THIRD WORLD RESURGENCE # 215 (JULY 2008)

This issue’s contents:

COVER: The WTO Doha Round: A revival or a final collapse?

The July failure of the WTO talks: Cause of collapse and prospects of revival
By Martin Khor

In July the World Trade Organisation (WTO) 'mini-ministerial' negotiations in Geneva suddenly collapsed, dealing a blow to efforts at concluding the Doha Round of trade talks. Although currently there are some desperate moves to revive the talks, it is doubtful whether there can be any meaningful talks until the US presidential elections are over. In the following article, Martin Khor analyses the cause behind the failure and the prospects of successfully reviving the negotiations.            

WTO talks - a tsunami averted
By Devinder Sharma

The fact that developing countries refused to sacrifice the livelihood of their poor farmers by denying them adequate safeguards against import surges is an indicator that at least some developing countries are at last prepared to stand up to the bullying of the rich countries, says Devinder Sharma.

Developing countries call for a reassessment of Doha priorities after talks fail
By Martin Khor and Sangeeta Shashikant

In the wake of the failure of the July talks, developing countries have called for a reappraisal of any future talks to better reflect their development priorities and concerns.

Falconer report says WTO talks failed on political factor
By Martin Khor

A report by New Zealand Ambassador Crawford Falconer, who chaired the agriculture negotiations, has concluded that the WTO talks collapsed because of a 'political divide' among its members rather than a technical hitch. This was a clear recognition of the politically sensitive nature of the issue of the protection of the agricultural sector to developing countries.

NAMA chair's report claims convergence on almost all issues
By Martin Khor

Apart from agriculture, another divisive issue at the July WTO negotiations was the trade in manufactured goods (in WTO parlance, 'non-agricultural market access' or NAMA). Developing countries naturally anxious to protect their domestic industries were not prepared to accede to the sweeping access demanded by the developed countries to these markets. There is no better reflection of the callous disregard for such developing-country concerns by the rich countries than a report of the WTO chair of the NAMA negotiations which completely ignores the views of the developing countries.

ECOLOGY

Brazil: Tribes fight to keep the Xingu alive
By Glenn Switkes

As the Brazilian government pushes ahead with its plans to dam the Amazon, indigenous people are once again sounding the alarm and have recently formed a united front against moves to construct large dams on the Xingu River, the largest tributary of the Amazon.

ECONOMICS

Origins of the speculation economy
 An interview with Lawrence Mitchell

As the world is gripped by a financial crisis originating from Wall Street, there can be little doubt that this is the result of an economy driven by financial speculation. How did the US economy, originally geared for production of goods and services, become a speculative economy? Lawrence Mitchell, the author of a recent work on this subject, explains in the following interview how this change came about.

WORLD AFFAIRS

Hun Sen's Cambodia
By Tom Fawthrop

Cambodia's Hun Sen, the longest-serving prime minister in South-East Asia, led his party to a resounding election victory in July. Tom Fawthrop contends that whilst he may have brought political stability to his country, his ruthless implementation of World Bank 'free market' economic policies has resulted in growing social disparities and the marginalisation of the country's rural poor majority.

Despite right-wing rebellion, Bolivian President Morales upholds democracy
By Roger Burbach

On the 35th anniversary of the overthrow of Salvador Allende, another Latin American president is confronted with a right-wing rebellion backed by the US. But Bolivian President Evo Morales, while maintaining the same commitment to democracy as the late Chilean leader, may yet avoid the latter's fate, says Roger Burbach.

Burma: Secrets of Commune 4828
By Aung Zaw

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the historic 1988 uprising by the people of Burma against the country's military junta. While much has been written about this uprising, the role of Burma's left-wing groups and intellectuals in this revolt has remained obscure. Aung Zaw reveals a little-known aspect of Burma's recent history.

Georgia war rooted in US self-deceit on NATO
By Gareth Porter

Russia's recent war with Georgia is a response to the Bush administration's policy of NATO expansion right up to Russia's ethnically troubled border with Georgia.

The Russian-Georgian war: A view from Russia
By Boris Kagarlitsky

While the war has weakened the Georgian administration of Saakashvili and strengthened Russia, it has exposed the limits of the US as a superpower, says Boris Kagarlitsky.

Swaziland: The struggle for democracy
By Mario Masuko

Swaziland, one of the world's poorest countries, recently celebrated the 40th anniversary of its independence in characteristically lavish style. Such extravagance is being sustained by the ruthless rule of King Mswati III who scrapped the country's democratic constitution in 1973. This is an edited text of a speech by Mario Masuko, who leads the People's United Democratic Movement in the fight for democracy, delivered at the Zimbabwe-Swaziland Solidarity Conference recently held in South Africa.

HUMAN RIGHTS

Honoured in London, tortured in Israel for exposing the truth about Gaza
By Mohammed Omer

Mohammed Omer, a young journalist from Gaza, was recently awarded the prestigious 2008 Martha Gellhorn Prize for Journalism. When he returned home from London after receiving his award, the Israeli authorities set upon him and subjected him to torture. This is his account of the ordeal.

WOMEN

Rural women and land reform: When will we move beyond the rhetoric?
By Fazila Farouk

The wellbeing of rural women is inextricably tied to their dependence on land, which provides shelter and sustenance.  A poor legislative framework, the propping up of traditional laws and patronage politics are failing South Africa's rural women who are without both land and money.

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