What are the most important things or questions in Rio+ 20 because of the official Summit propositions or green capitalism?

Aphrodite Politi – I think the most important question is: Can we reform capitalism to make it more viable and friendly for the people and the environment? Or do we need to reject capitalist accumulation and financial greed, in order to save not only the ecosystem but also humanity? In my point of view, the answer is simple, but not easy. Unless you are acquainted with contradiction in terms, “green capitalism” does not exist. In the Greek language we would call it an “oxymoron”, a paradoxical statement that does not make sense. Asking the leaders of the G20, big financial institutions such as the World Bank and the IMF and the multinational corporations that destroy the earth, such as Shell and BP, to convene for the future of the planet, is like putting the wolf to guard the sheep. Of course the RIO+20 summit is a world conference organized by the UN, and is attended by NGO’s, government representatives and environmental organizations from all over the world. But we all know, that as in the 1992 “Earth summit” that preceded it, the real decisions are taken by those who hold the greatest power, and those are the rich and the powerful ones of this world, not the poor and the disenfranchised. That is why the latter look to the “Rio + 20” alternative people’s summit, to make their voice heard.

How do you see European organizations participation in our alternative summit in Rio? How these organizations can contribute to alternative summit in relation of future that governments prepare for us?

I think that European Organisations that put people before profit, grass-roots organisations, local and national environmental initiatives that dare to clash with market ideology and state politics, or any progressive organisations who realise that environmental struggles are nessecarily political and vice versa, have many reasons to attend the Peoples’ summit in Rio. Especially today, that «debt economy» is a part of the ongoing environmental crisis, and the demise of the eurozone is progressing, we have to rethink how economic policies are shaping the enviromental agenda. The debt crisis is leading us to a new, even more totalitarian and opressive Europe, with countries such as Germany as the hegemonic center and indebted countries (the so called «PIIGS» - Portugal, Italy, Ireland, Greece, Spain) as the subordinated periphery. The consequences of this new «colonisation» of Europe by the markets – poverty, unemployment and a complete demise of the welfare state - are going to ruin not only whole nations and societies, but also deepen the environmental crisis. The after-effects of climate change, the food crisis, the so called «natural disasters» that are usually caused by human action and industrial accidents, are going to multiply and affect mainly the weakest classes and the poorest nations. That is why european commities for the audit of national debt, such as the greek «ELE», initiatives for an alternative solidarity economy and economies of the commons, should be present in this summers People’s Summit.

How did you feel people’s participation here in TSF?

I was glad about the mutual respect and understanding that developed between people from different countries, different backgrounds and different interests that attended the TSF. Having said that, I have to add that I sensed a somewhat “ghettoed” attendance by mostly white, college educated, middle class persons (apart from the indigenous people representatives, who did not mix with the others), and the rest of the Porto Alegre society were visible mostly as street janitors, helpers, cleaning ladies, facilitators and security in the TSF venues. What I am trying to say is that although the TSF was very encouraging, I had the feeling it was mostly a convention for foreign attendees and young persons, mostly students, and that the real people of Porto Alegre were absent or somewhere else. The only night I saw a lot of black people gathered for instance was at the beginning of the carnival – drinking, fighting and dancing – and not once at any TSF meetings and dialogues. This is understandable of course, but seemed a bit odd.

How was the people’s reaction here about Greek crisis and about how the Greek people are fighting?

On the first day of the TSF there was this inauguration march. I noticed a banner, signed by UGT (Uniao Geral dos Trabalhadores /General Union of Workers) that said: “Global Financial and Economic Crisis – Today it is Greece, Tomorrow could it be Brazil?”. This sums it all up. Most people were familiar with the Greek situation, concerning the unsustainable public debt and a possible default and the IMF-EU-ECB intervention to supposedly bail us out (actually to bail out the banks). The audience were interested in learning how the Greek debt crisis is used to impose unpopular and socially unbearable politics, that destroy the country’s infrastructures and threaten to condemn a whole generation of people to a life of poverty and despair. On the other hand, the Greek peoples’ struggles against the continuous austerity measures, political oppression and state corruption, as expressed for example in this summer’s movement for “Real Democracy”, was something everybody asked us about. The struggles in Greece, as a part of a global movement of “Indignants”, “Occupy the Squares”, and of course the Arab Spring, seemed to inspire not only the youth of Brazil – who were very enthusiastic especially in the Youth Camp of Porto Alegre – but also activists and initiatives from all over the world. We were happy to observe that we share common ground, common dreams, common goals and enemies, with people from other parts of the globe – from Spain to Tunisia and from the U.S. to Chile, who also fight for the same things: A life worth living, not as a slave to the capitalist machine, but as a free human being.

Aphrodite Politi