More than clear: including 40 delegates from all over the globe, met in the Montreal, Canada, from November 3-7 last year to put the finishing touches to plans for the World March of the Year 2000, around 17 demands.
women's Their aims of the work sesSpur together plans for mobilisations and actions under way around the international Icading up to the March; decide the nature and details of international actions; and progress in the campaign for the 17 international demands; and finally, involvement in the project and cocourage cycryone so carry on. women from five continents were an eye tokack bonds of solidarity their common struggle noverty and violence against Since the beginning, the values (or principles) underlying the project have been WE ARE profoundly troubled by the situation imposed on the people of the Puerto Rican island of Vieques due to the presence of the U.S. Navy and its activities on the island. Viole For the last fifty years, the • Icadership in bands espe• recognition of the diversity of the agreement to goals and action plan of the World March autonomy participating groups countries terms of their own March organisation • above all, that women in every region of the world - at this meeting, the last principle became a con- Kofi Annan.
In Montreal, New York, and cities, March 8 2000 is the official launch date of the movement. World March and the start of a global signature campaign resentatives in support of our 17 world the disastrous demands. Between March 8, U.S. Navy has occupied more than three quarters of the ter- Puerto rico ritory of Vieques This they have done, not only without consulting the people of , but in fact, against the will of the people of both - • The Real Irish Inal on its territory. effects.
Fund and the World Bank. International representahope presidents nternational Bank, women from all over the On October 17 2000, a demo through the streets of New York to the world headquarters United International represenhope with the and General. The campaign has October 17, 2000, millions of already sent a letter requestWing this. signed cards will be sent to asked for time on the arenda the UN Secretary General, of the UN General Assembly On October 15 2000, there that same day. will be a mass demonstration There are now over 3000 groups from in Washington DC organised by the American women's participating in will joined by international rep- In addition, there are 65 national coordinating bodies concerned by impact on currently planning women of the policies of the Some The statement below was passed by the Rican island of Vieques has become even more important for US imperialism since its handing back of the Panama Canal not only in terms of America. Vieques and the rest of missed their target and caused the death of David Sanes, a resident of Vieques.
Since then, the U.S. Navy and its allies in NATO have explosion of indignation used Vieques as a stage for among the Puerto Rican peoFor more than five decades the ple.
Since that moment, the U.S. Navy has bombaraed the movement against the U.S. waters and land of Vieques Navy presence has grown to include all the political, social.
This has had and still has religious sectors, is well de terrible effects on the ecol. the labour movement. ogy. the health, the economic Hundreds of demonstrators have set up camps in the and cultural development and areas controlled by the Navy. the archaeological heritage of the people of Vieques.
made it impossible for the Vieoues has no peace and the survival of its people is in dan- Navy to renew its bombing However, Vieques has not The demonstrations have taken on such a magnitude resigned itself to its own disFor decades. that the President of the U.S.. Willam J. Clinton, has been sectors of Puerto Rican society have resisted the pres. forced to name a special comence of the Navy and its mission to study the situation.
The Navy persists in its intenIn April 1999, a Navy plane con to continue excopy-s dropped two bombs which Vieques.
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Interational Executive Committee of the Fourth International at its February 2000 meeting and was also supported by many of the constituent organisations of the Fl. The need to maintain control in the Puerto
its influence in the Caribbean itself but also as launching pad to quell any 'trouble' in Latin
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