AFRICAN STRUGGLES, GLOBAL STRUGGLES
Social Movements Assembly at the World Social Forum
Nairobi, 24 January 2007
We, social movements from across Africa and across the world, have come
together here in Nairobi at the 2007 World Social Forum to highlight and
celebrate Africa and her social movements; Africa and her unbroken history
of struggle against foreign domination, colonialism and neo-colonialism;
Africa and her contributions to humanity; Africa and her role in the quest for
another world.
We are here to celebrate and reaffirm the spirit of the World Social Forum
as a space of struggle and solidarity which is open to all people and social
movements regardless of their ability to pay.
We denounce tendencies towards commercialisation, privatisation and
militarisation of the WSF space. Hundreds of our sisters and brothers who
welcomed us to Nairobi have been excluded because of high costs of
participation.
We are also deeply concerned about the presence of organisations working
against the rights of women, marginalised people, and against sexual rights
and diversity, in contradiction to the WSF Charter of Principles.
The social movements assembly has created a platform for Kenyans and
other Africans from different backgrounds and communities to present their
struggles, alternatives, cultures, talents and skills. It is also a space for civil
society organisations and social movements to interact and share the issues
and problems affecting them.
Since the first assembly in 2001, we have contributed to building and
strengthening successful international networks of civil societies and social
movements and reinforced our spirit of solidarity and our struggles against
all forms of oppression and domination.
We recognise that the diversity of movements and popular initiatives against
neo-liberalism, world hegemony of capitalism and imperial wars, is an
expression of a world resistance.
We have now to move towards a phase of effective alternatives. Many local
initiatives are already existing and should be expanded: what is happening in
Latin America and other parts of the world — thanks to the joint action of
social movements — shows the way to establish concrete alternatives to
world capitalist domination.
As social movements from all five continents gathering in Nairobi, we
express our solidarity with the social movements in Latin America whose
persistent and continuing struggle has led to electoral victories for the Left in
several countries.
Actions
We are calling for a broad international mobilisation against the G8 in
Rostock and Heiligendamm (Germany) 2-8 June 2007.
We will mobilise in our communities and movements for an International
Day of Action in 2008.
Statement circulated by:
Focus on the Global South (FOCUS)
c/o CUSRI, Chulalongkorn University
Bangkok 10330 THAILAND
Tel: 662 218 7363/7364/7365/7383
Fax: 662 255 9976
E-mail: N.Bullard focusweb.org
Web Page http://www.focusweb.org