Rethink US trade policy, say faith groups and global partners

Representative Nancy Kaptur (D-OH) at the Congressional briefing on trade.

Photo: T. Abraham/CWS

April 2, 2007

The impact of U.S. trade policies can be gauged by the “gigantic” demonstrations against President Bush in Mexico and other Latin American countries, Congresswoman Nancy Kaptur told a Congressional briefing earlier this month as she announced a new House Resolution that will call on the US to adhere to moral and ethical principles in trade agreements.

“In Mexico, farmers rode horses through the Mexican parliament,” Kaptur said. “They are rising up all across the Americas at the risk of their lives. The poorest among them are rising up against the (trade) agreements.”

Committee members of the Education and Advocacy Program of Church World Service attended the March 13 briefing in Washington on rethinking US trade policy. The briefing was sponsored by Kaptur (D-OH) and Congressman Walter B. Jones (R-NC) and coordinated by the Interfaith Working Group on Trade and Investment.

Church World Service is part of a global network that aims at breaking the chains of debt and changing the rules of international trade that have a negative impact on the world's most impoverished people. Marty Shupack of CWS co-chairs the Interfaith Working Group.

While President Bush was in Mexico pursuing free trade in the Americas three years ago, CWS co-convened a consultation of more than 100 international ecumenical and leaders and activists to advocate for trade justice.

Along with its partners in the U.S., the organization is currently calling on Congress to dispense with fast-track Trade Promotion Authority, which allows the President to negotiate trade agreements that the Congress can approve or disapprove but cannot amend. The provision expires in July.

Rep. Jones said 25 Republicans would join Democrats on trade issue to work for the good of this nation and those the U.S. partner with.

“This meeting is critical to whatever success we have this year,” said Jones, adding it was up to briefing participants to educate the people. “If we can bring fair trade to the world, it's because of what you will do.”

Kaptur also said that people of faith have an important role in inserting ethics into trade.

Reps Jones and Kaptur were joined by Reps. Ron Paul (R-TX) and Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), along with a number of US and international experts on the impact of US free trade agreements on livelihoods, democracy and agriculture.

CWS Education and Advocacy Program Committee members and other participants at the March 13 Congressional briefing on trade

Photo: T. Abraham/CWS

“Free trade agreements will entrench poverty,” said Francis Ng'ambi of the Economic Justice Network of the Fellowship of Christian Councils in Southern Africa. “It's a fallacy that they will take Southern African countries out of poverty.”

Ng'ambi, whose visit to Washington and New York was sponsored by CWS, said trade for his people was a means to reducing poverty. Of the 200 million people the Network serves in 11 countries in Southern Africa, 30 million live on less than $1 per day, he said. The region also has the world highest rates of HIV and AIDS, which affect 40 percent of the people of Swaziland and Botswana. The free trade agreements don't take into consideration the deep asymmetries between the two regions, Ng'ambi pointed out.

Economic Advisor for the Embassy of Bolivia Erika Dueñas also noted asymmetries between the US and her country, where two-thirds of the population live in poverty.

“Bolivia's goal is social inclusion,” said Dueñas. “We believe we need to subordinate commercial aspects to the needs of development. We want a people-centered trade agreement.” She added that the preservation of the environment, diversity and the traditional knowledge of indigenous peoples were also vital to Bolivia.

As an example of the devastating impact of the North American Free Trade Agreement on local communities in the US, Leslie Hossfeld of the University of North Carolina said 10,000 jobs were lost in Robison County alone. This has led to a 23-35 percent rise in the population living in poverty, with a $4.5 billion loss in income, tax revenues and earnings projected over 10 years.

“No economic policy was put in place when businesses left, said Hossfeld, who teaches public sociology at Wilmington. “They talked about a new economy. What new economy? Our economy has vanished.”

Rep. Kucinich said he and Rep. Kaptur represented constituencies around the Great Lakes, the largest body of freshwater in the world.

“We're on a collision course with the World Trade Organization to maintain our water against multinational companies trying to privatize water” Kucinich said, adding that NAFTA, the WTO and the trade order they are forging “profit the few at the expense of the many,” and are destroying the global climate, human freedom and the rights of workers.