India: Blockade of Mangalore Port to protesta against destructive imports
South Indian Coordination Committee of Farmers Movements (SICCFM)
Blockade of Mangalore Port on 23rd November, 2009 by the South Indian farmers and fish-workers against WTO and FTAs and their destructive imports
South Indian Coordination Committee of Farmers Movements (SICCFM) has resolved to take a direct action against WTO and FTAs which facilitates cheap import of agriculture and marine produces. The import of Agricultural products includes edible oils, pulses, spices, sugar, areca nuts etc. Such cheap imports have depressed the prices of the Indian agriculture produces and impacted disastrously on the domestic production, the public health has also been compromised due to poor quality of imports, As a result of this, the country depends on imports for its 65% of the edible oil and for more than 50% of the pulses. Import of more than 177 highly subsidized varieties of different fishes will directly hit the lives of the fishermen of India.
This flood of imports have started coming into the Indian market after the removal of Quantitative Restrictions on the imports to satisfy the requirements of WTO. We strongly protest against the anti farmer and fishermen stand taken by the Government of India by negotiating again the Doha round of the WTO in its 7th ministerial meeting which will be held from 30th of November to 2nd of December, 2009 in Geneva.
We farmers and fish-workers are also very much concerned about the FTA between India and ASEAN countries, which will be implemented from 1st January 2010. This will have disastrous effects on the Indian farmers as well as fish-workers as it reduces and removes the import duty on foreign agriculture and marine products.
In order to protect the livelihood of the millions of Indian farmers and fish-workers, we, the South Indian Coordination Committee of Farmers Movements (SICCFM), have decided to warn the Government of India, the Government of Karnataka and the other Governments of the Southern States: Keep agriculture out of WTO and protect the lives of both farmers and fishermen.
Thousands of farmers and fish-workers from Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu will hold a protest rally on 23rd November, 2009 from the Central Railway Station to Kottara Chowky, Mangalore, Karnataka from 10 AM and will block the functioning of the Mangalore Port.
For further contact:
Kodihalli Chandrashekhar, For KRRS and Green Brigade (0)9844293908
Sunny Desoza, For KRRS and Green Brigade,Mangalore (0)9341718808
Davison, For Kerala Coconut Farmers Association (0)9895183882
Kannaiyan, For Tamilnadu Farmers Association (0)9444989543
P.Peter, Kerala State Independent Fish Workers Federation ( KSMTF) (0)9447429243
Vasudev Boloor, Coastal Karnataka Fishermen Action Committee (0)9449207805
N.S.Palanisamy, For Tamilnadu Farmers Association (0)9442373374
Nallagounder, For Tamilnadu Farmers Association (0)9443045690
#636, Ideal Homes Township, Rajarajeshwari Nagar, Bangalore- 5600098, Karnataka-India
Tele-fax : +91 80 28604250 Email: siccfm@gmail.com