New Delhi 19 November 2000
The Real Green Revolution has begun: Indian Farmers on the War Path
Thousands of farmers gathered in Delhi to demand that the government stop implementing WTO policies and agriculture be taken out of the World Trade Organisation (W.T.O.). A rally was organsied by Mr. Sunilam of the Kisan Sangharsh Samiti on 19th November 2000 at Villabhbhai Patel House. A similar farmers meeting was also held at the JNU City Centre in New Delhi which was called by the Community Party of India (M-L).
From across the country stories of farmers distress and suicides are pouring in related to rising cost of production and collapsing prices of farm commodities.
Cost of production are rising as a result of the liberalisation of agriculture and the entry of seeds and chemical multinationals who are hooking poor Indian peasants into the costly treadmill of hybrid seeds and pesticides. The withdrawal of farm subsidies, the increase in prices of power and water under the pressure of World Bank driven privatisation polices are adding to the cost and debt burden of farmers.
The withdrawal of Minimum Support Prices (MSP) is making the situation even worse. The farm prices are also collapsing as result of removal of Quantitative Restrictions on imports under WTO pressure, leading to highly subsidised imports of edible oil, coconut, milk, rubber, pepper, coffee, tea, wheat which are destabilising domestic prices and domestic market, pushing farmers to organise and demand the reversal of deregulation of imports.
While farmers are receiving less than their cost of production, the poor are going hungry due to rising prices of food as food subsidy are removed, and low cost local options are destroyed by corporate monopolies.
The artificially built up surplus of 42 million tonnes of foodgrain resulting from lower consumption and lower purchase by increasing impoverished Indian consumers, is now being exported as subsidised levels on grounds of accumulating food stock and limited storage capacity. While subsidies to farmers and consumers are being cut, subsidies to corporations for exports are being increased.
The farmers of India have announced, they will not allow their livelihood to be destroyed by the unjust, unfair and distorted trading system put in place by the W.T.O. and World Bank. The poor are starting to organise to defend their right to food.
The rally was also attended by three former Prime Ministers, Mr. V. P. Singh, Mr. Deve Gowda, and Mr. Chandra Shekher as well as by Mr. Rabi Ray, Mr. Madhu Dandvate, Mr. Sitaram Yachuri, Mr. S. P. Shukla and many others. Former Prime Minister Mr. V. P. Singh, who came from the hospital and addressed the rally from the stretcher, called on the people to take the food from the FCI godowns and distribute it to those who are hungry.
According to Mr. Singh "the rule of money and profit and the brutal power of corporations and corrupt governments will be resisted by the rule of humanity and dignity and the right to survival".
As Dr. Vandana Shiva, Director of the Delhi based Research Foundation for Science, Technology and Ecology said "the real 'Green Revolution' has begun" while addressing the farmers rally.
For more information please contact:
Research Foundation for Science, Technology and Ecology A - 60, Hauz Khas, New Delhi - 110 016, INDIA Tel: 0091 - 11 - 696 8077, 685 3772 Fax: 0091 - 11 - 685 6795 Email: vshiva@vsnl.com rfste@ndf.vsnl.net in:
