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G8/G20 CONVERGENCE 2010
ALL OUT AGAINST THE G8/G20!
25-27 June 2010
The Group of 8 Leaders and the Group of 20 Leaders are meeting in Ontario, from the 25th to the 27th of June, 2010. On these same dates we are calling for a people’s convergence in Toronto.
These gatherings are about trying to fix capitalism, a system that cannot be fixed; about creating unsustainable trading solutions to ecological catastrophe; about ensuring the continued exploitation of people of colour and the South and about celebrating war as a means to create puppet allies and maintain imperialist power.
This is a call to disrupt and shut down the places, the systems and the ideas that exploit and exclude us.
In their place, let us creatively build the world we wish to live in. A world with self-determination for indigenous peoples; climate and environmental justice; income equity and community control over resources; migrant justice and an end to war and occupation; gender justice, queer and disAbility rights.
On these days, we call for Days of Action across the world that showcase solutions from the ground up.
SOLIDARITY AND RESPECT
PREAMBLE
We have come together in solidarity and respect, with the belief that together we can create a movement whose sum is greater than its parts.
We are all striving for similar goals. We are working for a world free of capitalism, sexism, of classism, of racism, of colonialism, of homo/lesbo/bi/trans-phobia, of environmental destruction, of abledism and of ageism.
We believe that we must embrace honest discussion and debate. We trust that our movement is strong enough, resilient and mature enough to embrace open differences of opinion. We believe that if we are to truly build a socially just world, it will take many different tactics, much creativity and many different approaches. It is this that allows us to work together even when we disagree.
We work together in solidarity and respect. This does not mean we endorse everything each of us does, or that we agree on all things. But we will listen to each other, we will discuss our differences openly and honestly, where necessary, we will agree to disagree and we will support each other when attacked.
We understand that people have different needs regarding safety. That while one person may need to be on the streets in a situation where someone else’s actions do not put them in danger, another person may need to know that if they are arrested, they will be supported, regardless of what the state may allege they have done. We know that the way to work through these needs is to hear each other with respect, to strive to understand each other and support each other even if we do not agree.
Media Relations
We will not do the state’s work. We will not assist them in dividing our movement, in scape-goating our people, or in attacking our organizations and people.
We believe that in our movement, journalists (especially alternative media and movement media journalists) have a role in this discussion. When they write respectfully, honestly, thoughtfully, with an eye to the consequences of their work, they only assist us in speaking to each other and to the debates we must have if we are to win a better world.
It is with this in mind that we espouse the following principles (taken from the St. Paul principles). These principles are an attempt to outline a working process for us together as organizers:
1. Our solidarity is based on respect for a political diversity within the struggle for social-justice. As individuals and groups we may choose to engage in a diversity of tactics and plans of action but are committed to treating each other with respect;
2. We realize that debates and honest criticisms are necessary for political clarification and growth in our movements. But we also realize that our detractors will work to divide us by inflaming and magnifying our tactical, strategic, personal and political disagreements. For the purposes of political clarity, and mutual respect, we will speak to our own political motivations and tactical choices and allow other groups and individuals to speak on their own behalf. We reject all forms of violence-baiting, red-baiting and fear-mongering; and efforts to foster unnecessary divisions among our movements;
3. As we plan our actions and tactics, we will take care to maintain appropriate separations of time and space between divergent tactics. We will commit to respecting each other’s organizing space and the tone and tactics they wish to utilize in that space. We will commit to clearly communicating our choices of tactics wherever possible;
4. We oppose any state repression of dissent, including surveillance, infiltration, disruption and violence. We agree not to assist law enforcement actions against activists and others. We oppose proposals designed to cage protests into high-restricted “free speech” zones, and we will support all those arrested; and
5. We will work to promote a sense of respect for our shared community, our neighbours and particularly poor, working people, immigrants and others marginalized in our society and their personal property. We also will work to promote a sense of respect for Indigenous peoples and the land we are organizing on.
An injury to one is an injury to all!
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SUPPORT THE CONVERGENCE AND GET INVOLVED!
(a) Sign up to our low traffic announcement list, join us on facebook and follow us on twitter – http://g20.torontomobilize.org. Email community.mobilize@resist.ca
(b) If you are organizing any actions or events between 21 and 27 June 2010, do get in touch. We will be creating a schedule of activities for that week and would like to list all events happening.
© Organize events. Throw parties. Invite speakers. Take Action. If you need any support contact us at community.mobilize@resist.ca
(d) Spread the word! Forward this message on lists. Put up posters and hand out pamphlets. Organize creative actions and join community struggles. [http://g20.torontomobilize.org/tools]
(e) Please donate! Please make cheques out to Toronto Community Mobilization Network, 360A Bloor Street West, PO Box 68557, Toronto, ON M5S1X0. In-kind support is also greatly appreciated, visit http://g20.torontomobilize.org/support for what we need
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Web: http://g20.torontomobilize.org
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=236150947036
Twitter: http://twitter.com/g20mobilize
Email: community.mobilize@resist.ca