The Conference on Alternatives to Globalization was sponsored by IBON Foundation Inc. and held in Tagaytay City, Philippines.We, as individuals and groups from 31 countries in Asia and the Pacific, Latin America, Africa, Europe and North America, representing people's movements, networks, organizations, centers, institutes and academe, have come together in the International Conference on Alternatives to Globalization with two objectives: first, to seek a deeper understanding of the global economic crisis and its causes; second, on the basis of our shared views and experiences, to explore and develop alternative strategies and paradigms in confronting globalization.
Directly linked to the crisis is globalization - the neoliberal offensive or contemporary conveyance of monopoly capital to maximize the extraction of profit. To this end, globalization uses modern technology (such as robotics and information technology) and the political prescriptions - liberalization, deregulation and privatization - of the triad multilateral institutions, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank (WB) and World Trade Organization (WTO).
Globalization has worsened the effects of the destructive paradigm of "growth and development." Instead of economic prosperity and social stability that it promised for all nations, globalization has brought about economic turmoil, political and social tension, and widespread devastation to the world's peoples and resources. The myth of globalization has thus been fully exposed and debunked.
The impacts of the global crisis are all so clearly seen today.
The gap between the rich and poor in all nations, industrial and non-industrial alike, and between the rich and poor countries is widening rather than narrowing. Moreover, with the trend towards mergers and acquisitions, increasingly much more wealth - and power - is being concentrated in the hands of fewer monopoly capitalists who control the transnational corporations (TNCs).
The systematic assaults on labor is dissipating the working class gains, causing widespread unemployment, job insecurity, loss of benefits, the destruction of trade unions. The massive displacement of workers leads to the rise and further commodification of migrant workers.
The peasants' limited gains in agrarian reform are likewise being reversed, resulting in more landlessness, rural unemployment and penury.
Exploitation of women labor, especially unpaid labor, in farms and factories is intensified. The crisis causes more women and children to be displaced, commodified and economically and sexually exploited as modern-day slaves. Patriarchy remains a key problem and physical violence on women and children, both inside and outside the home, is prevalent.
The indigenous people's struggle against exclusion, for their right to self-determination, recognition of equal rights as citizens and right to ancestral lands or historical domain is rendered more difficult. In many instances their very survival is being threatened by environmental degradation, mainly caused by TNCs, and by the state policies of disguised genocide.
Global environmental abuse is being accelerated primarily by globalization. The ill effects include climate change, ozone depletion, air and water pollution, ocean resource depletion and pollution, deforestation, extinction of species and dangerous genetic manipulation.
All these problems are arising because of the irrational pursuit of profit by rampaging capitalism.
Everywhere globalization is eroding the gains of social movements in all aspects (political, social and cultural). There is a general regression of democracy, as economic impositions by states entail increasing human rights violations, not only of economic, social and cultural rights, but of political and civil rights as well. In the third world, as the majority of the people are marginalized economically, they are also disempowered politically.
State power in defense of the people's rights and welfare is increasingly undermined. On the other hand, state power is, more than ever, being used to step up the implementation of the neoliberal prescriptions of globalization, in the form of national legislation, bilateral agreements with IMF and WB, multilateral pacts under the WTO regime, and regional and other arrangements.
The very proponents of globalization have acknowledged that the global crisis embroils the entire capitalist system. They likewise admit the inevitability of cyclical crises as inherent in the system. They warn of its recurrence even as they confess failure to find a solution to the current global crisis.
Far from nearing its end, the crisis threatens to get even worse. As the liberalization and deregulation drive is being pushed to the maximum - via the Multilateral Agreement on Investment (MAI) and the WTO - the situation can only deteriorate.
Inexorably, the crisis has set in motion a growing opposition to globalization among the adversely affected peoples, both organized and unorganized, in all regions of the world. The rising level of popular opposition is manifested in organized as well as spontaneous protest actions, and in various creative, if less dramatic, ways.
The International Conference on Alternatives to Globalization is one manifestation of this growing opposition. It is a closing of ranks of diverse movements and initiatives toward more effective resistance to globalization.
United in resisting and rejecting globalization, we are determined to develop, through our separate and unified initiatives, effective strategies and paradigms of economic and social development different from the "growth and development" paradigm that has driven peoples to further economic marginalization and political disempowerment.
Over the long term, we shall strive to develop alternative paradigms that uphold and safeguard the peoples' interest, rights, welfare and values, ensures their sovereign control of their natural and human resources, guarantees economic democracy, democratic governance, and their right to determine their national destiny.
Certainly, we have different ways and means to achieve such paradigms, and we respect each other's independence in pursuing the goal.
In the short term, we shall take steps to strengthen the capacities of peoples and communities to defend themselves against the onslaughts of globalization. We shall take recourse, principally, in expanding and strengthening our organizations, sustaining education and pursuing actions of resistance and struggle that have been proven effective, while we explore and develop new ones as conditions may require.
Specifically, we call for the following urgent actions:
* Expose and oppose the MAI and prevent its negotiation within the WTO by immediately launching sustained national and international campaigns. Work for the withdrawal of the harmful agreements on agriculture and TRIPs from the WTO.
* Campaign for the non-payment of foreign loans by nations in crisis. Oppose the signing of new letters of intent with the IMF and reject all onerous loan conditionalities.
* Oppose foreign military intervention in the internal affairs of nations as it violates their sovereignty and right to self-determination.
* Support the OilWatch declaration against new fossil fuel exploration.We firmly resolve to expand, intensify and sustain worldwide resistance against globalization. Separately and together, we shall consistently wage militant struggles until we defeat this modern scourge.
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The "International Conference on Alternatives to Globalization" was attended by 100 delegates. It was held at the Development Academy of the Philippines in Tagaytay City, Philippines.
The conference was followed by a global teach-in called "International Colloquium on Imperialist Globalization and Crisis." This half-day event was held at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City, and was a rousing success and which was attended by more than 400 participants.
Both events were organized by IBON Foundation and BAYAN.
IBON Foundation Inc.
3/F SCC Bldg. 4427 Int. Old Sta. Mesa,
Manila 1008, Philippines
Tel (0063-2) 713-2737 / 713-2729 Fax (0063-2) 716-0108
http://www.info.com.ph/~ibon
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