[mobglob-discuss] FW: CALL TO MOBILIZE AGAINST THE WTO IN MONTREAL - JULY 27-30, 2003

[Graeme Bacque]

-----Original Message-----
From: worker-san at lists.tao.ca [mailto:worker-san at lists.tao.ca]On Behalf
Of resisteomc at resist.ca
Sent: Monday, June 16, 2003 1:07 PM
To: undisclosed-recipients:
Subject: san: CALL TO MOBILIZE AGAINST THE WTO IN MONTREAL - JULY 27-30,
2003


                         (forward widely)
  [version francaise disponisble - contactez resisteomc at resist.ca]
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              In the spirit of Seattle and Quebec,
       and in solidarity with protests in Cancun, Mexico:

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          CALL TO MOBILIZE AGAINST THE WTO IN MONTREAL
                  JULY 27-30, 2003 /MONTREAL
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              MINI-MINISTERIAL?   MEGA-PROTEST!!!

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   **Mobilization Against the WTO Mini-Ministerial in Montreal**

As part of the ongoing struggle against capitalism, imperialism,
patriarchy, and other forms of oppression, people are invited to converge
in Montreal on July 27-30 to oppose the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Mega-demonstrations are planned in response to a so-called
'mini-ministerial' -- at which an exclusive group of trade ministers will
be conspiring here in Montreal to engineer a 'successful' outcome at a
larger WTO ministerial to be held in September in Cancun, Mexico.

"Mobilization Against the WTO Mini-Ministerial in Montreal" -- an open
organizational assembly process called by Montreal region activists
affiliated with various local anti-capitalist, anti-imperialist, and
anti-war groups -- has adopted a basic action plan.  This will include
direct action disruptions to the upcoming meeting (possibly a 'shutdown')
and an emphasis on complementing the efforts of local groups dealing with
antiwar, refugee, immigrant, and indigenous struggles.  There will be
several days of action, allowing space for various issues, such as a focus
on the pharmaceutical industry's refusal to permit low-cost, life-saving
and life-enhancing AIDS drugs to the global South, on the GATS (General
Agreement on Trade and Services), on WTO agricultural policies, and more.
The events will be kicked off with a large-scale, popular, child-friendly
march on July 27 under the theme "No One is Illegal".  The focus of this
will be on the WTO's links to colonial genocide, militarization and war,
as well as the displacement of migrants (this march follows from the No
One Is Illegal march, of more than 5000 people, last June in Ottawa
against the G8).  Other specific events will be announced in future
updates.

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                The WTO -  VEHICLE OF OPPRESSION
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With 146 member countries, the WTO is the world's most powerful instrument
in controlling international trade.  It is a main vehicle of the
'neoliberal' agenda -- a philosophy in which everything and everyone is
reduced to a commodity to be bought and sold in markets, with the ultimate
goal being a relentless expansion of profits.  In concrete terms, the WTO
administers over 20 agreements, facilitates future trade negotiations, and
oversees and enforces trade dispute resolution - a secret process which
allows countries to challenge each others' laws as violations of WTO
rules.  Since its inception in 1995, the net effect of the WTO has been to
undermine governments' capacity to implement progressive labour, social,
health, safety or environmental laws, and to jeopardize the rights of
peoples to determine their own futures.

But after being shut down in Seattle in 1999 and forced to hide out in
Qatar in 2001, the WTO process has begun to unravel beneath the weight of
its own illegitimacy.  Externally, it is universally reviled as a symbol
of corporate domination; internally, the majority of its own members are
fed up with being shoved around by a minority of powerful interests.  A
powerful popular resistance in Montreal will help to unsteady the WTO so
that protesters massed in Cancun can deliver the knockout blow.

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                     OVERALL BASIS OF UNITY
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The basis of unity of the organizing assembly ("Mobilization Against the
WTO Mini-Ministerial in Montreal") is the PGA Hallmarks (see www.agp.org),
a set of principles which have evolved out the struggles in the global
south.  They are as follows:

1. A very clear rejection of capitalism, imperialism and feudalism; all
trade agreements, institutions and governments that promote destructive
globalisation;

2. We reject all forms and systems of domination and discrimination
including, but not limited to, patriarchy, racism and religious
fundamentalism of all creeds. We embrace the full dignity of all human
beings.

3. A confrontational attitude, since we do not think that lobbying can
have a major impact in such biased and undemocratic organisations, in
which transnational capital is the only real policy-maker;

4. A call to direct action and civil disobedience, support for social
movements' struggles, advocating forms of resistance which maximize
respect for life and oppressed peoples' rights, as well as the
construction of local alternatives to global capitalism;

5. An organisational philosophy based on decentralisation and autonomy.

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                     CONTACTS / GETTING HERE
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A Montreal organizing site will be online soon at
http://montreal.resist.ca at which updated information will be posted
regularly.

Meanwhile info updates in English and French about Montreal-area
organizing against the WTO are available via the wto-montreal-announce
e-mail list which you can join by visiting the following webpage:
http://lists.resist.ca/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/wto-montreal-announce

For people coming from out of town needing transportation and/or
accommodations, please see http://web.infiniweb.ca/leprof/

Contact "Mobilization Against the WTO Mini-Ministerial in Montreal" at:
resisteomc at resist.ca or by phone at (514) 409-2049

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