Decisions on the programme
Program Working Group Report
Tuesday 8th November 2005
Following the main debate and numerous discussions on the political and social situation, the Istanbul EPA came to an agreement on several points in order to put together the programme:
Agreement on general objectives:
1. Create an alternative to the European neo-liberal programme and anti-social policies.
2. Raise the profile and awareness of these alternatives as well as concrete responses to them.
3. Encourage the convergence of European action campaigns and initiatives.
4. Establish the programme based on demands expressed by participants in the process.
5. Promote discussion forums, synergies and cooperation between the different groups.
6. Ensure enlargement and maintain the balance between diversity and visibility.
In order to respond to expressed concerns and to continue in line with the decisions taken in Prague, work on the programme will now be organized around 16 thematic aeras.
Themes:
1. War and peace (the occupation in Iraq, the Middle East, Palestine), militarization in Europe, military bases. Kosovo, Africa. The anti-war movement.
2. Europe’s role in liberal globalization: WTO, G8, international institutions, etc.
3. Immigrants in Europe: right of asylum, equal rights.
4. Discrimination, racism, the far right.
5. Recognized social rights such as public spaces, public services and social protection.
6. Lack of security, poverty, exclusion.
7. The workplace: productivity, growth, unemployment/full employment.
8. Environment, sustainable development, energy, water, climate.
9. What democracy and which fundamental rights does Europe need? Civicism, federalism, role of states, stateless populations, European institutions.
10. Economic policies in Europe (ECB, stability pact).
11. Right to education and culture, role of the media.
12. The feminist alternative.
13. Agriculture, food sovereignty, European small scale farmers.
14. Where is the EU headed?
15. Movement strategy: from Seattle till now.
16. Repressive law and order policies in Europe.
NB: these themes represent a working tool for constructing the programme from the bottom up; they are not the main lines, and they will not necessarily be in the same format. Proposals for activities not included in these themes can be formulated on the site.
Istanbul working method for the next EPA:
1. Seminars/activities process
All participants are invited to propose activities/seminars (discussions, debate, theme-based meetings, testimonies, workshops, etc.) covered by the themes. All the proposals must be formulated as soon as possible (on a specific part of the website) and on the fse-esf list until late February. However, the main bulk of the proposals must be put forward before the next EPA (7 and 8 January 2006). An initial evaluation and work phase will take place at the EPA meeting.
1st work phase: The Greek committee will gather together all proposals.
On Thursday 5 January (EPA), a European work group organized around the Greek committee will organize the presentation of these proposals.
This presentation should enable the next phase to be organized, based on several observations:
– gaps for certain themes;
– convergence of proposals and possible synergies;
– checking that the proposals’ three functions (dialogue, alternatives, joint actions) are in place;
– diversity of activities (seminars, forum for testimonies, theme-based meetings, workshops, etc.).
On Friday (6/12), depending on the proposals, existing groups and concrete possibilities, we will organize meetings by theme. This meeting, between the participants from all the different areas of activities, will enable us to move on to the next phase in terms of cooperation and concrete work on defining content and organizing tasks (coordinating, heading, following up, etc.).
The 2nd phase from January to March will allow us to consolidate this work.
2. Profile objective: a limited number of events organized by the EPA (high profile initiatives) will take place during the Forum.
The Greek committee will put forward proposals on the content and mechanisms of these events. An initial discussion could take place at the January EPA. The final decisions will be taken by the EPA.
3. Self-managed spaces, autonomous spaces, cultural events
Cultural events were not discussed in Istanbul.
Self-managed spaces: these spaces are open to everyone interested in the proposed themes:
women’s day ( Women’s Assembly);
a forum for testimonies of struggles (to be discussed at the next EPA).
Autonomous spaces: Autonomous spaces organized by networks and organizations that are not necessarily involved in the global process are currently being developed. If there is a demand for help in terms of logistics and information (presence in the programme), particularly in order to create links with the ESF, the AEP will examine the requests, and will be guided by the spirit that prevailed at previous ESFs in providing answers.
Technical Report of the Istanbul EPA
Participation
There were over 450 delegates from 34 countries. 217 delegates were from Europe. 106 European organisations were present. There were 250 delegates from Turkey. 61 organistions were present from Turkey.
The budget of the preparatory meeting is below and in the attachment.
INCOME (YTL)
DISK (Confederation of Revoulutionary Workers Union) 2.000 YTL, EMO (Chamber of Elektrician Engineers) 322 YTL, Istanbul Tabip Odasi (Chamber of Doctors of Istanbul) 2.000 YTL, KESK (Confederation of Public Workers Union) 2.000 YTL, Other Organisations from Turkey 2.060 YTL, Registration Fees 3.607 YTL, TMMOB (Chamber of Engineers and Architects) 3.470 YTL
Total 15.459 YTL (9455 Euros)
EXPENDITURE (YTL)
Solidarity fund (2202 Euros) 3.607 YTL, Bitek (Translation equipment) 3.600 YTL, ITU Macka (Rent for the venue) 3.360 YTL, Tickets for interpreters 3.270 YTL, Hotel for interpreters 900 YTL, Meal for volunteers 522 YTL, others 200 YTL
Total 15.459 YTL (9455 EUROS)
The currency above is YTL (New Turkish Lira). Please mind that 1 euro = 1,635 YTL
The registration fees were used for the solidarity fund. The applications were from Albania (2), Chezch Republic (1), Cyprus (4), Italy (1), Hungary (1), Macedonia (1), Moldovia (1), Poland (1), Romania (7), Russia (3). The amount of the applications were 4511 euros. But the fund was able to pay 2202 euros. Most of the applicants get half of their expenses from the fund.
The logistic working group
Istanbul Report from the Logistics European working group.
Saturday, 24th of September 2005
1. Date. There is a final date, 6-7-8-9 of April 2006. Of course there
is still the problem of the dates of the Italian Elections (possible the
same days) but first of all we can‚t wait for a government to decide
when to have the ESF and anyway the next weekend (13-14-15-16 of April)
is the catholic Easter and one week before the eastern orthodox Easter
that is big problem for mobilizing in Greece and some European countries.
2. Space. Unfortunely we haven‚t decided yet on the venue. We can choose
between two. The old Airport of Athens and the Polytechnic Campus. The
Airport has all the facilities and the infrastructure ready and it is
able to provide 10.000 sm for accommodation. People disagreeing on this
venue point out that it is not in the center of Athens. The Polytechnic
Campus hasn‚t been researched in details yet. Babel‚s network prefers
the Airport because working conditions will much better in closed rooms
than tents which will be needed in the Campus.
3. Social Territory The S.T project is coming on well even if a lot of it
is new for Greek politics.
3.1 ALIS is continuing progress. It seems that it will work fine reducing
cost over 200.000 euro and providing the Movement with permanent tools
for supporting interpretation. They are working with a figure of 150
fully equipped booths.
3.2 On food we are working on mobilizing small farmers, shelling only
bio-products, having migrant cuisines, possibly collectives from Europe
that will cook in big numbers. No Coca-Cola of course. Oyr basic
interest is to provide cheap, good and healthy food to anyone.
3.3 We will attempt to equip the (official) and independent Media center
and also public access PC with free software. We are working together
with the Wi-Fi Athens community to provide Wi-Fi access in all he area.
So every one can bring his portable to Athens.
3.4 We will try to mobilize socially excluded (unemployed and migrants)
through the volunteer schools for migrant, the TUC and the migrant
communities. These people can work in reception-registration basically.
3.5 Babel‚s network is expanding in Greece and Eastern Europe-Balkans.
The working group accepted the proposal coming from them to have one (1)
booth in each room with an Eastern ˆBalkan language.
4. Environment As usual the ESF is a hazard to environment. Energy
wasting, pollution and tones of garbage. We will provide waste
management through environmental organization that can do the job.
Legambiente propose to donate a sum of money to an environmental project
to balance our disaster. In general there will be an attempt to reduce
wasting energy (even if the entire Airport is air-conditioned). Some
people are working on the idea of using solar panels for energy. And we
will introduce the concept of the one plastic cup you buy and use all
four days for drinking.
5. Website. There will be two websites. One for the process, under the
control of the EPA and for the event with basically responsible the
Greek Committee. The process website is being build by the Indian WSF
comittie and will be ready in same days. This website will be copied for
the 3 Polycentric WSF and the ESF. It is the main tool for
networking.The event Website will open at the end of the year for
registration and logistic information. We think that the German proposal
for using the website for uploading picture and sound (and then allowing
downloading) from the 4 days of the event so in a few hours people can
watch from their countries debates of the ESF is very interesting and
feasible.
6. Cultural event. Sorry to say but even if we have established in Greece
a cultural group there hasn‚t been any progress. We will organize for
sure big concerts towards the ESF but this is something different.
7. Autonomous space. In case of choosing the Airport we can facilitate
the whole of the Autonomous Spaces there. This meaning that they can use
our infrastructure is in the „official‰ program, use the media center
and what else is possible to provide. Politically speaking only few
Greek groups feel with „one foot in, one foot out‰ and it would be a
success for the Movement to be close with them and contaminate them (and
be contaminated).
8. Accommodation. Our first duty is to find house accommodation for
Babels and other volunteers. Incase of the Airport we facilitate some
thousands of people with tents in a huge closed area in the venue
itself. The surrounding Municipalities are friendly and could distribute
a call for solidarity housing, give us schools and public buildings.
9. Solidarity fund There will be a solidarity fund of course. Anyway one
of the basic reasons of having the ESF in Athens is to mobilize the
Eastern European activists. One of main concerns will be helping this
mobilization. Another interesting question on solidarity fund is if it
should cover the socially excluded of the Western Europe or should this
be left to each national mobilizing group.There has been aclaim of
giving the 50 % of the Solidarity fund to the women of Eastern Europe
and Balkan counties but this political question for the next EPA.
European Logistics working group
Report of the Women’s Meeting
Monday 7th November 2005
(See also below)
The European meeting of the women for the European Social Forum which has been done in ?stanbul on 23rd September 2005 gathered 40 women from European countries; France, ?taly, Poland, Greece, England, Albany, and a majority of young women from Turkey from different groups or networks like the women from mediteranean and the network of European feminist initiative, turkish social forum women’s network initiative, women trade unionists from Turkey and France, world march of women against violences and poverty.
The objective of the meeting was to examine and to make concrete the organisation of a women’s day and/or a women’s assembly in the 4th ESF 2006.
The debate in ?stanbul reaffirmed the continuation of the processes that have been engaged in Florence, that’s to say to make the oppression of women in all domains visible and show how these are combined with neo liberalism. The process continued in Paris with a women’s assembly which gathered more than 4000 women and elaborated a manifest: afterwards in London with the birth of a feminist initiative for another Europe. Later in Barcelona, in the mediteranean social forum, the assembly of women defined 3 powers which opress women: patriarchal, neo-liberal, integrist domination.
The propositions made for discussion and debate were :
The necessity of a strong representation of women in the totality of the forum with the below tools :
- parity in the attribution of the solidarity funds
– parity in the speakers in all of the debates
For assuring our visibility during the Athens forum, a proposition is made for a strong moment in a day with two parts, thematic meetings for the construction of networks of mobilisation and the women’s assembly. The women’s assembly should be in a central place and in a central moment.
The proposed thematics are :
– Women migrants
– Work, precarity and poverty
– Women and wars
– The violences against the women
– Abortion rights, sexual and reproductive rights
– Women, democracy and power
– Experiences of women’s resistance
We think that the voices of the women from the most precarious sectors and regions must be encourged.
Finally we wish the creation of a geographical women space whose objective is to collect all of our experiences and the different modes of expression.
We wish also to favour the dialogue between the women’s movement and the other movements who take part in the social forum.
These propositions were approved by a great majority of the women who were present. A minority oppossed on the opportunity of a women’s day. There was also a proposition for a women’s demonstration and a women’s organisation from Turkey questioned men’s presence in women meetings.
This report is written by Çi?dem Çidaml? from the Turkish network, Paola Manduca from the network of mediteranean women and the world march of women Italy, Houria Mekrelouf from the collective 13 droit des femmes Marseille-France, Sonia Mitralias from the world march Greece and Anne Leclerc from world march of women France.
Enlargement Working Group Report
Wednesday 9th November 2005
Having in view the importance of the ESF Enlargement process, which involves inclusion and visibility of Eastern European participation in the process, it was agreed both at the meeting with the Babels Coordination and at the Enlargement Group meeting, that it is necessary to have in Athens one language booth for Eastern European languages.
This additional language booth should provide interpretation for Eastern European languages in each room.
If we want an important participation from Eastern European countries, we need not only good seminars, but also appropriate interpretation provided.
Therefore, the Enlargement Group ask the EPA to agree on the proposal to have one language booth for interpretation for Eastern European countries. Babels Coordination stated that the solution is technically possible and feasible.
The Romanian Social Forum Preparatory Assembly will take place on the 15th of October.
The Greek Organizing Committee of the ESF-4, as well as people from Western countries support the event in the spirit of the ESF Enlargement process and the decisions in Prague, and as means of boosting the Social Forum process in Eastern and Balkan countries.
It was expressed the hope that the ESF-4 in Athens will be the first real ESF in the sense of a better balance in the participation and in the Program of Eastern Europeans. Consequently it was agreed to extend the existing mailing lists of the Eastern ESF and to help Eastern Europeans organizing events in their countries by sharing contacts, and putting people into contact.
The important Western participation at this meeting of the Enlargement Group may reflect both a political intention, and a desire to discover Eastern Europe.
It was underlined that one of the most important problems people in Eastern Europe are confronted with is poverty that generates financial drawbacks.
A solution of getting over this would involve not only sharing experience with our Western friends, but also taking active part in the construction process of a New, Social, More Democratic, Ecological, Pacifist and Feminist Europe that we all want.
Along these lines the Hungarian Social Forum Coordinating Working Group will organize a Conference entitled ‘We want a Social Europe of Peoples instead of a Neo-Liberal Europe’ in Budapest, Hungary, on The 29th of October 2005. The event will involve social actors, Trade Unions, as well as political forces.
It was reported that at the Women’s Meeting they proposed that 50% from the Solidarity Funding be directed to women in Eastern European countries, where poverty, social disruption and injustice leads to losing jobs, prostitution, and a new form of slavery for women.
The Greek Organizing Committee of the ESF-4 learnt about an Albanian Initiative for a Social Forum and decided to pay a visit there in December in order to support them building up.
The German representatives from ATTAC Germany and Friends of the Earth Network appreciated that besides the territorial Enlargement it is necessary to have an Enlargement in terms of Thinking and Understanding of the ESF.
People did not find beneficial and productive for the ESF process the fact that during the first day of the EPA some Turkish participants insisted in a not quite inclusive manner on the anti-imperialist discussion. This caused other important issues, such as the Charter for Another Europe, the Petition, the environmental problem, etc, be minimized or even left out.
It was pointed out by delegates from different countries that people in Eastern Europe could be better involved in the ESF process not only by employing a theoretical anti-Neo-Liberal political discourse - which, in fact may be meaningless for many of them - but rather by addressing their practical needs and problems.
For instance, in Hungary farmers blocked Budapest in January this year using 1,000 tractors. Recently 20,000 cyclists did the same again. These people fought for social justice and for their rights, but they may have no clue about Neo-Liberalism and they did not necessarily stated that they fought against Neo-Liberalism. Yet, in reality they just did it.
The Greek representatives also agreed that there is need to address real problems for people in Eastern Europe so as to get them involved, problems such as: working conditions, salaries, insurance policies, and so on and so forth.
Leo Gabriel from the Austrian Social Forum proposed to organize a tour-mission aiming at making the ESF visible and building networks in Eastern European countries where there is no social movement and no established contacts whatsoever.
Concerning the transportation means to the Athens ESF-4, it was reminded about the success of having a train organized from Austria to Florence in 2002, and it was proposed to do some research on the possibility of having something similar for Athens.
The issue of Euro Marches to Vienna in May 2006 was also tackled and Eastern European participants agreed with the proposal.
Peter Damo, RSF, for the ESF Enlargement Working Group
Anti-War Network Meeting
At the Preparatory meeting for fourth ESF in Athens, the anti war network had a meeting. The anti war meeting held in ITU Macka, on 23rd September at 16:15. Tayfun Mater from Global Peace and Justice Coalition of Turkey and Petros Constantinou from Stop the War of Greece moderated the meeting. Erkin Erdog?an from Social Forum of Turkey took the minutes. Around 80 people attended the meeting. Mostly people from turkey attended the meeting also delegates from Greece, Cyprus, Palestine, Spain, Italy, Britain, Morocco and Syria were at the meeting.
The delegates from mothers peace initiative (Baris Anneleri Inisiyatifi), global peace and justice coalition ( Kuresel BAK), No occupation on Iraq Coalition ( Irak’ta Isgale Hayir Koordinasyonu), Greenpeace, International Peoples Struggle League ( Halklar?n Uluslar aras? Mucadele Ligi), Socialist Platform of Repressed (Ezilenlerin Sosyalist Platformu), Idil Cultural Centre (Idil Kultur Merkezi), Human Rights Association (Insan Haklari Dernegi), Global Peace and Justice Coalition of Cebeci (Cebeci BAK), Rights and Freedom Front (Haklar ve Ozgurlukler Cephesi), Cyprus and Greece Stop the War Coalition made speeches. 12 people had speeches.
Petros at the opening speech said that: “the Iraq occupation is still the central issue. The struggle against is continue too. USA and their allies are loosing the war against resistance and they are in front of a new Vietnam. The movement to support Cindy Sheenan shows the anti war movement in USA is growing. On 24th September in USA we are expecting the biggest anti war demos. London, Greece and other countries will have big supporting demos. We are not only discussing the anti imperialism. At the same time we are fighting against it. We should work hard to have Iraqi and anti war speakers at the ESF in Athens”.
The subjects rose at the meeting:
– To have demos all around world on 18th of March as the anniversary of Iraq occupation. With the slogan “end the occupation of Iraq”, and if possible have anti USA military bases campaign.
– Because threat to Iran, there was a suggestion of “no more wars”
– Anti Nuclear arms campaigns should
– The importance of supporting action to USA demos on 24th September
– To support Kurdish struggle
– To continue fight against occupation on Iraq and support
– In Cyprus people from north and south fight against Iraq occupation together. They are organizing demos against British airplane military bases.
– To continue the fight against USA airbases. We should raise our voice against Turkish government.
– Only the poor go to war. Big countries sell the arms. Then make countries to kill each other. We should give enough importance to disarmament.
The proposals for ESF on Athens:
– Anti war should be visible; we should have big meetings at ESF.
– One of the slogan for demo at ESF should be “anti war and occupation”
– following titles we should have seminars and workshops
1. Shut down USA military bases
2. Support Iraq resistance
3. Iran, no new wars
4. Nuclear disarmament
5. Kurdish problem
6. Cyprus: road to peace
7. against Islam phobia
8. New liberalism & war
9. USA after Katerina
10. Imperialism & EU
Petros Constantinou Stop the War Coalition of Greece
Tayfun Mater Global Peace and Justice Coalition of Turkey
Erkin Erdog?an Social Forum of Turkey
Report of network meeting on Palestine
Monday 7th November 2005
Report of network meeting on Palestine at ESF Preparatory Assembly in Istanbul, 23 September 2005
Points raised:
* The importance of Palestine being in the axes of the next ESF * If there are plenaries/high visibility meetings organised by the ESF, one should be on Palestine. * Seminar proposals were discussed: settlements and the Wall; political prisoners; Jerusalem; the right of return for refugees; Gaza; European movements and Palestine. * Simply engaging in discussion at the ESF is not sufficient - we need action and results.
The need for practical solidarity with Palestine -
* mobilising for the 3rd Palestinian and International week of action against the Apartheid Wall 9-16 November (more details www.stopthewall.org) * the importance of campaigning for sanctions and other actions against Israel. * civil missions to Palestine (there was discussion on whether this should be a separate seminar or whether to integrate this through other seminars)
The forthcoming European Coordinating Committee on Palestine (ECCP) meeting on 8 October in Brussels was raised and people were encouraged to attend.
On attendance at the next ESF, people raised the importance of a significant presence of delegates from Palestine. At the last ESF, many of the Palestinians who attended the London ESF were paid for by the solidarity fund, and this was very important for the discussion at the ESF on Palestine. The network emphasised that at the next ESF there should be a solidarity fund and that this should be used to enable Palestinians to attend.
Environment and climate change meeting
This is the report of the environment and climate change network meeting at the EPA for the ESF in Istanbul, from Jonathan Neale of the Campaign against Climate Change in England.
We discussed three main topics: Greening the ESF, the Program, and global climate change demonstrations.
Greening the ESF:
We agreed that we wanted the ESF in Istanbul to be as green as possible, and as carbon neutral as possible. This does not mean we will harass the organizing committee. Rather, we will find people to do an environmental audit of the plans, and people to help with advice on how to change things. We would like a report from the Greek comrades on this to the next EPA.
The Program:
We want environmental issues to be an important part of the program. Many meetings were suggested. The priority is for meetings on climate change, and on the effect of multinational corporations on the environment in the developing world, but there should be many other sorts of meetings too. It is important that these meetings not be isolated in an environmental ghetto. We want meetings that cross the boundaries and link up with the social movements and unions. Examples are ŒEnvironmental refugees‚, “Oil, war and climate change”, “Neoliberalism and the global commons”, “Multinational corporations and GMOs”.
Climate Change
We discussed the international demonstrations about climate change on December 3. So far central demonstrations are being organized in:
Sydney (Australia),
Istanbul (Turkey),
Athens (Greece),
Berlin (Germany - 2 December),
Dublin (Ireland),
Edinburgh (Scotland),
London (England),
Montreal (Canada),
Romania - the environmental organizations are organizing a conference in Craiova, followed by a demonstration or a peition.
Italy ˆ demonstrations or conferences in many cities coordinated by Legambiente
United States ˆ demonstrations in several cities, and people from the northeast going to Montreal
We expect demonstrations in several more. Details of every demonstration, who is supporting them, and contacts with the organizers should be up on the website, www.globalclimatecampaign.org, by Sunday 9 October.
The meeting also supported the actions of Turkish campaigners concerned with the shipping, and particularly the oil traffic, through the Bospurus, and agreed this topic should be part of the program.
Report Network Against the Policies of Security and Repression
Monday 7th November 2005
Policies of security and repression
REPORT OF THE MEETING OF THE NETWORK AGAINST THE POLICIES OF SECURITY AND REPRESSION
(as it was read in the Istanbul EPA Plenary on Sept. 25, 2005 with small alterations)
Over 50 people were attending the meeting of the Network against the Policies of Security and Repression, which took place in the frame of the Istanbul EPA on Friday, Sept. 23, 2005. Most of them were comrades from Turkey (and Kurdistan although nobody spoke as a Kurd), but there were also comrades from Greece, France, Italy, Great Britain and the Basque Country.
There was a concern among many participants that the Policies of Security and Repression and especially the conditions of imprisonment and the (white) torture - i.e. isolation - not only in Turkey but generally in Europe would not find the appropri ate relevance in the European Social Forum and in the Athens ESF in 2006. It was a con cern that these issues could be excluded from the ESF process.
Now that we have the 16th axis in the preparation of the Athens ESF 2006 - “Policies of Security and Re pression” - we believe that this will help us to continue our work that started already (even though not in the frame of a network) in Florence and that was continued in Paris and London.
We want to organize at least two Seminars in Athens:
– European Security Policies, (anti-)terror laws, Black Lists
– Political Trials, Political Prisoners, Conditions of Imprisonment (Isolation)
We need also to discuss the criminalization of Social Movements and the criminali zation of (ethnic and religious) Minorities. We did not decide yet if this will happen within the frame of one of the above mentioned Seminars or in a separate Seminar. [As I heard the Antiracist Network will also deal with the second issue, the criminali za tion of Minorities.]
Since I was told by some comrades that they did not know yet about the existence of our Network I want to inform everybody here that our Network is working on the basis of a Platform that was agreed in the Prague meeting in May. This Platform has been published in the ESF mailing list as a draft before the Prague EPA and as the agreed Platform on June 30, 2005 (16.30 h).
I put this Platform again into the ESF mailing list (hereunder and as an rtf-attachment). This will enable also other interested groups and persons to take part in the work of our Network. Every group or person should send its proposals to us through the ESF mailing list or directly to me as the provisional coordinator of the Network.
Athens, 27-09-2005 Achim Rollhaeuser
FOR A NETWORK AGAINST THE POLICIES OF SECURITY and AGAINST REPRESSION
During the preparatory meeting of the ESF held in Athens in February 2005, a gathering took place with the participation of members from Greece, Turkey, Germany and Palestine. The Greek participants proposed to establish a Network in the framework of the Forum, aiming to bring out and face problems and facts resulting from the policies of se curity and re pres sion, which are created and applied in contemporary Europe. And not only in Europe... since these policies and repressive measures are promoted in close co-operation with the USA who, espe cially after Sept 11, 2001, are leading a worldwide and hegemonic aggression against all forms of social or poli tical challenge and resistance.
This initiative arose during the discussion in the Forum’s preparatory mee ting as it was ascer tained that it would not be sufficient to discuss the great social and political issues and to take a stand about them, but that at the same time we have to understand and confront the (world wide and European) political framework, which is becoming more and more authoritarian, and in which the social and political movements will be forced to defend or even to for ward their positions.
During this meeting there was a first exchange of opinions and it was agreed that, to begin with, we will get in contact with organizations and interested people in order to explore the politi cal terms and practical possibilities to create such a Network. Such contacts would be based on the ESF Web in the internet, beginning with the promotion of a first paper of contact and discussion about issues, which are related to
– the security policies
– the systems of surveillance, control and suppression
– the antiterrorist legislation
– the agreements on juridical and police co-operation
– the agreements on extradition and the European warrant of arrest
– the special prisons and the special treatment of political prisoners
– the Islam phobia
- the surveillance, control and repression of the migrant populations
– the Black Lists
– but also the imminent legitimation of “police” operations against third countries and of preventive intervention.
The necessity to create such a network arises from our common concern that we live in a peri od of intensification of political despotism, manifest with the repressive vio lence against the great agitations at the end of the 90s, which radically dispute the neo liberal globalization, begin ning with Seattle and then in Prague, Nice, Quebec, Gothenburg and especially in Genoa in July 2001. The main attribute of this new wave of political despotism, which evolved after the fall of the regimes of the East Eu ropean states and the incontestable imposition of the USA’s political-military hegemony on the planet, is its induration in direct proportion with the increase and the radicalization of the move ment in the same period.
After Sept 11 and combining with the rising tensions in the Islamic world (new Intifada in occu pied Palestine, invasion of Afghanistan) but also with the planned and eventually executed inva sion and occupation of Iraq, the political despotism reached a peak and, in an artificially created climate of terror hysteria and Islam phobia, led to an overt aggression against democratic achie vements of decades, pulling down or abolishing the institutional frame that had been achieved in long struggles.
Namely, we can all see that during the last decade:
The new security policies are imposed in absentia of the citizens by centers of supra na tional and supra-institutional procedures (experts councils, intergovernmental consulta tions, extra-institutional pressures etc.), threatening the vested rights of the European peoples on the political, social and legal level, abolishing rights and spaces of freedom, threatening the operation of collective spaces, invading privacy and despotically controlling public space.
The new security policies impose the extensive police control of the citizens with special monitoring and control systems, which demand their legalization in the citizens’ conscious ness. Cameras, small cameras, closed circuits, biometric data, DNA, microchips, special brace lets, electronic monitoring and control etc. are getting added to the always larger pre sence of police forces with always bigger authority and special equipment; equipment, whose use and abuse claims impunity by the juridical organs of the system.
The antiterrorist legislations overrule the legal facts introducing new methods of inter ro ga tion and dubious kinds of judicial argumentation, imposing aggravation of the maximum pe nal ties, adulteration of basic legal principles (such as the analogy of the punishment to the crime, the presumption of innocence, the statute of limitation etc.), abolishing pro cedural guarantees and fundamental rights (physical freedom and others). The antiterrorist legis lations impose special courts, special punishments, spe cial prisons and special methods of treatment of political prisoners, i.e. prisoners for actions imposed by their political choices and convictions.
The antiterrorist campaign represents an ideological attack against the political antago nists of the modern world order, attempts to criminalize their actions, is based on disin for mation and on the propaganda of the neoliberal ideas, supports the geopolitical planning of the American hegemony and of all those who stand in with it, diffuses fear and submission in the societies.
The European frame decision against terrorism and for extradition (the European War rant of Arrest) abolishes national jurisdiction, national protection, fundamental guarantees as well as the fundamen tal rule that a government cannot extradite its citizens to another country.
The new complex of international conventions and agreements on judicial and police cooperation leads to the connection and the interlacing of the repressive functions in the name of the struggle against terrorism and for security, while at the same time it legally co vers the creation in Europe of the biggest archive of personal data (Schen gen Information System - SIS) and of the most extended system of inter-border con trol (border crossings, international meetings, demonstrations etc.). Given the hegemonic role of the USA in the ideological and political administration of the antiterrorist campaign, as well as the violent and illegal methods they apply (wars, camps such as Guantanamo, Abu Ghraib and so on), the agreements about judicial cooperation and extradition between the USA and Europe have a special significance, but they have not even been submitted to the judgement of the European citizens last year.
The elevation of Islam to the No. 1 enemy of the western system, the incrimination of the whole Islamic world under terms of collective responsibility, has cultivated a climate of Islam phobia whose main victims are the migrants and refugees from Islamic countries. In this way racism, Euro-nationalism and militarism are promoted, while the borders are being militari zed. The actual abolishment of political asylum legalizes the treatment of the refugees from poverty and war under terms and with measures violating our sensibility and our historic me mory (concentration camps, pre-border zones, rejection despite of danger of life - and con se quently mass murder at the borders -, detention without time limits etc.).
The Black Lists, with their logic of collective guilt and criminalization, elimi nate and con demn not only those directly hit, but also the resistance movements all over the world.
In the new environment created, the political rights and freedoms are threatened. Also threa te ned with cri mi nalization is the political action and the political word, while the capital of solidarity is hit.
to control the few undisciplined and disobedient but to impose discipline and submission to the many, to control the mass movements and the collective resistance.
We believe that common action in order to organize the resistance against these policies is essential today for the defense of freedom spaces and for political action, for the fortifi cation of our collective spaces and for the organization of the institute of solidarity between us.
We believe that the problems of the policies of security and repression should be of particular interest in the activities of the Forum and constitute a special thematic unit. But they should also be connected with the central issues by integrating this question into the main political discourse of the movement against neoliberal glo balization, autho ri ta rian violence and the wars resulting.
For these reasons, relating to the general climate of despotism spread all over the planet as well as over Europe - traditionally estimated as more liberal -, we strongly support this initiative. We proceed to contact other organizations and groups in Europe and call everybody interested, to take part in the initiative and to participate in establishing - as it has already been decided in Athens - a Network in the framework of the Forum, aiming to bring out and face problems and facts resulting from the policies of se curity and repression.
Assembly on The Charter of principles of another Europe
A working group, meeting at the EPA in Istanbul on September 23th, supported the Assembly on The Charter of principles of another Europe. The aim of the Florence Assembly, in particular, will be the elaboration of a draft of the Charter, which will be discussed and approved in an Assembly during the FSE 2006 in Athens.
The Charter will not be a simple repetition of the demands of our movements and of their political documents - although they are very important ones. It aims at deepening the understanding, systematizing and writing the common core of our values and beliefs, shared by millions of people. These values and beliefs have guided the Social movements since Seattle 1999 and Genoa 2001.
The Florence Assembly will be organised in 7 sessions, each of which will last 2 hours and will be introduced by two speakers followed by interventions and final decisions on how to write the principles connected with that particular session.
The themes will be:
1. peace and security;
2. Europe in the world;
3. citizenship, equality and difference;
4. workers and social rights;
5. democracy and participation;
6. for another economy: commons and environment;
7. for another economy: social commons (e.g. public services).
The speakers will be in charge of preparing written proposals before the Florence Assembly so as to have them known in advance on the Website. They should briefly explain them at the beginning of the session and collect observations and amendments in order to re-write the proposals.
It’s very important and urgent that all networks send to the Italian Committee the names of possible speakers (1 woman, 1 man), so as to decide them all together.
All the proposals will form a draft, which will put at disposal of all European networks interested in the writing-process of the Charter. It will be very useful if the European networks discuss the draft and propose amendments or new formulations before the next ESF 2006.
The working group decided to organise 7 specific seminars - one for each theme - in the first days of the Athens FSE and a Charter Assembly on Saturday, in which the draft will be finally discussed and signed by networks, associations, unions, Social Forums, political forces and so on, which agree to the Charter of principles. The Charter will be put at disposal of the European anticorporate globalization movements for the continuation, enlargement and reinforcement of the struggle for another Europe.
The Assembly will start punctually at 9 am on Saturday 12 and will finish at 2 pm on Sunday 13 so as to have 14 hours for the 7 sessions, as above specified.
[ed. by Franco Russo]
September 25th, 2005