The Carnival for Global Economic Justice in Dublin on Sept 30th provides an opportunity for members of the public, community groups, environmental and development organisations and political parties to demonstrate their opposition to the neo-liberal economic policies which underpin the current process of economic globalisation. These policies have weakened the scope of democratic, political control over economic life. They have resulted in new inequalities in income, wealth, access to work and quality of life for many people, as well as contributing to widespread environmental destruction. The Green Party urges all those who wish to see a more just, sustainable and democratic global economic system to become part of the growing international movement for change.
(Deirdre de Burca , Green Party councillor)
The problem with the World Bank/IMF is not simply a problem of bad decisions, it is a problem with capitalism itself. The decisions of the World Bank/IMF may often seem to be crazy to ordinary people but to business they make sense. It represents the continued ascendancy of profit over people. We must be clear that abolishing or reforming the World Bank/IMF will not in itself make a significant change. The problem is with the capitalist system itself, a system that can put a man on the moon but cannot provide clean water to all of the world's population. This is not because the system is run by bad people &endash; the rules of competition and profit which today we are meant to worship means that if it doesn't turn a profit it's not worth doing. It is worth organising against the World Bank/IMF precisely because it is a figurehead of world capital.
Feasta is a charity founded in October 1998 by ordinary people who are not satisfied with the prevailing view that economic growth is an end in itself and must be fostered at all costs regardless of the social and environmental consequences. Feasta aims to explore the characteristics - economic, social and environmental - that a society must have in order to be truly sustainable.
Feasta, supports peaceful demonstrations against the World Bank and the IMF in Prague because they will help make millions of people aware of the grave defects in the global financial system. Feasta believes that international indebtedness will worsen, and the gap between rich countries and poorer ones will increase, for as long as poorer countries use the debt-based national currencies of wealthier ones as if they were a world currency. We call upon the World Bank and the IMF to issue a true world currency on a debt-free basis in a way that does not discriminate against the non-industrialised world.
Debt and Development Coalition / Jubilee 2000 Ireland have been campaigning on the IMF and World Bank for over 7 years. Main areas are
By the name of "globalization" they call this modern war which assassinates and forgets. The new distribution of the world consists in concentrating power in power and misery in misery. The new distribution of the world excludes "minorities". The indigenous, youth, women, homosexuals, lesbians, people of color, immigrants, workers, peasants; the majority who make up the world basements are presented, for power, as disposable. The new distribution of the world excludes the majorities ... Instead of humanity, it offers us stock market value indexes, instead of dignity it offers us globalization of misery, instead of hope it offers us an emptiness, instead of life it offers us the international of terror.
Against the international of terror representing neoliberalism, we must raise the international of hope. Hope, above borders, languages, colors, cultures, sexes, strategies, and thoughts, of all those who prefer humanity alive. The international of hope. Not the bureaucracy of hope, not the opposite image and, thus, the same as that which annihilates us. Not the power with a new sign or new clothing. A breath like this, the breath of dignity. A flower yes, the flower of hope. A song yes, the song of life.
Extracted from First Declaration of La Realidad for Humanity and against Neoliberalism
The Dublin Food Co-op is a member-owned wholefood co-operative based on principles which are ethically informed and ecologically, socially and economically sustainable. We object to the policies of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund that, emphasise the production of high input agricultural export crops over staple foods and, encourage the genetic engineering of food and agriculture. The Dublin Food Co-op call on these global economic institutions to promote diversity rather than monocultures, ecological processes instead of industrial farming processes and democratic control rather than corporate control of the food system.
Attac opposes the imposition by the WB and the IMF of neoliberal policies which put financial and corporate interests in control of national governments' economic and social policies.
Unfettered financial liberalisation is smothering democracy. To give it back some breathing space, we advocate the re-regulation of financial markets, starting with the Tobin Tax, a tiny tax on currency speculation which has the potential to raise revenues four times bigger than what is required to eliminate the worst forms of world poverty
Baby Milk Action (Ireland) campaigns for the protection of infant health from unethical marketing and for the right of parents to informed choices on infant feeding. We are opposed to IMF/World Bank policies which impact negatively on infant and maternal health services. We are particularly concerned that in countries where health services are under-resourced, opportunities are created for baby milk companies to fund vital services. The effects of this can be seen in the poorest of countries, where breastfeeding is undermined in communities where mothers and babies could benefit most and TNCs make profits at the expense of infant health.
The IMF is yet another mechanism designed to ensure the survival of Capitalism. It is as such a weapon to be used against the working class and against Third World nations for the benefit of a system that is incapable of meeting even the most basic needs of the majority of people on this planet. As with all weapons to be used against us it has to go. It cannot be reformed.
AFAN is an environmental and human rights group working in Ireland and Columbia. We work towards community based sustainable living and farming in Colombia and are currently restoring an old wooden sail boat in West Cork for campaign work.
The IMF is faceless and not accountable for the damage, both socially and environmentally, that their policies cause. These institutions back large multinationals like Jefferson Smurfit in Colombia who destroy 1,000's of acres of indigenous woodland to produce paper. In Europe the IMF back the ARMS TRADE! Enough said! - AFAN 021 4550955
The political and economic marginalisation coupled with environmental degradation that the Ogoni have experienced is directly as a result of crude oil extraction by the oil multinationals like Shell. The crude oil extraction industry serves the needs of the multinationals, first world consumers and the greed of local and global political and economic elites.
This marginalisation and environmental degradation is supported by the global economic and trade structures and their allies the global financial institutions. In this scenario of exploitation, the cultural, social and economic needs of host indigenous communities, such as the Ogoni, are largely ignored. Perhaps most alarming of all is that environmental damage is rampant and largely ignored. World Bank and IMF policies need to take account of best environmental management and local social, cultural and economic needs. They should take a lead in challenging and radically changing the mode of practice of oil multinationals and governments.
NODE the Network of Development Education Centres & Groups throughout Ireland wholeheartedly supports the S26 initiative and the Carnival of events. With members whose locally-based work is rooted in concepts of global justice, equality and peace, the Network expresses its grave concern over the accountability, intentions and actions of the global financial institutions meeting in Prague this week. We believe that the advancement of development education requires a fuller, more inclusive concept of global citizenship than the prevailing Neo-Liberal economic model, upheld and advanced by these self same institutions will ever permit. We therefore welcome all constructive, non-violent platforms designed to extend discussion and debate on alternative strategies of global governance, strategies moreover which place the interests of the majority of the world's citizens and environmental sustainability as key elements in any revised economic model.
The Irish Womenâs Environmental Network is against the policies of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund that have led to developing countries being endlessly bound in debt to these institutions. Countries are forced to grow cash crops to pay off debts instead of focusing on food self-sufficiency, health, education and infrastructure. People are dying and their environment on which they depend is being destroyed because of this situation. We would like to see all these debts cancelled completely.'
There are important issues of power and accountability involved in the debt crisis. Creditor nations and the World Bank and International Monetary Fund have power over debtor nations as a result of the debts. These institutions and the G8 who control them, are unlikely to give up this power. Therefore the debt crises will remain unresolved. This is why an independent arbitration process is needed, as called for by the UN Secretary General, Mr Koffi Annan. It is also time that the World Bank and the IMF return to their original purpose, to promote development and assist in trade and monetary stability.