HONG KONG, Dec 11: Hundreds of local civil society activists staged a rally in Hong Kong on Sunday to mobilize masses about the un-democratic proceedings of WTO negotiations. The protestors carried placards, banners inscribed with slogans about the unjust policies of WTO and the self-centred role of the rich countries towards development of the poor countries.

They chanted slogans against the undemocratic proceedings of WTO negotiations and asked for full participation of the poor countries in the proposed negotiation process on agriculture, industrial and services sector.

Representatives of Pakistani civil society —- ActionAid Pakistan, Trade for Development Centre (T4D) and Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) also participated in the rally demanding protection to its vulnerable stakeholders and greater market access for products of the developing countries.

The WTO ministerial conference is scheduled to start in Hong Kong from Dec 13 to 18 for making an attempt to finalize stalled negotiations on Doha Development Round, which was expected to be concluded by December 2005.

The delegates of 150 WTO member countries have already arrived in Hong Kong, while civil society groups are also coming from both developing and developed countries to mobilize masses against the upcoming Ministerial Conference.

Representative of International Confederation of free trade union Andrea Maksimovic told Dawn that mere existence of trade unions and absence of slavery, abusive child labour and the most basic forms of discrimination, are not sufficient conditions to make work decent. Workers must be ensured fair wages, reasonable employment conditions and adequate social security, she added, while chanting slogans against the weaker protection of workers in China.

To avoid any untoward accident, the Hong Kong administration deployed a heavy contingent of police in the vicinity of the conference besides putting barriers to block the roads leading to the conference hall.