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abolition-usa-digest      Monday, January 3 2000      Volume 01 : Number 244




----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Wed, 3 Jan 1996 08:05:03 +1100
From: "Helen Caldicott" <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: (abolition-usa) Re: [Indigenous Peoples WTO Declaration] World Trade Organization Article

This is an excellent statement, thankyou for sending it to me, it is very
helpful, Sincerely Helen Caldicott

- ----- Original Message -----
From: Abolition2000 Pacific Region <[e-mail]>
To: <[e-mail]>
Sent: Sunday, January 02, 2000 2:43 PM
Subject: (abolition-usa) Re: [Indigenous Peoples WTO Declaration] World
Trade Organization Article


>
> Dear Timothy and other Abolitionists,
>
> Happy New Year. I am including below the Indigenous Peoples' Seattle [WTO]
> Declaration. It presents the issues and expresses some of the concerns we
> have vis-a-vis WTO and Globalization. I hope that in your writing, you
will
> also acknowledge the impacts of economic globalization on Indigenous
> communities and peoples and also the work of Indigenous peoples within the
> context of WTO talks.
>
> Please contact Debra Harry at Indigenous Peoples Council on Biocolonialism
> <[e-mail]> or Victoria Tauli-Corpuz at Tebtebba Foundation
> <[e-mail]> for further information, if you need any. Good luck
> to you and to all of us in this new year!
>
> Richard Salvador
> Honolulu, Hawai`i
>
> ---
>
>
>
> From: Debra Harry <[e-mail]>
> Date: December 28, 1999 12:27 AM
> Subject: INDIGENOUS PEOPLES' SEATTLE DECLARATION
>
> From: Victoria Tauli-Corpuz at "Tebtebba Foundation"
> <[e-mail]>:
>
>
>
> INDIGENOUS PEOPLES' SEATTLE DECLARATION
> on the occasion of the Third Ministerial Meeting of the World Trade
> Organization
> November 30-December 3, 1999
>
> We, the Indigenous Peoples from various regions of the world, have come to
> Seattle to express our great concern over how the World Trade Organization
> is destroying Mother Earth and the cultural and biological diversity of
> which we are a part.
>
> Trade liberalization and export-oriented development, which are the
> overriding principles and policies pushed by the WTO, are creating the
most
> adverse impacts on the lives of Indigenous Peoples.  Our inherent right to
> self-determination, our sovereignty as nations, and treaties and other
> constructive agreements which Indigenous nations and Peoples have
negotiated
> with other nation-states, are undermined by most of the WTO Agreements.
The
> disproportionate impact of these Agreements on our communities, whether
> through environmental degradation or the  militarization and violence that
> often accompanies development projects, is serious and therefore should be
> addressed immediately.
>
> The WTO Agreement on Agriculture (AOA), which promotes export competition
> and import liberalization, has allowed the entry of cheap agricultural
> products into our communities.  It is causing the destruction of
> ecologically rational and sustainable agricultural practices of Indigenous
> Peoples.
>
> Food security and the production of traditional food crops have been
> seriously compromised.  Incidents of diabetes, cancers, and hypertension
> have significantly increased among Indigenous Peoples because of the
> scarcity of traditional foods and the dumping of junk food into our
> communities.
>
> Small-scale farm production is giving way to commercial cash-crop
> plantations further concentrating ancestral lands into the hands of few
> agri-corporations and landlords.  This has led to the dislocation of
scores
> of people from our communities who then migrate to nearby cities and
become
> the urban homeless and jobless.
>
> The WTO Forests Products Agreement promotes free trade in forest products.
> By eliminating developed country tariffs on wood products by the year
2000,
> and developing country tariffs by 2003, the Agreement will result in the
> deforestation of many of the world's ecosystems in which Indigenous
Peoples
> live.
>
> Mining laws in many countries are being changed to allow free entry of
> foreign mining corporations, to enable them to buy and own mineral lands,
> and to freely displace Indigenous Peoples from their ancestral
territories.
> These large-scale commercial mining and oil extraction activities continue
> to degrade our lands and fragile ecosystems, and pollute the soil, water,
> and air in our communities.
>
> The appropriation of our lands and resources and the aggressive promotion
of
> consumerist and individualistic Western culture continue to destroy
> traditional lifestyles and cultures.  The result is not only environmental
> degradation but also ill health, alienation, and high levels of stress
> manifested in high rates of alcoholism and suicides.
>
> The theft and patenting of our biogenetic resources is facilitated by the
> TRIPs (Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights) of the WTO.
> Some plants which Indigenous Peoples have discovered, cultivated, and used
> for food, medicine, and for sacred rituals are already patented in the
> United States, Japan, and Europe.  A few examples of these are ayahuasca,
> quinoa, and sangre de drago in forests of South America; kava in the
> Pacific; turmeric and bitter melon in Asia.  Our access and control over
our
> biological diversity and control over our traditional knowledge and
> intellectual heritage are threatened by the TRIPs Agreement.
>
> Article 27.3b of the TRIPs Agreement allows the patenting of life-forms
and
> makes an artificial distinction between plants, animals, and
> micro-organisms.  The distinction between "essentially biological" and
> "non-biological" and "microbiological" processes is also erroneous.  As
far
> as we are concerned all these are life-forms and life-creating processes
> which are sacred and which should not become the subject of private
property
> ownership.
>
> Finally, the liberalization of investments and the service sectors, which
is
> pushed by the General Agreement of Services (GATS), reinforces the
> domination and monopoly control of foreign corporations over strategic
parts
> of the economy.  The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund impose
> conditionalities of liberalization, deregulation and privatization on
> countries caught in the debt trap.  These conditionalities are reinforced
> further by the WTO.
>
> In light of the adverse impacts and consequences of the WTO Agreements
> identified above, we, Indigenous Peoples present the following demands:
>
> We urgently call for a social and environmental justice analysis which
will
> look into the Agreements' cumulative effects on Indigenous Peoples.
> Indigenous Peoples should be equal participants in establishing the
criteria
> and indicators for these analyses so that they take into consideration
> spiritual as well as cultural aspects.
>
> A review of the Agreements should be done to address all of the inequities
> and imbalances which adversely affect Indigenous Peoples.
>
> The proposals to address some of these are as follows;
>
> *  For the Agreement on Agriculture
>
> ~It should not include in its coverage small-scale farmers who are mainly
> engaged in production for domestic use and sale in the local markets.
>
> ~It should ensure the recognition and protection of rights of Indigenous
> Peoples to their territories and their resources, as well  as their rights
> to continue practicing their indigenous sustainable agriculture and
resource
> management practices and traditional livelihoods.
>
> ~It should ensure the food security and the capacity of Indigenous Peoples
> to produce, consume and trade their traditional foods.
>
>
> *  With regard to the liberalization of services and investments we
> recommend the following:
>
> ~It must stop unsustainable mining, commercial planting of monocrops, dam
> construction, oil exploration, land conversion to golf clubs, logging, and
> other activities which destroy  Indigenous Peoples' lands and violate the
> rights of indigenous peoples' to their territories and resources.
>
> ~The right of Indigenous Peoples to their traditional lifestyles, cultural
> norms and values should likewise be recognized and protected.
>
> ~The liberalization of services, especially in the areas of health, should
> not be allowed if it will prevent Indigenous Peoples from having access to
> free, culturally appropriate as well as quality health services.
>
> ~The liberalization of finance services which makes the world a global
> casino should be regulated.
>
>
> *  On the TRIPs Agreement, the proposals are as follows:
>
> ~Article 27.3b should be amended to categorically disallow the patenting
of
> life-forms.  It should clearly prohibit the patenting of micro-organisms,
> plants, animals, including all their parts, whether they are genes, gene
> sequences, cells, cell lines,  proteins, or seeds.
>
> ~It should also prohibit the patenting of natural processes, whether these
> are biological or microbiological, involving the use of plants, animals
and
> micro-organisms and their parts in producing variations of plants, animals
> and micro-organisms.
>
> ~It should ensure the exploration and development of alternative forms of
> protection outside of the dominant western intellectual property rights
> regime.  Such alternatives must protect the knowledge and innovations and
> practices in agriculture, health care, and conservation of biodiversity,
and
> should build upon indigenous methods and customary laws protecting
> knowledge, heritage and biological resources.
>
> ~It should ensure that the protection offered to indigenous and
traditional
> knowledge, innovation and practices is consistent with the Convention on
> Biological Diversity (i.e., Articles 8j, 10c, 17.2, and 18.4) and the
> International Undertaking on Plant Genetic Resources.
>
> ~It should allow for the right of Indigenous Peoples and farmers to
continue
> their traditional practices of saving, sharing and exchanging seeds, and
> cultivating, harvesting and using medicinal plants.
>
> ~It should prohibit scientific researchers and corporations from
> appropriating and patenting indigenous seeds, medicinal plants, and
related
> knowledge about these life-forms.  The principles of prior informed
consent
> and right of veto by Indigenous Peoples should be respected.
>
>
> If the earlier proposals cannot be ensured, we call for the removal of the
> Agreement on Agriculture, the Forest Products Agreements and the TRIPs
> Agreement from the WTO.
>
> We call on the member-states of the WTO not to allow for another round
> whilst the review and rectification of the implementation of existing
> agreements has not been done. We reject the proposals for an investment
> treaty, competition, accelerated industrial tariffs, government
procurement,
> and the creation of a working group on biotechnology.
>
> We urge the WTO to reform itself to become democratic, transparent and
> accountable. If it fails to do this we call for the abolition of the WTO.
>
> We urge the member nation-states of the WTO to endorse the adoption by the
> UN General Assembly of the current text of the UN Declaration on the
Rights
> of Indigenous Peoples and the ratification of ILO Convention l69.
>
> We call on the peoples' organizations and NGOs  to support this
"Indigenous
> Peoples' Seattle Declaration" and to promote it among their members.
>
> We believe that the whole philosophy underpinning the WTO Agreements and
the
> principles and policies it promotes contradict our core values,
spirituality
> and worldviews, as well as our concepts and practices of development,
trade
> and environmental protection. Therefore, we challenge the WTO to redefine
> its principles and practices toward a "sustainable communities" paradigm,
> and to recognize and allow for the continuation of other worldviews and
> models of development.
>
> Indigenous peoples, undoubtedly, are the ones most adversely affected by
> globalization and by the WTO Agreements. However, we believe that it is
also
> us who can offer viable alternatives to the dominant economic growth,
> export-oriented development model. Our sustainable lifestyles and
cultures,
> traditional knowledge, cosmologies, spirituality, values of collectivity,
> reciprocity, respect and reverence for Mother Earth, are crucial in the
> search for a transformed society where justice, equity, and sustainability
> will prevail.
>
>
> Statement by the Indigenous Peoples' Caucus convened and sponsored by the
> Indigenous Environmental Network USA/CANADA, Seventh Generation Fund USA,
> International Indian Treaty Council, Indigenous Peoples Council on
> Biocolonialism, the Abya Yala Fund, and TEBTEBBA (Indigenous Peoples'
> International Centre for Policy Research and Education), 1 December 1999,
> Seattle, Washington, USA.
>
> Other indigenous peoples' organizations, NGOs and individuals who wish to
> sign on to this statement, send email to  [e-mail] or
> [e-mail].
>
> ________________________________________
> Debra Harry, Director
> Indigenous Peoples Council on Biocolonialism
> Tel:  [phone]  Fax:  [phone]
> Cell: [phone]
> Email text message to cell: mailto:[e-mail]
> Email: [e-mail]  Website:  www.ipcb.org
> _______________________________________
>
>
>
> ---
>
>
>
>
>
> From: Timothy Bruening <[e-mail]>
> To: [e-mail]
> Subject: World Trade Organization Article
> Date: Sat, 1 Jan 2000 17:02:48 -0800 (PST)
>
> Dear Abolitionists:
>
> Debbie Davis of the Davis Enterprise has made me a contributing writer for
> the Enterprise's Op-Ed page.  My first assignment (due Jan. 14) is to
write
> an article about the World Trade Organization.  What should I say about
the
> WTO?
>
> I would like to interview businesses near my workplace (Mengali's Florist
at
> 611 2nd Street in Davis) about their views on the WTO, and also interview
> local WTO activists.  Who should I interview, and what questions should I
> ask them?
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Timothy Bruening
> 1439 Brown Drive
> Davis, CA 95616
>
>
> -
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ______________________________________________________
> Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
>
>
> -
>  To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to
"[e-mail]"
>  with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message.
>  For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send
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>


- -
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 with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message.
 For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send
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------------------------------

Date: Wed, 3 Jan 1996 18:23:51 +1100
From: "Helen Caldicott" <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: (abolition-usa) Re: [Indigenous Peoples WTO Declaration] World Trade Organization Article

- ----- Original Message -----
From: Helen Caldicott <[e-mail]>
To: <[e-mail]>
Sent: Wednesday, January 03, 1996 8:05 AM
Subject: Re: (abolition-usa) Re: [Indigenous Peoples WTO Declaration] World
Trade Organization Article


> This is an excellent statement, thankyou for sending it to me, it is very
> helpful, Sincerely Helen Caldicott
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Abolition2000 Pacific Region <[e-mail]>
> To: <[e-mail]>
> Sent: Sunday, January 02, 2000 2:43 PM
> Subject: (abolition-usa) Re: [Indigenous Peoples WTO Declaration] World
> Trade Organization Article
>
>
> >
> > Dear Timothy and other Abolitionists,
> >
> > Happy New Year. I am including below the Indigenous Peoples' Seattle
[WTO]
> > Declaration. It presents the issues and expresses some of the concerns
we
> > have vis-a-vis WTO and Globalization. I hope that in your writing, you
> will
> > also acknowledge the impacts of economic globalization on Indigenous
> > communities and peoples and also the work of Indigenous peoples within
the
> > context of WTO talks.
> >
> > Please contact Debra Harry at Indigenous Peoples Council on
Biocolonialism
> > <[e-mail]> or Victoria Tauli-Corpuz at Tebtebba Foundation
> > <[e-mail]> for further information, if you need any. Good
luck
> > to you and to all of us in this new year!
> >
> > Richard Salvador
> > Honolulu, Hawai`i
> >
> > ---
> >
> >
> >
> > From: Debra Harry <[e-mail]>
> > Date: December 28, 1999 12:27 AM
> > Subject: INDIGENOUS PEOPLES' SEATTLE DECLARATION
> >
> > From: Victoria Tauli-Corpuz at "Tebtebba Foundation"
> > <[e-mail]>:
> >
> >
> >
> > INDIGENOUS PEOPLES' SEATTLE DECLARATION
> > on the occasion of the Third Ministerial Meeting of the World Trade
> > Organization
> > November 30-December 3, 1999
> >
> > We, the Indigenous Peoples from various regions of the world, have come
to
> > Seattle to express our great concern over how the World Trade
Organization
> > is destroying Mother Earth and the cultural and biological diversity of
> > which we are a part.
> >
> > Trade liberalization and export-oriented development, which are the
> > overriding principles and policies pushed by the WTO, are creating the
> most
> > adverse impacts on the lives of Indigenous Peoples.  Our inherent right
to
> > self-determination, our sovereignty as nations, and treaties and other
> > constructive agreements which Indigenous nations and Peoples have
> negotiated
> > with other nation-states, are undermined by most of the WTO Agreements.
> The
> > disproportionate impact of these Agreements on our communities, whether
> > through environmental degradation or the  militarization and violence
that
> > often accompanies development projects, is serious and therefore should
be
> > addressed immediately.
> >
> > The WTO Agreement on Agriculture (AOA), which promotes export
competition
> > and import liberalization, has allowed the entry of cheap agricultural
> > products into our communities.  It is causing the destruction of
> > ecologically rational and sustainable agricultural practices of
Indigenous
> > Peoples.
> >
> > Food security and the production of traditional food crops have been
> > seriously compromised.  Incidents of diabetes, cancers, and hypertension
> > have significantly increased among Indigenous Peoples because of the
> > scarcity of traditional foods and the dumping of junk food into our
> > communities.
> >
> > Small-scale farm production is giving way to commercial cash-crop
> > plantations further concentrating ancestral lands into the hands of few
> > agri-corporations and landlords.  This has led to the dislocation of
> scores
> > of people from our communities who then migrate to nearby cities and
> become
> > the urban homeless and jobless.
> >
> > The WTO Forests Products Agreement promotes free trade in forest
products.
> > By eliminating developed country tariffs on wood products by the year
> 2000,
> > and developing country tariffs by 2003, the Agreement will result in the
> > deforestation of many of the world's ecosystems in which Indigenous
> Peoples
> > live.
> >
> > Mining laws in many countries are being changed to allow free entry of
> > foreign mining corporations, to enable them to buy and own mineral
lands,
> > and to freely displace Indigenous Peoples from their ancestral
> territories.
> > These large-scale commercial mining and oil extraction activities
continue
> > to degrade our lands and fragile ecosystems, and pollute the soil,
water,
> > and air in our communities.
> >
> > The appropriation of our lands and resources and the aggressive
promotion
> of
> > consumerist and individualistic Western culture continue to destroy
> > traditional lifestyles and cultures.  The result is not only
environmental
> > degradation but also ill health, alienation, and high levels of stress
> > manifested in high rates of alcoholism and suicides.
> >
> > The theft and patenting of our biogenetic resources is facilitated by
the
> > TRIPs (Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights) of the
WTO.
> > Some plants which Indigenous Peoples have discovered, cultivated, and
used
> > for food, medicine, and for sacred rituals are already patented in the
> > United States, Japan, and Europe.  A few examples of these are
ayahuasca,
> > quinoa, and sangre de drago in forests of South America; kava in the
> > Pacific; turmeric and bitter melon in Asia.  Our access and control over
> our
> > biological diversity and control over our traditional knowledge and
> > intellectual heritage are threatened by the TRIPs Agreement.
> >
> > Article 27.3b of the TRIPs Agreement allows the patenting of life-forms
> and
> > makes an artificial distinction between plants, animals, and
> > micro-organisms.  The distinction between "essentially biological" and
> > "non-biological" and "microbiological" processes is also erroneous.  As
> far
> > as we are concerned all these are life-forms and life-creating processes
> > which are sacred and which should not become the subject of private
> property
> > ownership.
> >
> > Finally, the liberalization of investments and the service sectors,
which
> is
> > pushed by the General Agreement of Services (GATS), reinforces the
> > domination and monopoly control of foreign corporations over strategic
> parts
> > of the economy.  The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund
impose
> > conditionalities of liberalization, deregulation and privatization on
> > countries caught in the debt trap.  These conditionalities are
reinforced
> > further by the WTO.
> >
> > In light of the adverse impacts and consequences of the WTO Agreements
> > identified above, we, Indigenous Peoples present the following demands:
> >
> > We urgently call for a social and environmental justice analysis which
> will
> > look into the Agreements' cumulative effects on Indigenous Peoples.
> > Indigenous Peoples should be equal participants in establishing the
> criteria
> > and indicators for these analyses so that they take into consideration
> > spiritual as well as cultural aspects.
> >
> > A review of the Agreements should be done to address all of the
inequities
> > and imbalances which adversely affect Indigenous Peoples.
> >
> > The proposals to address some of these are as follows;
> >
> > *  For the Agreement on Agriculture
> >
> > ~It should not include in its coverage small-scale farmers who are
mainly
> > engaged in production for domestic use and sale in the local markets.
> >
> > ~It should ensure the recognition and protection of rights of Indigenous
> > Peoples to their territories and their resources, as well  as their
rights
> > to continue practicing their indigenous sustainable agriculture and
> resource
> > management practices and traditional livelihoods.
> >
> > ~It should ensure the food security and the capacity of Indigenous
Peoples
> > to produce, consume and trade their traditional foods.
> >
> >
> > *  With regard to the liberalization of services and investments we
> > recommend the following:
> >
> > ~It must stop unsustainable mining, commercial planting of monocrops,
dam
> > construction, oil exploration, land conversion to golf clubs, logging,
and
> > other activities which destroy  Indigenous Peoples' lands and violate
the
> > rights of indigenous peoples' to their territories and resources.
> >
> > ~The right of Indigenous Peoples to their traditional lifestyles,
cultural
> > norms and values should likewise be recognized and protected.
> >
> > ~The liberalization of services, especially in the areas of health,
should
> > not be allowed if it will prevent Indigenous Peoples from having access
to
> > free, culturally appropriate as well as quality health services.
> >
> > ~The liberalization of finance services which makes the world a global
> > casino should be regulated.
> >
> >
> > *  On the TRIPs Agreement, the proposals are as follows:
> >
> > ~Article 27.3b should be amended to categorically disallow the patenting
> of
> > life-forms.  It should clearly prohibit the patenting of
micro-organisms,
> > plants, animals, including all their parts, whether they are genes, gene
> > sequences, cells, cell lines,  proteins, or seeds.
> >
> > ~It should also prohibit the patenting of natural processes, whether
these
> > are biological or microbiological, involving the use of plants, animals
> and
> > micro-organisms and their parts in producing variations of plants,
animals
> > and micro-organisms.
> >
> > ~It should ensure the exploration and development of alternative forms
of
> > protection outside of the dominant western intellectual property rights
> > regime.  Such alternatives must protect the knowledge and innovations
and
> > practices in agriculture, health care, and conservation of biodiversity,
> and
> > should build upon indigenous methods and customary laws protecting
> > knowledge, heritage and biological resources.
> >
> > ~It should ensure that the protection offered to indigenous and
> traditional
> > knowledge, innovation and practices is consistent with the Convention on
> > Biological Diversity (i.e., Articles 8j, 10c, 17.2, and 18.4) and the
> > International Undertaking on Plant Genetic Resources.
> >
> > ~It should allow for the right of Indigenous Peoples and farmers to
> continue
> > their traditional practices of saving, sharing and exchanging seeds, and
> > cultivating, harvesting and using medicinal plants.
> >
> > ~It should prohibit scientific researchers and corporations from
> > appropriating and patenting indigenous seeds, medicinal plants, and
> related
> > knowledge about these life-forms.  The principles of prior informed
> consent
> > and right of veto by Indigenous Peoples should be respected.
> >
> >
> > If the earlier proposals cannot be ensured, we call for the removal of
the
> > Agreement on Agriculture, the Forest Products Agreements and the TRIPs
> > Agreement from the WTO.
> >
> > We call on the member-states of the WTO not to allow for another round
> > whilst the review and rectification of the implementation of existing
> > agreements has not been done. We reject the proposals for an investment
> > treaty, competition, accelerated industrial tariffs, government
> procurement,
> > and the creation of a working group on biotechnology.
> >
> > We urge the WTO to reform itself to become democratic, transparent and
> > accountable. If it fails to do this we call for the abolition of the
WTO.
> >
> > We urge the member nation-states of the WTO to endorse the adoption by
the
> > UN General Assembly of the current text of the UN Declaration on the
> Rights
> > of Indigenous Peoples and the ratification of ILO Convention l69.
> >
> > We call on the peoples' organizations and NGOs  to support this
> "Indigenous
> > Peoples' Seattle Declaration" and to promote it among their members.
> >
> > We believe that the whole philosophy underpinning the WTO Agreements and
> the
> > principles and policies it promotes contradict our core values,
> spirituality
> > and worldviews, as well as our concepts and practices of development,
> trade
> > and environmental protection. Therefore, we challenge the WTO to
redefine
> > its principles and practices toward a "sustainable communities"
paradigm,
> > and to recognize and allow for the continuation of other worldviews and
> > models of development.
> >
> > Indigenous peoples, undoubtedly, are the ones most adversely affected by
> > globalization and by the WTO Agreements. However, we believe that it is
> also
> > us who can offer viable alternatives to the dominant economic growth,
> > export-oriented development model. Our sustainable lifestyles and
> cultures,
> > traditional knowledge, cosmologies, spirituality, values of
collectivity,
> > reciprocity, respect and reverence for Mother Earth, are crucial in the
> > search for a transformed society where justice, equity, and
sustainability
> > will prevail.
> >
> >
> > Statement by the Indigenous Peoples' Caucus convened and sponsored by
the
> > Indigenous Environmental Network USA/CANADA, Seventh Generation Fund
USA,
> > International Indian Treaty Council, Indigenous Peoples Council on
> > Biocolonialism, the Abya Yala Fund, and TEBTEBBA (Indigenous Peoples'
> > International Centre for Policy Research and Education), 1 December
1999,
> > Seattle, Washington, USA.
> >
> > Other indigenous peoples' organizations, NGOs and individuals who wish
to
> > sign on to this statement, send email to  [e-mail] or
> > [e-mail].
> >
> > ________________________________________
> > Debra Harry, Director
> > Indigenous Peoples Council on Biocolonialism
> > Tel:  [phone]  Fax:  [phone]
> > Cell: [phone]
> > Email text message to cell: mailto:[e-mail]
> > Email: [e-mail]  Website:  www.ipcb.org
> > _______________________________________
> >
> >
> >
> > ---
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > From: Timothy Bruening <[e-mail]>
> > To: [e-mail]
> > Subject: World Trade Organization Article
> > Date: Sat, 1 Jan 2000 17:02:48 -0800 (PST)
> >
> > Dear Abolitionists:
> >
> > Debbie Davis of the Davis Enterprise has made me a contributing writer
for
> > the Enterprise's Op-Ed page.  My first assignment (due Jan. 14) is to
> write
> > an article about the World Trade Organization.  What should I say about
> the
> > WTO?
> >
> > I would like to interview businesses near my workplace (Mengali's
Florist
> at
> > 611 2nd Street in Davis) about their views on the WTO, and also
interview
> > local WTO activists.  Who should I interview, and what questions should
I
> > ask them?
> >
> > Sincerely,
> >
> > Timothy Bruening
> > 1439 Brown Drive
> > Davis, CA 95616
> >
> >
> > -
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> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ______________________________________________________
> > Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
> >
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Date: Mon, 3 Jan 2000 00:44:11 -0800 (PST)
From: Timothy Bruening <[e-mail]>
Subject: (abolition-usa) World Trade Organization Comments

I have read that GATT, which is now under the World Trade Organization's
jurisdiction, has a national security exemption, meaning that nations can
place restrictions on trade to preserve their national security.  Thus
Canada can subsidize its weapons corporations (in a $30 million program
announced in October) to develop new weapons (but not civilian aircraft)
without violating WTO rules.

Would it be possible for the U.S. to defend environmental, public health,
and worker rights laws by claiming that a clean environment, a healthy
populace, and high wages are essential for national security?  Could
developing nations defend protective tariffs by claiming that they need to
develop domestic industries to protect their national security?

The WTO is a very interesting organization.  Firstly, it has full executive
authority over more than 20 international trade related agreements.
Secondly, it has the ability to strike down any laws that violate WTO rules
and compel nations to pass new, WTO compliant laws by imposing penalties and
trade sanctions.  For example, the WTO has forced the EPA to change emission
rules for gasoline, forced the U.S. to end its ban on imported shrimp caught
without Turtle Excluder Devices to save endangered sea turtles, and forced
the EU to end preferential treatment for bananas grown it former European
colonies in the Caribbean.  The WTO has also authorized the U.S. to impose
tariffs against the EU for banning beef grown with hormones.  Thirdly, it
has judicial powers in the form of a Dispute Settlement Body, which consists
of panels of corporate and trade lawyers who preside in secret hearings as
final judges and arbiters of disputes among WTO members.  This makes the WTO
a de facto World Government!

I propose that we push for the creation of a World Disarmament Organization
(WDO) with similar powers, so that it can compel nations to disarm
(including forcing the nuclear nations to get rid of their nukes) and permit
on-site inspections.  If 134 nations can cede some of their power over trade
to the WTO, surely they can cede some of their sovereignty for the sake of
ending the threat of nuclear war.

Has anyone considered asking the World Court to rule on whether or not the
WTO violates international law?


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Date: Mon, 3 Jan 2000 00:44:24 -0800 (PST)
From: Timothy Bruening <[e-mail]>
Subject: (abolition-usa) 15,000 Days of Fidel Castro

On January 26, Fidel Castro will have been ruler of Cuba for 15,000 days!
How should we celebrate this anniversary?  How can I contact Castro?


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Date: Mon, 27 Dec 1999 16:58:54 +1000
From: FoE Sydney - Nuclear Campaign <[e-mail]>
Subject: (abolition-usa) New Year in Sydney - The Best New Years Present (or anytime really)

New Year in Sydney - The Best New Years Present (or anytime really)

IT'S the day past boxing day here in Sydney - Still a public holiday, with
buses on sunday timetable.

The whole of Sydney is in holiday mode.

Unlike the northern hemisphere, down here it is warm and sunny though it
rains on and off today.

People are likely to spend new year with their families or friends at a
back - yard barbequeue,  or at the beach.  Right now there's a lot of
people taking their leisure in the city.

There are massive millenium celebrations planned for Christmas, and most
folk are cautiously confident that in Australia at least, the Y2K 'bug' has
been fixed.

In fact barely more than essential infrasrructure has been fixed, with most
business untouched but that's still better than most of the rest of the
world!

But whether you have had a warm to hot downunder new year or a US or
European snowy one, it would be much more of a pleasure if you knew that
there were not those 5,600 land- based ICBM warheads plus submarine and
bomber based warheads, on 24 hour a day immmediate, launch-on-warning
status.

That could ruin your entire new year, especially knowing that the oldest,
largest, most complex, and previously least Y2K compliant computer systems
in the world perform command, communications, control, and intelligence for
nuclear weapons systems.

These systems will only experience the rollover some 9-18 hours after
Australia does.
So new years day could be nervous, at least for those of us who think of
such things.

Sure, the Pentagon say they have spent $3.6billion to make their nuclear
combat command, communication, and control systems Y2K compliant.

Sure, the US and Russia have established a joint Y2K 'Strategic Stability
Centre' next to the Cheyyenne Mountain Complex in Colorado.

And it is important - indeed crucial - that they have done this.

However, we hope they have by now managed to fix the hotlines set up during
the cold war, and discovered to be non Y2K compliant in September.

If nuclear weapons could not be immediately launched, then not only over
the nervous Y2K rollover period, when US and Russian officers are going to
EXPECT false alerts, blank screens, and communication blackouts, but at any
other time when also false alerts have happened, decision makers would
never be forced into the situation in which they have to decide whether to
blow up the world in five minutes, perhaps at 3am in the morning when very
much the worse for wear after new years drinkies.

The best  gift Clinton or Yeltsin can give the world is to do as two
resolutions passed by the United Nations General Assembly a year ago with
massive majorities, and another two passed this year with massive
majorities, two resolutions passed by the Australian Senate and  one
resolution passed unanimously by the European Parliament have reccommended
- - to take nuclear weapons off hairtrigger alert and place them in a status
in which launch on warning is no longer possible.

A letter signed by 500 global environmental organisations, arms control
groups, religious bodies, NGOs, and Parliamentarians asking for nuclear
weapons to be taken off alert for the new year was faxed to Yeltsin and
Clinton some days ago. It will be faxed again on 29th or 30th.

Clinton, Cohen, and Yeltsin have now been recieving an awful lot of faxes
and phonecalls asking them to take missiles off alert.

Ask President Clinton, President Yeltsin, and their secretaries and
ministers for defence (Cohen and Sergeyev) to do this.

If you have access to a fax machine, a single page A4 fax even to the
Kremlin should cost you round a dollar. (public fax facilities charge an
arm and a leg so don't bother with them).

The best fax is handwritten, not typed.

Do it now - It's Christmas Eve tomorrow (or it is here in Sydney).

You can fax for free on: http://www.fax4free.com

You can fax Clinton on [phone]
You can fax US defence secy Cohen on 1-703-695-1149
You can fax Yeltsin and Sergeyev on [phone].

There are sample letters below.
You should shorten them and use your own words.
You don't need to write anything near as long as this. Use what you want of
these sample letters in your own way, and preferably, handwrite don't type.


1) SAMPLE LETTER TO COHEN/CLINTON
(Please customise and shorten)

TO:
WILLIAM COHEN, US SECRETARY OF DEFENCE, [phone],

PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON,  WHITE HOUSE, WASHINGTON, US,  [phone],
[phone].

Dear President Clinton and Secretary for Defence Cohen,

I am writing  to urge your administration to take US nuclear forces off
'hairtrigger alert' even if only during the Y2K rollover period, to ask
that any false alarms or 'near misses' over the Y2K rollover and at any
other time be reported publicly, and to ask that the Y2K strategic
stability centre's operations be extended preferably indefinitely but at
least till May.

There is little time to act, and an immediate decision to place nuclear
weapons in a status in which immediate launch is impossible is essential to
ensure global stability.

As you will be aware, the European Parliament recently voted to ask you and
President Yeltsin to do as the UK has already done, and de-alert nuclear
weapons.

De-alerting of nuclear forces was strongly recommended by the Canberra
Commission in 1996 and then by the Tokyo Forum,  as a way to develop
strategic stability and build trust between the US and Russia. It has also
been incorporated into last year's  and  this years text of the New Agenda
Resolution in the UN General Assembly. It has also been reccommended by a
resolution specifically on the subject passed by last years General
Assembly and by this years First Committee on Reduction of Nuclear Dangers.
In addition it has been the subject of two resolutions passed by the
Australian Senate on 12 August and 20 September, and finally it has been
clearly requested by the European Parliament. It is also the subject of
congressional resolution H.Con Res177 put by Edward Markey, and most
recently, the City of Berkeley has asked for it.

De-Alerting and the establishment of the Y2K strategic stability centre are
not in competition with each other.  Indeed, we urge strongly that the
strategic stability centres operations be extended indefinitely.

Reductions in the number of weapons, the establishment of shared early
warning centers and de-alerting are all  vital to the reduction of tension
and the establishment of strategic stability.

This is particularly the case in view of the uncertainties posed by the
millennium date change (Y2K).

As you are well aware, the largest and oldest computer system complexes in
the world are those that control nuclear weapons systems.

The very nature of the Y2K problem makes it impossible to be sure
everything has been fixed until well into the new year.

Russia has, until recently, made little effort to even acknowledge the Y2K
problem, let alone fix it. It is therefore quite possible that Russian
computerized control systems are not Y2K compliant and that they will
experience widespread failures during the Y2K rollover period.

Even more disquieting is the fact that that the Russians have constructed
the system known as 'Perimeter', or the 'dead hand'. This system seems to
include additional ways in which Y2K failure might lead to an accidental
launch.

The establishment of a Y2K strategic stability center in Colorado is
certainly an advantageous move and an absolutely essential one, but it does
not entirely remove the danger of an accidental launch of nuclear
weapons.

The fact that the Center is scheduled, as far as we the public are aware,
to come into operation only on December 27th, four days prior to the
rollover, is far from reassuring. A four day delay will render it useless.

Similarly, the center itself will depend on the availability of
ultra-reliable hotlines between it and Moscow. The  Y2K vulnerabilities
recently discovered in six of the seven hotlines on which US/Russian
communications depends, are also cause for deep concern.

If nuclear weapons are removed from a status in which they can be launched
within minutes, and placed in one which would require at least days to
launch, the risk of an accidental missile launch induced by Y2K or other
errors in command and control systems will be virtually eliminated.

This  has already been done by the UK, which has moved the 'notice to fire'
for its missile forces from minutes to days.

The United States is making a serious error in failing to consider
de-alerting.  Failure to take nuclear forces off hairtrigger alert over the
Y2K 'rollover' period is an error that has the potential of causing
unthinkable consequences.

The probability of this may be low, but it will never be zero as long as
nuclear forces remain on hair-trigger alert.  This will continue to be so
after the immmediate Y2K 'rollover' period.

In a previous administration, President Bush took strategic bomber forces
off alert. We urge you to do this with all US nuclear forces.

(SIGNED)
etc.

2) SAMPLE LETTER TO YELTSIN/DEFENCE MINISTER SERGEYEV
(Please customise and shorten)

PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN, IGOR SERGEYEV, RUSSIAN DEFENCE MINISTER,
[phone],

Dear Defence Minister Sergeyev and President Yeltsin,

I am writing to convey my deep concern that Y2K-related computer failures
in the command and control systems for nuclear weapons may lead to an
accidental nuclear war.

I am aware that both Russia and the US have taken this problem seriously
enough to establish a joint strategic stability center in Colorado.
However, I am very much concerned that this facility will come into
operation only by 27th December 1999, so that a delay of just four days
will make it useless.

This facility is however, essential to the security of the world, and
should continue to operate indefinitely.

I am also very much concerned that Y2K problems have been found recently in
six out of seven of the 'hotlines' that would be used if a crisis of any
sort arose over the Y2K rollover period.

I am aware that there have been a number of occasions when either the US or
Russia have mistakenly believed that the other nation was in the process of
launching a nuclear attack.

With 3,600 Russian warheads on 700 missiles and 2,000 US warheads on 500
missiles, with each side capable to launch within roughly 20 minutes, this
must never be allowed to happen, either over the Y2K 'rollover', or at any
other time.

The use of 5,600 warheads would certainly mean the end of what we call
civilization, would likely mean the end of the human race and could
possibly mean the end of all life.

I therefore urge both you and the United States, to place all your nuclear
forces in a status in which at least days not minutes, would be required to
launch. The United Kingdom has, I understand, already done this.

The European Parliament has recently called on both the US and Russia to
de-alert nuclear weapons and to place them in a state similar to that in
which the UK has placed its weapons. De-alerting of nuclear forces was
strongly recommended by the Canberra Commission in 1996 and then by the
Tokyo Forum, as a way to develop strategic stability and build trust
between the US and Russia. It has also been incorporated into last year's
and this years text of the New Agenda Resolution in the UN General
Assembly. It has also been recommended by a resolution specifically on the
subject passed by last years General Assembly and by this years First
Committee on Reduction of Nuclear Dangers. In addition it has been the
subject of two resolutions passed by the Australian Senate on 12 August and
20 September, and finally it has been clearly requested by the European
Parliament. It is also the subject of congressional resolution H.Con Res177
put by Edward Markey, and most recently, the City of Berkeley has asked for
it.

In this context I am particularly concerned that statements have been made
in which the threat of nuclear weapons has been raised, and that new
missiles have been deployed and placed on alert status.

As what is at stake is potentially the survival of the entire planet, no
considerations, even the highest considerations of national security, can
take priority.

The immediate stakes are so high and the potential for global catastrophe
is so great, that  de-alerting of nuclear forces in the face of the Y2K
computer problem and the long-term possibility of false alerts must take
precedence over all other considerations of political and national security.

(Signed)
etc.

John Hallam
Friends of the Earth Sydney,
17 Lord Street, Newtown, NSW, Australia, 2042
Fax [phone]  ph (61)(2)9517-3903
[e-mail]
http://homepages.tig.com.au/~foesyd
http://homepages.tig.com.au/~foesyd/nuclear/bbletter.html




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------------------------------

End of abolition-usa-digest V1 #244
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