Manifesto: Against the persecution and criminalization of democracy #democraciarealya #europeanrevolution

From Europeanrevolution:

Below is the translation of the manifesto against the criminalization of outraged movement original text (in Catalan) and list of signatories here: http://suportindignats.blogspot.com/. The document has been signed by hundreds of university professors, artists, writers, journalists, activists and professionals, including singers such as Lluís Llach, Paco Ibanez and Xavier Sarria (Obrint Pas), Xavier Muntanyà journalists, David Fernandez, and Joanna Manu Simarro Grezner, professors like Etxezarreta Jordi Borja, Xavier Domènech, Josep Fontana, Susana Narotzki, John Subirats and Vicente Navarro, writers and actors like Henry Cassasses Carme Sansa and many more … the manifiesto was presented at the press conference held on June 18 2011 here http://acampadabcn.wordpress.com/2011/06/22/arriben-suport-de-totes-bandes-manifest-sobre-la-dignitat-dels-indignats/

MANIFESTO

Against the persecution and criminalization of democracy. In support of the dignity of the outraged population.

The protests organized over the last few months, embodied in moving 15-M, the camps and demonstrations against social cutbacks are a sign of a deep uneaseness caused by the present danger of a social breakdown. In a society where social exclusion, insecurity, unemployment and loss of rights are growing, policies developed by our institutions have shifted their focus from the measures to create jobs and protect the most affected by the crisis to a debate on public deficit. A discussion ballasted by a strong democratic deficit, imposed by non-democratic bodies which seeks to further advance towards a new model of society characterized by lack of equity and of social justice. In our home, the two most obvious tools of this process are the Budget Law and the Omnibus Act promoted by the CiU government. Two laws not supported by any electoral program or prior negotiation.

The foundation of the present social protest is the distress, while creativity and generosity have shaped its form and content, and peaceful actions typical of civil disobedience have been its clearest sign of identity. The media and the politicians reaction to the protest was first of surprise, as they did not understand it, then of concern, as they felt challenged by it, followed by pure repression, because they did not accept it, and now, finally, of criminalization. We are witnessing, after totally condemnable incident, the stigmatizing of a political protest which is pointing out the main problems of our country and is doing it outside the prevailing political and media consensus. To the extent that representative institutions obey the dictates from institutions that have not been not democratically elected (as the IMF, the financial markets and rating agencies), democracy is becoming meaningless in the eyes of a growing number of population; Is in this sense that this peaceful social protests are demanding a return to the sovereignty of citizens; they are defending democracy. Not the other way around.

The signatories of this manifesto condemn the criminalization that media and politicians are doing of the movement blaming the whole movement based on a partial incident. This protest seeks the most radical social transformation that our country has experienced since the beginning of democracy. We welcome the responsiveness shown by a growing part of the population. This criminalization is taking the form of treating speeches againstt against peaceful citizens and against those who, like Arcadi Oliveres, support them. Protest and rebellion have been the foundation of the conquest of our liberties, criminalization and prosecution can only be the prologue to their loss.

adhere to the manifesto: suportindignats@gmail.com