The last few years have seen a very large number of diverse groups and organisations coming together in spite of their differences to confront neo-liberal globalisation. However, we are deeply concerned that there are still some groups in the world today that attempt to deal with political differences using physical attacks and death threats. A recent example of this is the situation which has emerged in the Philippines where a number of individual intellectuals, activists (Walden Bello and Lidy Nacpil) and organisations engaged in various forms of struggle against militarism and globalised capitalism have been listed by the international department of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) as ’counter-revolutionary’ and as ’agents of imperialism’. Some individuals named on this list have already been assassinated and, based on past experiences, this list constitutes a credible threat of assassination.
Therefore, those of us gathered here in the World Social Forum in Porto Alegre, Brazil and others in the world, inspired by the pluralism and inclusiveness of this global process, believe that when the security of activists is at stake we cannot act as if the problem is a local one. In our efforts to consistently build an international movement for fundamental transformation we strongly reiterate that the resolving of political differences must be done through the struggle of ideas and democratic dialogue and not through the politics of individual assassination.
We call on everyone within the global justice movements to re-assert this principle and express solidarity with all those who are victims of such threats.
To sign the Statement, please mail: “wilbert tni.org”
Adnane Ben Youssef, CCIPPP, France;
Alejandro Bendaña, Centro de Estudios Internacionales, Nicaragua;
Alessandra Mecozzi, FIOM, Italy;
Alex Callinicos, York University, UK;
Ali Fayyad, Centre for Research and Documentation, Lebanon;
Allianca Social Continentale (ASC);
Alvaro Porticas, Socialist Party, Uruguay;
Alvin Anthony, Jubilee South Africa;
Amit Sengupta, Delhi Science Forum, India;
Andrés Thomas Conteris, Nonviolence International, USA;
Anibal Quijano, sociologist, Peru;
Anna Maria R. Nemenzo, Freedom from Debt Coalition, Philippines;
Anna Marize, ICARIA, Spain;
Annick Coupe, Solidaire, France;
Anouar Nourdine Errida, ASDHOM, Morrocco;
Antonio Martin, ATTAC, Brasil;
Dr. A. Sivanandan, Race & Class, UK;
Bernard Dréano, CEDETIM, France;
Bertil Kinkunnen, Social Democratic Party of Sweden;
Boyd Reimer, Canada;
Brid Brennan, TNI, Netherlands;
Campagna Continentale contra a ALCA;
Catherine Coumans, MiningWatch, Canada;
Chibu Lagman, University of Alberta, Canada;
Chico Whittaker, Brasil;
Chris Nineham, Stop the War Coalition, UK;
Christian Schroeppel, ATTAC, Germany;
Christophe Aguiton, European March against Unemployment CUT, Brasil;
Dave Batker, Asia Pacific Environmental Exchange, US;
Dave Webb, Leeds Metropolitan University, UK;
Diana Palmo, Alliance for Democracy, US;
Dominique Caouette, University of Montreal, Canada;
Dot Keet, AIDC, South Africa;
Einar Olafsson, Campaign Against Military Bases, Iceland;
Elisabeth Gauthier, Espaces Marx, France;
Ernst Van Weizaker, MP, Germany;
Esther Vivas, Plataforma Aturem la Guerra, Spain;
Franc Branco, Right Livelihood Award Foundation;
Francis Wurtz, MEP & GUE/NGL Group;
Francois Houtart, CETRI, Belgium;
Georges Menahem, ATTAC, France;
Gigi Francisco, DAWN, Philippines;
Gustave Massiah, Cedetim, France;
Hillary Wainwright, Red Pepper, UK;
Isabel de la Torre, Earth Economics, US;
Jack Dalton, POAC, USA;
James Cockcroft, USA;
Jonathan Neale, Globalise Resistance, UK;
Jan Nederveen Pieterse, University of Illinois, USA;
Joao Pedro Stedile, Movimiento Sem Terra, Brazil;
Jean Luc Rous, Political Director, Greenpeace International;
Jean Pierre Dubois, Federation internationale des droits des hommes (FIDH);
Jeremy Corbin, M.P., UK;
John Cavanagh, Institute of Policy Studies, USA;
John M. Miller, War Resisters League, USA;
Jose Correa, Brasil;
Josu Egireun, ESK, Basque Country;
Kamal Chenoy, Jawarhalal Nehru University, India;
Klaus Hartmann, World Union of Freethinkers, Germany;
Klaus H. Schreiner, INFID, Belgium;
Lahrach Saddik, Human Rights Activist, Morrocco;
Laura Gonzalez de Txabarri, ELA, Basque Country;
Leo Gabriel, Suedwind, Austria;
Leo Panitch, Socialist Register, UK;
Lim Soei Liong, TAPOL, Indonesia Human Rights Campaign;
Liz Fekete, Race & Class, UK;
Louis Weber, Federation Synicale Unitaire, France;
Loring Wirbel, Citizens for Peace in Space, USA;
Luciano Muhlbauer, SinCobas, Italy;
Marcha Mundial des Mulheres;
Marco Berlinguer, Transform! and Parti Rifondazione Communista, Italy;
Marcus Arruda, Global Workshop on Solidarity Socioeconomy, Brasil;
Mark Rand, USA;
Matthias Reichl, Center for Encounters and Active Non-Violence, Austria;
Matti Wuori, ICJ, Finland;
Maud Barlow, Council of Canadians;
Medea Benjamin, Global Exchange, United States;
Minar Pimple, PDHRE, United States;
Moema Miranda, IBASE;
Monique Crinon, Cedetim, France;
Mubarak Awad, Non Violence International, Palestine/US;
M.P. Giyose, Jubilee South Africa;
Nahla Chahal, CCIPPP, France;
Nancy S. Lovejoy, USA;
Naomi Klein, Canada;
Niclas Hallstrom, Dag Hammarskjold Foundation, Sweden;
Njoki Njoroge Njehu, 50 years is enough, USA;
No Nukes North, US;
Nguyen Van Than, Vietnam;
Ole von Ulexhill, Right Livelihood Award Foundation;
Paola Manduca. World March of Women, Italy;
Patrice Barrat, Bridge Initiative, France;
Peiro Bernotti, COBAS, Italy;
Peter Damo, Romanian Social Forum, Rumania;
Peter Rosset, CECCAM, Mexico;
Petros Constantinou, Campaign Genoa 2001, Greece;
Pierre Galand, senator, Belgium;
Pierre Khalfa, ATTAC France;
Pierre Rousset, Europe Solidaire Sans Frontières, France;
Pouria Amirshahi, 4D, France;
Prabir Purkayastha, Delhi Science Forum, India;
Qamar Agha, Coalition For Nuclear Disarmament And Peace, India;
Rabia Abdel Karim, Senegal/Algeria;
Robert Molteno, Zed Books, UK;
Robin Broad, American University, USA;
Rogate Mishane, Tanzania;
Roger Burbach, CENSA, USA;
Roland Lew, Brussels Free University, Belgium;
Rosa Merilainen, MP, Finland;
Sahra Wagenknecht, Member of the European Parliament, Germany;
Salim Vally, Anti-war Coalition, South Africa;
Sandeep Pandey, India;
Sophie Zafari, Federation Syndicale Unitaire, France;
Soren Ambrose, 50 years is enough, USA;
Steven G. Ault, Etats-Unis;
Sungur Savran, Turkey;
Susan Caldwell, Dawson College, Canada;
Susan George, ATTAC, France;
Tariq Ali, UK;
Tewoo Tangela, Rosa Luxemburg Foundation, SA;
Theo Roncken, Acción Andina, Bolivia;
Theresa Wolfwood, Barnard-Boecker Centre Foundation, Canada;
Thomas Sommer, CCIPP, France;
Tom Reifer, US;
Tobias Pflüger, MEP, Information Office Militarization, Gemany;
Tommaso Fattori, Firenze Social Forum, Italy;
Toufik Ben Abdullah, ENDA, Senegal;
Vinod Raina, Jubilee South;
Vittorio Agnoletto, Deputy European Parliament;
Wilbert van der Zeijden, Transnational Institute, Netherlands;
Workers’ Democracy, Thailand;
Yoko Akimoto, ATTAC Japan