Today, 15 May 2008, bloggers unite for human rights.
According to Amnesty International, human rights include the rights to education, adequate housing, food, water.
World stocks of rice have been stable for five years, people have not suddenly started eating more rice, world trade has not collapsed, and yet prices of rice have trebled this year, and with the loss of production in Myanmar, the situation can only get worse.
At the same time however, Japan has a surplus of rice amounting to 1.5 millions tons, which if released on to the market could help prices to fall. However for this to happen, the USA has to lift its objections and Japan has to decide to re-export rice imported from the US, Thailand and Vietnam.
The alternative is that Japan keeps its rice until it deteriorates, while people go hungry.
The full report can be downloaded from the Centre for Global Development
Sadly, I don't think playing the Free Rice vocabulary game will be enough.
Excellent post to bring bad things into the light. There is just too many mistreatings everywhere. *sigh*
ReplyDeleteBut it's a good thing that more and more people are becoming aware of it!!! Maybe we can get something done in the long run at least!
What awful thought to think about all that rice going to waste :(
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