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.
“If anything, Duterte’s pet project will only ‘build, build, build’ foreign debt for the Philippines. The billions-worth of Chinese aid and loans are investments to profit from – unfortunately, at the expense of the communities,” said the PCFS official.
Last October, the People’s Coalition on Food Sovereignty (PCFS) participated in the annual Forum of the Civil Society Mechanism (CSM)[i] for relations with the United Nations Committee on World Food Security (CFS). It was held at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) headquarters in Rome, Italy.
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.
The two-day program included the sharing from SPFT, Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP, Philippines) and Aliansi Gerakan Reforma Agraria (AGRA, Indonesia) on the lessons and challenges in carrying out their respective land struggles; the visit around the villages of Klongsai Patthana and Permsap; and a recap of the lessons learned from the past two days.
“We want to push the calls beyond the loan waivers and address the root problem confronting our small farmers –landlessness and corporate and government landgrabbing. We want to bring the small and landless farmers’ voice to the capital – to call for land, food, and food sovereignty,” Chennaiah Poguri, APVVU secretary general, said.