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The 10 Commandments to save the planet

Saturday, 03 May 2008 04:10

From the speech Evo Morales made at the recent United Nations Permanent Forum of Indigenous Peoples on climate change

Consume only what is necessary, avoid extravagance, waste, luxury and the desire to get rich.

President Evo Morales told the United Nations that in order to save the planet, we must eradicate the capitalist model, and the North must pay its ecological debt.  This was the first of Ten Commandments presented by the leader during the inauguration of the VII Indigenous Forum of the United Nations during a long speech that received high acclaim by those who attended the annual encounter.  

Morales Ayma proposed ten commandments to save the world, life and humanity that require: respect for the earth, renouncing war, bilateral relations without imposition, clean energy and a rejection of bio-fuels, access to basic services, prioritizing local production, promotion of cultural diversity and living well through communitarian socialism in harmony with Mother Earth.

The President affirmed that there are two paths for humanity, life and planet earth; either we recover a way of living that is in harmony with Mother Earth and life, or we continue on the path of capitalism and death.  Morales insisted that the only way to save the world is to end the way of thinking which foments individualistic egotism, and the thirst for profit.

“The enormous effects of climate change are not a product of human beings in general, rather the result of the existing capitalist system that is inhuman and predicated on unlimited ‘industrial development’.  For this reason I feel that it is important to stop the exploitation of human beings, and end the plunder of natural resources”, said the head of state.   “If we want to save the planet, we have to eradicate the capitalist model and the North must pay its ecological debt rather than the countries of the Global South and rest of the world paying external debts.”  

The second commandment, Morales explained is the concept of denouncing war, which only generates profit for the imperial powers, transnational corporations and a small group of families, but not the people.  The millions and millions of dollars which are currently designated for war should be invested in the earth, which has been wounded, mistreated and overexploited.

Third - Relationships of co-existence rather than submission of one country to another must be achieved, in a world without imperialism or colonialism.  Bi-lateral and multi-lateral relations are important, because we are a culture of dialogue and social co-existence, but these relations must not be based on the submission of one country to another.

Fourth - Water is a human right of all people living on the planet.  It has been said that you can live without electricity, but not without water.  Water is life.  There should be no policies that permit the privatization of water.  President Morales proposed an international convention on water to protect water sources as a human right, and to prevent privatization.

Fifth - Clean, environmentally friendly energies must be developed and we must stop wasting energy.  In 100 years we will finish off fossil fuel deposits that took millions of years to create.  “Avoid promoting bio-fuels. It is impossible to understand how some presidents and development models are setting aside lands to run luxury automobiles and not to produce food for people.

Morales proposed promoting debate among governments and creating conscience so that land benefits human beings rather than being used to produce fuel.  He referred to pronouncements of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, and expressed that for the first time, he is in agreement with both of those institutions on this issue.  

Six - Respect Mother Earth.  No expert or specialist can debate with Indigenous leaders on the issue of respect for Mother Earth.  We should seek ways for the Indigenous movement to influence other social sectors, urban and rural,  so that everyone understands that the earth is our mother. 

Seven - Basic services including water, electricity, education, health care, communication and transportation should be considered a human right, and should be publicly owned services rather than private businesses.  

Eight - Consume only what is necessary; prioritize what we produce and consume locally.  Consumerism, extravagance and luxury must end.  It is inconceivable that some families pursue luxury while millions and millions don’t even have the possibility of ‘living well’.  He noted that while millions of people die of hunger each year, in other parts of the world millions of dollars are spent combating obesity. 

Nine - Promote the diversity of cultures and economies.  We are so diverse, and even though the Indigenous movement has always been excluded, we are proposing unity in diversity.  A Pluri-national State, in which all are included; white, brown and black. 

Ten - Live Well.  The concept of ‘living well’ is not new.   It is about recovering the way of our ancestors, to ‘live well’, which is not to “live better” at the cost of others.  We must build a communitarian socialism in harmony with Mother Earth. 

Evo Morales: 10 Commandments To Save the Planet

October 20, 2008

“If we want to save the planet earth to save life and humanity, we are obliged to end the capitalist system”

By Evo Morales Ayma
president of the Republic of Bolivia
Message to the Continental Gathering of Solidarity with Bolivia in Guatemala City

October 9, 2008 — Sisters and brothers, on behalf of the Bolivian people, I greet the social movements of this continent present in this act of continental solidarity with Bolivia.

We have just suffered the violence of the oligarchy, whose most brutal expression was the massacre in Panda, a deed that teaches us that an attempt at power based on money and weapons in order to oppress the people is not sustainable. It is easily knocked down, if it is not based on a program and the consciousness of the people.

We see that the re-founding of Bolivia affects the underhanded interests of a few families of large landholders, who reject as an aggression the measures enacted to favour the people such as a more balanced distribution of the resources of natural gas for our grandfathers and grandmothers, as well as the distribution of lands, the campaigns for health and literacy, and others.

To protect their power and privileges and to evade the process of change, the ruling elite of large landholders of the so-called Half Moon (Media Luna) clothe themselves in the movements for departmental autonomies and the rupture of national unity, lending themselves to the yankee interests of ending the re-founding of Bolivia.

However, in the revocation referendum of August 10, we just received the mandate of two-thirds of the Bolivian people to consolidate this process of change, in order to continue advancing in the recovery of our natural resources, and to insure the well being of all Bolivians, to unite the distinct sectors of society of the countryside and the city, of the east and the west.

Sisters and brothers, what happened with this revocation referendum in Bolivia is something that is not only important for Bolivians but for all Latin Americans. We dedicate it to the Latin American revolutionaries and those throughout the world, reaffirming the struggle for all processes of change.

I was going to express the way to recover the life ways of our peoples, called Live Well (el Buen Vivir), to recover our vision of the Mother Earth, that for us is life, because it is not possible for the capitalist model to convert Mother Earth into a commodity. Once again we see the profound correlations between the indigenous movement and the organisations of the social movements, which also throw in their lot in order to Live Well. We greet them so that together we can seek a certain balance in the world.

10 commandments to save the planet

Along these lines, I want to share and propose for debate some 10 commandments to save the planet, for humanity and for life, not only at this level but also to debate among our communities, and our organisations.

First, if we want to save the planet earth to save life and humanity, we are obliged to end the capitalist system. The grave effects of climate change, of the energy, food and financial crises, are not a product of human beings in general, but rather of the capitalist system at it is, inhuman, with its idea of unlimited industrial development.

Second, to renounce war, because the people do not win in war, but only the imperial powers; the nations do not win, but rather the transnational corporations. Wars benefit a small group of families and not the people. The trillions of millions of dollars used for war should be directed to repair and cure Mother Earth wounded by climate change.

Third proposal for debate: a world without imperialism nor colonialism. Our relationships should be oriented to the principle of complementarity, and to take into account the profound asymmetries that exist family to family, country to country, and continent to continent.

And the fourth point is oriented to the issue of water, which ought to be guaranteed as a human right to avoid its privatisation into few hands, given that water is life.

As the fifth point, I would like to say that we need to end the energy debacle. In 100 years we are using up fossil energies created during millions of years. As some presidents are setting aside lands for luxury automobiles and not for human beings, we need to implement policies to impede the use of agro-fuels and in this way to avoid the hunger and misery for our peoples.

As a sixth point: in relationship to the Mother Earth, the capitalist system treats the Mother Earth as a raw material, but the Earth cannot be understood as a commodity; who could privatise, rent or lease their own mother? I propose that we organise an international movement in defence of Mother Nature, in order to recover the health of Mother Earth and re-establish a harmonious and responsible life with her.

A central theme as the seventh point for debate is that basic services, whether they be water, electricity, education or health, need to be taken into account as human rights.

As the eighth point, to consume what is needed, prioritise what we produce and consume locally, end consumerism, decadence and luxury. We need to prioritise local production for local consumption, stimulating self-reliance and the sovereignty of the communities within the limits that the health and remaining resources the planet permits.

As the next to last point, to promote the diversity of cultures and economies. To live in unity respecting our differences, no only physical, but also economic, through economies managed by the communities and their associations.

Sisters and brothers, as the tenth point, we propose to Live Well, not live better at the expense of another, a Live Well based on the lifestyle of our peoples, the riches of our communities, fertile lands, water and clean air. Socialism is talked about a lot, but we need to improve this socialism, improve the proposals for socialism in the XXI century, building a communitarian socialism, or simply Live Well, in harmony with Mother Earth, respecting the shared life ways of the community.

Finally, sisters and brothers, certainly you are following up on the problems that exist. I have reached the conclusion that there will always be problems, but I want to tell you that I am very content, not disappointed or worried because these groups who permanently enslaved our families during the colonial time, the time of the republic and this period of neoliberalism, they continue as family groups, resisting us.

It is our struggle to confront these groups who live in luxury and who do not wish to lose their luxury, or lose their lands. This is a historic struggle and this struggle lives on.

Sisters and brothers, in the hope that the Continental Gathering of the Social Forum of the Americas culminates with strong bonds of unity among you and a strong action plan in favour of the people of Bolivia and of our peoples, I repeat my fraternal greeting.

The Eagle and the Condor, according to the Pachamama Alliance

New Political Constitution of the State - Foundations of the Bolivian State

FIRST PART
FOUNDATIONS OF THE STATE
RIGHTS, RESPONSIBILITIES AND GUARANTEES

TITLE I
FOUNDATIONS OF THE STATE

FIRST CHAPTER
MODEL OF STATE

Article 1. Bolivia is constituted in a Social Unitary State of Plurinational Communitarian Law, free, independent, sovereign, democratic, intercultural, decentralized and with autonomies. Bolivia is founded in plurality and in political, economic, legal, cultural and linguistic pluralism, within the integrating process of the country.

Article 2. Given the pre-colonial existence of the indigenous originary farmer nations and people and their ancestral domain over their territories, their free determination is guaranteed within the frame of the unity of the State, which consists in their right to autonomy, to self-government, to their culture, to the recognition of their institutions and to the consolidation of their territorial entities, in accordance to this Constitution and to the law.

Article 3. The Bolivian nation is formed by the totality of the Bolivian males and females, the indigenous originary farmer nations and people, and the intercultural and afro-Bolivian communities which altogether make up the Bolivian people.

Article 4. The State respects and guarantees freedom of religion and spiritual belief, according to their cosmovisions. The State is independent of religion.

Article 5.

I. The official languages of the State are the Spanish language and all of the languages of the indigenous originary farmer nations and people, that include the languages aymara, araona, naure, bésiro, canichana, cavineño, cayubaba, chácobo, chimán, ese ejia, guaraní, guarasu’we, guarayu, itonama, leco, machajuyai-kallawaya, machineri, maropa, mojeño-trinitario, mojeño-ignaciano, moré, mosetén, movima, pacawara, puquina, quechua, sirionó, tacana, tapiete, toromona, uru-chipaya, weenhayek, yaminawa, yuki, yuracaré and zamuco.

II. The plurinational Government and the departmental governments must use at least two of the official languages. One of them must be the Spanish language, and the other will be decided considering the use, convenience, circumstances, and needs and preferences of the total population or the territory in question. The rest of the autonomous governments must use the own languages of their territories, and one of them must be the Spanish language.

Article 6.

I. Sucre is the Capital of Bolivia.

II. The symbols of the State are the tricolor flag red, yellow and green; the Bolivian anthem; the coat of arms; the wiphala; the rosette; the kantuta flower and the patujú flower.

SECOND CHAPTER
PRINCIPLES, VALUES AND AIMS OF THE STATE

Article 7. Sovereignty resides in the Bolivian people, it is exercised in a direct and delegated manner. From it stems, by delegation, the functions and attributions of the organs of the public power; it is inalienable and imprescribable.

Article 8.

I. The State assumes and promotes as ethic-moral principles of the plural society: ama qhilla, ama llulla, ama suwa (don’t be lazy, don’t be a liar, don’t be a thieve), suma qamaña (to live well), ñandereko (harmonious life), teko kavi (good life), ivi maraei (land without evil), and qhapaj ñan (noble path or life).

II. The State is supported in the values of unity, equality, inclusion, dignity, liberty, solidarity, reciprocity, respect, complementarity, harmony, transparency, balance, equality of opportunities, social and gender equity in participation, common well-being, responsibility, social justice, distribution and redistribution of the products and social assets, to live well.

Article 9. The following are the essential purposes and functions of the State, as well as the ones established by the Constitution and the law:

1. Constitute a just and harmonious society, founded in decolonization, without discrimination or exploitation, with plain social justice, to consolidate the plurinational identities.

2. Guarantee the well-being, the development, the security and the protection and equal dignity of the people, the nations, the towns and communities, and encourage mutual respect and intracultural, intercultural and plurilingual dialog.

3. Reaffirm and consolidate the unity of the country, and preserve its plurinational diversity as historical and human patrimony.

4. Guarantee the fulfillment of the principles, values, rights and duties recognized and established in this Constitution.

5. Guarantee the access of the people to education, health and labor.

6. Promote and guarantee the reasonable and planned use of the natural resources, and encourage their industrialization, through the development and strengthening of the productive base in its different dimensions and levels, as well as the conservation of the environment, for the well-being of current and future generations.

Article 10.

I. Bolivia is a pacifist State, which promotes the culture of peace and the right to peace, as well as the cooperation among peoples of the region and the world, in order to contribute to mutual knowledge, to equitable development and to the promotion of interculturality, with plain respect to the sovereignty of the states.

II. Bolivia rejects any war of aggression as an instrument of solution to differences and conflicts between states and it reserves the right to legitimate defense in case of aggression that compromises the independence and integrity of the State.

III. The installation of foreign military bases within the Bolivian territory is prohibited.

THIRD CHAPTER
SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT

Article 11.

I. The Republic of Bolivia adopts for its government the democratic, participative, representative and communitarian form, with equivalence of conditions among males and females.

II. Democracy is exercised in the following forms, which will all be developed by the law:

1. Direct and participative, by means of the referendum, the citizens’ legislative initiative, the revocation of mandate, the assembly, the town council and the prior consult. The assemblies and town councils will have a deliberative character according to Law.

2. Representative, by means of the election of representatives by universal, direct and secret vote, according to Law.

3. Communitarian, by means of the election, appointment or nomination of authorities and representatives by the own norms and procedures of the indigenous originary farmer nations and people, among others, according to Law.

Article 12.

I. The State organizes and structures its public power through the Legislative, Executive, Judicial and Electoral organs. The organization of the State is founded on the independence, separation, coordination and cooperation among these organs.

II. The control and defense of the society and the defense of the State are state functions.

III. The functions of the public organs can not be gathered in one sole organ nor can they be delegated among each other.