PESTICCIDE SPRAYERS

Paraquat was on PAN’s Dirty Dozen list for elimination & had been the subject of campaign to ban it in countries like Malaysia for more then 20 years!

Paraquat is one of the most toxic pesticides known, and has no antidote. -----More

Eswary at Bangladesh

Muniamah, a worker on an oil palm plantation in Malaysia, wakes up at 4am every day to cook for her husband, in-laws and children before she reports for work.

A mother of seven schoolgoing children, she is also the sole breadwinner in the family as her husband is sick.

She earns between RM200-300 per month, but cannot earn more as she is chronically unwell herself, with headaches, backache and a rash on her hands and legs.

“I have no choice (but to push on).

The children need to eat.

I have no other skills and I am no longer young,” said Muniamah, 46.------More

Anjamah at Bangladesh

An Orang Asli community in Selangor claim that their livelihood is being threatened by the poisons used in oil palm plantations near their settlement.

Cary Island

Representing the 400- strong community in Pulau Carey, Diman,43, said they could no longer rely on fishing as the rivers are "contaminated with chemicals".

Cary Island

The plantations are located along the Langat river, which used to be a major source of food and income for the indigenous community-----More

Agricultural Workers of the World Unite!

Coalition of Agricultural Workers International Vow to Fight for Those Most Oppressed by the WTO

Hong Kong (Dec 16) -- Sri Utami, a domestic helper in Hong Kong, hails from a family of sugarcane workers in East Java, Indonesia. By taking care of other people’s families, she sends money home to enable her little brother to go to school, something that her ageing parents could not achieve through years of what is said to be the lowest paid work in the world: agricultural work.

In solidarity, the Indonesian migrant worker joined other agricultural workers from around the world in the official launch of the Coalition of Agricultural Workers International (CAWI), a unique coalition of people’s movements, trade unions, and NGOs representing agricultural workers, peasants, small farmers, dalits, and fisherfolk.

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IRENE FERNANDEZ -DIRECTOR OF TENAGANITA

GLOBAL RECOGNITION FOR DR. IRENE FERNANDEZ

GLOBAL RECOGNITION FOR DR. IRENE FERNANDEZ, DIRECTOR OF TENAGANITA AS SHE RECEIVES THE RIGHT LIVELIHOOD AWARD IN STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN

Tenaganita is indeed honored as our director, Dr. Irene Fernandez receives the prestigious, Right Livelihood Award, now seen as the alternative nobel prize. The award is a symbol and recognition of our work with women affected by violence and with migrants and the principles we stand for, especially for justice and equality.

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International Movement on Minorities Affairs.

The initial meeting was conducted during the World Social Forum in Bombay, India. Minorities from Argentina,Bangaladesh, Brazil, DRC, India, Malaysia, South Africa, Kenya and Sri Lanka were present and formally start to work for a global change as far as minorities’ rights are concerned. At present time we plan to enlarge this network in order to have a stronger influence on the international stage.

INMOVE: International Movement on Plantation People The members of this network have organised many meetings during the WCAR, WSF & International Network meetings. We plan to organize a first conference on plantation people issues in 2006. We would be glad for any kind of cooperation and expression of solidarity.

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Pesticide poisoning survivors victory: Agrochemical TNCs found “Guilty” of murder in people’s hearing “Guilty!”

This unanimous verdict resounded among people who participated in “Poisoned and Silenced: A Public Hearing of the Impact of Pesticides on Human and Environmental Health.” All who were present were visibly moved upon witnessing the testimonies of victims of pesticide poisoning by agrochemical transnational corporations (TNCs) and other industries.

The hearing—organized by Pesticide Action Network Asia and the Pacific (PAN AP), Tenaganita of Malaysia, PAN Philippines and its partners, and local Indian groups such as the Thanal Information and Conservation and Tamil Nadu Women’s Forum—was held on January 5 as part of the People’s Movements Encounters at the Asian Social Forum. ...... MORE

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Midlands Estate - victory for those who dared

Victory celebration at Ladang Midlands. The victory of the last batch of workers – 25 families - finally agreeing to accept a settlement for moving out form the estate owners, concluding a bitter struggle which has stretched for 15 years.

The last batch to leave the estate was the batch aligned with Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM)

They were the bravest, the last to settle and of course, the ones who got the best deal.

According to history, Ladang Midlands was the first estate to be planted with rubber in Selangor in 1889 by a British company – Highlands and Lowlands. Its early history is full of stories of suffering.

At one time, the estate was called ‘Ladang Air Kuning’ (Yellow Water Plantation) because the water supplied was yellow in colour. This resulted in many deaths from malaria and cholera.

There were also heroic struggles and one such hero was Arikirishan, who led the plantation workers union in the 1950s. He is also remembered for organising a three-day strike in 1959 which ended victoriously. It was one of those fights put up by unions then which we hardly hear of today.

The story and struggle of Midlands Estate is full of twist and turns. There were many people involved and lots of betrayals to the working class. .....MORE