TITLE: Call To Action! Call for Organizers

AUTHOR:

PUB: 'Peoples' Global Action North American Meeting

DATE: January 5, 2001

People's Global Action is an international network that was originally inspired by the Zapatista struggle that began in Chiapas, Mexico, in 1994. PGA is not an organization but a fluid, umbrella network of grassroots peoples' organizations worldwide that are building alternatives to neo-liberalist policies. In Sept. PGA held an international meeting of continental convenors in Prague, Czech Republic, in conjunction with the protests against the IMF and World Bank meetings there, as part of the call that PGA put out for the Global Day of Action Against Capitalism on September 26. Convenors, representing peoples' grassroots movements around the world, met to discuss PGA's goals for the future. From this meeting emerged a plan for two sustained global actions: a) building a movement to stop Plan Colombia, and b) linking the struggles of people to reclaim our water and land rights. The next international PGA meeting will be in Cochabamba, Bolivia, from April 27 through May 1, 2001. The intent of this meeting is to further define and develop strategies and tactics for the two sustained global actions, and to continue building a positive resistance to capitalism. Before that meeting, conveners in each of PGA's represented continents will hold meetings to prepare for Cochabamba, discuss PGA's sustained global actions and choose convenors for the coming year. The North American meeting is being called by the Tampa Bay Action Group, of Florida, USA and The Anti-Capitalist Convergence of Montreal, Quebec (Convergence des luttes anti-capitalistes-CLAC) - the temporary co-conveners for North America. This will probably be a two-day meeting in mid to late March in a location that has not yet been determined. To ensure the most democratic process, we are inviting like-minded North American groups to participate in the organizing and planning of the meeting. At this early stage, a suggested tentative agenda for the meeting includes an overview of PGA and detailed investigations of the issues surrounding the two sustained global actions and a day devoted to networking and brainstorming for concrete ideas for direct actions that support and further these global actions. The goals of the North American meeting is to build the PGA network in North America, to plan for the Cochabamba meeting, and to prepare for the protests of the Free Trade Agreement of the Americas meeting in Canada in April 2001. Organizations interested in having a voice on the organizing committee for the North American PGA meeting should subscribe to the list serve for the meeting organizing committee by e-mailing to Majordomo@flora.org. Leave the subject line blank and type 'subscribe pganaoc' (without the quote marks) in the BODY of your message. Remove any other text (auto signatures, for example). For info or problems with the list serve call TBAG at 727-896-8224 e-mail oneworldnow@att.net or write La CLAC,2035 St-Laurent Boulevard,2nd floor, Montreal (Quebec) Canada, H2X 2T3. 1-514-409-2049 e-mail clac@tao.ca The organizing committee will use this list serve to communicate and will begin to make initial planning decisions by Jan 5th, 2000. If your organization is interested in attending the PGA meeting in Cochabamba, Bolivia, please contact the list serve for further information. All groups participating in both the North American meeting and wanting to attend the meeting in Bolivia must agree to the PGA Hallmarks:  The hallmarks of the alliance are: 1. A rejection of neo-liberal politics and institutions, which promote socially and environmentally destructive globalization. 2. A rejection of all forms of oppression and exploitation such as patriarchy, white supremacy and imperialism 3. A confrontational attitude toward undemocratic organizations in which capital is the only real policy maker. 4. A call to nonviolent direct action and civil disobedience and the construction of local alternatives by local people as answers to the actions of governments and corporations. 5. An organizational philosophy based on decentralization, direct democracy and local autonomy. Current and former members of the PGA convenors' committee and conference hosts: Seis Federaciones del Trópico: one of the most active resistance movement in Bolivia right now; they participated in the recent battle for water which reversed the privatization plans of the government. Will host the 3rd PGA conference Movimento dos Trahalbadores Rurais Sem Terra (MST) Brazil: the most important movement for land reform through direct action in the world. Organizaciones Negras de Centroamerica (ONECA): Central American network of black communities; the secretariat is at the organization of the Garífunas of Honduras. Central Sandinista de Trabajadores (CST) / Federación Nacional del Trabajo (FNT): the CST is part of the FNT, a major union federation. Movimiento de la Juventud Kuna: the youth movement of the Kuna people of Panama, one of the first Latin American indigenous peoples to obtain self-governance. Confederacion Unica Nacional de Afiliados al Seguro Social Campesino-Coordinadora Nacional Campesina: the main peasant movement in Ecuador strongly involved in the take-over of the Parliament in January 2000. Movement for National Land and Agricultural Reform (MONLAR), Sri Lanka: members of the current PGA convenors' committee. Aoteoroa Educators: The organization responsible for information and education within the Tino Rangatirotanga movement, a grassroots movement for Maori sovereignty made up countywide autonomous groups & tribals. Confederación de Nacionalidades Indígenas del Ecuador (CONAIE): the backbone of indigenous organizing in Ecuador for decades. Proceso de Comunidades Negras: the black communities' process of Colombia, have played a key role in the creation of the Afro-American network and in its involvement in international processes of coordinated resistance. Confederación de Trabajadores de la Educación de la República Argentina (CTERA): the Argentinean teacher's union. Comite de Mujeres Trabajadoras de El Salvador: union of female textile workers in the export-processing zones (maquilas) of El Salvador. Karnataka State Farmers' Association (KRRS): the largest Indian peasant movement, known for actions such as the cremation of Monsanto fields, the dismantlement of a seed factory of Cargill and a KFC restaurant, etc. National Alliance of Peoples' Movements: Indian platform of different movements from different backgrounds (anti-dam, fisherfolk, adivasis etc) Peasant Movement of the Philippines (KMP): probably the largest movement of the country, organized large-scale protests against APEC, WTO and WB/IMF. Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP): members of the first PGA convenors' committee, one of the main movements in Africa. Foundation for an Independent Aoteoroa: National organization for Maori self-determination, has done some spectacular actions against the on-going colonization of Aoteoroa and against foreign investors. Krishok Federation: National peasant federation focusing on the problems of small and landless peasants and on the impact of imperialist globalization and the 'Green Revolution' technologies. They host in August the Asian PGA regional conference. CUPW - Canadian Union of Postal Workers ex-convenors One of the most successful unions defending public service, they have mobilized and trained the rank and file to become a force opposing globalization in general and in solidarity with indigenous, immigrants and southern movements. RTS Reclaim the Streets - ex-convenors. From the defense and reclaiming of public space (the now famous Street Parties) and radical ecology, RTS has sought broader alliances with Dockers and militant trades unions. A pillar of PGA, their initiative of June 18 (occupation of the City of London) was an inspiration for the current anti-globalisation movement. Ya Basta - Convenors for Western Europe. One of the strongest links in the Zapatista support network, they are also very active in the struggle against NATO imperialism in the Balkans and for the rights of illegal immigrants and against GMOs. They have participated massively in the recent mobilizations against globalization in Prague and Nice. Rainbow Warriors, acting convenors for Eastern Europe - a network of radical ecologists in the ex-USSR, who are among other things the main militant, street opposition to nuclear power in Ukraine and Russia and consequently operate under conditions of extreme repression. The Anti-Capitalist Convergence of Montreal, Quebec (Convergence des luttes anti-capitalistes-CLAC) current temporary co-convenors North America Tampa Bay Action Group (TBAG) Florida (USA) current temporary co-convenors North America. END top