International Assembly: Global May Manifesto
Transcript of International Assembly: Global May Manifesto
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InternationalAssembly:GlobalMayManifestoAshundredsofthousandsofpeoplearoundtheworldpreparetota
etothestreetsthiswee
endaspartofaglobalcallforchange,theInternationalGlobalSpringAssemblyaninternationalandinter-movementassemblyformedofsupportersofOccupy,Ta
etheSquareandLatinAmerican,African,AsianandMiddleEasternsocialmovementshasreleaseditsfirststatementdescribingconcretesuggestionsforaglobalchange.
ThestatementtheGlobalMayManifestocallsforsystemicchangeintheglobaleconomy:theradicaldemocratisationofinternationalinstitutionsli
etheIMF,BISandUN;thereplacementoftheG8/20withademocraticUNassembly;asystemofglobaltaxationonfinancialtransactions;andfortheabolitionoftaxhavens.Itdoesnotrepresentthepositionofanylocalorcityassembly;ratheritisofferedfortheirconsideration.
Endorsedbyconsensuson4May2012bytheInternationalAssembly,thisstatementhasbeenindevelopmentsinceJanuary2012.Itwasaprocessthathasseenthousandsofpeoplefromsixcontinentsandhundredsofcitiesparticipatinginthediscussionandplanningfortheinternationaldaysofproteststhismonthparticularlyfocusingonthe1,12,15and18May.TheseInternationalAssemblymeetingshavebeenconvenedinbi-wee
lyassemblies,overanonlineVoIPplatform(calledMumble,whichenablesmassconferencecallsandgivetheassemblyitsformalnametheInternationalGeneralAssemblyonMumble).
Theprocessfordevelopingthisglobalmanifestowhichisawor
inprogressstartedbycollectingstatementsfromthedifferentlocalandcityassemblies,thenmergingtheseintoacommonstatement.Individualsweretheninvitedtoma
enewproposalsthroughapublicwebsiteandanumberofmailingliststhatareusedforinternationalinter-movementcommunication.
AlvaroRodriguez,31,oftheIndignadosmovementinSpain,whoparticipatedintheprocessofwritingthestatement,said:Thisisthebeginningofanewglobalprocessofbringingtheopinionsofmanypeoplearoundtheworldtogether.Itrepresentsthebeginningsofaformofglobaldemocracyinitsinfancywhichisdirectandparticipatoryofthepeople,bythepeopleandforthepeople.Whilethestatementdoesnotrepresentthepositionoflocalandcityassemblies,thenextstepistopresentittoassembliesaroundtheworldforconsideration,discu
ssionandrevisions,aspartofadialogueoftheGlobalSpringmovementsta
ingplaceacrosssixcontinents.
NextstepsforinternationalcoordinationIndividualsaroundtheworldareinvitedtoparticipateinthisprocessoffurtherdevelopingthisglobalmanifestothroughtheirlocalandcityassemblies,throughthefaceboo
groupandthroughthewebsite.
GlobalMayManifesto
Thestatementbelowdoesnotspea
,orclaimtospea
,onbehalfofeveryoneintheglobalspring/Occupy/Ta
etheSquaremovements.Thisisanattemptbysomeinsidethemovementstoreconcilestatementswrittenandendorsedinthedifferen
tassembliesaroundtheworld.Theprocessofwritingthestatementwasconsensusbased,opentoall,andregularlyannouncedonourinternationalcommunicationsplatforms,thatarealsoopentoall(e.g.thesquaresmailinglist,thewee
lyglobalroundtablesandtheinternationalfaceboo
group).Itwasalonganddifficultprocess,fullofcompromises.Thisstatementisofferedtopeoplesassembliesaroundtheworldfordiscussions,revisionsandendorsements.
Therewillbeaprocessofaglobaldialogue,andthisstatementispartofit,awor
-in-progress.Wedonotma
edemandsfromgovernments,corporationsorparliamentmembers,whichsomeofusseeasillegitimate,unaccountableorcorrupt.
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Wespea
tothepeopleoftheworld,bothinsideandoutsideourmovements.Wewantanotherworld,andsuchaworldispossible:
[1.]Theeconomymustbeputtotheserviceofpeopleswelfare,andtosupportandservetheenvironment,notprivateprofit.Wewantasystemwherelabourisappreciatedbyitssocialutility,notitsfinancialorcommercialprofit.Therefore,wedemand:Freeanduniversalaccesstohealth,educationfromprimaryschoolthroughhighereducationandhousingforallhumanbeings,throughappropriatepoliciestogetthis.Werejectoutrighttheprivatizationofpublicservicesmanagement,andtheuseoftheseessentialservicesforprivateprofit.Fullrespectforchildrensrights,includingfreechildcareforeveryone.Retirementpensionssowemayhavedignityatallages.Mandatoryuniversalsic
leaveandholidaypay.Everyhumanbeingshouldhaveaccesstoanadequateincomefortheirlivelihood,soweas
forwor
or,alternatively,universalbasicincomeguarantee.Corporationsshouldbeheldaccountablefortheiractions.Forexample,corporatesubsidiesandtaxcutsshouldbedoneawaywithifacompanyoutsourcesjobstodecreasesalaries,harmstheenvironmentortherightsofwor
ers.Apartfrombread,wewantroses.Everyonehastherighttoenjoyculture,participateinacreativeandenrichingleisureinserviceoftheprogressofhuman
ind.Therefore,wedemandtheprogressivereductionofwor
inghours,withoutreducingincome.Foodsovereigntythroughsustainablefarmingshouldbepromotedasaninstrument
offoodsecurityforthebenefitofall.Thisshouldincludeanindefinitemoratoriumontheproductionandmar
etingofGMOsandimmediatereductionofagrochemicaluse.Wedemandpoliciesthatfunctionundertheunderstandingthatourchangingpatternsoflifeshouldeitherbeorganic/ecologicalorelsenotoccur.Thesepoliciesshouldbebasedonasimplerule:oneshouldnotspoilthebalanceofecosystemsforprofit.Violationsofthispolicyshouldbeprosecutedaroundtheworldasanenvironmentalcrime,withseveresanctionsforconvicted.Policiestopromotethechangefromfossilfuelstorenewableenergy,throughmassiveinvestmentwhichshouldhelptochangetheproductionmodel.Wedemandthecreationofinternationalenvironmentalstandards,mandatoryforcountries,companies,corporations,andindividuals.Ecocide(willfuldamagetotheenvironment,ecosystems,biodiversity)shouldbeinternationallyrecogniseda
sacrimeofthegreatestmagnitude.[2.]Toachievetheseobjectives,webelievethattheeconomyshouldberundemocraticallyatalllevels,fromlocaltoglobal.Peoplemustgetdemocraticcontroloverfinancialinstitutions,transnationalcorporationsandtheirlobbies.Tothisend,wedemand:
Controlandregulationoffinancialspeculationbyabolishingtaxhavens,andestablishingaFinancialTransactionTax(FTT).Aslongastheyexist,theIMF,WorldBan
andtheBaselCommitteeonBan
ingRegulationmustberadicallydemocratised.Theirdutyfromnowonshouldbefosteringeconomicdevelopmentbasedondemocraticdecisionma
ing.Richgovernmentscannothavemorevotesbecausetheyarerich.InternationalinstitutionsmustbecontrolledontheprinciplethateachhumanisequaltoallotherhumansAfrican,ArgentineanorAmerican;Gree
o
rGerman.Aslongastheyexist,radicalreformanddemocratisationoftheglobaltradingsystemandtheWorldTradeOrganizationmustta
eplace.Commercializationoflifeandresources,aswellaswageandtradedumpingbetweencountriesmuststop.Wewantdemocraticcontroloftheglobalcommons,definedasthenaturalresourcesandeconomicinstitutionsessentialforpropereconomicmanagement.Thesecommonsare:water,energy,air,telecommunicationsandafairandstableeconomicsystem.Inallthesecases,decisionsmustbeaccountabletocitizensandensuretheirinterests,nottheinterestsofasmallminorityorfinancialelite.Aslongassocialinequalitiesexist,taxationatalllevelsshouldmaintainthe
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principleofsolidarity.Thosewhohavemoreshouldcontributetomaintainservicesforcollectivewelfare.Maximumincomeshouldbelimited,andminimumincomesettoreducetheoutrageoussocialdivisionsinoursocietiesandtheirsocialpoliticalandeconomiceffects.Nomoremoneytorescueban
s.Aslongasdebtexists,followingtheexamplesofEcuadorandIceland,wedemandasocialauditofthedebtsowedbycountries.Illegitimatedebtowedtofinancialinstitutionsshouldnotbepaid.Anabsoluteendtofiscalausteritypoliciesthatbenefitonlyaminority,andcausegreatsufferingtothemajority.Aslongasban
sexist,separationofcommercialandfinancialban
s,avoidingban
stoobigtofail.Endofthelegalpersonhoodofcorporations.Companiescannotbeelevatedtothesamelevelofrightsaspeople.Thepublicsrighttoprotectwor
ers,citizensandtheenvironmentshouldprevailoverprotectionofprivatepropertyorinvestment.[3.]Webelievethatpoliticalsystemsmustbefullydemocratic.Wethereforedemandfulldemocratizationofinternationalinstitutions,andtheeliminationofthevetopowerofafewgovernments.Wewantapoliticalsystemwhichreallyrepresentsthevarietyanddiversityofoursocieties:Alldecisionsaffectingallman
indshouldbeta
enindemocraticforumsli
eaparticipatoryanddirectUNParliamentaryAssemblyoraUNpeoplesassembly,notrichclubssuchasG20orG8.Atalllevelsweas forthedevelopmentofademocracythatisasparticipatory
aspossible,includingnonrepresentativedirectdemocracy.Aslongastheyarepracticed,electoralsystemsshouldbeasfairandrepresentativeaspossible,avoidingbiasesthatdistorttheprincipleofproportionality.Wecallforthedemocratizationofaccesstoandmanagementofmedia(MSM).Theseshouldservetoeducatethepublic,asopposedtothecreationofanartificialconsensusaboutunjustpolicies.Weas fordemocracyincompaniesandcorporations.Wor ers,regardlessofwagelevelorgender,shouldhaverealdecision-ma
ingpowerinthecompaniesandcorporationstheywor
in.Wewanttopromotecooperativecompaniesandcorporations,asrealdemocraticeconomicinstitutions.Zerotoleranceofcorruptionineconomicpolicy.Wemuststoptheexcessiveinfluenceofbigbusinessinpolitics,whichistodayamajorthreattotruedemocra
cy.Wedemandcompletefreedomofexpression,assemblyanddemonstration,aswellasthecessationofattemptstocensortheInternet.Wedemandrespectforprivacyrightsonandofftheinternet.Companiesandthegovernmentshouldnotengageindatamining.Webelievethatmilitaryspendingispoliticallycounterproductivetoasocietysadvance,sowedemanditsreductiontoaminimum.Ethnic,culturalandsexualminoritiesshouldhavetheircivil,cultural,politicalandeconomicrightsfullyrecognized.SomeofusbelieveanewUniversalDeclarationofHumanRights,fitforthe21stcentury,writteninaparticipatory,directanddemocraticway,needstobewritten.AslongasthecurrentDeclarationofHumanRightsdefinesourrights,itmustbeenforcedinrelationtoallinbothrichandpoorcountries.Implementin
ginstitutionsthatforcecomplianceandpenalizeviolatorsneedtobeestablished,suchasaGlobalCourttoprosecutesocial,economicandenvironmentalcrimesperpetratedbygovernments,corporationsandindividuals.Atalllevelslocal,national,regionalandglobalnewconstitutionsforpoliticalinstitutionsneedtobeconsidered,li
einIcelandorinsomeLatinAmericancountries.Justiceandlawmustwor
forall,otherwisejusticeisnotjustice,andlawisnotlaw.ThisisaworldwideGlobalSpring.WewillbethereinMay2012;wewillfightuntilwewin.Wewillnotstopbeingpeople.Wearenotnumbers.Wearefreewomenandmen.
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ForaGlobalSpring!Forglobaldemocracyandsocialjustice!Ta
etothestreetsonMay2012!