CIVIL SOCIETY DECLARATION ON THE CAIRNS GROUP MINSITERIAL MEETING AT LAHORE                                        

April 16-18, 2007

The agriculture as always remain stumbling block in the present round of trade negotiations. There are several groupings which have emerged due to no agreement on modalities since Doha Ministerial in 2001. The G 20, G 33, G 90 which purely comprised of developing countries united to safeguard their interest, then the CAIRNS where majority membership is from developing world with no voice in decision making within the group and G 4 with so called self-given mandate to end impasse in the trade negotiations.

The no move in agriculture negotiations in WTO is because of stubbornness of rich countries.  Rich countries are not ready to offer a level playing field thus not fair to free trade. They wish to see no tariff barrier in other countries so that they can trade efficiently but at the same time they protect their own industry and agriculture by giving huge subsidies and putting numerous tariff and non-tariff barriers to block other country products.

Recent G4 meeting in India has ended without any breakthrough. Similar results are of the today’s CAIRNS meeting in Pakistan where all the big players were present including EU, US and DG WTO along with 19 group members. DG WTO has said in his speech that differences exist in the group itself which needs to be bridged. The reason for differences is written on the wall. Rich countries are not ready to take into account poor countries’ needs. They are also unable to understand that this round was declared as Doha Development Round not the market access round. Developed countries are pressing for market access only. However, Indian Trade Minister has rightly pointed out in the last month concluded G 33 Jakarta meeting that no body should expect that developing countries will contribute a penny because this round was declared a development round.

While developing countries seems united, there is lot of internal and external pressure to divide them. Many developed countries, the US & EU in particular and institutes like World Bank are trying to divide the groups by using various tactics such as bribing large countries through bilateral trade agreements or pushing some of the group members to raise a dissent voice. For the former, EU-India talks for bilateral agreement and in later case, the example is Pakistan’s proposal on Special Products. The paper has been seen as an attempt to divide G33 opinion and dilute the pressure maintained by the Group.

In this backdrop, the civil society organizations are apprehensive of the ongoing process in trade negotiations where poor countries are left out and unable to raise their issues and concerns.  Similar voices have been raised by the poor country negotiators themselves.

Therefore, small farmers, peasants and civil society organizations of Pakistan disown the outcome of any close door meetings where even the journalists have no access to information. We invite the world community to strengthen our voice for:
 

• Making the process of trade negotiations multilateral;
• For taking forward the issues of livelihoods, food security and development of the marginalized;
• For supporting the G 33 and G 20 in their cause to protect the interest of developing nations.

WE stress the Government of Pakistan to make a comprehensive analysis of impacts of any proposal launched at the WTO before hand. We also ask our government to include smaller farmers and peasants while strategizing our future discourse.

WE demand that government of Pakistan should not sign any WTO deal on the basis of existing package that would ruin smallholders and workers in Pakistan.

WE also demand that before taking ANY POSITION, proper consultation process should be ensured with provincial and national assemblies, civil society organizations including small farmer’s organizations, and NGOs.

We urge Government of Pakistan to come out of the influence of international manipulating forces solely in the interest of people of Pakistan.

Signatures
 

1. Alfalah Progressive, Khanewal
2. AcitonAid Internatoinal
3. AcitonAid - Pakistan
4. Aurat Foundation, Lahore
5. Anjaman Muzarein – Punjab
6. Anjaman Shamsia - Punjab
7. Anjaman-e-Zamindaran wa Kashtkaran – Peshawar
8. Anjaman-e-Zamindaran - Chazi
9. Anjaman-e-Kissanan - Balochistan
10. Anjman Kessan Mutaasareen Mercedes Benz - Punjab
11. Azad Hari Union - Sindh
12. Anjuman Behbood-e- Khawateen
13. Ahsas - Punjab
14. Anjuman Tarqi Huqooq-e- Niswan
15. Anjuman Tahfuz-e- Khawateen
16. Ameer Foundation
17. Bekas Kissan Committee, Liaa
18. Bhindara Hari Sangat
19. Be-Was Kissan Committee
20. Badin Rural Development Society - Sindh
21. Community Development Organization
22. Council for Social Development
23. Caritas Pakistan, Lahore
24. Community Development Organization (CDO), Swabi
25. Damaan Development Organization, D.G. Khan
26. Danish Foundation
27. Economic Justice and Development Organization (EJAD), Islamabad
28. Farmers Development Organization, Bhakkar
29. Farmers community
30. Farmers Development Foundation
31. Gotala Kissan Committee, Khushab
32. Green Society
33. Goth Singhar Foundation - Khairpur
34. Ghareeb Kissan Ittehad - Pakistan
35. Ghareeb Kissan Tehrik – Punjab
36. Green Circle Organization (GCO), Lahore
37. Green Rural Development Organization, Hyderabad
38. Holistic Understanding  for Justified Action and Research (HUJRA), Swat
39. Hari forum - Sindh
40. Hari Mazdoor Union - Sindh
41. Hari Hamdard Sangat - Sindh
42. Hari Kissan Ittehad Mastung - Sindh
43. Health & Rural Development
44. Human Development Center

45. Human Resource Management & Development Center
46. Ittehad Kashtkaran - NWFP
47. Ideal welfare society
48. Ittehad Zameedaran wa Kashtkaran, NWFP
49. Khwendo Kor - Peshawar
50. Kissan Development Forum
51. Kissan Bachao Tahreek, Sargodha
52. Khahori Sindh Rural Development Organization - Sindh
53. Lok Sanjh Foundation, Islamabad
54. Lok Mahaz - Punjab
55. National Foundation, Gujranwala
56. Omeed Organization, Liaa
57. Oxfam GB – Pakistan Programme
58. Potohar Organization for  Development Organization (PODA), Chakwal
59. Pakistan Rural Institutional Organization for Socio-Economic Growth (PRIME), Kabirwala
60. People’s Rights Movement - Pakistan
61. Progressive Youth Friends
62. Pakistan Kissan Committee
63. Pakistan Kissan Ittehad
64. Pakistan Welfare Society
65. Roshan Khayal Zamindar Tanzeem
66. Roots for Equity, Karachi
67. Roshni Development Organization, Chishtian
68. Sanjeee Soach Foundation, Liaa
69. Shaoor Development Organization, Sargodha
70. Sawera Foundation, Chishtian
71. Sublime Foundation, Bahawalpur
72. Sustainable Agriculture Action Group (SAAG) - Pakistan
73. Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), Islamabad
74. Sungi Development Foundation, Abbottabad
75. Shirkat Gah, Karachi
76. Society for Conservation and Protection of Environment (SCOPE), Karachi
77. South Asia Partnership-Pakistan, Lahore
78. Society for Empowerment of People (STEP) - Khushab
79. Soon Valley Development Program, Khushab
80. Shah Sachal Sami Welfare Society, Sindh
81. Social Welfare Community and Development Society, Burewala
82. Sindh Hari Committee
83. Sawera Foundation, Chishtian
84. Sehwed Tarakiati Tanzeem
85. Sindh Hari Tehrik
86. Sanjhi Soach Foundation
87. Sublim Foundation
88. Sarhad Agricultural Development Organization
89. Sabzi Abadgar Welfare Association
90. Sujag Welfare Society
91. Sanjhi Soah
92. Sachi Soah
93. Tharparkar Hari Mazdoor Tanzeem
94. Thal Development Society
95. Taameer-e-Millat Welfare Society
96. Umeed Development Foundation
97. Ujala Development Forum
98. Village Friends Organization, Mian Channu
99. Village Shad Abad Welfare Organization
100. Village Development Organization (VDO) – Ghotki
101. Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) - Pakistan
102. Youth Welfare Council
103. Zameendaran Action Committtee, Noshki

ENDS