Chris Ballance Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP), Green Party, Chandana Keerthi Bandara, Journalist George Binnette, Secretary, Committee to Defend Asylum Seekers Robin Blackburn, New Left Review Brent and Harrow Socialist Alliance, London Andrew Burgin, Press Officer Stop the War Coalition Pete Burnett, Secretary Newcastle-upon-Tyne Trade Union Council* Professor Alex Callinicos, University of York Louise Christian, Human Rights Lawyer Ken Coates, ex-Labour MEP, Nottingham University Jeremy Corbyn Member of Parliament (MP), Labour Party Frances Curran Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP), Scottish Socialist Party Simon Deville, secretary Voluntary Organisations UNISON and UNISON delegate to Leyton & Wanstead Labour Party, London Professor Gen Doy, De Montfort University Ben Drake, Deputy Convenor, York City Council UNISON* Richard Eyre, ex-Director, National Theatre Lindsay German, Stop the War Coalition Steering Committee Alex Gordon, Rail Maritime and Transport (RMT) National Executive Dr Jamie Gough, Northumbria University Peter Gowan, New Left Review Robin Harper, Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP), Green Party Dr Richard Hatcher, Faculty of Education, University of Central England Billy Hayes, General Secretary, Communication Workers Union (CWU) Louise van der Hoeven, Socialist Alliance National Executive* Rob Hoveman, Socialist Alliance National Executive* Onay Kasab, Greenwich Council UNISON Branch Secretary* Helen Jenner, UNISON National Executive Committee* Jim Jepps, Socialist Alliance National Executive* Jean Lambert, Member of the European Parliament (MEP), Green Party Paul Laverty, Screenwriter Soraya Lawrence, Lawyer Carolyn Leckie, Member o the Scottish Parliament (MSP), Scottish Socialist Party Fred Leplat, UNISON London Regional Committee* Liz Leicester, Chair Camden Council UNISON* Ken Loach, Film Director Michael Mansfield, QC John McDonnell Member of Parliament (MP), Labour Party Will McMahon, Socialist Alliance National Executive* Thomas E. Mertes, Center for Social Theory and Comparative History, Los Angeles Anton Moctonian, Assistant Branch Secretary Camden Council Unison* Fiona Monkman, UNISON National Executive Committee* Mark New, UNISON National Executive Committee* Kevin O'Brien, UNISON National Executive Committee* John Owen, UNISON National Executive Committee* Rahul Patel, Westminster Council Unison Branch Secretary* Ralph Parkinson, UNISON National Executive Committee* John Rees, Stop the War Coalition Steering Committee Richard Scrase Human Shield Action, Editor Green World Murray Smith, Journalist Southwark Socialist Alliance, Alan Thornett, Socialist Alliance National Executive* Jean Thorpe, UNISON National Executive Committee* Greg Tucker National Train Crew Secretary; Rail, Maritime and Transport Union (RM) Mike Tucker, UNISON National Executive Committee* Nick Wrack, National Chair, Socialist Alliance* Doug Wright, UNISON National Executive The rural, urban and popular movements in Brazil are beginning to mobilise. While Lula's approval ratings remain high in opinion surveys and people accept that the politics of a multi-party, no majority congress create a nightmare for any President, a core part of the PT's base is not happy. The first six months of the Lula administration have been like a prologue for the action to come. In those months Lula has slowly and painfully constitutional changes needed to implement his programme.
This process has developed such momentum that most parties are experiencing internal crises over the strength of their links with the adminend of April Lula marched to the Congress building accompanied by all 27 state governors (of all parties) to personally propose the programme
scene was set! constructed a congressional block that can deliver a two thirds majority for the istration. In a dramatic moment at the
The response has been rapid and determined from the mass movements. The MST Landless Movement (while also experiencing internal divisions over its closeness to the government) in conjunction with other organisations of the landless, have organised land occupations on a larger scale than in recent years. They are demanding that Lula implement his campaign policies. A new confederation of landless organisations, Uniterra, which does not include the MST, is working with the MST to bring the urban unemployed out of Sao Paulo to road side rural encampments to demand the land promised by Lula.
Public sector workers will be holding a general strike on 8th July in protest at the proposed pensions reforms. Most of the unions representing public sector workers are in the PT linked CUT union confederation. This is producing a sharp debate over that organisation's relationship with the government. Though the moderates congress in removing debt cancellation and other traditional policies from their demands they had far less success on the pensions issue, while avoiding supporting the general strike
The conference of social movements in June decided on a series of mass mobilisations in August. They want to unite unions, popular organisations, christians, artists and intellectuals in a fight for an alternative form of development for Brazil.
This is put forward not as hostile to Lula but as a counter weight to the pull of the IMF demanding better public services, agrarian reform, jobs and decent wages
The government's strategy of austerity to reduce the influence of the IMF is causing political ructions within the popular movements. If it is not suc cessfully and quickly followed by an improvement in the lives of urban and rural workers Lula's administration stands to be remembered for social conflict rather than social progress.
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24 socla International resistance nce Summer 2003 Zapatista fighters painted 'Hay no guerrilla' Ecuador's Guttierez: a historical throwback to populism, veering rapidly to the right
SOCiEDAn poverty measures on Guttierez; but the