Vía Campesina International farmers movement Movimiento campesino internacional Mouvement paysan international
secretaria operativa/operative secretariat: Apdo Postal 3628 Tegucigalpa, MDC Honduras, C.A. Tel & fax : + 504 235 99 15 E-mail: viacam@gbm.hn
CALL FOR ACTIONS OF RESISTANCE AND PEOPLE’S MOBILZATIONS AROUND THE WORLD AGAINST THE WTO AND NEOLIBERALISM TO ALL MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS OF THE VIA CAMPESINA, ALLIES AND FRIENDS:
(Mexico City) The fearsome and loathsome World Trade Organization (WTO) will hold it’s Fifth Ministerial Meeting in Cancun, Mexico, on Septemeber 10 to 14, 2003. They hope to advance in negotiations on the liberalization of investment, the privatization of public services, and the total liberalization of agriculture, among other issues. Everything seems to indicate that the official negotiations are at a complete stalemate, which gives us an historic opportunity to precipitate it’s total collapse as an institution – especially since this would be the third straight failed ministerial – that, if the proposed agreements were to be signed, would mean a death sentence for the countryside in all countries of the world. In Mexico today, official spokespersons for the Mexican government publicly recognized that reaching agreement in Cancun is highly unlikely, because of that lack of consensus among governments. Via Campesina believes that actions of peoples’ resistance and mobilizations around the world are fundamental – as we did in Seattle – to deliver new and powerful blows to the WTO and to neoliberalism.
Via Campesina calls on all its member organizations, friends and allies to redouble their efforts and carry out actions in every country, such as:
• Mobilizations, blocking of highways, border crossings, ports and airports, to impede the passage of goods, especially products of multinationals like Nestlé, Coca Cola, Monsanto, Cargill, Archer Daniels Midland, Bunge, etc.
• Organize fraternal exchanges between people at international border crossings.
• Hold sit-ins and protests in symbolic locations.
• Release statements and hold press conferences, send messages and bring pressures to bear on governments so they don’t sell out and so they stick to independent negotiating positions in favor of the sovereignty of peoples.
• Hold vigils and carry out symbolic acts, open discussions, and educational events.
• Carry out other actions and activities that may be considered relevant.
For the Via Campesina the main day of actions should be September 10th, which will probably be the day for agricultural negotiations in the official meeting of the WTO in Cancun. Although in any event the protests and actions will be carried out throughout the week of September 9 to 14. It is very important to report internationally on the actions carried out in each country. In Mexico, the Via Campesina will organize an independent farmer and indigenous peoples’ space in Cancun, where we will be united, in solidarity, and mobilized, with international delegations and Mexican peasant and indigenous peoples’ organizations, as well as allied organizations and friends from all over the world. The International Farmers’ Forum will be held on September 8 and 9, with an open program of workshops, discussion roundtables, presentations, exchanges, etc., supported by a Peasant and Indigenous Peoples’ Encampment. On September 10 we will lead a multitudinous peasant and indigenous peoples’ march and protest, which will end in front of the Convention Center, where the official negotiations take place. We will also organize and/or participate in other actions, either alone and/or with other social forces present in Cancun, in addition to participating in the march of all sectors on September 13. Throughout the week there will be diverse joint actions with other sectors. We fully expect to celebrate another victory for the social movements who are struggling tenaciously against neoliberalism and international financial institutions and in favor of peoples’ food sovereignty.
GLOBALIZE THE STRUGGLE, GLOBALIZE HOPE!
International Coordination Commission Via Campesina
Contact Information: Mexico: National Union of Regional Autonomous Peasant Organizations (UNORCA) for informacion related to the Forum: forocampesino@laneta.apc.org For logistical information and/or to make financial contributions toward the Farmers’ Forum: http://www.unorca.org.mx International: International Operational Secretariat, Via Campesina: viacam@gbm.hn , and nico.verhagen@t-online.de Website: http://www.viacampesina.org
Thanks for informing us about actions and activities in your country so that we can share and publish these at the international level. Please send your information to nico.verhagen@t-online.de with copy to viacam@gbm.hn We will publish this information at a regular basis on our web site www.viacampesina.org and through our listserves.
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