With the upcoming WTO meeting in Hong-Kong, civic society groups are increasingly demanding public debates on the official position, democratic processes and rejection of WTO.

On 13th December, civic society groups in Delhi are organizing a March to Parliament starting at Mandi House at 10:30 AM. All citizens groups and individuals are invited to join. Former PM Shri V.P.Singh, Comrade A. B. Bardhan, Comrade Prakash Karat, Shri Surendra Mohan,Comrade Deepankar Bhattacharya and other leaders of mass organisations and peoples' movements are slated to join.

This march is organized by WTO Vidrohi Bharatiya Jan Abhiyan (Indian Peoples' Campaign Against WTO) which noted that the positions that the Government of India is taking at the WTO negotiations are likely to endanger the livelihood of the vast masses of our people, adversely affect the people -centric development and curtail the country's economic sovereignty.

Labour Party Pakistan which held its own anti WTO rally that included over 5000 people has expressed its full solidarity with the "Indian Peoples' Campaign Against WTO" march on 13th December. It has noted that only an international campaign to derail the whole unjust process of WTO can be successful.

Despite an increased groundswell of protest against WTO, the government has hardly encouraged input of people’s groups on this matter. It is disturbing that this government that came to power on a mandate for compassion to the poor, has made little effort to include democratic processes in arriving at its decision, leave alone its strategies.

Civic society groups are calling on the Indian Parliament for more extensive debate on India’s stand at Hong Kong vis-à-vis the WTO proposals as well as for greater participation of people in the decision making process.

Other civic organizations have also prepared a draft declaration demanding India’s withdrawal from the WTO and greater regulations with regards the operations of Transnational Companies.

The Indian Government has not made any obvious reaction to these demands. In addition, there is an absence of obvious alliances between Brazil, India, and other developing nations that had so successfully limited the influence of USA and WTO.

With the Communist government supporting the UPA – India’s ruling alliance – it is to be seen what decisions the Indian government makes at these meetings.

Contact S.P.Shukla (Convenor, WTO Virodhi Bharatiya Jan Abhiyan)
by phone at 011-26897089, 26524324
Contact Farooq Tariq, general secretary, Labour Party Pakistan by email at farooqtariq@hotmail.com

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