We, 200 participants from 29 countries and different religious faiths, namely Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity and Islam, who have met at Wu Kai Sha, Hong Kong, from 9-10 December 2005 to protest the ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), and to work towards a vision on “Globalising Economic Justice and Social Sustainability”, address the following message to the faith communities of the world:

We are meeting in Asia, the birth place of some of the world’s great religions. Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam all originated here. Despite the differences, faith communities hold fundamental values in common based on our belief in the Divine: the pursuit of truth and love, the assertion of equality of all human beings, respect for life and integrity of creation, the quest for peace and harmony, protecting the dignity of others, upholding justice and righteousness and compassion for those who suffer, who are poor and marginalized.

Members of all faiths are involved in building sustainable communities with the participation of all. To us, as people of faith, it is imperative that these values be reflected in the economic and political order of our societies. Today these values are under assault by transnational corporations and governments in their comprehensive pursuit of profits and economic growth.

Economic globalization promoted by the WTO destroys the economic basis of communities in many parts of the world and causes irreversible damage to the natural resources of our world. The liberalization of financial markets allows for the uncontrolled flow of capital in search of the greatest gain. Investment is taking place where labour is cheap, labour rights are suppressed and where laws on industrial health and safety are lacking or not being implemented.

Privatization results often in a drastic worsening of employment conditions and deprives the poor of essential services such as water, health and education. Deregulation of the economy destroys local manufacturing industries, creates unemployment and drives farmers and indigenous people from their land.

Economic globalisation is anti-life, anti-people, anti-integrity of creation, anti-justice and anti-peace. Faith communities must say an unequivocal “No” to neo-liberalism and the WTO. It is sin to accept the proposition that there is no alternative to the present process of globalisation, in the form of market fundamentalism. The logic of globalization leads to imperialist wars, conquest and plunder.

Motivated and sustained by faith we are committed to collaborate with people from different backgrounds to redress and transform the situation we face. Together, we must seek alternatives and work with social movements of resistance and transformation. Our aim is to establish a new social order based on ethics of the common good and ethics of care.

We call on our faith communities to:
• Critically look at our complicity, and challenge our membership to dismantle the destructive structures within own institutions and to act as agents of transformation in a globalising context.
• move towards sustainable systems that celebrate life, hope and liberation, connect with the healing power of land and foster positive consumer-producer relationships that go beyond the exchange of goods, and include the exchange of stories and wisdom.
• engage in educational processes and aid in the creation of popular materials that are appropriate to the local population and mindful of language and culture, in order to expose how our governments are
exploiting people and natural resources in the guise of free trade and increased market opportunity. Through education and action we must hold our governments accountable.
• work together with civil society and people’s movements and take proactive roles in strengthening community-based organisations
• create communities safeguarding rights of women, youth and children, and marginalized groups.
• recognize the importance of the role of youth in carrying the vision of faith communities
• uphold education as a right not a privilege and to orient it towards the needs and aspirations of communities rather than the market economy
• use our resources for peoples' livelihood and promote sustainable agriculture/ alternative livelihood options and peoples' economy
• organize and participate in an interfaith round table conference during the World Social Forum, Nairobi 2007
• lobby our governments to get out of the WTO
• Support and create a human and earth centered economy for life and peace.

Rally on 11 December 2005 (first protest against WTO
in Hong Kong):

Migrants in Hong Kong from Indonesia and other countries organized a huge rally against WTO on 11 December 2005.They began to make their gatherings at Victoria Park from 10 December 05.In the morning before the rally different faith communities performed their traditional worship against WTO. There were nearly four thousand people participated in rally in which there were representatives of student unions, trade unions, human rights groups, people’s organization.

Dr. Lenin who participated in the WTO protests filed this report. He may be reached at 0091-9415810955

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