Financial Times

Regional activists praise Cancun stand
Participants from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka who met in Colombo recently for the 'Third Regional Consultation on Farmers' Rights' unanimously agreed that the unity shown by the developing countries during the Cancun Ministerial summit should never ever be diluted.

"This is now the major negotiating power that they possess," the participants noted in a press release issued by the organisers. Participants also observed that developing countries are being increasingly successful in fending off the pressures from the developed countries.

The two-day consultation was jointly organised by South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics & Environment (SAWTEE), Kathmandu and Law & Society Trust (LST), Colombo. It was attended by more than 60 participants representing various cross sections of South Asia's societies including governments, non-governmental organisations, research institutions and media.

The participants discussed that farmers' rights should be seen and taken as a part of human rights. They extensively discussed the role that rights based approach can play in protecting farmers' rights.

The statement said after the failure of the Cancun Ministerial, the multilateral trading order espoused by the World Trade Organisation (WTO) was passing through a turbulent phase. "In such a fluid circumstance, it is imperative that developing countries collectively endeavour to come up with concrete agenda on their interest areas; one such area is protecting farmers' rights to livelihood," it said.

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