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  • From: Marsha Hanzi <hanzibra@svn.com.br>
  • To: 9730484@real.unisinos.tche.br
  • Cc: W.Goris@caritas.nl, kimmerer@sfsu.edu, uweb@megalink.net.mx, trajano@convoy.com.br, skye@tortuga.com, sabia@elogica.com.br, v.mangolin@openlink.com.br, permaculture@listserv.oit.unc.edu, Milogic@aol.com, alivewater@globalserve.net, Jouni.Rajanen@iiseutu.fi, carvano@obsn.on.br, grural@edglobo.com.br
  • Subject: [Fwd: Fwd: MAI]
  • Date: Wed, 10 Jun 1998 16:56:43 -0700

--- Begin Message ---
  • From: Minifarms@aol.com
  • To: hanzibra@svn.com.br
  • Subject: Fwd: MAI
  • Date: Tue, 9 Jun 1998 14:24:18 EDT
--- Begin Message ---
  • From: Minifarms@aol.com
  • To: hanzibro@svn.com.br, KSRuralCtr@aol.com
  • Subject: MAI
  • Date: Tue, 9 Jun 1998 09:09:51 EDT
The Multilateral Agreement on Investment

The world’s riches countries wrote this agreement but it will affect farmers
all over the world. Governments protect what is important in their country,
including its people, culture and land but that they may not be able to do
this any longer because of the MAI.

The MAI is a set of rules for international investment written by a group of
industrialized countries who belong to the OECD. They have not yet agreed on
the final version but it may become law in 1998. The MAI will give
international investors [the multinational corporations? KH] rights and
freedoms that cannot be limited by governments. For example, governments will
not be able to place special conditions on foreign investors such as
restricting their investments in agriculture or other important sectors. The
MAI states that companies can sue governments that make these kinds of
conditions. The MAI would override voluntary agreements such as those agreed
upon at the Earth Summit in 1992.

If the MAI is passed, countries will not be able to stop a large company from
cutting down rainforest to make furniture for people in rich countries. They
will not be able to stop companies from buying up farmland and planting crops
to sell in rich countries. Farming in developing countries might become more
like farming in industrialized countries. That means large farms. That
means using expensive machinery, synthetic fertilizers and chemicals and
growing high-yielding crops to be sold overseas. As the amount of exported
food increases, local people may find it difficult to get the food they want
to eat. Countries would be increasingly dependent on large companies to
distribute food. Farmers all over the world would be directly competing with
each other. Small-scale farmers who cannot compete could go bankrupt and
their governments would be powerless to help.

Many individuals and organizations all over the world are fighting against the
MAI and similar laws. Groups of farmers in many countries have organized to
fight international trade and investment agreements that hurt farmers in poor
countries. 200,000 farmers marched in India. Find out what organizations are
fighting the MAI in your country. Your voice and your actions, together with
those of your neighbors and farmers everywhere, can make a difference. DCFRN
dcfrn@web.net


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  • [Fwd: Fwd: MAI], Marsha Hanzi, 06/09/1998

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