Invitation to the Assembly of Social Movements

Cochabamba, Bolivia, April 19, 2010, 10 am

We, activists of many diverse social movements, characterize this current moment as one of arrogance and authoritarianism on the part of the United States, the European Union and transnational corporations. This was demonstrated in Copenhagen when very few countries tried to create an outcome that was in disagreement with the COP 15, and did nothing to stop global warming and the climate crisis.

The increase of military presence and military bases in various parts of the world, “humanitarian” invasions and occupations which indicate war, the occupation of markets and territories, and the military presence to control energy resources, water, and natural biodiversity are all tactics derived from civilization’s crisis of capitalism and the logics of exploitation, racism, and patriarchy. These tactics also work to disguise the climate crisis in illegitimate negotiations.

Our response is to fight for the right of all people to live decent lives in their communities, against false solutions to crises, against militarization as a solution, and against the actions of transnational corporations. These transnationals, with the support of governments or multilateral institutions like the World Bank, undermine national borders for the production of monocultures and for the privatization of air and the creation of speculative markets called “carbon credits.”

It is in this context that we present to the People’s World Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth. In Cochabamba we have organized an Assembly of Social Movements, a continuation of our efforts and articulations in the fight, with two goals:

• To discuss and organize our support of the proposals and initiatives of governments committed to the rights of people and the environment;
• To discuss and organize our agenda as social movements to promote our alternatives and our resistence to the marketization of the relationship between people and between people and their environment—the offense of transnationals and militarization.

Alianza Social Continental
ATALC (Amigos de la Tierra América Latina)
Cebrapaz
Central Sindical de las Américas
Climate Justice Now!
CLOC
COMPA
Fdim
Marcha Mundial das Mulheres
Oclae
Red CADTM AYNA
Via Campesina