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COLMENA COLLECTIVE SUPPORT STATEMENT
4/10/01
The Whatcom Human Rights Task Force would like to express support for both the upcoming anti-FTAA march and the Colmena Collective.
We have worked with Colmena on this upcoming march and other events, and consider them an important part of the Bellingham human rights community. We do not want to see them unfairly portrayed as violent extremists or outside agitators, and we support their efforts to create positive social change in Bellingham.
The Anti-FTAA 'Free People, Not Trade' protest scheduled for April 21st in Blaine has been organized by a variety of groups, especially organized labor in both Whatcom County and British Columbia. The Whatcom Human Rights Task Force endorses the march, and we believe that the event will be non-violent and well-organized. We are grateful for the Colmena Collective's presence on the organizing ad hoc committee.
Finally, we are concerned that recent local events have been canceled or questioned due to well-publicized fears of 'violence' and 'outside agitators.' In our opinion, these fears have been unfounded, and based on misinformation or prejudice. We do not want to see specific groups scapegoated or unfairly demeaned, and we sincerely hope that such misrepresentations will not continue.
Here is our official endorsement:
The Whatcom Human Rights Task Force supports and endorses the goals of the upcoming 'Rally to stop NAFTA for the Americas!' The so-called 'Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA)' will, if passed, expand upon the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), despite the documented human rights violations, wage decreases, and environmental harm resulting from 'Free' trade in the absence of enforceable environmental and human rights standards. We believe that the Anti-FTAA rally scheduled for April 21st in Blaine provides a crucial opportunity for our communities to speak out on the importance of human rights here and abroad, including the right to a healthy environment. Because the event promises to offer public support for a broad spectrum of human rights issues, and because our mission includes education on these issues, we are happy to make this endorsement, and we will advertise the event to our membership.
April 2001