Stop Land Grabbing and Junk WTO!

   Jakarta(4/6), Alliance of Agrarian Reform Movement/Aliansi Gerakan Reforma Agraria (AGRA), Indonesian militant peasant organization mobilize their thousands members to Jakarta for anti land grabbing, junk WTO and reject fuel prices hike campaign. Rahmat, Secretary General of AGRA said this mobilization is to reiterate Indonesia peasantry position to the Indonesian government toward these issues.

“Indonesian peasantry are being oppressed by government policies and action related to land. Million of hectares peasants lands are being grabbed by government in the name of development and public interest, but what actually happen the they use the lands for massive plantation, mining sites, military facility and real estates projects, these policies should be stopped and land need to be distributed back to the peasantry through genuine agrarian reform, if government refuse to do this, therefore do not blame peasantry if they take their own actions to defend and take back their lands.” said Rahmat in his speech in the front of Land National Body of Indonesia. (4/6)

It is true what Rahmat said-that were also Deputy Secretary General of Asian Peasant Coalition (APC), a progressive regional alliance of peasant organization in Asia- millions of peasantry spilled their blood and tears in order to defend or take back their rightful lands across Asia. Some are wins and some were loose, but every actions that were took by peasantry will always become inspiration and precious lessons to advance anti land grabbing campaign.

“Not only in Indonesia, peasantry across Asia region also launch anti land grabbing campaign, with this were know that land grabbing is not only happen in Indonesia but also happen across Asia, even in another region like Latin America and Middle East and Europe. We will unite with those who shown their determination to launch anti land grabbing and genuine agrarian reform campaign, because these are the objective demand of peasantry, therefor we need to distinguish our self and make it clear among our rank in peasant movement, those who are still played with peasant life through their phony organization will be leaved by the peasantry, because only the genuine and militant peasant organization that are capable to give leadership for the peasant movement” explain Rahmat to the masses on the rally.

Beside land grabbing issue, the mobilization also launch their position toward 9^th WTO Ministerial Meeting that will be happen on the coming December in Indonesia. For this issue, AGRA as member of Indonesia Peoples Alliance (IPA) said peasantry position is already clear. WTO do not give any benefit for peasantry, on the contrary they use national government to stripped peasantry through various policies, starting from Agreement on Agriculture )AoA, revoke agriculture subsidies, agriculture import policy, till intellectual property right on seed.

“WTO policies is already been implemented very well by Indonesian government, the result is Indonesia loose her sovereignty on food, national agriculture market is being flooded by import products, and in the name of competition government stop agriculture subsidies, these policies are exposed the true nature of Indonesian government, they are not the side of their own peoples but their on the side of foreign monopoly capitals. Were not gonna take it anymore, Junk WTO. Pesantry need trade that serve the peoples and up hold sovereignty, where mutual benefit will realize.” Rahmat said on the rally.

Indonesian Peoples Alliance (IPA), a movement for sovereignty and trade to serve the peoples, support AGRA position on WTO. Ario Adityo from IPA Secretariat on his solidarity message to the rally said, that peasantry really need to stop 9^th WTO Ministerial Meeting, since agriculture will become one of the three main agenda on Bali Package.“it is imperative for peasantry, especially Indonesian Peasantry, since peasantry and workers will become the most affected sectors when the meeting reach a new deal in the up coming meeting. We will not allow them to reach deal, but further we need to make sure that peoples message will be heard on this up coming meeting, and our message is Were Not Gonna Take It Anymore! Junk WTO!” said Ario

AGRA also calling to Indonesian peasant movement to consolidate their ranks toward WTO meeting. AGRA is calling for National Peasant Consultation on WTO in this up coming month. Mobilization and conferences will be hold under coordination with Peoples Global Camp that will happen on December.