In the run up to the December 2005 Ministerial Conference of the World
Trade Organization (WTO) in Hong Kong, trade negotiators are under intense
pressure by their respective governments to achieve a „successful‰ outcome
in the negotiations for the Doha Development Round, which includes
expansion of the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS). As WTO
leaders have tried to ensure by stealthily hatching the July Framework in
2004, services liberalization agreements should be accelerated and
national polices must be made with greater flexibility, such that more
markets are pried open to global trade not just in manufactured goods but
in services as well.

In truth, there is more than just the acceleration of services
liberalization in GATS. Contrary to how it is packaged, GATS is not the
trade agreement that it is but one-sided investment tool that gives global
corporations increasingly unhampered access to markets and human services,
and grants them as much if not even greater rights than citizens to
exploit such access. The WTO and the European Commission have said as
much, respectively flaunting GATS as the first multilateral agreement on
investments and principally as an instrument of business.

Practically all sectors, from water delivery and transportation to health
and education are considered services under GATS. Any barrier to global
capital in these sectors, including national safeguards against inhuman
working conditions or environmental degradation will be steadily
demolished. In fact, the very sovereign rights of nations to protect the
interests of citizens and uphold their welfare, above all, have no place
under the GATS framework.

Other agents of global corporate domination — the World Bank and the
International Monetary Fund — have long imposed policy conditionalities
of liberalization, deregulation and privatization upon South countries,
with disastrous and fatal outcomes for entire populations and economies of
the developing world. Governments have been pressured to deregulate and
privatize public services, like water, power and health, depriving
millions of the basic requirements for a decent life. Poor farmers,
workers, women and children severely suffer the adverse impacts of
surrendering control of public services to private corporations.
GATS-WTO further limits developing countries‚ chances of development and
survival. Water resources and services, recognized as crucial to
development, are particularly in danger of commodification and
privatization. European water giants have already been making large
investments in many countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America. The
interests of firms like Suez, Vivendi and Thames Water are clearly behind
the European Union‚s push for the inclusion of water services in the
coverage of GATS.

Experiences across South countries show that the basic rights of people,
especially the poor and the marginalized, are being progressively eroded
by governments surrendering such critical services sectors as health,
water, power, housing and education to private big business. Many
countries in the South have suffered outbreaks of cholera and other
gastro-intestinal diseases because safe water and basic health care are
increasingly being made accessible only to those with the capacity to pay.

GATS proponents deceitfully argue that governments can choose to keep
certain sectors closed and that privatization of basic social services is
not a GATS requirement. But GATS has very clear bias for private business
and non-transparent WTO mechanisms favor developed nations, and processes
allow them to apply intense pressure on developing countries.
It is most urgent to raise our voices and create a strong wave of
international opposition against GATS and the WTO. From now to December,
let us mobilize in our own countries and manifest our protests in various
ways.

We call on social movements, people‚s organizations and non-government
organizations to hold regionally coordinated actions on October 19 to
protest against GATS and privatization, at the start of the WTO General
Council meeting in Geneva.

At the forthcoming 6^th Ministerial Conference in Hong Kong, let us raise
our voices, collectively pool our strengths to mobilize against GATS, and
mark December 14 as the International Day of Protest Against GATS and
privatization!

Signed:

(Please sign on and circulate widely. Send signatures and information
about your planned actions to apmdd jubileesouth.org &
secretariat jubileesouth.org)

GLOBAL

Jubilee South

ASIA/PACIFIC -Regional

Jubilee South-APMDD
Asian Regional Exchange for New Alternatives
Focus on the Global South (India, Thailand, Philippines)
Via Campesina - Asia
Asia Forum for Human Rights and Development
Asian Migrants Center
Migrant Forum in Asia
NGO Forum on ADB
Asia Pacific Forum on Women
Law and Development
Documentation for Action Groups in Asia
International Gender and Trade Network - Asia
ISIS International - Manila
South Asia Alliance for Poverty Eradication

AFRICA - Regional

Africa Jubilee South
AFRODAD

LATIN AMERICA & THE CARRIBEAN - Regional

Jubileo Sur Americas
Latin American Council of Churches (CLAI)

EUROPE - Regional

Europe Solidaire Sans Frontières (ESSF)
Women in Development Europe

ARGENTINA

Dialogo 2000

AUSTRIA

Center for Encounter and Active Non-Violence

AZERBAIJAN

Center for Civic Initiatives

BANGLADESH
Community Development Library
Lokoj Institute
Bangladesh Agricultural Farm Labor Federation
Bangladesh Sramajibi Kendra
Karmojibi Nari
Bangladesh Jatiya Sromik Jote
Jatiya Krishok Jote
BanglaPraxis
Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication
VOICE
WARBE
Coastal Development Partnership

BELGIUM

11.11.11 Coalition
International Young Christian Workers (IYCW)

BRAZIL

Jubileo Sul - Brazil

CANADA

KAIROS : Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives

CAMBODIA

Women’s Agenda for Change
Partnership for Development in Kampuchea

CAMEROON

Centre for Promotion of Social and Economic Alternatives

CHAD

Association Tchadienne por la Non-Violence (AINV)

COLOMBIA

Mejia Mujeres y Economia
Asociacion Nacional de Empleados de la Republica

COTE D’IVOIRE

Forum national sur la Dette et la Pauvreté

CUBA

CIEM

ECUADOR

Accion Ecologica
Alianza De Los Pueblos Del Sur Acreedores De Deuda Ecologica/ SPEDCA
Peoples Ecological Debt Creditors Alliance
Comite Trabajadores Petroindustrial
Comite de Empresa Trabajadores Electrica Loja
CETAPE-Por La Unificacion Sindical

EL SALVADOR

Red Sinti Techan ( Maiz del Pueblo)

FINLAND

Network Institute for Global Democratisation- NIGD

HAITI

PAPDA

HONDURAS

Bloque Popular

HONG KONG

HKPA- Hong Kong People’s Alliance on WTO
Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions
Hong Kong Christian Industrial Committee
Justice & Peace Commission of the Hong Kong Catholic Diocese
Filipino Domestic Helpers General Union
Zt Teng
Union of Hong Kong Post Office Employees
Government Mod 1 Staff General Union
Association Of Government Technical And Survey Officers
Global Network
Association of Government Cartographic Staff
Government Employees Solidarity Union
Food and Environmental Hygiene
Department Foremen Grade Staff General Union
Hong Kong & Kowloon Life Guard’s Union
Hospital Authority Employees General Union

INDIA

Bharat Gyan Vigyan Samiti
National Confederation of Officers Associations of
Central Public Sector Undertakings
India Social Action Forum
People’s Monitoring Group on Electricity Regulation
The Association of Karnataka Farmers
Centre for Organization, Research and Education
River Basin Movement
Rural Volunteers Centre-Assam
All Assam Krishak Mukti Sangram Samitee
Bhumi Putra Bhumi Adhikar Suraksha Mancha-Assam
Intercultural Resources and Lokayan

INDONESIA

Koalisi Anti-Utang
International NGO Forum on Indonesian Development
KRUHA - People’s Coalition for the Rights to Water
Working Group on Power Sector Restructuring
Transportation and Delivery Workers Federation
Migrant CARE
Institute for Global Justice

IRELAND

Presentation Justice Network

ITALY

Redazione A Sud

JAPAN

Anti WTO / ATTAC
Jubilee Kyushu on World Debt and Poverty
Peace Boat

KENYA

Solidarity African Network in Action

KOREA

Korean People’s Action Against FTAS and WTO (KOPA)
Korean Confederation of Trade Unions
Federation of Korean Trade Unions
Korean Public Services Union
Korean Government Employees’ Union
Korean Labour Social Network on Energy
People’s Health Coalitions for Equitable Society
Korean Catholic Farmers Movement
Korean Education Solidarity
Altogether
International Center for Labor Solidarity (ICLS)

MALAYSIA

Monitoring Sustainability of Globalization
Friends of the Earth

MALDIVES

Society for Health Education

MOZAMBIQUE

Economic Justice Coalition

NEPAL

Rural Reconstruction Nepal
All Nepal Women’s Association
General Federation of Nepalese Trade Unions
Center for Human Rights and Democratic Studies
Nepal Forum of Environmental Journalists

NETHERLANDS

Dutch GATS Platform
Transnational Institute- TNI

NEW ZEALAND

ARENA- Action Research and Education Network of Aotearoa

NORWAY

The IGNIS Foundation

PAKISTAN

Muttehida Labour Federation
People’s Rights Movement
Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum
Anjuman Asia Awam (Association of Peoples of Asia Pakistan Chapter)
Labor Party Pakistan

PANAMA

Pastoral Social-Laita

PARAGUAY

Foro Popular Por La Energia

PHILIPPINES

Freedom from Debt Coalition
Stop the New Round Coalition
BMP- Filipino Workers Solidarity
Railway Workers Union
SANLAKAS
KALAYAAN - Movement for People’s Freedom
MAKALAYA
BISIG
Partido ng Manggagawa
Makabayan Pilipinas
Confederation of Independent Unions
KPP- Philippine Housing Rights Coalition
Alternate Forum for Research in Mindanao
WomanHealth Philippines
Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement
Kanlungan Center Foundation, Inc.
Welga ng Kababaihan
JPICC- Association of Major Religious Superiors of the Philippines

PUERTO RICO

Puertoriquena Contra Al Alca

SENEGAL

African Forum on Alternatives

SOUTH AFRICA

SEATINI
Alternative Information and Development Center (AIDC)

SRI LANKA

Movement for National Land and Agricultural Reform
National Fisheries Solidarity
United Federation of Labor
Lawyers for Human Rights and Development
Center for Environmental Justice
Sri Lanka Working Group on Trade & IFIs

TAIWAN

Workers’ Democracy Association

TANZANIA

Tanzania Gender Networking Program
Tanzania Association of NGOs (TANGO)

THAILAND

PSI Thai Affiliates Council
Assembly of the Poor
Labour Union of Provincial Waterworks Authority
Labour Union of Electricity Generating Authority
NHA Union
Public Health
Communication Worker’s Union
Farmer’s Federations Association for Development
MEAWU
LUMWA
Global Alliance Against Trafficking in Women
People’s Coalition Party

USA

Jubilee USA Network
Center for Economic Justice
50 Years is Enough!
Development Gap
Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns
Stop HIV/AIDS in India Initiative, Washington DC

ZIMBABWE

Ecumenical Support Services
Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development
Southern Africa Peoples’ Solidarity Network

* Also adopted by the participants of the Conference on WTO, Development and Migration, July 2005