Call for Action from Gerak Lawan
July 20, 2013
Dear Friends,
Warm greetings of solidarity from Indonesia!
We are writing to you on behalf of the Indonesian People’s Movement Against Neocolonialism-Imperialism (Gerak Lawan), a national coalition established in 2005, now leading the way on the road to the 9th Ministerial of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Bali, Indonesia.
However, we, social movements and organizations, not only in Indonesia and Asia, but all around the world, are not just leading a campaign to stop the expansion of the WTO but also to begin a long standing battle to end with the WTO and the wave of FTA that are exploding all over the world. The Bali Ministerial serves as an emblematic moment in this struggle because of what the WTO has and continues to stand for – the model of endless growth and the prioritization of profit and transnational corporations over people and planet. This is the moment where we need to strengthen and coordinate more closely all the fights and campaigns against FTAs, BITs and the base for all of them: the WTO. This is the opportunity to strengthen the link between all different kind of movements in relation to food, water, employment, climate, migration, women, health, finance and many others because the free trade agenda of the WTO and the FTAs are impacting all of them.
Hand in hand with Gerak Lawan in this struggle is the newly formed coordination of social movements in Asia, the Social Movements for an Alternative Asia (SMAA). Together with Gerak Lawan, SMAA aims to send out the message that the time is now for Economic Justice. It is time for a systemic change and for alternatives to be supported and pushed forward. It is not only possible but necessary to have a world without the WTO, FTAs and TNCs.
After a coordination meeting in Indonesia between members of Gerak Lawan and SMAA, this joint action plan and roadmap to Bali was formulated. The dates of the specific activities can still change pending the negotiations and finalization of logistics and venues in Bali itself. But this general overview gives you a sense of what the Week of Action will be like in Bali.
ACTION PLAN can be found here: http://www.igj.or.id/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=734&Itemid=175
We are sharing this with you now as some of you had signed on to the original Call to Action from Gerak Lawan issued last January 2013 – “Deal a decisive blow to Neoliberalism, End the WTO and Stop the new wave of Free Trade Agreements, The time is now for Economic Justice!”
As a supporter to our call, we want to not only keep you updated and informed on the plans on the road to and in Bali itself, we would also like to get your input and be in close communication with all of you, especially those of you who are planning to come to Bali or hold solidarity actions in your cities during the Bali Week of Action.
We will establish a mailing list to facilitate easier communication, and we will be subscribing you to it. If you do not wish to be subscribed and/or want your colleagues to be subscribed, please send an email to: geraklawan@yahoo.com
Only those organizations who have signed on to the Gerak Lawan Call to Action can be added to this mailing list. If you would like to join the mailing list, please first endorse the call to action:
http://www.igj.or.id/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=705&Itemid=175
Please send an email to geraklawan@yahoo.com to indicate your endorsement.
There will be space for self-organized activities during the Bali Week of Action. We will keep you updated on how you can register those activities.
We look forward to working with all of you in dealing a decisive blow to Neoliberalism in Bali this December 2013!
On behalf of Gerak Lawan,
Henry Saragih, Serikat Petani Indonesia
Riza Damanik, Indonesia for Global Justice
Dani Setiawan, Koalisi Anti Utang (Anti-Debt Coalition, Indonesia)
ACTION PLAN can be found here: http://www.igj.or.id/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=734&Itemid=175
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