INTERNATIONAL CALL TO ACTION

C A C E R O L A Z O G L O B A L

IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE RESISTANCE OF THE ARGENTINE PEOPLE AGAINST THE EXPLOITERS (Transnationals, Banks, Corrupt Government Thieves), meeting at the World Economic Forum/WEF (Davos) in New York.

SATURDAY/SUNDAY FEBRUARY 2/3, 2002 - Concrete place, time and format of the action to be decided in each city.

NEIGHBORS AND CITIZENS OF THE WORLD: Let's make our Caceroles sound together! All of the world's Caceroles sounding off at the same time in a HUGE CACEROLAZO GLOBAL.

AS WE SHOUT TOGETHER WITH THE PEOPLE OF ARGENTINA IN REBELLION: "DOWN WITH THEM ALL; NOT EVEN ONE WILL REMAIN!"

WHAT IS A CACEROLAZO?

· When hundreds, thousands or hundreds of thousands of people get together and bang on their caceroles (pots and pans) as loudly as humanly possible, moving forward or standing still, in collective protest. The Cacerolazo has become the symbol of Argentine popular rebellion against the neoliberal order, and is fast becoming associated with the global resistance to transnational capitalism.


Why ARGENTINA?

· Argentina is not a poor country, but rather a country that has been destroyed. It is the latest example that transnational capitalism works like a "neutron bomb": destroying all living things.
· A large part of the population of Argentina, once the "breadbasket of the world" with tremendous natural resources - the hope and destiny of many millions of poor immigrants from around the world- is now going hungry.
Fifteen of the 36 million Argentines are living below the poverty line. Five million live in extreme poverty.
· ARGENTINA IS A GLOBAL MIRROR OF NEOLIBERAL CAPITALISM. ARGENTINA IS YOUR FUTURE. ARGENTINA IS A GLOBAL SCENARIO.
· The current crisis in Argentina, the "top student" of the IMF and the WASHINGTON CONSENSUS, is the culmination of 25 years of the neoliberal economic model imposed through significant bloodshed by the military dictatorship in Argentina (1976-1983; 30,000 dissappeared, hundreds of
millions tortured, jailed and exiled), which was supported by the IMF and the government of the United States.
· But Argentina has also been during the past few years, and especially since the popular rebellion on December 19 and 20, 2001 (that forced the pseudodemocratic government of De la Rua to resign), an example of a society, a people, and a citizenry that said ENOUGH!: No more victims! The cacerolazos have produced an irreversible and irreperable rupture in the established order.
· Local, self-generated calls to action are coming from the grassroots through neighborhood assemblies, which are totally self-managed, horizontal and democratic. A profound transformation of the political culture is rapidly emerging among wide sectors of the population.
· Many solidarity actions with the Argentine people have been carried out or are about to be carried out in diverse cities throughout the world, such as Barcelona, Bilbao, Paris, Toronto, Montreal, Oviedo, Berlin, Madrid, London, Porto Alegre and New York.

Why February 2/3, 2002?

· There will be a huge demonstration and cacerolazo in New York City on Saturday, February 2 against the World Economic Forum (which used to take place in Davos, bringing lobbies, transnationals and banks together with government leaders), along with demonstrations and cacerolazos on the same day in cities throughout the world, particularly in Canada, Europe (above all in Spain) and Latin America (especially the city of Porto Alegre, Brazil, where the World Social Forum will be meeting at the same time, and in Buenos Aires).

WHY A CACEROLAZO?

The "Cacerolazo"is globalizing as a form of protest; as a method it has many advantages:

· It is absolutely non-violent.
· It is loud and clearly visible.
· It is an extremely simple and grassroots method; it does not require expensive technology, training or special abilities. THE ENTIRE FAMILY can participate and any community or city can organize one.
· It is festive, carnavalesque and it symbolizes the social response to the big winners in the Argentine Crisis and the global neoliberal order more generally.

PROPOSAL for ACTION in EACH LOCALE:

1) Organize a CACEROLAZO shaming those who are responsible for the crisis.
2) Write a text to denounce the situation.
3) Spread the word throught the mass and alternative media.
4) Communicate progress and results through the internet and otherglobal communication networks.

NEIGHBORS AND CITIZENS OF THE WORLD:

BECAUSE WE ARE ALL ARGENTINES.... ON SATURDAY/SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2/3 LET'S CREATE THE SOUND OF A GLOBAL CACEROLAZO..................

MAY OUR RESISTANCE AND SOLIDARITY BE AS GLOBAL AS CAPITAL!

Today's demonstration outside of the World Bank offices in London was a great show of support for the Argentinian people. I was born in Buenos Aires, and it makes me very happy to see people in England recognising the truly international implications of the current Argentine crisis. I truly hope that the Argentinian Solidarity Group will continue their work in a non-violent manner.

However, I urge all of us to recognize that we must move beyond slogans to develop nuanced analyses and proposals for social improvements in Argentina. Protesting is only the first step.