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The mobilization in Miami is underway
(Starhawk, Utne Reader, November 12, 2003)
We've come here to protest the FTAA, the Free Trade Area of the Americas, a trade agreement that will be negotiated in a ministerial here in Miami November 20-21. . . . The FTAA has been described as "NAFTA on steroids." It extends throughout the entire hemisphere, far beyond the territory covered by the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which currently affects the U.S., Mexico, and Canada. Since NAFTA was signed in 1994, the U.S. has lost 785,000 manufacturing jobs. Mexico has gained jobs but lost hundreds of thousands of small businesses: average income from manufacturing has fallen by 21 percent . . . The FTAA is being negotiated without true public participation. CEOs of corporations and other top business leaders are afforded a chance to give meaningful input through the American Business Forum, meeting here during the week before the FTAA ministerial, but the text of the agreement is not being released to the general public and environmental and labor groups are offered only a token meeting with the ministers. The FTAA contains a clause that allows corporations to sue governments for loss of their "projected profits" if environmental or labor regulations cut into their bottom line. Rulings on those suits are made by tribunals in secret hearings not open to the public, by bureaucrats who are not elected nor accountable to us, and their rulings override the laws we make. . . . This mobilization is looking big. After Cancun, we talked about trying to organize at a slightly less frantic pace, trying to find ways for new people to step up to larger responsibilities and spread the work. That's happening. But, like Cancun, Miami does not have a large, radical community to draw from. There are some dedicated, mostly young, activists here from the local area, but much of the experience and drive for the actions is coming from outside. . . . The mobilization is seriously short on money. If any of you can help, please check the www.unitedforpeace.org web site -- you can donate online. We need money for food, medical supplies, copies, signs, banners, and all of it. A few more resources could really make the difference in how effective we are here, Thanks, Starhawk

posted by Lorenzo 3:33 PM