|
|
Impending
Crisis in Argentina
Dear
Friends,
Greetings from New York. In the past week, you may have seen
Global Action
on Aging's coverage of the impending crisis in Argentina as the
International Monetary Fund demanded payment from the country.
Pressed
hard, the government raided private pension funds and limited
withdrawals
from bank accounts. This action set off tremendous uncertainity
among
workers and citizens--as the rich in Argentina used stocks to hide
their
money in the USA and other capitals. Food riots began; now more
than 20
persons have died; and the government has collapsed.
Here is the message from the Argentine NGO Cedal to the Financing
for
Development caucus worldwide. This example shows why the World Fed
must
concern itself with economic justice issues even more than in the
past---the
fates of women and their children hinge on the outcome.
May the Christmas Story renew your energies for this task,
Faithfully,
Susanne Paul
Dear
colleagues,
It is with great sorrow that I comply with the many notes I have had
to keep people up-dated on the Argentine situation. I am sure you
are watching the news as much as I am (or more, that wouldn't be
difficult!!).
Fernando de la Rua, the now ex-President of Argentina, resigned last
night upon massive pressure from the Argentine people who want food
and justice and democracy. In other words: they do not want a
government that bends to the IMF as if it were God, when the region
has already seen the disastrous results of IMF duress policies in
Brazil in the end of the nineties.
Meanwhile, demonstrators who are on the street because they are
hungry, because they love their country and want to see it prosper
in dignity and equality, get shot with rubber-bullets and bombarded
with teargas by the police.
Again, I suggest vigils in front of Argentine embassies and
consulates. I suggest letters to the editor that discredit once and
for all (and AGAIN, since this is hardly the first time it happens)
the cruel and unusual experiments the IMF is carrying out on human
beings with other peoples lives and livelihoods at stake.
And I suggest we send our solidarity and love to our Argentine
friends.
Much love,
Marianne
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Estimad@s
coleg@s,
Es con gran tristeza que cumplo con las múltiples notas que he
recibido, en las que me piden mantenerles informad@s sobre la
situación en Argentina. Estoy segura que miran las noticias tanto
como yo (o más, lo cual no seria difícil!)
Fernando de la Rua, ahora ex-presidente de Argentina, denuncio
anoche como resultado de presión masiva por parte del pueblo
argentino el cual pide comida, justicia, y democracia. En otras
palabras: no quiere un gobierno que se dobla ante el FMI como si
fuese Dios, cuando ya hemos visto, en esta región, los resultados
desastrosos de las políticas de dureza del FMI en
Brasil a finales de los noventa. Mientras tanto, la policía hiere
con pelotas de plástico y gas lagrimona a los manifestantes que
están en la calle porque tienen hambre, porque aman a su país y
porque quieren verle crecer con dignidad e igualdad.
Como ayer, sugiero plantones enfrente de las embajadas y los
consulados Argentinos. Sugiero que escriban cartas a los periódicos
para desacreditar una vez por todas (o más bien: OTRA vez, ya que
no es la primera) la manera cruel e inusual del FMI de experimentar
con seres humanos, con sus vidas y sus posibilidades de sobrevivir.
Y sugiero que mandemos nuestra solidaridad y nuestro amor a nuestr@s
amig@s argentin@s.
Con mucho amor,
Marianne
*****
Marianne Møllmann
CEDAL, Centro de Asesoría Laboral del Perú
Jirón Talara 769
Jesús María, Lima 11, Perú
+51 1 433 3207, cel: +51 1 912 8773
marianne@cedal.org.pe
- mmollmann@yahoo.com
Article
received through e-mail from Susanne
Paul - World Federation Representative to the United Nations,
New York. You can reach Susanne at globalaging@globalaging.org
|
