a20: Quebec, April 20 2001 Update 11feb01

This is an update from the Direct Action Network and the Mobilization for Global Justice, via IMC-Updates

Get ready for the next International Day of Action! http://www.a20.org 

April 18-22 The global corporate elite are headed to Quebec to discuss the FTAA, the Free Trade Area of the Americas: "think NAFTA on steroids." This trade pact extends the impact of NAFTA to the rest of Central and South America, in a hemispheric "race to the bottom." Working families, students, farmers, environmentalists, people of faith, animal rights activists and many others are mobilizing around the world to fight this encroachment of corporate control. http://www.a20.org 

Info on the FTAA:

Ten Reasons to Oppose the FTAA - http://www.globalexchange.org/ftaa/topten.html  The FTAA and AIDS - http://www.a20.org/feature.cfm?ID=45  FTAA Factsheet - http://www.tradewatch.org/FTAA/factsheet.htm 

Citing the case of US-based waste disposal company Metalclad, which used NAFTA to sue a small Mexican town for prohibiting construction of a toxic waste processing plant, the city of Vancouver has unanimously passed a resolution requesting the Canadian government not sign the FTAA. http://www.canadianliberty.bc.ca 

The northern border:

The Vermont Mobilization for Global Justice plans to coordinate crucial support on the Vermont side of the US-Canadian border for the FTAA mobilization. The coalition includes the Native Forest Network (NFN), Action for Community and Ecology in the Regions of Central America (ACERCA), the Vermont Action Network (VAN), UVM Student Political Awareness and Responsibility Coalition (SPARC), American Friends Service Committee - Vermont (AFSC), and others. Info: Robert Dorman redorman@theofficenet.com 

Community activists in Kingston ON are inviting all FTAA opponents to take part in a border action caravan to "fight against international capital every inch of the way." Contact Smash FTAA http://www.tao.ca/~kdawg/smashftaa.html  , ON/NY regional listserve: send an email with "Smash FTAA' in the subject line to msilburn@kingston.net 

The southern border:

The Mexico-US Mass Mobilization to Liberate the Border is planning an April 21 multinational day of protest in the San Diego/Tijuana region in support of worker's rights, immigrant rights, indigenous rights and the environment. 626-403-2530 borderactions@aol.com  List Serve: send e-mail to border01-subscribe@yahoogroups.com  http://www.actionla.org/border.htm 

How to get involved?

• Schedule a roadshow stop in your town! (see below) 

• Have a benefit show http://www.davidrovics.com , http://www.roberthoyt.com  

• Show a Seattle Video http://www.thisisdemocracy.org  

• Blockade a Citibank http://www.ran.org/ 

See http://www.a20.org  and http://www.stopftaa.org  for local organizing contacts

On the road:

In February and March 2001 the Turning Point Road Show will be touring the American southeast (FL, GA, SC, NC, VI, KT, AL, MS, TN). Focusing on corporate globalization as well as the secret negotiations currently to construct the FTAA. Info, or to schedule a stop in your town: solilawrence@yahoo.com 

From February 12 to March 3, starting from the New England states and continuing south to the Washington DC area, CASA and CLAC are organizing teach-ins and events in an Anti-FTAA Tour and Caravan to the Northeast U$A. Host a stop in your area: clac@tao.ca  or 514-526-8946.

Call To Action (CtA) Spring 2001 tour - Skills and issues workshops focusing on the FTAA and its poster-child: Citigroup. If your group is interested in tackling the prison industrial complex, third world debt, forest destruction and predatory lending as well as expanding your organizing skills, then bring us to your town. Contact: campaigns@calltoaction.org  503-804-9378 http://www.calltoaction.org 

Through March and April, ending in Quebec City April 15-21, Rights Action will be traveling with community human rights and development activists from Honduras, Guatemala and Chiapas through the US and Canada, speaking in public educational forums. Info, or to schedule a stop: Rights Action, formerly Guatemala Partners, Grahame Russell 416-654-2074 info@rightsaction.org  http://www.rightsaction.org 

News you may have missed

In a moving victory, the Charas Community Center in New York City won its court battle against eviction as the steady gentrification pressures continue. The jury decided unanimously that the developer did not plan to comply with the community use restriction. Supporters packed the courtroom throughout the high profile trial.

Ecuadorian indigenous, labor and other organizations have launched a massive campaign to reject the IMF-imposed adjustment program in that country, encountering repression and mass arrests. Two people have died in confrontations with the police. About 4,000 Indians occupied the university in Quito for more than a week. The coalition has won many of their demands, including lower fuel prices and cheaper public transport fares, after threatening a national strike for February 7. Info: Soren Ambrose 202-544-9355 soren@igc.org  http://www.indymedia.org/ 

On Thanksgiving day, Washington DC housing activists with a homeless family occupied a house in Northeast Washington DC to fix it up and make it permanent housing for the family. Two months later, the family has been provided housing, the activists are "invited guests" of the house owner, and they're looking for more run-down buildings to rescue. http://www.homesnotjails.org  RealAudio interview: http://dc.indymedia.org/display.php3?article_id=4348  http://dc.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=5475 

Northern California / Situation Critical - In an inconceivable mission to defend 3,000 acres of magnificent old-growth douglas fir, Mattole Forest Defenders have conducted numerous lock downs and constructed blockades on logging roads. Since November 28 Maxxam/Pacific Lumber (PL) has been clearcutting what is the second largest intact stand of lowland old-growth Douglas Fir in California http://sf.indymedia.org/#mattole 

More News and Events: 

2/15 Woburn Massachusetts FTAA Planning Meeting cassiefw@aol.com  617-524-8996

2/18 Hartford Connecticut FTAA all day workshop, sponsored by the Mexican Solidarity Network. Info: gianninik@hotmail.com  860-768-6380

3/1 Connecticut Shut Down Bradley International Airport in solidarity with HERE 217 local union members and cafeteria workers. joehill@riseup.net  860-246-2561

3/9-3/11 Kansas Global Justice Conference http://www.kcactivism.org/calltoaction/

3/11-3/18 Florida RAN/Ruckus Alternative Spring Break http://www.ruckus.org

3/13 Washington DC Commemorating the 13th anniversary of the massacre of student activists in Burma, there will be a rally at the Burmese embassy in Washington DC to pressure the military regime to end all human rights abuses. 2300 S Street NW 7pm. Info: Jeremy Woodrum 202-547-5985 jeremy@freeburmacoalition.org  Sign the on-line petition to ban the Burmese regime's membership in the United Nations - www.freeburmacoalition.org

International Calendar http://www.a20.org/calendar.cfm  International Contact List http://www.a20.org/network.cfm

http://www.indymedia.org  http://www.directactionnetwork.org  http://www.earthfirstjournal.org  http://www.protest.net

--Steven Doll steven@a16.org

Listserve info http://lists.indymedia.org