Protection for farmers' right sought

Protection for farmers' right sought

JAKARTA: The Indonesian Farmers Federation (FSPI) said on
Wednesday that it would submit a proposal to the United Nations
High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR) to issue a promise on
the protection of farmers' rights.

FSPI secretary-general Henry Saragih said the proposal had
been endorsed by various farmers' associations in Thailand,
Malaysia, the Philippines and Brazil.

"We know it will not be easy to issue an international pledge
but we must fight for it because so far it is only farmers who
don't have international protection," he said.

The UNHCHR'S annual meeting started on March 17 and will end
on April 25, but the FSPI will attend the meeting from March 29
to April 2.

FSPI will also call on the UNHCHR to issue a resolution to
help stop violence against farmers, such as those in Bojonegoro,
East Java, Wonosobo, Central Java, Sosa, North Sumatra and other
areas. -JP