Letter from Evo Morales to the WTO

toml — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 12:01:53 -0400

On the WTO's round of negotiations

International trade can play a major role in the promotion of economic development and the alleviation of poverty. We recognize the need for all our peoples to benefit from the increased opportunities and welfare gains that the multilateral trading system generates. The majority of WTO members are developing countries. We seek to place their needs and interests at the heart of the Work Programme adopted in this Declaration. Doha World Trade Organization Ministerial Declaration, November 14, 2001

Colombia United Workers Federation (CUT) Letter in Support of the Strike Against Drummond

toml — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 01:14:48 -0400

CUT supports strike by Drummond's workers

Three thousand workers of the coal mine situated in the municipalities of La Loma and Puerto de Ciénaga, located in the Colombian departments of Cesar and Magdalena respectively, began a work-stoppage at 5:50 PM on Wednesday, July 16, 2008. This is the second largest coal mine in Colombia and is run by the U.S.-based Drummond mining company. Drummond has also been granted a lease to extract natural gas deposits discovered in the same area and to operate the 55,000-acre El Descanso mine, in the municipalities of Becerril and Codazzi, considered the largest coal mine in the world.

HSA BULLETIN July 14, 2008

toml — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 01:21:10 -0400

HEMISPHERIC SOCIAL ALLIANCE

www.asc-hsa.org

1. National Strike in Peru

2. Mobilization around the G8 Summit.

3. 4th Caribbean Peoples' Conference .

4. Suspensión of the 4^th Round of the Andean Community (CAN) - EU Negotiations.

5. A Call to Action- the Doha Round.

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ART-RECALCA Statement on McCain's visit to Colombia

toml — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 11:52:09 -0400

Joint Statement of the Alliance for Responsible Trade (U.S.) and RECALCA (Colombia)

This week, Republican presidential candidate John McCain will visit Cartagena, Colombia to express his continued support for embattled Colombian President, Alvaro Uribe, and to promote the U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement, which was put on indefinite hold over the serious human rights concerns of many in the U.S. Congress. Mr. McCain will no doubt use this visit to attempt to convince U.S. voters that, with regard to foreign and economic policy, he has the experience and judgment necessary to govern the United States for the next four years. However, his wholesale embrace of the Bush Administration's policy toward Colombia will win him little support among U.S. voters and will further alienate the citizens of Latin America who want to see real change in Washington.

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Relaunching of National Campaign "Sin Maíz no hay País"! (Without Corn there is No Country).

manuel — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 18:43:17 -0400

Call to the second phase of the National Campaign Sin Maíz no hay País campaign. (Without Corn there is No Country).

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HSA Bulletin June 23, 2008

toml — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 16:19:57 -0400

HEMISPHERIC SOCIAL ALLIANCE

ALIANZA SOCIAL CONTINENTAL

http://www.asc-hsa.org

1. Europe Raises Its Wall: Parliament Approved Anti-Immigrant Law
2. CAOI (Coordinadora Andina de Organizaciones Indígenas - Coordination of Andean Indigenous Organizations): No to the "Flexibilization" of Decision 486 of the CAN (Andean Community)
3. The FTA with Canada: another betrayal of the Nation
4. Chile: 10,000 demonstrators and nearly 300 arrests in protest against the Education Law
5. The plundering of minerals in Argentina: The Best Business in the World
6. The oil "bubble" and global social protests
7. Via Campesina calls for a mobilization against the G8 meeting in Hokkaido Japan

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Letter from Evo Morales regarding proposed new European Union Immigration policies

toml — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 13:17:37 -0400

Regarding "The Return Directive"

Until the end of the Second World War, Europe was a continent of emigrants. Tens of millions of Europeans came to the Americas to colonize, escape hunger, financial crisis, wars, European totalitarianisms and the persecutions of ethnic minorities.

Today, I am following with deep concern the approval process of the so-called "Return Directive". The text, validated on June the 5th by the Home Affairs Ministers of the 27 European Union countries, has to be voted on June 18th in the European Parliament. I consider that it drastically hardens the detention and expulsion conditions of undocumented immigrants, regardless of the length of their stay in the European countries, their employment situation, their family ties, their will or their achieved integration.

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The Future of Mexico´s Oil: Social action to stop the energy grab!

toml — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 12:57:13 -0400

In Mexico, as in the U.S. and Canada, citizens and democrats wish to "close the revolving door between the executive branch and K street (corporate) lobbying ...". Mexicans are currently mobilizing to stop the deeply un-democratic practice of lobbyists [writing] national policies.[i] From Barack Obama's Blueprint for Change

Mexico is in the middle of one the most intense processes of public debate in its modern history. The theme is: the future of its energy sector and the state oil company PEMEX. The debate has been a demand of the Frente Amplio Progresista (formed by the left of center parties) in order to allow Congress to consider an upcoming bill that would privatize operations of PEMEX. President Calderon (in office following a disputed electoral process) is trying to privatize energy that under the Mexican Constitution belongs exclusively to the State (Article 27^th). The debate is part of a social demand to halt this initiative that violates the Mexican Constitution. Mexican energy is one of the few sectors excluded from NAFTA, and one of the few still owned by the Mexican State.

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ASC-HSA Bulletin June 13, 2008

toml — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 20:05:02 -0400

1) Bolivia: Evo Morales' Letter, on E.U. immigration policies.
2) Brazil: Social movements protest big business and Lula's neo-liberal politics
3) The FAO Summit in Roma was a complete failure
4) Argentina: Two looks at the conflict between the government and the "ruralistas"
5) Ecuador: Open letter in support of the Debt Audit Commission
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Trade As If People and Earth Matter: A Working Document on Alternatives

toml — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 17:08:33 -0400

International trade can be one engine of economic progress for developing countries.But the United States and developing countries alike need fair and just trade agreements that are genuinely shaped to meet the goals of sustainable development and poverty reduction.
This statement, Elements for Fair and Just Trade Policies, recently prepared by the IWG, enumerates the key elements we believe must be part of a new framework for U.S. trade policy. The Elements statement is followed by a text, Trade As If People and Earth Matter: A Working Document on Alternatives. This text, proposed by the Interfaith Working Group itself, contains more detailed recommendations built upon the Elements.
The document seeks to contribute to the emerging dialogue on a new framework for trade that holds the promise of promoting just and sustainable development.

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HSA Bulletin June 6, 2008

toml — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 20:21:30 -0400

1) The new referendums in Bolivia were marked by a high level of abstention
2) Peru's proposal about Decision 486 will be voted on June 21st
3) Ecuador: An audit of the external debt continues
4) Mexico: Food for Mexico's campesinos: Hunger doesn't wait
5) Central America: U.S. objectives move forward in Plan Puebla Panama and the Mérida initiative
6) Colombia: Government represses indigenous social mobilization with lethal weapons

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Farm Bill a Missed Opportunity

toml — Sat, 17 May 2008 13:09:27 -0400

May 13, 2008 By R. Dennis Olson
The 2008 Farm Bill to be voted on by the House and Senate this week includes incremental gains for conservation, renewable energy, food aid and healthier, local food systems. However, it fails to reverse decades of deregulation that have increased agricultural market volatility to the benefit of global food corporations, and at the expense of farmers, consumers, rural communities and the environment.

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