June 14-15, 2004, Seoul, Korea
We, the Asia Social and People’s Movements – trade unions, peasants, small farmers, women, consumers, students, migrant workers, urban poor, anti-war and anti-neoliberal globalization activists – have gathered here in Seoul, Korea to demonstrate against the World Economic Forum, neoliberal globalization and the war. Despite their blocking of information on the outcome of their meeting, we will continue to struggle against the WEF, which embodies neoliberal globalization.
For two days we shared, discussed and debated on issues such as food sovereignty, food safety, privatization of public services, labor flexiblization, war and militarism, feminization of poverty, trade liberalization, migrant labor, free trade agreements and the World Trade Organization.
Based on our experience in Seoul both in action and discussion we have resolved to continue our struggles against corporate led globalization, militarism and war. We are also gathered here to strengthen our solidarity and discuss our strategies for our common struggles.
The people of Asia, like all other people of the world, are suffering from the effects of militarism and global capitalism. This was heightened in 1997 when the full effects of neo-liberal policies swept across the region and since then our economies have been further "restructured" and liberalized at the expense of the people. The proliferation of FTA’s further entrench the people in poverty. Poverty, unemployment and precarity is becoming even more widespread. Asia is also home to a number of military bases, which is crucial for the US to project power around the region — in pursuit of its economic and strategic interests. And since the declaration of the so-called "war on terror" in 2001, US military intervention has increased in the region threatening peoples’ security. This US strategy of destabilization in the region can be seen all throughout, including here in the Korean peninsula where we are gathered.
Neo-liberal globalization and militarism go hand-in-hand. We have identified the US occupation of Iraq and the WTO/FTAs as key sites of struggle, symbolizing the two faces of "armed globalization". We will not stop struggling until the occupation of Iraq and Palestine have ended. We demand the withdrawal of US and other troops. We continue to pressure our governments to stop further deployment of Asian troops. We must also maintain our victory in Cancun by blocking the current negotiations on agriculture and not allow the EU and US to revive the WTO. Education, health, water, culture and all basic services are not for sale either though the WTO or FTA’s. We will reclaim our rights from the so-called "free trade" system.
We therefore call on all peoples and social movements to join us in this plan of action:
June 30 – The US will handover "sovereignty" to a puppet government in Iraq and attempt to legitimize its illegal occupation and we reiterate our demand to end the occupation in Iraq. We will join the global actions from June 26 to 30.
July 19-24 – Global Week of Action for food sovereignty and block the current negotiations on agriculture in the WTO.
September 10 – In commemoration of the death of Lee Kyung Hae on September 10, International day of action will be held to attain food sovereignty and resist the WTO.
WTO Ministerial in Hong Kong – We commit to mobilize for the coming Hong Kong Ministerial in 2005. We will use this as a way to concretely strengthen our solidarity by mobilizing together for Hong Kong. We welcome the initiative of the Hong Kong committee to take the lead in planning and organising the actions and mobilisations. We will work with them in the coming months to realise this plan, taking advantage of the momentum we have gained from the successful mobilization in Seoul. We will mobilise not only in Hong Kong but in all our countries as a global expression of our opposition and strength.
We are in solidarity with the resistance of the Iraqis and Palestinian peoples, the struggles of migrant workers and irregular and informal workers, trade unions, peasants, small farmers, urban poor and women. We are committed to coordinate our actions, broaden and strengthen our struggles in Asia.
Globalise the hope! Globalise the struggle!
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