Hokkaido, Japan — 6 July 2008
We – environmentalists, social movements, peasant farmers, workers and
civil society organisations – in solidarity with 23 Korean farmers and
trade unionists who were denied entry to Japan denounce the
authorities’ unwillingness to allow their participation in civil
society events taking place parallel to the G8 summit on 7th until 9th
July.
Among other issues, the unionists and farmers were to raise awareness
about the millions of Koreans who have been mobilising against their
markets being forced open to the imports of American beef despite
concerns of mad cow disease and the negative consequences for local
food production and consumption.
Organisations from around the world are protesting and holding public
events in order to condemn the corporate-driven economic policies that
are being ruthlessly being pursued by G8 countries with disregard for
their impacts on people and the planet.
Due to reports from many signatory organisations, it appears that has
been a broader, systematic approach to hinder civil society
representatives entering Japan during the G8.
We would like to give a special thanks to the people of Hokkaido for
their very warm welcome to such a beautiful region.
We would like to express our concerns regarding the over-reaction of
the police during protests and activities so far.
We are disappointed that Japan, as host of the G8 summit, is
criminalising freedom of expression. It is unacceptable for Japan, the
G8 or any other countries to prevent healthy, critical debates from
taking places alongside international meetings where decisions are
being made that will affect the lives of millions of people around the
globe.
Signed:
Anti-Debt Coalition (KAU), Indonesia
Asian Migrant Centre
ATTAC France
ATTAC Japan
Batis Center for Women, Pilippines
Centre for Promotion of Economic and Social Alternatives, Cameroon
Committee for the Abolition of the Third World Debt (CADTM)
Equity Bd, Bangladesh
ESK, trade union, Basque Country
Focus on the Global South
Freedom from Debt Coalition (FDC) , Philippines
Friends of the Earth International
FSU, trade union France,
G8 Action Network, Japan
IMADR, Japan
Jubilee South-Asia Pacific Movement on Debt and Development ( JS-APMDD)
KCTU ( Korean Confederation of Trade Union ), Korea
La Via Campesina
LDC Watch
Migrant Forum in Asia ( MFA)
No-Vox- France
No-VOX ?Japan
Nouminren, Japan
People’s Movement Against Colonialism-Imperialism (Gerak Lawan), Indonesia
Rural Reconstruction Nepal (RRN)
Shokkenren
South Asia Alliance For Poverty Eradication ( SAAPE)
Unnayan Onneshan Bangladesh