FAIR TRADE IS JUSTICE IN ACTION
By Fr. Shay Cullen
Email: shaycullen@preda.org
(Fr. Shay’s columns are published in The Manila Times,in publications in Ireland, the UK, Hong Kong, and on-line.)
There is good news in the Philippines these days as the framework agreement for a way forward towards a peace settlement in Mindanao has been signed and agreed by all the warring parties in the Muslim region especially with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). It is not the final peace deal, it is the agreement to agree to the way forward whereby a Muslim homeland called the “Bangsamoro” will be established. The details have yet to be worked out but the process is underway in an atmosphere of trust and confidence. The fighting has ceased at last and may it never start again. The terrorist groups are outlawed by their own people and political leaders and their banditry, kidnapping, killing and robberies will end at last.
There is already a sense of confidence in the possibility of growth in the economy of Mindanao. For the past decades, there have been areas of Southern Mindanao where hostilities raged back and forth, little trading could be done and the great natural wealth of the war-torn areas was lost. Land grabbing by non-Muslim and some powerful Muslim families created a culture of impunity and injustice and this led to anger and violence.
Now with the dawning of peace, those injustices will be put right and trust and respect can grow between Muslims and Christians. Justice will be the cementing of peace and trade will follow. We want that to be Fair Trade. The criteria of Fair Trade are essential for a positive and happy economic future. Now the growth of trade will soon be coming back with the new atmosphere of peace and prosperity will replace poverty.
The Southern Philippines is blessed with a typhoon-free climate and fruit, especially mangos, thrives all year round. These we hope will be flowing into the open market soon. That is where we, in the fair trade movement and Preda Fair Trade, want to be and see that the small farmers get the highest price and share of the earnings. More people across Europe will be buying the Preda Fair Trade mangoes that are coming with the peace dividend. Justice precedes peace and Fair Trade is based on respect and justice for the small producers and farmers.
For many people, especially those who buy Fair Trade products like Preda dried mangoes sold in several European countries under the Forest Feast brand, their first experience with Fair Trade was most likely a happy and enjoyable one. They are people who do not want to buy products coming from areas of conflict like blood diamonds from Africa where slave labor is used, or from rural areas where child labor is cheap labor. They want the producers to be getting fairness and prosperity.
The customers of fairly traded products feel and believe that the value of a product is more than its great taste, beauty, design, and usefulness but they also believed that the most important part of its value is in the way it is produced, presented and sold.
The Fair Trade customer knows that the producer, artisan, or farmer is earning a just and fair reward for his or her work and skill. The customer will be happy to be respecting the rights and dignity of the producers making lives healthier, happier and it brings about social justice.
They know that the Fair trade product and the producer are free from exploitation, oppression, forced labor, child labor and safe from dangerous chemicals, life- threatening hazards and bad working conditions. Fair trade is justice in practice; it should be the right and normal way for human beings to trade and exchange goods and services with each other and work for human dignity and peace through fair trade.
Preda Fair Trade mangos are sold in the Philippines at www.predafairtrade.net and abroad in most Fair Trade and World Shops throughout Europe and in the UK and Irish supermarkets under the Preda-Forest Feast brand. The sale of these quality dried fruits helps the small farmers greatly and making their lives happier. Needy children are helped too. The earnings of Preda Fair Trade are donated to help abused children and women and to fight sex slavery and the trafficking of people. We can all be part of building justice and peace in Mindanao and around the world. www.predafairtrade.net, shaycullen@preda.org
