The NorthEast Anarchist Network is endorsing the "Self Described Anarchist Collective" and Global Justice Action calls for a diversity of tactics, including direct action, to disrupt the Spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank in Washington, DC. Even in this era of uncontrolled economic retraction and collapse, the IMF [1] and World Bank continue to reach for their misleading, self-proclaimed objective of "eradicating poverty", while paradoxically ignoring the needs of poor and indigenous communities.
Why are the International Monetary Fund and World Bank relevant?
The IMF is widely considered to be a failure by economic analysts. The predatory loaning policies of the IMF, created to allegedly stabilize the global economy, have by some estimates led to economic collapse in nearly 100 countries, most recently Iceland. Despite increasing criticism and attempts at oversight, the members of the IMF continue to meet behind closed doors, making decisions that affect large parts of the world with no public input.
The World Bank is currently preparing a new system for farming resources and wealth out of the rest of the world, the so-called Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) initiative. In short, REDD involves giving many countries "credits" for "preserving" their forests, which can then be traded for capital and resources. This plan is on the verge of implementation and has already been criticized from all directions for having the same fundamental problems as previous iterations of such plans: ignoring the input and needs of indigenous communities, lacking any commitment whatsoever to the respect of human rights, and funneling the majority of funds earned back into destructive heavy industries, including logging. Similar World Bank carbon trading initiatives in the past have wreaked havoc on countries such as Brazil, in that case resulting in the displacement of entire communities and wholesale logging of Amazonian forests. The true destructive potential of these projects remains largely masked by the World Bank's strategy of obeying the "letter" of their own rules, while exploiting the loopholes to the fullest.
We remain committed to exposing the IMF and World Bank for what they are: unaccountable organizations bent on wringing as much as possible out of the rest of the world with no concern for the effects on indigenous groups or the environment. The continuing efforts by these wealth addicts to accelerate the upward flow of resources are completely unacceptable and must be confronted. We feel that, as radical activists living in the "belly of the beast", it is crucial to openly and passionately display our solidarity with the indigenous movements around the world who resist the policies of the IMF and World Bank every day.
Why April Uprising?
The Self Described Anarchist Collective and Global Justice Action have created a versatile framework of daily actions during the IMF/WB meetings in D.C. It is inspiring to see older, more established groups such as PGA [2] collaborating with newer organizing bodies like SDAC on actions which leave room for the full spectrum of diversity of tactics.
There have been a number of actions over the past few years that can be classified as "movement builders". Events such as October Rebellion (actions against the IMF/WB meetings in 2007) and the "swarm" strategy at the 2008 Republican National Convention created spaces for people to take their tactics further in a mass action setting, and we hope that the anarchist movement has gained confidence and experience from such engagements. The broad scope of the actions planned during April Uprising can hopefully allow participating individuals and groups to achieve their own tactical goals while furthering the overarching strategy of disrupting the meetings of the IMF and World Bank.
Washington, D.C. organizers have once again taken the initiative in openly calling for disruptive protests and they're laying the groundwork with solid logistical work. This offers us a chance to apply the lessons we've learned over the past few years and go on the offensive! We encourage other anarchist groups to endorse the SDAC and GJA strategy and calls. Let's come out strong and show the bankers that October Rebellion was merely a practice run for the April Uprising!
Love and Solidarity -
Members of the NorthEast (A) Network, including (but not limited to) the Black Bird Legal Collective (Portland, ME) and the Syracuse Solidarity Network (Syracuse, NY).
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Links to the original calls to action:
http://selfdescribed.org/?p=177 [3]
http://www.globaljusticeaction.org/call [4]
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Tentative schedule of events:
Friday April 24th
12:00 PM
5k Run on the Bank
Lunchtime run to the World Bank.
Meet at Malcolm X Park.
6:00 PM
Consulta
Location TBA
8:30 PM
“Walking Tour of IMF and World Bank Delegate Hotels”
Called by the SDAC
Meet at Farragut Square
-*-*-*-*-
Saturday April 25
5:30 AM-?
Blockades and March to Shut Down the World Bank and IMF Meetings!!!
Details on this site and at Global Justice Action.
1:00-9:00 PM
People's Economic Forum
Join us for an all day forum to learn and discuss the causes of the financial crisis, the role of the IMF
and World Bank, and alternatives to the current system.
Called by People's Global Action
St Stephens Church, 1525 Newton St NW (corner of 16th &Newton)
3:00-5:00
West End Neighborhood Library (1101 24th St NW)
Nap time, yoga, and vegan milk and cookies provided by the SDAC.
This will give us time to rest up and re-energize after a long day on the barricades. Saturday Night is going to be fun, get rest, you’ll
need it!
10:00 PM
IMF Soccer Riot and “Game” Night!
Called for by the SDAC
Meetup at Washington Circle
-*-*-*-*-
Sunday, April 26
In the interest of providing a space for groups that are not comfortable
with participating in direct action, Sunday has been declared open for
permitted actions. This does not mean that no one can do any direct
action, but please avoid downtown DC.
Details TBA
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About the Self Described Anarchist Collective:
In a time when financial collapse is on everyone’s lips, anti-capitalist ideas have become increasingly relevant. The Self Described Anarchist Collective wishes to organize large actions that
inspire others to become involved with the anarchist movement. Even if mass mobilizations do not create change by themselves, they provide an opportunity to inspire more people.
The Self Described Anarchist Collective is a regional collective of individuals dedicated to creating a stronger anarchist movement along the Eastern seaboard. By organizing large, vibrant actions that create a visible expression of anti-capitalist and anti-state ideas, we hope to create an environment where resistance and insurrection is possible.
As a collective, we have come to consensus around the People’s Global Action hallmarks, and we embrace and respect a diversity of tactics.
We have adopted the Hallmarks of the People’s Global Action, which are:
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 organizations, 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 organizational philosophy based on decentralization and autonomy.
Self Described Anarchist Collective
http://selfdescribed.org/ [5]
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About Global Justice Action:
Global Justice Action is a Washington, D.C. based group that uses popular education, protests, and direct action to resist global capitalism and its institutions and grow popular power, democracy, and a global justice movement to take its place.
We are an independent, anti-capitalist, non-hierarchical group of community members and activists that isn't funded by or connected to any partisan political group, government, or non-profit.
We’re here to show the world that the current system is broken and present the human and democratic alternatives to constant crisis and precarity that are viable and essential for our very survival.
Check out our website for news about our summits to build democracy and prosperity and remake the world, to get information about protests and events we’re organizing, and learn about how capitalism has failed us and what better ideas we’ve got.
Formed in response to the global economic crisis that has gripped the world and against the G20 Summit in November of 2008, Global Justice Action will continue to work in coalition with others to build a strong global justice movement in DC and everywhere else.
Global Justice Action
www.globaljusticeaction.org [6]
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