Brussels, 07/02/2002 (Agence Europe) - The second edition of the World Social Forum, held from 31 January to 5 February in Porto Alegre (see EUROPE of 24 January, p.15, and 2 February, p.16), allowed those who are never able to take the floor, such as the Brazilian peasants or the various world NGOs, to express their views and to build viable socio-economic alternatives for "another world". The 60,000 participants from 130 countries appealed to the United States for there to be "resistance to militarisation and neo-liberalism". They unreservedly condemned the IMF (recognised as responsible for the crisis in Argentina), the World Bank and the WTO. A first result of this Forum makes it possible to say that "enormous progress has been made in the analysis of problems and situations" as well as, as one expert underlined, "in the participants' awareness of the situation they find themselves in". There must be convergence at the macro-economic level and at the level of changing global standards. After the work, participants made concrete proposals: 1) an appeal for the UN to be more democratic as, say participants, it no longer plays the role of guarantor of peace and comes under the power of the United States, or an appeal for the creation of another body able to make effective intervention; 2) the setting in place of an international tribunal for the foreign debt of third world countries; 3) the creation of a World Parliament on Water and a World Day on Water on 22 March; 4) the setting in place of an observatory of medicine prices in order to prevent abusive behaviour by the large pharmaceutical laboratories; and 5) the establishment of a G8 with countries like India, China andf Brazil, to counter the hegemony of the super powers. These proposals, explains an AFP (Agence France Presse) release, will be consolidated throughout the year at regional gatherings, but above all will be taken up by activists who leave with an almost monthly timetable of actions, on the fringe of international meetings pending Porto Alegre 2003.
Jean Lapeyre (ESC): "Europe must serve as support for global re-regulation"
Over 500 trade union activists from 40 countries took part at the Trade Union Forum meeting (held within the Social World Forum ). "This shows a strong and visible trade union presence at the Social Forum, which has influenced debates in that the World Social Forum has gone from being a protester to a place where proposals are made", stressed Jean Lapeyre, Deputy General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), who recalled that the trade unions are "globalists, in favour of sharing wealth and social justice". During the work, Jean Lapeyre presented trade union proposals on specific points: - 1) the internationalisation of European works councils, "which could be the basis for the creation of world works councils which would allow workers to be informed and consulted at a world level. We must use Europe as a support for world re-regulation"; 2) defence of fundamental social rights in all international economic and financial institutions; 3) cancellation of the debt of the poorest countries, helping them to develop and/or reconvert their debt into internal investment; 4) and the fight against tax havens. "Rather than remain purely anti-establishment, this second World Social Forum has become more reasonable, more down-to-earth, and has proposals to make. The international trade union movement has shown very great unity, which enhances effectiveness", continued Jean Lapeyre. He added: "This second Forum has many levels allowing exchange and synergy between trade unions and NGOs, which were hitherto in two completely different worlds ignoring each other completely!".
Francis Wurtz: "Porto Alegre III should be an opportunity for the World Parliamentary Forum to prove it is now adult" - Greens/EFA: Supporting a network of parliamentarians from every continent
Furthermore, the second edition of the World Parlimaentary Forum was also held at the same dates in Porto Alegre in the context of the World Social Forum. At the close of work, Francis Wurtz, President of the Group of the European United Left at the EP, commented it was a "Forum which was once again an exciting experience whose originality is its link with the social movement. "It is sometimes a difficult learning experience but it is vitally needed if we are to go beyond the climate of distrust reigning between the social movements and the political representatives, in so many countries", added Mr Wurtz, who noted that this Forum was held in an international context marked by harsh realities, such as the tragedy unfolding in Argentina, the situation in Africa, the neo-Liberal thrust in Europe, etc. He concluded by saying: "Porto Alegre I saw the creation of our Forum; Porto Alegre II allowed it to mature, with all the problems of adolescence; Porto Alegre III should give it an opportunity to show it is now an adult. That is the challenge we are going to raise".
"This forum, in which this year 1150 parliamentarians from 52 countries took part, was a clear signal of the way in which globalisation has landed on the agenda of politicians. The great challenge will be to set up a network of parliamentarians of all continents, to support social movement and give life back to the democratic control of the globalisation process. A co-ordinated legal action is needed to control the neo-liberalism of globalisation", the delegation of the Greens/EFA present in the Forum declared.