Mexico and the G8
Maria de Magdala. Reporting for Okupacheweb from Germany
This article opens this section of the Special Report about the group of
8 and the protests, which will take place form 1 to 8 June 2007 in
Heiligendamm, Germany.
What is the G8, what does Mexico have to do with it? Questions and
answers for the chancelor of Germany and President of G8 Angela Merkel:
Mexico and the G8
From the 6 to 8 of June, the summit will take place in Heiligendamm, (a
aquatic park in the Baltic coast of Germany). G8 refers to the eight
most industrialized nations of the world: Germany, Canada, USA, France,
Italy, Japan, UK and Russia. The following points will be discussed:
opening up international markets, combating climate change and creating
a fund for Africa, they will attempt to reach a consensus on creating a
“globalization with a human face”, where supposedly there will be more
transparency in the activities of financial entities such as IMF or the
WTO the most industrialized nations will transform these institutions
into a motor in the fight against climate change (it remains to be seen
if the US will respect this) and claiming to combat poverty my means of
structural reforms en the less industrialized countries which will
guarantee that the help will actually reach those who need it.
One of the especially invited guests at the summit will be Felipe
Calderón. He received the invitation during his last visit in January to
Germany (during which, remember, they cancelled various protest actions
against the repression in Mexico and arrested 18 protestors), where
Angela Merkel already remarked “without countries like China, Brazil,
India, Mexico and South Africa, the risks of globalization would not be
able to turn into opportunities." (comment by Merkel last 24 May)
“Globalization with a human face?” how this plays out in Mexico, or
various questions for Chancellor Merkel
At first we must ask ourselves, or ask the German Chancellor what she is
referring to when she speaks of globalization with a human face, but
above all, we ought to ask her to elaborate on her socio-commerical
policies in Latin America; for example, have you ever visited the
municipality of Mixtla de Altamirano while you were in Mexico?
Mixtla de Altamirano is a municipality in the Zongolica Mountains (where
members of the Mexican Army raped a 75-year-old woman, leading to her
death last April) in Veracruz, where it was listed in the developing
countries index of the United Nations below Uganda, Tanzania, and the
Marfil Coast, where 99.4 % of the population is indegenous, 71%
illiteracy rate 579 out of every 1000 children born do not reach their
first birthday; a municipality where, as in many parts of Mexico and in
the world, there is no electricity, no potable water (you may have to
walk more than six hours to get to the nearest source of water fit for
human consumption) and of course there is no roads connecting it to the
nearest town.
Have you ever been to the border between Mexico and the US? The border
where 600,000 Mexicans attempt to cross year after year risking their
lives in the desert or being hunted for sport by Texas rangers, shooting
to kill the immigrants.
Do you know that these people are migrating to the US because they are
lacking jobs in Mexico and that for more than a quarter of a century
Mexico has not been providing jobs and for this reason, millions of
people per year are forced to try to survive this way on a daily basis?
Ms. Merkel, have you ever asked yourself how is it that the migrants
receive the 1000 euros necesary for “getting out of poverty”? Do you
know that the recipients of the loan will have to cover 30-40% montly
interest on their loans?
The reason why the migrants work is to send money to their families and
improve their precarious living conditions and to send money to their
families to pay back the loan sharks.
Do you know the living conditions of illegalized workers in the US?
(Surely you should know because in Germany there are at least 300,000 of
them.)
Have you ever been in the streets of Jesus Carranza and Tenochtitlan, in
the ghetto of Mexico City called Tepito? The slums where hundreds of
families were evicted by the government with the argument of “combating
delinquency:” and that for 20 years they have been trying to be
gentrify the area due to its proximity to the historical center; where
thousands of residences will be demolished to make room for a Sheraton
hotel.
A ghetto of survivors which is growing despite all adversity and will
never disappear, a neighborhood fighting for its existence.
For everyone everything and some answers for Ms. Angela
In Mexico, as in many parts of the world, millions are liberating
themselves in a battle against what you call "globalization with a human
face”; a struggle against precarization of the living conditions of
millions of human beings.
In Mexico, organizations like the Zapatista Army of National Liberation
(Ejército Zapatista de Liberación Nacional (EZLN), la Asamblea Popular
de pueblos de Oaxaca (APPO), el Consejo Indigena popular de Oaxaca
Ricardo Flores Magón, la Conferencia de Organizaciones Políticas
Anticapitalistas de Izquierda (COPAI), just to mention a few, and
millions of urban dwellers, who arrive by foot fighting for a future
where decisions are not made just by a few, for a future where they
don’t have to fight just a get a piece of bread, a world where education
is not just a privilege, where housing and health are also a right, and
where the law of supply and demand is not the panacea of economic
development and, I hate to say, Ms. Chancellor your idea of
“globalization with a human face” is far from what we want – and you
know what? and in just a few days you will be able to see for yourself
and then you in Heiligendamm to see the protests against your
“globalization with a human face.”
We want an alternative, Ms. Merkel, to your “globalization with a human
face” and it has nothing to do with capitalism; our alternative can be
summed up in three simple words: for everyone everything!!!!!
P.S. Ms. Merkel, don’t be mistaken and do not forget: We will take our
own lives in our own hands.
Please forward