Message-ID: <1.5.4.16.19970606134455.1a6f53e2@mail.telecom.net.et> Date: Fri, 6 Jun 1997 14:12:57 +0300 From: Dawit Angelo <mailto:dangelo@TELECOM.NET.ET> Subject: MIA-Multilateral Agreement on Investment (fwd) To: mailto:DEVEL-L@AMERICAN.EDU
From: Inviting Debate <mailto:sustain@web.net> Subject: Money Above the Law. Sender: mailto:owner-media-l@tao.ca Reply-To: mailto:media-l@tao.ca$ $ Putting the Rights of Money Above the Laws of Nations. $ $
A COUP is brewing to put the rights of international investors beyond the reach of national laws.
Under MAI, the Multilateral Agreement on Investment, member nations would be forbidden to use investment rules to promote social, environmental or economic goals, including job creation. Investors from any other member nation would be guaranteed entry and residency. They could bring in their own workers, raw materials or component parts, and they would be under no obligation to sell their product locally or even to keep assets in the country where they are bought.
Any national laws, past, present or future, that affects investors or the assets they buy would be subject to approval by an unelected international panel. No where in the agreement is there provision for a member nation or effected people to sue for damage caused by the action of an investor.
The full text of the 170 page MAI can be found at: http://www.islandnet.com/plethora/ There is also a 7 page summary of the text and many other related items.
The justification for MAI is that it will stimulate economic growth. This may be true, but economic growth does not necessarily benefit people. There is another goal that we might choose which does not require overriding democracy. It is a Question of Direction. See: http://www.cyberus.ca/choose.sustain
The great fortunes of the world are worried about where to invest the huge amounts of money they have gathered. MAI would solve their problem for a while. At first it would bind members of the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development), 29 of the world's richest countries. They could then pry the rest of the world open for purchase by making trade with them contingent on signing the MAI.
Preparation for this deal was a well kept secret until word slipped out a couple of months ago. Can citizens who have had no part in preparing this 'agreement' be subjected to its wide ranging provisions? It would be better if we didn't have to find out. Learn more about the MAI, spread the word, let your representatives know it is unacceptable. Resist the new feudalism.
* * * * * * * * * * * * 'Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world, indeed it's the only thing that ever has.' Margaret Mead
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http://www.cyberus.ca/choose.sustain
Sustainability Project - Inviting Debate P.O. Box 374, Merrickville, Ontario K0G 1N0 (613) 269-3500 e-mail: mailto:sustain@web.net