Nov.18-23: Stop Military & Economic Intervention in Latin America and the Caribbean
The November Mobilizations to stop the FTAA and to Shut Down the SOA are providing a great opportunity to build the movement in the US and to spell out the connection between economic oppression and military repression. There is a lot at stake, a lot to win and a lot that we can learn from our sisters and brothers throughout the Americas who have been involved in the struggle for liberation for over 500 years. The following update has been compiled to provide you with some information to get involved.
Content of this update:
1) CALL TO ACTION
Stop the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) - Shut Down the School of the Americas (SOA/WHISC) - Nov. 19-21 Miami, Florida - Nov. 21-23 Fort Benning, Georgia
2) CALL FOR A CONTINENTAL WEEK OF ACTION
from November 16-23, 2003 (issued by the First Hemispheric Forum to Resist Militarization in May 2003 in Chiapas, Mexico)
3) OUTREACH MATERIAL
We need large numbers in the streets of Miami and at the gates of Fort Benning, Georgia to generate the pressure that will make the FTAA impossible and close the SOA. Get involved: Download the flyer, the posters and fact sheets to educate and mobilize your community.
4) LOGISTICAL INFORMATION
This section contains links to the Schedule of Events, a listing of housing options in Columbus, Georgia and Miami, a housing board, a ride board and transportation information.
5) FTAA BALLOT CAMPAIGN
Groups across the country are collecting ballots as part of a hemisphere-wide campaign against the Free Trade Area of the Americas. Cast your vote today.
6) LASC STRATEGY MEETING
(November 21, 2003 - Columbus, Georgia) setting the stage for the next phase of the struggle
1) CALL TO ACTION
Fall Uprising: Stop the FTAA - Shut Down the SOA
Nov. 19-21 Miami • Nov. 21-23 Fort Benning, Georgia
Economic oppression and military repression are flip sides of the same coin. The economic terrorism inflicted on the poor that accompanies "free trade" could not stand without the repressive military apparatus that brutalizes people who rise up to resist. Those who oppose the globalization of greed and those who work to end US training of repressive foreign armies are joined in one effort.
People from across the Americas will converge from November 19-21, 2003 in Miami, Florida to voice their opposition to the Free Trade Area of the Americas agreement (FTAA) and from November 21-23 in Ft. Benning, Georgia to speak out against the School of the Americas (SOA). Miami will be the host of the FTAA ministerial meeting, which brings together the trade ministers of the hemisphere to launch the final stage of the FTAA negotiations. Fort Benning is the home of the School of the Americas, where repressive Latin American troops are being trained as the military muscle to enforce exploitative policies.
Make your voice heard - Join thousands in the streets of Miami and at the gates of Fort Benning, Georgia.
¡STOP THE FTAA - SHUT DOWN THE SOA!
Fall 2003 Actions - Growing Stronger Together
http://www.LASolidarity.org
2) CALL FOR A CONTINENTAL WEEK OF ACTION from November 16-23, 2003
Groups from around the Americas traveled in May 2003 to Chiapas, Mexico to participate in the First Hemispheric Forum to Resist Militarization.
The successful forum, which was attended by 996 representatives of 272 groups and organizations from 35 countries issued a call for a week of action from November 16 - 23, 2003 to coincide with the anniversary of the 1989 University of Central America Massacre of six Jesuit priests and their two co-workers in El Salvador by SOA trained soldiers, the FTAA Ministerial Meetings in Miami and the protest actions to close the School of the Americas at Fort Benning, Georgia. To learn more about the forum and the participating groups, visit http://www.soaw.org/new/article.php?id=673.
3) FALL MOBILIZATION OUTREACH MATERIAL
Mobilization Flyer
The flyer spells out the connection between the FTAA and the SOA and calls on people to take action against U.S. Military and Economic Intervention in Latin America. The flyer is available for download in Spanish and English.
Spanish:
http://www.LASolidarity.org/events/n03/soa_alca.pdf
English:
http://www.LASolidarity.org/events/n03/FallActions.pdf
Mobilization Posters:
« ¡presente! » commemorates the victims of U.S. militarism. It keeps their spirits alive and puts those responsible on notice that they are being held accountable, that we are standing up for justice and that we won't forget those who have been murdered.
« ¡cacerolazo! » (people getting together and bang on their caceroles [pots and pans] in collective protest) has become the symbol of popular rebellion against the neoliberal order throughout Latin America, and is fast becoming associated with the global resistance to transnational capitalism.
Both posters are available for download in Spanish and English: http://www.sinkers.org/posters/soaftaa2003/index.html
Fact Sheets
The Latin America Solidarity Coalition (LASC) has developed a number of fact sheets on various topics:
http://www.LASolidarity.org/organize.html
"Free Trade"
English -
http://www.LASolidarity.org/Organize/FTAA.pdf
Spanish -
http://www.LASolidarity.org/Organize/ALCA.htm
Close the SOA
English -
http://www.lasolidarity.org/Organize/soa.pdf
Spanish -
http://www.lasolidarity.org/Organize/soa-spanish.pdf
4) FALL MOBILIZATION LOGISTICAL INFORMATION
Calendar of Events
Check out the listing of the events that are taking place in Miami, Florida and Columbus, Georgia: http://www.soaw.org/new/docs/calendar.doc
Transportation
So you want to come to the Mobilizations to Stop the FTAA and to Shut Down the SOA, but how are you going to get there? Check out the LASC transportation page for a list of charter bus options, plane fares and directions that might help you get to Miami, FL and Columbus, GA.
http://www.LASolidarity.org/events/n03/transportation.htm
There's also a ride board to coordinate rides from across the country:
http://www.LASolidarity.org/ride%20board/ride.php
Lodging
For a listing of hotel and camping options in Columbus, Georgia and Miami, Florida, visit:
http://www.LASolidarity.org/events/n03/lodging.htm
and check also the housing board:
http://www.LASolidarity.org/ride%20board/housing.php
5) FTAA BALLOT INITATIVE
Across the hemisphere, social movements are uniting saying "If they won't consult the people, we'll do it for them!" Balloting on the FTAA is now being coordinated in every country in the hemisphere by the Hemispheric Social Alliance, a coalition of anti-FTAA coalitions in countries throughout the Americas. Brazil set a high bar last fall when they collected over 10 Million ballots, 99% of which voted NO ON THE FTAA!
Our national goal is to collect 1 Million Ballots and to present them to the trade ministers gathered in Miami for the FTAA Ministerial November 17-21! LASC groups across the country have been collecting ballots, but we need to step up our work during the last two months before the Miami ministerial. You can help us make this happen! Use the People's Consultation Survey/Ballot to educate your community and register opposition!
October 12 is Indigenous Peoples day and a great day to show our hemispheric rejection to neocolonialism and globalization. Some of you already have actions planned and we encourage you to incorporate the balloting into your plans.
To vote online and to download the paper ballots, visit: http://www.LASolidarity.org/tools/index.
6) LATIN AMERICA SOLIDARITY COALITION (LASC) STRATEGY MEETING
The LASC is getting together for a face-to-face meeting on
Friday, November 21, 2003
in the Carter Room of the Howard Johnson Inn (1011 Veterans Parkway, Columbus, Georgia)
to strategize and to set the stage for the next phase of the struggle.
We will also looking forward to get together with old and welcome new partners in the joint campaign against U.S. Military and Economic Intervention in Latin America and the Caribbean. The campaign is multi-tactical in nature to allow the greatest possible participation. It includes lobbying, local protests, national mobilizations, and civil disobedience. The organizing of the campaign is open to interested organizations that share our solidarity perspective.
We operate and structure our work from a solidarity model: we operate on the principle of self-determination; it is not up to us to determine what our partners in the Global South should or should not do. Nor is it up to us to determine the strategies and methodologies they use. We determine our strategies based on the needs of our partners in Latin America and the Caribbean.
As a movement we must have ongoing critiques of our internal power dynamics, especially regarding the issues of race, class and gender. In our research and analysis, and in presentation of that research and analysis, we will take into account the affects on men, women, and society distinctly, recognizing that most research and analysis of "society" excludes the experience of women.
We must always attempt to put a "human face" on our work - that the policies we are working for or against affect real people to whom we have a connection.
We recognize how many issues are inter-connected and that there is potential to make links between Latin America solidarity issues and the work of local community groups.
To join the open LASC listserve, please send an email to LASolidarity-subscribe
topica.com
To learn more about the LASC and our strategy papers visit: http://www.LASolidarity.org/about.html
To support the work of the Latin America Solidarity Coalition (LASC) financially, please make checks payable to « IDA/LASC » and mail them to
Latin America Solidarity Coalition
c/o CISPES
P.O. Box 1801
New York, NY 10159
or
click on the following link to make an online credit card donation:
https://www.paypal.com/xclick/business=webmaster%40lasolidarity.org&item_name=LASC+Donation&return=http%3A//
www.lasolidarity.org/thankyou.htm&cancel_return=http%3A//www.lasolidarity.org&no_note=1&tax=0¤cy_code=USD
In the struggle,
The Latin America Solidarity Coalition (LASC)
http://www.LASolidarity.org