The pandemic exposed a structural problem of the current model, with health, education, and communications privatized, thereby increasing exclusion, poverty and discrimination. Along with it, the environmental emergency due to extractivism industry, corruption and the lack of political will to promote sustainable proposals.
The “Latin America, Between Violence and Resistance” strengthens communities’ capacities for a nonviolent resistance to extractivism, in seven countries of the Region (see map). The confinement by the Pandemic brought uncertainty and impoverishment and its effects will be painful for communities in the near future; however, it did not mean their isolation nor the stopping of their commitment to defend land and territory from an Amerindian, mestizo and Afro cosmovision.
Creativity and collective strength were focused on the use of social networks and community radios for training, awareness about the emergency and virtual accompaniment; topics such as the Youth School of Popular Education, Campaigns against gender and children violence, Leadership, Trauma Healing-and listening to and supporting communities Food Sovereignty-seeds and community gardens were supported the impact of extractivism and the care of Xater and the environment, the Defence of Life and the Land, and advocacy to request the suspension of large-scale extractive projects that affect indigenous territories were tackled in a very positive way.
Pax Christi International developed a Report on the Impact of Covid-19 in zones of socio-environmental conflicts, with some ideas to resist and continue building joint actions around four themes: Food Sovereignty, Universal Basic Income, Solidarity/Eco-Spirituality, and Advocacy as a tool for citizen ¡defending rights and social reconstruction. The Report and a Spanish/English Executive Summary can be found at https://paxchristi.net/2020/08/25/ between-covid-19-and-extractivist-policies/. PCI continued its advocacy work, together with Red Iglesias y Minería, Repam, Alianza Convida20 and others, such as the letter in which, together with more than 300 organizations, denounces the impacts of Covid-19 in communities and urges governments to respond with policies and programs to alleviate impacts. See: paxchristi.net/2020/06/03/.
We agree with those who affirm that, in the face of a difficult future, humanity needs to strengthen ties of trust and solidarity, and this starts from the community level, to the global level. An optimal combination of economic, industrial, social and environmental policies should stimulate reactivation based on equity and sustainability. Communities will be vigilant, they already know, with us, that the 2030 Agenda must be adapted to this new reality!
Martha Inés Romero, Regional Coordinator PCI
This article is available in SIGNIS Media. Is peace on earth possible?