indymedia
/
Editorial-Collective
13
5
Code Issues 13 Wiki
Page: PGA
Pages
4 Opens Good RSS feeds Home How does indymedia work IMC Editorial Guidelines (sample) New IMC Application (draft) PGA Principles of Unity Traning resources a test front page story indymedia mission statement (sample)
2 PGA
mj-saunders edited this page 2020-11-24 11:57:46 +00:00
Table of Contents

People's Global Action

Hallmarks

(changed at the 3rd PGA Conference in Cochabamba)

  1. A very clear rejection of capitalism, imperialism and feudalism; all trade agreements, institutions and governments that promote destructive globalisation.

  2. We reject all forms and systems of domination and discrimination including, but not limited to, patriarchy, racism and religious fundamentalism of all creeds. We embrace the full dignity of all human beings.

  3. A confrontational attitude, since we do not think that lobbying can have a major impact in such biased and undemocratic organisations, in which transnational capital is the only real policy-maker.

  4. A call to direct action and civil disobedience, support for social movements' struggles, advocating forms of resistance which maximize respect for life and oppressed peoples' rights, as well as the construction of local alternatives to global capitalism.

  5. An organisational philosophy based on decentralisation and autonomy.

Organisational Principles

  1. The PGA is an instrument for co-ordination, not an organisation. Its main objectives are:

    i. Inspiring the greatest possible number of persons and organisations to act against corporate domination through civil disobedience and people-oriented constructive actions. ii. Offering an instrument for co-ordination and mutual support at global level for those resisting corporate rule and the capitalist development paradigm. iii. Giving more international projection to the struggles against economic liberalisation and global capitalism, as well as to the struggles of indigenous people and original cultures.

  2. The organisational philosophy of the PGA is based on decentralisation and autonomy. Hence, central structures are minimal. Following the same idea, each region's participating organisations and movements will decide how to organize locally. Nevertheless, there needs to be a point of contact and coordination for each of these regions, decided at regional level and known to all the participating organisations and movements of the network.

  3. The PGA has no membership.

  4. The PGA does not have and will not have a juridical personality. It will not be legalised or registered in any country. No organisation or person represents the PGA, nor does the PGA represent any organisation or person.

  5. There will be conferences of the PGA when judged necessary by the participating organisations and movements. The functions of these conferences will be:

    i. Updating the manifesto (if necessary) ii. Advancing in the process of co-ordination at global level of the resistance against "free" trade iii. Co-ordinating decentralised actions according to the global days of action and the sustained campaigns of the PGA.

There will be an equal participation of women and men in the international and regional conferences. The gender issue will be discussed at all of the PGA conferences, both at the international and regional levels.

  1. The conferences of the PGA will be convened by a committee conformed by representative organisations and movements of each region, including the points of contact named for each of these regions. The composition of this committee must show a regional balance, and a balance regarding the areas of work of the organisations and movements that conform it. The local organisers will be part of the committee. This committee will fulfil the following tasks:

    i. Coordinating the programme of the conference according to the proposals for themes, actions and issues emerging from the regional conferences ii. Coordinating the selection of the delegates, in respect with the principle of decentralization and autonomy of each region as well as in accordance with the decisions taken on this matter at the regional conferences iii. Deciding about the use of resources; especially, deciding which organisations will receive help to pay the travel expenses to attend the conference iv. Advising the local organisers in technical and organisational questions v. Interpreting the manifesto if this would be necessary (the whole part on publications and info to be taken out)

The committee, just like any other participating organisation or movement, cannot speak in the name of the PGA.

Each conference of the PGA will be coordinated by a committee conformed of different organisations and movements. Also, the points of contact named for each region will change in each regional conference (used to be in each international conference but it is now a problem to leave it like that if we're going to have international conferences only when judged necessary...). The old committee will choose a small group that will act as advisers of the new committee. It will also provide technical support at the regional level. This advisory group will not have decision- making power.

  1. In keeping with PGA's philosophy, all communication processes will be diverse, decentralised and coordinated. There will be at least one point of contact in each region to be decided at regional level.

Whilst recognising there are limits to the internet, the PGA website will comprise of PGA documents including conference notes and contact lists. All documents will be translated into as many diverse languages as possible. For all this communication to work effectively, responsibility must be taken at the regional level by as many groups as possible.

  1. The PGA will not have any resources. The funds needed to pay the conferences and the information tools will have to be raised in a decentralised way. All the funds raised for the conference will be administered by the committee. The publications will have to be self-financed.

  2. The PGA has a rotative secretariat, which changes every year. Each committee, during it's term, will decide where the secretariats will be.

  3. The conferences of the PGA will not include the discussion of these organisational principles in the programme. If there is a concrete request, a discussion group on organisational questions will be formed. This discussion group will meet parallel to the programme of the conference, to elaborate concrete modification proposals which shall be voted upon in the plenary.

  4. The PGA hopes that it will inspire the creation of different platforms (both regional and issue-based) against "free" trade and the different institutions that promote it. There will not be, however, a relationship of pertenence between these platforms and the PGA. The platforms will hence be completely autonomous.

The PGA also aims to initiate discussions at the regional level through various means, emphasizing on the organisation of caravans, as well as the exchange of people, products and experiences between regions. The results of these debates will then be shared at the global level with the whole network.

Reference