During the last few years, Latin American struggles have become one symbol of workers, indigenous communities and marginalised sectors being clearly conscious of their historical role, and acting on it. And where their resistances and struggles have attracted people from other parts of the world.
In Australia many activists have identified this and have sought to create links of solidarity and struggle with grassroots organisati...ons in Latin America that, with creativity and commitment, are pushing for deep changes in their respective countries.
LASNET has been supporting these struggles and creating links with progressive and democratic organisations here in Australia. As a result of this work the movement of solidarity with Latin America has been getting stronger.
LASNET will continue to centre their solidarity efforts with popular and indigenous movements and organisations based in countries where oppressive politics, most notably neoliberalism, are still being implemented and continue to create inequality.
· Countries like Chile, where we see repression of indigenous communities, the pauperisation of the poor in the countryside and the city; where progress and neoliberal advances only benefit the few.
· Colombia, where we see an institutionalised system of state terrorism; where the assassination of unionists and social leaders is a normal practice.
· Peru, where a government subservient to the United States is selling itself to multinational corporations of hunger and misery.
· Mexico, where for more than 17 years the Zapatista movement has presented us with creative alternatives to the misery of Capital and neoliberalism; an inspiring project when compared to the rampart corruption within a Mexican government completely directed by Obama.
· Honduras, where an almost invisible (within Australia at the least) coup d’etat disarmed the democratic institutions and, with the consent of Madame Clinton, continues human rights violations and the murder of activists, without any comment of these issues in the national media.
We could continue and continue, these countries devoted to imperial and neoliberal politics are a big contradiction to the hegemonic countries of Bolivia, Venezuela and Cuba, where international support is of total importance for the social and popular organisations that are playing a fundamental role in these countries in defying the central empire.
Significant things are happening in Ecuador, but still the marginalised and indigenous communities do not find spaces to raise their voices. In Brazil the State confronts Obama in some spheres and in others supports its politics, maintaining an unclear position on global US influence, where you can see some changes in supporting the people. Here our efforts will to support the MST, the biggest social grassroots movement for change in Latin America.
We will centre our discussions and presentations at this forum on those countries where the neoliberal and imperial domination exercises his desperate influence and where the peoples, workers and indigenous peoples stand firm against the avalanche of injustices and discrimination that oppresses them.
From Chile we are having a Chilean Mapuche activist, Cristian Fuentes, who will talk about the current situation of the social and indigenous movement in confrontation with the reactionary government of Chile today.
Ben will talk about the oppressive Colombia today.
Rosie will inform us of the current situation in Honduras.
Anita will share with us her experience and vision on Mexico.
James will share with us A Cornflour and Omelette history of Colombia.
Lucho will introduce the struggle against IIRSA and the political hubs against hegemonic politics in Allende, Che and Sandino’s continent and so many other fighters that gave their lives, so others could live.
View flyer here:
http://observatoriointernacionalcpm.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/seminar2...
