We will always remember Lee Kyung Hae’s High and Noble Self-Sacrifice
We will continue to Fight For His Dream!
We are confronted now with a new challenge.
Even though WTO-Doha negotiations have failed, bilateral free trade agreements (FTAs) are being pushed aggressively and FTA negotiations are increasing rapidly. We are aware that FTAs is another road to realize free trade or agricultural trade liberalization.
It is clearly true that WTO and FTA kills farmers. The free trade of food products, recommended under the rules of WTO and FTAs, will never bring about sustainable development to the rural areas, where many of the world’s poor are.
On the contrary, free trade will continue to destroy the livelihoods of millions of small scale farmers and producers. It will encourage increasing dependence on imports, decreasing our countries’ abilities to produce our own basic food. Local economies will collapse. Big agro-industrial companies will dominate agriculture. With their powers, we will experience serious lack of access to land, water, seeds, and bio diversity. To the detriment of local communities, our rights and primary needs will be ignored, our human dignity threatened.
These are the very reasons why Lee Kyung Hae, a farmer leader from South Korea, sacrificed his life during the 2003 WTO negotiations in Cancun, Mexico.
More than ever, our calls are clear:
1. Exclude food products from the WTO and FTAs, as food products are not the same as other commodities.
2. Promote and support agriculture that respects environment and biodiversity, and gives small scale producers maximum control over seeds, as well as other production and marketing resources
3. Regulate international trade such that it will allow each country to protect its agriculture in order to increase the local production which is the guarantee of food sovereignty and security.
The road to achieve this is long and, like a marathon runner, requires the strength and dedication from all of us. In AFA, we have declared September 10 as International Farmers’ Day. During this day, every AFA member will honor Lee Kyung Hae and show commitment to stand up for farmers’ rights and to work for farmers’ welfare.
“WTO KILLS FARMERS” is our compass.
MR Lee’s dream is our dreams.
Make global agricultural trade fair and just!
Protect Farmers’ Rights! Ensure Farmers’ Welfare!
Remember the sacrifice of Lee Kyung Hae.
Fight for farmers’ rights and lives!
Statement on the 5th Death Anniversary of Lee Kyung Hae
Asian Farmers Association for Sustainable Rural Development (AFA)
September 10, 2008
Seoul, Korea
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