Rio+20: INTERNATIONAL CAMPAIGN OF STRUGGLES:
Peoples of the World against the Commodification of Nature
La Via Campesina calls on all the peasant organizations of the world
and their allies to organize actions in the month of June
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The advance of the capitalist system that has reached unprecedented
dimensions in the past two decades is resulting in crises that are of
equally unprecedented dimensions. The financial, food, energy and
environmental crises are phases of the structural crisis of
capitalism, which has no limits in its search for more profits. And,
as in other structural crises, it impacts the peoples of the world and
not the elites.
In every continent we have seen that even in crisis, capitalism has
not reduced its momentum: the increase in land purchases and land
grabbing by foreign corporations, the advance of the mining industry,
the technology of genetic modification that is ever more present in
the rural areas, the marketing of agrofuels and pesticides on a huge
scale. Finally, to say that capitalism is in crisis does not mean that
the system is in retreat. On the contrary, it is precisely in this
moment that it advances with more intensity because the corporations
take advantage of the crisis to extend their domination over
territories that have not yet been conquered.
The Rio +20 Conference is a clear example. Instead of bringing
together all the governments of the world to find real solutions for
the environmental crisis, the event will serve to consolidate the
false solutions and the appropriation of territories of the peasants
and traditional peoples. In the United Nations Conference, only the
interests of the large corporations will have a chance.
To resist and challenge these interests, it’s essential that the
peoples of the world continue to strengthen their organization and
struggles, raising their voices and showing that only people’s
sovereignty can ensure true solutions.
So as Via Campesina , we call on our member organizations and allies
to organize and carry out struggles all over the world during the
entire month of June, with particular emphasis on June 5, World
Environment Day, showing our unity and strength to send in advance
from all corners of the world a resounding message to the governments
that will be at Rio +20 from June 20 to 22 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Each struggle, each act of resistance, each territory that we retake
should be the expression of this global unity in the face of the
advance of the capitalist system over nature.
Parallel to the official conference, the people of the world will be
meeting at the People’s Summit in a process of collective construction
and permanent mobilization. The week of June 18 to 22 wil be a period
of global mobilization, since our task is not only in Rio de Janeiro.
We should carry out the campaign of struggles in each country,
especially on June 20 when the official conference opens. During this
period the struggles in all the continents should be echoing in Rio de
Janeiro and throughout the world.
We invite all the farmers and peasant organizations and their allies
to organize mobilizations and actions throughout the world: marches in
the cities and in the countryside, press conferences, actions for land
and agrarian reform, media campaigns, radio programs, mobilizations
against companies that degrade the environment, discussions in schools
and universities, film showings and other actions that can be built
collectively in each country.
At a time in which capitalism wants to globalize its system even more,
to dominate our territories and exploit our work force, we must
internationalize our struggle. Let’s get organized, prepare our
actions, mobilize our bases and our allies for this great campaign of
struggles against capitalism. The strength of this campaign will come
from our ability to organize and get national and international
visibility.
We ask you to communicate your activities to lvcweb@viacampesina.org
NO TO THE FALSE SOLUTIONS OF GREEN CAPITALISM!
SUSTAINABLE FAMILIY FARMING NOW!
Globalize the struggle, Globalize hope!