G8 2003 in France

Thursday December 12, 2002 18:38

by No Pasaran

proposed organising and discussion meeting in Lyon for January 11 th 2003

This year the G8 will meet in Evian, France, a mountainous
region in the Haute-Savoie. The G8 leaders and the leading
figures of the international financial institutions (IMF, World
Bank etc..) arrogantly assume the right to rule our lives according
to the logic, needs and desires of Capitalism. Not one corner of
the earth will be left untouched; the market economy rule over
every aspect of our lives. And the consequences for us are as
predictable as ever - rising poverty, war and repression.
No Pasaran will participate in the mass protests against the G8 as
one of the many anti-globalistation groups. For us it is important
that the mobilisations go further than demonstrating our number
in the streets: we must also open up a space in which we can hold
free and open gatherings where we elaborate our ideas and
alternatives. We are aware of the increasingly repressive nature of
the police and military apparatus which imposes increasing
difficulties on how we assemble for each counter-summit.

This is why we would like to propose that we - individuals,
groups and organisations from the anti-capitalist movement -
seek to establish the creation of an alternative, anti-capitalist
village during the G8 summit. We think it would be interesting to
create a space where:

1) the autonomy afforded by such a space will allow free political
expression and reflection, and, above all, the affirmation of our
alternative, political propositions, where our actions result in
the establishment of concrete alternatives drawn from direct and
accountable democracy, self-management and acts of resistance
and/or disobedience. We consider it important that this
alternative space, being of the most democratic and transparent
nature, becomes a place for social and political alternatives in
every respect, and thus representing a space which demonstrates
a break with capitalism.

2) through its autonomy, this place can become a real point of
convergence for the various forms of resistance to capitalist
globalisation, where there exists the possibility of expression for
the different strategies and axes of resistance (and an opportunity
for various individuals, groups and organisations to link together)
We would like to elaborate our reflections upon two of these
axes. First, the questions of social apartheid (civil liberties, social and economic insecurity). Second, the questions of international solidarity (the individual's right to unhindered movement across
the globe, North-South relations, imperialism). Other themes
such as the questions of economic development, war and
nationalism can also be developed, to name but a few. The
discussions must be taken as an opportunity for construction and
meeting point between the different elements of the anti-capitalist
movement. We shall seek to have fair and equal discussions in a
debate which will not be monopolised by specialists. We call on all individuals, groups and organisations to mobilise and organise themselves to participate in the mobilisation against the G8 summit, and in the realisation
of this autonomous forum of free and open, alternative political
expression. We propose a meeting in Lyon for January 11 th
2003 which will aim to gather together all networks,
trade-unions, groups, associations, organisations, etc..to discuss
the propositions outlined above.