Update on CAFTA talks!

UPDATE: 

The CAFTA talks have been extended until December 16th. 
 This means that you have more time to organize local 
activities in opposition to this new "free but not fair" 
trade agreement!

If you are planning any local actions against CAFTA, such 
as a picket of your local Federal Building or a call-in 
day, please let the Nicaragua Network know at 
[EMAIL PROTECTED] or (202) 544-9355.  Tell us if you would 
be willing to have your contact information put on a list 
of local contacts at www.stopcafta.org.

Call for Local Actions 

Mobilize against the Central America Free Trade Agreement, 
December 8-12! 

The next battle against the FTAA is CAFTA! When the 
protests and workshops are over in Miami, it will be time 
to get mobilized to stop the Central America Free Trade 
Agreement (CAFTA) -- the next step toward the FTAA and the 
Bush administration's cynical use of "free trade 
agreements" to expand a system of corporate rule. 

The Bush administration has been moving quickly and 
quietly for the past 10 months to "negotiate" a free trade 
agreement with five nations of Central America in order to 
regain momentum toward the hemisphere wide FTAA.  The 
CAFTA is to be completed during the final round of 
negotiations in Washington, D.C. the week of December 
8-12, 2003. 

Defeating CAFTA will set back the already reeling FTAA 
process, perhaps for good. Throughout Central America and 
the U.S. people have been organizing. Thousands have 
marched in Managua, San Salvador, and San Jose. 
  Negotiations have been picketed in Cincinnati, Houston 
and New Orleans. 

The Stop CAFTA coalition (see partial list below) is 
calling for local actions during the week of December 
8-12, to express opposition to this agreement. CAFTA may 
go to a vote in Congress this spring, so the office of 
your Congressional representative is a good target for a 
local action. 

Some suggested actions 

*Congress will go home after Thanksgiving, so organize a 
delegation and meet with your representative in his or her 
local office.  Lobby materials are available at 
www.quixote.org/quest 

*Another America is Possible! Come to D.C. for a rally 
against CAFTA on Sunday, December 7, 2003, 2:00 Mt 
Pleasant Park -- e-mail Dave Johnson 
([EMAIL PROTECTED]) for more information. 

*Organize a Workshop on CAFTA for a community 
organization? materials (in Spanish or English - English 
version will be completed soon) are available from United 
for Fair Economy (www.ufenet.org). 

*Hold a "fair trade" sale, with fair trade coffee and 
other products.  Raise money for a local action and raise 
awareness about alternatives. Check with Transfair USA 
(www.transfairuse.org) for list of certified fair trade 
distributors. 

*Have a teach-in at a local university. Contact Tom Ricker 
([EMAIL PROTECTED]) for help if you need a speaker. 

*Picket a local Federal Office Building 

*Collect ballots against CAFTA and deliver to your member 
of Congress.  Witness for Peace has a CAFTA/FTAA ballot 
available (www.witnessforpeace.org).   Feel free to adapt 
to raise local issues. 

*"Cookies Against CAFTA" --  Set up a table with a 
cell-phone handy and give away a cookie to anyone willing 
to call their member of Congress and tell him or her to 
vote against CAFTA. 

Visit www.stopcafta.org for a list of actions and local 
contacts, or to post an event. 

  From the Stop Cafta Coalition: Quixote Center, NISGUA, 
CISPES, Share Foundation, US El Salvador Sister Cities, 
Witness for Peace, Nicaragua Network and more 

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