*Peoples Caravan for Justice and Sovereignty 2005* *Website: www.peoplescaravan.com <http://www.peoplescaravan.com/> & email [EMAIL PROTECTED] * * *Inter-Country protest participation starts at **Asia** level* * * *Asian mass organizations, groups and activists are coming together to participate in the inter-country events of the "Peoples' Caravan for Justice and Sovereignty 2005" in **Asia** . This participation is to link up the peoples' struggle in **Asia** mainly in the Caravan countries**. A Nepali trade Union representative** is participating in the public meetings and other Caravan events at Robertsganj, UP state in **India** on 11 - 12 November 2005. Similarly, a trade Union activist from **Sri Lanka** and a representative of the **Indian** **Forest** Workers are** joining a People's Convention at Bagerhat and Satkhira in **Bangladesh** from 15-17 November 2005. A series of such participations are coming up in our collective run up to the December WTO Hong Kong Ministerial 2005. *** The concern of the inter-country participations, however small in representation, is to enhance solidarity among the Asians in their intense collective struggle against the forthcoming 6th Ministerial of WTO Negotiations at Hong Kong and its anti-people policies. This inter-country participation happens as a part of the collective protest against WTO negotiations and particularly the Hong Kong Ministerial in December 2005. The Caravan is a journey in the quest for "Justice and Sovereignty". The journey includes a wide range of activities all over Asia which took off with the launch of the "Peoples' Caravan for Justice and Sovereignty 2005" on 6, 15, 17, 18 and 24 October 2005 in many Asian countries. The inter-country participation is premised on inter-exchanging of issues that concerns the Asians due to the dominating economic policies set by WTO and international agencies which directly confronts the lives of the developing and lesser developed countries. It is against the backdrop of such a commonality of experiences, the Asian joint delegations are carried out to establish links among the Asian countries which faces similar and varying challenges from the international agencies like WTO. Fro instance, Vietnam takes up the issues of Migrant workers, women, farmers and people living with HIV-AIDS which is quite a common concern for all the Asian countries. Vietnam, thus, expects to see participation and solidarity from fellow Asians. Similarly, to mention a few more cases, Nepal, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, India, Thailand, Pakistan and Bangladesh takes up the issues of democracy and issues of industrial workers, farmer's, sex worker's and urban poor's rights in connection with the anti-people WTO policies and Negotiations. The country delegations will join the specific common events like 25 November common events on the International Day for Elimination of Violence against Women in 12 Asian Caravan countries. The Caravan is expected to have small joint delegations for solidarity during the culmination period of *"Peoples' Caravan for Justice and Sovereignty 2005" *from 1 December to 10 December. In this period it will also collectively observe 1 December: World AIDS Day, 2 December: International Day for Abolition of Slavery, 3 December: International Day for Disabled Persons, 5 December: World Dignity Day and 10 December: International Human Rights' Day. People's organizations, mass fronts, groups and activists from Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam are waging its anti-WTO struggle in the spirit of all the historical people's protests like that of in Seattle and Cancun through this vehicle of Peoples' Caravan. The Caravan is an Asian peoples' fight for their rights and concerns focusing on Resisting WTO, Privatization and TNCs, Food Sovereignty and Poverty, democracy, women's rights, land, water, education, indigenous knowledge rights, natural resources, peasants, labourers and industrial workers and many more. The Caravan Journey comprises all available modes of transportations ranging from Bullock Carts to Bicycles, Elephants to Camel and Horses and Trucks to Buses resulting into a wide range of peoples' struggle in the form of Mass Rallies, Sit-in-Protests, public meetings, cultural performances, film shows, People's Petitions and media briefings etc. Thus, the inter-country Asia participation, though minimal in number, is expected to promote a collective affinity and strengthen the objective of Peoples' Caravan in its quest for "Justice and Sovereignty" consequently dismantling the WTO negotiations. *LONG LIVE PEOPLES' STRUGGLE!* * JOIN US!* Prepared By Noni Meetei( Mr.) Coordinator, Regional Team Peoples Caravan 2005 Address: A 91 Navjeevan Vihar New Delhi Ph: 0091 11 26691993/94
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