Argentinien: Statement von Attac international

(Loose translation from French; original message in Spanish.)

To all our friends and buddies of the world:

We will continue the mobilization

Declaration of Attac - Argentine 20/12/2001

We are participating in a significant popular mobilization. The time
came
when the popular movement took the leadership and the militants of Attac

took part in the mobilizations in public places and other areas, with
pans,
playing a role which cannot be delegated to others.

The people said NO to the state of siege and massively mobilized to
repudiate the government's economic policy and to demand the resignation
of
the economy minister as well as a change to his policies of famine and
misery.

The popular fight forced the resignation of [economic minister] Domingo
Cavallo. Tens of thousands of people mobilized after hearing the
announcement of the state of siege. There is an attitude supporting
civil
disobedience, asserting the democratic rights which were ridiculed by
the
administration of [president] Rúa.

We mobilized to demand major changes to intolerable social conditions,
against policies which privileged the payment of the foreign debt over
the
satisfaction of needs arising from Argentina's immense poverty. There
are
2,5 million people without work and 14 million poor, of whom 5 million
are
indigent. This was the scene in which thousands of the hungry threw
themselves into the country's supermarkets. The repressive response of
the
government cost the life of at least 7 people.

Attac-Argentina joined with these popular protests, along with other
initiatives that have been developed lately, including the staking and
blocking of roads and streets, and the popular consultation organized in

last weekend where 3 million voted in favour of a guaranteed right of
employment, the establishment of a $380 monthly stipend for unemployed
heads
of families, and universal allowances for people younger than 18 and
older
than 65.

Attac-Argentine demands:

·A lifting of the state of siege and a battle against any attempt to
weaken
political freedoms.
·An end to repression, the release of the people who are being held and
a
withdrawal of the pending charges.
·A suspension of all payment of interest and principal related to the
foreign debt.
·Support for all mobilizations and meetings, like those of the CTA today
in
the Place of the Congress starting at 14h00 and the Association of the
Mothers of the Place starting at 15h30. Attend all demonstrations with
pans
in hand.
·Say no to the 2002 budget submitted to the Parliament and the working
out
an alternative which does is not based on the "zero deficit" framework.
·A cancelllation of the special powers which have been granted to the
executive.
·A change away from the prevailing economic policy to one which meets
the
needs for the population.
·Opposition to speculation and the promotion of an equitable
distribution of
society's riches.
·A continuation of the popular mobilization.