The conference for Tierra Madre in Cochabamba

I am keeping my feet on the ground but my good friend Hugo Blanco is going from Peru and has kindly agreed to get a document from me translated into Spanish putting the arguments that we both believe for ecosocialism. The event is ecosocialism in action, in Latin America indigneous and workers are remaking the world in the spirit of respect for ecology and justice.


Dear sisters and brothers



We’ve gathered some information and links to share with you. Some of the information is to do with the “World People's Conference on Climate Change” that will take place in Cochabamba, Bolivia, between the 20 and 22 April, and some information is related to our work with various solidarity campaigns here in the UK.



Some people have asked what are the 10 Mother Earth Commandments. So, we are including a transcription, also we found a wonderful article in the Guardian describing the process of change in Bolivia written by Matt Kennard, and as articles of this type are so rare we have translated it into Spanish.



This is a long email, so please be patient, we have tried to avoid long unnecessary information, but we have included whenever possible a Spanish version.



In defence of the Pachamama, which is life!

¡Por la defensa de la Pachamama que es vida!



Bolivia Solidarity Campaign

London



1. The 10 Mother Earth Commandments

2. The UK and the World People's Conference on Climate Change

3. The Real Climategate: Conservation Groups Align with World’s Worst Polluters

4. Guardian article to cheer you up

5. UBS: shame on YOU! (Bolivian and other immigrant workers victimised by Bank)

6. Colombia Solidarity Campaign: news and events

7. London Mining Network: news and events

8. Peru: Palm oil companies destroy the Peruvian Amazon rainforest

9. Other events in London



1. The 10 Mother Earth Commandments
1

Stopping the capitalist system

Acabar con el sistema capitalista

2

Renouncing wars

Renunciar a las guerras

3

A world without imperialism or colonialism

Un mundo sin imperialismo ni colonialismo

4

Right to water

Derecho al agua

5

Development of clean energies

Desarrollo de energías limpias

6

Respect for Mother Earth

Respeto a la madre tierra

7

Basic services as human rights

Servicios básicos como derechos humanos

8

Fighting inequalities

Combatir las desigualdades

9

Promoting diversity of cultures and economies

Promover la diversidad de culturas y economías

10

Living well, not living better at the expense of others

Vivir bien, no vivir mejor a costa del otro



Read full transcription

http://boliviarising.blogspot.com/2008/10/message-of-president-evo-morales-to.html

En castellano

http://www.cadtm.org/los-10-mandamientos-de-evo-morales



2. The UK and the World People's Conference on Climate Change
Who can participate?

Anyone really, in Copenhagen more than 160 countries were excluded from the final negotiations, but in Cochabamba the 192 countries subscribed in the UN have been invited. Indigenous organizations from around the world have also been invited, delegations from the Grand Council of Indigenous Peoples of Canada and the United States will attend the conference.



However it seems that most of the participants expected to go are from NGOs and social movements in Bolivia (including trade unions and indigenous groups), South America, and other regions of the world.



The Bolivian press has started to speculate about the numbers of foreign visitors that will attend the conference. The numbers range from 5 thousand to 10 thousand. There is no clear information on the numbers by the organizers but they have been able to confirm that there will be 20 governmental delegations, scientists and prominent writers such as: Eduardo Galeano, author of the “Open Veins of Latin America”.



Who is going from the UK?

It is estimated that between 50 to 80 people will go from the UK, NGOs such as the WDM, Oxfam, etc. Social movements such as: Campaign Against Climate Change, Climate Justice Action, Bolivia Solidarity Campaign (of course!) and others.



If you as an individual, or an organisation of which you are a member, is considering attending the conference, Bolivia Solidarity Campaign (www.boliviasc.org.uk) may be able to help informally with logistics (such as finding inexpensive accommodation) or arrange contacts with social organisations and trade unions), or provide other advice. BSC has several contacts in Cochabamba, and two BSC members will be attending the conference.



It's a long way to travel for just 4 or 5 days, so if a group of people who wish to stay in Bolivia for a week or so longer comes together, BSC could provide an informal itinerary of visits to places of interest and meetings with social movements and other organisations, including the possibility of visiting the Cuban internationalist medical brigades.



If you are interested, please contact BSC as soon as possible, using the following e-mail address: boliviasc@gmail.com with copy to: steve.wagstaff@hotmail.com



Where will the conference be?

The conference will be in the University Univalle, in Tiquipaya, 10km from the city of Cochabamba. It seems that tents and collective dormitories will be set up as the hotels do not have capacity to house so many visitors.



How will the conference be organized?

There will be:

Self-organized events (there are around 30 proposals)

Working Groups (there are 17 working groups)

Large assemblies/Rallies (there’s one event for the 22nd to take place in a football stadium, but there might be others).



These are the two self-organized events that have applied from the UK:

Title: Unions and a global fight for green jobs
Organizers: Campaign against Climate Change Trade Union Group (UK); University and College Union (UK); Communication Workers Union (UK); Public and Commercial Services union (UK); Transport Salaried Staff Association (UK)
Country or region: UK



Title: La búsqueda del vivir bien/Defending Mother Earth (film and discussion)
Organizers: Yorvida Ltd (UK), Bolivia Solidarity Campaign (UK), Radio Alter-Nativa La Chiwana (Cochabamba), Chajra Runaj Masis (Cochabamba), Sheffield Cuba Solidarity Campaign (UK)

Country or region: UK/Bolivia



Working groups

There are 17 working groups, which people can join at any time. If you cannot go to Bolivia but want to participate please visit the website and subscribe to the working group of your choice.

http://pwccc.wordpress.com/category/working-groups/



One of the working groups will look at the referendum on climate change. Evo Morales while in Copenhagen, at the ALBA rally, in front of 3 thousand people, put forth the following five questions for that referendum, for a few minutes you could hear the stadium roar with yes to every question asked.

http://www.youtube.com/user/EmbajadaBolivia#p/a/u/1/nqnPvTrDxrE

For more information: www.boliviaun.org