Legacy-of-Colonialism

[tlio]

Legacy-of-Colonialism - a discussion forum and a long-term campaign

The Land Is Ours (based in the UK) have been attempting to canvass feedback
from indigenous groups around the world, as well as groups in the UK. In
short, the idea is to form a network between activists, researchers &
grassroot development workers. The campaign's official line is as follows;
"...to raise the issue of whether present institutions/multinationals with a
slave-trading past should take responsibility for past exploitation, by
cancelling debt & providing compensation for self-determination on the
widest possible scale".

This newly-launched campaign seeks to explore how First Nations and
stateless/landless peoples can discuss ways forward and share visions and
platforms for more co-ordinated action and solidarity on challenging issues
such as :
- How Multinational Corporations are modern slave traders and Globalisation
is their Colonialism,
- Demanding compensation from banks and former slave trading capitalist
enterprises who looted
   human and natural resources during colonialism, and
- The best strategies for investing in local communities which include
equitable programmes for
  land distribution and examples of the most successful local institutions
working in the interests of
  local communities


The e-mail discussion group (LegacyofColonialism at egroups.com) is now up &
running, on which subscribers from around the world are sharing information
and perspectives.
If you would like to subscribe to this group:
1. visit
http://www.egroups.com/subscribe/LegacyofColonialism
-OR-
2. send email to LegacyofColonialism-subscribe at egroups.com

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A latest development is that contact has been made with another campaign
that has just been launched in London by the AFRICAN LIBERATION SUPPORT
CAMPAIGN entitled :  "IMF & World Bank: Wanted for Fraud Campaign!",
expressing the idea that debt is no more than a measurement of the banking
system's magical generation of money. Contact: (ALISC), PO Box 21266, London
W9-3YR  e-mail: nkexplo at yahoo.co.uk (more details at the end of this
message)
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TLIO anticipate that ALISC share many of the same motivations within trying
to grasp a solution to what would appear to be at first-hand insurmountable
problems, whose root lies in a corrupt money system. What is required is
global monetary reform: a debt-based, dollar investment regime is
counter-productive (see James Robertson's Creating New Money, New Economics
Foundation, and Michael Rowbotham's book, Goodbye America, John Carpenter).
There need to be UN negotiations on Financing for Development; UN and G7
negotiations on a 'new financial architecture'; and a major overhaul of the
World Bank, IMF and Bank of International Settlements.
PLEASE READ ON! While we are not so arrogant to suggest that we are the best
people to be taking a lead on these issues, our key motivation is one of
communication and engaging with as many groups from as many backgrounds as
possible. To look at previous messages which have been sent out on the list,
visit : http://www.egroups.com/group/LegacyofColonialism
Previous messages include, a thoroughly excellent article entitled : "HOW
AFRICA WAS UNDERDEVELOPED ECONOMICALLY", which provides comprehensive facts
about Imperialism, the workings of the colonial economy and it's long-term
legacy
(Ref : http://www.AFRICANBYNATURE.com/eyes/openeyes_sankofa.html).
In terms of the argument for legal redress which represents the rights of
people (for which TLIO advocate compensation to be channelled through such
people-administered institutions), there are two excellent articles from
Issue 11 of Corporate Watch (Summer2000), the first about prominant legal
precedents regarding regulation of multinationals.  The second, "When the
people judge: The Permanent Peoples' Tribunal" takes a slight contrary
perspective and draws attention to the limits of international & domestic
legal channels which are raised in the first article, by pointing to the
corporate appropriation of law and legal processes and calling for 'the
voices and experiences of people themselves to serve as the primary source
of law'.  It cites the Bertrand Russell War Crimes Tribunal and the
anti-imperialist movement which produced the Algiers Declaration on the
rights of peoples, 1976. [posted 17/01/01]
Ref : http://www.corporatewatch.org/magazine/issue11/cw11tl1.html &
http://www.corporatewatch.org/magazine/issue11/cw11tl2.html

Another prominant paper to the list which has focused much discussion is the
article by Thomas Munjoma (Dept. of Land Economy at University of Aberdeen)
entitled, "This Land of Africa" (posted 26/10/00), which explores the
historical legacy of the colonisation of Rhodesia namely Zimbabwe's unequal
land distribution and massive human wastage - as well as examining solutions
to this now (solutions he proposes which stimulated debate regarding the
policy to export he advocates).  Complimenting this is the Interview with
Peter Rosset from the California based Institute for Food and Development
Policy - better known as Food First - a piece entitled, "The Case for Small
Farms" (posted on 15/11/00)- which is an interview with Multinational
Monitor [July/August 2000], exploring how small farms are more productive
than large farms, as well as being a greater contributor to food security.
Ref: http://www.foodfirst.org/media/interviews/2000/mm8-00.html

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GLOBALISATION - NEW COLONIALISM
Landlessness and global slavery
The Land Is Ours is an Environmental direct action and information campaign
for comprehensive access to land in the UK for homes, livelihoods and
recreation. We assert international solidarity in our aims and recognition
of the historical crimes committed against the developing nations by the UK
and other developed nations. Powerful Land Rights movements in other parts
of the world such as in Australia, Brazil, get little or no recognition in
the developed world. In launching the LEGACY OF COLONIALISM campaign the
Land Is Ours hopes to link widely separated global campaigns.

The Land Is Ours is campaigning on global land rights:
- How representatives of First Nations and stateless/landless peoples can
best meet to discuss
  ways forward
- The inappropriateness of buying and selling land like any other commodity
- Ending the slavery of landlessness
- The fraudulent creation of money and hoarding of gold by global banking
institutions
- Globalisation is the extension of culturally destructive capitalist values
across the whole world.

LAND IS THE FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHT
Without it we are slaves to totalitarian corporations and global capitalism
If you are interested in joining this campaigning please contact :
Legacy of Colonialism, The Land Is Ours, 16b Cherwell Street, Oxford, OX4
1BG.
Email legacyofcolonialism at t...
You can subscribe to the following e-mail discussion list :
LegacyofColonialism at egroups.com
Or, visit our web-site : http://www.oneworld.org/tlio


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IMF & World Bank!
Wanted for fraud!
Campaign
"Between 1503 and 1660, 185,000 kilos of gold and 16m kilos of silver were
shipped from Latin America to Europe. The Native American leader Guaicaipuro
Cuautemoc argues that his people should see this transfer not as a war
crime, but as the 'first of several friendly loans, granted by America for
Europe's development'. Were they to charge compound interest on this loan,
levied at the modest rate of 10%, Europe would owe the indigenous people of
Latin America a stack of gold and silver which exceeded the weight of the
planet ...3rd world debt is a fraud ...The 'debt' is no more than a
measurement of the banking system's magical generation of money".
George Monbiot (UK author, journalist & activist).

The next meeting of the "IMF Wanted for Fraud Campaign" will be on Wednesday
24th January, 2001 in the Council Chamber, Haringey Civic Centre, High Road,
Wood Green London N22, at 7pm.  [The nearest tube is Wood Green on the
Picadilly line].