The Cry of the Excluded is a widespread popular movement in the Americas
whose aim is to denounce situations of exclusion and to formulate
alternatives. The Cry began in Brazil in 1995, in response to social
inequalities, and as a consequence of the growing resistance to the
neoliberal model. Today, the Cry is being organized in all countries of
the American continent.

The main objectives of the Cry of the Excluded are: to denounce social
exclusion and environmental destruction, to strengthen the sovereignty of
the people and the defense of life, to retrieve the social debt, and to
fight for non-payment of the foreign debt. This year, during September 2-7
in Brazil, the Cry will organize the National Plebiscite on the Foreign
Debt, a popular consultation on the internal and external debt. This event
will mobilize thousands of people throughout the country and has the
support of major coordinating bodies at a continental level.

The Cry of the Excluded has as its precept ?Unity in Diversity?. This
definition allows popular movements to organize in different forms in each
country. These mobilizations include marches, debates, cultural events,
photography exhibitions, writing competitions, etc. This type of
organization facilitates convergences for the development of a popular
project and validates local cultures. The Cry has been involved, for
example, with the Jubilee 2000 Campaign for the cancelation of the
external debt; the World Women?s March; the Hemispheric Social Alliance,
opppsed to the American Free Trade Agreement; and the March Toward the
Border, organized by immigrants? defense groups in Mexico and the US.

On October 12, a delegation from the Cry of the Excluded, composed of such
figures as Pérez Esquivel, Rigoberta Menchú, Frei Betto and Bishop
Federico J. Pagura, will intervene in the General Assembly of the United
Nations to denounce: the exclusionary economic model proposed by the
International Monetary Fund and the implementation of the American Free
Trade Agreement; Plan Colombia, the US militarization of and intervention
in Latin America; and the pressure from multinational corporations for the
production and consumption of transgenic foods. On this occasion, the Cry
will also ask for freedom for political prisoners Mumia Abu- Jamal (a
leader of the African-American movement in the US, on Death Row) and
Leonard Peltier (an American Indian leader condemned to life in prison.)

After the UN meeting, the Cry of the Excluded will walk to Union Square in
New York, where there will be a great cultural event in homage to
immigrants to the United States. At the same time, vigils will be
organized in front of US embassies and consulates in every country in the
Americas.

For more information, visit the web page of the Cry of the
Excluded.