ABOUT XRISN
XR Internationalist Solidarity Network began forming immediately after the launch of XR UK (October 31st 2018). XRISN seeks to enhance unifying people's power through solidarity with the struggles of the Wretched of the Earth as a key Rebellion means of the grassroots building of Internationalist Solidarity from the Minority World of the Global North, with the affirmative positive action of Global South peoples of the Majority World, with due recognition of the agency,of Indigenous and other Communities of Resistance in their ongoing Reparatory Justice work of Planet Repairs for Global Justice.
The Network's Overall Stategy is:
Glocalization to interconnect all Communities of Resistance in both the Global South and the Global North to work closer together as the Global Majority on unifying their Peoples' Power and strengthen it in multicultural and intercultural engagements of Co-Liberation Actions of Planet Repairs Rebellion that will galvanize Internationalist Solidarity in shutting down Ecocide Crime Scenes of Extractivist Plunder for Transformative Adaptation to thrive in accordance with glocally coordinated participatory democratic decision making by mutually Self-Empowering, organically interconnected and Community Self-Defending Global Citizens Assemblies!
OUR UNDERSTANDING OF SOLIDARITY
"If you have come here to help me, you are wasting your time. But if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together." - Lilla Watson
Much of our understandings of solidarity, and the necessary building of internationalist solidarity in particular, can be realised in the concept of collective liberation - especially as articulated above by the aboriginal womens leader Lilla Watson. There is much to unlearn in this process of rebellion but one of the most pervasive pieces of miseducation is the asymmetrical nature of global charity and 'help'. This idea, of the needy and the saviours, is as old as the civilising project and just as ethnocidal. That in the Global North people are conditioned into this superiority, this dehumanisation of peoples the world over, is not their fault, but there is no place for it in weaving true internationalist solidarity.
Instead, we must reject these lies presented to us as facts and adopt an intersectional view of both oppression and its counter in authentic liberation. In harmonising our diversity of resistance into a Merged Rebellion, by seeing our positions as woven into the present and historical fabric of our societies and no longer as distinct poles, we can begin the process of joining in solidarity. No longer the haves and the have-nots, we will become a global family linked in resistance. By joining North to South the lie of 'development' will be laid bare and across the South the imperial chains of dissconnection between us will be broken. Our network is here to play this linking role and together we will support a flourishing of the sacred practice of solidarity, and of fighting for true internationalism.
OUR ROLE WITHIN XR UK
Fostering mutually respectful, co-operative and beneficial connections with people from existing grassroots communities of resistance on the front lines of the climate & ecological crises in both the Global South & Global North who are working on environmental justice, so that:
a) These perspectives get represented throughout XR UK
b) There’s 2-way learning between XR UK and people from these communities of resistance.
Purpose of XRISN:
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Make space within XR for Global South and Global North activists to work and organise equitably together as equals to facilitate collaboration and joint-action between Extinction Rebellion and grassroots Communities of Resistance in the Global South and their Diaspora Communities in the Global North who:
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are fighting the ecological crisis as part of their rebellion against the colonialist, imperialist, white-supremacist racist systems, structures and behaviours which cause the ecocide, mass extinction, genocide and harm in so many other forms
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are willing and keen to connect their rebellion with that of other grassroots Communities of Resistance in the Global South (obviously as well as with Extinction Rebellion), in order to harmonise and strengthen these glocal movements for Environmental and Social Justice, or Global Justice for All.
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Making space within XR for different grassroots Communities of Resistance from all over the Global South to collectively form a harmonised internationalist position, vision and voice on rebellion against the systems, structures and behaviours which cause the ecological crisis, and on how they want to work together, organise and take action with XR to strategic focus on Glocally winning the rebellion!!
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To draw XR into embracing and actively supporting the GHOPPIS and its work on highlighting the self-determined initiatives of rebellion by Global South communities of Resistance and their diaspora networks in the Global North. For example our own Global Justice Rebellion Roadshow and annual 12th January OSPAAAL founding anniversary and legacies celebrations and Afrikan Liberation Awareness Month celebrations in May, 1st August Afrikan Emancipation Day Reparations Rebellion Groundings, 12th October International Day of Indigenous Resistance, Black History Month in October… For this reasons, making sure grassroots Global South activists who are co-organising with XR (who are in UK or who can speak over internet/phone, etc) who want to give public speeches at XR actions and/or to the media, have a platform/space to do this (without Global North activists trying to frame what they say);
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Amplifying and explaining the voices of Global South activists doing work relevant to XR, and ensure that their resistance, rebellion and independent movements and autonomous networks for Environmental and Social Justice in the Global South, are shared with and are understood by members of the XR network, as well as wider audiences; to share information on XR Internationalist Solidarity action and work through XR media processes as well as events and other activities.
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To ensure that all of XR respects the Internationalist Solidarity focus and contributes to highlighting and implementing the strategies and tactics of XR - in such a way and manner of globalisation as to concentrate attention and prioritise the allocation and use of resources for actions that are more likely to result in the global winning of the rebellion!
We are led by the voices and experiences of frontline Global South and diaspora activists, are shaped by the generations of resistance that are our history and stand tall in our power - a power that is rising to meet the climatic, ecological and civilisational crises with true transformative justice.