Most of this is actually caused by Monsanto and their activites in selling gmo's to farmers there. THis is another American smokescreen. I suspect Monsanto is behind this report somewhere.
--- In [email protected], vedic8000 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Britain blamed for India suicides > Free trade policies backed by the UK government have caused a crisis > in India leading thousands of farmers to commit suicide, a charity > has said. > Christian Aid has examined the impact of market reforms in Ghana, > Jamaica and India in a report. > It blames 4,000 suicides in India's Andhra Pradesh state on policies > inspired by the IMF and World Bank. > The UK government says the criticism is "behind the times" and aid > is not tied to conditions such as privatisation. > Christian Aid has urged the government to stop linking its aid to > developing countries to free trade initiatives and wants the UK to > use this year's presidency of the G8 to encourage change. > 'Not free, not fair' > The report claimed western nations were backing free trade policies > devised by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, > aiming at an end to barriers, tariffs and subsidies. > In Andhra Pradesh from 1999-2004, many farmers killed themselves > because policies followed by the former state government resulted in > increased debts. > In Jamaica, similar policies meant sugar cane production fell, > driving women into prostitution and drug smuggling, it said. In > Ghana legislation to protect farmers has been dented. > "Free trade today is not free and it's not fair for developing > countries," said report co-author John McGhie. > "When rich countries ask poorer countries to open up their markets, > they remove their protection from vulnerable industries. > "It's not a level playing field and poor people are the ones that > suffer." > But Britain's minister for international development, Gareth Thomas, > said: "Christian Aid seems to be behind the times, because our aid > isn't tied to conditions such as privatisation." > He said the World Bank had agreed to review its terms after the > government called on it and the IMF for a review. > The Department for International Development has said it is wrong to > attribute blame for the deaths in Andhra Pradesh on the market > reforms, citing repeated droughts and crop failures. > Some farming groups in India have also stopped short of blaming the > deaths on liberal economic policies. > The chairman of the state's Federation of Farmers Associations said > farmers would be able to cope with increased competitiveness if they > had the proper institutional support. > But much of the support network for the farmers, including many > government agencies, has been privatised and scaled down in recent > years. > Story from BBC NEWS: > http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/uk/4548927.stm > > Published: 2005/05/16 16:33:29 GMT > > � BBC MMV To subscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Or go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ and click 'Join This Group!' Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
