The caravans, organized by the National Assembly of Environmentally Affected People and the international grassroots movement Via Campesina, will gather men and women affected by the current model –that causes environmental destruction and social impacts in favor of profits. The caravans aim to make their demands heard by the countries which will attend the conference.

They will leave from San Luis Potosi, Guadalajara and Acapulco, and will join other rural, urban and student movements in Mexico City on November 30th, to protest for environmental and social justice. Other two caravans will leave from Oaxaca and Chiapas, and they will all be present in Cancun on December 3rd for the opening ceremony of the Peasant and Indigenous campsite organized by La Via Campesina.

“The caravans will make the local struggles against social and environmental injustices visible, while the international community meets for the climate negotiations in Cancun. They will denounce the current socio-environmental conflicts, and the manipulation by the Mexican government to implement Clean Development Mechanism mega-projects which destroy communities and the environment. This is the case of industrial pig factory farms such as Smithfield, the production of agrofuels for planes, the “semi-remediation” of open dumpsites, big hydroelectric dams and new GMOs”, reads a statement issued by La Via Campesina.

Farmers from all parts of the world will participate in the caravans. Despite the characteristics of every community, the problems they face every day have the same origin.

According to the statement, Henry Saragih, General Coordinator of La Via Campesina, said that leaders from Asia will also march with the people affected in North America.

“In my country, Indonesia, there are hundreds and even thousands of struggles at local level against projects that destroy the livelihoods of the people and the environment”, said Saragih.

From December 5-8, La Via Campesina and their allies will organize an “Alternative Global Forum for Life, Environmental and Social Justice”. In addition, there will be a massive mobilization of social movements on December 7th.

Photo: argentina.indymedia.org