VANUATU—Civil society groups are protesting the Vanuatuan Government’s move to join the World Trade Organisation (WTO), after a Nov 30 vote to ratify the accession passed through Parliament.
Ralph Regenvau, Vanuatu Minister of Justice, was the only cabinet minister who voted against the ratification of Vanuatu’s accession to the WTO.
Vanuatu has been working towards WTO membership since 1995, but the road has been fraught with political instability, a lack of resources and a lack of information and consultation, critics say.
Strong opposition has come from Vanuatu’s Council of Churches and National Council of Chiefs, as well as civil society groups, who have expressed concern over the Government’s refusal to allow wider consultation with the people.
Vanuatu would have to adhere to a set of rigid trade rules including sustainable development initiatives as part of WTO membership. Failure to comply with these rules could put the country in a difficult situation, says the Pacific Network on Globalisation (PANG), a network representing a wide range of businesses, non-government organisations and community groups.
Opposition from such groups is both genuine and justifiable given that joining the WTO, whilst offering no clear advantages, will have profound risks to peoples’ livelihoods and to their future, said Reverend Francois Pihaatae, acting general secretary of the Pacific Conference of Churches.
Reverend Pihaatae says he questions whether joining the WTO will enhance the wellbeing and opportunities for the poor, or if it would deepen poverty and increase inequality.
He says that community groups have repeatedly told the Government of Vanuatu to refrain from continuing on its current path towards joining the WTO.
“In recent months, the call has taken to the streets because the voices of a people would not be heeded,” he said.
Threat to Democracy and Human Rights
The Government has responded to demonstrations against its move to WTO membership with criticism. Vanuatu Minister of Internal Affairs, George Wells, says that demonstrations against the democratically elected government would not be tolerated.
However, PANG maintains that the Government should respect the right of civil society to question government actions.
“It is a core principle of democracy and human rights, being the rights to freely express opinions, civilly organise and the right to take part in the ongoing government of their country, directly and through freely chosen representatives,” said PANG in a press release.
PANG also criticised the Prime Minister’s recent decision to cease an assessment of the impact of WTO accession on human rights, a move that was disturbing given the Government’s previous support of the assessment.
Local residents have little understanding of the ramifications that WTO membership could have on their daily lives and many are ‘wary’, said Pastor Shem Tema, general secretary of Vanuatu Christian Council.
“They are suspicious because they don’t really understand it, what it is. And the feeling of the people on the street at the moment is we don’t really know what the future will be,” Pastor Tema told RNZI.
“There’s the ratification, there is the signing, but now, what’s next? It’s sort of a mixed feeling at the moment.”
