NGOs called off Anti-EPA demonstration

A DEMONSTRATION planned for lunchtime yesterday against an economic partnership agreement (EPA) between Namibia and the European Union was called off, apparently because “members of four civil organisations got caught in the traffic”, an organiser said.

Reporters, some of the protesters and Police were waiting in vain for one hour at the entrance gate of the European Commission, not knowing what happened. At 14h00, the reporters left.A faxed invitation was sent to media houses on Monday by the Labour Resource and Research Institute (LaRRI), signed by its director Hilma Shindondola-Mote.When phoned yesterday afternoon, an official at LaRRI said the director was not in and referred The Namibian to “the organiser”, Komeho Development Agency.When phoned, Nela Kasuto of Komeho said: “Four organisations were caught in the traffic and could not reach the assembly point for the demo.Therefore the demo was called off.”Kasuto said the organisers would hold a press conference today.Civil society organisations intended to hand over a letter to EU Ambassador Dr Elisabeth Pape to state that they were not in favour of the envisaged EPA with the EU since it would disadvantage Namibia.Government signed an interim EPA in December, allowing duty- and quota-free access for Namibian goods – mainly beef, fish and table grapes – to the EU.Namibia must however slash import tariffs for EU goods coming to our country by 80 per cent from July 1 2008.The EU wants to negotiate full EPAs by the end of this year with all 77 countries of Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific (ACP).Namibia has expressed concerns about some clauses in the EPA and wants to renegotiate them.These include infant industry protection for Namibian products like beer and pasta and guarantees that cheaper EU products like maize and fruit do not swamp the Namibian market.At 14h00, the reporters left.A faxed invitation was sent to media houses on Monday by the Labour Resource and Research Institute (LaRRI), signed by its director Hilma Shindondola-Mote.When phoned yesterday afternoon, an official at LaRRI said the director was not in and referred The Namibian to “the organiser”, Komeho Development Agency.When phoned, Nela Kasuto of Komeho said: “Four organisations were caught in the traffic and could not reach the assembly point for the demo.Therefore the demo was called off.”Kasuto said the organisers would hold a press conference today.Civil society organisations intended to hand over a letter to EU Ambassador Dr Elisabeth Pape to state that they were not in favour of the envisaged EPA with the EU since it would disadvantage Namibia.Government signed an interim EPA in December, allowing duty- and quota-free access for Namibian goods – mainly beef, fish and table grapes – to the EU.Namibia must however slash import tariffs for EU goods coming to our country by 80 per cent from July 1 2008.The EU wants to negotiate full EPAs by the end of this year with all 77 countries of Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific (ACP).Namibia has expressed concerns about some clauses in the EPA and wants to renegotiate them.These include infant industry protection for Namibian products like beer and pasta and guarantees that cheaper EU products like maize and fruit do not swamp the Namibian market.