Protest meet against Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership had the presence of international participants who expressed their solidarity with Indian agriculturists. This, despite their countries supporting the FTA.
Speaking at the meet, Shoko Uchida of Pacific Asia Resource Centre (PARC) said lay people of Japan, especially farmers who suffer from corporate advances into public sector, support Indian farmers in their fight against RCEP.
“We understand your plight and we are against our governments signing the FTA,” Ms. Uchida said. Other international participants in Sunday’s protest were Niabdulghafar Tohming of Thailand’s FTA Watch, Myrna Dominguez of Trade Justice Pilipina, Philippines and Olisias Gultom from Indonesia.
While discussions on RCEP started in 2012, international stakeholders came to Hyderabad to protest against the global convention India is hosting in the city starting Monday.
Welcoming support from other Asia Pacific protesters, Yogendra Yadav who spoke at the meet told the audience that FTAs capture natural resources, monopolise trade and coerce dissidents to follow their bidding.
“Only with a global network of stakeholders can we completely quash RCEP.
“If we do not kill this agreement, it will kill us,” said Yogendra Yadav, National President of Swaraj Abhiyan.
Among the countries that support deliberations on RCEP on Monday are Australia, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam and India.
