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SADC PEOPLE’S SUMMIT MASERU RESISTANCE

By Susan Mwape


Over 400 people from Southern African are attending the SADC People’s Summit running under the theme “Reclaiming SADC for the People’s Development”, have vowed not to leave Maseru until they have reclaimed SADC. The people’s summit started on 16th August 2006, is scheduled to end on 17th August 2006 in Maseru Lesotho.

Assessing the prevailing condition in the region participants at the summit have vowed not to leave Maseru until they have reclaimed their SADC. They realized that SADC has constantly been used, abused and misused for the benefit of the elite. Participants of the people’s summit feel SADC must be reclaimed because it is not serving the interests of the people such as farmers, vulnerable children, youths who have been pushed to the periphery of socio-economic life because unemployment is still high and yet there is still need for decent jobs in the SADC.

The participants at the summit realize that they are the true SADC and therefore have demanded that SADC must stop basing its policies on neo-liberalism. They have demanded an immediate end to poverty and oppression. They have identified a need for decent food and not Genetically Modified Foods (GMOs).

An ultimatum has been declared at the people’s summit that there should no longer be, careless privatization of water, public companies or any service that gives the people the right to live. The participants feel they have had enough of the World Bank, IMF, WTO and corrupt leaders who make up a non-people centered SADC.

The people’s summit has pledged to use it’s strength and voices to reclaim what has been plundered by the capitalists. After the SADC people’s summit, it is hoped that leaders will not develop any policies that will continue to sacrifice livelihoods for personal profits. The SADC summit has pledged its support for leaders who are serious about fighting poverty and neo-liberalism.

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