OneWorld.net (U.S.)

On October 17 2005, twelve countries in Asia launched the ‘Peoples’ Caravan for Justice and Sovereignty’ in protest against the December 14-18, WTO Hong Kong Ministerial 2005. The event was intended to coincide with the International Day for Eradication of Poverty, and was symbolic of a world wide call asking to end poverty, stop WTO negotiations, dismantle unequal trade systems and ensure food sovereignty, women's rights, universal health care, as well as elimination of HIV and other diseases.

The Caravan embodies a collective resolve to fight against poverty, as around 18 million people per year or 50 thousand per day die due to poverty related causes. Thus, the magnitude of the problem makes it comparable to a distinctive form of Tsunami every day.

The Caravan is a long journey of people’s struggle in the wake of the WTO Hong Kong Ministerial. The journey includes a wide range of activities all over Asia starting from its launch in 15 and 17 October in many countries to other series of protest events during the Hong Kong Ministerial in the form of a collective culmination. There are common events at Asia level on 25th November, which is the International Day for Elimination of Violence against Women.

The entire Asian Caravan will observe several events from 1 to 10 December 2005 with 1 December being World AIDS Day, 2nd December - International Day for Abolition of Slavery, 3rd December - International Day for Disabled Persons, 5th December - World Dignity Day and 10th December - International Human Rights’ Day.

An Asian Call In Bangladesh the Caravan has been launched with a huge people’s gathering at Dhaka Press Club Headquarters with participation from garment workers, fisher folk, farmers, peasants, labourers and industrial workers. The activities in Bangladesh will continue rigorously covering villages, towns and cities and culminate during the December Hong Kong Ministerial.

In Cambodia the Caravan has been launched with a focus on building rural farmer’s movements opposing anti-people policies reflected in the Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS), General Agreement on Trade Services (GATS), Agreement on Agricultural (AoA) and WTO. The Cambodian collective also voices its concern over other issues like food security and health services.

Indonesian Peoples Forum (IPF) together with Rapid Agrarian Conflict Appraisal (RACA) Institute and Indonesian Women Association for Justice (APIK) has launched the Peoples’ Caravan in Indonesia. Like other Asian States, Indonesian alliance takes up anti-people issues related to WTO regime and plans to finally march towards Hong Kong Ministerial in December 2005.

Though the actual Peoples’ Caravan will hit the road in Pakistan villages, districts, towns and cities on 12th November 2005, a rally marked the launch of the campaign in the country on October 17. The Caravan in Pakistan will pass through regions and places like Tharkarker, Badin and Karachi, Hyderabad, Johi, Larkana, Rajanpur, Layyah, Toba Tek Singh, Sargodha, Khushab, Multan, Shujabad, Bahawalpur, Chishtian, Deepalpur, Lahore and Peshawar to Swabi which will finally culminate at Islamabad. Throughout the period, there will be meetings, public forums, rallies, and sharing at each place and interaction sessions.

Action Aid Vietnam in collaboration with its alliance partners launched, the Caravan by observing October as a ‘Month of the Poor’ in Vietnam. This is a gesture of solidarity and commitment towards Asia ‘Peoples' Caravan for Justice and Sovereignty 2005’ along with many issues like gender equality, women empowerment, job for workers in enterprises and migrant workers, HIV/AIDS, access to medicines and food security. Vietnam plans scores of other activities in the run up to Hong Kong Ministerial.

Peoples' Caravan activities in Thailand is a collective voice with local organizations and networks that denouncing the WTO policies and Hong Kong WTO Ministerial in December 2005. Thailand has launched its Caravan while observing the International Day for Eradication Poverty. The main issues in Thailand during the Caravan are the impacts of globalization and issues related to women, peasants, labourers, factory and industrial workers etc.

In Philippines the Peoples’ Caravan is being organized by around 20 organizations under the main co-ordination of GCAP-Philippines. The Caravan activities in Philippines were initiated early in October. Many public protest events including rallies, meetings, petitions and media briefings have been scheduled over the next couple of months. The Philippines campaign will focus on Agreements on Agriculture (AoA) particularly with rice farmers, GATS, and overall issues related to WTO and most prominently against the conditional alteration of constitutions.

Sri Lanka launched its Caravan on 15 October 2005 at Galle along with peasants groups, land reform associations, students’ fronts, human rights groups, organizations, activists and university communities with a collective voice to fight against any negotiations at Hong Kong.

India is also set to take off the Caravan 2005 with a massive campaign. In India there are zonal level activities throughout India till the Hong Kong Ministerial in December. The Indian collective plans to launch the Caravan on 24th October 2005 at Delhi, followed by a people’s struggle at the country level focused on including the voices and concerns of women, dalits, forest people, labourers, fisherfolk, tsunami affected communities, and a host of others.

Similarly, the collective in Nepal has initiated its processes and programs with likeminded people’s organizations of peasants, social fronts, students unions and NGOs with a focus on the issues of Labor, HIV/AIDS and Farmer’s Rights along with issues like democratization in Nepal. Nepal launches its Caravan on 18th October 2005 at Khatmandu. It will be coordinating the action around the Caravan until the Hong Kong Ministerial and beyond. China and Japan are also in their way to carry out some local events on the issues related to WTO in the run up to the December Hong Kong Ministerial.

The Peoples’ Caravan is indeed a collective struggle of Asian people for their basic rights and immediate concerns.

Source: The Peoples Caravan.