Aklas Laban sa G8

Issued by:

NoN Collective & AID Kolektiv

Background

Part of itenerary of G8 Infotour, Ziggy and Kaye, volunteers and comrads  from Germany and Japan facilitated a discussion last year (August 2007) held at Sikatuna Village in Quezon City (QC), Philippines. 

Quezon City was not part of the original schedule of the team and the local counterparts (AID & NON collectives) were informed only few weeks before the discussion.  We had mixed reactions; surprised because why such important activity transmitted late giving us very little time to prepare. However, we were very thankful because anti-authoritarian activists based in QC recognise the importance of this kind activity and other related non-hierarchical undertakings.  

The discussions started through sharing of basic facts with regard to G8,  discussions of  experience by the anti-G8 movements during last year’s (2006) G8 meeting followed andfinally the long and tedious process of contextualisation through percieved impact and effects of G8’s influence at the local level.

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Since 1975, the leaders of industrialized countries have been conducting annual meetings to discuss matters that affect their interests and dominance in their domestic societies and influence in international affairs. This year, another G8 meeting is scheduled in July to be held in Japan to discuss inter-related topics including climate change, trade, economic relation, energy and terrorism.    

While it is true that G8 is not a formal party to any multilateral and regional trade agreements or part of any economic negotiations, its members are influential stakeholders of many super institutions operating at the global scale like UN, WTO, IMF-WB, OECD, NAFTA, CAFTA and others. These rich nations who used to engage in war to attain political and economic dominance are now consistently developing mechanisms to restore world order to reinforce their "collective" rule over the population of the world.

The policies of multilateral, regional and bilateral trade agreements of many nations, is an indications of neo-liberal agenda dominance in the world’s political and economic affairs. G8 does not have any specific project anywhere in the Philippines, but its neo-liberal framework is operating through the said trade institutions, where the Philippine is a signatory.  

The archipelagic Philippines, being categorised as a developing nation is only one among poor countries in the Southern and Eastern part of the globe that is plagued by poverty, hunger, war and other forms of structural and physical violence caused by powerlesness and marginalisation.  

The government’s economic plan through Medium Term Philippine Development Plan or MTPDP started during Ramos administation is strategically directed towards totally "integrating" local economy to international market. This would mean greater market access of the developed nations to poors countries’ local economy in terms of  trade in goods and invesments. The said policy is being pushed under the framework of privatisation where stream of rich but limited natural resources of the world are being controlled and enjoyed by the few through corporations and states.

The MTPDP until now could not provide concrete results in terms of actual conditions in both rural and urban areas. Despite of the propaganda of GMA government, with regards to the economic growth through exchange rate, increase in GNP and BOP and among others, the National Statics Coordinating Board or NSCB reported that there is a 34% percent poverty threshold. Prof. Benedict Lim of Ateneo de Manila, on the other hand noted that there are 35 million Filipino living below poverty line.Ten million people in the archipelago go hungry every year and our country is one of those that have the most number of malnourished children.  

Capitalism operates in very complex ways and employs sophisticated processes. G8 is one of its venues and instruments. Whatever the design or tool use by the capitalists and neo-liberals, it needs to reach people and ecosystems to carry out its exploitative agenda.

The influence of the G8 can be best seen in the localities and communities where the most vulnerable population of the world is located. The destruction of the natural environment and exhaustion of the natural resources is basically caused by the economy of scale and competition framework of the mainstream economy, under the leadership of the rich nations particularly of the G8.          

The best way to attack the exploitative nature of trade globalization is to confront the actual manifestations of oppression taking place at the local level. For instance, the resistance of various communities in the archipelago on many government policies involving economic activities such as exploration and extraction of the natural gasses, mining and large-scale uses of critical ecosystems are proved to be effective in delaying neo-liberal agenda.

Let us continue to educate ourselves to effectively fight G8 and the capitalist system; let us attack hierarchy directly without intermediaries. Oppression is operating in concrete basis in forms of hunger, illiteracy, homelessness, destruction of natural resources, discrimination and many forms of abuses inflicted to children, women, indigenous groups and others. Utilising our creativitity and resoucefulness, every individual and collectives that collaborates, will surely find meaningful activities directed against the hierarchy while responding to the actual needs of the communities.  

As a part of our solidarity to the international struggle against the G8 we are planning to conduct series of events which involves the following activities:

Theme: Aklas Laban sa G8

            Education Campaign (May)

• Round Table Discussions

• Printing and Distribution of Primer and leaflets on G8 in Philippinne Context 

Music Compilation a benefit CD for anti-G8 Campaign (!st week of May)

Cultural Events (June)

• Film Screening

• Gig / Launching of Aklas Laban sa G8 compilation CD (end of June)

Solidarity Action  (July)

To pursue such activities involves a lot of preparation and resources, in relation to this we are asking support to all concern collectives and individuals. Any support  are welcome and greatly appreciated.