Please take a minute to help the people of Peru!

[Joanne98]

The people of Peru are getting attacked by our Congress and Citibank!

Dear Fair Trade Supporter,

There may be a vote on the Peru NAFTA Expansion as early as November 5th - next week!

The proposed Bush expansion of NAFTA to Peru contains frightening provisions that could lock Peru into a privatized social security system similar to the Bush proposal that Democrats successfully fought last Congress. The main beneficiary of the provision seems to be Citibank, the largest shareholder in ProFuturo AFP, a company authorized to compete against Peru's national social security system.

If a lot of members of Congress vote for the Peru "free trade agreement" (FTA) containing this outrage, it could set a dangerous precedent for Social Security policies here at home. Congress needs to hear that Social Security has no business in a trade agreement.

That's why we need to demand that our representatives and senators oppose the Peru FTA. To do this, we need to get a quick 5,000 signatures on the following petition to the U.S. Congress.

Please sign the petition on social security and trade - and forward it to your friends! Petition Statement
http://action.citizen.org/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=11998

Dear Congress:

As if any agreement expanding NAFTA is not offensive enough, it's absolutely outrageous that the proposed U.S.-Peru "free trade agreement" contains provisions that could make it difficult for Peru to reverse its failed social security privatization. Americans overwhelmingly rejected the Bush administration's proposal to privatize our social security system here in the United States. It would be hypocritical — and a very bad precedent — to lock in Peru's failed social security privatization by allowing such provisions to remain in the proposed Peru FTA. No trade agreement should ever have rules that affect government policy on social security. I urge you vote against the Peru NAFTA expansion.



Sign the petition here: http://action.citizen.org/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=11998

How does this work? If the widely unpopular Peruvian social security privatization were reversed, the investment chapter in the Peru FTA could empower foreign investors that provide private retirement accounts in Peru - like Citibank - to demand compensation from the Peruvian government in UN and World Bank tribunals for "nationalizing" their investment.

Last week, Public Citizen joined dozens of Social Security advocacy organizations and sent a letter (PDF) to the U.S. Congress urging the defeat of the Peru FTA because of the dangerous precedent it sets by elevating the profits of Citibank above the survival of the poor and elderly in Peru. The Miami Herald covered this important story, and concern is rising in the U.S. Congress.

We are gaining momentum, but with only a week left before the vote, we have to make sure that every member of Congress - and most especially the Democrats who defended social security here in the U.S. - get an avalanche of emails and calls.

Sign the petition here: http://action.citizen.org/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=11998

And then forward this email to your friends!

Thank you for taking action!

Lori Wallach
http://action.citizen.org/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=11998

[Kajsa]

1. Done!

I agree, trade agreements should not have rules that affect government policy
on social security.

[eridani]

2. AFSC is doing a campaign as well

NATIONWIDE ACTIONS TO STOP THE PERU FTA



TAKE ACTION the week of October 29th - November 3rd in solidarity with others across the country to say NO to the Peru Free Trade Agreement (FTA). AFSC is joining this national grassroots call for action – visit the Alliance for Responsible Trade website for more creative ideas action and to sign onto the national call to action (http://www.art-us.org/node/280)!



The Peru FTA is expected to come up for a vote either late this week or sometime next week. We need your help in sending a strong message that expanding NAFTA and CAFTA to Peru is a bad idea.



This weekend, Democratic leaderships’ strategy for a quiet passage of the Peru FTA hit a snag when Senator Edwards declared his opposition to all four of the pending FTAs with Peru , Panama , Colombia and South Korea . This will cause them to revisit their strategy. Let us take full advantage of this unexpected opening and send a clear message to our members of Congress.



Act quickly and be part of a nationwide effort to stop the Peru FTA from passing. Call the DC office of your Member of Congress today!



Call-In Instructions


Call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at [phone]. Ask to be connected to your House or Senate member (give your state and zip code if you’re not sure)

When you are connected, ask to speak with the staffer working on trade issues. Tell him or her that you oppose expanding NAFTA and CAFTA to Peru .

Ask for your representative’s position on the US-Peru FTA in writing to be sent to you by email or regular mail.

Use a local or personal story of damage from bad trade deals to illustrate your case or use the call script provided below.


Stop the US - Peru FTA vote call script:


Hello, my name is _________, and I am a constituent. May I speak with the staffer that deals with trade issues?

I am calling to find out Representative/Senator ______________ position on the upcoming U.S.-Peru Free Trade Agreement. Can you tell me how he/she plans to vote?

It is very important that Representative/Senator _____________ come out publicly to oppose this FTA. Despite changes to the Peru FTA it will still (select one or two of the below talking points):

THREATEN SMALL FARMERS. The agreement will favor only a small sector of Peruvian farmers who export to the US . By lowering Peru ’s tariffs on agricultural products, the vast majority of farmers would be vulnerable to cheap subsidized imports from the U.S. This would wipe out local farmers—as happened to the 1.3 million who have been displaced in Mexico since NAFTA passed 12 years ago.

THREATEN ACCESS TO LIFE-SAVING MEDICINES. While the amended text of the Peru FTA removes the most egregious, CAFTA-based, provisions limiting the access to affordable medicines, it still includes NAFTA provisions that undermine the right to affordable medicines for poorer countries.
THREATEN WORKERS AND ENVIRONMENT. Changes to the labor and environment provisions are insufficient. The Peru FTA allows discretion for FTA dispute settlement panels to interpret and apply the terms of the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work differently than the Declaration has been interpreted and applied by the ILO itself. Enforcement of the new changes will be dependent on Peruvian President Garcia who has a consistent record of undermining domestic labor and environmental law enforcement.

THREATEN WOMEN, CHILDREN, AND THE POOR. Provisions promoting the privatization and deregulation of essential services such as water, healthcare and education are written into this trade agreement. As these services become less accessible, women and the poor would have to make up for increases in prices of these services.

THREATEN U.S. AND PERUVIAN SOVEREIGNTY. The Peru FTA contains a NAFTA-style foreign investor chapter that allows corporations to bring actions against governments that pass environmental and public health laws that might reduce corporate profits.

THREATEN INDIGENOUS PEOPLES by opening the way for large pharmaceutical and agribusiness corporations to patent traditional knowledge, seeds, and life forms. This opens the door to bio-piracy of the Andean-Amazon region and threatens the ecological, medicinal and cultural heritage of indigenous peoples.


Would you be willing to send me an email with Representative ________________ position on the trade pact to ___________________ .


Please do e-mail us their response at trade {at} afsc.org

Jessica Walker Beaumont
Trade and Debt Specialist
American Friends Service Committee
NEW TEL: [phone]

Check out our new campaign www.tradeandwar.org www.trade-matters.org

www.afsc.org/lifeoverdebt