[asia-apec 1368] Say NO to WTO! Unity Statement

[KMP]

                            UNITY STATEMENT
                Seattle International People's Assembly:
                             SAY NO TO WTO!
                          November 28-29, 1999
                        Seattle, Washington, USA

We, participants to the Seattle International People's Assembly coming
from the First and Third Worlds, close our two-day meeting -- "Say No to
WTO!" -- firmly united in the task of exposing and opposing the WTO and
advancing the people's resistance to imperialist globalization.

Imperialist globalization must be unmasked and fully discredited.  We
see it as nothing but monopoly capitalism masquerading as a new and
wonderful product of the electronic age.  But in truth it ravages the
environment, devastates countries and subjugates entire peoples with
unequaled ferocity and ruthlessness.

The World Trade Organization (WTO) is the instrument of multinational
corporations (MNCs) and imperialist states for dictating trade policy on
client states even as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) dictates
financial and monetary policy and the World Bank, fiscal policy.  US
imperialism controls the WTO contrary to the official propaganda that
134 member states enjoy equality and decide by consensus.

Imperialist states, acting as protectors and promoters of the
superprofits of giant monopoly firms, are the masterminds of the
anti-worker "contractualization" policy, the chief instigators of human
rights violations, and the biggest plunderers and polluters of the
environment.

Imperialist globalization is not inevitable.  It is not unstoppable.  We
have proven this time and again in tactical battles against the
neoliberal policies of liberalization, deregulation and privatization,
against the debt trap, and in the recent highly successful anti-MAI
(Multilateral Agreement on Investments) campaign.  In this spirit, we
support the call of peasant movements, including La Via Campesina and
KMP (Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas -- Peasant Movement of the
Philippines), to take
agriculture out of the WTO.  It is a call that supports the peasants'
and farm workers' fight against landlessness, feudal and semi-feudal
bondage.

But while we struggle for reforms and try to achieve palpable gains on
immediate issues, we make sure that we are not distracted from the
overall struggle against the main enemy of the world's peoples today --
imperialism -- specifically the No. 1 imperialist power, the USA.

We vow to close ranks to confront the imperialist monster that has taken
away our lands, jobs and livelihood and has further displaced,
commodified and turned women into modern-day slaves.  We denounce
imperialism that has impoverished us and left us hungry, sick, without
decent housing, and has stolen our youth's future.

We commit ourselves to bring down this system which is bringing
genocidal wars of imperialist intervention and domination upon the
peoples of the world.  We demand an end to the economic blockade of
Cuba, the ongoing bombing of Iraq and the depredations on Yugoslav
independence and sovereignty and the use of United Nations sanctions to
bring sovereign countries to heel.

We firm up our resolve to promote and develop the anti-imperialist and
democratic struggle of the workers and oppressed peoples against the
inhuman policies and acts of the MNCs, their governments and
international instruments such as the IMF, World Bank, WTO and military
alliances.

We support the calls of the International League of People's Struggle
which will be founded at the end of the year 2000.

Finally, we stand ready to fight for the following:

1.  National and social liberation from imperialism and all reaction;

2.  Human rights in the civil, political, economic, social and cultural
fields;

3.  The cause of peace against wars of aggression and against nuclear
and genocidal weapons;

4.  Workers' rights and reduction of working hours at full pay against
mass unemployment and decreasing wage levels;

5.  Rights of peasants, farm workers and fisherfolk against feudal and
semi-feudal exploitation and oppression;

6.  Women's rights against discrimination and sexual exploitation;

7.  The rights of gays and lesbians against discrimination;

8.  Children's rights against child labor and other forms of
exploitation;

9.  Rights of indigenous peoples and nationalities against chauvinism
and racism;

10.  The rights of teachers and the youth against the privatization of
education and to academic freedom;

11.  Rights and welfare of refugees and migrant workers;

12.  Environmental protection against plunder and pollution, towards the
survival of all species;

13.  The right to safe and healthy food free from genetic manipulation,
hazardous chemicals and processes.

We call on all the oppressed peoples to strengthen international
solidarity
and advance the peoples' struggle against imperialism!