The IIRE-Manila made a huge step forward in its second Global Justice School in August, with 22 attendees discussing context, movements and on alternative organizing for change. It can confirm that ten organisations are likely to take part in the third school, in the summer of 2011, and that numerous seminars will take part at the Manila campus before then. However, financial support remains needed to help participants to travel to Manila.
2nd AGJS: A BIG STEP FORWARD FOR THE IIRE-MANILA
The 21-day 2nd Asian Global Justice School of the IIRE-Manila, last August 1 to 21, 2010, was a big step forward towards the realization of the mission of the institution. In terms of the preparation, attendance, participation, program and discussion, no doubt it can be concluded that the 2nd AGJS was a big improvement from the previous one.
It should be remembered that the IIRE-Manila was established two (2) years ago, primarily to serve as a venue where activists, progressive forces and scholars in Asia and the Pacific, from different traditions, could come together more accessibly and spend time discussing, debating and assessing different experiences, frameworks and paradigms of different movements towards the emancipation of all oppressed peoples of the world.
The preparation of the 2nd AGJS was more of a collective one. Four (4) fraternal Asian organizations, namely the IIRE-Manila, the Hong-Kong based The Association for the Advancement of Research in Marxism, the JRCL and the Labor Party Pakistan (LPP), co-signed and organized the said school. They also helped in raising finances and materials such as magazines and books for the school.
The 2nd AGJS was attended by eleven (11) participants, five (5) resource-persons/participants and six (6) resource persons. Majority of these attendees came from different movements in Asia; with different traditions and specific contexts. The participants are as follows: four (4) from the Philippines: three (3) from the Philippine section, all women (1 each from the Bangsamoro, the Indigenous People particularly from the Teduray Tribe, and from the Majority Nationality) assigned to different lines of works; and one (1) from other Left block the PMP (Filipino Worker’s Party)/SANLAKAS; one (1) from Japan, a young sympathizer of the JRCL; one (1) from Taiwan from the organization called Worker’s Democracy Association – a contact of our section in Hong Kong; two (2) from Indonesia: one (1) from the KPRM-PRD (The Political Committee of the Poor-People’s Democratic Party) which was formed in 2008 as a result of the expulsion of the 13 founders of the KPRM-PRD from the “old” PRD, and the other one is from the People’s Solidarity Network (PSN), mainly based in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, which was linked to us by the JRCL; One (1) from the Labour Party Pakistan (LPP), who is part of leadership of one of LPP’s Provincial formations; One (1) from the Communist Party of Bangladesh–Marxist Leninist (CPB-ML), who is also in the secretariat of their large peasant federation called the Bangladesh Kesiok Federation (BKF), which was linked to us by comrade Gerhard Klas of the ISL, who was able to visit them in Bangladesh years back, and; One (1) from the NSSP, who is a journalist and active in Journalists Union.
The program was also an improvement of the first school, as it was more structured and more systematic. It was divided into three (3) parts: context, movements and on alternative organizing for change. The set-up of the program, as well as the specific topics, opened the discussions on the most urgent and pressing questions faced, not just by Asian movements, but by all movements in the world. These are the developing role of China, the Palestine question, on the LGBT especially in the Asian context, fundamentalism, the struggle for Climate Justice, on the different forms of struggles and revolutionary strategies, the so-called 21st century Socialism, among others. Discussions were also richer due to the mixture of participants, who came from various traditions, experiences and contexts.
With the success of the 2nd AGJS, a much better 3rd AGJS is in the offing, as participating organizations committed to help, in any way possible, for the realization of the 3rd AGJS next year.
10 organizations likely to endorse the 3rd AGJS!
With much enthusiasm, participants of the 2nd AGJS committed to lobby with their respected organizations to endorse the 3rd Asian Global Justice School targeted to be on July 17 to August 7 next year. The target date of the next school was collectively suggested by the participants during the evaluation period of the 2nd school.
These participants who were present during the evaluation period, majority of them came from Asia, are from the following organizations: the Japan Revolutionary Communist League (JRCL), The Association for the Advancement of Research in Marxism in Hong Kong, The Workers Democracy Association in Taiwan, the Political Committee of the Poor – People’s Democratic Party (KPRM-PRD) of Indonesia, the People’s Solidarity Network of Indonesia, the Communist Party of Bangladesh–Marxist Leninist (CPB-ML), the Labor Party Pakistan (LPP), the NSSP of Sri Lanka, the Socialist Alternative Politics of The Netherlands and the New Anti-Capitalist Party (NPA) of France.
The commitment of the participants is a great effort towards a more collective project among fraternal organizations in the Asia-Pacific. It could foster closer and more dynamic relations among these organizations, which could go beyond endorsing and co-organizing schools in the future.
The endorsement of these organizations is seen as very vital for the success of the target 3rd AGJSl, as it will aid in inviting more organizations and in raising much needed funds, especially for the airfare of third world participants. Among others, participants already committed to contact their links and networks in Australia, South Korea, India, Nepal and Malaysia. Other organizations interested to endorse the next school are also welcome.
IIRE-Manila, Asian Organizations to organize Series of Seminars
Inspired by the various discussions during the 2nd Asian Global Justice School, the IIRE-Manila and some Asian organizations are planning to have various seminars within this year and early next year before the targeted date of the 3rd AGJS.
The seminars are intended to give more in-depth and focused discussions on issues and questions related to the Rise of China, the Migrant Workers in/of Asia, the Bolivarian Revolution and its Fight against US imperialism and the Electoral form of Struggle in the Asian Context. Hopefully, the proposed seminars could open more rooms for cooperation and partnership within and among participating organizations in relation to the questions at hand.
The respective seminars, which will be held in Manila, will be two to three days each. Participants will be from fraternal Asia- Pacific organizations and from the broad left and civil society organizations in the Philippines, but also open to other interested organizations. Invitations, programs and concept papers will be sent out soon.
A THANK YOU NOTE
The IIRE-Manila and the participants of the 2nd AGJS would like to express our collective gratitude to all those who supported the 2nd school, either morally, logistically and financially. Without your support, the 2nd school would not be as fruitful as it was.
Thank you so much!
CALL FOR DONATION
The IIRE-Manila is still building up its resource materials. We will be happy to accept donations in the form of books, magazines, publications, manuscripts, electronic copy documents and multi-media resource materials. Donors will be acknowledged. Rest assured that the resource materials will be putted to progressive use. Donors can contact us through email at iiremanila iire.org.
IIRE-Manila
IN THE SERVICE OF ALL PROGRESSIVE FORCES IN THE PHILIPPINES, IN ASIA AND THE WORLD
80-A Malumanay Street,
Teacher’s Village West,
Diliman, Quezon City,
Philippines
Phone/Fax: (02) 434 -7351
Email: iiremanila iire.org
www.iiremanila.org
* The Newsletter of the International Institute for Research and Education-Manila