Call to International Action

 

 

For the Economic, Political, Cultural and Environmental Sovereignty of Our Peoples

End the Impunity of Transnational Corporations Now! 

 

The time has come to unite the hundreds of struggles, campaigns, networks, movements and organizations that are combating the different ways transnational corporations (TNCs) are appropriating our destinies, natural heritage and rights, dismantling public services, destroying the commons and endangering food sovereignty in every corner of the planet.

Neoliberal globalization has opened the doors for the savage exploitation of the world by the big economic powers. They have gradually taken over our lives and the planet by creating a blanket of impunity through the dismantling and systematic violation of laws and the signing of international trade and investment agreements, which award investors more rights than citizens. As a result, peoples’ rights have been systematically violated, the Earth and its resources destroyed, pillaged and contaminated, and resistance criminalized, while corporations continue committing economic and ecological crimes with total impunity. Driven by their imperative of maximizing profit, TNCs seek to pit workers from different regions against one another in what is a race to the bottom for the world’s working people.

The governance and policies of multilateral institutions – such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank (WB), and the World Trade Organisation (WTO) – have long served corporate interests, while  the United Nations (UN) or the European Union (EU) have been increasingly captured by TNCs. This is reflected in the policies shaped to satisfy the interests of capital and in these institutions’ systematic refusal to impose limits on corporations.

In most countries, governments are at the service of corporate interests and against us, the majority of peoples. Setting aside democratic principles, they usurp institutions and, with the complicity of national elites, succeed in altering laws and policies that allow them to continue plundering the wealth of nations and maintain their predatory relation to nature. In the face of mounting criticism of their operations, TNCs’ have designed tools like Corporate Social Responsibility to clean up their image, while allowing them to continue to increase their profits. Furthermore, they control major media agencies, which play a key role in ensuring the continuity of corporate hegemony.

Acting with brutality in the rich countries from which they originate, but especially in countries of the Global South – and increasingly in “emerging” countries like Brazil, India, China and Russia – major corporations are appropriating more and more of our wealth and rights. Their growing economic monopoly, political power and control over the justice system destroy our right to a decent life and dominate our peoples’ and nations’ cultural habits and consumption patterns.

Transnationals have commodified life and continue to seize our territories, forests and water and transform social and human relations. Health and education, for example, are now considered privileges of those who have money, and are no longer seen as the rights of all people. With the crisis in the U.S. and various European countries, the banks have expropriated thousands of people’s houses. In Europe, they have imposed austerity measures, which are a replica of the structural adjustment programs implemented years ago in countries in the South to deal with the so-called “external debt”. Today, we are seeing unprecedented attacks on public services, labour rights and social programs, while governments use public funds to save the market’s excesses and the financial institutions.

Transnational corporations operate globally, moving from one country to another, while applying the same recipe to generate profit at any cost. It is we, the 99%, who bear the costs. Yet, resistance is growing throughout the world. Every day, there are more communities, movements and peoples struggling against transnationals – often confronting specific companies or sectors and that have won important victories. Even so, we have not succeeded in halting the advance of corporations, as when defeated in one place, they adjust their strategies and move to another, where they confront any obstacle that rises on their path.

Therefore, to confront corporate power and the system that protects and benefits TNCs, it is urgent and necessary to give a systematic response. We must unite our experiences and our struggles, learn collectively from our victories and our failures and share our analysis and strategies for putting an end to the impunity of transnationals. The concrete struggles of our communities against a transnational corporation could be even more victorious if we are able to unite them with the efforts of other people in other countries, regions or continents.

Sharing our experience in developing ways of life that are distinct from the culture of transnational production imposed by capitalism, that now wants to disguise itself as “green”, is fundamental for building an alternative society in which we, the people, are the protagonists.

We, the undersigned, hereby invite you to join us in collectively building this process of mobilization towards a global campaign against the power of corporations and their crimes against humanity. Dismantling the transnationals’ system of power demands coordinated action at the global level: engaging in struggles in various spheres, combining mobilizations on the streets and in territories with popular education and actions in parliaments, media and international forums and organisations.

By creating a powerful movement of solidarity and action against TNCs, their apologists and promoters, we will begin to build a world free from corporate power and greed.

 

Dismantle Corporate Power!

End the Impunity of Transnational Corporations!

 

List of Sign-Ons:

 

International

• Bi-regional Europe-Latin America y the Caribbean Enlazando Alternativas Network
   www.enlazandoalternativas.org

• Blue Planet Project
   www.blueplanetproject.net

• CADTM International
   www.cadtm.org

• Corporate Accountability International
   www.stopcorporateabuse.org

• FIAN International
   www.fian.org

• Food and Water Watch
   www.foodandwaterwatch.org

• Friends of the Earth International
   www.foei.org

• Global Forest Coalition (GFC)
   www.globalforestcoalition.org

• International Articulation of those Affected by Vale
   www.atingidospelavale.wordpress.com

• International Association of Democratic Lawiers (IADL)
   www.iadllaw.org

• Intercontinental Network for the Promotion of the Social Solidarity Economy (RIPESS)
   www.ripess.org

• La Via Campesina
   www.viacampesina.org

• People’s Health Movement
   phmovement.org

• The International Office for Human Rights Action on Colombia (OIDHACO)
   www.oidhaco.org

• Transnational Institute – TNI
   www.tni.org

• World Forum for Alternatives
   www.forumdesalternatives.org

• World March of Women
   www.worldmarchofwomen.org

• World Rainforest Movement
   www.wrm.org.uy

 

Regional

• African Uranium Alliance, Africa

• Amigos de la Tierra América Latina y el Caribe – ATALC
   atalc.org

• CADTM – AYNA, Americas
   cadtm.org

• Campaña Justicia Climática, Americas

• Coordinadora Andina de Organizaciones Indigenas – CAOI, Andean region
   www.coordinadoracaoi.org

• Focus on the Global South, India/Thailand/Philippines
   www.focusweb.org

• Food and Water Watch Europe
   www.foodandwatereurope.org

• Hemispheric Social Alliance, Americas
   www.asc-hsa.org

• International Alliance of Natural Resources in Africa (IANRA)
   www.ianra.org

• Jubilee South – Asia Pacific Movement on Debt and Development
   www.apmdd.org

• Jubileo Sur Americas
   jubileosuramericas.net

• Plataforma Interamericana de Derechos Humanos – PIDDHH, Americas
   www.pidhdd.org

• Red Lationamericana por el Acceso a Medicamentos
   www.redlam.org

• Red Latinoamericana sobre Deuda, Desarrollo y Derechos – LATINDADD, Americas
   www.latindadd.org

• Red Vida
   laredvida.org

• RIPESS – Europe
   www.ripess.org

• Social Movements for an Alternative Asia (SMAA)
   www.smaa.asia

• Southern Africa Faith Communities Environmental Initiative (SAFCEI)
   www.safcei.org

• Third World Network Africa
   twnafrica.org

• Trade Union Confederation of the Americas (TUCA)
   www.csa-csi.org

• Transform!europe
   www.transform-network.net

• Transnational Migrant Platform – Europe
   TransnationalMigrantPlatform

• Young Friends of the Earth Europe
   www.foeeurope.org/yfoee

 

National

• ACSUR – Las Segovias, Spain
   acsur.org

• ActionAid France-Peuples solidaires
   www.peuples-solidaires.org

• Action from Ireland – AFRI
   www.afri.ie

• African Women Against Destructive Natural Resource Extraction (WoMin), South Africa

• Asociación de Desarrollo Económico Social, ADES Santa Marta
   adessantamarta.sv

• Asociación por la Paz y los Derechos Humanos Taula per Mèxic
   taulapermexic.org

• Association Internationale de Techniciens, Experts et Chercheurs (AITEC), France
   aitec.reseau-ipam.org

• Alianza Mexicana por la Autodeterminación de los Pueblos – AMAP
   www.rmalc.org.mx

• All India Forum of Forest Movement – (AIFFM), India

• Alliance of Progressive Labour, Philippines
   www.apl.org.ph

• Alternative Information Development Center – AIDC, South Africa
   www.aidc.org.za

• Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM) – Philippines
   alyansatigilmina.net

• AM-net (APEC Monitor NGO Network)
   am-net.org/index.html

• Amigos de la Tierra (España)
   www.tierra.org

• Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign (Stop the Wall), Palestine
   www.stopthewall.org

• Arlac, Belgium
   www.arlac.be

• ATTAC Argentina
  attacargentina.com.ar

• ATTAC Austria
   www.attac.at

• ATTAC France
   www.france.attac.org

• ATTAC Germany
 www.attac.de/

• ATTAC Japan
   www.jca.apc.org

• ATTAC Maroc
   www.attacmaroc.org

• ATTAC Spain
   www.attac.es

• ATTAC Switzerland
   www.suisse.attac.org

• ATTAC Vlaanderen
   vl.attac.be

• A Seed Japan (Action for Solidarity, Equality, Environment and Development)

• Bench Markes Foundation, South Africa
   www.bench-marks.org.za

• Beyond Copenhagen, India
   beyondcph.blogspot.com.br

• Biowatch South Africa
   www.biowatch.org.za

• Both ENDS, The Netherlands
   www.bothends.org/en/

• Brazilian Interdisciplinary AIDS Association (ABIA)
   www.abiaids.org.br

• Brazilian Network for the Integration of the Peoples (REBRIP), Brazil
   www.rebrip.org.br

• Campaña de Afectados por Repsol – Catalunya

• Campaña Explotación a Precio de Saldo, Spain 

• Campaña Mesoamericana Para la Justicia Climática, El Salvador

• Censat Agua Viva – Amigos de la Tierra Colombia
   www.censat.org

• Centro de Derechos Económicos y Sociales (CDES) – Ecuador
   cdes.org.ec

• Centro de Documentación e Información Bolivia (CEDIB)
   cedib.org

• Central de Trabajadores de la Argentina
   www.cta.org.ar

• Centre Europe Tiers Monde (CETIM), Switzerland

• Centre for Natural Resource Governance, Zimbabwe

• Centre for Trade Policy and Development (CTPD),  Zambia
   www.ctpd.org.zm

• Centre for the Development of Women and Children (CDWC), Zimbabwe

• Centro de Documentación en Derechos Humanos “Segundo Montes Mozo S.J.” (CSMM), Ecuador

• Centro de Estudios para la Justicia Social Tierra Digna, Colombia

• Centro de Investigación y Documentación Chile-América Latina – FDCL, Germany
   fdcl-berlin.de

• Centro de Investigaciones e Información en Desarrollo (CIID), Guatemala

• CIVICUS, South Africa

• COECOCeiba, Costa Rica

• Colectivo de Abogados José Alvear Restrepo – CCAJAR, Colombia
   www.colectivodeabogados.org

• Colectivo de Mujeres Hondureñas (CODEMUH), Honduras
   www.codemuh.net

• Colibri, Germany

• Col-lectiu de Respostes a les Transnacionals (RETS), Catalunya, Spain
   collectiurets.wordpress.com

• Comision Interclesial de Justicia y Paz, Colombia
   justiciaypazcolombia.com

• Comisión Nacional de Enlace (CNE), Costa Rica

• Comité por los Derechos Humanos en América Latina (CDHAL), Canada
   www.cdhal.net

• Comité Permanente por la Defensa de los Derechos Humanos (CDH)
   www.cdh.org.ec

• Comité pour le respect des droits humains “Daniel Gillard”
   comitedaniel.gillard

• Commission for Filipino Migrant Workers – International Office, Philippines
   www.cfmw.org

• Common Frontiers, Canada
   www.commonfrontiers.ca

• Confederación General del Trabajo (CGT)
   cgt.org.es

• Confédération Générale du Travail (CGT France)
   http://cgt.fr

• Coordinación por los Derechos de los Pueblos Indígenas (CODPI), Spain
   www.cdhal.net

• Coordinadora Estatal de Comercio Justo en España
   www.cdhal.net

• Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO), Belgium
   www.corporateeurope.org

• Council of Canadians, Canada

• Cristianos de Base, Spain
   www.iglesiadebasedemadrid.org

• CSAAWU
   www.csaawu.wordpress.com

• Democracy Center, Bolivia

• Derechos Humanos sin Fronteras, Perú

• Diálogo 2000 – Jubileo Sur Argentina
   dialogo2000.blogspot.com

• Eastern and Soutern Africa Farmers Forum (ESAFF), Zambia

• ECOAR))), Spain
   ecoarglobal.org

• EcoDoc Africa
   www.ecodocafrica.co.za

• Ecologistas en Acción-Ekologistak Martxan – Ecologistes en Acció, Spain
   www.ecologistasenaccion.org

• ¿Economía Verde? ¡Futuro Imposible! – Alianza por una alternativa ecológica, social y urgente al capitalismo, Spain
    alianzaeconomiaverdefuturonegro.wordpress.com

• Economic Justice Network of FOCCISA, South Africa
   www.ejn.org.za

• Enginyeria sense Fronteras, Catalonia
   catalunya.isf.es

• Entrepueblos, Spain

• Environmental Monitoring Group, South Africa
   www.emg.org.za

• Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria
   www.emg.org.za

• Federation of Organs for Social and Educational Assistance (FASE), Brazil
   www.fase.org.br

• Federació de Associacions Veinals de Mataró (FAVM), Catalunya

• Foro Ciudadano de Participación por la Justicia y los Derechos Humanos (FOCO), Argentina
   www.inpade.org.ar

• France Amérique Latine – FAL, France
   www.franceameriquelatine.org

• Fresh Eyes- People to People Travel

• Friends of the Earth, France
  www.amisdelaterre.org

• Friends of the Earth, Japan
   www.foejapan.org

• Friends of the Earth, Scotland

• Friends of the Earth, Finland
   www.foei.org

• Friends of the Landless, Finland
   www.foei.org

• Fundación para la Cooperación APY – Solidaridad en Acción, España
   apysolidaridad.org

• Fundación Solon, Bolivia
   www.funsolon.org

• Fundación de Investigaciones Sociales y políticas – FISYP, Argentina
   www.fisyp.org.ar

• Global Economy Project

• Global Justice Now/ Attac UK

• Grassroots Global Justice, USA
   ggjalliance.org

• Grassroots International, USA
   www.grassrootsonline.org

• Groundwork, Friends of the Earth South Africa
   www.groundwork.org.za

• Groupe de recherche pour une stratégie économique alternative (GRESEA) – Mirador, Belgium 
   www.gresea.be

• Hegoa, Instituto de Estudios sobre el Desarrollo y la Cooperación Internacional del País Vasco, Basque Country
   www.hegoa.ehu.es

• HEÑÓI, Centro de Estudios y Promoción de la Democracia, los Derechos Humanos y la Sostenibilidad Socioambiental (Paraguay)

www.henoi.org.py

• HOMA Center for Business and Human Rightswork
http://homacdhe.com

• IBASE – Instituto Brasileiro de Análises Sociais e Econômicas
   ibase.br

• India FDI Watch, India
   www.indiafdiwatch.org

• Indian Social Action Forum – INSAF, India

• Instituto de Ciencias Alejandro Lipschutz – ICAL, Chile
   www.ical.cl

• Instituto Eqüit – Gênero, Economia e Cidadania Global, Brasil
   www.equit.org.br

• Institute for Socioeconomic Studies (INESC)
   www.inesc.org.br

• Instituto Latinoamericano para una sociedad y un derecho alternativo – ILSA, Colombia
   ilsa.org.co:81/

• Janpahal, India

• Japan International Volunteer Center (JVC)
   www.ngo-jvc.net

• Jordens Vänner / Friends of the Earth Sweden
   www.jordensvanner.se

• Justicia i Pau
   www.justiciaipau.org/ca

• LAB Euskal Herria/País Vasco
   www.lab.eus

• Laboratorio de Investigación en Desarrollo Comunitario y Sustentabilidad de México
   lidecs.org

• Labour Research Service – LRS, South Africa
   www.lrs.org.za

• Legal Resources Centre
   lrc.org.za

• Mahlathini Organics, South Africa
   mahlathiniorganics

• Milieu Defensie – Friends of the Earth, Netherlands
   www.milieudefensie.nl/english

• Movimento dos Atingidos por Barragens (MAB), Brazil 

   uwww.mabnacional.org.br

• Movimiento Rios Vivos, Colombia
   defensaterritorios.wordpress.com

• Movimiento Social Nicaraguense – Otro Mundo Es Posible, Nicaragua
   otromundoesposiblenic.codigosur.net/

• Multiwatch, Switzerland
   www.multiwatch.ch

• National Garment Workers Federation (NGWF), Bangladesh
   www.nadir.org

• North East Peoples Alliance, India
   nealliance.net

• NOVACT, Spain
   novact.org

• Observatório de la Deuda en la Globalización – ODG, Spain
   eng.odg.cat

• Observatorio de Multinacionales en America Latina – OMAL, Spain
   www.omal.info

• Pacific Asia Resource Centre (PARC)
   parc-jp.org

• PACS – Instituto Políticas Alternativas para o Cone Sul, Brazil
   www.pacs.org.br/

• Palenke del Alto Cauca – PCN, Colombia

• Partido de la Rifondazione Comunista/Izquierda Europea, Italia
   web.rifondazione.it

• Pax Romana, Switzerland

• Pensamiento Acción Social (PAS)
   www.pas.org.co

• Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement – PRRM, Philippines
   www.prrm.org

• Plataforma Alternativa para el Desarrollo de Haití (Papda)
   www.papda.org

• Plataforma DHESC, Brazil
   www.dhescbrasil.org.br

• Plataforma Rural – Alianza por un Mundo Rural Vivo, Spain
   www.plataformarural.org

• Polaris Institute, Canada
   www.polarisinstitute.org

• REBRIP – Brazilian Network for the Integration of the Peoples, Brazil
   www.rebrip.org.br

• Recalca, Colombia
   www.recalca.org.co

• Red Mexicana de Acción frente al Libre Comercio – RMALC, Mexico
   www.rmalc.org.mx

• Red Nacional Genero y Economía Mujeres para el Diálogo, AC, Mexico

• Rede Social de Justiça e Direitos Humanos, Brazil
   www.social.org.br

• SEATINI, Zimbabwe
   www.seatini.org

• SETEM, Catalonia
   www.setem.org

• SIEMBRA, AC, Mexico

• Sindicato de Trabajadoras de la Enseñanza de Euskalherria – STEE-EILAS, Basque Country
   stee-eilas-unibertsitatea.org

• Soldepaz Pachakuti, Spain

• Solidaires
   https://www.solidaires.org

• Solidaridad Suecia – America Latina (SAL) / Latinamerikagrupperna, Sweden
   www.latinamerikagrupperna.se

 

 

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