MEDIA ADVISORY
The international peasant’s movement La Via Campesina is inviting the media to cover the protests activities during the World Bank/IMF meetings from September 15 to 19 in Jakarta, Batam, Medan and Singapore.
Farmer’s movements have been opposing World Bank and IMF for decades because of the disastrous impact of their policies on small farmers lives. La Via Campesina members organisations around the world have struggeled against those institutions due to land evictions for mega-projects (such as large dams), land and water privatisation, cuts on public subsidies to farmers, huge debt, free trade policies…
La Via Campesina is an international movement which brings together millions of peasants, small producers, landless people, rural women and agricultural workers around the world. Our movement is made up of 132 member organisations active in 56 countries in Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas.
If you want to contact us and recieve our press releases please contact us:
– In Jakarta: Akhmad Ya’kub + 62 (0) 817712347
– In Batam and Singapore: Indra Lubis + 62 (0) 8163195550
– In Medan: Purwanto + 62 (0) 81376032429
– or by e-mail at viacampesina@viacampesina.org
PROGRAMME
15 – 17 September:
International conference : “Neo-colonialism and crimes against humanity by the WB/IMF and building a world without World Bank and IMF” (organised by La Via Campesina with the Indonesian People movements against Neo-colonialism)
Place: Gedung YTKI, Jakarta – Indonesia
(Journalists are welcome: please see programme hereunder)
17 September – 11 am :
Press conference La Via Campesina: “Proeple movements protest against the crimes against humanity by the World Bank and the IMF”
18 September – 10 am
Action in front of the World Bank Office in Jakarta (organised by the Indonesian People movements against Neo-Colonialism)
JL Jend Sudirman, Gedung Bursa Efek Jakarta (BEJ)
15-18 September: International Peoples Forum vs the IMF & WB in Batam
18-19 September: North Sumatra People’s Forum against IMF & WB in Medan
19 September – 9 am : La via Campesina Press conference in Singapore.
Peasants’ March in Jakarta
CONFERENCE PROGRAMME
La Via Campesina International Conference
Peoples’ movements against Neo-colonialism
“Neo-colonialism and crimes against humanity by the WB/IMF & building a world without World Bank and IMF”
15-17 September 2006
Gedung YTKI, Jakarta – Indonesia
(Morning: 09:00 – 12:00, Afternoon: 14:00-17:00)
Friday, September 15th : WB and IMF’s crimes against humanity
09:00 Opening speech:Neocolonisalims and crimes against humanity by the WB/IMF
Henry Saragih, FSPI – La Via Campesina
09:45 Crimes against humanity by the world bank and the IMF from the persfective of human rights and justice. : Johson Panjaitan (PBHI ) , Rafandi (HRWG )
Usman Hamid (KONTRAS) , Amidhan (Komnas HAM) , Kusfiardi (KAU)
14:00 Testimonies by victims: Urban Poor (UPC and SRMK), Workers (SBJ and SBMI), Peasants (FSPI and Petani Mandiri)
15:45 Environment (WALHI), youth and Student (FPPI, LS-ADI, KM-AI)
17:00 Conclusions (PBHI, KAU, FSPI, UPC, FPPI)
Saturday, September 16th: WB impact on peasants and rural life
09:00 Impact of the World Bank policy on land and rural area (Walden Bello- Key note speaker)
Panggau, Malaysia, Assembly of the Poor , Thailand, Paragos, Philipina, Federasi Serikat Petani Indonesia (FSPI)
10:45 MST (Brazil Landless Workers Movement) , Brasil
KRRS (Karnataka Rajya Ryota Sangha), India
BKF (Bangladesh Krishok Federation), Bangladesh
UNORKA Philippines
14:30
World Bank’s on land and rural areas policies and their consequence to rural life
Gunawan Wiradi – Indonesia (agrarian expert)
Usep Setiawan – Indonesia (Konsorsium Pembaruan Agraria)
LRAN*
16:15 Disscusion and conclusions
Sunday, September 17th : Alternatives to Neoliberalism & building a world without WB/IMF
09:30 Alternatives to Neoliberalism
Alternatives on building a world withouth world bank and IMF
By Gus Dur (former presiden of indonesia) *
11:00 Press Conference of La Via Campesina
11: 00 Alternative on development and finance
Revrisond Baswir (Koalisi Anti Utang, Indonesia)
Shalmali Guttal (Focus on Global South )
Bonnie Setiawan (Institute for Global Justice)
14: 00 Alternative on Agricultural Development and Food Policy
La Via Campesina
Friends of the Earth
15:00 hours Creating social movements : South America Representative MST Brazil ,
South Asia Representative BFK Bangladesh/KRRS India
16: 15 Group disscussion
17:00 Plenary
18:00 hours closing and declaration
*to be Confirmed
Jakarta, 14 September 2006
