Showing posts from Category: Statements

Women play an indispensable role as leaders and trailblazers in our collective struggle for land and life. The rural women, particularly, have continued to resist gender discrimination along with the exploitation of feudal landlords and corporations toward achieving our universal right to safe, nutritious, affordable, and culturally-appropriate food. Breaking the boundaries of patriarchal standards is part and parcel of our fight for food sovereignty, for freedom from all kinds of oppression is one of its key principles.

The Coalition shares the joy of SPFT for marking this milestone. Its land occupation campaigns in the past decade are an inspiration to the rural peoples’ movement in Asia and all over the world. SPFT lives on to champion the rights of the poor and landless in Thailand in the face of corporate-driven development aggression and state-sponsored repression.

We demand Thammakaset and the Thai authorities to drop all the charges against Sutharee, Nan, and the rest of the Burmese workers involved in this issue. Moreover, we urge the Thai government to look into the alleged unlawful labor practices of Thammakaset and other such companies. The complaints – low wages, extensive yet unpaid working hours, and confiscation of identity documents – are serious offenses that warrant liability if proven true. We challenge the company to submit itself to the investigation, no holds barred, if it were truly innocent.

Historically, fascism has always been anti-farmer, anti-poor, anti-environment and anti-people wherever it rears its ugly head. The Bolsonaro regime is but the latest in addition to the indisputable rise of right-wing fascists inclined to implement neoliberal policies under a strongman banner. In less than a month, Bolsonaro has shown itself in league with other contemporary fascists in praising Trump and previous dictatorships in Latin America.

While we welcome the arrest of two suspects involved in Kharshiing’s assault, PCFS calls the government of Meghalaya to act upon these cases of political attacks targeting people’s rights defenders and ensure that their perpetrators are held accountable. We also urge to further its efforts against illegal and destructive activities, particularly the ban of coal mines, in Meghalaya.

PCFS grieves the loss of yet another dedicated people’s lawyer and food sovereignty advocate. We laud Ramos for all the years he had spent serving the rural poor, advancing farmer-led development, endorsing sustainable and organic agriculture, and promoting people’s food sovereignty.