PARIS,
November 13 (IslamOnline.net) - The world should form a world
solidarity movement against the “unfair” capital-dominated
globalization - this was the message of more than 60,000 delegates
from 1,750 non-governmental European organizations meeting here amid
much fanfare on Wednesday, November 13.
The
themes of the three-day European Social Forum (ESF) will include a
critical review of European agriculture policy, women’s rights,
xenophobia as well as the promotion of dialogue between peoples and
cultures across the world, organizers said.
“The
ESF is concerned to find alternatives to stand steadfast in the face
of multinational companies and other world organizations, and lay down
visions against economic and social marginalization, power
concentration and environmental damage,” said the opening statement,
read in four different parts of the French capital where the
activities of the three-day event would be convened.
Keen
to convey a unanimous agreement, the statement was read in nine
languages, representing all of the nationalities of the
representatives here.
Prominent
anti-globalization activist turned the tone up with a fiery speech he
gave against the backdrop of flashes of fireworks and loud sound of
Samba drumming in St Denis.
“There
is a McDonalds franchise a few meters from here. They - the symbols of
imperialistic hegemony - should pack up and leave,” Bove said,
noting that the slogan of this year’s EFS round is “Another World
Is Possible”.
Behind
him, a group of youth with folded hands chanted slogans, all urging
peace should be sought after releasing justice and ending occupation.
Others
were rather sympathetic with immigrants, specifically taking criticism
to French Interior Minister Nikolai Sarkozi for seeking to have new
laws that would increase pressures on the immigrants here.
“This
is a model of the liberal thinking seeking to crush people and
individuals,” Bove intercepted the objections.
“So,
we seek alternatives, genuine ones,” he said, with nods coming out
of nearly of all those behind.
For
Jacques Nikonoff, these alternatives are already there, citing the
wave of support for anti-globalization movement.
“Ironically,
this competitive trend pushed one the right-wing pioneers to claim
that he is anti-globalization, despite his government’s bids to have
more greed liberal laws enacted,” Nikonoff said, with as
enthusiastic as defiant tone.
“For
those claiming we have no alternatives, call it a day,” he said.
The
Paris forum is the second such European meeting following the ESF in
Florence in Italy last year. It will follow the principles of the
World Social Forum (WSF) launched in Porto Alegre in Brazil in 2001.
Lines
Of Discussion
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“For those claiming we have no alternatives, call it a day,” Nikonoff
|
The
ESF program will follow five ”lines of discussions”.
The
first line against war will bring debates on international law, global
disarmament, military globalization and imperial politics. It will
propose new North-South relations based on development and economic
cooperation.
A
second line of discussion against neo-liberalism calls for debates on
citizens' and democratic rights in Europe, and an analysis of the
draft European Union constitution, said the IPS news network.
The
third and fourth lines of discussions call for an examination of
”the logic of profit and for an ecologically sustainable society”,
and of “the merchandising processes of democratic information,
culture and education”.
Among
the civil society representatives attending the ESF are unions,
environmental and humanitarian committees such as Greenpeace and
Doctors of the World, women's groups, supporters of immigrants'
rights, and human rights organizations from all over the continent,
including Central and Eastern Europe.
The
ESF will end November 15 “with a festive, massive protest to evoke a
European culture of peace and citizens' rights,” Pierre Khalfa,
member of the forum's organizing committee, was quoted by the IPS as
saying.
The
ESF will prepare European civil society participation at the fourth
World Social Forum to take place in January next year in the Indian
city Mumbai.
”We
will be discussing WSF subjects on a European basis, and will give
peoples and organizations on our continent who cannot attend meetings
in faraway places the opportunity to express themselves and to
exchange views with other organizations,” Laurent Vannini, one of
the ESF organizers in Paris told IPS.
Within
these the ESF will examine deregulation and privatization of public
services, especially water.
“Several
NGOs working on public services will launch a campaign to keep water
in public hands,” Hélène Ballande of the French section of Friends
of the Earth said.
“We
also want implementation of the international legal framework to
ensure that private international corporations are held responsible
for their noxious behavior, be it environmental disasters, corruption,
or exploitation of human work,” she added.
