Opt out of WTO, KRRS urges Centre

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE, OCT. 2. A convention of ``world farmers'' organised by the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS) here on Tuesday urged the Centre to opt out of the WTO in a phased manner.

The convention expressed its anger against the U.S. policies towards the Third World countries. It said these policies were the ``root cause of farmers' problems''. The Centre should first come out of the WTO's ``Agreement on Agriculture'' and then from the primary membership itself, it urged.

The convention adopted seven resolutions after representatives from several organisations and countries, including the U.S. and Sri Lanka, spoke. Although a majority of the resolutions were a reiteration of the KRRS's stand, a new resolution was passed urging farmers to oppose recovery of loans by the State Government. It urged farmers ``not to allow government officials, who come for recovery, into the villages as the Government is solely responsible for the tragedies faced by them (farmers).''

Terming the U.S. as ``belly of the beast'', Ms. Cherry Honkala, President of the U.S. Peoples' Movement, said: ``The U.S. is destroying the very future of poor people. Poor people are seen as criminals. Owing to its anti-human policies, poverty, starvation, and hygienic problems in the Third World are on the increase. ''

About GATT and WTO, she said it was wrong to think that multi- national companies would help the poor. It was unfortunate that the media had been ``burying the truth'', she said. Mr. Sharat Fernando, who supported her argument, pointed out the plight of Sri Lankan farmers because of the U.S. policies.

The KRRS President, Prof. M.D.Nanjundaswamy, who referred to several issues involving trade, agriculture and economic policies of the U.S., the Centre and the State Government, said the GATT was the root of all ``evils''.

He called upon people to understand the political purposes of the parties and sever their relationship with them and gain a new political perspective.

In an obvious reference to the former Prime Minister, Mr. H.D.Deve Gowda, Prof. Nanjundaswamy said: ``Our mannina maga does not know how and where the coconut tree is prone to pest. But he comments on the quality of neera. The former Chief Minister, Mr. Ramakrishna Hegde, is responsible for including neera in the Excise Act in 1965.''

Mr. Mahendra Singh Tikait, President of the Bharatiya Kisan Union, Fr. Dr. Antony of Kerala Farmers' Association, Sri Jaya Basavananda Swamy of Chikmagalur, Prof. Chandrashekhara Patil of Swabhimani Karnataka Vedike, Mr. G.R.Shivashankar of Karnataka Trade Union Centre, and Mr. Ashok of Karnataka Film Workers', Artistes' and Technicians' Federation spoke.

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