2nd German Social Forum Took Place in Cottbus

The 2nd German Social Forum took place in Cottbus, in the very
east of Germany.
In the following I want to give you some impressions from the events I
visited, with a perspective on housing and urban development and
important frames for that.

1. general
2. debate on global social rights
3. European Union + ESF initiatives
4. Right to Housing and welfare legislation


1. General participation
Although many interesting seminars and events were prepared the
quantitative participation was rather poor (about 1500 people). The big
and comfortable venues were partly empty, even at the larger
³conferences² Among the reasons are the mobilization problems after all
the energies put in the G8 mobilization in June. But it also was
reported that the local social forums became weaker. It was rather
significant that important parts of the Greman social movements only
showed a weak participation, for instance attac, trade unions with some
exceptions, the internationalist one world movements, ecologists.
Regarding the themes of the self organized events the consequences of
the welfare reforms (Hartz IV) played an important role, and these
events were mainly run by networks of affected people. Another clear
focus was alternative economy , self organized projects and communities.
I did not manage to vist them. The conference coordinators focused on a
couple of other important issues, such as the European Union and global
social rights. It was reported that contacts to the political sphere
(mainly left party) have been improved.
Another reason for the week participation was the location at the
periphery of Germany. The town Cottbus was chosen because of the support
by the local authorities there AND because it opened chances to involve
more people from eastern Central Europe , especially Poland and Czech
Republic. In fact there were delegations from these countries which are
so far too less involved in the social forum movement.

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2. Global social rights
Since the preparation for G8 Alternate Summit a cross-issue coalition of
organisations (among them: FIAN, the radical medical relief organization
³medico international², Green Peace, the large metal workers union IG
Metall, the movement ³EuroMarches against social exclusion² and the
network for migration rights ³kein mensch ist illegal²) has been
launching a debate about a common political orientation which they call
³global social rights².
The basic idea is to clarify common interests of social movements,
international solidarity NGOs, trade unions and environment NGOs for a
platform which consequently faces financial globalisation with a
rights-based and movement orientated approach. On this way a lot of
problems have to be discussed, for instance: How can equal social rights
be achieved within the ecological limits of growth? What is the relation
between the national social interests of the metal workers union and the
workers rights in the emerging economies or with the call for freedom of
migration?
The discussion among the representatives from medico, IG Metall, Euro
Marches and kein-mensch-ist-illegal showed an astonishing will to
cooperate with openness and harmony.
At the same time it became obvious to me that the discussion among them
has just started and many points are even not at the scope. For
instance: For the global south they orientate on a FIAN demand for a
global right to basic income. The propagandistic approach is clear:
redistribution of global wealth to welfare for the global poor because
the development agenda which focuses on self-help labour will fail to
reach the poorest. But: Given the fact that poverty and for istance the
number of slum population is ever increasing, how realistic are those
demands for a global transfer of income? Isn¹ it much more obvious that
land and production rights permanently get violated and that this as
well as forced evictions in urban areas build an important reason for
poverty? Obviously they have a lack in discussing housing and land
rights so far.
I see another problem in their concept of global social rights, which
not directly refers to human rights and ESC rights, but is very much
orientated on process character of social movements and struggles. They
say, they prefer to relate to the concrete processes and not to the
institutions. Consequently they risk to underestimate the ethical global
dimension of social rights, which are not only a case of recuperation
but also of reflection on the universal dimension of human rights. The
legitimacy of social interests of workers organized in a trade union for
instance must nit be the same as universal social human rights. And the
right of migrants alone is no answer to global pressure for emigration
if it is not accompanied by a rights to stay. The overwhelming problems
we will get after global climate change even provoke questions regarding
a real global migration management. How can that be organized in
coherence with human rights?
Well, after 3 start up conferences the initiators now plan to improve
the organization of the debate. I hope there will be better chances to
integrate the questions of housing- , landrights and the human rights in
the city later on.

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3. European Union
Parallel to the German Social Forum governments of the EU in Lisbon
agreed to a European treaty which will overcome the legitimation
problems with the constitution draft (the NO referendums in France and
the Netherlands) as well as the problems with Poalmnd the UK etc. At a
conference at the Social Forum laft parliamentarians and activists
shared the view: The new treaty which does not use the name
³constitution² includes all the mess which gave reason to the protests
and the NOs in the referendums: a strict obligation on free trade and
freedom of capital, the obligation on military upgrading. And even
worse: the charter of fundamental rights will not be part of this
treaty, London is against it.
A heavy loss for the movements which struggled for another constitution
and another Europe? The former member of the European parliament and
philosopher F.O. Wolf showed some optimism: This treaty will totally
fail to solve the problems, they will rise again and show that Europe
needs another fundament.
Gabi Zimmer, left member of the EU parliament, shared the criticism, but
she even made clear that the new treaty may increase the role of the
European parliament. Therefore, social movements may improve their
cooperation with members of the parliament.
Leo Gabriel, one of the authors of the ESF outcome

Charter of Principles of another Europe
http://www.europe4all.org/
called for an intensified campaigning for another Europe within the
coming months, for instance at the WSF action days in January.

Even Attac
http://www.noeuconstitution.net/wiki/index.php/10Principles4Treaty_%28EN%29
http://www.attac.de/aktuell/erklaerung-eu-reformvertrag.pdf
is networking for another Europe.

Action is planned for December 8 in Lisbon and of course the issue will
be a prominent topic at the

NEXT EUROPEAN SOCIAL FORUM
In Malmö, Sweden, September 18-21, 2008

Process for general proposals for themes just started:
http://www.esf2008.org/en/

Let¹s see how we can include our issues.

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4. Right to housing and welfare legislation in Germany
The ³reform² of the welfare system in Germany (unemployed insurance ->
Hartz IV) had very serious consequences on the housing situation of
unemployed. Because of the limited support for housing costs many people
get forced to leave their flats. We permanently have been working on the
issue since 2004. Today the situation varies heavily from city to city.
At the Social Forum a network of initiatives of unemployed organized a
workshop on housing rights and the welfare legislation in Germany. After
an introduction to the housing rights campaign we mainly discussed
problems of welfare income receivers in housing.

While in some cities the situation is getting worse others have achieved
more social rules by lobbying (case in my town) or public mobilization
(good example in Bremen). But everywhere the situation is labile and
unemployed residents with expensive flats are principally in danger.
Some documentations have been done.
Consequences on homelessness and evictions are not very clear at
national level.
A group in the south west of Germany is discussing initiatives for an
enforceable right to housing following the examples of the mobilization
in France.

As a result of this meeting we decided to organize a national conference
of local groups in order to improve the experience exchange on the
housing consequences of the welfare legislation as well as on successful
local strategies.
A main point will be the debate on a common platform of political
demands at national level.
We hope to build an alliance with political impact and good rooting in
the groups of affected people.
We may even discuss improved documentation for the use at ³human rights²
levels.

best
Knut Unger