Winchester Quakers marched through the city last Saturday (OCT5) to draw attention to the plight on the landless poor in India.

Around 20 people took part in the demonstration starting from the Meeting House in Colebrook Street.

Evelyn Parker, who coordinates the Winchester Quaker Peace and Justice group, said: “Land, water, seeds, forests and minerals-the common goods of humanity – are now being monopolized by investors with the support of governments. All across the planet, local small-scale agriculture is being displaced by mining and forest exploitation, large-scale dams, tourist zones and intensive monoculture or bio-fuel farms for export. This exploitation of the land is growing daily.

“Currently 100,000 people from rural communities – especially landless peasants, tribal people and small farmers – are marching in India to raise awareness of the way they are being displaced from the land.  We want wanted to support them and raise awareness of the issue here as well.

“Half of the inhabitants of our earth depend on the land for their living. Guaranteeing these people the conditions to sustain their lives through their work is one of the major elements of sustainable development and reducing poverty.”

As part of the journey they spoke with farmers at the Hampshire Farmers Market on Cathedral Green.

“The Hampshire farmers we spoke with recognised the problems. Many small farmers here are also under tremendous pressure.”