Support us with you endorsement!

Join us by signing-on to the following statement, in defense of the rights and sovereignty of the people of Argentina in the face of the debt and vulture actions.  Share the statement with your supporters and contacts. Together we can highlight the consequences for human rights, the rights of peoples and those of nature, of debt and the resignation of national sovereignty included in almost all the debt accrued against South countries, adherence to the International Center for the Settlement of Investment Disputes ICSID, bilateral investment treaties and other investment and trade agreements. 

Organizational endorsements may be sent to: dialogo2000@jubileosur.org

The real debt is to the rights of the people of Argentina

The retention of the frigate Liberty in Ghana, and the recent New York court decisions ordering the country to pay new, multimillion dollar sums, reveal the persistence of a serious debt problem that continues to condition our present and future. In the most immediate, what is at stake is a new payment equivalent to more than the entire national budget for housing and urban development during the year 2013, to speculative funds that never invested in the people´s welfare nor did they accept to restructure their claims after the economic collapse and suspension of debt payments in 2001.

We denounce as unethical and unscrupulous the actions of so-called vulture funds. We reject as unjust, the decisions of foreign courts, originally imposed under extorsion, that do not take into consideration the fraudulence, illegality, and illegitimacy of the process of Argentine indebtedness, totally unrelated to the interests of the people and carried out behind their backs.

We stress to all who intervene in this matter (national authorities, holders of bonds issued by Argentina, the various judges, governments, financial institutions, and economic interests, national and international public opinion) that this is a systemic issue, and we call for a resolution that takes into consideration the illegitimacy of the debt claimed and the right to sovereignty, leaving behind the conditionalities imposed which included the resignation of sovereignty and placing the rights of persons and of peoples as the uttermost priority.

This situation must be dealt with on the basis of truth and justice, given that the debt claimed by these speculative funds is a crime against humanity that continues today. The bonds are direct descendants of the debt accumulated in Argentina at a cost of 30,000 detained-disappeared, thousands of women and men tortured, killed, exiled, and imprisoned, kidnapped and missing children, to support the civilian-military dictatorship that ruled the country between 1976 and 1983 and force it into the neoliberal straitjacket. That debt was the subject of a federal court ruling in 2000, which established that it was largely the result of fraudulent and arbitrary acts. A federal prosecutor´s opinion requesting its annulment and several court cases covering successor debt are still pending.

The Argentine people have no reason to pay a debt about which they were not consulted nor did they benefit and whose legitimacy and legality has not been proven. Unlawful acts cannot generate lawful consequences nor can they be subsequently validated, irrespective of the institution or mechanism. The Argentine government - and all governments - also have the right and obligation to prioritize human rights above any commercial or financial claim.

Our country must recover its sovereignty and those responsible for having surrendered it, behind the people’s back and whether bowing to pressure from speculators and lenders,  governments, and international institutions or merely wanting to pay or go further into debt, must be tried and punished.

All this can be done if there is political will. The country is trapped by a process of indebtedness and an institutional framework gestated in times of dictatorial repression and neoliberal offensive. This needs to be modified in order to ensure full respect for human rights and the rights of people, as well as to ensure a true NEVER AGAIN.

We therefore demand:

1. Audit the debt in a public, comprehensive, and participatory manner in order to separate the illegitimate from the legitimate debt, beginning with the pretended entitlements of the so-called vulture funds and suspending all payments until its conclusion;

2. Annul the contracts, laws, treaties, and agreements tainted by unconstitutionality, extorsive conditionalities, and other similar grounds, and that establish the resignation of national sovereignty and the waiver of jurisdiction to extra-national courts, including for example, the bonds and adherence to the ICSID.

3. Confront the speculators challenging the fraudulence and illegitimacy of their claims.

4. Prosecute and punish those who illegitimately and unconstitutionally issued bonds, renouncing the country's sovereignty and the rights and heritage of its people, starting with then president, Carlos Saul Menem, the economy minister, Domingo Cavallo, the attorneys of the treasury, participating banks such as Banker´s Trust and J.P. Morgan, and international financial institutions such as the World Bank and IMF.

 - Argentina, December, 2012

INITIAL SIGNATORS:

Action for Biodiversity, Marcos Paz

Permanent Assembly for Human Rights

Permanent Assembly for Human Rights,  La Matanza

Human Rights Association of Cañada de Gómez, Su tribuna Diario de Opinión Revista Pagina Abierta

ATTAC Argentina

Autoconvocatoria: AMERICA VIVA,  Lujan

Argentine Workers´Central CTA

Rajab Theological Center, Buenos Aires

Communication Collective Al DORSO

Colectivo Estamos En ViLo, Vicente López, Pcia. Bs. As

Claretians´Justice and Peace Commission

Historical Memory and Never Again Festivals Organizing Comm., Florida, Pcia. Bs. As.

Call for Nacional and Social Liberation, Trade Union Front: Agrupación Martín Fierro (Varela – Alte. Brown – Matanza – Mar del Plata,y Neuquen ), Agrup.Sindical Tolo Arce-ATE-SENASA, Agrupación “Germán Abdala” – ATE-Min. de Trabajo de la Nación, Agrup Agustín Tosco-Río Segundo-Córdoba, Movimiento de Trabajadores Desocupados Flamarión-Rosario, Democracia Popular-Rosario, Comunidad Campesina de Tratagal-Salta, Biblioteca Popular Fernando Jara-Cipoletti-Río Negro, Unión de Trabajadores de la Provincia de Chubut

Dialogue 2000 – Jubilee SouthArgentina

Ecumenical Space

Lutheran World Federativo, Program on Illegitimate Debt and Ecological Justice

FeTERA  Flores (Federatión of Energy Workers in the Arg. Republic, CTA)

Foro de Pensamiento y Construcción Social (FPyCS)

Social and Policy Research Foundation FISyP

Peace and Justice Service Foundation SERPAJ

IMPA The factory, Cultural Center

Mothers of the Plaza Founders´ Line – Tucumán

Ecumenical Human Rights Movement MEDH

Emancipation Movement

Social Movement of Missions Province, Juan Yahdjián - Misiones

Rebellious Scarves, Ma. Angélica Muniz

South Project

South Project, Block of Nacional Deputies

South Project, Block of Deputies to the Legislatura of the Autonomous City of Bs. As.

Diaguita People, Callachaquí Valleys, Tucumán, Marcos Pastrana

Popular Unity, Block of Nacional Deputies

Adolfo Pérez Esquivel, Nobel Peace Laureate and President, SERPAJ & Dialogue 2000

Alcira Argumedo, Nacional Deputy, Proyecto Sur

Aldo Etchegoyen, Bishop (em.) Evangelical Methodist Church, and vicepres. APDH

Alejandra Noemí Stepin, Physician, CABA

Alejandro Cabrera Britos, General Delegate ATE SENASA, Dilab/ Martínez, CTA
Alejandro Olmos Gaona, Historian

Alfred Lecuna, Public Relations consultant (UNNE), Corrientes

Alfredo Julio Leandro Herms, Photojournalist

Alicia Herbón, Education Secretariat, APDH
Alicia Unzalu y Eduardo Vasco Murúa, IMPA

Ana Alma, Luis Romero y Susana Moreira, National Coordination, SERPAJ-Argentina

Ángel Furlan, Coordinator, Lutheran World Federativo, Program on Illegitimate Debt and Ecological Justice

Antonio Riestra, nacional Deputy, Bloque Unidad Popular

Arturo Blatezky, pastor of the Evangelical Church of the River Plate IERP and coordinator, MEDH.

Aurora Tumanischwili Penelón, Guillermo López, FeTERA Flores 

Beverly Keene, Coordinator, Diálogo 2000 – Jubileo Sur Argentina

Carina Maloberti, Nacional Board – ATE-CTA

Carlos Guanciarrosa, Agrupación Enrique Mosconi, FeTERA en CTA

Carlos Loza, Junta Interna de ATE, AGP (Asociación General De Puertos), CTA

Carlos Segovia, Corriente Militante por los DDHH de Río Negro y Neuquén 

Clara Condenanza, Presidency Federation of University Students, La Plata

Claudio Katz, Economist UBA- CONICET; member of Left Economists EDI

Claudio Lozano, Nacional Deputy Bloque Unidad Popular

Cristina Castello, Poet and journalist

Cristina Ventura, CTA Vicente López

Dr. Alberto Jorge Pinus, Fac. Economics, Member of Platform 2012

Eduardo Espinosa, ATE en CTA, Min. Desarrollo Humano, Provincia Buenos Aires

Eduardo Lucita, Economist and member, EDI

Elena B. Alvarez. Faculty Univ. Nac. de Lujan, Assembly of Neighbors and Organizations for the Environment, Lujan

Elisa Beatriz Carca, National Deputy (MC),

Elizabeth T. Jezierski, teacher, Olivos, pcia. de Bs. As.

Fabian Dulio Rogel, National Deputy, Unión Cívica Radical

Fernando Pino Solanas, National Deputy, Proyecto Sur

Graciela Iturraspe, National Deputy, Bloque Unidad Popular

Gustavo Teres, CTA Rosario

Héctor Carrica, Human Rights Secretary, Nacional Association of State Employees ATE

Héctor Luis Giuliano

Héctor Santarén, Free of the South Movement

Hugo Blasco, Human Rights Secretary, CTA Nacional

Hugo Milito, Rosario

Isaac Rudnik, Director of the Social, Economic and Citizenship Policy Institute (ISEPCI)

Jaime Gabriel Farji, Ex Síndico General Adjunto de la SIGEN

Jorge Cardelli, Nacional Deputy, Proyecto Sur

Jorge Marchini, Prof. Economy UBA, member EDI

José Luis Ronconi, Assistante Secretary, Argentine Judicial Federation

Juan Carlos L. Etchegary, Builder, Rosario, pcia. de Sta. Fe

Juan Cristóbal, poet

Juan Yahdjian, Social Movement of Missions province

Julio Gambina, Social and Policy Research Foundation (FISyP)

Julio Raffo, Deputy, Legislatura of the Autonomous City  of  Bs. As., South Project

Laura Verónica Sterpin, Antropologist, CABA

Lic Graciela Ferrario

Lic. Leonardo Juan Laguna, Psychologist (UBA), Profesor de Psicología (UBA)

Liliana Parada, National Deputy, Bloque Unidad Popular

Manuel Bertoldi, Dario Santillan Popular front

María Bassa, Religious

María Elena Saludas, ATTAC - CADTM Ayna

María Rosa González, Comunicadora Social           

Mario Mazzitelli, Sec. Gen. Partido Socialista Auténtico PSA

Marta Speroni, Militante Internacionalista por los DD. HH.

Miguel Ángel Espeche Gil, Cátedra de Derecho y Deuda Ext. Púb., Fac. Derecho, UBA

Mirta Baravalle, Madre de Plaza de Mayo Línea Fundadora

Noemí Alemany, Corriente Militante por los DDHH de Río Negro y Neuquén 

Nora Cortiñas, Madre de Plaza de Mayo Línea Fundadora

Oscar Ragni, Corriente Militante por los DDHH de Río Negro y Neuquén 

Pablo Bergel, Diputado de la Legislatura de la Ciud. Aut. de Bs. As., Proyecto Sur

Pablo Pimentel, APDH La Matanza

Pastor Lic. Miguel A. Ponsati, Evangelical church of the River Plate IERP, and Secretary of the National Pastoral Directorate, MEDH

Paula Nardini, AMSAFE Rosario

Ricardo Peidró, Assistant Secretary General, CTA Nacional

Roque Barreto, AMSAFE Rosario

Salvador María Lozada, Judge (ret.) de la Nación

Stella Maris Torre, Lic. Cs. Educación, CABA

Susana Cianfagna, AMSAFE Rosario

Víctor De Gennaro, Nacional Deputy, Bloque Unidad Popular

Víctor Mendibil, “Our America” Trade Union Gathering - ESNA-

Regional and global endorsements

Ecological Action - Ecuador

Mexican Alliance for the Self-Determination of Peoples (AMAP) - México

Alternatives Asia, Vinod Raina – India, Asia

Ana Maria Masramon - Bélgica

Antonio Lechado Aranda,  Málagatomalaplaza (15M) andd Civic Front “We are the majority” - Málaga, España

Internacional Association “Educate to Live”

Nacional Association of Transformative Industrialists, Inc. Adán Rivera – México

Babacar Diop Buuba, Professor, Faculty of Letters and Humanities, Cheikh Anta Diop University, Sénégal

BASE-IS, Guillermo Ortega – Paraguay

Bia´lii, Resarch and Consultancy A.C., member Mexican Coalition on the G20

Both ENDS – Holanda

CADTM- AYNA

Center for Professional Training and Promotion Vasco de Quiroga,  María Atilano – México

Centro Martín Luther King – Cuba

Convergente of Popular movements of America COMPA

Green Revolt Collective  – México

National Committee of Energy Studies (CNEE) – México

Congregation of the Sisters of Saint Joseph, Global Saint Joseph´s Justice and Peace Team

Civil Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras, COPINH

Demba Moussa Dembele,  Director, African Forum for Alternatives and Co-coordinator, Africa Jubilee South – Senegal

Ecologist in Action - País Vasco

Eric Toussaint, CADTM international Network– Bélgium

Nacional Front against Debt and Povery FNDP, Solange Koné – Ivory Coast

Igor Calvo, Militante de base del FNRP – Honduras

Third World Ecologists´ Study Institute  - Ecuador

Policy Alternatives for the Southern Cone Institute PACS – Brasil

Jubilee Debt Campaign UK – Gran Bretaña

Jubilee Oregon  - EE.UU.

Jubilee Scotland – Escocia

Jubilee USA Network – EE.UU.

Jubilee South/Américas

Jubilee South/Brazil           

KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives – Canadá

Debt in Globalization Observatory ODG - Catalunya, Estado Español

Eyes for Peace , Spanish headquarters

Ongd AFRICANDO de Gran Canaria – España

Tekojoja Popular party, Roberto Colmán, Vicepresidente – Paraguay

Pastorate of Marginalized women - Brazil

Citizen Debt audit. Plataform "We don´t Owe, We won´t Pay! – Spanish State.

Alternative Development Platform – Haití

Economic, Social, Cultural and Environmental Rights Platform – Uruguay

Global Platform against War, spanish headquarters           

Interamerican Platform on Human Rights, Democracy and Development, (PIDHDD)

Who Owes Whom? Network – Spanish State

Costa Rican network of local women´s agendas - Costa Rica

Mexican Network of Action against Free Trade (RMALC) – México

Red Por Tí América, Aline Castro, Brasil

Sinti Techan Network, El Salvador

Jubilee South Network, Brasil

Sandra Quintela, economist – Brasil

Union of Salvadoran Ecologists UNES - El Salvador