MELBOURNE - AUSTRALIA
SECOND LATIN AMERICAN & ASIA-PACIFIC SOLIDARITY GATHERING
21 - 22 OCTOBER 2006
"For the right to organise globally"

Dear friends, comrades, activists,
 
Through this letter we would like to communicate to all those interested in the struggle for social justice that the Solidarity Gathering with Latin America and the Asia-Pacific will be held on the 21-22 of October of 2006.  This Gathering was initially planned for the months of May or June, but due to organisers' time constraints and insufficient funds we have decided to hold the second Solidarity Gathering with Latin America and the Asia-Pacific in the month of October with the 21st and 22nd being the central days.

We think that the months of October and November will be ones of active solidarity with Latin America in Australia.  During these months we will be visited by important representatives of the social and popular movements.  Representatives of the Mapuche Indigenous movement from Chile and from the Argentinean social movements will visit different cities in Australia promoting the Solidarity Gathering and their respective struggles, from Bolivia a representative from the Coalition in defence of Water, from Venezuela a representative from Training and Education Centre Simon Rodriguez, and we hope a representative from El Salvador popular Movement.  Just before the Gathering representatives from different grass-root movements will be arrived in Australia. 

During the Gathering on the 21st and 22nd of October the representatives of the different struggles across the continent will provide information on their respective movements and their proposals, there will be discussion workshops to finalise a plenary in which there will be resolutions discussed referring to future relations between our two continents in order to continue the struggle and resistance against corporate globalisation.

Millions of the inhabitants of the American continent, dispossessed by Neoliberal Capitalism, imperialist looting, corruption and repression are with increasing frequency and effectiveness defying this system, its leaders and US intervention.

The struggle against neoliberalism in Latin America is being defined along many paths, including electoral processes that the ruling classes have been forced to permit and where the popular organisations have recovered their historic influence.  We have cases such as Venezuela, whose government is developing a politics that seeks redistribution of wealth and is opening up spaces where the social movements, the marginalised and excluded can exercise their power and confront the capitalist abuses.  In similar circumstances the Bolivian people have elected Evo Morales with the hope to develop the country and lift it from poverty, today its government declare that the Gas and hydrocarbons are owns by Bolivian People.  Other elections like those experienced in Chile, Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay have resulted in governments that maintain their progressive face while not necessarily going any deeper than that and the social movements are continuing their tireless struggle.

The people resist and at the same time they propose alternatives with their actions, new and autonomous ways of struggling and organising the grass roots.  The struggles across Latin America are growing and we believe that they have a lot to contribute to the global movement against social exclusion, labor law “reform”, injustices perpetrated on indigenous people and repression through the so called anti-terror laws.  Latin America has experienced in the past and is experiencing in the present these injustices and it is now time to share these experiences and struggle and resist together.

We, for many years through various organisations and today through the Latin American Solidarity Network (LASNET) have worked to support the struggles of the Latin American people.  Today we continue to seek ways to widen this work and to increase its public penetration and that is why we have decided to hold the second Solidarity Gathering with Latin America and the Asia-Pacific in this country.

This project seeks to give voice to social and political activists from Latin America and the Asia-Pacific region.  It seeks to help rebuild a broad solidarity movement with the peoples of the Americas and help create real links between our struggles and hopes.  This is why “For the right to organise globally” is one of the principles of the Solidarity Gathering in October.

If you are in the condition to and have the desire to contribute financially to this project it will be the grass-roots social movements that thank you for this gesture of solidarity.  Please make your contribution out to ALCIA, account № 06 3575 10077974 or send a cheque or money order to P.O. Box 813 North-Melbourne VIC 3051 addressed to Australian Latin America Cultural and Indigenous Association(ALCIA). On the other hand if you want to participate and directly support the organisation of this Gathering we are awaiting you email or phone call!  You will receive our solidarity and thanks.

…and that’s why we insist, for everyone, everything! For us, nothing!
Because the only struggle that is lost, is one that is abandoned.  Not one step back!

When the storm passes
When the rains and fire leave the Earth in peace
The world will no longer be the world, but something better
(EZLN)

Latin American Solidarity Network (LASNET),
lasnet@latinlasnet.org
www.latinlasnet.org

P.O.BOX 813, North-Melbourne VIC 3051 Australia

If you like to subscribe to our e-mail distribtion and discussion list go to: http://lists.latinlasnet.org/mailman/listinfo/lasnetmail

If you like more info, please contact:

Lucho: 0402 754 818 or riquelmel@bigpond.com
Colm: 9354 2703 or hayduke@optusnet.com.au
Marisol: 9481 2273, 0401 558 373 or solema@hotmail.com

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