Here are the declarations from our RAGA 2012 meeting:
Showing posts with label English. Show all posts
Showing posts with label English. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
DECLARATION OF RED AND GREEN ALTERNATIVE
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DECLARATION
OF RED AND GREEN ALTERNATIVE (RAGA) 8 JULY 2012
We need action on poverty and environment now
The Red
And Green Alternative (RAGA) congress in Istanbul, Turkey from 5 to 8
July 2012 involved socialist and ecological organizations including
Yesil ve Sol (Turkey), Les Alternatifs (France), the Alliance for
Green Socialism (Britain), Los Alternativos (Spain), Os Alternativos
Autogestionarios / RAGA (Brasil) and others. This meeting explored
red and green issues in the world today and sought to build a
red/green project of emancipation, through our anti-capitalist and
ecologist network.
The UN
conference called “Rio + 20” met in Rio last month, supposedly
reviewing progress on the original UN conference on sustainable
development in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 at which governments promised a
wide range of action to eradicate poverty and preserve our
environment.
Of
course, governments have done nothing. Since the first Rio
conference, poverty and inequality have hugely increased and damage
to the environment has got worse. Famine affects one billion people.
Wars and conflicts continue. Racism and prejudice remain.
Bio-diversity decreases. More people have poor access to water.
Increasing areas of land become desert. The seas become more acid.
Global warming is unchecked, with our economies still dependent on
fossil fuels. The so-called “final declaration” of the Rio+20
conference says nothing. It was drafted in advance and not even
discussed by the conference.
Instead
of action on their promises, governments have used the financial
crisis as an excuse to do nothing about any of these issues. In
particular, they have chosen to ignore global warming and the other
serious environmental problems. They “cannot afford” to preserve
the environment which keeps us alive.
It is
in the name of the unsolved economic crisis that in a few years, from
continent to continent, in Asia, Latin America, and today in Europe,
governments are destroying what our social movements have won in many
decades of struggle. Across the world, we support those who say they
will not pay for the capitalist debts.
Everywhere,
the nationalist tendency shows its ugly face: putting stronger
borders against poor migrants, against immigrants, against
neighbouring countries. The wars for profit, for oil, and against
other religions are growing. We oppose these as contrary to our
belief in the international nature of humanity.
Across
Latin America, North America, Africa, Europe & Asia, workers are
fighting against the unfair social and economic system in huge and
enthusiastic social movements, radical trade union action, and
occupying or taking over their own factories. We support these
actions. Everywhere, there is a new kind of fight-back or
experimental practice (occupations, indignados, local money, etc)
that opens spaces of resistance and perspectives for the future
society for which we are struggling.
Discussion
at the RAGA conference ranged from Europe to Chile, from the fight to
preserve the environment in Turkey to peasant struggles in Brazil.
Attached to this document are two statements on immediate problems.
RAGA
intends to campaign, across international borders, on a range of
ecological and socialist issues. We will build an international
network linking countries and struggles.
We
intend also to discuss and explore the concepts of “autogestion”
or cooperative self management and other contributions coming from
the global south and struggles like “buen vivir” and “amandla”,
as tools in transformation and models for the future. It is a
question of constructing alternatives, in particular concerning
energy and the means of exchange.
The
current globalised capitalist economic system is driven only by the
desire to make bigger profits more quickly: ever bigger production
and ever bigger returns. This cancer is destroying our common body,
our planet. The rich steal from the poor. The ecosystem within which
we live is being destroyed.
Let us
build an ecological and socialist society, not based on consumerism,
profit and growth but on solidarity and respect for life.
We must
put an end to this capitalist system.
8 July 2012
Red And Green Alternative (RAGA)
Solidarity with Cajamarca, Peru
RAGA
STATEMENT OF SOLIDARITY WITH CAJAMARCA, PERU.
Istanbul, 7 July 2012
The
political and social organisations present at the first Red And Green
Alternative gathering at Istanbul (5 - 8 July 2012) condemn the
repression of the peaceful demonstration of the inhabitants of
Celendin, Cajamarca against the Conga mining project in that region.
The violent repression led to five people being killed and dozens
wounded. Scores of people were taken into custody.
This
outrage was ordered by the Peruvian President Ollanta Humala on 3
July. Following these events the government decided to militarise the
region. These casualties come after similar killings and persecutions
less than two months ago at Espinar, Cusco, where the legitimate
prote4sts of the local population have been just as severely
repressed.
This
dramatic situation in Peru, which we denounce, is part of a general
context of an extractivist, authoritarian offensive spreading in
Latin America. The recent coup in Paraguay is another example of this
alarming situation.
We express
our solidarity with the victims’ families and the movements and
organisations fighting against the Conga Project in Cajamarca and all
over Peru. We are in solidarity with the popular resistance movements
in Latin America against extractivism and we demand the immediate end
of such a repressive policy.
The
military and political chiefs who are responsible for this repression
should be put on trial. We also demand that the detainees should be
set free and that the militarization of Cajamarca be ended.
Stop repression in Peru!
Solidarity with the fight of local communities and peoples against
the big mining firms!
No to the extractivist offensive!
Make the struggle global, make hope global!
Humanitarian Intervention or Imperialist War
RAGA
DECLARATION: HUMANITARIAN INTERVENTION OR IMPRIALIST WAR
Istanbul 8
July 2012
It is a
shameful hypocrisy to call bombing people a “humanitarian” act.
In
particular we are alarmed at NATO’s strategy of escalation of
tensions with Syria.
The
purpose of these interventions is mainly the appropriation of
resources (oil, water, etc) and of new markets.
Chemical,
biological and nuclear weapons are a threat to humankind. They must
be destroyed under international supervision.
Governments
must respect peoples’ identities, demands and self government to
achieve internal peace. Ethnic or national difference should not be a
reason for repression by the state.
Dictatorships
and totalitarian regimes do not allow democracy and stability.
However, we do not accept a choice between supporting dictators or
military intervention.
Peace
requires solidarity not weapons.
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
The Program
YOU CAN REACH THE PROGRAM HERE !
(TÜRKÇE PROGRAM İÇİN TIKLAYIN!)
(version05, July 4th)
Here are some of the debates and workshops:
- The struggles against the privatizations and cuts in the public services in the area of Villarrobledo (La Mancha, Spain) [Espanol]
- The movement of "Indignants" [Espanol]
- Acting direct - creative and sensible
- Struggles and Attacks in the 21st Century [Türkçe]
- Struggle Against the Notre Dame des Landes Airport
- Consum'actions Facing Crisis
- Shale Gas
- Privatization of Water
- Autogestion / Self-government
- Recolonization and Popular Struggles Against Merchandisation of Natural Common Goods in Our America [Castellano , Français ]
- New Forms of Dissent in Eastern Europe
- Social Banking and Alternative Energy Supply
- Unemployment Compensation
- The European March of the Unemployed
and the assemblies (in draft):
- Red and Green: Pseudo-contradiction, Background or Superficial Convergence and the Democratic Mediation
- What Kind of Red and Green Network
- Network Project and Common Initiatives
The struggles against the privatizations and cuts in the public services in the area of Villarrobledo (La Mancha, Spain): how is constructed a based-movement of struggles in a rural area.
The host organization: Group of The Alternatives – Red and Green Alternative
in La Mancha (Spanish State)
The description/explanation of the session
In the last months the mobilizations against the privatizations and
the cuts have spread over the whole spanish State. With the excuse of
the crisis, the diverse governments (central, regional...) have
developed an offensive without precedents against all the rights of
the workpeople and the citizens.
In this
context, in the area of Villarrobledo (a
rural area with very limited tradition of mobilizations in the last
years) has developed a powerful movement of struggles, horizontal and
based on assemblies. A movement in which we have come together
companions of very diverse sectors and stances previous. But that has
been capable of agglutinating thousands of persons who have broken
with the traditional apathy and have thrown themselves to the streets
in many demonstrations.
The type of the session: Testimony
The anticipated duration of the session: 1
hour (including exposition of the experience and debate)
Note: The session is in Spanish and will be translated.
The movement of “Indignants”
The description/explanation of the session
Analysis on the indignant movement. What has contributed this
movement to the process of struggle against the crisis? What are its
fortitude and its limitations up to the moment? What implications
does the motto have “they don´t represent us”?
The type of the session: Brief exposition and Debate
The anticipated duration of the session: 15-20 minutes of
exposition. Later the debate
Note: The workshop will be in Spanish and will be translated.
Acting direct – creative and sensible
The name of the person that promotes the session: Tobias
The description/explanation of the session
In the workshop I will tell about different kinds of direct political actions. I would like to invite you to share your examples.
I want to talk about experiences with the preparation of direct actions and share some thoughts and discussions from the Green Anarchist movement in Germany.
Theater of the suppressed, demonstrations, land and house occupations, ... and self organized local centers like community kitchens and "open" spaces. These are some of the different aspects of a movement for social and environmental change. What is the purpose or importance of different kinds of direct actions in grassroots movements.
The type of the session: Report about Germany, Exchange of experiences, General ideas about direct action
The anticipated duration of the session: 90 min
Monday, July 2, 2012
Struggles and Attacks in the 21st Century
The host organization: Ekoloji Kolektifi
The description/explanation of the session
Attacks: Full Force towards Climate Change with Green Economy (Stefo Benlisoy)
Responses: Ecosocialism vs. Green Capitalism (Klaus Engert)
Struggles: Ecosocialist Struggle in Turkey (Fevzi Özlüer)
The Leading Force of the Struggle: Women (Ecehan Balta)
The type of the session: Panel
The anticipated duration of the session: 4 hours
Friday, June 29, 2012
Network Project and Common Initiatives
The host organization: Les Alternatifs
The description/explanation of the session
After having talk about the articulaton of the red and the green, and
about the nature of our network, let's talk about what kind of common
concret camapaign.
This session and the 2 others on the same subject ( Red and Green Pseudo-contradiction and What Kind of Red and Green Network ) can be mixed in
only one or two.
What Kind of Red and Green Network
The host organization:
The RAGA collective
The description/explanation of the session
This will be a the third part of a same talk: the dial
between red and green / what kind of common activities/ what kind of
red and green network. First, we should have a talk :
Usefulness of a red and green international network. And, in case of
a positive answer, starting to work on the project.
The type of the session:
After few words of synthesis of what have been said on the first
session, it should be an open forum. This session and the 2 others on
the same subject can be mixed in only one or two.
Red and Green: Pseudo-contradiction, Background or Superficial Convergence and the Democratic Mediation
The host organization: Les
Alternatifs
The description/explanation of the session
There is no natural links between red and green. We should talk about
those contradiction. But about dynamic too.
The type of the session:
Open discussion
Struggle Against the the Notre Dame des Landes Airport
The host organization: Les
Alternatifs
The description/explanation of the session
Notre Dame des landes
(NDDL) is a grove area, close to Nantes (north west of France). The
mayor (our prime minister) decided to build there a huge
international airport. Nantes has already a airport which is not
used a 100 %. And there's the pic oil. Nantes is linked to others
big city in France by several Very Fast Train (TGV) lines. There's an
ecosystem and peasants in NDDL. So this is an stupid project. But
support by right wing parties, socialists, communist … Even the
Greens don't really fight against it. But it's a long radical struggle
with hunger strike, support of the locals … And Vinci, who is
supposed to do the job, is involve in the project of the main
motorway of Khimki (Russia) and the channel under the Bosphorus in
Istanbul.
A video, in French, done last July in NDDL :
http://vimeo.com/26385772
The type of the session:
1. Testimony of the struggle
2. proposals for a common campaign
Consum'actions Facing Crisis
The host organization: Les Alternatifs
The description/explanation of the session
Food, Agriculture and Empowerment
Produce and consumer alternatives
against supermarkets and commercial laws.
Self-organization and
exchange systems without money.
Ways of development to accede to food
sovereignty (including access to land and seeds).
Local and regional experiences (Greece,
French and Spanish States...), enlarging to social, environmental and
international issues.
The type of the session: Workshop
The anticipated duration of the session: 90 mins
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Shale Gas
The host organization: Les Alternatifs
The
description/explanation of the session
What
with the environmental consequences of mining projects shale gas in
Europe?
Citizen
mobilizations in France, an example in Ardèche
What
coordinate the struggle in Europe?
Shale gas is one of the new way capitalism try to answer to the
environmental questions . We'll not have oil and gas forever, don't
change our way to live, catch new energy. The shale gas tecnique use a
lot of water to crash the ground to find few new gas resource. A lot
of energy, of water, of noise for nothing. This is a main project in
USA, France , UK and Turkey. In France, a main campaign has stop this
silly project. In Turkey, the project is to do it on a very big
level...
Here, a video to promote
a movie about this problem :
http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=dZe1AeH0Qz8
The type of the
session: Debate
The anticipated
duration of the session: 90 mins
Note: This workshop will be in French, and will have English (and Turkish) translation.
Privatization of Water
The host organization: Les Alternatifs
The
description/explanation of the session
Assertion
that water as a common good and not as a commodity, and recalled the
statement of the alternative forum World Water in Marseille.
Management and control of water must be public, cooperative,
participatory, equitable and non-profit-oriented.
Rights of indigenous peoples and women are fundamental in the global
fight for water. Access to water and land for food sovereignty.
Proposals
and comparisons between public and private management in France
The type of the
session: Debate
The anticipated
duration of the session: 90 mins
Note: This workshop will be in French, and will have English (and Turkish) translation.
Autogestion / Self management
The host organization: Les Alternatifs
The
description/explanation of the session
Autogestion/Self
management as a theoretical approach for deepening democracy and
practices of direct democracy. Self-management
to define and structure a new vision of society, post-capitalist.
Project and a self-management
strategy ? Self-management is an ongoing search for alternative
solutions to social transformation of society ?
Method
and culture of self-management as an approach to revolutionary,
radical and progressive, respecting minorities and promoting
solidarity, responsibility and the right to experiment.
The type of the
session: Debate
The anticipated
duration of the session: 90mins
Note: This workshop will be in French or Spanish, and will be translated
Recolonization and Popular Struggles Against Merchandisation of Natural Common Goods in Our America.
The host organization:
Grupo de Estudios sobre América
Latina y el Caribe, Study Group on Latina America and Caribbean,
GEAL-COMPA Coordination of Argentine Popular Movements)
The
description/explanation of the session
The amplification of the
effects of the capitalist global crisis in Our America demonstrates,
between other forms, across the intensification of the processes of
private transnational and national appropriation of the common
natural goods. These processes suppose the increase of the schemes of
private transnational resettling with the consistent sequel of
“de-democratisation” of the social and political relations in the
region. Opposite to the extractive offensive that seals the
development of the crisis in Latin America the increasing rejection
of peoples and communities expresses in the increase of the
environmental conflicts in all the countries of the region. The
fights in defense of the water and of the soils constitute today one
of the most dynamic manifestations, though not exclusive, of these
processes. Our exhibition has for aim do a brief presentation of
these experiences, of the subjects and more emblematic carrying
movements of the resistances and of the processes of convergence of
the fights concerning the defense of the common goods and of the
life.
The anticipated
duration of the session: maximum 25 minutes
Monday, June 25, 2012
Pervasive ideas
and five “horizontal” PERSPECTIVES
with three PERVASIVE IDEAS that run throughout meeting:
RED &/OR GREEN illustrations: Interdependence; Green aspects of red issues; Red aspects of green issues
WAYS OF SEEING illustrations: Gender; Ethnic groups; Sexual orientation
VOCABULARY
illustrations: Words that mislead because they mean different things;
Shared concepts for which we have different words.
Perspectives
The workshops will follow five “vertical” THEMES:
and five “horizontal”
PERSPECTIVES:
DEGROWTH & CONSUMPTION illustrations: Selling us stuff: the myth of happiness through consumption; Commoditisation and monetisation; Endless growth; What should we produce; A local economy
FAIR SHARES: NORTH & SOUTH illustrations: The maths of consumption & resources; Imperialism & colonialism; Linking north and south issues & campaigns; Indigenous struggles; Women; Minorities
COMMON GOODS & EXTERNALITIES illustrations: Externalities for
capitalists; Naturally common goods: air, water, health, education,
land; Privatisation of common goods
PROGRESS v NATURE &
INDIGENOUS CONSCIOUSNESS illustrations: Progress as destruction &
dehumanisation; Humans and the natural ecosystem; natural services;
biodiversity; Resources: stripping the earth; Indigenous consciousness,
not living in mud huts; Happiness
TOOLS TO FIGHT WITH illustrations:
Protest; Civil disobedience; Taking or defending what is ours; Education
the masses; Collective work; Elections; Internet
with three PERVASIVE IDEAS that run throughout meeting.
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