Government and TNCs greed is the cause of hunger! : QC IMC

On Monday morning, a press conference was held in Manila. The event was well attended by journalists from almost all the major channels and newspapers, both broad sheet and tabloids. Here, the media had the opportunity to meet international resource persons of the People’s Caravan 2004 for Food Sovereignty; Dr. Ricarda Steinbrecher, a scientist activist from the UK, Percy Schmeiser, a Canadian farmer, and Gilbert Sape from PAN AP. Also present were Danilo Ramos, secretary general of KMP (Peasant Movement of the Philippines) and Natalie Pulvinar, convener of RESIST (a Filipino alliance against agrochemical transnational corporations).

Danilo "Ka Daning" Ramos described the current situation of farmers in the Philippines and world-wide, as well as the effects of agrochemical corporations on local agriculture and on farmers. "The number of hungry and malnourished people across the globe will continue to increase due to the drive for enormous profits of large corporations like Monsanto. In the Philippines alone, more than 16 million Filipinos do not take breakfast anymore because of the perpetual increase in the price of basic commodities".

"This is further aggravated when corporations like Monsanto, Syngenta and Cargill come into our economy and force their products on our farmers. The sad part is that the government itself is the one that protects and encourages these corporations to tie the farmers to products which are not only harmful to their health but to the land as well," added the peasant leader.

Dr. Ricarda Steinbrecher explained that there is scientific evidence that the introduction of GMOs by these corporations poses a serious threat to the health of farmers and consumers as well as to the environment.

Percy Schmeiser described how Monsanto seeds contaminated his farm, after which the company sued him for using their seeds. He talked about his resistance to the giant company, as he filed a counter lawsuit against the TNC for the damage caused by the seeds on his farm.

Tackling the strategies of corporations, Natalie Pulvinar emphasized that these corporations claim that their technologies, like pesticides and genetic engineering, can eradicate hunger in the world; in reality, more and more farmers are indebted because of these technologies. "Not only because of its steep price but also due to the lawsuits that are filed against farmers", she explained, referring to the case of Percy Schmeiser.

The resource persons were one in saying that the current crisis and the consequent hunger are caused by the enormous greed of big agrochemical corporations and governments who allow these corporations to bring their genetically modified crops into the country; who are protecting these corporations, not its people. This was strongly expressed by Natalie Pulvinar, "Now with Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s all-out implementation of the globalisation policy under the WTO, these corporations are wrecking havoc on our farmers and our economy".

The press conference concluded with a performance showing Uncle Sam, representing imperialism, and the President of the Philippines, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, taking away the food of children, thereby causing the Filipino people to go hungry.

About the same time, a picket rally was organised by AMIHAN (the National Federation of Peasant Women), to resist the World Trade Organisation. About 50 peasant women attended the picket in front of the Department of Agriculture. It also launched the nationwide movement Kababaihan Kontra WTO (Women Against WTO).