European Call To Action Against The WTO Meeting
[ Double-click this line for list subscription options ]
EUROPEAN CALL TO ACTION AGAINST THE WTO MEETING IN QATAR (N9-N13)
- Blocking and Jamming state trade representatives Leading up to November 9th
- Massive Regional Actions- November 9, 2001
- Decentralized Local Actions- November 9 to 13, 2001
- Local Organizing and Outreach- Leading up to November 9
- To Build open, direct Grassroots democratic alternatives - now and for ever
Caravan99, the listserve connected to the Peoples Global Action (PGA, www.agp.org) process in Europe, calls on all
grassroots social movements, community-based organizations, trade unions, student associations, social centers,
autonomous and political collective,s and everybody who wants participate throughout Europe to carry out regional and
local direct actions against the World Trade Organization (WTO) in conjunction with their upcoming meetings in Doha
(Qatar) from November 9 to 13, 2001. Of course we invite other networks and groups of the rest of the world to also
respond to and relay this call.
In the face of a rapidly expanding grassroots resistance to capitalist globalization, the democratic legitimacy of
global financial and political institutions continues to erode. The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund have
recently cut their upcoming meetings from a week to 2 days, the G8 is planning to take refuge in the Canadian Rockies,
and the WTO has selected an isolated and undemocratic desert republic as the backdrop for its next round of global trade
talks. The upcoming WTO meetings in Qatar represent a monumental opportunity and challenge for our movement. We must
continue to apply increasing pressure, but we must also adapt to a changing political and strategic situation. We
propose a strategy of massive regional direct actions combined with decentralized local civil disobedience and
organizing campaigns as the best way forward. This will allow us to continue building energy, momentum and public
visibility, while also strengthening and building our local, community-based networks.
The work in Qatar depends on the work of trade representatives from every country. Its possible to jam their work, by
publicly exposing their role, phisical or communication blockades, and other tactics. These actions have a sybolic value
in showing the roll of the state in the corporate game, and could lead to remote-control blockade of the meeting in
Quatar.
Large actions have already been discussed involving the blockading of stock exchanges in Sao Paolo, New York, San
Francisco and others as well as regional work stoppages. Creative and decentralized local actions might include
occupying the headquarters of a particular corporation, autonomous occupations of public services or festive occupations
of large public spaces. In addition, many local networks have already discussed the possibility of engaging in a massive
grassroots public education and outreach campaign surrounding the WTO and its relationship to locally relevant issues
and struggles. This might involve the organizing of community-based consultations, debates and public forums about WTO
meeting to build support for the November actions and to stimulate discussion of the local and global issues involved.
We call also to build open, direct Grassroots democratic alternatives here and now. Demonstrating, actions have their
effect but unless we start creating (more) visible alternatives. We need create and show to the people answers, Like
Solidarity Without Borders, and not waiting for the politicians answers.
The Caravan99 listserve calls for the following actions in conjunction with the WTO meetings in Qatar from November 9 to
13, 2001:
1) Use whatever means you see fit, to publicly expose the work that trade ministers are doing behind closed doors to
promote WTO related policies, and block their work and access on the way to Qatar.
2)Massive regional actions, such as blockading important stock exchanges, November 9, 2001
3) Various forms of decentralized local actions and civil disobedience highlighting the concrete, local aspects of
globalization and Wto threat, November 9 to 13, 2001
4) A process of public consultation and outreach to build mass-based, grassroots support.. Leading up to November 9
5) To Build open, direct Grassroots democratic alternatives, now and for ever.
If your collective would like to co-sponsor this Call to Action or if you are planning to organize an action, campaign
or event in conjunction with this initiative, please send a message to nowto@gmx.net . we will resend the message with
the list of co-sponsor collectives, in few weeks.
You could find more infomation about WTO and Qatar metting at:
http://www.nowto.org (going in few days)
Carry On the Global Resistance to the WTO: They Can Run But They Can t Hide!