Could the challenge of climate change give us the opportunity to create a world that is more equal, more ecologically sustainable and where the majority of people are better off than they are now? Come along to our next meeting to discuss the possibilities.
Yash Tandon told us how ‘free trade’ has destroyed the African Economies. In Uganda not only domestic industry has been destroyed, but agriculture has also been hit hard. In supermarkets in Kampala one buys European chicken legs, which are being dumped as a result of EU subsidies. Ugandan tea farmers receive only two percent of the final proceeds of their harvest. The refugee problem won’t go away as long as we cling to this ideology.
Global free trade is a sinking ship. We need to launch a thousand new ships: self-sufficient communities that trade on the basis of the actual value of goods and services. Through regional cooperation and with the combined strength of social movements around the world, we can bring about change.
16 of us turned up to present the No TTIP petition to Reading East MP, Rob Wilson. It was a wonderful show of solidarity. This, together with the 804 signatures from 38 Degrees members in East Reading, showed the strength of feeling among the public. Rob Wilson came out to speak to us as his small office could only accommodate a few people! We all wanted to join in! There was an obvious strength of feeling, with many points being mentioned by different members of the group.
It was a most successful day. Even the sun shone down on us!
We enjoyed talking to people about Global Justice’s Food Sovereignty campaign. People were interested in our message and many of them signed postcards asking their MPs to end the UK’s support for the New Alliance and to support agroecology which enables small-scale farmers to build sustainable food systems and keep control of their livelihoods.
We joined members of 38 Degrees to raise awareness of this dodgy trade deal that would effect our public services, health care, environment and workers’ rights.
