(Rostock, 5 June 2007) Via Campesina farmers and farm workers, women and
men, have come from Germany, France, the Basque Country, Belgium, Quebec,
Austria, Norway, Nicaragua and Nepal to take part in the massive anti-G8
demonstration in Rostock, North Germany, from June 1 to 8.
Over 40 international delegates have come to share ideas and experiences
and to express international solidarity with both national and
international social movements in their opposition to the economic and
agricultural policies of the governments which make up the G8. The Via
Campesina farmers are staying with as many as five thousand activists in a
large temporary camp on the outskirts of the city. The camp is
self-organised in a non-hierarchical manner and depends on the
contributions and solidarity of all people staying there.
Events have been taking place in Rostock since the second of June when a
demonstration of 100.000 people expressing their anger at the political
and economic system the G8 countries represent marched through the city
centre. The protests of each subsequent day (leading up to the beginning
of the summit on the 6th of June) have focused on specific elements of
these policies.
The 3rd of June, The International Day of Action on Agriculture, was
especially important for Via Campesina and was marked by a large
demonstration in support of Food Sovereignty in association with a network
of German organisations working on food and agriculture issues. The
demonstration was very peaceful and colourful. German farmers from ABL
(member of Via Campesina) even drove their tractors to the city centre.
Later on a rally ended up in an GMO potato field in Gross Lusewicz where
local and international organisations expressed their opposition to GM
crops that only benefit the industry and destroy consumers’ health,
farmers’ livelihood and the environment.
The third also saw the first International Youth Assembly on the right to
land and to farming organised by La Via Campesina. This meeting, attended
by about 70 people addressed the difficulty for the youth to become farmer
if their parents are not farmers themselves. Access to land and
infrastructure is extremely expensive which makes it very difficult and
risky for the youth to start up farming. Participants denounced the
agricultural policies that favour agri-business and drive family farming
to bankruptcy. But they also presented a diversity of experiences and
alternative policies that promote small farms and local production instead
of industrial farming. Via Campesina also joined the Migrant Action Day on
June the forth. Lack of access to agrarian resources pushes millions of
rural women and men to migrate.
The action days are followed by an alternative summit taking place during
the official G-8 head of states´ gathering. Social movements and
organisations will discuss issues such as global warming, global
inequalities and trade agreements from a people’s perspective. While
national and international media are focusing on security issues, what is
really at stake in Rostock is how to challenge G8 destructive policies and
to create a world where justice prevails.
Via Campesina Info
Pictures on www.viacampesia.org
Information in Rostock: +4915153682212 and +4915153630102