The Observatario Internacional Contra las Políticas de las Multinacionales (International Co-ordination Against Multinational Policies), and thus subsequently this blog, is one expression of the ongoing work now being undertaken as part of our commitment to the declarations of the delegation of Latin American, Asia-Pacific & Australian representatives, comprising of representatives from SINALTRAINAL (Colombia’s National Union of Food Industry Workers), SINTRACARBON (Colombia’s Mining Union), MST (Brazil’s Landless Workers’ Movement), Cordillera People’s Alliance (Philippines), LASNET (Latin American Solidarity Network), Bougainville, Mt Nancy Town Camp, FETRAMIN (Chile’s Mine Workers’ Federation), Copper Workers Federation (CTC-Chile) & Wayuu (Indigenous communities from Colombia) and Afro-Colombian communities, who participated in the Latin American, Australian & Asia-Pacific Solidarity Gathering on 12-14 November and 26-27 November 2010 in Melbourne and Sydney respectively.
This Co-ordination aims to raise awareness, to monitor and denounce the behaviour of multinational corporations, initially in the areas of Latin America and the Asia-Pacific. Also, the Co-ordination will seek out other bodies involved in working against multinationals, both in Australia and overseas. Until August 2011, this body will be co-ordinated from Australia, by LASNET.
The main tasks of the Co-ordination are:
• Compiling an international calendar of events and actions denouncing the behaviour of multinational corporations:
• March 8: International Day of Women in Struggle.
• March 29: Young Fighter Day.
• April 17: Struggle for Land Day.
• April 24: International Day of Indigenous People.
• May 1: International Workers’ Day.
• First week of May: International Solidarity Struggles in Philippines.
• June 1: International Day of Student Struggles.
• July 22: International Day Against Multinationals’ Policies.
• August10: Miners’ International Day
• October 16: International Day of Struggles Against Multinationals and Food Sovereignty.
• November 5: Celebrating the Poor Peoples and Indigenous Struggles.
• December 10: International Human Rights Day.
• Establish a permanent network of alternative media and the sharing of media resources.
• To call for and organise an international day of action against multinational corporations for July 22, 2011.
• A monthly publication – ‘The Spectre’, edited in Australia by LASNET, to announce actions and events of workers and Indigenous organisations active in their struggles against multinationals and States. This will be sent to the participating countries and be published on the website of each organisation.
• To organise a grass root social movement gathering/conference in Valledupar, Colombia August 19-21, 2011 called First Latin American & International Gathering “For People’s Sovereignty, Against Multinational Corporations”. -Defending workers and indigenous rights-
• To seek co-ordination from the organisations that supported the Gathering, and have already expressed interest in the co-ordination. These include organisations from Venezuela, Ecuador, Argentina, Guatemala, El Salvador, Panama, Peru, New Zealand, the US & various European nations.
