June 15, 2006
There have been many talks recently among governments and economic circles in East Asia about creating a single free trade region based on the development of the Doha Round negotiations of World Trade Organization (WTO) as well as FTAs (free trade agreement) /EPAs (economic partnership agreement) on bilateral or regional level. There are also talks about creating, eventually, an East Asia Community. In the background of these trends, the East Asia region is dramatically developing as a huge market and economic links within the region are getting closer.
World Economic Forum on East Asia is going to be held from June 15th to 16th in Tokyo on the theme of "Creating a New Agenda for Asian Integration". As the theme indicates, this forum will seek to further promote free trade and economic partnership in the region.
However, we have to notice "another reality" which exists behind this development - the reality of the people whose base for subsistence has been undermined in the uncontrolled market competition in the wake of "free trade and investment" and "deregulation on services". The overwhelming majority of the people in Asia are faced with this reality in their daily life.
Even in Japan, this reality is shown in the drastic increase of the disparity among social classes/layers. It is also shown in the collapse of local economy because of the decline of agriculture/forestry/fishery and the increase of the risks in stable supply of food because of the extraordinarily heavy dependence on imported food. The situation in other Asian countries is more serious. In many countries, land, water and other natural resources, which has been common properties of local people, was privatized and sold out to private companies, including foreign companies, causing increasing number of farmers and fishers to lose their means of production and living. As the result, disputes on land or water are increasing in the whole region. Tariff reduction and deregulation on investment led to the decline of local industry which developed through hard efforts. Instead of contributing to the development of local economy, foreign companies which replaced local companies often shifts their operation to other countries in order to utilize cheap labor. While there have been a series of reports about the economic development of the region, people are living in more and more unstable society. This reality lies behind the political upheaval developing in many countries in the region.
We still have an additional "another reality" to notice. U.S. military forces, which have been promoting and threatening military activities in many parts of the world in the name of "war against terrorism", are utilizing the social and political uneasiness in Asia to extend their operations in the region. The reorganization of U.S. troops in Japan and Korea is a part of this shift. The increasing presence of Japan's SDFs (Self Defense Forces) in Asia, which are now an integral part of the military strategy of the U.S., is responded by increasing concern among people in other Asian countries who have the past experience of Japan's invasion. Such a shift will only increase arms race and danger of war in the region. "Asian Integration" is, in fact, promoted in close relation with these political and military intensions. Such integration will result in mutual mistrust and confrontation instead of harmonious coexistence and reconciliation. We worry that the ongoing process of promotion of free trade and integration of East Asia will worsen the "another reality" and further endanger the living condition of the people in Asia. We, representing NGOs, citizens' groups, and organization of workers, farmers and fishers in Asia, oppose "Asian Integration" initiated by big companies. We think that the World Economic Forum on East Asia should not discuss the future of Asia solely from the perspective of economic development and extension of market but look at the "another reality" of the society brought about by such a development. It should discuss on the future of Asia in which people can live at peace.
Endorsed by,
《JAPAN》
Pacific Asia Resource Center
Forum for Peace,Human Right and Environment
All Japan Federaition of Farmers Union
Consumers Union of Japan
ATTAC-Japan
Japan Commitee for Negros Campaign
People's Plan Study Group
Asian Farmers Exchange Center
Globalization Watch Hiroshima
Agro-Extension Workers Network
NIIGATA Farmers League in Japan
OMITAMA Farmers League in Japan
Jubilee Kyushu on World Debt and Poverty
No to WTO-Voices of the Grassroots in Japan
Campaign against Japan-Korea FTA
《OVERSEAS》
National Confederation of Officers Associations India
LOKOJ INSTITUTE, Dhaka, Bangladesh
reseau national DETTE ET DEVELOPPEMENT-Niger
World Forum of Fisher Peoples (WFFP)
PAPDA - Haiti / Jubileo Sur Haiti
Media Culture Actions against Neoliberal Globalization (in s.Korea)
Community Development Library (CDL), Bangladesh
Economic Justice and Development Organization (EJAD), Pakistan
National Fisheries Solidarity Movement of Sri Lanka
Alliance forProtection of National Resources & Human Roghts[ANRHR]-Sri Lanka
IGTN(International Gender and Trade Network)-Asia
DAWN(Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era) Southeast Asia
Thai Labour Campaign
Europe solidaire sans frontieres (ESSF), France
SEWA NEPAL
IMSE, India
FIAN India
African Forum on Alternatives, Dakar (Senegal)
Attac Jersey
Focus on the Global South
Chirumanzu, Zimbabwe
Creed Alliance, Pakistan
Dennis Brutus, University of Kuwazulu-Natal, Durban/South Africa
Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD), Chiang Mai, Thailand
Thanal, Kerala, India
Centre for Human Rights and Development, Ulaanbatar, Mongolia
People's Agriculture Plan toward 21st Century, Negros, Philippines
Alter Trade Foundation Inc. Negros, Philippines
FTA-Watch Thailand
Fisher Folk Movement, Philippines
Convergence- Philippines
Stop the New Round Coalition, Philippines
Thai Action on Globalization
Local Action Links, Thailand
Globalisation Monitor ,HongKong