Monthly e-newsletter from Focus on the Global South, India


Content summary:

Is the world on the verge of an economic crisis? For sure, the US economy seems to be heading towards one. If a US recession happens, analysts predict that it could lead to a global recession owing to the unprecedented level of integration that has been fostered by corporate led globalization. Walden Bello in ‘Capitalism in an Apocalyptic Mood’ writes that the specter that haunts the USA is Japan’s experience of virtually zero growth per annum in the nineties and early part of this decade. There are some sectors of the Indian economy such as Information Technology (due to its close links with the US economy) that will surely take a beating, but more damaging could be possible impacts on the financial (damage control measures are already on at one of India’s largest private sector banks – ICICI) and manufacturing sectors and the resultant impacts on working classes across the world.

The recent protests in Tibet and the reaction from the Chinese government are a matter of great concern for the region. We ask for your support for the statement below, which we will send to China's president Hu Jintao.

In our second article Mumbai journalist Jatin Desai recognizes that the transition period in Pakistan could be fluid but contends that the recent elections results provide the opportunity to the people of Pakistan to firmly put the country on the road to genuine democracy.

The FOI includes a report on the 2 day seminar organised by Focus to scrutinize the recently revealed National Agriculture Policy and a press release on the fishing community’s reaction to the 2008 Union Budget.


CONTENTS:

1. NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
1.a. Unpacking the Climate Crisis: A 3 day workshop on global warming, policy responses, energy options and alternatives, April 18-20, 2008, Mumbai

2. STATEMENTS/REPORTS
2.a. Report of Preparatory Meeting for a Conference on Peace and Justice
2.b. Meeting report: Farm policy fails to address key issues
2.c. Chidambaram’s peoples’ budget misses the fishing boat
2.d. Tibet: A Statement of Concern
2.e. Students Against Nuclear Power (SANP) - Indefinite hunger-strike in Delhi from March 10th

3. ARTICLES
3.a. Capitalism in an Apocalyptic Mood: by Walden Belo
3.b. Pakistan: Victory of Democracy & defeat of 3 A's: by Jatin Desai