People's Assemblies Network

19 June 2013
by pa-webgroup
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London People’s Assembly Against Austerity

Reasons to be cheerful? Dangerous possibilities for People’s Assemblies

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JD Taylor examines dangerous possibilities for the People’s Assemblies – and reminds us that actions speak louder than words. Can the British left be less conservative, and will thePeople’s Assemblies provide the spark that ignites the flame?

 

Reasons to be cheerful? Dangerous possibilities for People’s Assemblies

These laptops and handheld gizmos we spend so much of our time gazing into are highly depressing devices. Take a cursory glance at the news for a quick refresh, if you dare. No doubt there’ll be some fresh new excess of corruption by our homogeneous political establishment, or some new low in welfare cuts, payday lending or NHS privatisation.Racism and suspicious deaths in custody continue to blight the widely-discredited Metropolitan police. Overseas, British soldiers are caught in yet another Iraqi torture scandal or murder. Skim down to the reactionary comments and sigh. Flick to Twitter or Facebook, where some bot has mined your search terms to flog you drunkenness, the consolation of online poker or even the opportunity to share a moment’s digitised intimacy with another lonely soul, at a price. But at least these communication devices are getting cheaper. There’s got to be some distraction from the growing homelessness, boarded-up businesses, poverty, and decay of our communities.

Since 2010 we’ve been hovering in a moment of indistinction. Ask the man or woman sitting next to you what they think of bankers, politicians, or Rupert Murdoch and chances are you’ll receive an expletive in response. The effort’s worth it though, as it underlines a general popular consensus that the power network that controls the national population, one that’s imposing yet another round of tax-cuts for the rich and privatisation of public assets, is one that is deeply unloved. So why is it still allowed to exist and go unchallenged on a daily basis?

In fact something new and exciting is happening. A wide number of separate voices committed to equality, justice and democracy have sprung up and made a good case for a new political movement and organisation. Left Unity and the People’s Assembliesmovements are already gaining popular traction in bringing together communities opposed to austerity. With a number of national assemblies planned over the year, spearheaded by forward-thinking and hard-working figures like Owen Jones, there could be something to be optimistic about.

This all depends on how the assemblies are used. These days the internet gives us all the freedom we might need to bash out our opinions into the idiotic ether of forums and social media. Rabble-rousing and back-patting won’t prevent another unpopular government coming to power or poverty and living standards worsening. If the all-star national People’s Assembly in London on 22 June results in a few thousand people being lectured by the great and the good to have faith in the neoliberal Labour party and wait for their well-paid Trade Unionist cronies to one day maybe even suggest a general strike, then that’s ok. We’ll come away feeling good about ourselves like at the Stop the War marches, and the later TUC-led anti-cuts demonstrations over the last two years, where the same discredited tactics of A-to-B marches and SWP-era petitions were mobilised to spectacular effort.

But I don’t mean to be too cynical, because I really do believe that People’s Assemblies can work, particularly if their goal is communities coming together to seize power of their own affairs and demand justice. This final aspect is crucial. It happened back in Tottenham in August 2011, as angry relatives and residents confronted the police over the death of Mark Duggan. Autthority’s apparent power quickly caved in as a sham, and for three days in England everything felt possible. It also occurred in Tunisia, and later Egypt, as the self-immolation of Mohamed Bouazizi empowered enraged communities to turn out and confront police and government corruption.

In both cases, the message was simple: justice, truth, equality. It came attached to a particular enemy: the police or local government, and attached to a particular target: a police station or local town hall. Above all, it possessed a determination to confront and damage that target.

Recent congregations of the British Left have so far lacked that determination, lacked a gut message to attract the wider employed and welfare-dependent working classes to the campaign, and lacked an organisational vision of the movement ahead. The wider number of people are dispirited and bored by idealistic politics and the dubious voice of a white middle-class minority claiming universality. But if certain strategies are seen to be genuinely disrupting the establishment, then this cynicism could be abandoned.

And there are plenty of good tactics that could be used by the new people’s assembles:

  • Put Britain’s enormous number of empty buildings to good use, and protest the further criminalisation of squatting, and the frankly criminal increase of homelessness, through occupations. Provide spaces for communities and run Black Panther style breakfast clubs.
  • Empty police stations and abandoned council estates awaiting demolition/gentrification could provide temporary accommodation for the increasing number of homeless people.
  • Banks now own so much of the nation’s infrastructure – like schools and hospitals – through PFI schemes, it’s a pretty raw deal that they continue to suck up public money, dish out bonuses and thrive whilst collective living standards decline. Occupying and redistributing the contents of their tills would boost community reinvestment.
  • These days the only things being built are pound-shops and supermarkets. Learning from the Andalusian village of Marinaleda and its mayor Sanchez Gordillo, people’s assemblies could set up their own secular food-banks that source their supplies not from well-meaning donations, but collective raids from local supermarkets. “Community Supermarket Sweep” could catch on, uniting young and old and all the family in a fun day out.
  • Parliament Square no longer has a fence around it – a camping trip to coincide with the re-opening of parliament could also be fun. #OPS, anyone?

A final possibility for disaffected Labour councils hit hardest by austerity in the North, and Wales, is to try out ‘Poplarism‘ – that is, a refusal to pay taxes or cooperate with central government. It’s named after the east London suburb and its radical Labour mayor George Lansbury, who in 1921 chose to use local tax-money to provide relief and support for the poor, rather than pay them on to central government. He went to jail briefly, as did many others, but the Poplar Rates Rebellion succeeded once influence and sympathy caught alight, and tax burdens between rich and poor districts were soon equalised by a national government fearing social unrest.

In any case, there could be some reasons to be cheerful. Hard work and passion is already mobilised, and the collective mood of the British people is increasingly one of anger, frustration, and a desire for revenge against bankers and politicians. Public confidence in our political masters is so low that it wouldn’t take much of a spark to ignite a flame that could quickly catch and spread. Bring on the popular revolt.

JD Taylor is a writer and PhD researcher from south London. His Negative Capitalism: Cynicism in the Neoliberal Era was published by Zero Books earlier this year. @jd_taylor /drownedandsaved.wordpress.com

18 June 2013
by pa-webgroup
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#peoplesassembly against austerity – london june 22

People’s Assemblies can move beyond resistance

 
The powerful response to the call for the People’s Assembly against Austerity on June 22 confirms that the build-up of opposition to the ConDem cuts is reaching boiling point, presenting a unique opportunity to move beyond resistance.  
 
Over 3,000 people have registered for the Assembly, many with the support of the major trade unions. Clearly, people welcome the fact that the Assembly brings together all those fighting against austerity. The support of key figures like Tony Benn, Owen Jones and Ken Loach has helped boost attendance.
 
What is crucial is the perspective for and beyond the Assembly. The draft statement is absolutely explicit about the intended direction of travel, declaring: “We have a plain and simple goal: to make government abandon its austerity programme. If it will not it must be replaced with one that will.”
 
The statement insists that the government’s austerity programme is not “necessary” and that the “banks and the major corporations should be taxed at a rate which can provide the necessary resources”.
 
To that end, there is a call for a national demonstration and civil disobedience towards the end of the year, the building of local Assemblies and a recall of the national Assembly in 2014.
 
In practice, the central demand is based on the notion that this most reactionary of governments is for turning and, if not, that Labour is an alternative. Both are utterly misguided.
 
The ConDems are cutting not simply because they are viciously anti-working class (which they are) but in response to an historic crisis of the financial and economic system, aka capitalism. The dreaded “C” word does not get a mention once in the draft statement, however, which is a major weakness.
 
Its exclusion leads to the idea of restoring the status quo of the welfare state through taxing the corporations as the main policy idea. With key analysts forecasting another global crash, such a policy does not begin to match the gravity of the situation we face.
 
As to installing a government that will “abandon austerity”, the implication is that this is Labour. But Ed Miliband’s party, which is taking shape as New Labour Mk II, intends to continue with austerity and cuts and every day incorporates another ConDem policy.
 
So Owen Jones’ view that “there is a battle to be won in compelling the party to fight for working people” is based on faith rather than judgement. Unions like Unite which bankrolled Miliband’s election have put the pressure on already – and come away empty handed.
The central issue is the fact that the system is broken – economically and politically. A semblance of democracy is rapidly being replaced by an authoritarian, surveillance, security state as the leaks about the US/UK spy network reveals.
 
A minimal amount of time has been found for discussing this crisis of democracy. Yet it is the key to our future. A World to Win and others have campaigned for a network of People’s Assemblies since August 2006.
 
We and others in Occupy and the Agreement of the People for the 21st Century see People’s Assemblies as integral to a strategy for moving beyond resistance towards a real democratic political and economic system in place of the façade we have today.
 
Permanent People’s Assemblies should:
 
-         be inclusive, inviting all sections of the community to be part of their work
-         discuss in depth why there is a global economic crisis
-         draw up, with the help of experts, alternatives to austerity/cuts that go beyond the profit system
-         discuss how to introduce democracy throughout society – in ownership and control of workplaces, land, etc
-         debate the crisis of democracy, where our voices/votes count for very little
-         consider alternative forms of democratic government and self-rule throughout theUK 
-         consider plans to deal with the eco-crisis.
 
People’s Assemblies should not develop into talking shops, but into rival centres of power to a system that has lost its legitimacy and the right to rule over us. That’s the big challenge and we call on others to help us campaign for this on Saturday.
 
Paul Feldman and Corinna Lotz
17 June 2013

12 June 2013
by mirimmi
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BARCELONA #15M Newsletter nr 47

Hello from Barcelona,

This is the (almost) weekly newsletter that will inform you about the activities of 15M movement in Barcelona, Catalonia and occasionally the main events in Spain. If you do not wish to receive it anymore, please say so.

1. Markets over people: The Health Care Apartheid
2. #WeAreGezi, Even in Barcelona
3. In Barcelona justice is judged for the second time
4. A Pyrenees’ project to save sheep and their wool

1. MARKETS OVER PEOPLE: THE HEALTH CARE APARTHEID

In a move that benefits only the economic elite, the right to an universal health care is over in Spain. On September 1st, 2012 the Royal Decree-Law 16/2012 was implemented, leaving thousands of people with no primary health care. Althought the law has considered certain exceptions, ie: medical emergency, pregnancy and assistance to minors, they are not being granted in actual practice.

The RDL is applied in different ways throughtout Spain.  The most serious cases of denial of assistance are the regions of Madrid, Valencia or Balearic Islands which are following  the legislation scrupulously. This has led to the death of a woman in Valencia and a young man in Mallorca after being rejected several times by the Emergency Room for being considerated “illegal” immigrants. Some cases of denial of the Right to be medically attended during pregnancy for women under 18  have also been denounced.

In other Regions, for instance Catalunya,  the RDL is applied in a less restrictive way, although all  unregistered residents or those registered in a Catalan home less than 3  months ago are still excluded. If they need a specialist, they must wait to be registered for a whole year or they will be billed for all medical attention. If they are unable to pay, they  become State debtors, with all the legal consequences such as non renewal or difficulty to achieve their permits.

However bleak the situation appears, there is a solution to this violation of human rights: professionals and users from everywhere have started campaigns to denounce, disobey and defy these laws. Thousands of professionals are supporting this campaign, called “Right to cure”, which started off by Médicos del Mundo (Doctors of the World) . The platform Yo, Sí Sanidad Universal (I, Yes to Universal Health Care) , in Madrid, has created affinity groups to provide support to those excluded from health care benefits all over the state. In Catalunya, several associations and assemblies are programming a workshop for June 15th and 16th, 2013 to organize and spread these groups throughout Barcelona’s neighbourhoods. Furthermore, some Health Care Centers have gone one step further and launched a disobedience campaign to adress professionals http://desobeeix.wordpress.com/  Several pro-human rights associations and citizen collectives have joined them to start a Platform aimed at collecting and denouncing cases that violate the right to assistance. The name of the platform is Sanitat per tothom (Health Care to everyone).

There is still much work to do, as this RDL is an enormous attack on the fundamental right to health care assistance, but citizens are starting to defend themselves and stand together creating better solutions.

LINKS

Articles

Social Networks

2. #WEAREGEZI, EVEN IN BARCELONA

Since Saturday June 1st Turkey is the scene of an emerging “revolution”. It began as a protest against the decision to destroy the now famous Gezi Park in Instambul and in it’s place build a shopping mall.  The police tried to evict the protesters’ camp by brutally attacking them with violence and spraying clouds of tear gas throughout the whole area, resulting in  thousands of Turks joining the protesters at Gezi demanding an end to police brutality. What initially started as an action taken by a coalition against the destruction of a  public park in central Istanbul has spread to more than 60 cities and  provinces, bringing several million people out onto the streets in a widespread  protest against the increasingly repressive ruling of the AKP-run government. The Turkish government has periodically jammed communications, shut off surveillance cameras, and  used its influence over the national media to suppress knowledge of both the scale of the uprising and the brutality of the police response.

The Turkish community worldwide started immediatly to show its support to their people.  At the same time many non-turkish people from all over the world spontaneously began to express solidarity. The social networks such as twitter detonated and the HT #OccupyGezi has been TT during many of the last few days.

In Barcelona the support group held a protest on June 1st at the popular Ciutadella park, which they compare to Gezi asking the Catalans “What if they wanted to demolish Ciutadella Park?”. In the afternoon they joined the demonstration against the Troika
(see NL# 46,1 ), getting to know some of the local activists, starting the path of cooperation they would improve during the following days.

On June 2nd the Occupy Gezi Barcelona group started a daily concentration at 19h in front of the Turkish Consulate in Barcelona, located in Passeig de Gracia, the most glamorous street in Barcelona .  Each day they bring pictures, banners, handouts with manifestos and written messages of support to show the Catalans and tourists in the area, while singing slogans asking for freedom, for the end of violence and for the resignation of  Erdogan. These messages don’t stay just in Barcelona: they cross borders through the social networks and livestreams which are spread throughout the world. The Turkish community living in Barcelona, for instance, may have members who struggle with  understanding Spanish or Catalan, but they have begun to organise assemblies where they can decide their next steps and involve everyone to a greater extent.

Now they are building bridges with other social movements and activists to start an information campaign through talks in neighbourhoods, universities, social and cultural centers and other areas so the that Catalan population can be aware of what is  happening in Turkey and offer their solidarity and support. And every day a dozen or two of local activists join their daily protests, convinced that #WeAreGezi in Barcelona, too!

LINKS:

Articles

Pictures 

Video and Streamings

Social Networks

3. IN BARCELONA JUSTICE IS JUDGED FOR THE SECOND TIME 

On Thursday May 30th the Justice Workers’ Assembly protested against cuts imposed jointly by the Spanish and Catalan Government.

This was the second action aimed at the Justice Alliance, a symbolic act to remind people of the past  20 months of protests. The first action was exactly one year ago (See NL#16, 2 ). Activists from different platforms gave speeches. Several collectives accused the Justice Alliance of  having “two speeds, one for the rich and another for the poor”. Albert Sales, professor of Sociology at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra, explained how the  gradual disappearance of the welfare state “increases the vulnerability  of large segments of society.  It is a punitive policy copied from the United  States, which has led Spain to have the highest prison population in Europe, with 160 prisoners for every 100,000 inhabitants.”

The economic crisis has proved the perfect excuse for them to minimize our rights and implement  the long-planned agenda of neoliberalism. Now we are witnessing a clash between legality and legitimacy, where the Government seeks to criminalize  protests and silence dissent, but fortunately is not suceeding in creating their desired effect.

LINKS

Videos and pictures

Twitter

  • Account @acciointerina HT #judicialajusticia #30m

4. A PYRENEES’ PROJECT TO SAVE THE SHEEP AND THEIR WOOL

Obrador Xisqueta (Xisqueta workshop - after a race of pyreneen sheeps)   is an association for local development located in Pallars Sobirá (a town in the catalan Pyrenees), a spin off of the association Projecte Gripia  that works on the dinamization of the primary sector of the economy in the Pyrenees and the rural world in general.

The  ovine sector in general is in crisis, mainly due to an increasing devaluation of its products, such as meat and wool. The wool especially hardly has any value in Spain, and is considered a waste material. So a pilot project in Catalunya is engaging shepherds, artisans and citizens, using wool as its central point: the aim of the project is to pay a fair  price for the wool of the xisqueta sheep, bringing to knowledge the work shepherds and artisans do while teaching those skills, and to sell the products (autonomy-quality-sustainability). The association works with 25 farming families and part of the ACOXI – (Association of breeders of xisqueta sheep in Catalunya)

The main sponsor of the association is the National Park of Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici .
Also Artesania de Catalunya (Catalans Artisans Consortium), the Town Hall of Lleida  and the Natural Park of High Pyrenees  collaborate and support Obrador Xisqueta‘s project and educational work .

As we can read in their blog, they also sell nice and colorful balls of wool and lovely handicrafts and promote the training of shepards and the organizing many workmanship’s workshops. The Obradors study the qualities of this special wool in collaboration with the mexican university of Chiapas  and participate in the international BerwaldProjekt (Wood Project)  using the xisqueta wool to protect the young birds from the ungulates.

At this very moment the project is “on the road” with the Caravana Xisqueta  promoting the project in the towns they find when touring the High Pyrenees.

LINKS


Filed under: English, newsletter Tagged: #JuduciALaJusticia, #OccupyGezi Bcn, Health Care Aparhteid, Obrador Xisqueta

2 June 2013
by pa-webgroup
2 Comments

Occupy Gezi

Statements of solidarity http://piratepad.net/Solidarity-20Statements-20Istanbul

Live news page: https://www.rebelmouse.com/OccupyGezi/

Report from Turkey: A Taste of Tahrir at Taksim | The Bullet

by Sungur Savran

Istanbul has become a battlefield covered by tear gas. The police, no doubt at the behest of the Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan and his AKP government, have been attacking protestors in the centre of the city, near Taksim Square, for five consecutive days. This would have been no news at all: Turkish police are famous for their brutality in dealing with demonstrations unwelcome to the government. Only a month ago, on May Day, they had dispersed a gathering of thousands of workers and unionists using tear gasunsparingly. So nothing new on the police front. This time is different for another reason.

The difference lies in the determination and audacity of the protestors. The first four days saw a growing number of people, reaching many thousands Thursday night, that is, the fourth day of action, set up a camp each night on the so-called Promenade near Taksim Square. Every night, in the small hours of the morning, the police attacked the campers and dismantled their tents, burning them on the last third and fourth nights. The protestors are trying to protect life, the life of very precious trees right in the middle of a city with extremely limited green area. The Metropolitan Municipality of Istanbul, under AKP rule, has been busy preparing the ground to build a shopping mall (in the guise of a historic building) in the place where stands the Promenade now.

Police Brutality

The sheer brutality of the police and some plainclothes thugs claiming to be municipal police (it is they who burnt down the tents) provoked the people of Istanbul to run to the aid of the attacked protestors. Istiklal, a major artery that runs from Taksim several kilometres south, a pedestrian zone that is the heart of culture, politics, entertainment and lately tourism, was soon packed full of people from one end to the other, Taksim Square itself being controlled by the police. Istiklal resounded to chants against the government, some going somewhat rashly as far as predicting its imminent fall.

There have been demands for some time that the Foreign Minister, responsible for the criminal policy of the government in Syria, and the Interior Minister, whom we call the “Chemical Muammer,” as a reference to “Chemical Ali” of the Saddam administration, be removed from office. The removal of the latter has now already come squarely on the agenda. There were already unconfirmed rumours tonight that the chief of police for Istanbul has been dismissed. Even if this were true, which is too optimistic, this is not where the cleansing should stop!

The working-class, left forces and the youth of Turkey are coming out of a period of extreme political passivity. But for the incessant struggle waged by the Kurdish people, Turkey has been a desert in terms of mass struggles for the past 15 years at least, interrupted exceptionally by the struggle of the Tekel workers (the tobacco and alcoholic drinks company, privatized earlier) in winter 2009-2010, unfortunately sold out by the union bureaucracy. So it would be rash to say that the movement is already at a point of no return. But the spirit is definitely one of regained self-confidence on the part of the masses. What is most important is to see how the organized working-class will react. There have been several important industrial actions lately. These may very well radicalize the attitude of some sections of the working-class, including the workers of Turkish Airlines. They have been on strike for a fortnight putting forth serious demands, albeit with limited participation. Their central demand is the reinstatement of 305 from among the work force, fired a year ago for a wildcat strike protesting the partial prohibition of strikes in civil aviation, which has always been a recognized right in the last half century. The prohibition of strikes has had to be rescinded, but the workers laid-off have yet to be reinstated.

More Strikes

Another strike is waiting in the wings, one with potentially devastating consequences for the government. This is the metal workers’ strike which has already been announced (a legal precondition), but not yet put into practice. If all the workers involved go on strike (for legal reasons this has to be some time in the course of June), this will amount to over one hundred thousand workers, in a sector that has become the main export engine of the country’s manufacturing industry in recent years. Although there are immensely complicated factors to be taken into account when analysing this potential strike, not least the clearly reactionary political stance of the ruling bureaucracy in the major union in the industry, the results may be dire in the context of this explosive situation.

History seems to be aiding the popular masses of Turkey. KESK, the Federation of Public Employees’ Unions, one of the fighting organizations within the union movement, had already declared a sector-wide strike for 5 June. This needs to be transformed into a general strike, adopted by the whole union movement, putting forth demands in the political sphere as well as voicing the considerable grievances of the workers of different sectors and industries. The present moment witnesses a people’s revolt in the face of the arrogance and repressive practice of the government. Should this be combined with an insurgent working-class movement, Turkey would become open to all kinds of revolutionary change.

It cannot be exaggerated how a revolutionary transformation of Turkey will have a tremendous impact on the rest of the Middle East and North Africa. Under Erdogan, Turkey has become a decisive actor in the region, a “model ally” of the U.S., role model for the newly fledgling Muslim governments of Egypt and Tunisia, frontline fighter for the Sunni front established by the Saudi and Qatar kingdoms in a potentially disastrous sectarian confrontation between the Sunni and Shiite fronts in the region and a growing economic and military power with a hegemonic project. The elimination of this reactionary actor and its possible replacement by a progressive force at the helm of this NATO member will have immense repercussions throughout the region. Solidarity with the mass movement of Turkey will definitely be helpful to the progressive and revolutionary agenda in the whole Middle East.

Istanbul, 3 a.m.

I have just left another central square of Istanbul, itself not far from Taksim. The place is packed with people and thousands, even tens of thousands of cars are still slowly moving toward that square. There would have been nothing extraordinary about this – were it not almost three o’clock in the morning. Ankara, the capital city, was out protesting today as well. Izmir, the third biggest city on the Agean sea, is still alive, with street fighting going on.

One blogger said tonight: “Well, Tayyip Erdogan, through his arrogance, has at last united Turk and Kurd, Sunni and Alevi and secular!” Well, this is what we have been saying all along. This was what happened when the Tekel workers entered their two and a half month fight. This is what is now happening on a much more gigantic scale.

This is not yet Tahrir. But demonstrations on the two continents of Istanbul, Asia and Europe at three in the morning, that is decidedly unusual and gives one a taste of Tahrir. This is not yet a revolution, but it is not only tear gas that marks the air in Istanbul. It is also a scent of revolutionary aspirations. •

Sungur Savran is editor of the newspaper Isci Mucadelesi (Workers’ Struggle) in Istanbul, Turkey.

Article re-published from our friends at http://snuproject.wordpress.com/

1 June 2013
by pa-webgroup
2 Comments

Occupy London Statement of Solidarity May 2013

STATEMENT OF SOLIDARITY
(approved by the Occupy London General Assembly on the steps of S.Pauls on the 31stMay 2013)

Occupy London stands in solidarity with all who refuse to accept the current
unsustainable, unjust and undemocratic system. We want structural change towards authentic global equality.  The world’s resources must go towards sustainable care-taking of people and planet, not towards corporate profits, the military, or the rich.  We reject finance-funded politicians who mouth reform but instead derail democracy and enact policies and legislation which further increase inequality.  We welcome all action which, in good faith, seeks redress of injustice through non-violence. 

We send a message of solidarity to Occupy Turkey that is facing today a brutal repression.

We stand in solidarity with the following citizens and activists
who will be in court in the next month:

No Dash for Gas activists
Bradley Manning

Finally the month of June sees a series of potent actions and events happening for
which Occupy London would like to show full support.

These include:

Anti-fascist marches happening around the country
People United against Austerity
OpBigBrother against a Surveillance Society
Occupy Bilderberg and the Bilderberg Fringe Festival
Radical London Conference
GlobalSkillsXChange
The Sparks
Carnival Against Capitalism (StopG8)
They Owe Us!
Food Liberation Front

29 May 2013
by mirimmi
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BARCELONA #15M Newsletter nr 46

Hello from Barcelona,

This is the (almost) weekly newsletter that will inform you about the activities of 15M movement in Barcelona, Catalonia and occasionally the main events in Spain. If you do not wish to receive it anymore, please say so.

1. Once again so say we all: Fuck the Troika! June 1st demos
2. Clean up the Med!
3. Spain is a Country where you can be jailed for your way of thinking

1. ONCE AGAIN SO SAY WE ALL: FUCK THE TROIKA! JUNE 1st DEMOS

On the 1st of June there is an international call for protest against the Troika, under the main idea, translated into several different languages,of “Fuck the Troika”. At the same time the international group Blockupy Frankfurt is going to block the central bank during the period beetwen may the 30th and june the 1st as they did last year.
The response is expected to be massive for this European demonstration against austerity policies and the sumbission of the governments to the dictatorship of the markets over people’s lives.

In Barcelona the motto will be different to the one decided during the meeting in Lisbon in April, 26th (People united against the troika) as this demonstration will be only a small part of a bigger campaign against the budgets of the Generalitat, the local government, which are foreseen to be the most anti-social budgets in the Democratic period, with cuts of more than 7 billion euros. Catalunya, one of the most indebted regions in Spain, justifies these cuts with the solvency of the region, which actually means that the budget cuts are needed to pay the interests of the debt and the bonus that are due to be paid this year. That is why the slogan is “We won’t pay their debt, fuck the troika, together we can”.

The demonstration will cross the whole city center, highlighting hotspots of the budgets cuts and repression such as the Education HQ, EU delegation, some political parties headquarters, universities, etc, joining different sectors in struggle such as Health Care, Education, Working rights, Universities, Anti-repressive groups, Welfare office workers, Culture, certain neighbourhood assemblies, alternative unions and platforms. On the previous days to the demonstration some of the groups are preparing actions to warm their way up to the demo.

The following months the organizers will try to make visible all the campaigns already going on and the new ones, resisting against any negotiation which means just more cuts on social issues.

LINKS

Social Networks

2. CLEAN UP THE MED!

Since 1995, the Italian NGO Legambiente launches an international call every year to clean the coast of the Mediterranean for one day: It is a way to build conciousness about the trash we generate with our consumption and which very often arrives to the seas, causing serious damage to the environment and even to our health. More than 150 places in the whole country participated, coordinated by Ecologistes en acció (Ecologists in action). Badalona, a town nearby Barcelona, picked up their cleaning tools on May 26th, specially focused on plastic waste.

There, it was organized  with the collaboration of a local diving Club (SASBA).Ecologists, environment activists, fishermen and citizens in general worked together to clean up a section of a beach. Three groups started the work: one on the beach, some scuba divers in the water, and fishermen with their nets. The volunteers classified the residues so they could identify where they are coming from, explain the threat they mean and find solutions: On the beach, 90% of the bags of rubbish collected were composed of plastic waste, packages mainly. Meanwhile, the group of divers found mostly fishing stuff and sanitary towels. The fishermen with their nets caught almost 100% of sanitary towels.

Then, with the contents of the bags, scientists showed the people on Badalona’s seafront promenade which are the risks of throwing these objects to the sea, not only for the environment but to our health. The main idea is to gather people’s support to force a change in the consumption model, which uses a lot of packaging, and dispensable products. Among the alternative systems of rubbish control proposed, recovering the tradition of deposits and returning the packaging after use was one of the options to decrease the production of waste.

As a fisherman said, “A change of habits is needed, and it has to come through cititzen awareness and environmental education, which is essential in new generations”. Showing alternatives to this trash generation and making people understand the importance of environmental care are the first steps to achieve this change.

LINKS

Photos

Social Networks

3.SPAIN IS A COUNTRY WHERE YOU CAN BE JAILED FOR YOUR WAY OF THINKING
On 15th of May Yolanda, Silvia, Juan, Xabier and José were arrested at their homes, in the province of Barcelona, by order of the Spanish National Court in a police operation that resulted also in the smashing and seizure of material from Catalan anarchists’ premises.

Accused of committing the crimes of being members of a terrorist group, praising terrorism, recruitment, indoctrination and storage of explosive substances, they are currently remanded in custody in Soto del Real prison (Madrid).

The five people are considered by Spanish National Court dangerous anarchists based on

  • Their involvement in Facebook pages (such as Bandera Negra and Front Solidari de Barcelona among others) that the state and regional police consider to be “terrorist gangs”, though no activity outside the social networks has been proved
  • Their attendance at demonstrations in which there have been incidents and sharing of opinions “that have aimed to disseminate subversive ideas and to incite and/or commit crimes against State and capitalist interests” (Writ 17/05/2013).
  • Accusation reinforced by the material seized in their homes: Flags and shirts with anarchist iconography, an ACAB sweatshirt, libertarian philosophy books, gasoline from the garage, screws of various kinds, Valencian firecrackers and rockets whose marketing is legal.

In connection with these events, several platforms organized to protest demanding  freedom for the five, whose purpose is the dissemination and reporting of the unfair situation in which the so-called “5 anarchists” are.
They are demanding the inmediate release of the five as there are no evidences of any terrorist activity and such charges are “ridiculously disproportionate and extremely unfair, which demonstrates once again the lack of validity of the current political system” in association with the lack of independence of the judical system, which every day more people see as a puppet of political interests, which in turn is at the total service of economical ones.

The arrests and continued detentions all around the Country clearly reflect a desire of a repressive and ideological persecution to those who reject the current political regime.This is absolutely unacceptable and unjustifiable in a real democracy. But this is what people are fighting for, a real democracy now.

LINKS

Articles 

Social Networks

  • Twitter HTs #5AnarquistasBCN #LibertadanarquistasBCN Account @Freedomforthe5
  • Facebook page

Filed under: English, newsletter Tagged: #1J, Clean up the med, Ecologistas en accion, five anarchists, Fuck the Troika

23 May 2013
by mirimmi
Comments Off

BARCELONA #15M Newsletter nr 45

Hello from Barcelona,

This is the (almost) weekly newsletter that will inform you about the activities of 15M movement in Barcelona, Catalonia and occasionally the main events in Spain. If you do not wish to receive it anymore, please say so.

1. “We are not back, we never left” – #12M15M
2. Madrid wants a public health care system. Almost a million votes prove it
3. A Paper Tiger to be read: a cooperative publishing house

1. “WE ARE NOT BACK, WE NEVER LEFT” – #12M15M

On May 12th Spanish people took the streets again in dozens of cities.
This call has been a kind of celebration of the #15M movement, born in Spain 2 years ago. London, Brussels, Dublin and other cities around the world also celebrated the 15M’s second anniversary in the streets. Barcelona had announced  five days of action (see NL#44, 3) to celebrate two years of working together.

After the press conference on the 10th,  the square was filled on May 11th with several conferences, debates and information points. Some of the working groups took the chance to launch their campaigns for the next months. (#11M15M , #12M15M)

On May 12th the camp in Barcelona ended to give way to a theater play and a performance by Che Sudaka. Soon after the demonstration started under the slogan “Stop the financial genocide”. After the demo, a building in the old town was occupied with the support of over a hundred people from the demo, but it was evicted early in the morning two days after. As the coordinators of #Okupem12Msquat had planned lots of activities, they are carrying them out in the streets and squares nearby ( #Yovoy12M #12MBcn, #Razones12M, #okupem12M).

On the days that followed, decentralized actions were programmed:

On May 13th Iaioflautas did the action #IaiosPaBoi against Boi Ruiz, the health care minister for the local government Generalitat of Catalunya, who is responsible of the privatization and the budget cuts in Catalonia.

On May 14th, in Catalunya square, the campaign against the Generalitat’s budgets started with #AturemElsPresupostos a debate on economy and debt. It was the starting point for a longer campaign whose aim is to stop the approval of the 2013 budgets for the Catalan government (#JuntesPodem).

On May 15th, the official anniversary, the police attacked many strategic points.They tried to cut the water supply in a building occupied by the PAH in Salt, Girona (#blocsalt). Can Piella (see NL#29 ,2 ), already aware of a possible eviction, stood strong for over six hours but was finally raided by police (#SOSCanPiella). Their reaction was to have two people abseiling from a building (property of those responsible for the eviction) with huge banners. After the eviction, a spontaneous demo blocked an important highway (AP7). In Sabadell, the Libertarian Ateneu was also raided and searched by the police, with other raids in homes of people associated with the libertarian or anarchist movement. Five people were arrested and accused of terrorism, now still in jail (#Ateneullibertari, #5anarquistasBCN).

Three actions were carried out:
In the morning, the group Reflectantes did an action where, during the #BancaRuta tour along several banks, activists explained people why it’s a good idea to close their bank accounts; 3 accounts were closed and celebrations carried out next to the bank offices (#el15cierratucuenta).  An “escrache” (see NL#42, 2) against Boi Ruiz in the afternoon, announced as #BoiDeEscrache, was organized by the health care working group PARS (Platform of afected by public health system cuts, see NL#9, 3  ), while under the call #habitatgepertothom a building with 32 apartments was occupied in the Nou Barris neighbourhood to hand it over to the evicted families. This building has been object of a negociation iwht the Town Hall and, after meeting an agreement, it shall be abandoned with the condition that the District will provide 30 immediate homes for evicted families and eventually another 100 low-rent homes by agreements with banks who have empty buildings.

The month continues very rich in political and civil activism: people are getting stronger and are focusing more clearly on their objective and organizing themselves, many new collectives have been created since the last anniversary. It seems that the change is on its way, even if it is a quite large and dangerous one.

LINKS

Videos, Pictures and Streamings

Twitter

  •  HT #12M15M #11M15M #12Mbcn #Razones12M
  •  Account @acampadabcn @15Mbcn_int @fotomovimiento

2. MADRID WANTS A PUBLIC HEALTH CARE SYSTEM. ALMOST A MILLION VOTES PROVE IT

Some time ago the demonstrations that filled public spaces were enough for a government to rectify. When the demonstrations were very numerous, governments even resigned.

For years, public health workers have been demonstrating in the streets against the government’s privatization policy. But the government, instead of correcting or giving up their pretentions of privatizing public health, continues to change the laws to goon with their eagerness to privatize public health.

In the week of May 10th to 15th a popular consultation was held outside public hospitals and municipalities of Madrid. The topic of the consultation was to express a preference on the healthcare system’s future: public or private?

Organizers are defined on their website as “Health Care employees”, Marea Blanca (White Tide), and several citizen groups participating in organizations and grassroots movements.

The popular referendum’s result yields the following numbers: in six days 935,794 people have voted in 103 municipalities. The question was: Are you in favor of a universal, high quality, public-run healthcare system and against privatization and the laws that allow it?

  • 929,903, 99.4%, answered YES
  • 3,558, 0.4%, voted NO
  • 1,454, 0.2% have voted blank
  • 879 null votes, 0.1%

After these results it is clear that the population of Madrid does not agree with the government’s privatization plan for public health. On the other hand, it’s a democratic paradox that not the government, but healthcare workers are the ones who organize this consultation.

A good example of how the citizenship wants to have a voice on political decisions, and people know not only how to participate, but how to organize in a participative democracy. So, what is this Government for? 

LINKS

Video

Social networks

  • Twitter
    •  HT #ConsultaSanidad #MesaCS #votosCS
    • Account @ConsultaSanidad
  • Facebook

3. A “PAPER TIGER” TO BE READ: A COOPERATIVE PUBLISHING HOUSE

The publishing house Tigre de paper (Paper Tiger)  is a cultural project, forming part of the cooperative Cultura21 (Culture 21). it is a starting point for developing critical thought, building collective identity and promoting catalan literature.

 Tigre de paper belongs to a movement that motivates a critical and collective change and books give both practical and theorical tools for the revolution: the publications (essays, novels and biographies) cover political and social themes, with the idea that “without revolutionary theories there is no revolutionary practice”. They are actually against the “art and culture industry”, which in the publishing field is dominated by few corporations controlling  the contents and thus controlling the collective imaginary, manipulating thought in a easy, silent way. They would prefer selling “instant emotions” to producing intellectual, critical work on the social, educational and global situation.

A book club called La Bandada de les lletres (The flock of letters) has been created  in order to promote and support the publsher. It’s a reader community actively involved in reviews, discussion and diffusion of the publications, building together what they call a tiger of popular culture. The website’s structure allows to easily disseminate articles and educational materials. The subscription to the club is free.

All the books are CC (Creative Common Licence) , available to be bought both online and offline in several bookshops.

LINKS


Filed under: English, newsletter Tagged: 12M15M, Consultation Pucblic Health, Paper Tiger, Reflectantes

21 May 2013
by pa-webgroup
0 comments

Nottingham UK People’s Assembly Report

Thanks for coming to the People’s Assembly and for making it such a success! We had almost 400 people there throughout the day and it ended on a high with Tony Benn, Francesca Martinez and Owen Jones as the highlights of the final plenary.

The workshops were phenomenally successful with packed and informative sessions all day and we hope to follow each one up. Check out our events page for upcoming meetings and protests you might be interested in.

National People’s Assembly

2000 people are already registered and we’ll be running a coach from Notts to the national assembly. If you’d like to come email us back and we’ll let you know about prices when we’ve got the cheapest quote. It’s a great opportunity to launch a national opposition movement against austerity and to link up with groups across the UK.

Most importantly, keep in touch with us and each other. We’ll be in contact soon about the next event in Nottingham!

The People’s Assembly team

Nottingham People’s Assembly
http://www.nottspeoplesassembly.org/

19 May 2013
by pa-webgroup
1 Comment

Blockupy Frankfurt May 30th – June 1st 2013

Blockupy is back: In May 2012, activists gathered in the banking area
of Frankfurt to protest against the austerity politics of the German
government and the Troika (EU, ECB, IMF). From May 30th to June 1st
2013 we will return for European action days in the heart of the
European authoritarian crisis regime in Frankfurt/Main.

At the headquarters of the European Central Bank (ECB), we will send a
powerful signal of solidarity with all those affected by the curent
politiics of austerity and cuts.

As a symbol of struggle against austerity rule we will organise mass
blockades of the ECB in Frankfurt on May 31st. We will move on to
actions in a “second wave” in the late morning to other protagonists
of the crisi. Or aim on May 31st is to visibly disturb the usual
business proceedings of the ECB as well as other protagonists of the
crisis regime.

On June 1st, the European action day, we call for a large
international demonstration, together with many thousands of people
from all over Europe.

The action camp at *Rebstock* will serve as a political and social
meeting point for Blockupy. On Thursday, May 30th, we, activists and
affinity groups, will gather there and prepare the actions together.

**

*More* information

A short flyer will be available for the action days containing basic
information.

*Camp*

The location for the camp is at Rebstock. The Camp will be set up from
Monday (May 27) onwards and opened on Wednesday (May 29). There will
be a programme of discussions and cultural events, which will also be
available in English later. http://notroika.org/camp/programm

*Actions*

May 31st: Mass blockades of the European Central Bank (ECB)
Blockupy Zeil: 12:30 pm at Primark, Zeil 94, Am Springbrunnen
Blockupy Deportation Airport! action:
http://blockupy-frankfurt.org/en/1166/may-31st-blockupy-deportation-airport/

June 1st: large international demonstration: 11h00 am at Baseler Platz
(near main train station). The demonstration will go to the ECB
(Willy-Brandt-Platz) with a short rally and assemblies discussing the
future of resistance. There will be protests in other countries as
well, for instance in Portugal, Spain, Cyprus, Slovenia, France,
Greece, Italy, and the UK. In London the demonstration will start at
2pm at HM Treasury, 1 Royal Horse Guards, symbol of austerity forces
in the United Kingdom. A march will then proceed to the European
Comission representation in the UK, at 34 Smith Square, symbol of the
austerity forces in Europe.

**

*Calls*

International Call: From the crisis’ edges to the power’s core
http://blockupy-frankfurt.org/en/1166/may-31st-blockupy-deportation-airport/

Blockupy call from Germany: https://blockupy-frankfurt.org/en/call-for-action/

International call for June 1st from Portugal:
http://interoccupy.net/blog/peoples-united-against-the-troika-international-protest-on-the-1st-of-june/
http://queselixeatroika15setembro.blogspot.com/2013/04/povos-unidos-contra-troika-protesto.html
(Portuguese)

IL call: Waiting no more. Staying in movement. Blockupy 2013
http://blockupy-frankfurt.org/en/1292/waiting-no-more-staying-in-movement-blockupy-2013/

Feminist call: Let’s care! Let’s dance! Let’s bloccupy – the feminist
way! Shake up social and economic conditions – the care revolution!
http://blockupy-frankfurt.org/en/1274/lets-care-lets-dance-lets-bloccupy-the-feminist-way-shake-up-social-and-economic-conditions-the-care-revolution/

*Documents* preparing the action days

General character of the demonstration, Saturday June 1st 2013 (in
German: Demobild)
http://blockupy-frankfurt.org/en/1256/the-general-character-of-the-demonstration-saturday-june-1st-2013/

Overall vision for the actions and blockades on Friday May 31st in the
financial district of Frankfurt and beyond…
http://blockupy-frankfurt.org/en/1076/overall-vision/ (in German: Aktionsbild)

Action Agreements for Friday, May 31st 2013
http://blockupy-frankfurt.org/en/1074/action-agreements/ (in German:
Aktionskonsens)

**

*Legal* Issues

There is a Legal Team in Frankfurt (called Ermittlungsausschuss (EA)
in German), an office of activists with contacts to lawyers, they can
be called if you or your friends are arrested.

Legal Info (1012) in several languages (booklet by Rote Hilfe): What
to do at demonstrations in case of repression:
http://www.notroika.org/arbeitsgruppen/antirepression#Infos

English version (pdf):
http://www.notroika.org/sites/notroika.org/files/medien/dokus/ea-flyer05-2012en.pdf
French: Consignes de comportement lors de manifs:
http://www.notroika.org/sites/notroika.org/files/medien/dokus/ea-flyer05-2012fr.pdf
Spanish: Consejos practicos en manifestaciones:
http://www.notroika.org/sites/notroika.org/files/medien/dokus/ea-flyer05-2012sp.pdf
Arabic:
http://www.notroika.org/sites/notroika.org/files/medien/dokus/ea_frankfurt-arabic.pdf
Italian, Polish and Greek:
http://www.rote-hilfe.de/downloads/category/8-legalinfo-in-other-languages

**

*Material*

Posters, flyers, etc.:
http://blockupy-frankfurt.org/material/plakate-flyer-sticker/
https://blockupy-frankfurt.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/vector-logos-blockupy-2013.ai

19 May 2013
by pa-webgroup
0 comments

June Alter Summit – Athens

We would like to invite you to the next conference call where we will discuss the organization of the open assembly “Peoples United against the Troika for everyone”, which will take place within the Alter Summit (www.altersummit.eu) program.  The program is copied below  for your convenience.

The main aim of this assembly is to agree and set up a common strategy and campaign in relation with the Troika, and the Neoliberal reforms of a “troika-like” nature that covers all EU member states (including the six-pack, the fiscal compact and the new ‘contracts on economic policy 

Some background information.

The assembly is planned for Saturday 8th of June, 1:30-4:30 pm in Athens. In the program it appears now under the name: “Democracy, treaties, ‘economic governance’”. This name will be updated.

Up until now we have had two discussions in relation with the Assembly.

You can find the minutes of the first conference call here: http://titanpad.com/assemblyaltersummit

You can find the minutes of the meeting in Zagreb here: http://titanpad.com/euE38KxyE6

The next conference call will take place next TUESDAY 21ST MAY at 14.00. Central Europe Time.

This Pad is open to set the agenda of the call:  http://titanpad.com/HLkyPCyyPu

Alter Summit Program

Friday June 7th

12AM to 2PM : feminist assembly
(contact : womenassembly@altersummit.eu)

2:30PM to 5PM : Open network assemblies
 Austerity and education ;
(contact : education@altersummit.eu)
 Austerity and health ;
(contact : health@altersummit.eu)
 Migrations ;
(contact : migration@altersummit.eu)
 Housing, evictions / mortgages
(contact : housing@altersummit.eu)

6:30PM to 9:30PM : Alter Summit plenary (presentation of the Manifesto, inputs from European struggles and supports)
10PM to 12PM+ : European cultural event, with Greek and European artists.

Sathurday June 8th

9:30AM to 12:30AM : Alter Summit assemblies (first slot)
 Struggles against fascism, far-right, sexism, homophobia…
(contact : far-right@altersummit.eu)
 How to confront debt, banks, tax havens ? (1/2)
(contact : alternatives@altersummit.eu)
 Peace and foreign policy
(contact : peace@altersummit.eu)
 Social rights for all / poverty
(contact : socialrights@altersummit.eu)
 Extractivism / ecological issues
(contact : ecology@altersummit.eu)

1:30PM to 4:30PM : Alter Summit assemblies (second slot)
 Social crises and European solidarity initiatives against austerity
(contact : solidarity@altersummit.eu)
 How to confront debt, banks, tax havens ? (2/2)
(contact : alternatives@altersummit.eu)
 Common goods and public services (water, etc.) and privatization issues
(contact : commongoods@altersummit.eu)
 Democracy, treaties, “economic governance”
(contact : economicgovernance@altersummit.eu)
 Attacks against workers rights
(contact : workersrights@altersummit.eu)

From 6-7PM : European demonstration in Athens

13 May 2013
by Robbie Griffiths
1 Comment

The only route to real democracy – A precise strategic proposal

Several popular movements around the world are beginning an important rethinking about democracy and power. Origins and causes of protests are unemployment, poverty and fight against austerity, but yet the thoughts go further and fight the problems by attacking their roots: we live in oligarchies. However in the media and in the everyday life, we can hear that an immense majority of people is attached to democracy (but too often simply confused with freedom of speech). Democracy has a very strong power. As it has been “promoted” by the states since a long time ago to obtain legitimacy, it is deeply supported by people independently of the political spectrum. But while actual states rely on fake democracies (representative democracies), which are more and more criticized, the political alternative has to be constructed around a real democracy project.

Right or Left? Only the non-partisan camp can support democracy.

An efficient strategy has to be chosen to maximise the chances of real democracies to appear. First thing to be done is to allow a massive union of people around the new project, and on this point it is clear that economy is not a point of convergence. Medias and states have so manipulated the minds that there is no big majorities about an economic agenda.

Do we have to open or to close borders? What should be the role of the state?

In the same way, in my view, the left/right partisan rift is doomed to fail. Traditional parties counter creativity and change, and their past makes them divisive. For a new economic system to emerge, real debates will have to take place and to be followed by appropriate action, but today it is not the case, as our political systems do not allow that debates.

The proposal that will lead to a new political (and then economical) order, in favour of the people, has therefore to be cleared of partisan elements and to propose only a real democracy. This proposal has not to be abstract but very precise, in order to make secure the project, to avoid counter actions with oligarchic aims, and to obtain general trust.

Here is just an example of proposal, to show how I think the future of all the popular movements have to converge into a political force being able to reverse the current systems with a practical alternative. The question about which means and methods to use, to impose this agenda to the minority actually in power (and which will lose a lot), is still open (should an international party be created and enter election games? should mass protest reverse the institutions when critical mass is reached?). However, the practical agenda I propose is more based on a legal access to power (short transition with ancient political system form).

Why constitution, why sortition?

Constitution is central to political systems; it is mainly aimed to define power. Who make the new laws? What powers have citizens? How are chosen deputies? What are their obligations?

We do not know yet what the new constitution will be (even though it could be possible to define a new constitution first, and then to support and empower it), but what is crucial is that a constitution has not to be written by the politicians, or they will write their own rules, and so be able to take advantage of the situation. That is why sortition is supported in this article, as a way to avoid conflicts of interests. On that question, I recommend this video. 

A precise democratic political agenda

As soon as the new political movement is empowered, two people (to reduce the risk of corruption and betrayal, people randomly drawn from the actors involved in the movement for a long time) substitute each of the high functions previously in place (Presidency, Ministers .. with a salary equal to two times the minimum wage), to ensure the stability of the political transition, and during the 2-6 months period, time for the new constitution adoption and the new political system establishment.

One week after the takeover, during 2 days, every citizen has the opportunity to choose (by putting their names in polling stations) two men and two women they thinks being able and helpful to participate in the Constituent Assemblies (CAs) for a 1 to 6 months period. The members of the CAs will receive compensation equal to 2 times the minimum wage and insurance to return to work after the mandate.

2 weeks after this selection, the draw is held to determine the members of the 2 CAs (200 people each). Assemblies (located in the ancient assemblies locations if revolution has taken place, or working elsewhere if traditional parliamentarians are still present – but useless), working in cooperation (on different things and then analysing and criticizing each other’s proposals, some of their members are attached to present arguments and ideas of citizens from outside, by internet for example) and transparency (filmed and broadcasted sessions) have one month to work and propose a new constitution.

A referendum on the new constitution is conducted 2 weeks later, the citizens have the opportunity to indicate which parts of the proposal they refuse and why. If all constitution’s articles are more than 50% accepted, it shall enter into force as soon as possible (ancient system replacement, ignoring legal remedies, make ancient politicians resign…) If some parts are refused, CAs back to work for a week, and a new referendum is held on the new articles and changes. In that new referendum, people can choose if they want the new constitution to be activated even though some articles are not primarily accepted (if 60% or more choose that option, the new constitution is accepted even if the newly modified articles are still not mainly supported), and so on until the adoption of the new constitution. The new political system that democratically emerges will then be able to resolve all issues, particularly economic and social ones, which have not found real answers now because our political system give the power to the people defending particular interests.*

*This example is lacking reflection about how to make sure that ancient political system members will not conduct a coup, how to “govern” the country during the transition period (should transitioners trust the police and the army? Should another force be created?), is 1 month a fair duration to write a new constitution? Who will analyse the referendum results?

Nikita Malo

6 May 2013
by mirimmi
Comments Off

BARCELONA #15M Newsletter nr 44

Hello from Barcelona,

This is the (almost) weekly newsletter that will inform you about the activities of 15M movement in Barcelona, Catalonia and occasionally the main events in Spain. If you do not wish to receive it anymore, please say so.

1. Universities’ disobedience goes on for the future of public University
2. Citizen-managed cultural center: Ateneu de Nou Barris
3. Actions and activities marathon on the square and the streets: 10M-15M 

 

1. UNIVERSITIES’ DISOBEDIENCE GOES ON FOR THE FUTURE OF PUBLIC UNIVERSITY (#WeDisobey17A/#Desobeïm17A)

On April 17th several direct actions took place in different university campuses as a call for disobience. While there were protests on the campus of the UPC ( Politechnich university of Catalonia ), the hall of the historical building on University Square at the UB (University of Barcelona) was taken by students to block a meeting of the Government Council of the University, which was going to approve cuts on human resources and on a number of faculties, departments and even students. During the afternoon of the 17th, the UPF ( Pompeu Fabra University ) held a protest to block a meeting and a conference of the Rector and the Ex-Minister Miguel Ángel Moratinos. It was heavily supressed by the police. At the UAB ( Autonomous University of Barcelona ) campus of Bellaterra, a half-an-hour train ride from Barcelona, the rectorate was indefinitely occupied by students. Two days later a few teachers and workers joined the sit-in.

All of the protests happened for the same reason:

Universities have been struggling for a long time with precarious work and the mercantilization of knowledge (See NL #41,1 ). More than 350 workers (teachers, administration and services) are going to be fired in the UPC alone. There is hope though: The pressure of students, teachers and workers acting together lead to the resignal of the Rector on April 25th.

The PUDUP (United Platform for the Defense of Public University) went to the home of the conciliour of Economy and Knowledge (on which Universities depend) Andreu Mas-Colell on April 24th to perform an Escrache (see NL#42,2 ), and the UAB rectorate is still occupied. Universities attended, as well, the demonstration on April 28th to protest against the budgets which are going to be approved at the Catalan Parliament, which could represent cuts around 3.4 billion euros. The demonstration united 80,000 people from several platforms of public services, 15M activists and neighbourhood associations.

The budgets are being discussed these days in the Catalan Parliament, while on the streets the movilization grows, specially among the public sector. All campuses together, with the involvement of professors, workers and students, are answering to that threat.

LINKS

Photos & videos

Social Networks

  • Twitter accounts @uniprecaria @upcenlluita
  • Hastags #JoDesobeeixoPer #Desobeïm17A #DesobeïmUB #DesobeïmUPC #DesobeïmUPF #DesobeïmUAB #laLluitaEduca

2. CITIZEN-MANAGED CULTURAL CENTER: ATENEU DE NOU BARRIS

The Ateneu de Nou Barris is a popular cultural center born from the determination of neigbours in Nou Barris, Barcelona, to have a home for cultural projects in the neighbourhood. Although 60% of its expenses is covered with public money, the Ateneu is self-managed by the neighbours in a horizontal, democratic way through what they call citizen management, with an association called El Bidó de Nou Barris: they are organized in several commissions, as is typical in this kind of management, and they are based on volunteer work.

The Ateneu’s cultural, artistic, social and educational activities are carried out to improve creativity, participation, solidarity and social cohesion among people. Its aim is to potentiate the creation of a non-mercantilistic and socially committed perspective, supporting  young creation and the emerging of cultures and cooperation. As it is within the Xarxa de Fàbriques de Creació de Barcelona (Barcelona Art Factories Network), it offers artistic spaces such as a theater and rehearsal rooms.

Following the tradition of alternative circus workshops in Barcelona, the Ateneu collaborates with La Central del Circ (The Circus Central), a space of creation and training for Circus professionals. There is even a circus school focusing on the differently-abled and children. Among their activities there are initiation workshops for the Social Circus and a special class for teenagers.

On May 4th-5th,  “La Cultura Va de Festa” (Culture goes partying) hosts days of concerts, circuses, artistic performances, flee markets, and workshops. The event is organized by the Ateneu and the Nou Barris cultural coordinator.

The survival of centers like this is at risk these days due to cutbacks in social programs and culture budgets. Culture is under attack by being subjected to the condition of giving profit, the horrendous idea that if something does not make money then it it is not valuable. Our communties are of more value than euros.

LINKS

Videos

Social Networks

3. ACTIONS AND ACTIVITIES MARATHON ON THE SQUARE AND THE STREETS:  10M-15M

May 15th marks two years from the demonstration which triggered the acampadas. A group of people, coming from different collectives, are meeting every two weeks, since February 23rd, in Parc de la Ciutadella to coordinate the different actions and activities that will take place from May 10th to 15th.

Right now the agreements they have reached are:

  • There is going to be a permanent assembly on Catalunya square from May 10th to May 12th. Several collectives and neighbourhood associations are going to have a stand there to share information.
  • Conferences on the problems Public Health cuts are bringing, on the huge scam the Debt is, on banksters… are going to take place on the 11th and 12th and universities are going to organise lectures on the street on the 14th.
  • On May 11th a big assembly will take place at the end of the day
  • On May 12th there is a call for a demonstration in most big cities in Spain. In Barcelona, it is going to start at 18h in Plaça Catalunya. Neighbourhood assemblies will march in big columns from their main squares. It will start with a theatre performance and several actions are expected during the demonstration and at the end of it. The slogan will be: “Let’s stop financial genocide, together we can!” (Aturem el genocidi financer, juntes podem).
  • The following three days, decentralized actions by the different collectives and neighbourhood assemblies are going to happen all over the city.

Finally, as through 2 years of actions make activists feel like a family, the 3 main spaces in the Square will be named after 3 dear fellow activists who died this last year. This will make them be once again with us all, fighting for a better society.

LINKS:

Social Networks

  • twitter accounts @12m15mBCN , @12M15M
  • FB event

Filed under: English, newsletter Tagged: #17A, 12m-15m, Ateneu de Nou Barris, University's Protest

1 May 2013
by ubeudgen
Comments Off

Flüchtlingsprotest am Kirchentag – Erklärung und Einladung!! #DEKT2013 #rfcamp #refugeecamp

From: Free2Move
Sent: Wednesday, May 01, 2013 10:08 PM
To: caravane-info
Subject: Flüchtlingsprotest am Kirchentag – Erklärung und Einladung!! 3.Mai

After the declaration “Lampedusa in Berlin” (interview to Bashir: https://vimeo.com/65158161 and to Ousmane: https://vimeo.com/65158162) made by refugees from the protest camp in Kreuzberg/Berlin, refugees in Hamburg who come from the same background adopted the declaration On the first of May they started a first public appearence during the nationwide church day in Hamburg. At 6 p.m. a group of more than 50 refugees gathered with banners and leaflets in the habour at a place where a part of the church day program takes place. They informed the public about their situation and called for solidarity. On Friday 3rd of May from 10 am the whole day the refugee group together with the “caravan for the rights of refugees and migrants” and the leftists from “atesh” will exercise a programm with information material and film screening and people to people talks during the whole day. The place where you can meet us that day is Sandtorkai (Hafencity) in Front of the MS Anton (refugee boat project).
We invited the public and the media for critical awareness. We hope that from side of the churches in Hamburg will come out a clear signal against the catastrophic situation, the people are thrown into. The refugees are determined to join the germanwide refugee movement for self-determination and freedom.
below the declaration in english, german, french

Die Erklärung “Lampedusa in Berlin” (interview to Bashir: https://vimeo.com/65158161 and to Ousmane: https://vimeo.com/65158162), die von Flüchtlingen des Protestcamps in Berlin-Kreuzberg veröffentlicht wurde, übernahmen Flüchtlinge in Hamburg, die aus der gleichen Situation kommen. Sie begannen heute, am ersten Mai, ihren ersten Auftritt in der Öffentlichkeit während des bundesweiten Kirchentages in Hamburg. Um 18 Uhr versammelte sich eine Gruppe von mehr als 50 Flüchtlingen mit Transparenten und Flugblättern im Hamburger Hafen, an dem Platz, wo ein Teil des Kirchtag-Programms stattfindet. Sie informierten die Öffentlichkeit und riefen zur Solidarität auf. Am 3. Mai von 10 Uhr morgens an wird die Gruppe der Flüchtlinge zusammen mit der KARAWANE und der linken Gruppe “atesh” den ganzen Tag über, Informationen verteilen, Filmdokumentationen zeigen und Gespräche führen. Der Platz, wo ihr uns treffen könnt ist: Sandtorkai (Hafencity) direkt vor der MS Anton (Flüchtlingsboot-Projekt).
Wir laden die Öffentlichkeit und die Medien zu kritischer Aufmersamkeit ein. Wir hoffen auf ein klares Signal der Hamburger Kirchen gegen die katastrophale Situation, in die die Menschen gestürzt wurden. Die Flüchtlinge sind entschlossen, sich der bundesweiten Flüchtlingsbewegung für Selbstbestimmung und Freiheit anzuschließen.
unten die Erklärung in englisch, deutsch und französisch

Lampedusa in Hamburg:
“We’re here and we don’t go back”

We are the Refugees coming from Italy with international protection but no rights. We survived the NATO bombings and the civil war in Libya, to be homeless in Italy.

Thousands of us are now in Germany in the same conditions: no housing, no access to social help, no access to the job market. We demand a political solution: “We are here and we don’t go back!”. We want the right to make a living here in Germany.

If we had found possible conditions in Italy we would stay there. There was no possibility to handle anymore. Italian government in the beginning of 2013 closed the programs of reception – the so-called Emergency North Africa – throwing the people basically on the street. 400-500 euro were given to each refugee with the suggestion to go away. Where? To northern Europe.

The problem is now on a european level being Germany one of the most powerful states, decision maker for the migrations and asylum policies in Europe. The Dublin System – with the rule that the Refugees “belong” to the first country in Europe they arrive – is aimed to deny the right of the Refugees to choose where they want to live. The same ideology that’s behind the Residenzpflicht.
We join the struggle the Refugees in Germany are bringing forwards since almost 20 years within the german asylum system. The fight is one.

We demand our rights as recognized refugees:
- the Dublin system must be ended
- housing, social and medical care
- working permit and access to education

Here in Hamburg we were accomodated in a camp for homeless people during the winter period.
This camp was closed beginning of April and we were pushed to the streets again. Our actual situation is catastrophic.
We don’t want to live in the streets and forced to street prostitution, drug dealing or other criminal acts.

We unite, call for solidarity and demand our rights!

Contact:

Asuquo Udo: 0152 146 725 37
Affo Tchassei: 0176-717 402 36
Anane Kofi Mark: 0152-170 045 94

Lampedusa in Hamburg:
„Wir sind hier und gehen nicht zurück“

Wir sind Flüchtlinge aus Italien mit Internationalem Schutz aber ohne Rechte. Wir haben die NATO-Bombardierungen und den Bürgerkrieg in Libyen überlebt und wurden in Italien zu Obdachlosen.

Tausende von uns sind nun in Deutschland unter den gleichen Bedingungen – keine Unterkunft, keine soziale Unterstützung und keine Arbeitserlaubnisse.
Wir fordern eine politische Lösung: „Wir sind hier und wir gehen nicht zurück!“. Wir fordern unser Recht, unser Leben in Deutschland aufzubauen.

Wenn wir in Italien Überlebensmöglichkeiten gefunden hätten, würden wir dort bleiben. Es gab keine Möglichkeit mehr, dort zu bleiben. Die Italienische Regierung schloss Anfang des Jahres 2013 das „Nothilfeprogramm Nordafrika“ (Emergency North Africa). Wir wurden praktisch auf die Strasse gesetzt. 400-500 Euro wurden jedem Flüchtling gegeben und gesagt, dass wir das Land verlassen sollen. Wohin? Nach Nordeuropa.

Das Problem ist nun auf europäischer Ebene mit Deutschland als einem der mächtigsten Staaten und Entscheidungsmacher in der europäischen Migrations- und Asylpolitik. Das Dublin-System mit der Regelung, dass Flüchtlinge dem Land der ersten Ankunft „gehören“, zielt auf die Verweigerung der Flüchtlingsrechte frei über ihren Aufenthaltsort zu entscheiden. Es entspringt der gleichen Logik wie die Residenzpflicht.

Wir schließen uns dem Kampf, den Flüchtlinge in Deutschland seit fast 20 Jahren gegen das Deutsche Asylsystem führen, an. Der Kampf ist der gleiche.

Wir fordern unsere Rechte als anerkannte Flüchtlinge:
- Das Dublin-System muss beendet werden
- Unterkunft, soziale und medizinische Versorgung
- Arbeitserlaubnis und Bildungszugang

Hier in Hamburg kamen wir über den Winter in einer Obdachlosenunterkunft der Stadt unter. Diese wurde Anfang April geschlossen und wir erneut auf die Strasse gesetzt. Unsere Lage ist katastrophal.
Wir wollen nicht auf der Strasse leben, zu Strassenprostitution gezwungen oder in Drogengeschäfte oder andere kriminelle Machenschaften gezogen werden.

Wir schließen uns zusammen, rufen zu Solidarität und fordern unsere Rechte!

Kontakt:

Asuquo Udo: 0152 146 725 37
Affo Tchassei: 0176-717 402 36
Anane Kofi Mark: 0152-170 045 94

lampedusa in hamburg:
nous somme ici et nous ne retournerons pas

Nous somme les refugies venant de l ´italie avec une protection internationale qui ont survecu aux bombardement de l´OTAN durant la guerre civile en libye et somme sans abrit en italie.

Des milliers sont actuellement en allemagne dans la meme cituation sans maison et sans acces aux aides sociales, sans acces au marcher du travail. Nous demandons une solution politique: Nous somme ici et nous ne retournerons pas. Nous voudrions le droit de vivre ici en allemagne.

Si nous avions trouve des conditions possibles en italie nous devrions rester laba. Mais il n´y avait pas de possibilite de s´occuper plus de nous.Le gouvernement iltalien au debut de l´annee 2013 a ferme le programme d´accueil appeler Urgence Nord afrique- en poussant dans les rues moyennant une somme entre 400- 500 euro respectif aux refugies et en les suggerant d´aller hors . Oú? Dans les autres pays du nords de l´europe.

Le probleme se trouve maintenant au niveau d´un des plus puissant pays europen decideur et faiseur de lois sur l´immigration et la politique d´asile en europe.Le systeme du Dubin avec les regles que les refugies appartiennent au premier pays d´accueil face au denie de droit aux refugies de choisir oú ils veulent vivrent .la meme ideologie d´une residence surveillee., nous joignons les efforts des refugies ici en allemagne depuis 20 ans.

Nous demandons nos droits en nous considerant comme des refugies:

- le systeme du Dubin doit etre termine.
- Maison sociale et aux soins medicaux
- acces aux pemit de travail et a l´education

Ici a Hamburg nous etions confiner dans un centre de fortune durant la periode hivernale. Ce camp etait ferme au debut avril et nous somme jete de nouveaux dans les rues actuellement notre situation est tres catastrophique . Nous ne voulons pas vivre dans la rue forcer a la prostitution aux trafiques de drogues et autre acte de criminalite.
Nous unit, appel a la solidarite et exiger notre droit

Contact:

Asuquo Udo: 0152 146 725 37
Affo Tchassei: 0176-717 402 36
Anane Kofi Mark: 0152-170 045 94


30 April 2013
by Ternura
0 comments

International Call to Participate in Blockupy 2013 in Frankfurt May 30th to June 1st and other struggles against the Troika

From the crisis’ edges to the power’s core

Everywhere we resist and revolt against the crisis and its governance, we put strength in living struggles and conflicts, and on these pillars we build and weave a new Europe that is born from grassroots.

The Europe we live in, far from the noble thoughts that might have inspired it once upon a time, has been built by a top-down process, driven by pacts and agreements among governments. This has taken place within the framework of neo-liberal ideology, under strong pressure to please financial markets and companies. The result is the concentration of power in the hands of a few institutions, themselves the direct expression of governments which claim to be ‘ours’.

Every real direct involvement and expression of people has progressively been avoided as much as possible. And will be even more so in the future, when national parliaments will simply be increasingly “informed” about what are the needed and mandatory decisions and country-specific measures to be taken.

The governance that the Troika enforces is rude and brutal, based on austerity imposed upon our lives, privatizations of the commons, cuts on social spending and solidarity, tight control and barbarous oppression of migrants.

In this framework, there is no possible compromise with the power that is shaping and driving the governance of crisis in Europe.

The only way out we see is a direct, diffuse, widespread and autonomous social opposition that rises up from grassroots, that not only speaks up furiously against that governance but that also fiercely builds effective conflicts and shared and common alternatives at all levels – from the local to the European.

We think it’s time, respecting the autonomy of specific local movements, to weave and organize a network of struggles that resists and takes back to the people what is being swept away: basic income and social care, houses, basic common goods like water, energy and transportation, high-quality knowledge, labour and social rights, the freedom of movement, and, in general, the possibility to achieve dignity and freedom in life.

This is how we intend to actually blockupy this Europe and to rebuild our Europe from the grassroots: through living struggles and conflicts that are open, viral and mutant; social practices that can be invented, replicated and run by all of us.

The Europe we imagine is not the institutionally-constrained, geographically-bordered region that is usually meant. We think of Euro-Mediterranean Europe, instead, as an entity defined by the common and diverse struggles taking place against that same rude and brutal enforcement of neo-liberalism. It means a new topography of struggles, from Western Europe to the Balkan regions, from Eastern Europe to the whole South-Mediterranean area, considering the ‘Arab springs’ as a living part of the constituent process we look for.

We all now live at the edge of the neo-liberal Europe. Our life has been made as such: constantly in crisis, constantly at the desperation’s edge.

We don’t want to make it anymore. We want our life back, our dignity back. We want our future back, since life without a future is worth nothing.

So we call from all over Europe, people that are struggling, people who want to struggle, people who want to tread on kings to march at the core of power and be counted. The public discourse must be twisted from the tracks of acquiescence, the chance of taking action everywhere is now being connected on a general European level.

So we’ll be in Frankfurt from May 30th to June 1st, taking part in the action days to block the ECB.

So we’ll be in Frankfurt to give strength and body, in thousands and thousands, to the struggle against the crisis, the Troika, against those that shaped this Europe that we do not want anymore. All those who want to deprive us of what makes life worth living, what we want, we need, we deserve, must go away.

Que se vayan todos!

It’s a matter of love, dignity and rage.

 

Save the dates:

  • We will meet along the week of action around the second anniversary of 15M
  • In Frankfurt for BLOCKUPY (30th of May to 1st of June)
  • For decentralized international protests on June 1st gathered by the alliance“Peoples united Against the Troika”/”Que Se Lixe a Troika”
  • In Athens for the AlterSummit (7th to 9th of June)
  • And every time in all the local struggles for our goal: Blockupying Europe.

 

approved by the International Preparatory Blockupy Meeting in Frankfurt, April 27th

 

www.blockupy-frankfurt.org

 

 

30 April 2013
by Ternura
2 Comments

Peoples united Against the Troika: international call for 1st June 2013

[GER below]

Peoples united Against the Troika: International Protest on the 1st of June 

 
Europe is under a violent attack by the financial capital, represented by the troika (IMF, ECB, EC) and by the successive governments that apply concerted policies with these entities, despising and destroying the people. We know that this offensive is set on breaking the peoples, rendering them slaves of debt and austerity. This offensive crosses Europe and it must be defeated by an international struggle. 
 
Each one of us, in each country, in each city, in each house, with our own specificities, feels directly the measures that annihilate the rights conquered throughout the decades, measures which aggravate unemployment, privatize everything that can make a profit and repel the countries’ sovereignties under the propaganda of “external help”. It is urgent that we join forces to fight-off this attack. 
 
The appeal we launched for a decentralized international protest has circulated through dozens of movements in Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Cyprus, Ireland, England, Scotland, Germany and Slovenia. Several international activists, from different European countries, were present In a meeting on the 26th of April, in Lisbon, where this international proposal was discussed. 
 
In the end, we reached a consensus to launch an international protest for the next 1st of June, under the motto “Peoples United Against the Troika!”. 
 
This is the beginning of a decentralized, inclusive and participatory process. We wish to build it collectively, joining all forces available. Henceforth, the date of the 1st of June will be spread on a European scale, and we urge everyone to join this international protest against the troika and against austerity… for the peoples to take control of their lives. 
 
We urge all citizens, with or without party, with or without a job, with or without hope, to join us. We urge all political organizations, social movements, unions, parties, collectives, informal groups, to join us. 
 
We wish to continue to broaden our contacts, both nationally and internationally, for we are aware that only the sum of our voices can stop the new waves of austerity that are being prepared. The peoples of Europe have demonstrated in several moments that they’re not available for more sacrifices, in the name of a future that will never come. The time has come for a massive demonstration of the capacity of these peoples to coordinate the struggle against these policies. 
 
From the North to the South of Europe, let us take the streets against austerity!

see also:
Primero de junio, cita europea contra la austeridad
Movimientos ciudadanos de varios países de la UE convocan una manifestación internacional contra las políticas de ajuste impuestas por la Troika

JAIRO VARGAS, Lisboa, 28/04/2013
http://www.publico.es/internacional/454448/primero-de-junio-cita-europea-contra-la-austeridad

***

Aufruf aus Lissabon für den 1. Juni 2013
Bevölkerungen vereint gegen die Troika: Internationaler Protest am 1. Juni 2013

Am 28. April 2013 fand in Lissabon ein Treffen statt, auf dem sich AktivistInnen aus europäischen Ländern wie Portugal, Spanien, Griechenland, Italien, Frankreich und Schottland versammelten.

Wir haben den folgenden Appell ausgearbeitet:

Europa ist unter einer gewalttätigen Attacke des Finanzkapitals, repräsentiert durch die Troika (Internationaler Währungsfonds, Europäische Zentralbank, Europäische Kommission) und die ihr folgenden Regierungen, die eine mit diesen Einrichtungen abgestimmte Politik betreiben, die die Bevölkerungen verachtet und zerstört. Wir wissen, dass diese Offensive dazu da ist, die Bevölkerungen zu brechen und zu SklavInnen von Schulden und Austerität zu machen. Diese Offensive geht durch ganz Europa und kann nur in einem internationalen Kampf besiegt werden.

Jede/r von uns, in jedem Land, in jeder Stadt, in jedem Haus, mit unseren je eigenen Besonderheiten, fühlt direkt die Maßnahmen, die uns Rechte nehmen, die über Jahrzehnte erkämpft wurden, Maßnahmen, die die Erwerbslosigkeit steigern, die alles privatisieren, womit man Profit machen kann und die die Souveränität der Länder einschränken unter der Propaganda der “externen Hilfe”. Es ist dringend notwendig, dass wir unsere Kräfte bündeln, um diesen Angriff zurückzuschlagen.

Der Appell, den wir für einen dezentralen, internationalen Protest in Umlauf gebracht hatten, ist in Dutzenden von Bewegungen in Spanien, Frankreich, Italien, Griechenland, Zypern, Irland, England, Schottland, Deutschland und Slowenien zirkuliert. Mehrere internationale AktivistInnen aus verschiedenen europäischen Ländern waren bei dem Treffen am 26. April in Lissabon mit dabei, auf dem dieser internationale Vorschlag diskutiert wurde.

*Am Ende erreichten wir einen Konsens zu einem internationalen Protest am 1. Juni unter dem Motto “Bevölkerungen vereint gegen die Troika!”*

Dies ist der Anfang eines Prozesses, der dezentral, einschließend und zur aktiven Teilnahme einladend ist. Wir wünschen uns, ihn gemeinsam voranzutreiben und dass sich ihm alle verfügbaren Kräfte anschließen.
Von heute an wird das Datum des 1. Juni europaweit verbreitet und wir bitten jede/n dringend, sich an diesem internationalen Protest zu beteiligen, der sich gegen die Troika und Austerität richtet und dafür eintritt, dass die Bevölkerungen die Kontrolle über ihre Leben übernehmen.

Wir bitten alle BürgerInnen dringend, ob mit oder ohne Partei, ob mit oder ohne Job, ob mit oder ohne Hoffnung, sich uns anzuschließen. Wir bitten dringend alle politischen Organisationen, alle sozialen Bewegungen, Gewerkschaften, Parteien, Kollektive, informellen Gruppen, sich uns anzuschließen.

Wir wünschen uns, unsere Kontakte weiterhin zu verbreitern, sowohl national als auch international, denn wir sind uns dessen bewusst, das nur die Summe unserer Stimmen die aufeinanderfolgenden Wellen der Austerität stoppen kann, die weiterhin über den Bevölkerungen zusammenschlagen. Die Menschen Europas haben mehrmals gezeigt, dass sie für weitere Opfer im Namen einer Zukunft, die niemals kommen wird, nicht zur Verfügung stehen. Die Zeit ist reif für eine massive Demonstration der Fähigkeit dieser Bevölkerungen ihre Kämpfe zu koordinieren gegen diese Politik und für eine bessere Zukunft.

Vorm Norden bis zum Süden Europas, auf die Straßen gegen Austerität!