By Jon Land
SYDNEY — The International Â鶹´«Ã½ Conference, held over the Easter long weekend at the University of New South Wales, brought together a wide range of activists and concerned individuals to discuss and debate the ecological and social problems currently facing the world.
The highly successful conference grew out of an initiative of the Democratic Socialist Party. It involved some 900 participants in conference sessions and/or public meetings. They came from all over Australia and around the world.
The conference discussed how to further build and strengthen the movements for social change through panels, workshops and plenary sessions which explored new approaches to increasingly complex challenges. Major themes included socialism, feminism, environmental politics, labour struggles and international solidarity.
International guests spoke of political developments in their countries and how they are organising in new parties and formations. Jeanette Fitzsimons, Green Party member and deputy co-leader of the New Zealand Alliance, described the Alliance's improved electoral chances under the new, more democratic, proportional representation system in that country.
Black activist, feminist and alternate senator for the Workers Party (PT), Dulce Maria Pereira, described the history and development of the PT, and discussed the possibility of it winning the presidential election in Brazil later this year.
From Indonesia, Hassan, from the People's Committee, outlined the growing links between workers, peasants and students in the democratic movement, despite the brutal repression of the Suharto regime.
Tony Carbado and Sonny Melencio from Sanlakas and Makabayan respectively, spoke of the new mass-based groups that have broken away from the Maoist Communist Party of the Philippines.
Ideas for dealing with the international environmental crisis were put forward by a diverse range of speakers. Well-known environmental author Ted Trainer and Peter Camejo, a leader in the US environmental and socialist movements, discussed different paths towards sustainable development and environmental justice.
The panel at which they both spoke, "How can we build a sustainable society", was one of the best attended and included Jeanette Fitzsimons, Graham Mathews from the Democratic Socialist Party, and Dr Nguyen Khac Kinh, deputy director of Vietnam's National Environment Agency. The broad and open views discussed highlighted the importance of linking green and left perspectives in reaching common strategies and goals.
The conference's opening public meeting was addressed by internationally acclaimed author Susan George, speaking on the global economy and the concentration of power and capital by transnational corporations. Describing the situation as a globalised system of apartheid, George outlined the further impoverishment of poor nations resulting from the structural adjustment programs imposed by the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. World Bank programs have also increased destruction of the environment.
Another highlight was the launching at the conference dinner of Links magazine, a new international journal of socialist renewal and discussion.
This project involves a range of activists from left parties and organisations including the Democratic Socialist Party, the Committees of Correspondence (USA), Brazilian Workers Party, South African Communist Party, the New Zealand Alliance and the Leninist opposition in the Communist Party of the Philippines. It is aimed at promoting discussion and greater understanding between the forces for socialism that are actively involved in building parties and organisations.
The need for a united response to problems both locally and internationally was stressed throughout the conference.
"The economic and ecological crises are at the point where radical solutions without the support and unity of activist organisations will not succeed", conference organiser Karen Fletcher told Â鶹´«Ã½ Weekly. "The willingness of people from different green and socialist traditions at this conference to take up this challenge, to listen, learn and exchange ideas in an open and honest way, shows we can and will move forward together."