http://www.habitants.org/article/archive/234 en_GB eZpublish version 2.2.9 - customized by OpenContent Gabriele Francescotto gabriele.francescotto@opencontent.it http://en.habitants.org/article/view/1215/ In Barcelona, in the historic site of the libertarian union CGT, has taken place the International Forum Against Evictions, organised by the IAI, externally to the institutional World Urban Forum. More than 120 delegates of inhabitants’ associations and networks, coming from all continents, have participated to the event, contributing their experience of fights for right to a house. 15 % of the world’s population is threatened with eviction Cesare Ottolini, co-ordinator of IAI and national president of the Unione Inquilini (Italian Tenants Union), has introduced the forum, proposing to confront the strategies enacted at different levels and build together an alarm system against evictions. He has begun immediately with the Report on Italy (download and read the document in Italian, in pdf) - a country where over 200,000 families are threatened with evictions - that will be presented in Geneva to the UN Committee on Rights next November 15th). Father Daniele Moschetti, combonian missionary, has presented the Campaign W Nairobi W that, along with the local initiatives, has been able to block the demolitions and the forced evictions of over 300,000 slum dwellers. He has underlined that now is the time to request the cancellation of Kenya’s foreign debt in order to have the necessary resources for land distribution and public politics to restore the shanty-ville. Jean Baptiste Eyraud, spokesman for the DAL (France), followed, showing the initiatives carried out in Paris in favour of the evicted families who vindicated the requisitions of un-rented shelters. Anselmo Schwertner (MNLM, Brazil) has instead underlined the importance of consolidating the popular movement with self management and occupations, the reason being, that although the progressive Lula in charge of the government, the power is in the hands of the landowners. Maite (Assembly of the Resistances Against the Barcelona Forum) has explained the reasons why the inhabitants’ associations and the alternative world movements contest the Forum of “lies”: the latter Forum has to do more with real estate speculations that cause new exclusions and evictions, and less with cross-cultural dialogue. Roger Muro (GIU, Peru), underlining the importance of peoples control on the exchange between foreign debt and public politics, has presented the “Campaign for a Decent House for All”, that is leading to a concrete follow-up in the mission of the UN Special Rapporteur on Housing Right. Deanne Fowler (Huairo 29.09.2004 - 21:41 http://en.habitants.org/article/view/1168/ While in 1950 two thirds of the world’s population lived in the country, presently more than 3 billion persons, that is half of the world’s population, live in cities. Of these, over one billion are homeless or ill housed with a prospected worsening of the habitat conditions for another 700 million people within the year 2030, clamorously contradicting the 11th Target of the Millennium Development Goals, which proposes to improve these conditions for 100 million persons within the year 2020. In the face of this catastrophic situation, UN Habitat has organised the second World Urban Forum on the theme of “Cities: Crossroads of cultures, inclusiveness and integration? ». About 3,000 delegates representing governments, local authorities, ong and world-wide experts will meet in Barcelona from September 13th to 17th, 2004 to furnish indications on how to favour the transition of the planet towards an urbanised world Coherent with its founding premises, the International Alliance of Habitants has launched during the Mumbai FSM the campaign “Zero evictions”. 18.08.2004 - 00:38 http://en.habitants.org/article/view/1156/ September 16, 3:00– 8:00 pm, C/o CGT - Via Laietana, 18 (novena plana) – Barcelona Presentation of the “Zero Evictions!” international campaign launched during the World Social Forum 2004 in Mumbai. The first results: Nairobi, Dominican Republic, France. An exchange of experiences and good practices for the inhabitants’ associations in various regions of the world in the struggle against forced evictions. Debate between associations and authorities supporting this campaign. Proposal to verify the violations to housing rights and to launch an international housing alert network. * * * * * * * * * Session one: The inhabitants have their say Co-ordinator: Paul Maquet Makedonski, Cenca, Perù - Cesare Ottolini, co-ordinator AIH Zero evictions: Defending an unalienable right. The situation regarding threatened evictions and new strategies for obtaining the security of tenure. P. Daniele Moschetti, Combonian missionary, Nairobi, Kenya The W Nairobi W! Campaign: how unity and solidarity blocked more than 300,000 evictions. Now our aim is to obtain the security of tenure and improve the quality of the slums. Jean Baptiste Eyraud, DAL spokesperson, France The self-appropriation movement in France. The struggle for housing rights: resistance against the forced evictions, encampments, squats. Representative of MNLM, Brazil The occupation of land and dwellings in Lula’s Brazil: what prospects for the future? Roger Muro, GIU, Peru Campaign for decent housing in Peru: what has happened following the visit of the UN’s special assessor on housing rights? Pedro Franco, Dominican Republic The establishment of a network of inhabitants’ associations for a sovereign and selfless Caribbean. Deanna Fowler, Public Housing Resident Alliance, New York, USA Popular strategies for the security of tenure and against the privatizations of public housing sector in the United States. Delegate from FAVB (Barcelona) * * * Questions, comments, debate * * * Session 2: Conflicts and alliances between social movements and the authorities Coordinator: Giuseppe la Biunda, Coralli Cooperative, Italy Leticia Osorio, Cohre Latin America International and regional legislation and support of secure housing Bernard Birsinger, Mayor of Bobigny, France The “eviction-free zone” movement in our cities. Confrontation and alliances with the housing rights movement. V 17.08.2004 - 14:00