Alternatives International

People's Social Forum in 2014 and the World Social Forum in 2016

Ronald Cameron — 2014-01-02T02:58:06Z

While expressing support for the idea of eventually holding a World Social Forum (WSF) in Montreal, the board of Alternatives nonetheless spoke out against the project to hold one in 2015. This was in order to protect the mobilization for Peoples Social Forum (PSF) in 2014, which enjoys significant support from civil society organizations in Quebec, Canada and the first nations. In this context, we welcome the decision of the International Council of the WSF to recognize Tunisia as a new site for the next WSF in 2015. But at the same time, the IC also began to consider a new WSF in 2016, recognizing that Montreal could be a host, possibly in a polycentric model with India.

This decision of the IC is not a definitive one. This decision, as far as Montreal is considered, depends on the success of the PSF in 2014. It is then for us to overcome the issue of dispersion of forces and focus on this first event that is the PSF 2014.

The need for a broad consensus

Alternatives always wishes and continues to do so, that an eventual WSF be held in Montreal. We have always worked and wished for every WSF to be a success since the first one held in 2001 in Porto Alegre.

The contribution of WSF in the development of a social and political alternative at the global level, as a counterpoint to neoliberal orientations expressed by the Davos summit, is of primary importance for social movements around the world. However, such gatherings require a major mobilization of social networks and an unequivocal commitment of organizations and social movements.

To organize a WSF in Montreal in 2016, it is essential to achieve broad consensus and a common position in the movement. We do not find that such a consensus exists for now and we might be able to further evaluate this in the light of the experience gained with the PSF 2014.

Requirements of the WSF and the influence of the IC

We are pleased that Montreal is considered as a possible option for holding a WSF. However, the decision of the IC is not a confirmation, especially when the event is 30 months away. Not only it is conditioned by the development of the mobilization for the PSF in 2014, it must also be reconfirmed thereafter.

In addition, the Council provides no resources and it is upto the host organizations to ensure the financing of such an event. Therefore, we consider that the real test will remain for the civil society organizations to secure funding.

People's Social Forum 2014

The idea of a WSF in Montreal was developed for the first time when it was proposed to hold it in 2013. Alternatives had promoted this idea in the IC but finally joined other members of the IC and rallied behind the idea of holding it in Tunis instead. We all experienced the great success of the WSF-2013 and hope it will repeat in 2015.

During this period it was the consensus of a large majority of civil society organizations in Quebec that came forward with the project of building a Quebec-First Nations-Canada Social Forum, which today has taken the form of People's Social Forum. Since then, the necessary consensus required to make the project a success are being concretized at all levels including democratic functioning, organizational, financial and technical.

To hold the PSF in August 2014 is unavoidable. It already involves more than 50 progressive organizations from Canada, Quebec and indigenous communities. The event itself is aiming to bring together over 10 000 people making this a unique and a historic event in Canada. Nothing close to this has been accomplished in the past. The People's Social Forum is aiming to construct a real pan-Canadian extra-parliamentary opposition to the austerity measures being imposed by the present federal government.

Like the International Council of the WSF, we believe it is essential that all forces come together to make the PSF in 2014, a success. This is a prerequisite to seriously consider any proposed WSF in 2016. The World Social Forum in Montreal in 2016 will only exist if the Forum in 2014 would bring its actors to consider the project of a WSF as a lever to go further. However, one should also check the political conjuncture at that time, because the mobilization could also be build through other channels, including one that will be marked by the election period.

Based on the assessment of PSF in 2014, it will not be too late to plan the holding a WSF thereafter. If consensus exists and that political conditions are favourable, we will be among the first organization that supports the International Council proposal to hold the WSF in Montreal post-2015.

The Student Movement Kicks Out The Liberal Government

Ronald Cameron — 2012-10-01T22:02:00Z

On September 4, 2012 the Parti Quebecoise (PQ) were elected to a minority government and Pauline Marois became the first woman to be Premier of Quebec. The election marks the first time since 2007 that a minority government will be formed in Quebec; the PQ won fifty-four seats while the Liberals now hold fifty. While this election marks a shift in Quebec's history and a milestone for the province's sovereignties, the real political victory of the year belongs to the student movement, which has gained a large – and arguably a ‘majority – of popular support.

In Montreal on May 22 2012, on the hundredth day of the student strike, more than three hundred thousand people took to the streets to protest the policies of the Jean Charest's Liberal provincial government. The protest was largely a response to Bill 78, an emergency law that sought to restrict protesting or picketing on campus by ‘protecting' the rights of institutions to provide unimpeded education to its enrolled students. The demonstrations fought back against these repressive measures and the call for general election became inevitable.

The student protests began in February in opposition to the seventy-five percent increase of tuition fees by the year 2017. However, the Quebec government argued that Quebec's fees are the lowest of Canada's provinces, therefore justifying the imposition of higher chargers on public services.

The student movement can be held accountable for the resignation of the Minister of Education, Line Beauchamp.

At the peak of the strike movement, three hundred thousand students were affected – nearly two third of the entire post-secondary student population. Since April 22 demonstrations were occurring nearly every night, with violent clashes between the police, demonstrators and ‘black bloc' activists. Nearly 2000 arrests were made since the beginning of the conflict, most of them as a result of Bill 78.

In order to avoid more police confrontations, the student ‘casserole' movement began, and caught onto other Canadian cities as students across the country demonstrated their solidarity to the movement. The pretense was that students and supporters would take the streets peacefully- armed with pots and pans and clanging against Harper's repressive actions and tuition hikes. Social networks helped with the mobilization and the spread of petitions.

The movements demonstrated the sheer force of social networking and student mobilization to counter the repressive measures of the government – while bringing to light unconstitutional threat of Bill 78 to Canadians' democratic liberties.

WSF 2013: A Meeting Between The Alter-Globalization Movement And The Arab Spring

Ronald Cameron — 2012-10-01T21:58:00Z

The meeting between the Prime Minister of Tunisia, a leader of the Islamist Party Ennahda, and a delegation from the International Council (IC) of the World Social Forum (WSF) has confirmed the interest of the Tunisian Government to facilitate the holding of the WSF 2013 scheduled for March 23 to 28, in Tunis. Hamadi Jebali believes that the current WSF meeting in Tunis will strengthen its position with European authorities. While supporting the logistic and guaranteeing no political intervention, he warned WSF about the risk of becoming the lever of the political opposition, a challenging issue that WSF could potentially face.

Three thousand people participated in the preparatory assembly for WSF 2013, held over six days in July in Monastir, Tunisia. Various workshops and meetings were held during the first three days of the assembly, followed by the IC activities during the last three. Not only were the main international guidelines put in place but participants also took the opportunity to strengthen the dynamics of mobilization in the Maghreb, as well as throughout the rest of Africa.

A Preparatory Assembly Focused On Local And Regional Social Movements

The African Council launched the assembly and met on July 12. In the following days, the Tunisian Committee on Economic and Social Rights autonomously worked within the context mobilization in the Maghreb-Mashreq region. The arrival of the “Boats 4 People” flotilla concluded a day of activities and debates regarding the topics of free circulation, migrants' rights, and asylum seekers in Europe from Libya, Morocco, Mauritania, and Tunisia.

More than five hundred people were present during the first day of the IC. The IC meeting was set to begin with a political debate on the concerns and challenges of social movements in the context of the capitalist crisis. The last two days of the assembly were dedicated to workshops that aimed to establish the foundations of the international commissions for 2013's WSF.

The IC was fairly open to addresses from the leaders of the social movements which have emerged in the past two years. For instance, lectures were given by an American woman of New York's Occupy Wall Street, a Tunisian feminist, a member of the Senegalese “Y'en A Marre” movement, and a representative from the Tunisian, Association des Chômeurs.

Tunisian Spring

The political aspect surrounding the question: “what changes does the current international situation demand from the global social justice movement?” was presented by Gustave Massiah, from the French network Initiative “pour un autre monde.” In particular, he emphasized the beginning of a new cycle of revolutions and upheaval.

Three international commissions were created in order to develop the financing, communication, and mobilization aspects of the movement, in concert with related committees from Tunisia and the Maghreb.

When The Alter-Globalization Movement Meets The Arab Spring

Globally, the next WSF initiatives concern whether the alter-globalization movement will succeed in its meeting with social movements, which have initiated a genuine democratic revolution.

The question is whether the inclusive approach of the WSF will convince those who are active in social movements, especially from Islamist currents, to attend the event. Skepticism persists about the scope of the WSF and the Arab spring. Some people consider the social forum formula bears little consequence. Others believe that the Arab Spring is stillborn and is limited to changing the guard only in the state.

Political Islam And The Only Change Of Guard In The State

This meeting is the most ambitious attempt to link global anti-systemic movements and with a regional social movement where there has been a major impact.

The Dynamics Post Rio +20 and the Political Islam

The conclusions of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development, held last June in Rio de Janeiro, were dismissed without surprise by social movements. The idea that the market, as green as it is, can solve both the ecological and economic crisis, without questioning the method of production and consumption, is not credible for the movements that consider "that growth based on production in a capitalist system, even if it is regulated, does not escape the limits of the planetary ecosystem".

The People's Summit Final Declaration represents an important turning point in the attitude of global social movement networks. This constitutes a clear opposition based on the purposes of a Global Climate Justice approach.

The document "Another future is possible", developed by the thematic groups created for the Thematic Social Forum held in Porto Alegre in January 2012, was presented at the People's Summit in Rio + 20. This document is an important contribution from those thematic groups coordinated by GRAP (Grupo de Reflexao e Apoio ao Processo) who network in the development of a true alternative vision to the current global crisis of capitalism.

On the global scale the social movements from Maghreb and North Africa with the presence of Islamic movement are particularly questioned by the content of the democratic project in their region. Not only do the electoral results in North Africa reflect the growing support of Islamic movements, but they also appear now in the public debate as creators of the democratic political project in this region.

How to reconcile the concerns of the global anti-systemic movement for social justice and the desire to develop a secular and inclusive social movement in North Africa? The environmental issue was essentially dealt with from the food sovereignty perspective at the preparatory meeting. This is a crucial issue, challenging the wealth distribution as well as the industrial production methods of the capitalist food industry. The Ecological issue related to the extractive industry remains equally important and includes problems related to oil production in this strategic region.

Attitude Towards The Islamic Movement

The participation of Islamic activists in WSF depends much on the left, in each country in North Africa, to ensure the conditions for this, without challenging the secular nature of the WSF. The most important contribution of the WSF to social movements in North Africa and the Arab world is based on this culture of pluralism and diversity, on the one hand, and on consensus and rallying, on the other hand.

In addition, there has been criticism on the logistics of the Preparatory Meeting. In order to understand this we have to consider the WSF's unifying and inclusive framework and the decentralized nature of its deliberations. Nevertheless, the organizational issue remains a major political challenge in a country that is gaining a higher level of freedom. Tunisian Social Movements should demonstrate an enormous organizational capacity, given the high level of participation expected.

Finally, in view of the political challenges discussed above, including those related to faith, a greater capacity to host and also to respect the principles of the WSF will be required in a context of increased polarization in the political and social arenas, as we have seen through the events taking place in Egypt, Libya and Syria! The presence of Islamic activists will surely raise debates.

What Can The WSF Contribute To The Social Movements In North Africa?

The support of key member organizations and supporters of the WSF is crucial to help the Tunisian and Maghreb social movements meet the political and logistic challenges. WSF's contribution to North African social movements will not be limited to the political level. It should ensure the success of the meeting, in the context of the current capitalist crisis, between the global justice movement, post-Rio + 20, and the society in North Africa. Concerning logistics, the contribution of the WSF has to be translated in terms of its inclusive and unifying principles which will certainly be a challenge for the political meeting.

The International Council lays the foundation for 2013's World Social Forum

Ronald Cameron — 2012-08-01T16:55:11Z

Roughly a thousand people participated in the preparatory assembly for World Social Forum (WSF) 2013, held over six days beginning July 12 in Monastir, Tunisia. Various workshops and meetings marked the first three days of the assembly, and the International Council pursued its work during the last three days. Not only were the main international levers put in place, but participants took the opportunity to strengthen the dynamics of mobilization in the Maghreb, as well as throughout the rest of Africa.

A preparatory assembly focused on fights

The African Council launched the assembly and began its work on July 12. In the following days, the Tunisian Committee on Economic and Social Rights pursued its work, in an autonomous fashion, in the context of a day largely dedicated to mobilization in the Maghreb-Mashreq region.

We should also note the important ‘The Maghreb Coordination on the issue of migrants and asylum seekers' initiative, launched in the first days of assembly. A day of activities and debates took place surrounding the topics of free circulation, migrants' rights, and asylum seekers from Libya, Morocco, Mauritania, and Tunisia. The arrival of the “Boats 4 People” flotilla was a moving moment of solidarity with illegal immigrants and those lost at sea in the Mediterranean.

Different workshops were held, notably concerning youth, namely, on the Quebec student protests, the Y'en A Marre (“Fed up”) movement in Senegal, and the youth of Croatia and Tunisia. Recall the major role that the unemployed and educated youth have played in the mobilizations of the Tunisian Spring.

The International Council makes room for social movements

More than 500 people were present during the first day of the International Council (IC). The gathering of the IC was set to begin with a political debate on the concerns and challenges of social movements in the context of the capitalist crisis. The last two days of the assembly were dedicated to workshops, which aimed to establish the foundations of the international commissions for 2013's WSF.

However, the IC also hosted several talks given by the leaders of the social movements which have emerged in the past two years. Lectures were given by an American woman of New York's Occupy Wall Street, a Tunisian feminist, a member of the Senegalese Y'en A Marre movement, a representative from the Association des chômeurs (ADC) de Tunisie (advocates for Tunisia's unemployed), participants from the Subversive Forum in Croatia, who pointed to parallels between their struggles in Zaghreb and the situation in Maghreb, and a woman from the Réseau maalien Comité, who discussed sub-Saharan mobilization.

The policy point of view was introduced by Gustave Massiah, of Initiative pour un autre monde (Alternatives International France), who sought to answer the question “What changes does the current international situation demand of the global social justice movement?” In particular, he argued that we are assisting in a new cycle of revolutions and upheaval. His written contribution will soon be made widely available.

The discussion allowed a large number of participants to make their opinions heard. Mike Palecek, of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW-STTP) was warmly applauded when he called for a greater participation for the union movement in the global social justice movement and next year's WSF. Let us note that the CUPW is also working to encourage a regroupment of the postal unions of in the Arab world and the Maghreb region in order to promote a more concerted participation at the next Forum.

Three international commissions were put in place in order to develop the financing, communication, and mobilizations aspects of the movement, in concert with related committees from Tunisia and the Maghreb.

Finally, a working group was established in order to review the functioning of the IC and its liaison committee, which had been largely inactive of late. Criticism was raised concerning the low level of organization and preparation which characterized the preparation assembly, despite the fact that progress was made. But we will come back to this.

Translated from French by Lola Duffort

Now the People

Ronald Cameron — 2010-10-02T03:57:18Z

In the midst of the crisis, everything seemed possible for the workers of the world: from the bonfire of established orthodoxies a new consensus was forming... Two years later, we observe the results— or lack thereof— and fear the worst.

The International Trade Union Confederation submitted a declaration to the G20 prior to their summit in Toronto this past summer, it included instituting an international financial transactions tax, adopting an international pact for employment and sustainable development based on green energies, and reforming global governance and the international financial sector.

Since the ITUC was founded in 2006 with the unification of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions and the World Confederation of Labour along with trade union organisations that had no previous global affiliation, a worldwide financial and economic crisis has reinforced the necessity to mobilize. ITUC officials note that 34 million jobs have been destroyed worldwide and a further 64 million people have been pushed back into extreme poverty while more than $1.1 trillion USD was collected to save the very institutions that bear responsibility for the crisis.

In the midst of the crisis, everything seemed possible for the workers of the world: from the bonfire of established orthodoxies a new consensus was forming to enact sweeping changes to the workings of the global economy, starting with an unprecedented kick start of sustainable growth and a profound process of regulation of financial markets and institutions. The G-20 was established to make sure that change had a broader base just as trade union satisfaction was reinforced by ITUC access to— and influence on— the first G-20 Summits in Washington, London and Pittsburgh.

Two years later, we observe the results— or lack thereof— and fear the worst.
The opportunities for fundamental change that the crisis generated have not entirely evaporated, but an uneasy sensation is growing— the window for those opportunities is closing. Without real and significant progress, the road away from the crisis will not lead forward to global social justice but backward to increasing inequality and injustice at work and in society.

However, the ITUC has several allies in the G20, including the President of Argentina, Cristina Kirchner, who spoke during the conference to inform the delegations of her support for the ITUC program. The Greek Prime Minister, George Papandreou, via satellite, spoke about current economic problems of his country and called for unions to strengthen their action to advance solutions to the crisis. Even the leaders of the International Monetary Fund, Dominique Strauss-Kahn and World Trade Organization, Pascal Lamy, invited the international trade union movement to offer its ideas.

Towards new trade union internationalism?

The ITUC declaration proposes an ambitious program to end the crisis in which common and concerted international action is foundational. It seeks nothing less than a new trade union internationalism, one that seeks to exceed the prevailing model that is remote from the mainstream of national trade union work and priorities that concern only a limited group of specialists and enthusiasts.

But given both the uneven development and differing realities of trade unions within the confederation, difficulties regarding coordination between organizations and differences between strategies going forward remain; the Brazilian CUT proposes a general worldwide strike, the European trade unions went ahead with a very successful day of disruption on September 29, and ITUC will continue to advance the need for a day promoting the right to decent work.

Uneven development and a current lack of synchronization of mobilization however, will not discourage the International Trade Union Confederation or its 176 million workers from across 155 countries who are unhappy with the road leading from the 2008 crisis— their latest declaration begins with a single message: “Now the people!"

Ronald Cameron is on the Executive Board of Alternatives.

Translation thanks to: Marine Begault

Photo: flickr/ Oliver Lindberg