La Via Campesina Leads Struggle for Food Sovereignty at the European Social Forum

Real World Radio

The large international peasant network, Via Campesina, with presence in all the continents, has had a strong participation at the European Social Forum in Malmö, Sweden, as it has so far done in all the international meetings where it has coordinated with other social networks as part of their struggle for justice and food sovereignty.

Members of La Via Campesina from different countries participated on Saturday in direct actions against agrofuels in gas stations of Stat Oil corporation (from Norway) and British-Dutch corporation Shell in Malmö. They also participated in a massive demonstration that gathered 15,000 people who marched nearly ten kilometers for over three hours, in what has so far been the most important event of the European Social Forum.

The peasants and representatives of different social movements, organizations and networks stopped the cars at the entrance of a Stat Oil gas station to ask the drivers if they preferred that crops like corn, sugar cane or soy were used for food or for agrofuel production.

A Shell gas station was cordoned with hazard tape by the participants of the peaceful demonstration, who were holding their banners and flags. Environmental organization Friends of the Earth International, the Network Linking Alternatives of Europe and Latin America and Ecologistas en Accion from Spain, were some of the groups that participated in these actions.

The activists then joined the people from different countries and social groups who were waiting to start the march along the streets of Malmö. During the massive demonstration people were holding banners with slogans for peace, climate justice, against the US and European military interventions and against free trade, while they danced and chanted in different languages.

At the march, Real World Radio interviewed Josie Riffaud, member of Via Campesina France. She has participated and spoken in several activities of the forum.