Global Minga in Defense of Mother Earth and Her Peoples, October 12-16

Last Updated on November 14, 2011

READ the Official Call-out for the Global Minga at http://www.movimientos.org/defensamadretierra/

On May 31 the IV Continental Summit of Indigenous Peoples of Abya Yala (the Americas) called for a Global Mobilization “In defense of Mother Earth and Her People and against the commercialization of life, pollution and the criminalization of indigenous and social movements.”

Marking the day Christopher Columbus first set foot on Abya Yala, 518 years ago, the mobilization will begin on October 12, 2009.

Numerous organizations and social movements have endorsed the mobilization. Among them: ONIC, National Indigenous Organization of Colombia; CONACAMI, National Confederation of Communities Affected by the mining Industry in Peru; ECUARUNARI, Confederation of the Peoples of Kichwa Nationality of Ecuador; ONPIA, The Organization of Indigenous Peoples and Nations in Argentina; Araucanian Parliament (Chile); CONAIE, Confederation of Indigenous Nationalties of Ecuador; CONIC, National Coordination of Indigenous and Farmers; Council of Peoples of the San Marcos Community; CONAVIGUA, The National Coordination of Guatamalan Widows; ARPI, Association of Indigenous Peoples of the Central Rainforest of Peru; MCP, Summit Movement of the Peoples; CRIC, Regional Indigenous Council of Cauca; FDCC, The Departmental Federation of the Peasants of Cusco; ATTAC France; RootForce (America); and others.

Some of the actions being organized around the world, will include:

Demonstrations in cities and urban communities and rural areas of the world, demanding specific local and national goals, and the common goal of the global Minga (the Defence of Mother Earth and all forms of life);
Protests in front of the offices of transnational extractive (oil, mining, timber, water) agrofuel, and other companies;
Protests and other (non-violent) actions targeting infrastructure, such as highways, mines, power plants, pipelines and other industrial developments; and
Forums and conferences on cultural and political defense of Mother Earth and the People Against Commodification of Life, Pollution and Criminalization.

Several other efforts will also carry forward, as expressed in the document, Minga in Defence of Pachamama, Mother Earth, and her Peoples: the development of Climate Justice Courts (in coordination with the Foundation of Bolivia Solon, Climate Action, Friends of the Earth and other allies); The organization of Assemblies and joint strategies aimed at the Kyoto Protocol conference in December 2009 in Copenhagen; and proposals for alternatives to the Climate Change Convention, Biodiversity Convention, UN, Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and similar bodies from other continents.

Learn More

1. For more information and updates, including media coverage once the MINGA begins, visit http://www.movimientos.org/defensamadretierra/

2. If you are in Canada or the United States and want help planning and publicizing actions, contact Root Force: rootforce(at)riseup(dot)net or visit http://rootforce.org