19 september 2003
THE CARTAGENA DECLARATION
The International Conference of
Environmental Rights and Human Rights hosted
in Cartagena, Colombia from the 16th to the
18th of September, 2003, organized by Friends
of the Earth International, Transnational
Institute and the Oil Watch network
declares:
Two hundred and fifty delegates from
environmental organizations, NGOs and social
movements from all over the planet have
carefully considered the way in which many
governments promote the virtues of 'free'
trade, a concept which predominantly benefits
transnational corporations and the global
economic elite, whilst wars proliferate and
the people and nations of the south become
ever poorer.
We came together in Cartagena, in the
Americas, where the sound of African drums
still resonate just as they have for the last
three hundred years. This beat calls for
emancipation and resistance against slavery,
displacement and injustice.
We recognize that although there has been
significant progress in the international
recognition of individual human rights, many
dictators and torturers still enjoy impunity.
Violations of collective rights and
environmental rights are caused by a
predatory economic model that prevails and
grows.
Clean air, water and land have been taken
away from disinherited people across the
world. Coloured people, small farmers,
indigenous peoples, and slum dwellers are
pushed back into the most undesirable areas,
forced to live in hunger, driven away from
tourist areas, persecuted and jailed. In
Colombia, black people are killed and they
are not allowed to bury their dead as
required by tradition. We declare that these
are social injustices committed by the few
against most of humanity.
Environmental injustices are the daily
bread of factory workers, of street vendors,
of women, girls and boys who carry water
across great distances. Urban pollution is
concentrated in areas where the most
impoverished live, where there are effluents
in the drinking water and where people fight
with birds of prey for the scraps in rubbish
bins.
In Colombia, the fumigations which are
used in an attempt to exterminate the coca
and poppy crops, the ingredients of the
psychoactive substances that present an
escape for desperate young people all over
the world, are achieved through blood and
fire without any legal, medical, or social
justification. When the Amazon is fumigated,
large expanses of agricultural lands are also
fumigated, leaving behind a big toxic
footprint and rendering the soil
infertile.
We came from Africa, Asia, Australia,
Europe, Oceania, and the Americas, summoned
by the flutes, panpipes and celebratory music
of the indigenous peoples. We affirmed our
commitment to fight against the injustices
caused by the greed emanating mainly from the
North, which destroys ancestral values and
cultures, which invades sacred places, which
introduces machines which bore into the rock
and stain the earth to extract metals,
minerals, oil and pristine water. The greed
pollutes the waterways and floods fertile
soils, chasing weak people away,
extinguishing life, exterminating fish and
filling dams in order to generate energy that
is squandered afterwards. Greed invades the
everyday life of our towns with oil towers,
disseminates the modem transgenic plague, and
logs forests to create paper for unnecessary
consumer goods.
Environmental problems stem from this
ravenous greed. Our societies suffer from the
impacts of this greed, and this is why we
want to strengthen and multiply our
organizations. Defenders of human and
environmental rights exist because nature and
human beings are being denied their rights.
We seek environmental justice because there
are environmental injustices taking
place.
Organizations like Environmental Rights
Action of Nigeria were founded in response to
these injustices and fight to ensure that
companies do not violate their rights and do
not align with dictatorships. Madreselva, in
Guatemala, in alliance with the Oilwatch
Network, fight because they have seen how the
sacred site of Tikal, in the forests of Peten
is being desecrated by the oil industry, just
as the Niger delta, the Orinoco and the
Galician, Alaskan and Brazilian coasts have
been desecrated by this industry.
As Multilateral Development Banks, Export
Credit Agencies and similar institutions do
not take responsibility for the social,
political and ecological consequences of
their financial operations, we have created
networks and run campaigns to oppose their
activities. In Cancún, small farmers and
social movements aligned themselves with
countries opposed to the unjust trade rules
and agreements and protested against the WTO
because this institution tries to guarantee
rights for transnational corporations instead
of environmental and human rights for
people.
The commercialization of water and energy
production and distribution has left
thousands of people without access to these
services. This is evident on the Caribbean
coast of Colombia where slum dwellers
sacrifice their wages to pay for the
increasing costs of these vital services.
Because of this, initiatives like the Energy
Platform exist to create spaces for the
convergence of organizations who raise common
grievances on the operating conditions,
access to and the quality of energy
services.
In the United States organizations have
emerged to fight for environmental justice
and against ecological discrimination, and so
far as we know, they have yet to be called
terrorists. Some of our organizations were
created in Europe, Asia and Oceania to fight
against the catastrophes caused by nuclear
power plants and the mining of radioactive
materials. Forest dwellers have united to
oppose forest monocultures and tree
plantations. We have also come together to
fight the threats to rural communities and
consumers aIl over the world due to the
introduction of genetically modified
organisms (GMOs) that destroy traditional
agricultural practices and take away food
sovereignty.
Our organizations are not and never have
been the fruit of terrorist conspiracies. We
exist because peoples' environmental and
human rights are being infringed and denied.
Our organizations are recognized, awarded and
supported locally and internationally for the
depth of our arguments, our persistence, our
commitment and our work our fairness and for
our dedication to environmental justice. Many
governments should learn to defend their
rights and their sovereignty against the
unrestricted exploitation of their heritage
and peoples by big business. They should
learn from environmental and human rights
organizations about how to defend the rights
of their people against the imperialist
attitudes of transnational institutions and
companies and greedy nations.
To achieve security, a Latin word that
refers to peace, we have to fight insecurity.
Insecurity derives from the fact that many
governments, especially the Group of Eight,
multinational institutions and big investors
focus on the security of the few thus
sacrificing the security of majority.
We want this word security to recover its
meaning, we want ecological security, food
security and energy security. We want
security that our water will not be
expropriated. We want security that our
glaciers will not disappear, and that our
forests and lands will not turn into deserts.
We want security that our climate will not
continue to change. We want security that
small farmers will not be displaced, that the
Amazon will not be fumigated, that
multilateral banks (World Bank, IMF etc) will
not continue financing the plunder and the
destruction of the planet. We want security
that there will be an end to the
criminalization and persecution of human
rights defenders and environmentalists, as
well as those who protest against injustices
and war.
We want peace and security for everyone.
We want security that we will have a
habitable planet for present and future
generations. This is why we have come
together to set out our actions and proposals
for creating a world of environmental and
social justice.
Signed by the following:
Germany
Marc Engelhardt, BUND, FoE Germany
Daniel Mittler, BUND, FoE Germany
Argentina
Elba Stancich, Taller Ecologista, Ríos
Vivos
Roque Pedace, Federación Amigos de la
Tierra Argentina
Australia
Cam Walker, FoE Australia
Fional Thiessen, FoE Australia
Belgium
Martín Rocholl, FoE Europe
Frederic Thomas, FoE Europe
Belize
Godsman Ellis, Grupo Belpo
Bolivia
Miguel Castro, CERDET
Brazil
Elisangela Paim, FoE Brazil
Juliana Maleaba, Projeto Brasil
Sustentável e Democrático/FASE, Red
Brasileira de Justicia Ambiental, Projeto
Brasil Sustentável e Democrático
Jean Piere Leroy, Fase
Rosa Roldan, Red de Alerta contra el
Desierto Verde
Cameroon
Samuel Nguiffo, Centre Pour
l'Environnement et le Développement
Canada
Beatrice Olivastri, FoE Canada
Colombia
Abadio Green, Organización Indígena de
Antioquia
Adolfo Cortecero, Kontiki, Cartagena
Alba de Cárdenas, Corprever, Bogotá
Alirio Uribe, Federación Internacional de
Derechos Humanos, FIDH, Colectivo José Alvear
Restrepo, Colombia
Alejandro Pulido, Censat Agua Viva, FoE
Colombia, Colombia
Alicia Romero, Comité de Solidaridad con
Presos Políticos, Atlántico
Alina Imbrechis, Institución Educativa de
la Piedras, Colombia
Alsiono Calvo Padilla, Club Cultural Vlad,
Cartagena
Alvaro Cuellar, Sintraelecol, Colombia
Adam Rankin, Fundaexpresión, Santander
Ana Betilde Acosta Gomez, Asopiedra,
Bolívar
Antonio Hill, Oxfam, Bogotá
Angela Asencio, Sintraminercol, Bogotá
Aura Eorza, Kontiki, Colombia
Berito Cobaría, Cabildo Mayor U'Wa,
Boyacá
Carlos Almanza, Junta Primavera Nelson
Mandela, Cartagena, Colombia
Cesar William Diaz, Fundecima, Cauca,
Colombia
Claudia Álvarez, Asociación para el
Desarrollo Campesino, ADC, Nariño,
Colombia
Constanza Larrota, Proyecto Titti,
Bolívar
Daniel León, Red Juvenil Ambientalista
Colombiana, San Vicente, Santander
Danilo Urrea, Censat Agua Viva, FoE
Colombia, Colombia
Diana Agudelo, Grupo Ambiental de la
Universidad de Cartagena, Bolívar,
Colombia
Diego Alejandro Cardona, Red Juan
Colombia, Caldas, Colombia
Edison Lucio Torres, Vox Populi,
Cartagena, Bolivar
Edith Andrade, CUT Bolívar, Colombia
Elizabeth Mesa, Anuc - UR, Cauca,
Colombia
Enrique Galán, Fundación Mataemonte,
Casanare
Esneider Marín, Grupos Ecológicos de
Risaralda
Estefan Valeta, Cabildo Embera Katio,
Córdova
Federico Castro, Tierra Patria,
Bolívar
Francisco Bustamante, Minga
Francisco Pérez, Emisora Victoria -
Colombia
Francisco Ramírez, Sintraminercol,
Colombia
Franklin Castañeda, Comité de Solidaridad
con Presos Políticos, Atlántico, Colombia
Franco Gómez, Centro de Estudios de la
Ing. Química, UIS, Bucaramanga, Santander
Fredie Basto, Grupo Juvenil Remacol,
Santander
German Márquez, IDEA, Universidad Nacional
de Colombia, Bogota
Gilma Benítez, Anuc - UR
Gil Falcón, CUT Bolívar
Guillermo Osorio, Red Juvenil
Ambientalista, Caldas
Gregorio Mesa, Proyecto Planeta Paz,
Bogotá
Hildebrando Vélez, CENSAT Agua Viva,
Amigos de la Tierra
Herrón Ayazo, Junta Primavera Nelson
Mandela, Cartagena
Herney Patiño, Grupos Ecológicos de
Risaralda
Hermida Nuñez Herrera, Asopiedra,
Bolivar
Henry Rojas, Grupo Juvenil Gesepaz,
Santander
Hugo Idarraga, Censat Agua Viva
Ignacio Rangel, Bolívar
Irene Vélez, Red Juan Colombia, Bogotá
Isaac Marín, Cospac, Boyacá
Jaime Parra, Uso-Bogotá
Jaime Urrego, Nasa Cxha Cxha Programa
Tierra Adentro, Cauca
Jamilson Pitalua, Asprocig, Córdova
Javier Velásquez, Grupo Ambiental
Universidad de Cartagena
Jesús Perez, Corporación Jorge Artel,
Proceso de Comunidades Negras, Bolívar
Jorge Herrera, Asprocig, Córdova
José Didimo Perdomo, Nasa Cxha Cxha
Programa Tierra Adentro, Cauca
José Leonardo Domicó, Cabildo Mayor de
Chigorodó, Antioquia
Juan José López, Asprocig, Colombia
Juan Vargas, Asociación Campesina
Agrovida, Santander
Juan Villanueva, Comité Permanente de
Derechos Humanos, Bolívar
Laura Castro Payares Junta Primavera
Nelson Mandela, Cartagena, Colombia
Liliana Samudio, Censat Agua Viva, FoE
Colombia, Bogotá
Libia Grueso, Proceso de Comunidades
Negras, Valle del Cauca
Luis Alberto Ossa, Grupos Ecológicos de
Risaralda
Luis Sanchez, Arcoiris, Bolivar
Luis Marrugo, Corporación Jorge Artel,
Proceso de Comunidades Negras, Bolívar
Luis Berrio, Corporación Jorge Artel,
Proceso de Comunidades Negras, Bolívar
Margarita Flores, ILSA, Bogotá
Mario Mejia, Valle del Cauca
Mario Reina, Sintraelecol Junta Nacional,
Bogotá
María Nelcy García, Cabildo Mayor U'Wa,
Boyacá
Maria Stella Sandoval, Censat Agua Viva,
FoE Colombia, Santander
Marly Morelos, Asprocig, Córdova
Maria Santos Palencia, Asociación
Campesina Agrovida, Santander
Maribel Quintero, Grupo Juvenil Gesepaz,
Santander
Martín Alonso, Kontiki, Bolívar
Nelson Quijano, USO - Cartagena,
Bolívar
Néstor Ocampo, Fundación Cosmos,
Quindío
Nicolás Román, Club Cultural Vlad,
Cartagena, Bolívar
Ofelia Castillo, Tierra Patria, Bolívar,
Colombia
Omar Mendivil, Organización de Usuarios
Servicios Públicos, Córdova, Colombia
Ortalides Castro, Anthoc, Bolívar
Oscar Ballesteros, FSP Bolívar
Paola Miranda, Universidad de Cartagena,
Bolívar
Patricia Saavedra, Censat Agua Viva, FoE
Colombia, Bogotá
Piedad Fernández, Institución Educativa de
la Piedras, Bolívar
Rafael Burgos, Junta Primavera Nelson
Mandela, Cartagena
Ramiro Rojas, Grupo Juvenil Gesepaz,
Santander
Reinel Hurtado, Nasa Cxha Cxha Programa
Tierra Adentro, Cauca
Rita Lopez, Personería de Cartagena
Ricardo Tarazona, Grupo Juvenil Gesepaz,
Santander
Ricardo Estrada, FSP Bolívar
Rubiela Valdelamar, Red de Empoderamiento
de Mujeres, Bolívar
Sandra del Río, Comité de Solidaridad con
Presos Políticos, Atlántico
Simón Domico, Cabildo Embera Katio,
Córdova
Tatiana Roa, CENSAT Agua Viva, Amigos de
la Tierra
Teresa Cardona, Red de Mujeres de
Cartagena
Víctor Taligua, JVC Nelson Mandela,
Cartagena
Willer Erson, Colegio Nelson Mandela,
Cartagena
William Cueto, FSP, Bolívar
William Castro Castellanos, Planeta Paz,
Región Caribe
South korea
Kim Choony, KFEM, FoE Korea
Lim Gil Gin, KFEM, FoE Korea
Costa Rica
Isaac Rojas, COECOCeiba
Mauricio Álvarez, OILWATCH COSTA RICA
Croatia
Toni Vidan, FoE Croatia
Curaçao
Lloyd Narain, FoE Curaçao
Chile
Eduardo Giesen, Corporación para el
Desarrollo Sustentable
Myriam Carmen Pinto, CODEFF
Paulina Veloso, CODEFF
Denmark
Sofie Krogh Andersen, NOAH, FoE
Denmark
Ecuador
Alexandra Almeida, Acción Ecológica
Esperanza Martínez, Oilwatch, Secretariado
Internacional
Ivonne Yánez, Oilwatch, Secretariado
Internacional
Patricia Gualinga, CONAIE/OPIP/Sarayacu,
Ecuador
Ruben Tsamaraint, Federación
Interprovincial de Nacionalidad Achuar del
Ecuador
Slovakia
Román Havlicek, FOE Slovakia
Spain
Daniel Sánchez Gutiérrez, Amigos de la
Tierra España
Joan Martínez Alier, Universidad de
Barcelona
United States
Carol Welch, FoE U.S.
Michael Dorsey, U.S.
Philippines
Milagros Ballesteros, FoE Philippines
France
Frederic Castell, FOE France
Ben Lefety, FoE France
Ghana
Theo Anderson, FoE Ghana
Guatemala
Magally Reynosa, Madre Selva
Haití
Calixto Aldrin, COHPEDA/FoE Haiti
The Netherlands
Ann Doherty, FoEI, Secretariat
Daniel Chávez, TNI
Janneke Bruil, FoEI, IFI campaign
Kees Kodde, Milieudefensie/FoE Europe
Heleen van den Hombergh, Novib/OXFAM
Fiona Dove, TNI
Mae Ocampo, FoEI Secretariat
Magdalena Stoczkiewicz, CEE Bankwatch,
FoEI Secretariat
Marijke Torfs, FoEI, Secretariat
Niccolo Sarno, FoEI, Secretariat
Paul de Clerck, Milieudefensie, FoE
Netherlands
Simone Lovera, FoEI, Secretariat
Sisi Nutt, FoEI, Secretariat
Honduras
Juan Almendares, MOVIMIENTO MADRE
TIERRA
India
Subodh Wagle, Prayas
Rosemary Viswanath
Kallamar Thodiyal Suresh
Indonesia
Andry Wijaya, JATAM (Jaringan Advokasi
Tambang), Mining Advocacy Network
Longeena Ginting, Walhi
Ireland
Gus Worth, FoE Ireland
Japan
Yuri Onoreda, FoE Japan
Maria de la Fuente, Peace Boat
Malaysia
Meenakshi Raman, Sahabat Alam Malasia
Malta
Martín Galea de Giovanni, FoE Malta
México
David Cortés, Unión de trabajadores de
Confianza de la Industria Petrolera de
México
Ines Vasquez, Unión de trabajadores de
Confianza de la Industria Petrolera de
México
Andrés Barreda, CASIFOP- profesor
Universidad Nacional Autonoma de México,
UNAM
Mozambique
Mauricio Sulila, LIVANINGO, Mozambique
Nepal
Prakash Mani Sharma, Forum for Protection
of Public Interest, Propublic, Nepal
Nicaragua
Silvia Elena Arguello, Centro Alexander
Von Humboldt, Nicaragua
Humberto Thomson, Cedupaz
Nigeria
Nnimo Bassey, Environmental Rights Action
(ERA), Nigeria
Godwin Ojo, Environmental Rights Action
(ERA), Nigeria
Paraguay
Elias Diaz Peña, Sobrevivencia,
Paraguay
David Cardozo, Sobrevivencia, Paraguay
Oscar Rivas, Sobrevivencia, Paraguay
Perú
Vladimir Pinto, Aprodeh, Perú
Elías Díaz Guerra, CONACAMI
Carlos Abanto Kcomt, Asociación Labor
Virginia Sotelo Pineda
Derzu Andrés Mego López, Asociación Civil
Labor
Poland
Urszula Burkot, POLSKI KLUB
EKOLOGICZNY-FoE Poland
uk
Tony Juniper, Friends of the Earth -
England, Wales and Northern Ireland
Heather Ramirez Fonseca, Friends of the
Earth - England, Wales and Northern
Ireland
Matt Philips, Friends of the Earth -
England, Wales and Northern Ireland
Kate Hampthon, Friends of the Earth -
England, Wales and Northern Ireland
Ronnie Hall, Friends of the Earth -
England, Wales and Northern Ireland
Czech Republic
Vojtech Kotecky, FoE Czech Republic
Petr Hlobil, CEE-Bankwatch
el Salvador
Ana María Vásquez Santos, CESTA - FoE
Salvador
Ricardo Navarro, CESTA - FoE Salvador
Sri Lanka
Hemantha Withanage, Environmental
Foundation W.D.H.R
Switzerland
Miriam Behrens, Pro Natura - FoE
Switzerland
Otto Sieber, Pro Natura - FoE
Switzerland
South Africa
Ardiel Soeker, GroundWork
Bobby Peak, GroundWork
Duduzile Mphenyeke, Kathya Collage
Togo
Mensah Todzro, FoE Togo
Uruguay
Carlos Santos, Redes
Gerardo Honty, Ceuta
Ricardo Carrere, Movimiento Mundial por
los Bosques
Ukraine
Oleski Pasiuk, CEE-Bankwatch
Pavlo Khazan, Zelenyi Svit - Friends of
the Earth Ukraine
Venezuela
David Hernández, Federación Bolivariana de
Trabajadores
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