Report from 5th Anarchist General Forum, Cariacica, Espírito Santo, Brazil 08 to 11/09/2022

Posted on 27th November 2022 by IFA

Background to the FACA Forum supported by IFA: https://i-f-a.org/2022/08/29/call-out-for-the-5th-general-anarchist-forum-in-cariacica-rj-brazil-8-11-september-2022/

Between 8 and 11 September 2022, the 5th General Anarchist Forum (5FGA) took place in Cariacica – Espírito Santo – Brazil. After three years without performing it, we returned with joy and success to meet and work. The FGA is itinerant. This year we had four days with conferences, thematic tables, discussion groups, thematic groups, short courses, artistic activities and final plenary. Itinerancy confirms to be needed and important within a continental country such as Brazil.

The theme of the 5th FGA was: “Anarchist Roots: experiences and popular struggles”. It is the result of our reflections, practices, memories and histories of anarchism, of the various social movements, of the political conjuncture in Brazil and in the contemporary world.

Within this 5th FGA, also occurred the 2nd CRIFA (Commission of Relations of the International of Anarchist Federations) held in Brazil, bringing together ten member anarchist federations in both face-to-face and virtual format: FLA (Argentina), IFA-Brazil, FA (UK), FAS (Sicily), FA Francophone, APO (Greece), FAI (Italy), FAI (Iberian), KAF (Kurdish-speaking), FAM (Mexico).

Fifty people participated in this edition over the four days, twenty-one groups, organizations and movements: Liga Anarquista no Rio de Janeiro, Coletivo Anarcopunk Aurora Negra, Coletivo José Oiticica, Aldeia Teko Haw-DF, Aldeia Guarani Yrexakã-SP, Movimento Quilombo Sapê do Norte, CECUN – Centro de Estudos de Cultura Negra, Núcleo Estadual de Mulheres Negras e Ciclo Palmarino, Resistência Fest, Radio Invasão, Movimento AnarcoPunk no Espírito Santo, Coordenação Nacional de Articulação das Comunidades Negras Rurais Quilombolas – CONAQ, Comissão Quilombola, Cineclube Ambiental, Cariacica Undergound, Grupo Motim de Teatro, Blog Paletada do Rock, Nação Hip hop Cariacica and Federação Anarquista Capixaba.

After days of conversations and exchanges between participants, groups and organizations, we concluded our work with a plenary session where we deliberated the following indications:

1. Solidarity and support to Yrexakã-São Paulo village in the construction of a school. Approved by consensus. Pending project and budget. After completion we will propose also the project for international support.

2. Solidarity with the struggle of Quilombo Sapé do Norte, propaganda, support in anarchic agroecology, international demonstration against agribusiness, funding for ‘agroecology guerrilla strategy’, space of experience (agroecology, sport, permaculture, agroecological construction, social and political formation). Support and solidarity in the construction of a space of experience, experimentation and social-political formation in Sapé do Norte. Approved by consensus. Pending project and budget forwarding. After completion we will propose also the project for international support.

3. An annual direct action of IFA against companies and governments that destroy the environment and directly affect the exploited and oppressed populations from Latin America. Approved by consensus. Pending the creation of a commission.

4. Anti-war Latin-American Manifesto. Themes: anticolonial, anti-slavery, exploitation and oppression: favela, periphery, indigenous, quilombolas, agribusiness, agro-industry, conquest, colonization. Approved by consensus. Highlighting topics such as Mapuche, Sapé, Periferia, Guarani Kaiowá.

5. Declaration of support and solidarity to FAIt anti-war manifesto: approved by consensus.

6. Manifesto of the Anarchist Federation Capixaba (FACA) and their adhesion to IFA-Brazil. Approved by consensus. Pending statutes of the organization.

7. Indication to celebrate the 6th Anarchist General Forum in the Federal District – Brasília in Teko Haw Village. Approved by consensus. Pending articulation.

Evaluation: the Forum was positively evaluated by all participants. Several participants saluted the resumption of the FGA and acknowledged the local organization for the reception. The programme was fulfilled almost in its entirety, with 5 tables taking place, 8 thematic groups and 4 courses, 2 rounds of conversation, the launch of FAI-Italy anti-war manifesto, the Plenary. After days / nights of intense work we fraternized and experienced Ciniclube Ambiental, DOC. Yrexakã Village, theatre play Elections, with Grupo de Teatro Motin. We acknowledge the support of Sindtrages for lending us their locals.

Finance: the FGA was guaranteed by the work of more than a dozen comrades. We produced t-shirts worth 50 R$ with the logo of the 5th FGA. We counted on the contribution of all participants for the amount of 20 R$ and received donations from organizations, movements and collectives.

We add the following documents:

1 Statement in support of FAIt anti-war manifesto

2 Manifesto of foundation and adhesion of the Capixaba Anarchist Federation – FACA.

1. Declaration on FAI Italy’s anti-war manifesto

The plenary session of the 5th Anarchist General Forum, after knowledge and debate of the Anti-War Manifesto issued by the Italian Anarchist Federation referred to the War between Russia and Ukraine, states:

In our 5th plenary we debated and approved the motion in support of the FAI Italy Anti-War Manifesto, understanding the need to discuss war and wars within the International and to make our views overflow to the whole of society in the countries where we are represented.

Cariacica – Espírito Santo – Brazil 5th Plenary session of the 5th FGA, September 11, 2022.

2. Manifesto of the Capixaba Anarchist Federation [Anarchist Federation of the State of Espírito Santo]

Capixaba Lands 11/09/2022

We, Anarchists Capixabas, inhabit this medieval state that was marked by the white homes of colonizers who named our territory Holy Spirit – these same cannibals of profit, and capitalism.

Today, 11/09/2022, our Capixaba Anarchist Federation – F.A.C.A. is born.

This organization is born for struggle and resistance, in the sea, in the air, in factories, in the fields, in the outskirts of cities, in the forests, in the rivers, always against the mining and polluting industries, oil companies, agricultural business, armamentists, and everything and everyone who hurts the principle of well living. We will fight capitalism, the state and its tentacles, to end with man’s exploitation of man.

We will fight together side by side with the indigenous and maroons and with the exploited and oppressed for the recovery of their territories and their right to land!

Our Federation draws from the anti-authoritarian and libertarian source, taking inspiration in indignation and revolt, as well as in the popular struggle for better living conditions.

Our organization rises from the Anarchist ideal with pillars based on solidarity, mutual support, self-management and anticapitalism, and also on the struggle for a territory free from the evils of the infamous global capitalist model.

And in this context, we recall that the anarchist movement here, in the lands of Espírito Santo, began in the early 20th century, thanks to workers employed in the railway of Cachoeiro de Itapemirim, promoting strikes and anarcho-syndicalist organization. The long Brazilian dictatorships almost extinguished the movement. However, in the late 1970s, anarchism restarted to permeate this land with a cry against all exploitation and oppression and also against the bourgeois monotony in the territory of Espírito Santo.

Since then, the capixabas took the streets, and among students and punks the movement took new strength, while the need for organization was understood. We draw upon 40 years of actions of the most diverse kind, and today we continue to walk the anarchist path in search of a free territory where life is valued. Throughout our career we have carried out strikes, radio programs, fanzine productions, newspapers, booklets, poetry, fine arts, musical bands, meetings, study groups, exchanges, anarchist forums, parties, demonstrations, acts of protest in May 1st and September 7th, campaigns for no vote, theatre groups, film clubs, workshops, Esperanto courses, participation in indigenous brigades and fights for the quilombola territory, urban occupations, anti-racist campaigns, confrontation and fight against fascism, among many other struggles that we have fought throughout our history.

This all makes us reflect and act; and today 11/09/2022, within the Anarchist General Forum, we started our newest tool of organization and struggle, the Capixaba Anarchist Federation (F.A.C.A). We are willing and ready to resist, joining those who fight for social transformation, breaking paradigms and bourgeois, statist, capitalist and authoritarian dogmas.

Thus, we understand the need to organize ourselves in Brazil and globally, so we request to join the Federalist Anarchist Initiative – IFA Brazil, associated with the International of Anarchist Federations.

With all the exploited people, women, children, the elderly and minorities, we will walk side by side with the black flag wielded to fight.

Capixaba Anarchist Federation – FACA .