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From March 14 to 19th, we, human beings with an integral vision of life, activists from the social movement, non-governmental organizations and networks that struggle around the world in defense of water, land and common resources, have shared ideas, struggles, concerns and proposals. At the same time, we have become aware that the experiences of struggle have changed the reality around the globe holding back the process of water privatization. Now that we are no longer on the defensive, we are able to promote concrete proposals that are already progressing in every corner of the globe.

From the spirit of Caracas that united many organizations from around the world in the defense of water, we now have in heart and our history, the struggles of La Parota, La Laguna, Xoxocotla, Acuitlapilco and many others in Mexico and around the world. Humanity and the commitment of those who organized this Forum have made the building of our movement a success.

Consequently, as a follow-up to the gatherings from previous World Social Forums, the social movements from around the globe struggle for the right to water within an integral and eco-systemic vision and against its commodification in all realms (domestic, agricultural and industrial). We come together around a platform of common action to address local problems within the context of a global strategy.

Given that:

  1. Water in all of its forms is a common good and access to it is a fundamental and inalienable right, a constituent element of life on this planet. Water is not a commodity. Therefore, we reject all forms of privatization, including Public-Private Partnerships that have proven to be a total failure throughout the globe.
  2. The management and control of water must belong to a domain that is public, social, community-based, participatory, equitable and non-profit. It is the responsibility of every local, national, and international public institution to guarantee these conditions from the planning stage to the final control stage of the process.
  3. Solidarity between the present and future generations must be assured. Consequently, we reject this liberal, consumer oriented development model that promotes the super exploitation of Mother Nature.
  4. It is necessary to set out a sustainable management of the ecosystems and the preservation of the cycle of water through the protection of land and the conservation of the natural environments. The hydrographic basins are basic integral units of public management, a source of community identity and union, enabling the participation of citizens and the people. The defense of water implies the recovery of the health of the ecosystems from the source of collection to the treatment of residual waters.
  5. Consequently, we reassert our firm opposition to all World Water Forums, realm of the large transnational corporations, International Financial Institutions (World Bank, IDB, EIB, etc.) and powerful governments of the world, because they are exclusive and antidemocratic. That is why we do not legitimize these organisms that ignore the real needs and demands of the people and to the contrary, see new ways of commercializing water, ignoring the high human, social and environmental costs of this neoliberal model.

WE CALL ON

Organizations, social movements, governments and parliaments to include these principles in all local, national, and international legal frameworks.

All citizens of the planet to develop joint actions to unify, organize and concretize our proposals for change and building a world water movement.

WE DEMAND

That water be excluded from the WTO and all other international bilateral or multilateral free trade or investment agreements.

That governments and companies repair the damages that they have caused the population due to contamination and lack of access to water.

The abolition of the International Center for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) considering the experiences in Cochabamba and of other peoples who are struggling to recover sovereignty and public control over their common resources.

The recovery and promotion of public, social, community, participatory and integral management of water.

That all human beings have the right and access to quality water and in sufficient quantity for purposes of hygiene and nutrition. In places where potable water services exist, a necessary quantity of water be made available, free of charge, independently of culture, religion, gender and social, geographic and economic conditions. We reject all forms of double standard. No corporation, government or international institution can interrupt the service due to lack of payment of domestic consumption.

That the industries and corporations responsible for acts of pollution repair the economic, human and environmental damages they have caused.

WE REJECT

All demands by corporations and transnationals for compensation due to lost profits and investments, as illegitimate.

Any financing by International Financial Institutions (IFIs) that is conditioned on the liberalizing and privatizing of water services.

National or regional legislation that opens the door to privatization and commodification of water.

Predatory and non-sustainable models of water management, such as the building of mega projects, dams, construction of ports, mining exploitation and bottling.

WE PROPOSE

To promote the coordination of organisms of quality public management that function on a democratic basis through the exchange of shared experience, technical knowledge, training, plans and financial proposals for the consolidation of a public, social, community and participatory model.

To foster community education and organization around the responsible and sustainable use and consumption of water.

To disseminate experiences around the creation of solidarity Funds for the financing of public, participatory, community and social management of water.

The creation of a social watchdog or observatory at the international and regional levels bringing together social organizations, movements and networks of international cooperation, including parliaments, local governments and democratic institutions in order to monitor the activities of transnationals and the IFIs.

To strengthen existing international tribunals and promote their formation in different regions of the world.

WE ARE COMMITTED

To foster a world plan of action that will continue to build networks and mobilization around water.

To promote through our local struggles, a platform at the world level that will unite and strengthen us through solidarity.

To value the contribution of women, first nations, aboriginal peoples, youth and all those involved in the defense of their rights by constructing models that show another way of managing water is possible.

To continue to enrich this process with all the contributions possible during the future meetings to be held by our movements around the world, from the gathering Linking Alternatives European Union – Latin America in May in Vienna, the Meeting of the Community of South American Nations in Bolivia in September, and the Citizens Assembly for Water in Brussels in December.

In this framework, the world water movement commits itself to undertake 3 joint actions:

  1. One simultaneous, common, global action between September and October of 2006.
  2. To take as a common motto in all of our activities: The right to water is possible: public participatory management.
  3. This declaration will be disseminated at a press conference in each locality on return to your country or territory, as the guiding principle of the world water movement.

Signed, on March 19, 2006, en Tenochtitlan, Mexico.

Organizations participating in the International Forum in Defense of Water from over 40 countries.

A preliminary list will be available shortly. If you would like to sign this declaration, you can send an email to comdainfo@hotmail.com. Please indicate your country, and in the case of Mexico, your state.