Peruvian farmers protest free trade!

http://www.elnuevod ia.com/diario/ noticia/portada/ noticias/ arranca_manana_ la_huelga_ magisterial/ 366268

BACKGROUND:With the US maintaining subsidies on its genetically modified,industrially produced, pesticide treated treated field crops and factoryfarmed meat, dairy, and egg products, Peruvian family farmers will bedriven out of business by the US-Peru Free Trade Agreement, ratified byCongress in late 2007. This will lead to forced migration of farmers,destruction of ecologically sustainable traditional methods ofagriculture, increased profits for inhumane factory farms, more farmersgrowing coca for the global cocaine trade, and rural displacement andunemployment creating a new workforce for sweatshop and corporateplantation exploitation. Peru's farmers are being murdered in the streetsas they protest this destructive policy!

Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton BOTH supported the Peru FTA! (and McCain supports EVERY FTA!)--------

Peru Declares State of Emergency on Farm ProtestsFeb. 19 (Bloomberg) -- Peru's government declared a state of emergency after a farmers' protest left at least four dead and more than 700 under arrest.Farmers called the nationwide protest to push for state subsidies as part of a free-trade agreement with the U.S., for lower prices for fertilizers andfor a halt to farm seizures by banks. Peru, the world's largest exporter of organic coffee, asparagus and paprika, boosted agricultural exports to theU.S. and China by 10 percent to $2 billion last year."The agreements we've reached don't establish amounts or deadlines,'' saidEnrique Malaga, president of the National Irrigation Board, which is organizing the protest. "The government has lost all credibility. ''Protesters in the southern Andes blocked the railway line to the Incacitadel of Macchu Pichu, Peru's biggest tourist attraction, yesterday,forcing the suspension of the service, Orient Express Hotels Inc. unitPeru Rail said in an e-mailed statement.<<http://www.bloomber g.com/apps/ news?pid= 20601086&sid=ajtlepQBdSAg&refer=lati>http://www.bloomber g.com/apps/ news?pid= 20601086&sid=ajtlepQBdSAg&refer=latin_america><http://www.bloomber g.com/apps/ news?pid= 20601086&sid=ajtlepQBdSAg&refer=latin>http://www.bloomber g.com/apps/ news?pid= 20601086&sid=ajtlepQBdSAg&refer=latin_america

Farmers strike turns violent in Peru; four dead

Posted : Wed, 20 Feb 2008 04:54:00 GMTLima - The second day of nationwide protests by farmers in Peru spiralled into violence with two protestors shot by police and another falling to his death trying to elude tear gas shells. Transport was paralyzed in the departments of Ayacucho, Arequipa, Cusco and several other parts of the country because of the strike that began Monday, when police said one farmer was shot by an angry motorist.The unions called the strike to pressure the government . . . . (on)measures to alleviate the impact of a new trade agreement with the UnitedStates.