hydrarchist writes:

Proposal to form a maillist/network of antiauthoritarian groups to coordinate issues concerning ESF2004

We, activists in different Nordic anticapitalist movements, would like to propose to our "colleges" of anticapitalist/antiauthorian/zapatist/disobedient groups and collectives all over Europe to initiate some kind of coordination of our intervention in the European social Forum2004, - in the preparatory process as well as in the Forum event.

We think that the ESF provides a valuable space for participation and intervention of anticapitalist activist groups. A space where we can learn from all the social struggles that are represented, where we can compare, discuss and inspire each other among the many and broad organisation and individuals present. A space where we can develop regional coalitions or networks on specific issues - coalitions that goes beyond the usual boundaries of radical activists. A space to engage in common action bringing the Forum out of the Forum as we succeeded in Paris.

Having said this, we, of course, share the criticism of the forum put forward by other activist, that the forum suffers from lack of democracy and from the unbalanced influence of some dominant groups. This problem is definitely not minor in the actual UK-process, where there are reports of serious undemocratic behaviour from dominant groups

But we think the answer to this rather than just dismissing the ESF (and thereby the thousands of social movement activist present there), is a stronger intervention in the ESF - in the preparatory process as well as in the event it self. Until now activist groups of the radical/libertarian/zapatista/disobedience movement have been almost absent from the preparatory process, and have contributed very little to the Forum program. In order to be heard in the process and to be able to defend the original ideas of the Forum, and avoid its instrumentalisation, we think that some coordination of our efforts are badly needed.

So our proposal is to set up a mail list to coordinate our intervention in the preparatory process and in the forum itself. The mail list should be used for:

1) Coordination of our intervention in the Preparatory process:

- Coordination of our participation in the European preparatory assembly's (The body that guides the national committee preparing next ESF). The agenda for the preparatory assembly's should be send out on this list, so that the groups can discuss and make common proposals etc. (The next assembly will be held in London 6.-7. march)

- Coordination of common Pre-meetings before the European Preparatory Assembly's. On this pre-meeting the UK groups will report about how the process are developing, possible problems etc. And we will try to coordinate our intervention on the assembly. After the meeting an evaluation among our groups will be held, to discuss the results and possible action.

- In case of serious threats of undemocratic manoeuvres etc, information will be quickly spread on the list, so that the groups can prepare for the next assemblies and initiate debate in the movement of their home countries to make visible the manoeuvres.

2) Coordination of our participation inside and outside the ESF

- Cooperation around participation inside the Forum Event. e.g. to make common plenaries and seminars during the forum.

- Coordination to set up autonomous areas outside, but not in opposition to The ESF ( As the GLAD in Paris)

- Coordination of actions, demonstration or common blocks in broader demonstrations.

Subscribe to the mail-list here:

http://lists.riseup.net/www/info/esfdemocracy_euro debate

In Solidarity:

Globale Rødder (Global Roots) - Denmark

Globalisering Underifrån (Globalisation from below) - Sweden

Autonomous Social Center Siperia - Finland"