Delegates Condemn US War on Iraq and Imperialist "Poisons of Mass Destruction"
Delegates Condemn US War on Iraq and Imperialist "Poisons of Mass Destruction"
Subject:
Delegates Condemn US War on Iraq and Imperialist "Poisons of Mass Destruction"
Date:
Tue, 4 Apr 2003
From:
Stephen Tvedten <steve@getipm.com>
Organization: Get Set Inc. (www.getipm.com)
To: Paul Helliker <phelliker@cdpr.ca.gov>
Director, State of California, Department of Pesticide
Regulation
cc: Christine Whitman whitman.christine@epa.gov
Pesticide Action Network Asia and the Pacific
PRESS RELEASE
PAN AP CONGRESS: International delegates condemn US war on Iraq and imperialist "poisons of mass destruction" at the first Congress of the Pesticide Action Network Asia and the Pacific
Strong anti-war sentiments rang out from people’s movements from around the world that convened in the Philippines on April 1 at the opening of the first Congress of the Pesticide Action Network Asia and the Pacific (PAN AP), while identifying poisons such as pesticides and genetically modified organisms (GMOs) as "poisons of mass destruction" that wreak havoc on people’s fundamental rights.
"We vehemently condemn the unilateralism, imperialism and corporatism that has been displayed by the US, UK, and their cronies in the dastardly action of waging war on Iraq," delegates from 16 countries said in a unity statement of the Congress that carries the theme "Land and Food Without Poisons: People’s Rights, People’s Empowerment."
"Their action is a crime against humanity. It is an unjust, immoral and illegitimate war that is causing destruction of lives, property and the environment," asserted representatives from various organizations fighting for the rights of peasant, agricultural workers, women, indigenous people and consumers to access, control and safety of land, food and other natural resources.
Wearing black armbands, the delegates observed a minute of silence in remembrance of all victims of the US-led war on Iraq. A peace message from 1991 Nobel Prize Winner Aung Sung Suu Kyi was also aired to inspire the occasion.
Afterwards, Dr. Irene Fernandez, PAN AP chairperson, warned the US, "we are watching every step you’re taking." This was in response to reports that foreign delegates from the recently-concluded Asian Peasant Conference—who had staged a protest in front of the US embassy the previous day—were being closely monitored.
Welcoming the delegates into "the land of struggle," Dr. Romeo Quijano of PAN Philippines emphasized, "When we fight against poisons, we fight against oppression caused by imperialist globalization in our countries."
Meanwhile, P. Chennaiah, general secretary of the Andhra Pradesh Vyavasaya Union, in his keynote speech lambasted governments for working as brokers for economic exploitation in the name of war, the age-old colonization tactic. "We can’t trust them to work for the people," Chennaiah said. "Our trust is in the people, especially people in agriculture who are victims of the development approach adopted by the World Trade Organization (WTO) and financed by transnational corporations (TNCs)."
During the Congress, the gains in the struggle of different sectors, particularly against corporate agriculture and hazardous technologies, were shared. In tribute to Women and People’s Movement Struggles, there were panel presentations by leaders from the peasants, agricultural workers, women, indigenous peoples, and fisherfolk movements. Women leaders made strong presentations, and voiced their issues, perspectives, resistance and demands—incorporating and ensuring strong women’s perspective in the Congress proceedings.
In challenging Corporate Agriculture and Hazardous Technologies, the core issues covered included resistance against corporate agriculture and hazardous technologies, and resistance against international institutions that promote globalisation (e.g. World Bank and the WTO). The promotion of genetic engineering, and the continued use and dependency on pesticides came under heavy fire.
According to Dr. Quijano, pesticides destroy people’s immune system, making them extremely susceptible to diseases and epidemics such as the mysterious and much-feared Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome or SARS.
Workshops were held to further strengthen several aspects of people’s movement struggles, such as concrete plans for resisting the next WTO ministerial meeting in Cancun.
In a poignant ceremony, veteran peasant leaders were honored in a special felicitation. Tatang Prime and Tatang Mike, both more than 70 years old, were former guerillas that fought against Japanese occupation in the Philippines. For having dedicated all their lives to the peasant struggle, up until the present, they were given "bolos" (sickles) as symbolic tokens of gratitude, and received a standing ovation from delegates.
"They have the strength and character to live and fight through all odds while we live in security. They are the pinnacles of people who have transcended us, where knowledge passes on to wisdom," declared Kaveri Dutt, an Indian human rights lawyer.
With the main objective of strengthening the struggles of the people’s movements for their rights, the PAN AP Congress brought together more than 120 people from Asia and the Pacific—mostly movement leaders from the peasant, women, and agricultural workers' movements; from fisherfolk and indigenous peoples movements, as well as civil society organisations (CSOs) on the first of a three day event.PAN Asia and the Pacific
P.O.Box 1170,
10850 Penang, Malaysia
Tel: +604-6570271/6560381
Fax: + 604-6577445
Web: www.panap.net
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