[mgj-discuss] MGJ General Meeting: WB/IMF protest planning!

[mgj at riseup.net]

**Note location change for this week only**
La Casa – 3166 Mt. Pleasant St. NW 7:00 – 9:00 PM

The spring meetings of the World Bank and IMF are rapidly approaching. 5 years
after the first A16 the two institutions will again hold there meetings on the
16th and 17th of April, 2005 in Washington DC. Much help is needed to mobilize
this year to not only show our continued resistance to the destructive policies
of the World Bank and IMF and the global capitalist system they support but to
celebrate the success and growth of our movement globally.

MGJ general meetings are a great place to plug in and get involved, give
insight, make suggestions, teach, and learn.

Next General Meeting: Wednesday March 9th
7:00pm – 9:00pm (New persons orientation at 6:45)
THIS WEEK ONLY: LA CASA 3166 MT. PLEASANT ST. NW
(from the Columbia heights metro walk west on Irving St. NW. Walk about 3 blocks
to Mt. Pleasant St. NW. Turn right and go for about 2 blocks. It is an orange
building on the right side of the street.)

loose agenda:
Intros
roles (notes, time etc)
Education/Info share on WB/IMF
Report Backs:
Outreach
Local issues meeting
Fundraising
Scenario
Messaging
Breakouts
Proposals
Tasks
Next working group meetings
Next general meeting/facilitator (s)

If you wish to add or subtract from the agenda e-mail mgj (at) riseup.net

The Mobilization for Global Justice is a Washington DC based group that works on
issues of global economic and social justice and sustainability. We believe
another world is possible and necessary. We envision a world free of corporate
domination and crushing debt, particularly in communities of color. We act to
expose and change the institutionalized violence wrought by international
financial and trade institutions such as the World Bank, International Monetary
Fund, and World Trade Organization.

The Mobilization is committed to nonviolence and recognizes militarism as a tool
used by the global corporate elite to keep money flowing to the privileged few
while restricting the rights of people worldwide. We oppose corporate practice
which places short-term profits ahead of human dignity, sustainable development
and a healthy earth. We stand for the globalization of our rights to speech,
thought, religion, assembly, a clean environment, self-determination, freedom
from fear and persecution and freedom from poverty.

We stand for the rights of women, children, elderly, affordable health care,
strong labor rights and social and economic policies that put people and the
environment before profits. Finally, we are committed to linking the IMF and
World Bank policies to similar ones that are being implemented in Washington DC
which are resulting in decreased access to vital human services for DC's most
needy residents. To that other globalization--the globalization of greed and
obscene concentrations of wealth--we say that Another World Is Possible and
Necessary.

MGJ is a non-hierarchical nonviolent organization of individuals and
organizations that promotes the arts, conducts workshops, facilitates
nonviolent direct actions, educates, organizes, campaigns, empowers, and aims
to rip injustice from its roots.

The Mobilization for Global Justice is committed to making all events safe
spaces that are open, accessible, and accepting of all. We welcome everyone to
participate in making this happen. If you have any special needs, please let us
know.

OUR DEMANDS OF THE WORLD BANK AND IMF:
Open all World Bank and IMF meetings to the media and the public.

Cancel all impoverished country debt to the World Bank and IMF, using the
institutions' own resources.

End all World Bank and IMF policies that hinder people's access to food, clean
water, shelter, health care, education, and right to organize. (Such
"structural adjustment" policies include user fees, privatization, and
so-called economic austerity programs).

Stop all World Bank support for socially and environmentally destructive
projects such as oil, gas, and mining activities, and all support for projects
such as dams that include forced relocation of people.