Presenting the conclusions of the Women's summit
The declaration of the summit and the verdict of the People’s Tribunal were presented to a giant stadium bursting with people today. You can read the full documents ( in Spanish) at: People’s Tribunal verdict, the declaration of the Alternative Summit
Over the sounds of horns, conch shells and chanting from an excited crowd, the summit declaration which was presented to the Presidents summit yesterday was read out, followed by the conclusions of six panels which took place on each of the summit themes. Three motions were also passed through enthusiastic foot stamping and flagwaving: soildarity with the people of COlombia; solidarity with the people of Haiti; and the nominations of Bolivian President Evo Morales for a Nobel Peace Prize. The idea is that all of this will be synthesised into a final document for distribution.
The declaration states that:
- the primary objective of government policies should be building a system which prioritises people’s economic, political, social, cultural and environmental rights;
- the summit rejects the trade agreements the EU and some LAC countries want to sign because they will perpetuate the current system of domination, pillaging of natural resources and abuse of rights;
- the EU’s strategy "Global Europe: competing in the world” is incompatible with the discourse on climate change, poverty reduction and social cohesion.
- the summit rejects the Lisbon treaty for Europe which is a great threat to democracy, peace and the environment and is criminalizing migrants and social movements and violating the right to asylum whilst building ‘Fortress Europe’;
- when governments in Lima talk about social cohesion, climate change and poverty reduction, they should remember that the main cause of inequality, social polarization and environmental damage is the primacy of the market over people rights and the offering of every kind of guarantee to corporations which then undermine governments;
- the summit denounces the hypocrisy of the multilateral institutions in the face of the food crisis.
And then in response to this situation proposes a different kind of regional integration based on respect for the environment, human rights and democratic processes; a strengthening of cooperation and solidarity between people’s of the world; the end of discrimination and processes which violate countries’ sovereignty; reparations for the abuses perpetrated by European companies and the creation and the creation of a new type of relationship with these companies.
It calls on progressive governments to join them in this process of transformation; on all inhabitants of LAC and the EU to join in the struggle for a better world for all and to all social and popular organisations to start preparing for the next alternative Summit Enlazando Alternativas IV in Spain in 2010.
The Tribunal
The judges gave powerful speeches issuing ‘moral and ethical sanctions’ against the 24 European- based transnationals which they had judged; against the states which allow companies to abuse rights with impunity; and then against the whole neoliberal system which is complicit in the abuses. They made recommendations for multinationals, International Financial Institutions, European and LAC governments and civil society organisations, including a resolution to lobby UNHCR to designate a Special Rapporteur to present a report to the general assembly to suggest the creation of an International Court to judge economic and environmental crimes. They committed to disseminate their findings and conclusions on the abuses to raise awareness and seek compensation and changes.
No comments:
Post a Comment