First Encounter Abolitionist Animal Liberation - Bogotá Intervention

10 and July 11 - La Mesa, Colombia

Building movement, building release ...

10 and July 11 gathered on the outskirts of Bogotá, four abolitionist groups and a significant number of people working independently and with commitment in the search for ways to build animal liberation process non-human and human in Bogota.

In an atmosphere of camaraderie, exchange of knowledge and vegan food, we do, during these two days, to think critically about 4 lines of discussion, namely, a) animal liberation and other social struggles, b ) education and communication into and out of groups and / or processes; c) veganism in capitalist globalization approached from a critical perspective, and finally, d) strategies and tactics to an abolitionist movement for animal liberation in Colombia. All this, suffice it to say, in the framework of an enclosure in order to strengthen our theoretical and ideological praxis and open roads that allow us to articulate the struggle for animal liberation with other processing in the social, economic, political and cultural .

And we manage to think, because we thought to act ...

The first day discussion, prepared by the Center for Animal Liberation Abolitionist Network Popular Libertarian Matthew Kramer, revolved around the vague but necessary relationship between nonhuman animal liberation and social movements. The starting point was the argument that speciesism is the result of certain social and historical dynamics. From the relationship between speciesism and society opened the discussion of the dogmatism that has permeated the animal liberation movement is unknown when that animal exploitation and slavery are perpetuated by the multiple and complex social dynamics and, must therefore be questioned from them.

How does the non-human animal slavery with the historical development of human societies? If speciesism born within society itself, does not mean that it is historic and can only be transformed by transforming these relationships? If we accept that all forms of exploitation are interrelated, what does this mean for the Animal Liberation movement? Without going to reach a definitive answer yes in any case, to conclude that the animal liberation movement can not be removed from its historical moment and it should open bridges that allow articulated with other sectors and other social struggles in overcoming situations and forms of oppression such as speciesism, sexism, capitalism, patriarchy and so on.

The second day , prepared by the group Natural Resistance (REN) - For a Culture of Animal Liberation, was devoted to communication and education. As matters essential to any transformation initiative, these two elements so closely related, were approached in a practical and pedagogical to recognize and make tangible the elements of the communication process, to realize that communication is not easy or simple, and if there are serious problems associated with communication in daily life, to convey a message of complex traits and somehow distant and alien to mainstream society, especially capitalist consumerist society, as is the message of animal liberation, it becomes a challenge that requires a thorough analysis of parts and all, noting strengths and weaknesses of our communication process. This, because through years of activism, both their own and others, we recognize that the message has been coming to the receivers (the company) has not been having the efficiency we would like and progress, but increasingly noticeable, are slow and difficult ownership and implementation, even in social groups and populations with special sensitivity, affinity, or direct and indirect relationship with our cause, as is the case of social activists politicians and even environmentalists. We recognize in education, one of the fundamental weapons of any process of social and attitudinal change. We perform an analysis of the characteristics of the main models and paradigms of education, the uses or knowingly incorrect or we have not offered according to these models, being aware of the sociopolitical implications of each. This axis was used patents to leave more questions than answers.

Clearly we need a new practice animalistic, critical, political, consistent and radical, in recognition of their difficulties and to work towards overcoming them, to renew and / or reaffirm constantly through the discussion of new knowledge and currents of thought, which combines the paradigms of education as people, cases, differential contexts or situations that achieves continuity in working with populations addressed, so as to create habits and that the message has become second nature, which in much more and achieve expertise in the field of education and its many facets, with which to build new forms of discourse, in form and substance, or other innovative or alternative strategies and to communicate effectively, so influencing more and more impact, attitudinal changes and palpable applied in society progressive abandonment of speciesism and all forms of exploitation and domination.

next day open the question of veganism, addressed critically from an anti-capitalist stance. Veganism individualistic, functional to the logic of consumption is a problem that must be addressed on the basis of disciplinary analysis in the context of a much more wide linking social and ecological. Veganism is essential because it is the ethical stance of animal liberation, but as such can not be considered as a practice can transform the world and eliminate speciesism. The consumer appears to be critical in this regard, supremely important as the issue extends to the field of production model and economic systems that, among other things, creates wealth by exploiting human and animal non-human.

veganism What we are talking about then? The question of veganism and bourgeois individualism, functional in many cases speciesism and the logic of domination, led us to the topic of organization and collective and individual. Highlighting the importance of individual work and initiative and a critical, mentioned the need for organization that allows individual development, understanding this is not the sum of the individuals and their struggle for power, but rather as the collective capacity to direct the work toward specific goals. An anonymous activist of the underground movement for animal liberation, rightly noted that "the animal liberation movement can not be trapped by the networks of individualism, and that this, in addition to denying the condition animal of women and men to organized labor and other species, perpetual consumerism, the production model and extends the non-human animal suffering. "

The last topic , and largely picked up the previous three, was the strategies and tactics, prepared by Radio Liberation Road. Colombia is a country which needs to think about animal liberation, and this can only be accomplished through the commitment, self-criticism and action. Because there is truly an animal liberation movement, before strengthening it is necessary to create it. The strategies require a clear picture to enable us to problematize social phenomenon, such as speciesism, in our own context and to that extent, set the guidelines for determining the objectives aimed at overcoming this problem. And while we must learn from mistakes and successes of other experiences, it is essential to think and act from, and the context in which we live.

In a consumer system that is responsible for selling stereotypes, it is necessary to promote criticism and rebellion. We are only able to drive an abolitionist movement for animal liberation as ourselves of our reality, let us put aside complacency and forge our own ideas. Animal liberation is not a product is a revolutionary praxis that seeks to abolish all forms of exploitation and slavery-human animal and human.

After talking, we must make decisions

After an arduous and self reflection the animal liberation movement in Colombia, generated a vital feedback to strengthen our actions and above all to integrate and coordinate the joint work that each and every one of us, as individuals and as groups / collectives, developed in the interests of nonhuman animal liberation.

We then develop the mutual agreement and work the problem of Animal Experimentation Colombia, based on a set of minimum agreements to which each of the different groups and individuals had come through the discussions held. Aware of the existence of animal movement in Colombia for more than 20 years, we noted the welfarist nature and often abstract that has been compared to a problem that spans multiple dimensions and multiple scenarios which must be addressed in the context general we live in and from an abolitionist stance.

Prepared for action ...

Having taken the decision to organize and work against experimentation in Colombia, we clarify some aspects of the campaign, the result of this first meeting:

Working

research, education and report on animal experiments in Colombia.
Fields of action: a) Education: Universities and colleges b) Science and Technology; c) Industries Pharmaceutical d) Industry and military apparatus. Cover
the issue from a critical perspective that links the non-human animal domination with other forms of domination.

No more ignorance, no ... speciesism

The meeting allowed each and every one of us could discuss issues that are often silenced, questions and reflections that are absent in many cases but us approached us and through debate and discussion and self-reflexive from different points of view, all geared toward the same goal, to abolish animal slavery, so, that way, as a group or coalition of activists, we are increasingly better prepared and ready and we are therefore much more effective force with clear ideals and serious proposals.

The abolitionist groups and people of Colombia to attend the meeting for animal liberation, we recognize that in the Colombian context, there is no abolition movement as such. So we join forces to build an open work processes that recognizes abolitionist, also, the importance of coordinating the movement with other forms of resistance as we understand, are complex the relationships between various forms of exploitation and oppression nonhuman animal, human and Earth. The ideas outlined here are intended to generate discussion and contribute to debates that have begun to generate in some parts of the South American continent, so that they can strengthen the action.

That our thoughts are based on our actions ... those actions necessary to release the millions of nonhuman animals and enslaved enslaved by capitalism and development models focus on the human ... non-human animals need a revolution and the need now ...

"If the death of animals on Earth and makes you mourn, take those tears and turn them into action"

Rod Coronado

the abolitionist Coalition Animal liberation: