International Statement In Support Of The National Peasant Mobilization In Colombia
Doctor ALVARO URIBE VELEZ President of the Republic Palacio de Nariño Santafé de Bogotá Septembre 13, 2.002 Excelentisimo Señor Presidente,
We, the signers below, concerned with the worrying situation that peasants, indigenous and rural producers populations are going through, as a result of the agrarian policies being applied in Colombia. These policies have dramatically increased the importation of food, destroying peasant agriculture, dismantled government institutions that support these agricultural producers, destroying national food sovereignty, stimulating the concentration of land in unproductive large properties by means of violence that has caused the murder of thousands of peasants and small farmers and the displacement of others from their land. We consider that this model has lead to the ruin of national producers, meanwhile the transnational corporations gain control and ownership over production, processing and commercialization of food, imposing to the rural areas and agricultural workers mega investment projects, some of which are: mining, petrolleum, hydroelectric dams, highways, canals, special economical zones and productive chains, eliminating a large part of tradicional agriculture and knowledge, violently displacing peasants and imposing crops that favor the transnational corporations in regard to the international market.
The measues to be applied in the frame of FTAA (Free Trade Agreement of the Americas) are: free trade of food, imposition of genetically modified seeds, “exclusive” production for the international market, increasing food dependency, the displacement of peasants and the social conflict in Colombia.
We consider that the situation of the Colombian rural population is directly related to global problems and the struggle of millions of peasants and small farmers worldwide: food sovereignty, the right of nations and communities to decide on their economies and way of consimption, agrarian reform and the struggle against the transnational corporations’ attempt to control every space through large investment projects and the appropriation of genetic patrimony and cultural knowledge.
These are the reasons for which we support the September 16th National Agrarian Mobilization and its demands (see the annex below) in favor of Colombian peasant and small farmers organizations that will be presented to the new government led by Alvaro Uribe Velez, President of Colombia. We request that he will consider our demands, solve the serious agrarian problems, guarantee the constitutional right of expression and mobilization of the peoples and preserve the human rights of the people mobilized.
Signed by,
Con todo respeto, firmamos, 1. VIA CAMPESINA, Secretaría Operativa Internacional , Colonia Alameda, Casa No. 2025, 11 Calle, 3 y 4 Avenidas, Tegucigalpa, MDC., Honduras, C.A. 2. Coordination Paysanne Européenne – CPE, 18, rue de la Sablonière, B-1000 Bruxelles, Belgica 3. José Bové, Confédération Paysanne, 81 avenue de la République – 93170 Bagnolet – Francia 4. Geneviève Rey, Confédération Paissanne du Tarn , Francia 5. Unión Nacional de Organizaciones Regionales Campesinas Autónomas – UNORCA, Calle Juan de Dios Arias, 48-Col. Vista Alegre 06860 – Mexico D.F 6. PKMP – Pambansang Katipunan ng Makabayang Magbubukid,Philippines 7. Asociación Nacional de Mujeres Rurales e Indígenas, Anamuri, Chile 8. Irma Yanny, FSPI, Indonesia 9. Coordinadora de Organizaciones de Agricultores y ganaderos, COAG-PALENCIA, C/Alonso Fernádez de Madrid 2, 2º. 34001-Palencia, Estado español 10. Confederación EHNE, pais Vasco, Estado español 11. Paul Lootens, Secrétaire fédéral,Centrale Générale FGTB, Bélgica 12. Willy THYS , CONFEDERACION MUNDIAL DEL TRABAJO, CMT, Bruselas, Bélgica 13. CONFEDERACION COBAS, Italia 14. Unión Intercomarcal de Comisiones Obreras de L’Alacantí – Les Marines 15. Xesús Ramón Gonzales Boán, Confederación IntersindicalGalega, Galicia 16. Lídia Senra , Pura Seoane Alvela, Sindicato Labrego Galego- Galiza- Estado Español 17. Task Force Mapalad (TFM) Philipinas 18. National Peasant Federation Philipinas 19. Farm Workers from Negros Occidental, Batangas and Mindoro Orienta,18-C Marunong Street, Barangay Central, Diliman, Quezon City 20. Louis Nicodème , Front Uni des Jeunes Agriculteurs, ,89 Fossés Fleuris, B 5000 Namur, Bélgica 21. Pedro Pablo Aguirre Alemán, Mesa Nacional Campesina, Costa Rica 22. Marianne Eriksson, diputada del Parlamento europeo, Suecia 23. Laura Gonzalez Alvarez, diputada Parlamento Europeo, Estado español 24. Joaquim Miranda, diputado del Parlamento europeo, presidente de la comision de cooperacion y desarrollo 25. Pedro Marset Campos, diputado del Parlamento Europeo 26. Luisa Morgantini, diputada del Parlamento europeo, Italia 27. Lode Vanoost,diputado de Bélgica 28. Zoé Genot, diputada de Bélgica 29. Marie-Thérèse Coenen, diputada de Bélgica 30. Jean Cornil, senador de Bélgica 31. Vincent Decroly, diputado de Bélgica 32. Tamara Botelgier, Comisión Europea, DG Investigación – D2, SDME 3/21, B-1049,Bruselas, Bélgica 33. Luis Nunes de Carvalho Responsable de la Sección de Cooperación con Nicaragua- Comisión Europea, Belgica 34. Fernand Cuche, diputado, grupo parlamentario Verde de la Asamblea Nacional de Suiza 35. Hugo Fasel, diputado, grupo parlamentario Verde de la Asamblea Nacional de Suiza 36. Ruth Genner, diputada, grupo parlamentario Verde de la Asamblea Nacional de Suiza 37. Maya Graf, diputada, grupo parlamentario Verde de la Asamblea Nacional de Suiza 38. Ruedi Baumann, diputado, grupo parlamentario Verde de la Asamblea Nacional de Suiza 39. Pia Hollenstein, diputado, grupo parlamentario Verde de la Asamblea Nacional de Suiza 40. Anne-Catherine Menetrey, diputada, grupo parlamentario Verde Asamblea Nacional de Suiza 41. Franzisca Teuscher diputada, grupo parlamentario Verde de la Asamblea Nacional de Suiza 42. Cecile Bühlmann, diputada, grupo parlamentario Verde de la Asamblea Nacional de Suiza 43. Patrice Mugny, diputado del grupo parlamentario Verde de la Asamblea Nacional de Suiza 44. José Antonio Labordeta Subías, Diputado en el Congreso. Estado Español. Grupo Mixto. 45. Chesús Bernal Bernal. Diputado-Portavoz del Grupo Parlamentario Chunta Aragonesista en las Cortes de Aragón. 46. Bizén Fuster Santaliestra. Diputado G.P. CHA en las Cortes de Aragón. 47. Yolanda Echeverría Gorospe, Diputada G.P. CHA en las Cortes de Aragón. 48. Chesús Yuste Cabello. Diputado G.P. CHA en las Cortes de Aragón. 49. Gonzalo González Barbod. Diputado G.P. CHA en las Cortes de Aragón, 50. Nekane ALZELAI, DNI: 15.998.704-L, Parlamentaria Vasca del grupo EUSKO ALKARTASUNA 51. Susan George, escritora, vice-presidente de ATTAC Francia 52. Integrated Rural Development Foundation – IRDF Philippines 53. Shalmali Guttal, Focus on the Global South, Thailandia 54. Johannes Vogele, Forum Civique Européen, (Francia, Suiza, Alemania, Austria, Ucrania y Rusia) 55. Angeles Maestro, Izquierda Unida-España 56. Marie Teller-Péron, FIAN-Belgium 57. Eric Toussaint, Comité pour l’Annulation de la Dette du Tiers Monde- CADTM, Belgica 58. Stéphane Compère,C.N.C.D.- Opération 11.11.11.,9, Quai du Commerce,1000 Bruselas – Bèlgica 59. Stefaan Declercq, Oxfam Solidarité, Vierwindenstraat 60, Bruselas, Bélgica 60. Pierre Galand, Forum Nord Sud, Bruxelles, Bélgica 61. François Houtart, Bernard Duterme, François Polet, Hélène Passtoors, Centre Tricontinental, Louvain-la-Neuve, Bélgica 62. Pascale maquestiau, Le Monde selon les femmes,18, rue de la Sablonière, B-1000 Bruxelles, Belgica 63. Commission Justice et Paix francophone de Belgique, asbl, Rue Maurice Liétart, 31, Bte 6, B-1150 Bruxelles, Belgique 64. BOLIVIACENTRUM, Amberes, Bélgica 65. Claude Mormont, Entraide et Fraternité, Bélgica 66. Cecilia Diaz, Frères des Hommes Bélgica , Rue de Londres, 18, Bruselas, Bélgica 67. Guido De Schrijver, red Europea de Comités OSCAR ROMERO, Bélgica 68. Socialisme Sans Frontières, Bélgica 69. Asociación de Refugiados latinamericanos y del caribe – ARLAC, Bruselas, Bélgica 70. European Ngo Council On Drugs and Development,ENCOD, Lange Nieuwstraat 147 ,2000 Amberes, Bélgica 71. Sander Spanoghe, Wetenschappelijk Medewerker sp-a – studiedienst, Cel Noord-Zuid, Paleis der Natie, Natieplein 1,1008 Bruselas 72. ’Association pour le Contrat Mondial de l’Eau, belgica 73. FDB, vzw ’t Uilekot, Groenlaan 39, 95v50 Herzele, 74. Florian Rochat, Centro Europe – Tercer Mundo, CETIM, Ginebra , Suiza 75. Commission internationale d’Uniterre, 8, rue Lissignol, 1201 Ginebra, Suiza 76. Dieter Imhof, Rüschegg/Bern, Suiza 77. Stephan Suhner, Grupo de trabajo Suiza -Colombia, Berna, Suiza 78. Brigitte Anderegg, SOLIFONDS, Quellenstrasse 25, Postfach, CH – 8031 Zuerich, Suiza 79. Fastenopfer, 44 Habsburgerstrasse, Postfach 2856CH – 6002 Luzern, Suiza 80. Action Populaire Contre la Mondialisation ,APCM, Suiza 81. Antonio Onorati, Centro Internacional CROCEVIA, Roma, Italia 82. Comitè de Solidaridad con los pueblos de Latino America “Carlos Fonseca”, Roma Italia 83. Francesco Benciolini – Associazione Rurale Italiana. Italia 84. Encarna Otero Cepeda, Primera teniente de Alcalde del Ayuntamiento de Santiago de Composte, Estado Español 85. Nino Gujaraidze, Association “Green Alternative”, Chavchavadze 62, Tbilisi, Georgia, 380062 U.S.A 86. Food First/Institute for Food and Development Policy, USA 87. Patty Lovera, Public Citizen’s Critical Mass Energy and environment Program, Washington 88. Robb Ross, Brooklyn Greens, Brooklyn, NY, USA 89. Theresa El-Amin, Southern Anti-Racism Network (SARN) ,PO Box 52731, Durham North Carolina 27717, USA 90. Cecilia Zarate, Colombia Support Network, Madison, WI 53701-1505, U.S.A 91. Manuel Rozental, Justin Podur, Campaña de Solidaridad Canadá-Colombia, Canadá 92. Grupo Colombia de Nantes, Francia 93. Laurent COLAS, CCFD, Angoulême, Francia 94. Marie Bové habitant au 50 rue horace Bertin 13005 Marseille, animatrice au CCFD, Francia 95. Caroline Bah, Afrique Verte,12-20 rue Voltaire,93100 Montreuil, Francia 96. Céline OSTYN, Femmes & Changements , 46 rue de Chatain 17560 Bourcefranc , Francia 97. Centre international de culture paysanne et rurale , Loire-Atlantique, Francia 98. Colectivo PALENQUE DE RHON ALPES de Lyon, Francia 99. Cooperativas Europeas Longo maï , Grange Neuve F-04300 ,Limans , Francia 100. Anne-Laure DOM-BEDU, CERDD – Centre Ressource du Développement Durable, 16, place Cormontaigne 59 000 LILLE, Francia 101. Dr. Christian Taylor – Local Food Programme, International Society for Ecology and Culture (ISEC), Foxhole,Dartington, Devon, TQ9 6EB,UK 102. Father Geoffrey Bottoms, St Monica’s Roman Catholic Church, 2, St Monica’s Way, Blackpool FY4 4FA,England UK 103. Colombia Peace Association, Londres, UK 104. Andy Higginbottom, Colombia Solidarity Campaign London, UK 105. Patricia Abozaglo, Trocaire, Maynooth,Co Kildare, Irlanda 106. Plataforma América Latina (COPLA) de la red CIDSE (red deONGs católicas de Europa y Canadá), 107. CAFOD: Catholic Agency for Overseas Development, 2, Romero Close,GB – London SW9 TY,UK 108. Desarrollo y Paz (OCCDP/CCODP), 5633 Est, rue Sherbrooke, Montreal – Quebec H1N 1A3, Canadá 109. SCIAF: Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund, 19 Park Circus, Glasgow G3 6BE, Escocia 110. Australian Solidarity Network with Colombia-ASNC, Australia 111. SODePAZ – Valencia, Estado español 112. Fundación Paz y Solidaridad, c) Fernández de la Hoz 12, 28010 Madrid, Estado español 113. Comité de Solidaridad con América Latina de Gijon, Asturias, Estado español 114. Jordi Ribó i Flos Fundació Pau i Solidaritat de Catalunya, Via Laietana, 16, 1a planta – Barcelona 08003, Estado español 115. Colectivo de Solidaridad por la Justicia y dignidad de los Pueblos. COLICHE,Rey Pastor 15-17,Logroño,La Rioja,Estado español 116. Jose Miguel Garcia Piñero, ASPA , Asociación Andaluza por la Solidaridad y la Paz, Estado español 117. Associació Catalana d’Amistat amb el Poble de Colòmbia -Simón Bolívar, Estado español 118. KOMITE INTERNAZIONALISTAK, pais vasco 119. Iñaki Markiegi, Paz y Tercer Mundo, Bilbao, Estado español 120. Pilar garcía, Komite Internazionalistak, Iruña-Nafarroa, Estado español 121. Ana Revillas,Colectivo Iquique, Biblioteca de Derecho,976-761000 Ext 3633 122. Colectivo Maloka Colombia, Centre Cívic Sant Martí , Barcelona 123. Coordinadora Aragonesa de Solidaridad con Colombia 124. Colectivo de Colombianos Refugiados en España, COLREFE 125. CHUNTA ARAGONESISTA ( CHA ) , Conde de Aranda14-16 1º, Zaragoza 50003, ARAGON 126. Colectivo de Colombianos Refugiados en Euskadi, Calle Bastiturri 4 , Vitoria-Gasteiz 127. JORDI RIBO I FLOS, Secretari de Cooperació de la CONC 128. CEDSALA , C/ Roger de Flor, 8, 46001 Valencia, Estado español 129. Mónica Iglesias, COSAL XIXÓN – Estado español 130. COSAL, Asturies, Comité de Solidaridad con América Latina. Calle Gascona 12 3º Oviedo, Estado español 131. Ana Andrés A. Asociación SOLdePaz. Pachakuti. de España. 132. -Consejo Local de Solidaridad. Ayuntamiento de Siero. España. 133. Gregorio Dionis, Equipo Nizkor, Madrid, Estado español 134. Gala Rebés, Al Sur del Sur. Plataforma contra la Impunidad y por los DDHH. España 135. Cor Doeswijk, Radio Nederland, Holanda 136. Linda Coenen, Latin America Solidarity Group, Wagenstraat, Amsterdam, Holanda 137. Kevin Smith, Green Pepper magazine, Overtoom 301,Amsterdam, 1054 HW, Holanda 138. Fondo de Solidaridad X menos Y, Holanda. 139. Play Faire EUROPE, Holanda 140. Forschungs- und Dokumentationszentrum Chile -Lateinamerika e.V.: Mehringhof, Gneisenaustr. 2a, 10961 Berlin. 141. Lateinamerika Nachrichten: Mehringhof, Gneisenaustr. 2a, 10961 Berlin 142. BLUE 21: Berliner Landesarbeitsgemeinschaft Umwelt und Entwicklung e.V. : Mehringhof, Gneisenaustr. 2a, 10961 Berlin. 143. Anne Glowczynski Arbeitskreis Eine Welt KJG Saarpfalz ,Heidebruchstraße 53, D-66424 Homburg, Alemania 144. Grupo Colombia de Nurtingen, Alemania 145. Colette Smeraldy, ATTAC, Alemania 146. Despina Marcu, Comite Griego de Solidaridad Democratica Internacional (EEDDA), Themistokleous 27, 106 77 Atenas, Grecia 147. Aurel Duta, MAMA TERRA, A.Obregia 5/R14/69, RO-75571 Bucharest-4, Rumania, Europa 148. Rina Bertaccini, Movimiento por la Paz, la Soberania y la Solidaridad entre los Pueblos (MoPaSSol) de Argentina 149. Mario Hernandez, Revista La Maza, Argentina 150. Revista Marcha Grande en la CTA , Argentina 151. Ana Bertha García, Comité de Defensa de los Derechos del Pueblo – Bloque del Poder Popular, desde Oaxaca, México, 152. Susana Cruicksank , EQUIPO PUEBLO, México 153. REDES-Amigos de la Tierra, Uruguay 154. Maria M. Delgado – Servicio Internacional para la Paz (SIPAZ), Montevideo, Uruguay 155. Noemi Abad – Ecoportal.net 156. Alfredo Molano, Periodista 157. Chris Den Hond, periodista, av. Ducpétiaux 114, 1060 Bruxelles, Belgica 158. Lode Delputte, periodista , De Morgen, Bruselas, Belgica 159. Olivier Taymans, periodista, Bruselas, Bélgica 160. Georges BARTOLI Fotografo, Francia 161. Philippe Ravelli, periodista, Lille, francia 162. Frédéric Lévêque, asistente parlamentario, Bruselas, Bélgica 163. Corporación Vamos Mujer, Medellín, Colombia 164. René Bourrigaud, profesor e investigador universidad de Nantes 165. Jacques Berthelot, investigador políticas agrícolas 166. Pablo José Vázquez Gil, Canarias,España 167. Luis Alberto Diaz Gonzales, La Pandiella, s/n, 33537 Piloña-Asturias, Estado español 168. Alberto Pagán Vázquez, Galiza, Estado español 169. Rosa Santorum, Galicia, Estado Español 170. Isaura Barciela Varela, Galicia, Estado Español 171. Marc Leyman, agrónomo, Hasselt, Bélgica 172. Camilo Garcia, Belgica 173. Antonio Foschia, Belgica 174. Giulia Foschia, Belgica 175. Remedios García, Madrid, España 176. Blanca Nelly Rojas Cardona c.c. 43090860 de Medellín Colombia 177. Miguel Moro Vallina. Calle Padre Aller, 18 7 A. Oviedo. España 178. María Clara Ortiz Karam, Economista 179. Tomás León Sicard, Instituto de Estudios Ambientales. Universidad Nacional de Colombia 180. Rosemary Jiménez , periodista, Melbourne, Australia 181. Anthony Rodriguez, Melbourne, Australia 182. Ariana Callejas, Melbourne, Australia 183. Bill Martino, Melbourne, Australia 184. Matthew Dykes, London, UK 185. Jan VersluysMartelaarslaan 370, 9000 Gent, Belgica 186. Juan Hernández Zubizarreta. Decano de la Escuela Universitaria de Relaciones Laborales de la Universidad del País Vasco. Estado Español 187. Rafael Gaviria-Jimenez Belgica 188. Anne Van Hoof, rue Lt. Liedel, 34, 1070 Bruselas, Bélgica 189. Mario Humberto Calixto, España 190. Andrea Giudiceandrea, Viale Vittorio Veneto, 40, 70027 Palo del Colle (BA),Italia 191. Lambert Jaegers et Margit Meyer, Rotenberg 55, B-4700 Eupen 192. Marie-Annette Balon-Perin , Dr Pierre Brisbois , rue de Virelles 9 , 6460 Chimay , Belgica 193. Alicia Jardel, Comité Argentino Solidaridad,Bruselas,Bélgica 194. Sus Van Olmen, Westerlo, Bélgica 195. Ségolène Trésarrieu, Bruselas, Belgica 196. Diego Villegas, Pastor Associate Parroquia de St. Leo – New York 197. MARTIN bénédicte, MAKTOUB Salah, 45 rue Saint Ghislain, 1000 Bruselas, Bélgica 198. IMSE, Biblap Halim 199. Luis Felipe Banegas, Comunidad católica latinoamericana de Riches Claires , rue des Riches Claires, 23 , 1000 Bruselas, Bélgica 200. Luc Woitrin, économiste, Rue Deljache 13, 1367 RAMILLIES, Belgica 201. Marc Leyman, agrónomo, Hasselt, Bélgica. 202. Marcia slatkin, Shoreham, NY, USA,. 203. Gustavo Mejía-Yepes, economista agrario, Alemania 204. Sandra FRANRENET, Cleantrade, 18, rue JP Timbaud, 75011 PARIS 205. Jose Fernando Ramirez, Comisión Nacional de Derechos Humanos y Paz, USO, Colombia 206. Renato BOSSI, Daniela VESCOVO, Italia 207. Mario Marin C. 24 Churton Street, London SW1v 2LP BRISBOIS, Londres 208. Anne, Rue André baillon, 35 à 1190 Bruxelles, Bélgica
Annex: Appeal for the National Agrarian Mobilization.
“For dignified life, food sovereignty, against the FTAA and the uprooting.
Being aware of the tough situation we, the different sectors of the Colombian rural areas, live in and due to the development models policies that are increasing the importation of food, putting an end to the government institutions that support agricultural producers, breaking the worldwide pact for coffee, destroying national sovereignty and productive autonomy, damaging our food security, worsening unemployment, illegalizing and sending thousands of peasants to court (that have been displaced before from colonization zones), stimulating violence and the concentration of land in the hands of a few large unproductive landowners, We, the social organizations of the agrarian sector, signing below, summon to push forward the coordination of the GREAT NATIONAL DAY FOR AGRARIAN AND POPULAR MOBILIZATION.
National producers are being ruined while the transnational capital is gaining control and ownership over production, transformation and commercialization of food, as well as our ways of planting, growing and consuming, forcing rural areas and the producers under their control through (mega) investment projects: mining, petroleum, hydroelectric dams, highways, special economic zones and productive chains, eliminating a large part of agriculture and traditional knowledge; displacing peasants and imposing crops that are of interest to the transnational corporations in regard to the international market; contributing in this way to increased specialization of our country in the production of raw materials to be sold to the world market at low prices, such as oil, flowers, banana and palm crops, all this harming the national food production.
The imposition of the FTAA (Free Trade Agreement of the Americas), will dramatically increase food dependence, the displacement of peasants and the social conflict in our country. Transnational food corporations such as Unilever-Best foods, producer of food products such as Maizena, Fruco, Knorr, Mazola and Rama; Philip Morris, producer of Kraft, Nabisco, Marlboro rule in Colombia; companies that sell our coffee such as General Foods and Jacobs; Nestle and international capital related with the production of dairy products (Cicolac) and sauces (California). Many of these companies control national markets (by the use of hyper markets), controlling 60% of commerce in Bogotá alone.
The shareholders of these transnational corporations, such as Unilever and the members of their directive boards, are the same that own the petroleum companies. Such is the case with Chevron, Texaco and the British Petroleum company (B.P.), and electric companies such as Enron, Reliant, Sithe – Termorrio, have squandered our national patrimony; we can include the pharmaceutical laboratories and glifosfate factories, like Monsanto, who provide the chemicals with which they fumigate the coca and amapola crops, as well as pieces of land owned by indigenous, peasant and afro Colombian communities. These owners are also shareholders of companies in charge of the production of helicopters used for Plan Colombia; United Technologies is one of them, they are also the owners of large banks such as Citibank, JP Morgan Chase, Barclays, Lloyds, ABN, Dutsche and UBS, among others.
As if this wasn’t enough, the finalizing government elaborates a project of general law that if approved, will help transnational corporations to extend their domain over the country, by handing over the agricultural producers to them by transforming the existing productive chains into corporative organizations, giving them social and productive government investment, meanwhile what is left of the government institutions in service of the agricultural sector is liquidated bit by bit. The project does not consider the collective character of national genetic patrimony and intends to transform it into merchandise, owned by international capital. On the other hand, the new government has announced in different documents and public presentations that the current policies will be continued and enlarged against the nation; in other words, “Firm Hand”; complementing these acts with the approval of environmental licenses and handing over agricultural production to big corporations, condemning the peasant economy to disappear, harming not only rural peoples but urban peoples as well, through what is happening to the people working in sugar processing, by giving environmental licenses to the sugar factories belonging to the caucano business consortium of Padilla.
The requirements that transnational capital demand from Colombia for its insertion in FTAA include domination, dependency and political, economical, cultural and social subordination in our country; importing food, planting genetically modified seeds that are not able to reproduce themselves (Terminator seeds), consumption of imported products, producing exclusively for the international market affects not only our economy but also our culture and traditional knowledge, the ways we relate to the environment, the genetic patrimony and even our own territoriality; Seen as a whole: our national identity.
Due to the facts mentioned earlier and in a coordinated and collective effort in defense of National Dignity, the peasant economy and self-sufficient feeding, as well as the interests of the national agrarian population and the Colombian people in general, we, the summoning social organizations, to make a general call to the social sectors in the rural and urban areas and to the worker unions to actively participate in the GREAT NATIONAL DAY FOR AGRARIAN AND POPULAR MOBILIZATION AND PROTEST to be held next September 16th, for the following changes:
1. Demand that the Free Trade Agreement of the Americas not to be signed neither the treaties of the so called “Via Rapida” (Fast Track).
2. Immediate suspension of the importation of agricultural products guaranteeing food sovereignty by doing so.
3. Release and cancel the debts of small and medium producers, suspending trial processes of forced payment by taking away their land and other ways of legal charging, handing back land that has already been taken away, establishment of credit and subsidy for peasants and small business.
4. Strengthening of the peasant economy, rural production and the defense of their space. Rejection of the implantation of monopolist sugar processing projects; support of the productive artisan sector (mining, fishing, etc.), acting afterwards according to its importance and removing any legislative measure that harms them.
5. Acknowledgement of the right to land as a fundamental right. Change for an integral and democratic agrarian reform that includes the extermination of the control large land owners have, especially those pieces of land inadequately exploited, as well as the expropriation using administrative procedures of other pieces of land required for the program and its handover to the peasants, absolutely free.
6. We demand governmental institutions not be sold out (privatized) especially those of the agricultural sector, strengthening them by making them dynamic, giving them financial means and coordination. Preserve and strengthen the INCORA as a key institution for agrarian reform with the decisive participation of peasants, indigenous and afro Colombians.
7. Immediate elimination of the fumigations on coca, amapola and marihuana crops, implementing its gradual substitution through the rural communities’ approval along with the government and international community, with finance for sustainable development plans and plans for life.
8. Stop the forced displacement, the murders, the disappearances and tortures, the war, and give immediate and integral attention to the displaced communities. Payback and handover of land taken away from peasant, indigenous and afro Colombian families, with full guarantee of security and productive projects subsidized by the government.
9. Effective guarantees for the respect of the right to life and organization; against inner commotion and criminalization of protest; guarantee of decisive participation of social and popular organizations in key issues in everyday national life.
10. Subsidy of national production and social investment for small and medium producers without government conditions tying them to alliances and productive chains.
11. Financial support for peasant, indigenous and afro Colombian women and their families affected by the social and armed conflict, protection of the leaders and their organizations for social and organized work, allowing access to social investment programs, especially for women that live without a husband or male companion.
12. We demand respect and autonomy for our genetic patrimony in rural communities surrounding our existing natural resources in the country and environment, as well as the establishment of mechanisms for sustainable production that make use of traditional knowledge of the communities.
13. Respect and legal acknowledgement of the concept of collective land for indigenous and afro Colombian communities, respecting their cultural identity and autonomy, and the derogative of the law 1320 of 1998 requesting that indigenous communities consult the government for permission of exploiting natural resources in their territories; that the government also do the same for territories declared as a zone for Peasant Reserve and communal property.
14. Fulfillment of every agreement, that different governments or state entities have agreed upon with mobilized social organizations, on local, regional and national levels and the reactivation of negotiation mechanisms.
15. We demand the concerted review with workers, peasants and the community in general of the following laws: Law 100 on social security, health, basic water drainage systems, UMATAS and education (freezing the teaching body and substituting it with orders for giving service); Law 617 that modifies the municipal political regime determining a perverse territorial law. Review of the laws that suspend the mobilization of vehicles pulled by animal force.
16. We demand guarantees for the right to associate and for collective labor contracts.
17. We demand the review of the public policy for coffee so that it will give guarantees for small and medium production.
18. We are against the privatization of public companies and the increase of the cost of public services, as well as replacing small and medium peasant producers to status “zero” (0).
19. Establish an organization of peasant, afro-descendant and indigenous organizations so that they can monitor the human rights situation of rural communities in Colombia and the fulfillment of agreements made with the government, under the parameters of the participating sectors of this mobilization.
20. We demand the solution of the social and armed conflict based on social and economical reform for the achievement of lasting peace.
21. We wish to see answers to the demands presented by regional organizations in committees that are to be established in each region for this purpose.
We make a call to all Colombians (male and female), to central unions, to the unemployed and informal workers of the rural areas and the cities, to every agricultural and productive sector, to the national and international democratic communities, to show your disapproval of the implemented policies referred to before and your solidarity with this struggle; to unify efforts against the neo-liberal policies and the current development model, which wants to lead us to eat mice and roaches as in Argentina, handing over our resources to international capital.
For dignity, food sovereignty and peace with social justice, everyone join in the national agrarian mobilization and protest.
Bogotá, Colombia, August 2002.
