Women and People’s Summit of the Americas against Militarization

Women and People’s

 Summit of the Americas against Militarization

 Colombia: August 16th to 23, 2010

“Silence the weapon so that women and the people
may speak in defense of life and sovereignty.”

The militarization of the territories has led to the loss of the people’s sovereignty, autonomy and self-determination, and has become a threat to the continent.   Militarization expands its’ project of death to take over territory by means of US military bases in Colombia and the continent. It seeks to use military intervention as an instrument to control the region politically, economically, and socially. Historically, military bases have been used to invade strategic geopolitical locations that are rich in natural resources. Many times, these locations are found in indigenous, afro-descendant and peasant territories.  Furthermore, these bases promote prostitution with houses that are officially designated as “entertainment” for the soldiers. However, they represent women as sexual slaves and promotes other forms of violence, including femicide.

It is us, women, who continue to suffer the ravages of war. We suffer socially, politically, psychologically, physically, economically and culturally.  Our bodies are considered the spoils of war. We are lowered to the level of objects and perceived as being the property of the system.  Similarly, the war has exacerbated the violence, discrimination, exploitation, poverty and inequality, leaving perverse effects on women and the people such as, forced displacement, confinement, migration, disappearances, forced recruitment, rape and femicide.  Moreover, the responsibility for supporting the family falls on women as the State fails to guarantee the fundamental rights of individuals.  To the contrary, the state delivers big-budget military projects that favor transnational corporations.

Organizing, resisting, struggling and mobilizing are the underlining spirits of our organizational process. We raise our voices to make know the critical situation of the armed and social conflict that confronts the peoples of the Americas and in particular, Colombia - a conflict that is affecting our bodies, our territory, our sovereignty and the autonomy of women and all peoples. In order make visible the multiple effects of war on the lives of women and our people, we decided to join together in our resistance against the war and the militarization, while we continue building collective and united proposals of peace for our continent.

We call all people to the Women and People’s Summit of the Americas against militarization, from August 16th to August 23, 2010, in Colombia.
We call on women - peasant, Indigenous, African, academic, working class, students, church, social, political, and women's organizations, along with all social organizations of our country,  and our sisters and brothers of the world, to participate together in this grand gathering for life, autonomy, and sovereignty of bodies and territories.

We call on continental and global networks that are struggling for the dignity and life that we may continue weaving together the alternatives that were advanced in previous hemispheric gatherings against the militarization of the continent and the military bases. That we move forward together to strengthen this initiative of existing proposals that are directed at the construction of a more balanced and just world.

We call on our colleagues, women and men,  to join in solidarity with our common struggle for a negotiated political solution to the social and armed conflict that lives in our country.  Together, we raise our voices against The United States’ military bases in Colombia and in our America.

The Summit is designed to have three moments:

First moment:   Solidarity and Resistance Action to the regions of Colombia
(August 16 to 20th).

Second Moment:   Round Table Discussions (August 21 and 22).

Third Moment:    Vigil for life. (August 23rd).

“As Women, we construct loving relations with Mother Earth
and affirm the sovereignty of our people.

To participate and/or more information: 

http://www.mujerescontralaguerra.com/