Convergence Plenaries - Peoples Summit

  • 2012

Yesterday afternoon the 1st Assembly was held in the scope of the Peoples Summit. The objective of the meeting was to compile all the structural causes of the world crisis and to point out the false solutions suggested by governments and corporations. The synthesis of what was discussed during the plenary sessions held on Sunday and Monday will serve as a guide for the final document of the Summit.

On the Question of Rights (for social and environmental justice) that was debated in plenary 1, the conclusion was reached that the privatization of public spaces, the hedonistic culture of consumer goods and the neoliberal model are the core of the structural problem. Transnational banks and companies strategically use these devices to justify development based on capitalism and the use of unsustainable energy, which exploits nature too much.

Plenary 2 that dealt with the theme of the Defense of common goods, against all forms of commodification, was attended by 800 people. Before starting to postulate the synthesis of what was debated, the audience loudly cried out the war cry Life is not sold! Life defends itself! . It was concluded that the urban model and industrial production oriented towards consumption together with capitalism, violence, the concentration of goods and consumption are structural problems and are n in the veins of society. Racism, homophobia and religious intolerance strengthen the power of the State, which in turn is based on the micro-wars generated by that intolerance among small towns.

The proposed exit, then, by the high step, would be the Green Economy, a false solution that would only serve to sustain even more the hegemonic power of organizations and the State, which will exercise control over natural and human resources in an increasingly less sustainable manner and with a view to exploitation. For Sandra Quintela, one of the leaders of the plenary, the Green Economy graves gender inequalities and attacks the environment .

The issues of Food, its possession and security were discussed in plenary 3. The structure of the problem presented was the alliance promoted between corporations and agribusiness. Corporations that are not subject to serious regulation, which punishes companies according to the infractions committed. This lack of scope of the Law causes companies to degrade absurdly and without limits, since they know that their faults will not receive the sanctions due.

During the Assembly it was recalled that the agribusiness model is predatory, since it consumes huge amounts of energy, originating in fossil fuels, to keep it running. And this is what contributes most to the climate crisis. All this is already a big problem, not to mention the diseases from agrotoxics, which afflict workers and weaken the labor force in the field. For Claudia Jerônimo, from Guatemala, who spoke about Food Security, the legislation does not benefit farmworkers. "The laws are changing in favor of large corporations and not in favor of peoples, " he says.

On the issue of energy and extractive companies, discussed in plenary 4, the capitalist system was designated as the main enemy. Economic logic says that it is possible to overcome the crisis, but for that capitalism uses the commodification of common goods, with the massive extraction of energy components from the environment. Transvestite with that false idea and those of progress and development, the system justifies its actions, based on the fight against the crisis. Behind this whole process, there is a significant increase in the precariousness of working conditions, an increase in the vulnerability of peoples, and consequently, an increase in control over land. It is a system that “is in opposition to all life forms of humanity” denounces Graça Santo, a Mozambican who participated in the plenary. And he adds: “the exchange of technology is not enough to solve the environmental and extractive issue, a paradigm shift is required. You have to change the system. ”Graça finished his speech being cheered by the audience, who shouted along with her“ Waters, mines and energy, they are not merchandise! ”

Plenary 5 addressed the Labor Question. It was attended by more than 400 people, coming from 35 countries. According to Sara Moreira, who spoke in relation to this issue, the situation in which the work is located is a problem of a “structural, political, economic, social, cultural and environmental nature” and the main villain of the precarious conditions Labor is capitalism that is, according to her, "appealing" the cause of the crisis and based on the Green Economy as a false solution to the problems faced.

Source: Adital - www.adital.com.br/site/noticia.asp?lang=ES&langref=ES&cod=68054

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Let us direct all our meditative and invocative resources on Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on the Peoples Summit and the Rio + 20 Earth Summit, so that all participants are enlightened in their decisions and so that their hearts guide the actions of their wills for the Global Common Good.

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