Facing the difficulties after the suspension of WTO negotiation, Pasca Lamy schedule his trip to Indonesia this week. On 20-21 February Pasca Lamy will meet with the Indonesian coordinating minister of economic, minister of trade and minister of agriculture and latter meet with President Yudhoyono. Indonesia is very important for Lamy, because Indonesia is leading the group of 33 (G33) with membership of more than 40 countries member of WTO.
The G33 position on WTO negotiation is Special Product/SP and Special Safeguard Mechanism/ SSM on the WTO negotiation. Not like other groups in negotiation who want to reach bigger market access in WTO, the G33 position is more defensive in order to protect their agricultural from the free trade mechanism.
With the condition of the collapse of negotiation, by no means Pasca Lamy would persuade the G33 to make their position a little bit soft because as demanded by groups of developed countries.
The Indonesian farmers does not welcome and reject the arrival of Pasca Lamy, there fore Federation of Indonesian Peasant Union (FSPI) mobilize one thousand of peasants in Jakarta, tomorrow (20/2). Henry Saragih, secretary General of FSPI, also the leader of Via Campesina said “In every WTO meeting peasants of Via Campesina is on the front line of action. Now we also want to make action to send Lamy back home. Indonesian farmer does not need WTO”,
Henry added, “Via Campesina demand WTO out of agriculture. And we push the government of Indonesia to find the alternative of trade, out of WTO”.
Now the rice is on the hottest issue of the country, in several towns peoples are in long queue to buy the rice in special price. The price on the ordinary market is very high, and it is the traders who play the game. Meanwhile the measure made by the government to reduce the price is import rice from international market. The last statement from the Vice President the government will import totally 1 million tons of rice. It is unbelievable, because when the rice arrive farmers will start their harvest and price will go down.
Trader takes big profit from the consumers when the price is high, while when farmers harvest come they pressure the price on the farm gate.
It shows how free market could not be accepted, therefore WTO could not be accepted either.
After collapse of WTO in Geneva July last year, the world social movements push forward the agenda of Food Sovereignty and on 23 of February more than 500 social movement consisting of peasant, fisher folks, workers, consumers, women, and environment groups will gather in Mali Africa to find common strategy and fight for the implementation of food sovereignty. To end the hunger and poverty the world should hear to the peasant’s voice and NOT the agribusiness corporations. (Tejo Pramono).
