Caribbean Forum of Integration

Latin American Council of Churches (CLAI) and the Alliance of Presbyterian and Reformed Churches of Latin America (AIPRAL)

May 15-17, 2008
Guatire – Venezuela

Declaration

The CLAI and APIPRAL member churches, together with ecumenical organizations and social movements meeting in the Caribbean Forum of Integration, inspired by the social struggles, by the current process of integration which is taking place in our region and by the Accra Confession, recognize that current trend by which life becomes a commodity and is destroyed and the accumulation of wealth of few a the expense of the impoverishment of many has caused:

• social and economic injustice
• destruction of the environment
• systematic violation of Human Rights (fullness of life, education, health, labour, ethnic, cultural and gender discrimination, among others)
• food crisis
• wars for economic, energy and environmental control
• loss of identities

We believe in God Creator and sustainor of life, who calls through the voice our people oppressed by the neoliberal model, to the redemption of creation: “The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it” (Psalm 24)

We denounce the chaos of this world which is the result of an economic and social immoral model, created and upheld by the empire (Hebrews 2: 14-15), which in the search of its own interest, exerts cultural, economic, political and military subjugation through different instruments of domination and exploitation (WB, IMF, NAFTA, WTO, FTA, FTAA, Plan Colombia, PPP, among others).

We condemn the global neoliberal economic order because it excludes life and is contrary to God’s plan of Love, Justice and Grace for all people (Isaiah 55:1).

We vindicate Jesus’ movement and will for life in fullness for all people (John 10:10b) and we

Commit to:

• reveal and not keep silent faced with the neoliberal globalized system and to denounce al forms of discrimination and oppression,
• make available, to strengthen and incorporate alternative projects which dignify life and live in harmony with the environment,
• prophetically articulate and enter in solidarity with all liberating and decolonizing proposals and movements (such as ALBA, the Continental Social Alliance, World Social Forum),
• work towards the unity of our people from our roots up and the recognition of our multiethnic and pluri-cultural realities,
• contribute to the building up of economic, social and cultural systems which do not take life or the environment as commodities and recognize them as maximum values,
• share with our communities this declaration and to put into practice what it says through the different initiatives agreed to in this Forum,
• invite our churches, movements and organizations to cooperate ecumenically and to commit to training on these issues and to urgently and prophetically denounce Free Trade Agreements, and other strategies of domination, which cause so much damage to our people and to creation.
• Exhort our churches, movements, and the people of God, based on commitment to God’s Word to the celebration and affirmation of life in abundance for all people.

Convinced that God’s will is on the side of the oppressed people of the world (Matthew 25:40), we recognize our responsibility and duty to work so this may be a reality.