Outcall from the actors and social movement assembly 16 November 2003

Outcall from the actors and social movement assembly 16 November 2003

We are made up of social and citizen movements from all regions of Western, Eastern, Southern and Northern Europe. After a year of mobilisations against the neo-liberal model of many European countries, we have met at the second European Social Forum to combat - the reform of retirement services, agricultural politics, the far right, racism, xenophobia, security politics and fight for women’s rights and for the defence of public services. We also are against the war in Iraq and in particular a big supporter of February 15th, 2003. We are a group that gains its strength from its diversity and plurality.

As we speak, a project for a European Constitution is being elaborated without the inclusion of a civil society. This "constitutionalizes" liberalism as the official doctrine of the EU; it establishes competition as a fundamental right of the community and of all human activity while holding no responsibility of eco-development; it assigns a role to NATO in dealing with international relations and European defence while pushing for the militarization of the Union; finally, they maintain that there is a social aspect of the construction of Europe but founded primarily on the ideals of the market and acts toward the dismantling of public service programs. This constitution project does not hold up to our aspirations.

We are fighting for another Europe. Our mobilisations bring hope of a Europe without unemployment, marked by an agriculture that can guarantee the sovereignty of food, preserve jobs, the environment and the quality of the diet. For a Europe open to the world which permits everyone to circulate freely, that recognizes the citizenship and respect the rights to asylum for all other citizens. For a Europe that will put into place a real equality between men and women, that promises cultural diversity and the right to auto-determination for all peoples, this is to say that they can decide their own future in a democratic manner.

We are fighting for a Europe against war, that favorises international solidarity and a development that is ecologically sustainable. We fight for the rights of human beings so that social, economic, political, cultural and ecological rights can win over competition, the logic of profit and enslavement by the debt.

It is for these reasons that we send out a call to all Europeans to mobilise against the neo-liberal model and the war. We will fight for immediate troop withdrawal from Iraq in addition too immediate restoration of sovereignty to the Iraqi people. We will fight for a retreat of the territories occupied by Israel as well as an immediate halt to the construction of the wall and its destruction. We support the Israeli and Palestinian movements that are fighting for a just and lasting peace. We are fighting for the withdrawal of Russian troops from Chechnya. It is for these reasons that we are joining the international call sent out by the American anti-war movement and will participate in the day of action scheduled for the upcoming 20th of March.

So that we can attain a Europe based on the recognition of social, political, economic, cultural and ecological rights both as individuals and collectively, as women and as men, we plan on taking initiatives everywhere. We need to build a step by step process of mobilisation that will involve all the peoples of Europe. We plan on taking part in all actions organised by social movements, in particular in the construction of a common day of action supported by social movements, in particular European unions. We call on all social movements to culminate there mobilisation movements unto a day of action for another Europe for the rights of citizens and peoples, May 9th, expected date of the ratification of the European Constitution.