(22 Mar 2007) SHOTLIST
1. Wide of protest march to Chinese consulate in Manila
2. Chinese and Philippine flags in front of Chinese consulate
3. People inside Chinese consulate looking out through window
4. Wide of protest in front of Chinese consulate
5. Protestors carrying a sign reading: "RP-China Agri-fisheries Trade Agreement, A Sellout"
6. Protesters carrying a cooking pot
7. Close up of sign on pot reading in English: "No Food Security"
8. Protesters in front of building
9. Protesters spooning out noodles from cooking pot
10. Protesters eating noodles
11. Close of protester eating noodles from a cup with sign reading in English: "No Food Security"
12. SOUNDBITE: (Tagalog) Pablo Rosales, Protest leader:
"Under this RP-China agreement entered into by the government almost 20 million hectares (200 thousand square kilometres) of our land and 41 marine-life parks in our seas will be opened to Chinese capitalists. Our fear is that, instead of the food produced from our land belonging to Filipinos, under this RP-China deal our land will be planted primarily with crops for China."
13. Wide of protesters lying down in symbolic "die-in", in front of consulate
14. Security officer watching protesters lying down in front of consulate
15. Close of placard reading in English: We appeal to the Chinese people, don't let (Chinese Premier Wen) Jiabao take away our fisheries with RP-China deal"
STORYLINE:
Dozens of farmers and fishermen marched to the Chinese consulate in Manila, on Thursday, to protest against a recent RP-China Fisheries Agreement between the Philippine government and Beijing.
The protesters claim the agreement will open up the country's land and marine resources to Chinese capitalists and will dislocate thousands of farmers and fishermen in rural areas.
The agreement will allow Chinese corporations to engage in the cultivation of hybrid corn, rice and sorghum, among other provisions.
It will also allow Chinese companies to enter in bio-ethanol and aquaculture production in partnership with local companies in joint ventures.
Demonstrators brought with them a pot of noodles, with a sign reading: 'No Food Security' to illustrate their concern over the possibility of farmers and fisherman not having enough to eat once the resources on which they depend are open to Chinese corporations.
"Under this RP-China agreement entered into by the government almost 20 million hectares (200 thousand square kilometres) of our land and 41 marine-life parks in our seas will be opened to Chinese capitalists. Our fear is that instead of the food produced from our land belonging to Filipinos, under this RP-China deal our land will be planted primarily with crops for China," said Pablo Rosales, the protest leader.
Protestors then ate the noodles, to symbolise how one day instant noodles may be all they are able to afford.
The demonstrators also held a symbolic 'die-in' front of the the consulate building in Manila before dispersing peacefully.
According to the Philppine press, the agreement signed by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao is expected to bring billions of Philippine pesos in investments into the country and boost trade and cooperation between the two nations.

Find out more about AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
Twitter: [ Ссылка ]
Facebook: [ Ссылка ] ​​
Instagram: [ Ссылка ]


You can license this story through AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]

свернуть