Thousands of Asia Farmers May "Evict" Monsanto in Philippines

People's Caravan 2000 Culminates in Massive Protest Against TNCs and
Imperialist Globalization

Thousands of farmers belonging to the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas
(KMP) and 20 foreign participants are building to a climax of the
"People's Caravan 2000 - Land and Food Without Poisons" today. After the
successful activities in India and Bangladesh, the international Caravan
ends today with a massive protest rally against globalization and for
genuine agrarian reform to achieve food security, social justice, and
land and food without poisons.

The last day of the caravan brings the participants from the Department
of Agriculture, where they held a vigil, to the office of Monsanto in
Makati. According to the Caravan participants, the company deserves a
notice of eviction, as it is one of the biggest transnational
corporations (TNCs) that have become notorious for pushing harmful
pesticides and genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Simultaneous
protest actions are being held in front of the Monsanto office in
General Santos City in Mindanao. The culminating activity is a rally in
front of the US embassy to commemorate "One Year since Seattle" and
condemn US domination on Asian agriculture.

"Marginalized communities all over Asia are making a stand against
globalization and TNC control of their lives, including increased
pesticide use, the onslaught of genetic engineering, increased
landlessness, and the erosion of food security," said Ms. Sarojeni
Rengam, executive director of Pesticide Action Network Asia and the
Pacific (PAN AP). She added: "Now the people are fighting back."

Mr. Ganarai Dorairaj Xavier of the Society for Rural Education and
Development (SRED) of India joined the Caravan from the very start on
November 13. He said that the People's Caravan is an expression of the
frustration of millions of peasants, fisherfolk and indigenous people
with the exploitation by landlords and TNCs of their lands and food, and
ultimately their lives.

Bangladeshi Mr. Rafiqul Haque of UBINIG (Policy Research for Development
Alternatives) advised Philippine farmers to junk the seeds and
pesticides of the TNCs altogether. Habibur Rahman, a farmer from
Nayakrishi Andolon (New Agriculture Movement), added: "the Bangladeshi
farmers reject genetically engineered rice and I was pleased to learn
about the strong resistance here in the Philippines."

"The People's Caravan is an important development in the increasing
solidarity among Asian farmers against imperialist globalization," KMP
chair Rafael Mariano said. "We have forged an International Alliance
against Agrochemical TNCs in order to continue this struggle," he added.

Mariano explained that it is through the impositions of the
International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank and the World Trade
Organization (WTO) that farmers are driven from their lands and become
virtual slaves of the poison industry. According to the peasant leader,
these problems even worsened in the Philippines under the Estrada
administration.

"One year ago, the WTO sparked massive protest in Seattle," he said,
"and we will continue to oppose liberalization, privatization and
deregulation as long as they are wreaking havoc on the peasantry."
The People's Caravan 2000 is organized by PAN AP; the Tamil Nadu Women's
Forum and SRED from India; UBINIG and the Nayakrishi Andolon of
Bangladesh; and KMP in collaboration with SHISUK (Bangladesh); CIKS and
PREPARE (India); Gita Pertiwi (Indonesia); NESSFE (Japan); CACPK
(Korea); and Food First (USA).

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