatings, Adi suffered beatings, Grandpa Saleh suffered beatings, Grandma Siti Hawa suffered beatings, Rohani was beaten, Midi suffered beatings, Siti (kid) suffered beatings, Udin beaten. The eviction, carried with the help of large equipments contunued till the afternoon of 21st December. We were surrounded, unable to get out of the village, outsiders were not allowed to enter," Suriono added. Zubaidah (Chairman of SPI in North Sumatera Province) condemned the violent actions of the police. "There was no reason for the police, whatsoever, to resort to violence. There are several peaceful means to encourage the settlement of land conflicts, instead of violent land eviction and extermination. With this kind of situation, peasants are always the victims and perpetrators are often police officers, "said Zubaidah. Zubaidah explained, land conflicts that arise in langkat is triggered by intensified expansion of plantation companies abroad. "This conflict was going on since 1998 against PTPN II (National Plantation Company). Ever since Langkat Nusantara Kepong (company from Malaysia)* took over the operational of PTPN II Kebun Lama Gohor, efforts by the company to evict peasants from the land has intensified," Zubaidah added. "This conflict involves a land of 554 hectares, that were appropriated by PTPN II Kebun Gohor Lama," she said again. "What make us sad and hopeless, police and military force tend to support foreign companies, not the people themselves. This is clearly wrong. Just imagine, a village of 1,500 was surrounded by the police and army," she said. For that, Zubaidah stressed that the Acting Governor of North Sumatra T. Erry Nuradi and North Sumatera Regional Police Chief immediately intervene to resolve the agrarian conflict. "The governor should be speeding up, doing something real to end this land conflict so there will be no more casualties. It can be started by revoking the license of the Langkat Nusantara Kepong Company. Furthermore, SPI members demanded that the North Sumatera Regional Police Chief take action against police officials who unleashed brutal attack on peasants in Mekar Jaya village, "No need to wait for the implementation of agrarian reform. It's a must to so we can avoid another conflicts, that are always devastating to peasants," concludes Zubaidah. Watch the video of the attack here [2]. Links: ------ [1] https://viacampesina.org/en/index.php/main-issues-mainmenu-27/human-rights-… [2] https://youtu.be/W27NFI53IXs?t=1m16s

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“Not one less, we want us alive”, Via Campesina calls for an end to violence against women
by La Via Campesina 17 Nov '16

17 Nov '16

LA VIA CAMPESINA SAYS _'NOT ONE LESS'_: NO MORE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN! [1] (Harare, 17 November 2016) On the 25th November, the International Day of Struggle against violence against women; The Via Campesina will reaffirm its commitment to the struggles for equal rights and human dignity. We as women carry enormous responsibilities in this world, and feed entire nations using agroecological practices, without our economic, social, legal and political rights being recognised, and without public programmes to guarantee equal social and economic participation.For this reason we are making a global call to our organisations, allies and friends to join forces to support actions, mobilisations and activities to denounce the different types of violence faced by women and to criticise the capitalist patriarchal model and the encroachment of agribusiness in our territories. On this day of struggle we join the voices of millions of women who came together in Latin America on 19th October to shout "Not one less, we want us alive" to denounce the alarming growth in femicide[1] [2] and male-chauvinist and misogynist violence against women.Femicide stems from the structural inequality between women and men, and the domination of men over women; gender violence is a mechanism for these factors to reproduce oppression and discrimination against women. There is an urgent need for both women and men to organise in a common front to fight against all types of violence and oppression.To this end, on 25th November we are using our international campaign "No more violence against women", started in 2008, as a tool to denounce and highlight this systematic violence faced by women around the world. Now more than ever, we are pushing forward in the struggle for a new relationship between women and men and between human beings and mother earth.We must engage in our struggles, transform society and build a better world through training, organisation and mobilisation, taking into account the specific situations that we face as women in a world where we do not have equality with men. Food sovereignty is the political project on which we can build social relations based on substantive equality. We need to eradicate all types of discrimination based on ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, age, disability or any other factor. The feminist approach of food sovereignty helps transform reality, building on emancipation and social justice, and it allows us to show women as the protagonists who are improving the situation; this helps transform unequal power relations. The capitalist system that has generated poverty and exclusion throughout history affects women in a more perverse and violent way, particularly the poorest, who live in rural areas and on the outskirts of cities.The climate crisis and abusive exploitation of natural resources are taking us towards an ecological disaster and oppression of the peoples of the world. We believe that all of us, women and men, must come together in a joint struggle to save the planet and change the system. There is now evidence that states do not take the political approach of reducing and eradicating violence against women. This violence is manifested in sexual abuse, harassment in organisations and on the street, rape, and institutional, psychological and structural violence. We call on states to ensure that legal frameworks for the safety, protection and freedom of women are respected. We will continue the struggle to occupy decision-making spaces in all national structures with the same capacity and legitimacy as men. We also demand that churches, the media and states should not seek to control our bodies using religious fundamentalism and trying to limit us to the home. We raise a shout of resistance against all forms of exploitation of our bodies and our territories! We pledge that we will struggle together as women and men for social and gender justice until each woman can move freely and without fear, in the home, in the community and around the world. During this day of action we want to demonstrate unity and our capacity to mobilise in different territories. Please send us messages, photos, videos and audio recordings to share on our website www.viacampesina.org [3] NO MORE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN! NOT A MINUTE OF SILENCE FOR OUR DEAD - A LIFETIME OF STRUGGLE! GLOBALISE THE STRUGGLE - GLOBALISE HOPE! ------------------------- MORE INFORMATION: Photos and audio: See our new collection of "No more violence against women!" postcards (Spanish) [4] "No more violence against women" manual (Spanish), here. [5] Video: Basta de Violencia contra las Mujeres! [6] Follow us on social networks: Facebook [7], Twitter [8] ------------------------- [1] [9] "Femicide is one of the most extreme forms of gender violence, which in its various forms includes all misogynist violence against women, that violates their human rights, attacks their security and puts their lives at risk. It culminates in the murder of some girls and women. Femicide happens because the authorities fail to act, they are negligent or they collude with aggressors, and in this way carry out institutional violence against women by blocking their access to justice and contributing to impunity". Links: ------ [1] https://viacampesina.org/en/index.php/main-issues-mainmenu-27/women-mainmen… [2] cid:part3.33AD8F0E.9E1CD19E@viacampesina.org [3] http://www.viacampesina.org/ [4] http://tv.viacampesina.org/Cunas-Radiales-Basta-de-Violencia?lang=es [5] http://www.viacampesina.org/downloads/pdf/sp/Cartilla_Basta_de_Violencia_co… [6] http://tv.viacampesina.org/Basta-de-violencia-contra-las-72?lang=es [7] https://www.facebook.com/viacampesinaOFFICIAL [8] https://twitter.com/via_campesina [9] cid:part10.EEB9DCA9.3B64F713@viacampesina.org

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La Via Campesina | e-Newsletter | October, 2016
by La Via Campesina 10 Nov '16

10 Nov '16

La Via Campesina | e-Newsletter | October, 2016 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. To subscribe click here [2] PAN-EUROPEAN FORUM IN ROMANIA WRAPS UP: FOOD SOVEREIGNTY TAKES ROOT IN EASTERN EUROPE ------------------------- Cluj-Napoca, October 31st - The fight back against industrial agriculture and for a just and sustainable future for farming and peasant farmers took a leap forward this week as the largest-ever European Forum on food sovereignty concluded. After five days of discussions, the groundwork has been laid to take back n, relocalise our food systems and multiply food sovereignty platforms across the continent by the participants from more than 40 countries who gathered at the second Nyéléni Forum on Food Sovereignty. A huge diversity of people involved in the food system were present, including farmers, food and agricultural workers, trade unionists, researchers, activists, fisherfolk, pastoralists, indigenous peoples, consumers, and human rights defenders. A major accomplishment of this forum was the convergence of Eastern European and Central Asian organisations with their Western European counterparts. Read More [3] NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD REPRESSION IN BRAZIL - POLICE INVADES MST SCHOOL ------------------------- These acts are the latest in a series of authoritarian and repressive measures that have targeted the MST in recent months, like the murders of two of its members by police seven months ago in the state of Paraná. Read More [4] BINDING TREATY NEGOTIATIONS IN GENEVA ------------------------- Conclusions of the Global Campaign on the UNHRC 2nd Session of the "Open-ended intergovernmental working group on transnational corporations and other business enterprises with respect to human rights" (OEIGWG) held in the last week of October 2016. Read More [5] ROGERIO HÖHN INTERVENES AT #BINDINGTREATY NEGOTIATIONS ------------------------- The time has come to unite our struggles in Southern Africa - the campaigns, networks, movements and organizations that are combating transnational corporations - the way they are exploiting our destinies, natural heritage and human rights, dismantling public services, destroying the commons, fomenting violence and endangering food sovereignty in every corner of the continent. Read More [6] #CFS43: SUMMARY OF INTERVENTIONS MADE BY LVC DELEGATION AT CFS PLENARY IN ROME ------------------------- A delegation of peasants, representing La Via Campesina, took part in the CSM Forum, the Civil Society Mechanism for relations to the UN Committee on World Food Security, in Rome this October.. Read More [7] KARNATAKA WOMEN MAKING INROADS INTO THE FARMERS' MOVEMENT ------------------------- Women members of Karnataka Rajya Raita Sangha (KRRS) are increasingly coming to the forefront of the farmers' movement in the State. Read More [8] SRI LANKA: FIRST PEOPLE'S TRIBUNAL ON AGROCHEMICAL COMPANIES ------------------------- A number of representatives from Sri Lanka's agricultural hubs, including Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Kurunegala and Moneragala, gave evidence before the tribunal; highlighting the issues faced by the people due to the activities of the multinational agrochemical companies. Read More [9] EUROPEAN PLAN FOR SHEEP MEAT: RECOGNIZE AND DEFEND THE ROLE AND EXPERTISE OF EUROPEAN SHEEP FARMERS ------------------------- Essential to a serene future for sheep farming is the preservation of a network of local abattoirs and the development of innovative slaughter, mobile and at the farm. The relocation of activities is a major economical, environmental and societal issue. Read More [10] IN SOLIDARITY WITH COLOMBIAN FARMERS ------------------------- Veronique Léon, European farmer and former national secretary of the Confédération Paysanne in France, participated in the international solidarity mission to Colombia from the 19th to the 24th of September. Read More [11] MST ASKS FOR MORE LAND REFORM AND FOR A STOP IN THE CRIMINALIZATION OF THE MOVEMENT ------------------------- On Friday, November 4th, MST was on the criminalization spotlight. A violent action by the police, codename "Castra", spanned three States, Paraná, São Paulo and Mato Grosso do Sul. Read More [12] HONDURAS MISSION IN GENEVA REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE RECEIPT OF LETTER SEEKING JUSTICE FOR THE MURDER OF COMMUNITY DEFENDERS ------------------------- On Thursday, 27th October 2016, organizations and social movements of the Global Campaign to Dismantle Corporate Power and End Impunity, delivered a letter to the Permanent Mission of Honduras in Geneva seeking justice in the murders of community defenders in the Central American country. Read More [13] LINKS TO THE FULL TEXT OF INTERVENTIONS AT #BINDINGTREATY NEGOTIATIONS ------------------------- At the Binding Treaty Negotiation in Geneva, JULIA FERNANDES on behalf of International Association of Democratic Lawyers and MAB intervened to highlight human rights violations by TNCs [14] in Brazil. FEDERICO PACHECO of the Union of Land Workers of Andalusia intervened to denounce the actions of transnationals [15] pushing a model of industrial agriculture. CETA IS A BAD DEAL FOR ROMANIAN PEASANTS AND AGROECOLOGICAL FOOD PRODUCERS! ------------------------- Free trade agreements such as the Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (CETA) are designed to benefit big corporates while eliminating millions of family and smallholder farmers Read More [16] HAITI - NEITHER HYBRIDS, NOR GMO'S, BUT FARM SAVED SEEDS ------------------------- Interview with Jean-Baptise Chavannes, spokesperson of Mouvement Paysan de Papaye, Haïti (Farmer Papaya Movement), by Frédéric Guérin and Claire Chauvet, Inf'OGM administrators, about Haiti's situation in general after the devastating hurricane Matthew, and about agriculture, farmers and international aid. Read More [17] 16TH OCTOBER: FOR PEOPLES' FOOD SOVEREIGNTY AND AGAINST TRANSNATIONAL CORPORATIONS ------------------------- On October 16th, La Via Campesina's _International Day of Action for Peoples' Food Sovereignty and against transnational corporations (TNCs)_, we continue the struggle to end corporate control of our food and reject free trade agreements. Watch the Slideshow [18] THE HAGUE – MONSANTO TRIBUNAL: PEASANTS OF THE WORLD STANDING TOGETHER FOR JUSTICE ------------------------- An International Monsanto Tribunal [19]was held in The Hague, Netherlands, alongside a People's Assembly, to hear cases against Monsanto and other agribusiness corporations and put forward real solutions to societal and environmental challenges. Read More [20] CONNECTING SMALLHOLDERS TO MARKETS: AN ANALYTICAL GUIDE Year: 2016 Summary: This publication is the fruit of two years of collective efforts by the Civil Society Mechanism (CSM) working group coordinated by LVC together with ROPPA that has been specifically dedicated to following the discussions and negotiations on 'Connecting Smallholders to Markets' in the Committee on World Food Security (CFS). The working group includes over 50 participants from different regions and constituencies. This publication presents interesting case studies and public policy recommendations. Edition: Civil Society Mechanism Download publication here [21] [22] At the tribunal against Monsanto and the popular assembly which took place from 12 to 16 October 2016 in The Hague. Several social movements and civil society organizations, explain why a binding treaty to end the impunity of multinationals is now needed. Watch Now [23] Video Credit: ZIN TV [24] MY FATHER BAEK NAM-GI In the memory of #BrotherBaek [25] - peasant friends and Baek Namgi's family in South Korea have put together a short video, to inform the larger public of the state oppression on protesting peasants and demanding that those responsible be held to account. Please watch and share. Watch Now [26] Video Credit: ZIN TV 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 clicking [1]here. [1] [27] Follow us on twitter [27] [28] Find us on Facebook [28] [29] Subsribe our Vimeo Channel [29] To unsubscribe from the distribution list, questions or comments, write to VIACAMPESINA(a)VIACAMPESINA.ORG WEBSITE: www.viacampesina.org TV: www.tv.viacampesina.org To subscribe to this newsletter - Click Here [30] Links: ------ [1] https://viacampesina.org/en/donations/ [2] http://ttps://mail.viacampesina.org/lists/listinfo/Via-info-en [3] https://viacampesina.org/en/index.php/actions-and-events-mainmenu-26/2176-p… [4] https://viacampesina.org/en/index.php/main-issues-mainmenu-27/human-rights-… [5] https://viacampesina.org/en/index.php/actions-and-events-mainmenu-26/stop-t… [6] https://viacampesina.org/en/index.php/actions-and-events-mainmenu-26/stop-t… [7] https://viacampesina.org/en/index.php/main-issues-mainmenu-27/sustainable-p… [8] https://viacampesina.org/en/index.php/main-issues-mainmenu-27/women-mainmen… [9] https://viacampesina.org/en/index.php/actions-and-events-mainmenu-26/stop-t… [10] https://viacampesina.org/en/index.php/main-issues-mainmenu-27/sustainable-p… [11] https://viacampesina.org/en/index.php/main-issues-mainmenu-27/human-rights-… [12] https://viacampesina.org/en/index.php/main-issues-mainmenu-27/human-rights-… [13] https://viacampesina.org/en/index.php/actions-and-events-mainmenu-26/stop-t… [14] https://viacampesina.org/en/index.php/actions-and-events-mainmenu-26/stop-t… [15] https://viacampesina.org/en/index.php/actions-and-events-mainmenu-26/stop-t… [16] https://viacampesina.org/en/index.php/actions-and-events-mainmenu-26/10-yea… [17] https://viacampesina.org/en/index.php/main-issues-mainmenu-27/biodiversity-… [18] https://tv.viacampesina.org/October-16-Actions-around-the?lang=en [19] http://www.monsanto-tribunal.org/main.php?obj_id=281601562 [20] https://viacampesina.org/en/index.php/actions-and-events-mainmenu-26/stop-t… [21] http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/templates/cfs/Docs1516/cfs43/CSM_Connecting_Sm… [22] https://vimeo.com/188736942 [23] https://tv.viacampesina.org/Campagne-pour-un-traite?lang=en [24] https://www.youtube.com/watch?sns=fb&v=KV-NrJBNlEs [25] https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/brotherbaek?source=feed_text&story_id=… [26] https://tv.viacampesina.org/My-father-Baek-Nam-gi?lang=en [27] http://www.twitter.com/via_campesina [28] https://www.facebook.com/viacampesinaOFFICIAL/ [29] https://vimeo.com/viacampesina [30] https://mail.viacampesina.org/lists/listinfo/Via-info-en

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