Tens of thousands of people in India protest WTO agenda in the streets days before Qatar, Nov. 6, 2001. Why are India and other developing nations being strong-armed to agree with WTO agenda?

6 November 2001.

Thousands of Farmers, Opposition Party Workers Rally in Indian Capital in Protest Against WTO.

NEW DELHI -- Tens of thousands of people, many of them farmers, rallied in the Indian capital Tuesday, accusing the World Trade Organization of rules that favor developed nations.

The protesters demanded the government withdraw from the trade body if the WTO launches a new round of global talks.

"We will not talk about new issues until the existing imbalances in the WTO rules are corrected," said former Prime Minister Vishwanath Pratap Singh, who led the protest.

The United States and the European Union hope to get developing countries to agree to new negotiations at a meeting of WTO trade ministers starting Friday in Qatari capital of Doha.

India's government and business community have been hesitant about a new round, saying the developed countries have yet to fulfill commitments made in previous talks.

"The developed nations promised that they would cut subsidies to farmers, so that countries like India can export their agricultural products. But they have backtracked on their promise," Singh told the rally of more than 30,000 people.

Developed nations have raised more non-tariff barriers, while developing countries have had to reduce tariffs, open up to foreign investment and impose patent rules that have burdened their domestic industry, India says.

Singh said he met with Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Friday. "The prime minister assured me that India will not give in. But I am not convinced," Singh said.

"The government seems to be fearing isolation within the WTO," said Singh, who was India's prime minister in 1989-90.

"We should be able to stand alone if that is necessary to protect our national interest," he said.

Developing countries claim not to have received benefits promised in the 1993 Uruguay round of negotiations, which led to the formation of the WTO. Those concerns were seen as largely responsible for the failure tolaunch a new round at the WTO's last ministerial meeting in Seattle in 1999.

India HMS, INTUC, AITUC, BMS, CITU, AICCTU, UTUC, UTUC(LS), TUCC - Calls for" massive demonstrations, rallies, public meetings, petitions focusing on the Day of Action demands"
A broad coalition of Indian trade union centres are launching a unanimous appeal that the Day of Action demands be raised by "holding demonstration rallies, dharna etc so that the largest mobilisation of workers is achieved on this day"
What happened... "Over 20,000 workers from various industries under the banner of Hind Mazdoor Sabha marched through the city of Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh, the largest state in India raising slogans against indiscriminate globalisation and demanding a fair share to labour. Later the rally culminated into a public meeting which was addressed by Umraomal Purohit, General Secretary, HMS. Purohit explained the need and relevance of the Action Day which he said was being observed simultaneously by workers all over the world to focus on the ill effects of globalisation and policies unleashed by the organisations like the World Bank, IMF and WTO. He also highlighted the role of the ITSs which had joined hands with the ICFTU in forming the Gobal Unions group and organising this protest day. Others who spoke on the occasion included Shiv Gopal Mishra, President, HMS, Uttar Pradesh and leaders of other prominent trade unions. Elsewhere, thousands of workers belonging to HMS Unions participated in rallies and demonstrations organised under the banner of the central trade unions in all the capital cities, ports and industrial centres. In the national capital New Delhi, a massive workers rally was organised near the Parliament. It was addresed J.P Chaubey, General Secretary, All India Railwaymen's Federation, Harbahjan Singh, General Secretary, Delhi State HMS and other prominent national trade union leaders." ITF India

 http://www.global-unions.org/calendarwithreports.asp

People of the world:
Let's united our forces against capitalism!

ANARCHY FOR THE WORLD!!!!!

a intelectual group stationed at Allahabad in India having many members around the country is trying to explain the effects of WTO on the rural and common mass of India for last many years.It is highly ridiculios to find that the eductaed Indians have failed to understand and persue the effects of WTO among the lesser educated.So the organisation 'AZADI BACHAO ANDOLAN'(movemnet to protect freedom) is having painstaking action to make all including a dreaft signed by one million people was given to Prime Minister ellaborating the effects through a campaign was held this year.for more information write to
 sampu@indya.com