Activists call summit a futile attempt to cover up culpability of rich countries in escalating global fuel and food prices, slam arrest of anti-G8 protesters in Japan
The multi-sectoral alliance Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) slammed the gathering of the world’s richest countries and called the Group of Eight (G8) Summit a futile attempt to cover up the culpability of the US and company in the escalating fuel and food prices and worsening poverty around the world.
Bayan issued the statement as activists picketed the Japanese embassy in Manila today to protest the opening of the G8 Summit in Hokkaido , Japan . The protest action was led by Bayan and the International League of People’s Struggle (ILPS) – Philippines Chapter to condemn and expose the agenda of the 34th summit of the world’s eight biggest economies – the US, Japan, Germany, France, Britain, Italy, Canada and Russia.
Among the declared agenda of the summit is how to address global anxiety on runaway prices of petroleum and basic food commodities including rice. But Bayan said that it is merely a public relations gimmick to show that the G8 is concerned about the plight of poor countries, which are the hardest hit by rising prices, and will not produce any meaningful results.
“Can we really expect the G8 to find ways to address the raging price crisis? In the first place, the oil and food cartel and speculators who viciously drive prices up to further increase their super-profits are from the G8 countries and among the biggest financiers of their governments. The war of aggression in Iraq and war mongering in Iran by the US and some G8 members to control and exploit Middle East oil have triggered speculative attacks on oil prices that are now wreaking havoc on people around the world, especially in poor countries like the Philippines”, said Rita Baua, Bayan international officer.
Bayan also slammed the rich countries for imposing liberalization, deregulation and privatization policies that further made the Philippines and other poor and backward countries vulnerable to artificially high and escalating oil and food prices. The group warned that the G8 Summit in Japan would likely be used to push for even more intense neoliberal globalization policies.
Meanwhile, the ILPS – Philippines condemned the arrest of four anti-G8 activists in last Saturday’s protest action in Sapporo , Japan . “We join our fellow activists in Japan and other countries who oppose the G8 Summit in denouncing the Japanese government and police authorities for suppressing the people’s right to protest a patently anti-people and anti-poor summit”, said Norma Binas of ILPS – Philippines.
The group also commended Japanese people’s organizations which are leading the anti-G8 protests. “We salute them for initiating a resolute and militant stand against the summit. They inspire Filipino and other activists around the world who are fighting imperialism and fighting for genuine and lasting national and social liberation”, Binas added. #
The multi-sectoral alliance Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) slammed the gathering of the world’s richest countries and called the Group of Eight (G8) Summit a futile attempt to cover up the culpability of the US and company in the escalating fuel and food prices and worsening poverty around the world.
Bayan issued the statement as activists picketed the Japanese embassy in Manila today to protest the opening of the G8 Summit in Hokkaido , Japan . The protest action was led by Bayan and the International League of People’s Struggle (ILPS) – Philippines Chapter to condemn and expose the agenda of the 34th summit of the world’s eight biggest economies – the US, Japan, Germany, France, Britain, Italy, Canada and Russia.
Among the declared agenda of the summit is how to address global anxiety on runaway prices of petroleum and basic food commodities including rice. But Bayan said that it is merely a public relations gimmick to show that the G8 is concerned about the plight of poor countries, which are the hardest hit by rising prices, and will not produce any meaningful results.
“Can we really expect the G8 to find ways to address the raging price crisis? In the first place, the oil and food cartel and speculators who viciously drive prices up to further increase their super-profits are from the G8 countries and among the biggest financiers of their governments. The war of aggression in Iraq and war mongering in Iran by the US and some G8 members to control and exploit Middle East oil have triggered speculative attacks on oil prices that are now wreaking havoc on people around the world, especially in poor countries like the Philippines”, said Rita Baua, Bayan international officer.
Bayan also slammed the rich countries for imposing liberalization, deregulation and privatization policies that further made the Philippines and other poor and backward countries vulnerable to artificially high and escalating oil and food prices. The group warned that the G8 Summit in Japan would likely be used to push for even more intense neoliberal globalization policies.
Meanwhile, the ILPS – Philippines condemned the arrest of four anti-G8 activists in last Saturday’s protest action in Sapporo , Japan . “We join our fellow activists in Japan and other countries who oppose the G8 Summit in denouncing the Japanese government and police authorities for suppressing the people’s right to protest a patently anti-people and anti-poor summit”, said Norma Binas of ILPS – Philippines.
The group also commended Japanese people’s organizations which are leading the anti-G8 protests. “We salute them for initiating a resolute and militant stand against the summit. They inspire Filipino and other activists around the world who are fighting imperialism and fighting for genuine and lasting national and social liberation”, Binas added. #
