European Left and Communist Party of Finland joint initiative in Helsinki gathered 16 political parties, 3 NGO´s, environmental – human rights and peace organizations, several investigators and researchers, many workers, artists and intellectuals to make concrete initiatives and participate in common discussion about environment-security and human right issues in the Arctic.
Arctic Initiative took place 6 of June in Helsinki. It was a joint initiative and an open forum for political parties, NGO´s, civil societies activists – environmental- peace- and human rights and indigenous rights organizations, workers and individual activists, of the Communist Party of Finland and the Environmental Working Group of the Party of the European Left.
In the invitation to the event organizers underlined that International global neoliberal plans to exploit the natural resources hit the Arctic. Confrontation of the NATO and Russia is present. Indigenous rights are oppressed by the interests of the big capital. Time urges political parties, NGO´s, environmental – human rights and peace organizations activists, investigators and researchers, workers, artists and intellectuals to make a statement and participate in common discussion about environment-security and human right issues in the Arctic.
Arctic Initiative from its beginning stated clearly to function as a tool to make collective radical leftist argumentation in Arctic issues stronger. In the Spirit of Arctic Initiative several concrete initiatives were formulated for all participants to take the Initiatives as new collective tools for the work in demanding change in current political situation in the Arctic.
Arctic Initiative 6.6.2016 in Helsinki
Initiative to support the movements and activities of the indigenous peoples for self-determination.
Initiative to support the activities of the indigenous peoples against the capitalist exploitation of the environment and the natural resources of their territories.
Initiative to end collaboration with NATO, leave Partnership for Peace and the Host Nation Agreement.
Initiative to struggle for peace inseparable from the anti-capitalist struggle
Initiative to coordinate and strengthen common actions between all parties and organizations in the future
Initiative to accelerate the implementation of the Paris Agreement on the climate - because everything is registered but everything remains to do.
Initiative to demand as requested by the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change),
of the States concerned to leave fossil fuels in the Arctic subsoil. We promote the campaign “keep it in the ground”
Initiative to to stop the military escalation and to remove the surface soil-, sea- and air-presence of national armies or a block such as NATO
Initiative to demand more public research on climate evolution, the preservation of biodiversity and on renewable energy systems.
Initiative to the development of mutually beneficial cooperation with the Arctic peoples and the respect of indigenous peoples' traditions.
Initiative to ask Europe to contribute to the development of a treaty, within the Arctic Council and together with indigenous peoples, similar to the Antarctic one, which would silence the territorial claims. Such a treaty would ensure, in the interest of all mankind, that the Arctic would be used only for peaceful purposes and research, as well as it would not become the scene or object of international dispute.
ARCTIC INITIATIVE IN NUMBERS AND FIGURES
Two principal organizers; Communist Party of Finland and European Left party
Participants from 13 countries; USA, Russia, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Belgium, France, Greece, Portugal and Italy
Two political youth organizations; Left Youth and The Communist Youth League of Finland
Speakers from three Universities; Univeristy of Lapland, Finland, Univeristy of Wienna, Austria and University, Giellakas Instituutti, Finland.
10 communist parties from the Arctic region; Communist Party of the USA, Communist Party of the Russian Federation, Communist Party of Sweden, Communist Party of Norway, Communist Party of Denmark, Communist Party in Denmark, Communist Party of Norway, Communist Workers Party (Finland), Communist League (Finland) and Communist Party of Finland
Three NGO´s; City Saamit (Saami Peoples rights), Performers and Artists for Nuclear Disarmament (PAND) and The Democratic Civic Association (DCA)
8 participants from the European Left Environmental Working Group including EL vice-president and the office workers.
LINKS
Photogallery:
http://www.european-left.org/4th-el-congress/arctic-initiative-helsinki-6th-june-2016
Josef Baum contribution:
Original Language / EN
