[Via... http://www.egroups.com/group/Communist-Internet ] . . ----- Original Message ----- From: Downwithcapitalism <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Friday, May 11, 2001 12:51 AM Subject: [downwithcapitalism] FW: 'Don't impose FTAA behind the people's back' Granma. 10 May 2001. International encounter of union leaders in Havana: Dont impose FTAA behind the peoples back. Representatives of more than 200 unions from 58 countries who participated in the International Conference in Solidarity with Cuba and against Neoliberal Globalization, attended by President Fidel Castro, approved a minimal program of action for the Latin American and Caribbean union movement to mobilize its forces in opposition to the possible implementation of the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA). Among the points on labors agenda is that every union explain the true face of the FTAA, organize union and popular protests under the banner of "Annexation No! Plebiscite Yes," struggle to obtain unity of action to confront neoliberalism and the FTAA, organize a meeting in Caracas on July 24 to boost opposition to the U.S. proposal, support and act in response to the program approved by the Peoples Summit in Quebec, and provide the most information possible about the issues, taking advantage of the new technologies, especially the Internet. The more than 500 participants meeting in the International Conference Center in Havana confirmed the urgency of this effort, considering the pressure imposed by the United States in this annexationist crusade. This was highlighted by Leonel Gonzlez, member of the National Secretariat of the Central Organization of Cuban Trade Unions (CTC), in his summary of the proposed plan of actions. With the FTAA, the United States seeks to secure its domination over Latin America and the Caribbean, in order to satisfy its strategic appetite in the face of its rivals, Europe and Japan; to undermine Latin American integration (especially through MERCOSUR); and design a model in line with its interests, affirmed Dr. Osvaldo Martnez, president of the National Assemblys Economic Affairs Commission and director of the Center for Research on the World Economy, during a speech given at the conference. Martnez said that a debilitated Latin America would be going to the bargaining table against the most powerful country in the world. He explained that the region is experiencing an economic and social crisis associated with two decades of neoliberal policies that have generated insufficient growth. In this regard, he indicated that the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) estimates that in order to reduce poverty, 6% growth is required, rather than the 3% achieved over the last decade. He added that this inadequate growth has been at the expense of privatization that has only provided short-term benefits for governments, leaving them with hardly anything left to privatize. Martnez also indicated that the investment of foreign capital is highly speculative and volatile. At the same time, the regions debt has experienced a notable increase in comparison to the 1980s. In social terms, for example, poverty has affected 85 million people in the region. In other words, currently 44% of the population in the region falls into that category, while in the previous decade the figure was 39%. Martnez suggested that anyone interested in seeing an X-ray of the FTAA should take a look at Mexico since its inclusion in the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), with the United States and Canada. The Mexican economy achieved 6.6% growth during the 1970s, but by the end of the past decade, as a member of NAFTA, its growth was only 3.1%. More than 30 speakers emphasized the need to unite forces against the FTAA, to create a permanent and broad-based Latin American bloc which would serve as a space for discussion about the problems of the region and provide information to the countries of Latin America about the malignant intentions of the U.S. giant. INTERNATIONAL WORKERS MEETING IN JULY 2002 The participants also reached a consensus that solidarity with Cuba needs to be present in each of the actions, as well opposition to the Colombia Plan, part of the U.S. strategy for domination of the region. Marcela Escribano, coordinator of the Peoples Summitwhich took place April 16-21 in Quebec, attended by more than 2,300 delegates from the 35 countries of the continent including Cubasaid that we have been witnessing great demonstrations of popular resistance against imperialist plans starting in Seattle, and its clear that from now on the heads of state will not be able to meet quietly to plot against their people. At the end of the conference, the CTC announced that the 3rd International Solidarity Conference of Workers against Neoliberal Globalization would be held July 2002 in Cuba. The main theme discussed will be the trade union movements actions in confronting the challenges imposed by the current world situation, among them the FTAA. Pedro Ross Leal, general secretary of the CTC, described the present encounter as having been very useful and very advantageous for the strategic tasks of the workers movement, not only in Latin America and the Caribbean, but also in regard to the concept of globalizing solidarity. CONTINENTAL COORDINATING COMMITTEE AGAINST FTAA CREATED Representatives of trade union organizations from Latin America, the Caribbean, the United States and Canada who were invited to the 18th Congress of the CTC agreed during the conference to create a broad-based committee for coordinating the struggle against the FTAA. Regional and sub-regional committees were created with the goal of attracting workers, students, campesinos, retired persons, intellectuals, economists, feminist organizations, artists, and all those who wish to fight against the neocolonial plan. Each country committed itself to carrying out concrete actions whose effectiveness will be reviewed in the meeting scheduled to take place in Caracas, Venezuela, on July 22-24, when new proposals will be drawn up, themselves to be reviewed in Havana the following year around the same date. SPAM TO FOLLOW Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
