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, organised by Friends of the Earth International, Transnational Institute and the Oil Watch network declares:

 Two hundred and fifty delegates from environmental organisations, 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 to 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 organisations. 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.

Organisations 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 Canczn, smaIl 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 organisations who raise common grievances on the operating conditions, access to and the quality of energy services. In the United States organisations have emerged to fight for environmental justice and against ecological discrimination, and so far as we know, they have yet to be caIled terrorists.

Some of our organisations were created in Europe, Asia and Oceania to fight against the catastrophes caused by nuclear power plants and the mining of radioactive materials. Forest dweIlers 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 geneticaIly modified organisms (GMOs) that destroy traditional agricultural practices and take away food sovereignty. Our organisations 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 organisations are recognised, awarded and supported 1ocaIly 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 organisations 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 criminalisation 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:

Alemania/Germany Marc Engelhardt, BUND,

Foe Alemania Daniel Mittler,

BUND, Foe Alemania Argentina Elba Stancich,

Taller Ecologista, Rmos Vivos Roque Pedace,

Federacisn Amigos de la Tierra Argentina

Australia Cam Walker, FoE Australia Fional Thiessen,

FoE Australia Belgium Martmn Rocholl,

Amigos de la Tierra Europa Frederic Thomas, Amigos de la Tierra Europa Belice Godsman Ellis,

Grupo Belpo Bolivia Miguel Castro,

CERDET Brasil Elisangela Paim, FoE Brasil Juliana Maleaba,

Projeto Brasil Sustentavel e Democratico/FASE,

Red Brasileira de Justicia Ambiental, Projeto Brasil Sustentavel e Democratico Jean Piere Leroy,

Fase Rosa Roldan, Red de Alerta contra el Desierto Verde Cameroon Samuel Nguiffo,

Centre Pour l'Environnement et le Diveloppement Canada Beatrice Olivastri,

FoE Canada Colombia Abadio Green,

Organizacisn Indmgena de Antioquia Adolfo Cortecero, Kontiki,

Cartagena Alba de Cardenas, Corprever, Bogota Alirio Uribe,

Federacisn Internacional de Derechos Humanos,

FIDH, Colectivo Josi Alvear Restrepo, Colombia Alejandro Pulido,

Censat Agua Viva, FoE Colombia, Colombia Alicia Romero,

Comiti de Solidaridad con Presos Polmticos, Atlantico Alina Imbrechis, Institucisn Educativa de la Piedras,

Colombia Alsiono Calvo Padilla,

Club Cultural Vlad, Cartagena Alvaro Cuellar,

Sintraelecol, Colombia Adam Rankin,

 Fundaexpresisn, Santander

Ana Betilde Acosta Gomez, Asopiedra, Bolmvar

Antonio Hill, Oxfam, Bogota

Angela Asencio, Sintraminercol, Bogota

Aura Eorza, Kontiki, Colombia

Berito Cobarma, Cabildo Mayor U'Wa,

Boyaca Carlos Almanza,

Junta Primavera Nelson Mandela, Cartagena, Colombia

Cesar William Diaz, Fundecima, Cauca, Colombia

Claudia Alvarez, Asociacisn para el Desarrollo Campesino,

ADC, Nariqo, Colombia

Constanza Larrota, Proyecto Titti, Bolmvar Daniel Lesn,

Red Juvenil Ambientalista Colombiana, San Vicente,

Santander Danilo Urrea, Censat Agua Viva, FoE Colombia, Colombia

Diana Agudelo, Grupo Ambiental de la Universidad de Cartagena, Bolmvar, Colombia

Diego Alejandro Cardona, Red Juan Colombia, Caldas, Colombia

Edison Lucio Torres, Vox Populi, Cartagena, Bolivar

Edith Andrade, CUT Bolmvar, Colombia Elizabeth Mesa, Anuc - UR, Cauca, Colombia

Enrique Galan, Fundacisn Mataemonte,

Casanare Esneider Marmn, Grupos Ecolsgicos de Risaralda Estefan Valeta,

Cabildo Embera Katio, Csrdova Federico Castro, Tierra Patria,

Bolmvar Francisco Bustamante,

Minga Francisco Pirez, Emisora Victoria- Colombia Francisco Rammrez,

Sintraminercol, Colombia Franklin Castaqeda, Comiti de Solidaridad con Presos Polmticos, Atlantico,

Colombia Franco Gsmez,

Centro de Estudios de la Ing. Qummica, UIS, Bucaramanga,

Santander Fredie Basto,

Grupo Juvenil Remacol, Santander German Marquez, IDEA,

Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogota Gilma Benmtez, Anuc - UR Gil Falcsn,

CUT Bolmvar Guillermo Osorio, Red Juvenil Ambientalista, Caldas Gregorio Mesa,

 Proyecto Planeta Paz, Bogota Hildebrando Vilez, CENSAT Agua Viva, Amigos de la Tierra Herrsn Ayazo,

Junta Primavera Nelson Mandela, Cartagena Herney Patiqo,

Grupos Ecolsgicos de Risaralda Hermida Nuqez Herrera,

Asopiedra, Bolivar Henry Rojas, Grupo Juvenil Gesepaz,

Santander Hugo Idarraga, Censat Agua Viva Ignacio Rangel,

Bolmvar Irene Vilez, Red Juan Colombia, Bogota

Isaac Marmn, Cospac, Boyaca Jaime Parra,

Uso-Bogota Jaime Urrego, Nasa Cxha Cxha Programa Tierra Adentro,

Cauca Jamilson Pitalua, Asprocig, Csrdova Javier Velasquez,

Grupo Ambiental Universidad de Cartagena Jeszs Perez,

Corporacisn Jorge Artel, Proceso de Comunidades Negras, Bolmvar Jorge Herrera,

Asprocig, Csrdova Josi Didimo Perdomo, Nasa Cxha Cxha Programa Tierra Adentro, Cauca Josi Leonardo Domics, Cabildo Mayor de Chigorods, Antioquia Juan Josi Lspez, Asprocig,

 Colombia Juan Vargas, Asociacisn Campesina Agrovida,

 Santander Juan Villanueva, Comiti Permanente de Derechos Humanos,

Bolmvar Laura Castro Payares Junta Primavera Nelson Mandela, Cartagena,

Colombia Liliana Samudio, Censat Agua Viva, FoE

Colombia, Bogota Libia Grueso, Proceso de Comunidades Negras, Valle del Cauca Luis Alberto Ossa,

Grupos Ecolsgicos de Risaralda Luis Sanchez, Arcoiris,

Bolivar Luis Marrugo, Corporacisn Jorge Artel, Proceso de Comunidades Negras, Bolmvar Luis Berrio,

Corporacisn Jorge Artel, Proceso de Comunidades Negras,

Bolmvar Margarita Flores, ILSA, Bogota Mario Mejia, Valle del Cauca Mario Reina, Sintraelecol Junta Nacional, Bogota Marma Nelcy Garcma, Cabildo Mayor U'Wa, Boyaca Maria Stella Sandoval, Censat Agua Viva, FoE Colombia, Santander Marly Morelos, Asprocig, Csrdova Maria Santos Palencia,

Asociacisn Campesina Agrovida, Santander Maribel Quintero,

Grupo Juvenil Gesepaz, Santander Martmn Alonso, Kontiki, Bolmvar Nelson Quijano, USO -Cartagena,

Bolmvar Nistor Ocampo, Fundacisn Cosmos, Quindmo Nicolas Roman, Club Cultural Vlad, Cartagena, Bolmvar Ofelia Castillo, Tierra Patria, Bolmvar,

Colombia Omar Mendivil, Organizacisn de Usuarios Servicios Pzblicos, Csrdova, Colombia Ortalides Castro, Anthoc, Bolmvar Oscar Ballesteros, FSP Bolmvar Paola Miranda, Universidad de Cartagena, Bolmvar Patricia Saavedra,

Censat Agua Viva, FoE Colombia, Bogota Piedad Fernandez,

Institucisn Educativa de la Piedras, Bolmvar Rafael Burgos, Junta Primavera Nelson Mandela, Cartagena Ramiro Rojas,

Grupo Juvenil Gesepaz, Santander Reinel Hurtado, Nasa Cxha Cxha Programa Tierra Adentro, Cauca Rita Lopez,

Personerma de Cartagena Ricardo Tarazona,

Grupo Juvenil Gesepaz, Santander Ricardo Estrada, FSP Bolmvar Rubiela Valdelamar,

Red de Empoderamiento de Mujeres, Bolmvar Sandra del Rmo, Comiti de Solidaridad con Presos Polmticos,

Atlantico Simsn Domico, Cabildo Embera Katio, Csrdova Tatiana Roa,

CENSAT Agua Viva, Amigos de la Tierra Teresa Cardona, Red de Mujeres de Cartagena Vmctor Taligua,

 JVC Nelson Mandela, Cartagena Willer Erson, Colegio Nelson Mandela,

Cartagena William Cueto, FSP, Bolmvar William Castro Castellanos, Planeta Paz,

Regisn Caribe Corea del Sur/South Corea Kim Choony,

KFEM, FoE Corea Lim Gil Gin, KFEM, FoE Corea Costa Rica Isaac Rojas,

COECOCeiba Mauricio Alvarez,

OILWATCH COSTA RICA Croacia Toni Vidan, FoE Croacia Curazao Lloyd Narain,

FoE Curazao Chile Eduardo Giesen, Corporacisn para el Desarrollo Sustentable Myriam Carmen Pinto,

CODEFF Paulina Veloso,

CODEFF Denmark Sofie Krogh Andersen,

NOAH, FoE Dinamarca Ecuador Alexandra Almeida,

Accisn Ecolsgica Esperanza Martmnez, Oilwatch,

Secretariado Internacional Ivonne Yanez,

Oilwatch, Secretariado Internacional Patricia Gualinga,

CONAIE/OPIP/Sarayacu, Ecuador Ruben Tsamaraint,

Federacisn Interprovincial de Nacionalidad Achuar del Ecuador Eslovaquia/Slovakia Roman Havlicek,

FOE Eslovaquia Espaqa/Spain Daniel Sanchez Gutiirrez,

Amigos de la Tierra Espaqa Joan Martmnez Alier,

Universidad de Barcelona Estados Unidos/United States Carol Welch,

FoE, Estados Unidos Michael Dorsey,

Estados Unidos Filipinas/Phillipines Milagros Ballesteros,

FoE Filipinas Francia/France Frederic Castell,

FOE Francia Ben Lefety,

FoE Francia Ghana Theo Anderson,

FoE Ghana

Guatemala Magally Reynosa,

Madre Selva Haitm Calixto Aldrin,

COHPEDA/FoE-Haiti

Holanda/The Netherlands Ann Doherty,

FoEI, Secretariado Daniel Chavez,

TNI Janneke Bruil, FoEI, Campaqa IFIs Kees Kodde,

Milieudefensie/FoE Europe Heleen van den Hombergh,

Novib/OXFAM Fiona Dove, TNI Mae Ocampo,

FoEI, Secretariado Magdalena Stoczkiewicz,

CEE Bankwatch, FoEI, Secretariado Marijke Torfs, FoEI, Secretariado Niccolo Sarno, FoEI, Secretariado Paul de Clerck, Milieudefensie, FoE Holanda Simone Lovera, FoEI, Secretariado Sisi Nutt,

FoEI, Secretariado 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 Irlanda/Ireland Gus Worth,

 FoE Irlanda Japsn/Japan Yuri Onoreda,

FoE Japon Maria de la Fuente,

Peace Boat Malasia/Malaysia Meenakshi Raman, Sahabat Alam Malasia

Malta Martmn Galea de Giovanni,

FoE Malta

Mixico David Cortis, Unisn de trabajadores de Confianza de la Industria Petrolera de Mixico Ines Vasquez,

Unisn de trabajadores de Confianza de la Industria Petrolera de Mixico Andris Barreda,

CASIFOP- profesor Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mixico,

UNAM Mozambique Mauricio Sulila,

LIVANINGO, Mozambique Nepal Prakash Mani Sharma,

Froum 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 Peqa, Sobrevivencia,

Paraguay David Cardozo, Sobrevivencia,

Paraguay Oscar Rivas, Sobrevivencia,

Paraguay Perz Vladimir Pinto, Aprodeh, Perz Elmas Dmaz Guerra,

CONACAMI Carlos Abanto Kcomt, Asociacisn Labor Virginia Sotelo Pineda Derzu Andris Mego Lspez,

 Asociacisn Civil Labor Polonia/Poland Urszula Burkot,

POLSKI KLUB EKOLOGICZNY-FoE Poland

Reino Unido/ 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

Repzblica Checa/Czech Republic Vojtech Kotecky, FoE Republica Checa Petr Hlobil,

CEE-Bankwatch Salvador Ana Marma Vasquez Santos,

CESTA - Foe Salvador Ricardo Navarro,

CESTA - Foe Salvador Sri Lanka Hemantha Withanage, Environmental Foundation W.D.H.R Suiza/Switzerland Miriam Behrens, Pro Natura - FoE Switzerland Otto Sieber,

Pro Natura - FoE Switzerland

Sur Africa/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 Ucrania/Ukraine Oleski Pasiuk,

CEE-Bankwatch Pavlo Khazan, Zelenyi Svit - Friends of the Earth Ukraine

Venezuela David Hernandez, Federacisn Bolivariana de Trabajadores

October 2003