Events

The Latin American & Australasian Indigenous Solidarity Gathering,
23-26 October 2008, Melbourne - Australia

For our LAND, our CULTURE, our SOVEREIGNTY... Protecting our planet, defending our communities!

Our Call>> The Latin American Solidarity Network (LASNET), Friends of the Earth (FOE) in conjunction with other solidarity organisations will be hosting a gathering for Indigenous and non-Indigenous activists who are supporting Indigenous resistances and struggles.

We hope to bring together activists, indigenous leaders and communities from Aotearoa (New Zealand), Great Turtle Island (North America), the Pacific Islands, and our Indigenous brothers and sisters from Latin America, as well as from the Aboriginal nations of Australia.

This is a time of great struggle for Indigenous peoples. On September 13th 2007, the governments of Canada, the United States, New Zealand and Australia voted against the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which calls on countries to give more control to tribal peoples over the land and resources they traditionally possessed, and to return confiscated territory, pay compensation, or just say “sorry” for all the abuses.

It is not hard to see why. New Zealand’s government has just unleashed its anti-terror security forces on Maori activists in New Zealand, while the Australian government reinvaded Aboriginal land in the Northern Territory under the guise of “child” protection. Both these governments use their influence in the Pacific to open up communal lands in Aboriginal nations as well as Pacific Island nations to Australian and Canadian mining interests.

Throughout the Americas, from Great Turtle Island down through Latin America, from the Tahltan of Canada to the Mapuche of Chile/Argentina, from the Quechua /Aymara  to the Kulin, Wotjobaluk, Mara and Kurnai Nations of Australia in the south, Indigenous peoples are under greater pressure than ever from multinational corporations’ interests (mining, forestry, fuel), free trade agreements and the security apparatus of settler governments, determined to finally put an end to centuries of struggle against dominant elites and against economic rationalism in the form of neoliberal capital policies.

Indigenous peoples are fighting back, organising, and teaching new generations what they have learned from hundreds of years of unending struggle against land expropriation, exploitation, assimilation and the various attempts to wipe them out from our planet.

Gathering (Encuentro)/Conference Contents>>
The Gathering (Encuentro) aims to build bridges of struggle, friendship and collaboration between Indigenous and grassroots organisations throughout Latin America and Australasia.

During the first two days of the Gathering (October 23 and 24) there will be a welcome to country and a public meeting. The second two days (October 25 and 26) will feature plenary sessions, workshops, documentary films, photo exhibitions, stalls and other activities.

Participants from Australia and overseas will explore the questions of WHY and HOW we resist and struggle to protect our planet and defend our communities, and WHAT we propose as Indigenous people and supporters from grassroots and community organisations to achieve social transformation..

Topics to be discussed include:
Genocide suffered by Aboriginal nations
Autonomous struggles
Ancestral rights to land and culture
Sovereignty and the global order
Sovereignty and neo-liberal policies
Land sovereignty and nation
Aboriginal control of Aboriginal affairs
Human rights/Aboriginal rights
Fighting racism
Peace
Treaty or/and reconciliation, and
Other topics presented by Gathering participants.

Our idea is to be open and inclusive to ideas and discourses supporting Indigenous peoples’ self-determination and grassroots struggles for justice, peace, dignity and democracy from below. We would like to develop the concept of an alliance between Indigenous and non- Indigenous marginalised people as they share similar problems of exclusion, exploitation, racism, repression.

We are inviting individuals and organisations to support this initiative by contributing to our organising fund, and by supporting the Gathering itself when it takes place October 2008.
Costs are significant as there are several international airfares to cover, and therefore any contributions would be appreciated.

If your organisation be able to provide some assistance or be interested to becoming a Gathering supporter or sponsor write to us to P.OBOX 813 North Melbourne, VIC. 3051 or email.

Solidarity Gathering/Encuentro presented by: Latin American Solidarity Network (LASNET) & Friends of the Earth (FOE) In conjunction with: Aboriginal organisations from Victoria and other cities, ANTAR, Union Solidarity, Community Radio 3CR, AISD, MASN, FREE WEST PAPUA, FAIRWEAR CAMPAIGN, Pro-Bolivia Sydney, Chilean popular and Indigenous Network, Colombia Solidarity Network, Colombia demand Justice Campaign and Others...

Contacts and further information: Email or website.

General Information & fundraising: Marisol 0413 597 315
Program Workshops and Logistic Sub-committee: Lucho 0400 914 944
Media and Communication Sub-Committee: Natalie 0421 226 200
Fundraising Sub-committee: Marisol 0413 597315 or Wendy 0417 688562
Volunteer Coordinator: Rodrigo 0414 970 418
Stall Coordinator: 9419 8700

 
Donations and Registration
Your contributions and donation are Tax deductible:
Please send Cheque or Money Order made out to FOE and posted to P.O BOX 813 North Melbourne, VIC. 3051 or online through FOE's website.

Schedule>>

Registration  
Whole Gathering
Gathering
2 days weekend
1 day/session
Solidarity $80
Waged $60
Unwaged $40
   
Solidarity $60
Waged $40
Unwaged $20
Solidarity $30
Waged $25
Unwaged $15


Register online or posted registration forms to P.O.BOX 813, North Melbourne, Vic. 3051

You can post registration payment by Cheque or Money Order made out to LASNET at
P.O.BOX 813, North Melbourne, Vic. 3051
Or direct deposit to our Bendigo Bank account 633-000-1331-47793 made out to LASNET
Or pay by credit card online.

Gathering Schedule

Welcome to country and public meeting
 
Thursday October 23
Welcome to country
Venue and time to be announced
Friday October 24
Public Meeting:    “Why we resist and struggle”
Victorian Trades Hall Council 6PM

Gathering/Encuentro

SUNDAY OCTOBER 26
CERES
Corner Roberts and Stewart Streets, Brunswick East
10:30am- 11:30am
Plenary
What do we propose?
Protecting our planet, saving our communities
An Introduction (2-3 international speakers)
11:30am - 1pm
Discussion Tables/Spaces
1.Sovereignty
2. Self-determination and autonomy
3. Is it possible to build an alliance between Indigenous people and other marginalised people?
4. There are new possibilities for change?
5. Are progressive and elected popular governments an alternative?
6. Is people power a possibility?
7. What about sustainable society?
8. How do we defend ourselves from repression and militarism?
9. What kind of democratic system do we need?
10. New possibilities and ways of organising our struggle and resistance.
What is first the party or the political movement?
11. Alternatives to neoliberal policies
12. Working for peace and justice, looking for a new system of relations between people and communities
1pm-2pm
Lunch and entertainment
Multicultural concert
2pm-3pm
Workshops
International speakers, communities, grassroots organisations, social and political groups discuss contributions to the theme What we propose?
3pm-5pm
Discussion Tables
Report backs and initial proposals

5:30 - 6:30pm
Gathering Close
Resolutions and new Gathering proposal