[E-rundbrief] Info 428 - WTO-Doha-Runde - Widerstand erfolgreich

[Matthias Reichl]

E-Rundbrief - Info 428 - Matthias Reichl: WTO-"Doha-Runde" 
(vorläufig?) gescheitert. Erfolg des weltweiten gewaltfreien 
Widerstandes von Basisinitiativen und -bewegungen. Focus on the 
Global South (u.a.): Civil Society Groups Celebrate Collapse of Doha 
Round: The Best Outcome for World's Poor.

Bad Ischl, 25.7.2006

Begegnungszentrum für aktive Gewaltlosigkeit

www.begegnungszentrum.at

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WTO-"Doha-Runde" (vorläufig?) gescheitert

Erfolg des weltweiten gewaltfreien Widerstandes von Basisinitiativen 
und -bewegungen

Auch wenn unser Beitrag zum Widerstand gegen die WTO-Kampagne in der 
"Doha Runde" (und ihre Vorläufer gegen das M.A.I., GATS und andere) 
bescheiden waren und weiter sind, freuen auch wir uns. Allerdings 
müssen wir aus den Erfahrungen mit dem M.A.I., das im GATS 
wiederbelebt werden sollte, wachsam sein. Denn einige der führenden 
Persönlichkeiten wie der WTO-Chef Lamy werden weiter alles versuchen, 
sich und ihre Organisationen aus der Sackgasse zu manövrieren. 
Außerdem werden die USA weiter Staaten unter Druck setzen, um ihnen 
in bilateralen Handelsabkommen das aufzuzwingen, was sie über die 
WTO-Runde nicht durchsetzen konnten. Also, der gewaltfreie Widerstand 
geht weiter! Wir werden euch Interessierte und Engagierte weiter 
darüber - und über verwandte Bereiche - über unseren E-Mail-Verteiler 
und unsere Homepage www.begegnungszentrum.at informieren. Dafür 
benötigen wir auch eure ideelle und materielle Unterstützung 
(Vereinskonto und Adresse am Ende des E-mails!)

Matthias Reichl, Begegnungszentrum für aktive Gewaltlosigkeit, Bad 
Ischl, Austria

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Press Release

Focus on the Global South

Civil Society Groups Celebrate Collapse of Doha Round:

The Best Outcome for World's Poor

25 July 2006, Geneva

Monday's collapse of the Doha Round is the best outcome the WTO can 
deliver to the world's poor.

 From the outset, the WTO's logic of trade liberalisation, did not 
meet the more complex needs of countries struggling to tailor 
domestic trade policy to the specific needs of their industries and 
agricultural producers. The institution, instead, became the 
playground for the major trading powers to capture markets for their 
corporations, paying no heed to the impact on Southern producers and 
industries, nor to the unemployment caused.

According to Walden Bello, Executive Director of Focus on the Global South

"The idea that the Doha Round was a "development round" could not 
have been farther from the truth. Whilst trade can be a medium for 
development, from the very start, the aim of the developed countries 
was to push for greater market openings from the developing countries 
while making minimal concessions on their part.  Invoking development 
was simply a cynical ploy to make the process less unpalatable.

"The collapse of the Doha Round is good for the poor.  With the 
unraveling of the WTO talks, the task should now be to shift to 
creating alternative frameworks and institutions other than the WTO 
and its neoliberal bilateral or regional counterparts, and to build 
trade mechanisms that would make trade truly beneficial for the poor."

Gathered here in Geneva are civil society movements from around the 
world. These groups have come to Geneva to register their protest 
against the Round. Speaking on behalf of the Fisherfolk Movement in 
the Philippines, Pablo Rosalez comments,

"We are happy that the talks have been suspended indefinitely, but we 
would be even happier if the suspension becomes permanent. The time 
for reflection should be used to think about development without the WTO".

Small farmers, represented by the international coalition Via 
Campesina, also here in full force, are equally upbeat. Says their 
spokesperson, Henry Saragih of Indonesia,

"We're celebrating this occasion. Today's outcome has also been the 
result of movements pressuring their governments in their capitals. 
We have worked hard in Indonesia, pressuring our government to stop 
agricultural imports which have pushed our farmers out of their jobs.

"Via Campensina has always called for the WTO to get out of 
agriculture. Now is the time for Food Sovereignty. The WTO should 
also get out of all sectors. We will continue to pressure the WTO to 
stop the negotiations completely."

Welcoming the latest developments, Joseph Purugganan of the 
Philippine-based "Stop the New Round Coalition" adds,

"It is time to think of a world beyond Doha, a world beyond the WTO, 
and start building and strengthening people's alternatives. We want 
an alternative system of global trade that protects livelihoods, 
promotes food sovereignty, secure jobs, and facilitates access to 
basic human needs such as water, education, healthcare and affordable 
medicines. This alternative system is anchored on cooperation and not 
competition, where people's welfare matter more than profits."

Civil society groups will celebrate the collapse of the Round in this 
week with the following events:

Wednesday 26 July, Geneva, Bains des Paquis, 8 pm

Concert Celebrating the Collapse of the Doha Round, Cultural night 
and Video showings. There will be musicians from the Philippines and 
Korean street theater.

Thursday 27 July, Geneva, 45 Quai Wilson, 5 pm

Fluvial Parade and Parallel Celebratory Demonstration to the WTO. 
Using the traditional Philippine boats constructed here in Geneva, 
the artisanal fisherfolk, together with a flotilla of yachts and 
other boats will sail towards the WTO from Palais Wilson. This will 
be a display of resistance to the WTO and a call for a permanent end 
to the Round.

Simultaneously, farmers and other activists will march from Palais 
Wilson to the WTO.

ORGANIZERS:

Fisherfolk Movement-Philippines/ Forum Social Lémanique/ Focus on the 
Global South/ ATTAC/ Marche Mondiale des Femmes/ La Via Campesina/ 
Uniterre/ CADTM/ Coordination Paysanne Européenne/ Hemispheric Social 
Alliance/ Friends of the Earth International

Focus on the Global South: www.focusweb.org

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Matthias Reichl, Pressesprecher/ press speaker,
     Begegnungszentrum fuer aktive Gewaltlosigkeit
     Center for Encounter and active Non-Violence
     Wolfgangerstr. 26, A-4820 Bad Ischl, Austria,
     fon: +43 6132 24590, Informationen/ informations,
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