|
|
|
 Editorials | Opinions | April 2008 
Hunger Hypocrites
 Le Monde
go to original
hungerhypocrites
 |  | The West's sudden generosity cannot erase its share of responsibility for the major crisis that threatens today. |  | | | |
Hunger riots having erupted on the television news, it's time for mobilization. From Paris to Washington, everyone has their own idea about how to come to the aid of poor countries' populations unable to withstand the price increases in basic foodstuffs, notably rice. We can only commend this surge of generosity. To fail to respond would be criminal and would provide a very tarnished image of the West.
Nonetheless, how is it possible not to feel ill at ease with these tender impulses? For those who are the most generous today are those perhaps the most responsible for this planetary malfunction. The new eating habits of emerging countries, largely imported from developed countries, explain a large part of the explosion in demand and consequently price tensions.
That's not the only reason. Biofuel competition is another, essential, cause. Now, the United States - so generous with the World Food Program - has confirmed its resolve to double the already-very-significant surface it devotes to biofuels. Opposite the American driver, the Haitian peasant doesn't carry much weight. The same is true for Europe. Not only does it want to develop biofuels, but in international negotiations, it maintains a protectionist policy that has long destabilized third-world agriculture and slowed down poverty reduction.
The responsibility of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund is also considerable. For decades, these institutions have explained to emerging countries that the future of agriculture was behind it. So, emerging countries favored export crops in order to bring in foreign currency; they are harvesting the bitter fruits of that policy today. Thus does Senegal export food products - which Europe taxes when Senegal has the gall to want to process them domestically - but has to import 80 percent of the rice it consumes. Now not only has rice become scarce, but speculators are making its price climb as much as 30 percent in a day.
The West's sudden generosity cannot erase its share of responsibility for the major crisis that threatens today.
Translation: Truthout French language editor Leslie Thatcher. |
| |
|
Vallarta Weddings
Tell a Friend
Site Map
Print this Page
Email Us