La Via Campesina | e-newsletter | August 2017

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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 CALLS FOR A GLOBAL WEEK OF ACTION AGAINST THE WTO AND FTAS

During these 20+ years of struggle against the WTO, the world's peoples have resisted its attempt to globalize everything, including the food and agricultural systems, for the benefit of the TNCs. Our struggles have been the biggest impediment to the advance of the WTO, and there is no doubt that La Via Campesina has played a decisive part. Our resistance to market liberalisation under this neoliberal regime has continued since the Uruguay round conducted within the framework of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). Ever since, La Via Campesina has mobilised against almost all of the Ministerial Conferences since Seattle (1999) and Cancún (2003) - where OUR BROTHER LEE KYUNG HAE, HOLDING A BANNER DECLARING THAT "THE WTO KILLS PEASANTS", SACRIFICED HIS OWN LIFE - and up to Bali (2013) and Nairobi (2015).

This year, from the 8th to the 15th of December, a La Via Campesina international delegation will be in Buenos Aires to take an active part in the numerous civil society mobilisations, forums, and discussions. We will be there to identify the WTO as the criminal organisation that it is and to raise the flag of Food Sovereignty. We will call out all the Governments, who after having realised the weakening of WTO, have resorted to Bilateral and Regional Mega Free Trade Agreements, that threaten to annihilate our food systems, just like WTO has done it over the last two decades. Read More [3]

FEATURED ARTICLES

GLOBAL PEASANT MOVEMENT ASSESSES AND RESPONDS TO A HEATED POLITICAL MOMENT

By going home to work the land, peasants know they are engaging in one of the most political acts of all: agriculture.. Read More [4]

OLIVE HARVEST CAMPAIGN 2017 ANNOUNCEMENT

This year's campaign is inviting international volunteers to stay with farmers; help them in the olive harvest, have long discussions, and experience the Palestinian culture. Read More [5]

CRITIQUE OF CAPITALISM IS ESSENTIAL TO THE STRUGGLE FOR FOOD SOVEREIGNTY

Ayla Fenton, a young farmer and Youth President of NFU Canada, warns that that a national food policy will do nothing to advance food sovereignty unless it challenges the capitalist structure . Read More [6]

PEASANTS DEBATE ON GENDER AND SEXUAL ORIENTATION DIVERSITY

"Many people in the countryside are killed for being of a different sexual orientation than the ones represented in the heteronormativemodel. We need to take a political position in support of LGBTI* comrades" Read More [7]

RECLAIMING THE FOOD SYSTEM: EXPERIENCES FROM THE IALA, MARÍA CANO, COLOMBIA

The IALA model is a Pan-Latin American project, promoted by the transnational peasant organization La Vía Campesina (LVC), to attain Food Sovereignty through agroecology. Read More [8]

SOUTHERN AFRICA: COMMUNITIES EXPOSE CORPORATE ABUSE AT THE PERMANENT PEOPLE´S TRIBUNAL

Cases of corporate abuse in Mozambique, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Tanzania and Zambia presented at the second session of hearings of the Permanent People´s Tribunal which took place from 17th to 18th August.

PEASANT FAMILIES IN NE SRI LANKA FACE EVICTIO AS YAN OYA PROJECT NEARS COMPLETION

Yan Oya, a mega-irrigation project in Trincomalee district of Sri Lanka has so far destroyed over 5400 hectares of farm and forest land, including 238 water bodies and displacing over 340 families, according to MONLAR - a member of La Via Campesina. Read More [9]

SOLIDARITY AT THE VII INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE

A compilation of several solidarity statements that were issued and motions that were made at the VII International Conference of La Via Campesina. Read [10]More [11]

THE MANY COLOURS OF CORN

Amrita Bhoomi, founded by farmer leader M D Nanjundaswamy, is situated at the foothills of B R Hills. Volunteers at this centre regularly visit the podu, or settlements, of the Soliga tribe who reside in these hills. Read More [12]

SMALL-SCALE, AGROECOLOGICAL FARMS PRODUCE HIGH YIELDS: SURVEY

_"A Matter of Scale"_ is a survey report that highlights how a diverse and vibrant sector of small farms is providing employment, attracting new entrants and incubating entrepreneurs. Read More [13]

IN SUPPORT OF CÉDRIC HERROU : STOP THE CRIMINALIZATION OF MIGRANTS

No one is illegal, and he/she who helps people in need should not be prosecuted, but should instead be recognized for their humanitarian contribution. Read More [13]

'AGROECOLOGY IS ALSO ABOUT HOW WE WORK WITH EACH OTHER AS PEOPLE'

At the VII Conference, four young peasant delegates from Canada, the United Kingdom, Puerto Rico and Nepal explain what agroecology means to them. Read More [7]

PAKISTAN: PEASANTS STRUGGLING FOR LAND RIGHTS AT OKARA BEING CRIMINALISED

Pakistan Kissan Rabita Committee condemns the imprisonment and continued ill-treatment of peasant leader Mehar Abdul Sattar. He has been at the forefront of the struggle for land rights at Okara Military Farms. Read More [14]

SPI INDONESIA REIGNITES AND RE-IMAGINES A MOVEMENT FOR PEASANT-LED COOPS

The struggle for agrarian reform can only succeed when peasant communities cultivate and manage their crops collectively. It is important for cooperatives to take back the control of the agriculture chain back from the big corporations and farm estates. Read More [15]

FEATURED PUBLICATIONS

[16]

TITLE: Peasants Fighting for Justice: Cases of Violations of Peasants' Human Rights

These cases have been compiled by the La Via Campesina's worldwide members in a unique effort to systematise the violations of the human rights of peasant men and women.

EDITION: July, 2017

Download the PDF (3 MB) [17]

FEATURED VIDEOS

[18]

Step up the fight against agribusiness, Unite for Food Sovereignty

Watch Video [19]

YOU ARE AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE AUTONOMY OF OUR MOVEMENT

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You can renew your contribution to La Via Campesina by clicking [1]here. [1]

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Links: ------ [1] https://viacampesina.org/en/donations/ [2] https://mail.viacampesina.org/lists/listinfo/Via-info-en [3] https://viacampesina.org/en/la-via-campesina-calls-global-week-action-wto-ft... [4] https://viacampesina.org/en/global-peasant-movement-assesses-responds-heated... [5] https://viacampesina.org/en/olive-harvest-campaign-announcement-2017-continu... [6] https://viacampesina.org/en/critique-capitalism-essential-struggle-for-food-... [7] https://viacampesina.org/en/la-via-campesina-peasants-initiate-debate-gender... [8] https://viacampesina.org/en/reclaiming-the-food-system-instituto-agroecologi... [9] https://viacampesina.org/en/300-peasant-families-north-eastern-sri-lanka-fac... [10] https://viacampesina.org/en/summary-of-solidarity-statements-motions-vii-int... [11] https://viacampesina.org/en/vii-international-conference-youth-assembly-decl... [12] https://viacampesina.org/en/many-colours-corn/ [13] https://viacampesina.org/en/survey-shows-small-scale-agroecological-farms-pr... [14] https://viacampesina.org/en/pakistan-kissan-rabita-committee-condemns-impris... [15] https://viacampesina.org/en/serikat-petani-indonesia-encourages-peasant-comm... [16] https://www.facebook.com/viacampesinaOFFICIAL/videos/1504122602991639/ [17] https://viacampesina.org/en/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/08/Peasants-Figh... [18] https://vimeo.com/226664858 [19] https://tv.viacampesina.org/Fifth-International-Women-s?lang=en [20] http://www.twitter.com/via_campesina [21] https://www.facebook.com/viacampesinaOFFICIAL/ [22] https://vimeo.com/viacampesina [23] http://www.viacampesina.org [24] http://www.tv.viacampesina.org