1. Panama FTA updates, news and action options
2. Canada-Colombia FTA
3. Strike by Amazon Indigenous peoples suspended for 48 hours
4. NAFTA-Renegotiation and Plan Merida news
5. Peoples’ Voices on the Crisis and UN Conference on the Financial and Economic Crisis
6. Bolivia related news and actions
7. SOAW- Alerts
8. CAFTA- Renegotiation
9. Puno- the IV Continental Indigenous Gathering- May 27-31, 2009
10. TPS for Haiti
11. Update on IMF in Congress
We proudly present the first issue of our Quixote Center-ART News and Action Bulletin, in the tradition of the Hemispheric Social Alliance bulletins. We hope to ‘publish’ monthly. Our desire is that these Bulletins will serve to facilitate broader citizen involvement in the multiple advocacy undertakings, as a way of combating the powerful special interests in our country
Given the unfortunate reality in the U.S. that these special interests have so much ability to influence our elections and our elected officials, the interests continue to dominate the formation of government policy and actions. We need to come to grips with the fact that voting is perhaps the least important step in exercising our democracy.
Unless we exercise our individual and collective voices every day, those who dedicate huge sums of money to buying public thinking and policymaking will continue to advocate successfully for innumerable despicable things in our name and with our money and our country. We hope this small effort on our part will facilitate your daily participation in efforts to demand that our government act in ways consistent with our values.
This first issue is an attempt to hold up and facilitate increased participation in the myriad of actions and multifaceted democracy initiatives which concerned citizens are undertaking all around the country. This issue lacks news or information about actions on issues such as water, the environment, the food crisis and commodities speculation, just to name a few. We trust the next issue will include actions on those issues and more. Please help us by sending actions which you are promoting or know about, with appropriate links to: art-list@quixote.org.
1. Panama FTA updates, news and action options –
Numerous groups have launched various initiatives, many of them ongoing, to oppose the Panama FTA. Earlier this week, ART and Interfaith Working Group member organizations, Quixote Center, Student Trade Justice Campaign, Witness for Peace, NETWORK and Church World Service, with strategizing support from Global Trade Watch, sponsored a visit of Salvadoran economist and activist Raul Moreno to Washington, DC. Included were about a dozen hill visits and two public events. Perhaps the most productive visit was a lengthy meeting with Sander Levin, Chair of the Trade Sub-Committee of Ways and Means, and a key person regarding the fate of the three remaining Bush-negotiated FTAs. We focused on undecided legislators who we think might be able to convince to vote against the Panama FTA, so as to forestall a vote.
From what we heard during our meetings it seems likely that the Panama FTA bill will not be introduced in May, (it would have to be done next week), June, however, is much more likely. Things are definitely moving forward. Hill media have reported that a hearing in the Senate Finance Committee on the Panama FTA has been scheduled for May 21st at 10:00am. So it is imperative that we continue to keep up the pressure.
Many groups are continuing to send out action alerts urging people to call their Representatives. We are in the best position if we can stop the FTAs introduction. A new online action allows anyone to easily send an analysis-packed letter against the Panama FTA to their representatives. The one-click action, created by Witness for Peace, can be found here: http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5436/t/2467/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=1534.
Just go to the site, enter contact info, and hit "send." Feel free to direct your contacts and lists to this action--the more letters, the merrier.
Numerous organizations, including the Quixote Center, Global Trade Watch, Witness for Peace, the
Student Trade Justice Campaign and others have been generating calls from constituents to key representatives who will play an important role in deciding the fate of the FTA. Hundreds of calls have been made throughout the country this week. James Ploeser at jploeser@citizen.org. is attempting to track calls made to the Congress on this issue.
The Mingas-FTA Collective is circulating a sign-on letter which will be sent to Congress later next week, right before the Memorial Day recess. To sign the letter as an individual, go to:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/uspanamafta/
(Note: although it appears necessary to make a donation, your signature will appear even though you don’t make a donation)
To sign the letter as an organization, go to
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/uspanamaftaorg/
For a copy of the power point presentation (in Spanish) by Raul Moreno on El Salvador, the new government and the global crisis, go to: http://art-us.org/content/presentation-raul-moreno-el-salvador-and-global-crisis.
2. Canada-Colombia FTA- Actions against the Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA) have increased over recent weeks. The La Chiva Collective, of Canada, has produced a bulletin summary of some recent news which includes these titles:
- As horrific news floods in regarding the multinational banana industry and the Colombian government's collusion with paramilitary death squads, Britain is diverting its funding of the Colombian military.
-Canada's Liberal Party stands by the Conservative government in its unwavering support of the Colombian regime.
-Analyses of the Canada-Colombia FTA and its implications continue.
- Mobilizations continue across Canada against the government's intent to lend political support to the Colombian government.
For the full version of these stories, go to: http://canadacolombiaproject.blogspot.com/2009/05/free-trade-with-colombia-not-in-our.html
3. Strike by Amazon Indigenous peoples suspended for 48 hours Peru’s indigenous groups lifted their road blockades and suspended their strike against key energy sites Thursday, a day after a congressional committee voted to repeal two land development laws decreed by President Alan García. García called the move a “grave historical mistake” and predicted that rolling back his decrees would condemn Peru’s rural and indigenous communities to “another century of misery.”
But the tide appeared to be turning against García, as Peru’s highest court, the Constitutional Tribunal, on Thursday also agreed to hear the case to determine the constitutionality of Legislative Decrees N°1015 and 1073. García issued the decrees in May under extraordinary powers granted by Congress so Peru could quickly get into compliance with its free trade agreement with the United States.
Indigenous rights groups, headed by the umbrella group Interethnic Association for the Development of Peru’s Jungle, or AIDESEP, agreed to a 48-hour truce Wednesday immediately after Congress President Javier Velazquez agreed to put the repeal motion to a vote on Friday. The deal was struck hours after clashes between 500 demonstrators and police in Bagua left at least 18 people injured.
More information: http://www.peruviantimes.com/peru-president-contends-quid-pro-quo-by-lawmakers-to-end-indigenous-strike-is-grave-historical-mistake/
4. NAFTA-Renegotiation and Plan Merida news
Many sectors from NAFTA countries continue to insist on taking President Obama at his word, and are demanding a NAFTA renegotiation. Plans are moving forward on the third gathering of Parliamentarians and civil society from the NAFTA countries, to happen in Washington in the fall. Preliminary discussions are under way about combining that initiative with a meeting of energy, agriculture and other civil society groups. Plans are also afoot for a tri-national day of public action, likely to occur in conjunction with the parliamentary and civil society meetings, to highlight the demand for NAFTA/CAFTA renegotiation. Organizations in each of the three countries are currently hatching plans for simultaneous symbolic actions (i.e. publicly dumping massive amounts of corn cobs). If your group might be interested in helping to plan the U.S. action, please contact Ben Beachy of Witness for Peace at wfpma@witnessforpeace.org. In addition, the next 3 amigo meeting scheduled for August of this year in Mexico may provide another organizing possibility. Stay tuned for details on that.
PLAN MERIDA- Yesterday the House approved 368-60 a supplemental appropriations bill that included $470 million more for the Merida Initiative in a surprise attempt to deepen the bullheaded “war on drugs” in Mexico. Over 80% of this sum, coming on the heels of the $410 million that Congress just doled out in March, is explicitly for military aircraft for Mexico (i.e. Black Hawk helicopters). The Senate version, currently under debate, may include only $66 million (the amount Obama requested), leaving a significant difference to be worked out in Conference Committee. For more analysis and to send a letter to representatives against this senseless perpetuation of our failed war-on-drugs strategy, visit:
http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5436/t/2467/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=1513.
5. Peoples’ Voices on the Crisis and UN Conference on the Financial and Economic Crisis
On May 30, immediately preceding the UN conference on the Crisis, a group of organizations, including the Alliance for Responsible Trade, is co-sponsoring an event in New York City entitled: Peoples’ Voices on the Crisis. The event will include these thematic panels:
- Gender Rights
- Rights of Indigenous Communities and Ethnic Minorities
- Decent Work and Social Security
- Social Rights and Economic Security
- Environmental Sustainability
For a flyer on the event, go to: http://art-us.org/content/peoples-voices-crisis.
The UN Conference on the Financial and Economic Crisis- June 1-3:
At a session convened last Friday the President of the UN General Assembly introduced first draft of the Outcome Document of the World Conference on Financial and Economic Crisis, to be held in June 1-3.
This is an excellent document, which attempts to reframe the discussion regarding the Economic and Financial Crisis to one which puts Development in the center of solutions. (Document available at): http://www.un.org/ga/president/63/interactive/financialcrisis/outcomedoc.pdf
Statement by the President of the General Assembly when introducing the document is available at: http://www.un.org/ga/president/63/statements/onprepconference80509.shtml
The UN conference will address the impact of the crisis on development as well as the ongoing international discussion on reforming and strengthening the international financial architecture and economic system. But there is a problem. While many developing country governments are proposing to send their heads of state, many other developing and developed countries aren't. We need you to help try and change so that this meeting has the political weight it needs to challenge the status quo. This international action is being proposed:
Please take action and send a letter to your head of state by visiting: www.choike.org/uncrisis.html
6. Bolivia related news and actions
a. THE GONI CASE: This Monday, May 18, brings two opportunities to be in solidarity with the Bolivian people.
In October 2003, Bolivian President Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada (Goni) and two of his former ministers fled to the U.S. after being involved in a massacre in which military personnel killed 67 people and injured over 400. Though Bolivia has sent an official request to extradite these officials so as to try them on nine charges including homicide, torture and crimes against freedom of the press, the Obama administration has yet to give a response. On May 18th, the Bolivian Supreme Court will begin hearings related to the case, but will still be missing Goni and friends. Rather than face the grave charges against him, Goni will likely spend Monday in his comfortable home in Chevy Chase, Maryland.
Tell the Department of Justice to Stand for Justice: On Monday, May 18th, fax and email the sample letter, or compose a more personalized letter, to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Attorney General Eric Holder. Letters are being directed to Holder since the extradition order is currently with the Justice Department, until he sends it on to Secretary Clinton, who will make the final decision whether or not to extradite.
To contact: Secretary Clinton: Attorney General Holder:
Fax: 202-647-8947 Fax: 202-307-6777
Email: secretary@state.gov Email: askdoj@usdoj.gov
Phone: 202-647-9572 Phone: 202-514-2000
Reveal Goni to His Neighbors: For those in the DC area, please help us on Monday as we pass out pamphlets about Goni's offenses in his neighborhood. People are often very interested to hear that a fugitive human rights abuser lives in their area! We will pamphlet at the Friendship Heights metro station from 5:30-6:30pm and then go to Goni's house, leaving pamphlets with neighbors on his street.
b. Insist that the Administration Certify Bolivia and restore trade preferences (ATPDEA)
After last year’s elections, in spite of the fact that Congress approved a continuation of ATPDEA preferences for Bolivia, the Bush Administration revoked the preferences. Rather than basing the decision on the reality of Bolivia’s program to combat drug trafficking, the decision was clearly designed as a punishment for Bolivia’s expulsion of U.S. Ambassador Goldberg earlier that year.
Bolivia has continued to expand their cocaine eradication program, but in their own way and without the DEA. Next month, the Obama Administration will need to decide whether to maintain the de-certification, or remove the sanctions and restore the preferences. Next week we will launch a campaign asking the Administration to restore the preferences, and refund the $2 million which Bolivia has paid in tariffs during the last six months as a result of the sanctions. Stay tuned for the new campaign.
c. Bolivia Information Forum (BIF) briefing on the armed group discovered in Santa Cruz last month:
http://www.boliviainfoforum.org.uk/news-detail.asp?id=65
7. SOAW- Alerts
Call your congressperson by next Thursday, May 21! Ask her/him to co-sponsor the bill to close the SOA! For more information on how to do this, go to: http://www.soaw.org/legislative.
Other current actions: Petition to President Daniel Ortega. Ask Nicaragua to withdraw from the SOA/ WHINSEC- Last year, a small group of SOA Watch activists met with President Daniel Ortega in Nicaragua to share concerns that Nicaragua was sending troops to the SOA/WHINSEC, in spite of the devastation wrought on that nation by National Guardsmen trained at this school. President Ortega denounced the abuses of the SOA/ WHINSEC at a public forum, and promised the SOA Watch delegation that he would take into consideration the withdrawal of Nicaragua´s troops.
To sign the petition, co-sponsored by the Nicaragua Network and SOA: http://www.nicanet.org/?p=634
8. CAFTA- Renegotiation- During the recent visit of Raul Moreno, a few initial discussions were held relative to our collective interest in beginning to organize with interested groups both here and in Central America around renegotiation. For this, it would be helpful to have a coherent focused working group here, linked with national and regional efforts in Central America. The Central American chapter of the Hemispheric Social Alliance could potentially fill the regional role, but would need some additional support from our end to strengthen their efforts.
In our meeting with Mr. Levin, the issue of CAFTA impacts was discussed, and he was interested in hearing about verifiable negative impacts. This highlights the importance of previous documentation efforts, and should motivate us to continue and expand these efforts. Please contact Tom Loudon toml@quixote.org if you would like to participate in a meeting to discuss these ideas further.
9. Puno- the IV Continental Indigenous Gathering- May 27-31, 2009- Expectations are building as the date approaches for this important 
gathering in the context of the multiple Global Crises. National and regional gatherings are being held, to prepare concrete proposals that move from resistance to pro-positive actions. The first two days of the event will be a gathering of women, setting the tone for the entire conference. Stay tuned for regular updates from the Gathering.
10. TPS for Haiti—Pressure continues to be put on Obama Administration—This week grassroots activists from Florida met with the Whitehouse, DHS and Congress to make the case for Haitians already in the U.S. to be granted Temporary Protected Status in the wake of the four storms that battered the nation last fall. Joining the growing chorus of politicians and editorial boards calling in the Obama Administration to act are Senator Kennedy and Congressman Frank from Massachusetts. See the Boston Globe article from this past Wednesday. Email President Obama today and tell him to act now and grant TPS to Haiti.
11. Update on IMF in Congress—The Senate Appropriations Committee agreed yesterday to attach a request from the Obama Administration for $100 billion for the International Monetary Fund and the authority to sell IMF gold. Jubilee USA and other groups are concerned about the lack of transparency and hearings on this important issue. Now that the Committee has agreed to the IMF funds, action moves to the Senate floor. Stay tuned for updates and action! Jubilee USA says "No blank check for the IMF." We are calling on Congress to require the IMF to use money from gold sales and other income to finance at least $5 billion for expanded poor country debt relief and/or grants. Check out their new report released today.
