Stop the NAFTA for Africa bill

From Martha Hannan, Program Director, International Development Exchange/IDEX, 9 May 2000

NAFTA for Africa Bill & 23 Country NAFTA Expansion in the Caribbean and Central America Passes in Sneak Attack by Proponents

A scam trade package (HR 434) including a version of the Africa Re-Colonization Act, a version of CBI NAFTA expansion and a special deal for Chiquita CEO Carl Lindner passed widely in the House on May 4. After we held parts of this package at bay for four years, it only passed after the democratic process was trashed by rushing a vote on all of this lumped together in a package that Congress was not able to review in advance.

The NAFTA for Africa Bill passed both the House and the Senate last year, but because the bill was so controversial and there were huge differences between the House and Senate versions, the leadership of both chambers were having difficulties reaching a compromise. The whole process got a jump start when Chiquita’s Lindner declared to the GOP leaders (Lott and Hastert) that he wanted his money’s worth and they had to find a vehicle for his banana deal.

Instead of providing time for debate and consideration—and almost before the House conferees had even been officially named—the compromise was brought up on May 4, only hours after the final text had been finalized! Copies of the legislation were literally not available for Members until after the debate had started, and Members did not fully understand the scope and reach of this legislation.

Here’s what they voted YES to:

• The NAFTA for Africa Bill - a devastating bill for the sub-Sahara, which imposes harsh conditionalities (just on Africa), doesn’t mention the debt crises, has terms that could worsen the AIDS crises in Africa, offers no labor or environmental protections, and does not encourage local development within Africa.
• The Caribbean Basin NAFTA Parity (CBI), a one-way NAFTA expansion to 23 Central America and Caribbean nations, helping corporations set up sweatshops where salaries are as low as 60 cents per hour.
• A special deal for Chiquita Banana CEO Carl Lindner to make it easier to continue to carry out the sanctions against the European countries for giving preferential treatment for poor African and Caribbean countries.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Call your Senator TODAY at the Capitol: 1-202-224-3121 and urge them to oppose AGOA/CBI! Ask for a written response so that your opposition gets recorded.

The following Senators require special pressure from you!

Demand these senators vote NO on HR 434:

Senator Tom Harkin (202-224-3254 - ask for Shawnee Wiggins)
Senator John Rockefeller (202-224-6472 - ask for Ellen Deniski)
Senator Richard Durbin (202-224-2152 ask for Jimmy Williams)
Senator Edward Kennedy (202-224-4543)
Senator Rick Santorum (202-224-6324)
Senator Diane Feinstein (202-224-3841) urge her to filibuster the bill

Martha Hannan
Program Director
International Development Exchange/IDEX
827 Valencia Street Suite 101
San Francisco CA 94110
Tel: 415-824-8384
Fax: 415-824-8387
http://www.idex.org