WE REJECT THE REVIVAL OF THE DOHA ROUND

We, representatives of peasant organizations, women, migrants, workers,

urban and rural poor, fisherfolks, social movements and civil society

organizations from East and Southeast Asia call for the rejection of the

revival of the Doha "Development" Round.

We condemn and urgently call the attention of others to the attempts of the

big trading powers to revive the Doha "Development" Round with unfair and

imbalanced texts as the basis of further negotiations. The Agriculture and

Non-Agricultural Market Access (NAMA) texts clearly reflects the interests

of the developed countries and further shows that the Doha Round is

essentially about increasing market access and should not be equated to

development.

The negotiations continue to ignore and undermine the demands of developing

countries for more flexibilities to protect its small farmers, fishers and

workers. The current texts show that the developed countries are demanding

much more from developing countries in exchange for nothing. In agriculture,

while the US and EU maintain their subsidies, they demand that the

developing countries not have the right to special products (SP) and special

safeguard mechanisms (SSM) which are mechanisms to protect their small

farmers from import surges and volatile markets. In NAMA, they are demanding

for a drastic reduction of industrial and fisheries tariffs in developing

countries that could lead to huge job losses, deindustrialization and

devastation of small fisherfolk.

We reiterate our call to end the Doha Round and reject all attempts to

revive it, knowing that in the three major areas of negotiations –

agriculture, NAMA and services – the majority of proposals under discussion

are designed to protect and promote the interests of the rich countries and

transnational corporations.

After 12 years of the World Trade Organization, it is clear that the

promises of development are false and instead it has further impoverished

the people and lead to the loss of land, access and control of fishing

grounds and other natural resources, jobs and livelihoods. The WTO is an

instrument of neo-liberal globalization and inherently anti-development.

Trade should not be at the expense of our right to food, agriculture,

fisheries, public services, natural resources and livelihoods.

In East and Southeast Asia, we have experienced firsthand and continue to

suffer from the negative impacts of neo-liberal economic policies as same as

with other peoples across the world. If the Doha "Development" Round is

concluded and these unfair trade agreements are implemented, millions will

lose their jobs and livelihoods and will further impoverish the majority of

the people in the region.

Our vision of alternative trade relations is based on the principles of food

sovereignty, secure and sustainable jobs and livelihoods, human rights,

workers rights, universal access to services, womens equality and rights,

democracy and peoples participation in decision making and environmental

sustainability.

We call on our governments to abandon the attempts to revive the Doha

"Development" Round, it should not be saved at the expense of the people. We

call on our governments to listen to the demands of its people and begin

working with us in building alternative trade relations. A world without the

WTO is not only possible but necessary.

We commit to mobilize at the national, regional and international levels to

stop the revival of the Doha "Development" Round. We call on other

movements, peoples organizations and civil society groups to join us in our

struggle to end the Doha Round.

Globalize hope, globalize the struggle!

SIGNED:

Alliance of Progressive Labor, Philippines

Anti Debt Coalition (KAU), Indonesia

Asian Migrant Center, Hong Kong

ATTAC Japan

Center for Economic Democracy Studies, University of Gadjah Mada,

Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Federation of Indonesian Peasant Union (FSPI), Indonesia

Focus on the Global South

Global Network - Philippines

Jubilee South-Asia Pacific Movement on Debt and Development (APMDD)

Kababaihan ng Kilusang Mangingisda (Women of Fisherfolk

Movement-Philippines)

KALAYAAN (Katipunan para sa pagpapalaya ng sambayanan-Philippines)

Kilusan para sa Pambansang Demokrasya (Movement for National

Democracy-Philippines)

Kilusang Mangingisda (Fisherfolk Movement-Philippines)

Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU)

Migrant Forum in Asia

Pagkakaisa ng Kababaihan para sa Kalayaan

Stop the New Round! Coalition Philippines

Woman Health Philippines

Women's March Against Poverty and Globalization (WELGA)

Womyns Agenda for Change, Cambodia