"civil society" manifesto

[Doug Henwood]

[distribution is never an implied endorsement]

Date: Wed, 05 Apr 2000 12:33:42 -0400
From: "Alesha Daughtrey" <alesha at citizen.org>

- please distribute widely. Apologies for crosspostings -

After civil society and activists from around the world scored the 
fantastic victory in Seattle against the World Trade Organization 
(WTO) last year, the question we have all been asked is "where do we 
go from here?" How do we continue to build on and expand the momentum 
that we enjoy, and how do we broaden the movement and bring more 
people and organizations into it?

Last year we rallied under the slogan "No New Round - Turn Around." 
The international sign-on letter demanding a moratorium on further 
trade and investment negotiations through the WTO had more than 1500 
groups signed on to it by the time of the Ministerial.

People representing a variety of country-based campaigns worldwide 
came together in March to strategize and discuss next steps. Like 
everyone, we were eager to find a way to discuss "next steps" with 
international allies. When we heard that several of the activists 
highly involved over the past three years in the campaigns against 
the Multilateral Agreement on Investment (MAI) and WTO   -- from 
India, Canada, Malaysia, Mexico, Chile, Europe -- were coming to the 
US for several other overlapping meetings, we reached out to 
colleagues from other countries -- Philippines, Cameroon, Ghana, 
France, Ecuador, Japan, New Zealand -- which were active in these 
past campaigns but would otherwise not be in the U.S. at that time.

At this strategy meeting, a consensus document -- inspired by the 
success of the "No New Round, Turnaround" letter -- was created with 
the goal of launching a new international NGO campaign. The document, 
attached & included in the body of the e-mail, is called: "WTO - 
Shrink or Sink! The Turn Around Agenda."

As with last year's successful international campaign, the "WTO - 
Shrink or Sink!" campaign aims to incorporate the approaches and 
issues of a variety of organizations and networks. It offers a 
fundamental critique of the WTO and the system of corporate managed 
trade that we are currently living under, and sets forth a set of 
demands on our governments to roll-back the power and authority of 
the WTO.

The idea is to pass this statement around and build up an even larger 
and more diverse list of signatories than previous statements. With 
thanks to Friends of the Earth International for taking on this 
function last time, Public Citizen's Global Trade Watch has agreed 
(at least for now) to take responsibility for collecting the names of 
the groups who sign on. Some of the groups that helped draft the 
statement have already signed it, and we are hoping for many many 
more! All we are doing is keeping track of the names, so it is on 
everyone who gets this email to spread it around and find groups to 
sign on.

We should set an international Day of Action (for later this 
spring/summer) to launch the campaign with press events, teach-ins, 
demonstrations, etc. in cities and capitals around the world, similar 
to the September 15, 1999 Days of Action on the WTO around the world.

Here are the details for how an organization can sign the letter:

1) This is an organizational sign-on letter only. We will not be 
adding individuals to it.
2) In the subject line type  in "Shrink or Sink signatory"
3) In the body of the e-mail list the organization and country 
(contact information such as address, phone & fax is also 
appreciated) that you are signing on. Those who wish should also 
mention how many people the organization represents.
4) Send the e-mail to mstrand at citizen.org
5) You can also sign the letter by going to www.tradewatch.org - 
click on WTO on the globe.

We will be sending out regular updates with the signatories. Please 
circulate this amongst your colleagues and networks.

________________________________________________

WTO - Shrink or Sink!
The Turn Around Agenda

It's time to turn trade around. In November 1999, the World Trade 
Organization's (WTO) Third Ministerial Meeting in Seattle collapsed 
in spectacular fashion, in the face of unprecedented protest from 
people and governments around the world. We believe it is essential 
to use this moment as an opportunity to change course and develop an 
alternative, humane, democratically accountable and sustainable 
system of commerce that benefits all. This process entails rolling 
back the power and authority of the WTO.

The GATT Uruguay Round Agreements and the establishment of the WTO 
were proclaimed as a means of enhancing the creation of global wealth 
and prosperity and promoting the well-being of all people in all 
member states. In reality, however, The WTO has contributed to the 
concentration of wealth in the hands of the rich few; increasing 
poverty for the majority of the world's peoples, especially in third 
world countries; and unsustainable patterns of production and 
consumption.

The WTO and GATT Uruguay Round Agreements have functioned principally 
to pry open markets for the benefit of transnational corporations at 
the expense of national and local economies; workers, farmers, 
indigenous peoples, women and other social groups; health and safety; 
the environment; and animal welfare. In addition, the WTO system, 
rules and procedures are undemocratic, un-transparent and 
non-accountable and have operated to marginalize the majority of the 
world's people.

All this has taken place in the context of increasing global 
instability, the collapse of national economies, growing inequity 
both between and within nations and increasing environmental and 
social degradation, as a result of the acceleration of the process of 
corporate globalization.

The governments which dominate the WTO, especially the United States, 
the European Union, Japan and Canada, and the transnational 
corporations which have benefitted from the WTO system have refused 
to recognize and address these problems. They are still intent on 
further liberalization, including through the expansion of the WTO, 
promoting free trade as a goal in itself.  In reality, however, free 
trade is anything but "free".

The time has come to acknowledge the crises of the international 
trading system and its main administering institution, the WTO. We 
need to replace this old, unfair and oppressive trade system with a 
new, socially just and sustainable trading framework for the 21st 
Century.

We need to protect cultural, biological, economic and social 
diversity; introduce progressive policies to prioritize local 
economies and trade; secure internationally recognized economic, 
cultural, social and labor rights; and reclaim the sovereignty of 
peoples and national and sub-national democratic decision-making 
processes.  In order to do this, we need new rules based on the 
principles of democratic control of resources, ecological 
sustainability, equity, cooperation and precaution.

In light of the above, we make the following demands of our governments:

No WTO expansion
We reiterate our opposition to continued attempts to launch a new 
round or expand the WTO by bringing in new issues such as investment, 
competition, government procurement, biotechnology and accelerated 
tariff liberalization.

WTO Hands off: Protect Basic Social Rights and Needs
It is inappropriate and unacceptable for social rights and basic 
needs to be constrained by WTO rules. Thus WTO Agreements must not 
apply to issues critical to human or planetary welfare, such as food 
and water, basic social services, health and safety, and animal 
protection. Inappropriate encroachment by trade rules in such areas 
has already resulted in campaigns on genetically modified organisms, 
old growth forests, domestically prohibited goods and predatory 
tobacco marketing.

Gut GATS: Protect Basic Social Services
In particular, areas such as health, education, energy and other 
basic human services must not be subject to international free trade 
rules. In the WTO General Agreement on Services (GATS), the principle 
of "progressive liberalization" and the implications of foreign 
investment in service sectors has already led to severe problems.

Take TRIPS Out: Restore National Patent Protection Systems
We demand the removal of the Trade Related Intellectual Property 
Rights Agreement (TRIPS) from the WTO. There is no basis for 
inclusion of intellectual property claims in a trade agreement. 
Additionally, the TRIPS agreement promotes monopoly by transnational 
corporations; prevents access to essential medicines and other goods; 
leads to private appropriation of knowledge and life forms; 
undermines biodiversity; and keeps poorer countries from increasing 
their levels of social and economic welfare and developing their 
technological capacity.

No Patents on Life
The patenting of life forms must be prohibited in all national and 
international regimes.

Food is a Basic Human Right
Measures taken to promote and protect food security and sovereignty, 
subsistence farming, humane farming practices and sustainable 
agriculture must be exempt from international free trade rules. There 
must be a prohibition on export subsidies and other forms of dumping 
of agricultural products, especially on third world countries. The 
trading system must not undermine the livelihood of peasants, small 
farmers, artesinal fishers and indigenous peoples.

No Investment Liberalization
The WTO Trade Related Investment Measures (TRIMS) Agreement must be 
eliminated.  All countries and especially third world countries must 
have the right to use policy options (such as local content policy) 
to increase the capacity of their own productive sectors, especially 
small and medium enterprises. Obviously, the TRIMS review must not be 
used to extend the investment issue in WTO.

Fair Trade: Special and Differential Treatment
Special and differential rights for third world countries must be 
recognized, expanded, and operationalized in the world trading 
system. This is to take into account the weak position of third world 
countries in the international trading system. Without the 
enforcement of special and differential rights, there can be no 
possibility of third world countries benefitting from world trade.

Prioritize Agreements on Social Rights and the Environment
Actions taken to implement multilateral agreements dealing with the 
environment, health, development, human rights, safety, indigenous 
peoples' rights, food security, women's rights, workers' rights and 
animal welfare cannot be challenged at or undermined by the WTO.

Democratize Decision-Making
People must have the right to self-determination and the right to 
know and decide on international commercial commitments. Among other 
things, this requires that decision-making processes in negotiations 
and enforcement at international commercial bodies be democratic, 
transparent and inclusive. The WTO operates in a secretive, 
exclusionary manner that shuts out most third world country Members 
and the public. It is dominated by a few powerful governments acting 
on behalf of their corporate elites.

Dispute the System
The WTO dispute settlement system is unacceptable. It enforces an 
illegitimate system of unfair rules and operates with undemocratic 
procedures. It also usurps the rulemaking and legislative role of 
sovereign nations and local governments.

A socially just international trade system will also require change 
outside the WTO. Given the attacks by multinational corporations and 
governments on basic workers rights; the reversal of the gains of 
workers' struggles; the undermining of job security; and the 
race-to-the-bottom in wages, workers rights must be strengthened 
worldwide.

Also, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and the 
regional development banks must write off 100% of the debts owed to 
them by poor countries.  The use of structural adjustment 
conditionality to force trade liberalization in third world countries 
and elsewhere must be stopped. Governments must negotiate, through 
the UN system and with full democratic participation, a binding 
agreement to ensure that corporate conduct is socially and 
environmentally responsible and democratically accountable.

Conclusions and Consequences

We are committed to a sustainable, socially just and democratically 
accountable trade system. Thus, as a first step, we demand that our 
governments implement the changes listed in this document in order to 
roll back the power and authority of the WTO and turn trade around.

We commit ourselves to mobilize people within our countries to fight 
for these demands and to defy the unjust policies of the WTO. We will 
also support other people and countries who do so with international 
solidarity campaigns.

We pledge to carry the Spirit of Seattle around the world.

Signed by:

Australia
Friends of the Earth

Chile
Programa Chile Sustentable
Fundacion Sociedades Sustentables

Finland
Finnish NGO Campaign on WTO
Friends of the Earth Finland
Finnish Association of World Shops
The Communist Party of Finland
Socialist Association

France
Droits devant!!
Ecoropa
Institut pour la relocalisation de l'=E9conomie
Observatoire de la mondialisation

Holland
Corporate Europe Observatory
Towards a Different Europe

Japan
Friends of the Earth Japan

Malaysia
Third World Network

New Zealand
Friends of the Earth

Phillippines
Legal rights and Natural Resources Center-Kasama sa Kalikasan/Friends 
of the Earth Philippines   Ibon Foundation
Bayan-Phillippines (New Patriotic Alliance)

UK
Friends of the Earth (England, Wales and North Ireland)

U.S.
Animal Welfare Institute
Alliance for Democracy
Bay Area Jubilee 2000 Coalition
Center for Economic Policy and Research
Economic Justice Now
Economic Justice Now Africa Committee
Friends of the Earth
Humane Society, U.S.
Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy
Public Citizen
Society of Animal Protective Legislation
United for a Fair Economy
__________________

How an organization can sign the letter:

1) This is an organizational sign-on letter only. We will not be 
adding individuals to it.
2) In the subject line type  in "Shrink or Sink signatory"
3) In the body of the e-mail list the organization and country 
(contact information such as address, phone & fax is also 
appreciated) that you are signing on. Those who wish should also 
mention how many people the organization represents.
4) Send the e-mail to mstrand at citizen.org
5) You can also sign the letter by going to www.tradewatch.org - 
click on WTO on the globe.


Alesha Daughtrey, Organizer
Public Citizen's Global Trade Watch
202-454-5103 (tel), 202-547-7392 (fax)
215 Pennsylvania Ave., SE
Washington, DC  20003
alesha at citizen.org
www.tradewatch.org