Open letter to the Presidents of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela on the Bank of the South
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Source: Observatorio Internacional de la Deuda
Wed Jun 27 2007

For a Bank of the South in accordance with peoples' rights, needs, potentialities and democratic vocation

Dear Sirs,

The undersigned networks, organizations, and social movements, actively engaged in the struggle against the tragedy of the external debt and the perverse policies and practices of he existing international financial institutions, are writing to you in the understanding that the decision of your governments to create the South Bank can mean an enormous step and opportunity for Latin America and the Caribbean as well as for other regions of the South.

Over recent decades the region has experienced repeated cycles of financial peaks followed by disasters that have deeply marked the involution of living and working conditions and of public and social expenditures.

It is not enough to redress the negative consequences of our recent history which are well known; it is necessary as well to generate an alternative regional financial system that is consistent with the need to give absolute priority to the overcoming of the poverty, marginality and structural underdevelopment caused by the huge public and social costs of the financial disasters, the policies of deregulation and privatization promoted and conditioned by the lending institutions, and the growth of a gigantic illegitimate debt.

It is evident that the existing international financial bodies – IMF, WB, IDB – have become more and more discredited for the nature of their policies, their anti-democratic character, and the lack of transparency of their actions, to the point that not only are their results questioned, but also the very architecture of the current financial and monetary system.

We believe that the South Bank must be part of a unitary regional response, together with the founding of a South stabilization fund, a common regional currency, the undertaking of audits of internal and external debt claims, and the non-payment of those debts illegitimately demanded of our countries. A response that contributes to the cutting the ties of dependency with uncertain and highly speculative global capital markets, enabling the region to channel its own savings power, stop capital flight, and invest its resources in accordance with the social and economic needs of the people.

The sole formulation of the need for an alternative financial institution is not enough even if it is very important. The debate on the implementation of an alternative South-South bank is of utmost importance, and for that reason we support the demand of many organizations and movements in the region, that national and regional instances be created immediately in order to insure the necessary information, participation, and consultation with the organizations in societies which will be affected by the creation of the South Bank.

At the same time, and at the current instance of definitions, we think that it is essential that the South Bank start out with clear definitions regarding its resources, objectives, organization, regulations, decision-making, management, and operations, in such a way that:

a) It defines as its central goal the promotion of the member countries’ and the region’s own development with sovereignty and in solidarity. Development defined as the unfolding of the attributes, resources, and potential of persons, communities and peoples; a process that cannot take place without their being the principal protagonists.

b) It constitutes its capital and management structure in an egalitarian way among the member countries.

c) It clearly defines that credit allocations will be for the strengthening of the public and social sector; giving priority to the redistribution of wealth and to environmental protection; contributing to the overcoming of existing asymmetries; and responsive to peoples’ lives and welfare, for their economic, social, cultural, and environmental rights and for their right to their own development and self-determination. For this reason we explicitly reject the use of the South Bank for the financing of megaprojects like the South American Regional Infrastructure Initiative (IIRSA), or other extractive, contaminating, or socially-exclusive investments that serve to continue the plunder and death of the region’s peoples.

d) It explicitly establishes open mechanisms for public information and control, establishing that the bank’s officials and employees will have no personal immunity or fiscal privileges, that the rendering of accounts will be made known and put to the consideration of Parliaments and of civil society, and that all information shall be considered public.

We believe that all of the above is in keeping with the Ministers’ Statement of Quito, May 3rd, 2007, where it points out: "The people have given their governments a mandate to provide the region with new instruments of integration for development that must be based on democratic, transparent, and participatory schemes that are responsible to their constituencies".

The current regional and international economic and financial situation is favourable to take concrete steps in this direction, but it may not last. We hope that this historic possibility is put to use in order to create a truly Peoples’ South Bank.

Sincerely,

Signatures

Latin America and the Caribbean

Regionals

* Alianza Social Continental (ASC)
* Coordinadora Andina de Organizaciones Indígenas (CAOI)
* Jubileo Sur/Américas
* Asamblea de los Pueblos del Caribe (APC), Comité Ejecutivo
* Asociación Americana de Juristas (AAJ), Representación ante los organismos de la ONU
* Asociación Latinoamericana de Medicina Social (ALAMES)
* Asociacion Latinoamericana de Micro, Pequeños Y Medianos Empresarios, A.C.( ALAMPYME )
* Convergencia de Movimiento de los pueblos de las Américas (COMPA)
* Consejo de Educación de Adultos de América Latina (CEAAL)
* Grito dos Excluidos Continental
* Iniciativa Mercosur de la Plataforma Interamericana de Derechos Humanos, Democracia y Desarrollo (PIDHDD).
* Justicia, Paz e Integridad de la Creación JUPIC
* Organización Continental Latinoamericana y Caribeña de Estudiantes (OCLAE)
* Red de Mujeres Transformando la Economìa (REMTE)
* Red Latinoamericana Deuda, Desarrollo y Derechos (LATINDADD)
* Servicio Paz y Justicia en América Latina (SERPAJ)
* Sociedad de Economía Política Latinoamericana (SEPLA)

Nacionals

Argentina

* Agrupación Mate Amargo de Entre Ríos
* Asociacion Internauta, Usuarios de Internet de la Republica Argentina
* ATTAC – Argentina
* Autoconvocados/as por los DDHH
* CTA Flores Auténtica
* Diálogo 2000
* Espacio Ecuménico
* Federación de Trabajadores de la Energía de la Rep. Argentina (FETERA),Sec. Organización
* Foro Ciudadano de Participación por la Justicia y los Derechos Humanos (FOCO)
* Iglesia Evangélica del Río de la Plata, Presidente y Secretario General
* Movimiento Campesino de Santiago del Estero (MOCASE)
* Movimiento Amigos por la Paz en Colombia y en el Mundo
* Movimiento de Unidad Popular
* Movimiento Oro Negro
* Movimiento por la Paz, la Soberanía y la Solidaridad de los Pueblos (MOPASSOL)
* Programa Argentina Sustentable (PAS)
* Programa Latinoamericano de Educación a Distancia en Ciencias Sociales (PLED)
* Revista Taller Ecologista
* Granja Agroecología " La Verdecita", colectivo de mujeres
* Federación Nacional de Docentes, Investigadores y Creadores Universitarios (CONADU HISTÓRICA)- CTA

Bolivia

* Movimiento Boliviano por la Soberanía y la Integración Solidaria
* Centro de Estudios y Apoyo al Desarrollo Local (CEADL)
* Grito de los Excluídos/as filial Bolivia
* Marcha Mundial de las Mujeres Bolivia
* Central Provincial Única de Trabajadores Campesinos de Antonio Guijarro
* Coordinación Regional Sur Programa NINA
* Federación Regional Única de Trabajadores Campesinos del Altiplano Sur (FRUTCAS)
* Federación Sindical Única de Mujeres Campesinas del Altiplano Sur (FSUMCAS BS)

Brasil

* Asociación Brasilera Interdisciplinar de AIDS (ABIA)
* ATTAC-Brasil
* Auditoria Ciudadana de la Deuda
* Caritas
* Consulta Popular de SC
* Instituto Brasilero de Innovaciones por una Sociedad Saludable Centro-Oeste
* Instituto EQUIT
* Instituto Gaúcho de Estudios Ambientales
* ISER Asesoria
* Núcleo Amigos de la Tierra
* PACS – Instituto de Políticas Alternativas para el Cono Sur
* Red Brasilera para la integración de los Pueblos (REBRIP)
* Red Brasilera sobre Instituciones Financieras Multilaterales
* Red Jubileo Sur contra el ALCA, la Deuda y la Militarización
* Red Social de Justicia y Derechos Humanos
* Red Latinoamérica de Mujeres Transformando la Economía, Brasil (REMTE)
* Servicio Pastoral de los Migrantes/CNBB
* Sindicato de Profesionales de Nova Friburgo e Regiäo
* Sociedad Brasilera de Economía Política

Canadá

* Common Frontiers
* Halifax Initiative Coalition
* KAIROS
* Comité logement d'aide aux locataires
* Groupe de recherche et d'initiative pour la libération de l'afrique- GRILA
* Réseau Quebeçoise pour la Integratión Continentale

Chile

* ATTAC - Santiago de Chile
* Centro de Estudios Nacionales de Desarrollo Alternativo CENDA
* Coalición Ciudadana por Aysén Reserva de Vida.

Colombia

* Corporación Fotón Comunicación-Ong
* Instituto Latinoamericano de Servicios Legales Alternativos (ILSA)
* Jubileo Sur/Colombia
* Marcha Mundial de las Mujeres Colombia
* Mesa de Trabajo Mujeres y Economía Colombia
* Movimiento Nacional por la Salud y la Seguridad Social de Colombia
* Movimiento Popular de Mujeres
* Recalca

Ecuador

* Confederación de los pueblos de la nacionalidad Kichwa del Ecuador (ECUARUNARI)
* Asamblea Soberana de la Floresta
* Asociación de Mujeres Nela Martínez
* Centro de Derechos Económicos y Sociales (CDES)
* Colectivo Feminista
* Comité Permanente por la Defensa de los Derechos Humanos
* Jubileo 2000, Red Guayaquil
* Proyecto Comunitario Bastión
* Proyecto Península de Santa Elena
* Red de Asambleas Territoriales de Quito

Estados Unidos

* 50 Years Is Enough: U.S. Network for Global Economic Justice
* Alianza por un Comercio Responsible (ART)
* Arise for Social Justice
* Bank Information Center
* Development (GAP)
* Foreign Policy In Focus
* Globalhood
* Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns
* CIAO LANGUAGE SERVICES

El Salvador

* SINTI TECHAN Red de Acción Ciudadana frente al Comercio e Inversión
* Unidad Ecológica Salvadorena- UNES

Honduras

* Bloque Popular y Coordinadora Nacional de Resistencia
* Coordinadora Nacional de Resistencia Popular
* Organización Fraternal Negra Hondureña OFRANEH

México

* Cooperativa de Fomento al Desarrollo (BANMACONDO)
* Centro Operacional de Vivienda y Poblamiento, A.C
* Equipo Pueblo
* Movimiento Mexicano de Afectados por la Presas y en Defensa de los Ríos (MAPDER)
* Red Mexicana de Acción frente al Libre Comercio (RMALC)
* EDUCACIÓN PARA LA PAZ, A.C. (EDUPAZ)
* OTROS MUNDOS, A.C.

Paraguay

* Coordinadora Nacional de Organizaciones de Mujeres Trabajadoras Rurales e Indígenas (CONAMURI)
* Sobrevivencia – FoE

Perú

* Centro de Asesoría Laboral del Perú (CEDAL)
* Grupo Red de Economía Solidaria del Perú (GRESP)
* Red Jubileo Perú
* Marcha Mundial de las Mujeres Perú
* Ciudadanas del Cono Norte-Lima
* Federación de Mujeres Campesinas, Artesanas, Indígenas y Asalariadas del Perú (FEMUCARINAP)

Puerto Rico

* Comité Pro Niñez Dominico-Haitiana
* Grito Excluidas/os de Puerto Rico
* Proyecto Caribeño de Justicia y Paz

República Dominicana

* Cultural Center 4 Audio Visual Exchange (CC4AVE)
* Movimiento Popular Cristiano Oscar Arnulfo Romero, MOPAR
* Partido Revolucionario Dominicano (P.R.D.), Dirección de Cultos

Uruguay

* Plataforma DESCAM URUGUAY
* Amigos de la Tierra Uruguay (REDES )
* Universidad Popular Joaquín Lencina
* Red de Economistas de Izquierda de Uruguay
* ATTAC-Uruguay

Venezuela

* ATTAC - Venezuela
* Coalición de Tendencias Clasistas (CTC)
* Fuerza Socialista Bolivariana de Trabajadores
* Instituto para la Producción e Investigación de la Agricultura Tropical (IPIAT)
* Red Metropolitana de Inquilinos Poder Popular (O.C.V.)
* Red Venezolana Contra la Deuda (RVCD-CADTM)
* CONFELE
* Congreso Bolivariano de los Pueblos
* Instituto de Investigación de Formación para el Medio Ambiente y el Desarrollo Sostenible (IRFEDD)
* Comisión Nacional de Movimientos
* Comisión Nacional de Mujeres Trabajadoras de Venezuela (CONAMUT)

Rest of the world

Internacionals

* Alianza Internacional de Habitantes
* Amigos de la Tierra Internacional
* Asociación internacional de juristas Demócratas
* Comité por la Abolición de la Deuda del Tercer Mundo (CADTM)
* Jubileo Sur
* Observatorio Internacional de la Deuda (OID)
* Programa de Incidencia sobre Deuda Externa Ilegítima de la Federación Luterana Mundial
* Red Internacional de Género y Comercio (IGTN)

Regionals

Africa Region

* African Forum and Network on Debt and Development (AFRODAD)
* África Jubilee South
* Réseau Ouest Africain Dette et Développement (ROAD)
* Southern Africa Peoples' Solidarity Network (SAPSN)

Asia Region

* Alternatives Asia
* JS Asia/Pacific Movement on Debt and Development (JS APMDD)
* South Asia Alliance for Poverty Eradication (SAAPE)

Europe Region

* KAIROS-Europa
* Red Europea de Dialogo Social (REDS)

Nacionals

Bangladesh

* Coastal Association for Social Transformation (COAST)
* Sushasoner Jonno Procharavizan (SUPRO)

Bélgica

* CADTM Belgique
* Comité pour les droits humains "Daniel Gillard"
* Union de defensa de las personnas indocumentadas (UDEP BXL)

Benín

* Cercle d'Auto promotion pour le Développement Durable (CADD-Bénin)
* Groupe de Recherche et d’Action pour la Promotion de l’Agriculture et du Développement (GRAPAD)

Congo, Rep.

* Apash
* Centre pour le Partenariat l'Appui et le Renforcement des Capacités (CEPAREC)

Congo, Rep. Dem.

* Action mondiale pour le Sourire,l ' Espoir et la Lumiere (AMSEL)
* Solidarite' Agissante pour le Developpement Familial (SADF)
* CADTM Lubumbashi
* Coordination Nationale (CAFEC)
* Coordination Nationale Reprontic
* Coordination Sous Regionale Acsis Afrique Centrale
* NAD-CADTM RD Congo

España

* Instituto para la Producción e Investigación de la Agricultura Tropical (IPIAT)
* Movimiento por el Cambio
* Observatorio de la Deuda en la Globalización
* El Viejo Topo
* Fundación MÓN3

Filipinas

* Freedom from Debt Coalition-Philippines (FDC)
* Youth Against Debt

Francia

* Europe solidaire sans frontières (ESSF)
* ASSOCIATION FRANCE AMERIQUE LATINE
* CADTM France
* Plate-forme Dette & Développement, France

India

* ActionAid International – India, Shelters & Housing (Urban Poor/ Informal Sector)
* India Alliance for Child Rights
* Charter Trust of South Actors for International Coexistence (MOSAIC)
* TransAsia Alliance of NGOs for Child Rights

Indonesia

* International NGO Forum on Indonesian Development (INFID)

Italia

* Centro Investigacion y Elaboracion para la democracia (CRED)
* Cittadini Dal Mondo
* Fondazione Neno Zanchetta
* Instituto de estudios juridicos internacionales del Consejo nacional de investigaciones
* Sud Pontino Social Forum

Japón

* ATTAC JAPAN
* Japan Asia Africa Latin America Solidarity Committee

Kenia

* Economic & Social Rights Centre-Hakijamii Trust
* Solidarity Africa Network

Mali

* Alliance contre la Pauvreté au Mali (AP/Mali)
* Association pour la Promotion de la Femme et de l'Enfant à Niamakoro
* Coalition des Alternatives Africaines Dette et Développement (CAD-Mali Forum des Peuples)
* GIP - Bio (Groupement Interprofessionnel Panafricain Agro écologie et de Commerce Equitable)
* Ligue pour la Justice, le Développement et les Droits de l'Homme (LJDH)
* RAE (Réseau Africain de l'Eau)
* Réseau pour le Développement Local et l’Auto promotion de la Femme, de l’Enfant et de la Famille (RDL/AFEF)

Marruecos

* ASASHA
* ASASHA Alhoceima
* ATTAC Morroco

Nepal

* General Federation of Nepalese Trade Unions (GEFONT)
* Rural Reconstruction

Portugal

* Centro de Informação e Documentação Amílcar Cabral (CIDAC)
* Sociofonia.org, associação para a informação por outros meios

Senegal

* African Forum on Alternatives
* CADTM Senegal

Suiza

* CADTM Suisse
* Centro Europa-Tercer Mundo (CETIM)
* Nord-Sud XXI

Reino Unido

* Friends of the Earth England, Wales and Northern Ireland
* Jubilee Debt Campaign
* Attac Jersey

Individuales

* Ulrich Duchrow, maestro de la Universidad de Heidelberg,Coordinador Kairos Europa
* Adolfo Pérez Esquivel, Premio Nobel de la Paz, Fundación Servicio Paz y Justicia
* Alejandro Cabrera Britos, Delegado General Junta Interna ATE -SENASA
* Dilab Martínez Carina Maloberti, Secretaría General ATE SENASA,CF
* Carlos Loza, Secretario General, Junta Interna de ATE, AGP.
* Carlos Pellegrini, Secretario General, CTA BANCARIOS.
* Cristina Castello, Poetisa y Periodista.
* Eduardo Espinoza, Delegado General, Junta Interna, ATE, Ministerio De Desarrollo Humano, Provincia De Bs. As.
* José Barbagallo, Arquitecto
* José Barbagallo, Arquitecto
* Marta Resnicof
* Paula Turi, Analista de Sistemas,
* Angel Fernandez Schejtman, Foro Intergeracional
* Pablo Gomez, Foro Intergeracional
* Nicolas Cesare, Ctro. Cultural "El Refugio" -Banfield-
* Santiago Corti, Revista "La Otra Orilla"
* María Belkis Cócerez
* Eduardo D. Polo
* Abul Hossain, President, United Labour Federation
* Alma De Walsche, Mondiaal Magazine
* Joseph van Deberg
* Paul BLANJEAN, Secretario Federal, MOC Verviéres
* Alfredo dos Santos
* María Claudia Baima
* Ceci Juruá, Professora e economista, analista de conjuntra do projeto Outro Brasil, Laboratório de Polítics Públics UERJ
* Clayton Mendonça Cunha Filho, Politólogo- Observatório das Nacionalidades
* Dr. Clair da Flora Martins ,ex deputada federal, Abogada
* João Baptista de Figueiredo Neto
* Marcio Pochmann, Professor do Instituto de Economia da Universidade Estadual de Campinas
* Marlene Soccas, cirurgiã-dentista, pós-graduada em História pela UNESC.
* Plinio Zaleski Vargas, Director do Observatório de Democracia Participativa de Porto Alegre
* Zuleica Nycz
* Julienne Ayissi, Coalition des Ong et des Ocb oeuvrant dans le Domaine des Etablissements Humains et de l’Habitat
* Raúl Quirós
* SCHOMBE Baudouin, Centre africain d'echange culturel
* Alberto Acosta, ex Ministro de Energía
* Diana Isabel Echaiz, Coordinadora de Proyectos, Proyecto Península de Santa Elena
* Coordinador Sociedad de Impulso a la producción de Bienes Interculturales
* Juana Font Arellano
* Aleardo Laría, Abogado y periodista
* Encarna Gama
* Javier Martín Jaramillo
* Joaquín Contreras Rivera
* José Ignacio Hernando Piedra
* Juanjo Llorente, Movimiento por el Cambio
* Oscar Revilla Alguacil
* Catalina Bover Nicolau, Mallorca Islas Baleares,
* David Luque Navarro (RCADE)
* Javier Martín Jaramillo
* Santiago Echave
* Benigno Polo Costa
* M-N. Lombard, Miembro ACAT-Francia
* Anna La Vista, Comitato di lotta centro storico Roma
* Alessandra Della Ragione
* Antonio Pacor
* Cesare Ottolini, Alianza Internacinal de Habitantes
* Lucia Salemi
* Patrizio Graziosi
* Simone
* Roberto Bianchetti
* Mrs Edra Mbatha, Peoples Parliament in Kenya
* Laura Collin Antropologa profesora investigadora El Colegio de Tlaxcala A.C
* Raúl Villegas Dávalos, Profesor investigador de Tiempo Completo
* Queretaro Eduardo Leon Chain, El Milagrito asociacion Civil
* Fernando Correa Prado, Maestrante en Estudios Latinoamericanos (UNAM)
* Guillermo F. Parodi Profesor Universitario
* Zita
* Angel Luis Rivera, Coordinador continental, Programa de Fe, Economía y Sociedad, Consejo Latinoamericano de Iglesias (CLAI)
* Pedro Franco, coordinador Campaña Desalojos Cero AIH para America Latina y el Caribe
* Carine Clement, Institute "Collective Action"
* Madeleine Crisinel
* Gastón Casa Diamante
* Aktham Naisse
* Aleardo Laría
* Alfredo Verre
* Francisco Serrano Bermejo
* Gennaro Varriale
* José Ignacio Hernando Piedra
* Marilina Marichal, Coordinadora Para Asentamientos Espontáneos Movimiento Sin Techo
* Moushamadou Moustapha Sylla

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