Toronto Rally to End the Occupation - Oct 25th 2003
People in Toronto and many other cities around the world rallied today in support of a larger Washington rally to end the Occupation of Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestine.
The US lie is that democracy is being delivered and terrorism ended. Yet the truth is there is more violence than ever and zero democracy gets delivered via tanks and troops.
Below are links to a couple photos of the Toronto march. It took place even though organizers from the Toronto Coalition to Stop the War called it off. They wanted to remain at the rally location, but Muslim youth and others, most of the crowd, went on a march around downtown anyway. This march was energetic with drumming and strong chants from beginning to end.
Police backed off. Apparently organizers feared arrests, due to lack of funds or support for any arrestees. One of the young people who marched told me that if you want to be afraid of the police you have to be afraid of them every day. This about liberating people in occupied territories, not about being afraid of police here.http://photosc.msspro.com/pic/resist1.jpg
http://photosc.msspro.com/pic/resist2.jpgGary Morton
--------News links - Sept.10/14.2003
- Trade gets a martyr
- WTO Plan Draws Fire from Rich and Poor
- America set to torpedo trade talks
- Cancun pressure: Watching the protesters' anti-WTO tactics
- Protesters gear up for WTO meeting in Mexico
- Rich-Poor Food Fight Looms for WTO
- Rich nations on back foot as poor seek fairer trade
--------
At the BBC - Aug.11.2003
- French rally against WTO talks
THE WORLD SAYS NO TO THE WTOSeptember 13, 2003: Worldwide Day of Action Against Corporate Globalization and War
Kicking off a Fall Campaign of Action for Peace and Justice
From September 10 to 14, the World Trade Organization (WTO) will hold its Fifth Ministerial meeting in Cancun, Mexico. Pushed by multinational corporations, the United States, the European Union, and other developed countries are seeking to launch a new round of "free trade" negotiations and expand corporate globalization - further eroding human rights, workers' rights, environmental protections, and democracy - in the interest of corporate control.
Popular movements in Mexico and their international allies will mark these meetings with massive demonstrations to demand a world that puts democracy and human dignity ahead of corporate profits. Solidarity actions around the world will focus on September 13 as a Worldwide Day of Action Against Corporate Globalization and War.
List of Endorsing Organizations:
ACERCA
ARISE for Social Justice
Aztlan Media Kollective, East Los Angeles
Coalition of Immokalee Workers
Corazon Cultural Commission
Global Exchange
International ANSWER Coalition
Ithaca Fair Trade Coalition
Hitec Aztec Communications Network
Human Bean Company
Latin Am. Solidarity Cmte. of Western New York Peace Center
Marin Interfaith Task Force on the Americas
Mexico Solidarity Network
Nicaragua Center for Community Action (NICCA)
The Nicaragua Network
Nonviolence International
Public Citizen
United for Peace and Justice
The United Peoples
Wisconsin Fair Trade Campaign
--------WTO Protest in Montreal in July 2003
WEB: http://montreal.resist.ca
-------
At Corporate Watch - June.2003
- The Stalemate in the WTO
- G8 Summit: Corporate Welfare or Water for all?
- Why Are Transgenic Crops Incompatible With Sustainable Agriculture In The Third World?
--------
G8 Summit - 2003
- Police Clash With Protestors Ahead Of G8 Summit
- Protesters target G8 summit
- Guardian Special report: G8
- Anti-G8 Protests Flare Before Evian Summit Opens
--------
At CorpWatch - Mar.2003
- Jordan's Free Trade Sweatshops: US retail giants Wal-Mart, Target and JC Penny contract with manufacturers in Jordan's Qualified Industrial Zones., 90% of workers are female and most earn the minimum of $3.50 a day.
--------
IMC NEWS UPDATE | Feb 26, 2003
- SYDNEY: NO WTO LEGAL OBSERVERS REPORT, Feb 23
- BOSTON: MARKET SHUT DOWN TO PROTEST GMO'S, Feb 19
- BOLIVIA: BOLIVIA BURNING, Feb 12
- GLOBAL: HOUSING RIGHTS UNDER ATTACK, Feb 6
- ARGENTINA: MASIVOS CORTES POR TRABAYO GENUINO, Feb 5
- JOHANNESBURG: ANTI-PRIVATISATION - Kensington 87 Go to Trial, Jan 30
--------
At IMC - Feb.2003
- WSF Ends With Brutal Police Repression
Police violently attacked protesters and bystanders on the last day of the World Social Forum. It began when a Mapuche woman who was attending at the international youth camp was arrested for bathing nude in a river. 400 people protested by nonviolently taking their clothes off in solidarity. When the nude protest left the youth camp to march downtown the police attacked. After injuring and arresting some the police lashed out at journalists and bystanders. An unknown number of people were hospitalized or arrested as a result of the police assault.
Photo http://photosc.msspro.com/pic/wsf.jpg
-----At Fair.org - Jan.10.2003
- Media Missing New Evidence About Genoa Violence
-------
At NGIN - Dec.2002
- The Fake Parade
The biggest march that took place during this year's Earth Summit in Johannesburg involved 20,000 members of the poor, evicted and landless peoples. But the march that grabbed headlines in 5 continents was a very different affair involving a few hundred demonstrators with a very different message.
- U.S. Policies Contribute To African Famine
According to a new report by the Institute for Food and Development Policy, the United States together with the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) have exacerbated famine in Africa through economic structural adjustment programmes that fatten the coffers of multi-national firms at the expense of local economies and poor people. The report also notes how GM food aid is driven by economic necessity. U.S. corn exports to the EU dwindled from 426 million dollars in 1995 to one million dollars in 1999 because of GM contamination. "The U.S. GM grain stockpile, created through the vast, ongoing subsidy of U.S. agriculture, needs a home", says Dr Raj Patel, the report's author.
--------
At Indy Media - Nov.2002
- Personal report on FTAA in Quito, Equador
-------
IMC NEWS UPDATE | October 18, 2002
www.indymedia.org
- ARGENTINA: AS MOBILIZATION NEARS, COVERAGE IN SIX LANGUAGES
- MUMBAI: WATER WARS
- SALZBURG: WEF PROTESTED IN SALZBURG AND ACROSS EUROPE
- SOUTH AFRICA: EVICTIONS, CATTLE PRODS, AND THE NEW APARTHEID
- U.S.A.: CRIMINALIZATION OF DISSENT IN U.S. CAPITALUPCOMING ACTIONS AND COVERAGE
- ECUADOR: FTAA October 27-November 3, 2002
- ITALY: EUROPEAN SOCIAL FORUM November 1-5
- SYDNEY: WTO November 13-15, 2002
--------
Corporate Watch - September 27, 2002
- Chiapas' Last Stand Against Corporate Globalization
A battle is raging in Chiapas' Montes Azules Integral Biosphere, Mexico's Garden of Eden. The last stand against corporate resource exploitation is taking place in this remote, lush tropical jungle, home to Mayan communities. Best known for ancient pyramids and endangered species like the toucan and jaguar, this modern day "El Dorado" is now threatened by the search for black and green gold: oil and biodiversity. Ryan Zinn reports from Mexico.
--------
At the Globe - Sept 29.2002
- IMF protesters rally (649 People Arrested)
--------
Thunder Takes the Capital - Ottawa G8 Protest Notes & Photos – June 29.2002
- Read a full report with photos and links to more photos
--------
Washington DC Antiglobilization Rally - May.2002
- Realplayer Slide Show
--------
Montreal - Apr.28.2002
- Police defend arrests of demonstrators
- Advocacy groups denounce police tactics
Calgary
- CSIS warns of G-8 violence
--------
At CorpWatch - Feb.2002
- The Whole World Was Watching: New York Protests the World Economic Forum
World wide demonstrations last week posed a test to the anti-corporate globalization movement and its targets. Kenny Bruno reports from the Anti-World Economic Forum protests in New York that parts of the movement an A for attitude. Surprisingly, he says the police passed. The WEF, well, they flunked as usual.
- Globalizing Hope: Another World is Still Possible
The only way to really describe the World Social Forum that just ended in Brazil, is a global political "carnaval." The astounding event, an alternative to the World Economic Forum, was part-political convention, part-art and music festival and part-intellectual gathering of social movements. CorpWatch's Joshua Karliner, still recovering in Rio, files this dispatch.
IN THE NEWS
· Afghanistan: Oil Execs Revive Pipeline From Hell
· Brazil: Tobacco Makes Farmers Sick
· France: Activist Gets Jail for Ransacking McDonald's
· Costa Rica: Eco-Tourism Slump Endangers Wildlife
--------
Indymedia offers alternatives to the WEF and corporate globalization - Feb.2002
"WE KNOW WHAT YOU'RE AGAINST, BUT WHAT ARE YOU FOR??"
--------
EU Summit Reports - Dec.2001
- 80,000 at EU summit demo
- EU summit demo, day 2
- Belgium, Real nice Pictures of Anarchist March
---------
G-20 Protest Notes – One Humanity, One Struggle
- notes and photos from the Nov 16th and 17th demos in Ottawa By Gary Morton
---------
FTAA a Threat to Western Hemisphere's Forests – Jan.2002
The Free Trade Area of the Americas would endanger forests by:
- Limiting conservation measures in the service sector.
- Loss of democracy and public involvement. Governments would surrender to unelected international tribunals the adjudication over their safeguards for forest protection.
- The FTAA would weaken standards that prevent the importation of invasive pests, species or threats from genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
- Spread of invasive species. Precautionary measures aimed at preventing the spread of ecologically and economically destructive invasive plants and animals would be further impeded if proposed Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures are adopted.
- Genetically modified tree risks. If the draft text is accepted by FTAA countries, they will be required to allow the patenting of genetically modified organisms, including genetically engineered vascular plant and tree species capable to disrupting native ecosystems.
--------
From: Robert Weissman - 05 Dec 2001
- The Global Justice Movement: Alive and Kicking
--------
2002 G8 Summit in Kananaskis to be Militarized - Nov.30.2001
Alberta's Kananaskis resort will likely be designated a special military zone for the G8 Summit next summer. During a briefing for provincial justice ministers on the Public Security Act, a Privy Council official said provisions of the Liberal's second anti-terror bill could be used to designate a military zone around international summits.
The official specifically cited last April's Summit of the Americas in Quebec City as an example in which the new military exclusion zone power could be used, Quebec Justice Minister Paul Begin said yesterday.
Asked about the creation of military zone around Kananaskis, Alberta Solicitor General Heather Forsyth did not rule out such a drastic measure.
--------
World Bank Poised to Devour Afghanistan - Nov.25.2001
(Prisoners of War Slaughtered as Globalization Rushes In)
- read the full article on this site
--------
Anti World Trade Organization 2001 Reports
- A report on the Beirut anti Capitalism conference against the WTO
- USA Strategy Summit
- Global Exchange news
- International Forum on Globalization on the WTO
- Public Citizen
- The WTO and the Prison Industrial Complex
- WTO and the fate of the World's Forests
- 10 Reasons to Dismantle the WTO
- Beyond the WTO – Alternatives at the International Forum on Globalization
- 10 ways to Democratize the Global Economy
- Focus on the Global South
--------
Food First News, Information and Criticism of the fall 2001 Quatar WTO Meeting is at:
www.foodfirst.org/progs/global/trade/wto2001/index.html
--------
WTO Protested - Human Need Not Corporate Greed
- notes and photos on the Toronto Nov 9th Protest Against the World Trade Organization
--------
Liberal Bill C-36 – Invasion of the Terrorist Body Snatchers (Nov.15.2001)
- read the full article
-------
Bill C-36 Online Petition Defend Civil Rights - Wed, 7 Nov 2001
From: CAWR Toronot <cawr_toronto@yahoo.ca>
As agreed last night at the Coalition Against War and Racism Weekly meeting, the Petition regarding the proposed Bills C-36 and C-11 is online, We would like to get the maximun number of signatures before coming friday to present to Minister of Immigration Elinor Caplan.
http://www.PetitionOnline.com/AWDACAWR/
Minister of Immigration will be the Arab Canadian Mural at CAF office this Friday November 9, 2001 7:00 - 9:00 PM CAF National Office (Beituna)
Mughir Al Hindi
On Behalf of Coalition Against War and Racism
The Terror in Anti Terrorism Legislation - Bill C-36 - Nov.4.2001CitizensontheWeb.com EDITORIAL - Anti Terrorism Bill C-36 – A Formula for Trouble at Home Liberty v.s. Security by Connie Fogal
--------
WTO, Veneman and US-led genocide - Wed, 07 Nov 2001
(from item 3) The United States is within a week or two of quite visibly committing a crime so much larger as to obliterate the world's memory of September 11
(from item 5) At a time when globalisation and trade liberalisation forced by WTO and the World Bank are pushing thousands of people to starvation and thousands of farmers to suicide, the WTO draft texts are committed to continue the genocide... WTO rules are not just about global trade. They determine whether millions will live or die.
- read the full news article
------------
Starhawk - fall 2001
- Only Poetry Can Address Grief: Moving forward after 911.
- Why Act Now? Spells and Counterspells -- why we need to stay active!
---------
Britons Suspicious of Globalisation - Oct.2001
The British public are not convinced about the benefits of globalisation. Only one in eight agree that globalisation enhances everyone's quality of life and 58% believe that 'what's good for business is not good for most people in developing poorer countries'. Around nine in ten believe that government should stand up to multinationals. There is also considerable public sympathy with the ideals of anti-globalisation protestors, with two in five adults thinking that the protestors are raising genuine concerns and issues shared by many people around the world.
http://www.mori.com/polls/2001/globalisation.shtml
--------
At the Post - Sept.2001
-Municipalities take on Ottawa's trade agenda By Murray Dobbin
--------
At the Globe and Mail – Sept.2001
-Negotiators give go-ahead for China to join WTO
-------
World Conference to Combat Activism Planned – Sept.11.2001
The Dutch police are organising an international conference about the methods used to combat activism at neoliberal summits. It will take place from 3 to 5 October 2001 in The Hague. The official
program can be found on the website:
http://www.burojansen.nl/orde/engels/ineng.htm
--------
New website of World Social Forum - Sept.11.2001
Other vision, other world, other movement
http://www.portoalegre2002.org
--------
OneWorld – Sept.11.2001
Oneworld.net, the world's leading gateway on the web for human rights and sustainable development, has launched its campaign website on trade in the lead up to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Ministerial Meeting in Doha, Qatar on 9-13 November 2001.
The OneWorld trade campaign site www.oneworld.net/campaigns/trade/ includes:
- the latest updates from organisations like Third World Network, Oxfam, World Development Movement, Christian Aid and Corporate Watch.
- stories on trade from alternative news agencies like Gemini News and Inter Press Service
- suggested action and ways to become involved in changing world trade to work for the world's poor
- background introductory guides to International Trade, GATS and Fair Trade
- links to organisations and online resources on the movement for trade justice
- search engine to 1.5 million online documents on global issues
--------
GATS (General Agreement on Trade in Services) Motion and Petition - Sept.11.2001
Toronto - Please investigate, & hopefully choose to sign the petition at our new website
http://www.canadians-toronto.org
----------
GlobalizeThis! September 30 Actions in DC and Around the World - Sat, 08 Sep 2001 16:03:41 -0700
"Tens of thousands -- no one knows how many -- plan to turn the nation's capital into a melting pot of dissent at month's end to show opposition to the IMF and World Bank" (9/5 Washington Post)Dear Friends,
For an update from the Mobilization for Global Justice on the whirlwind planning for protests at the World Bank/IMF meetings in Washington DC. please visit
http://www.globalizethis.org
S30 Moblization for Global Justice Calendar of actions and events
http://www.globalizethis.org/s30/calendar.cfm
--------
At Essential Action -Sept/2001
[stop-imf] background info on Mobilization for Global Justice demands
---------
McLabour: Big Mac backs Blair – Sept.2001
TONY BLAIR has triggered a potentially damaging row over Labour's increasingly close links with big corporations after it emerged that he is to attend a £15,000 reception at the party's annual conference paid for by the burger chain McDonald's. It agreed to sponsor the food and drink for 450 guests at a high-profile event in Brighton to celebrate Labour's 100th conference only after receiving assurances that the prime minister would attend.
Hosted by the cabinet minister Charles Clarke, appointed party chairman by Blair after the election, the invitation-only soiree, on the eve of the leader's keynote speech, is one of the most controversial commercial "opportunities" offered by Millbank to raise upwards of £4 million during the week.
The US corporation, a target of anti-globalisation protesters who plan to demonstrate outside the conference when it opens on September 30, is anxious to receive the implied endorsement of Blair and other ministers.
Executives initially intended to finance a football stunt within the conference security complex, but switched when they found that Blair was unable to make the kickabout.
McDonald's said a director would "say a few words" at the reception. A corporate video crew is expected to film the gathering. The company also raised the possibility of the prime minister wearing a McDonald's hat, according to a lobbyist with knowledge of the discussions, but Millbank ruled that out as unacceptable.
The arrangement prompted unease within the party.
Labour MP John McDonnell, a critic of transnational corporations such as McDonald's, said: "It turns my stomach, I don't know how low we can sink. It just shows how out of touch the Labour leadership is with the rank and file of the movement."
John Edmonds, the head of the GMB who fears unions are being sidelined in the party, said: "I hope this is not the first step towards renaming us the McLabour party"
(Guardian News Service)
--------
WHAT CAN THE 'QUEBEC TO QATAR' CARAVANS DO FOR YOU?
Contact: the CFWTO Caravan <caravan2001@sympatico.ca>
Phone: 613-236-7230 x7953
Website: http://www.wtoaction.org/cfwtoThe 'Quebec to Qatar' caravan will be coming to your community joining and helping initiate local actions, collecting signatures on a giant Qatar Travel Permit, handing out resources, and helping organize movement building workshops and public forums. Following is a list of activities and
resources the caravan can bring to your community:POLITICAL ACTIVITIES
Invite the caravan to your MP's office and ask her/him to sign the Qatar Travel Permit. Organize a direct lobby session with your local politicians and other decision-makers.MOVEMENT BUILDING
ACTIVITIES and WORKSHOPS
Choose from our list of creative workshops to raise your community's awareness of corporate-led globalization. Puppet making, street theatre, campaign planning, anti-oppression, and WTO and globalization workshops are excellent activities on their own or can be included in a dynamic teach-in. Organize a public debate, a forum, or a tour of corporate wealth, ecological destruction, or housing crisis in your communities. The caravan's national and international speakers can share their experience and knowledge on the issues.DIRECT ACTION
If scheduling allows, we can join actions you are planning with resource people and materials. Take the caravan to the picket lines to support
workers on strike. Organize a colorful and noisy rally where the caravan can participate with speakers, sound and video equipment, chants, and campaign materials. Plan an occupation of your MP's office where the caravan can join you and support you in your demands. Unmask and challenge the corporationspushing the WTO that might be right in your community with an anti-corporate campaign!MEDIA OUTREACH
An important event is soon going to take place in your community, and the media can report on it. In conjunction with other activities, organize a
press conference or some media interviews. Caravan speakers can participate in media outreach activities and will deliver a clear message to your localmedia. Contact us for a copy of the Common Front on the WTO's Media Advisory and Press Release templates to assist you in your mediaoutreach. Also, the caravan will be able to provide the media with on the road updates of the tour via the Internet.CAMPAIGN MATERIAL
The caravan will be coming to your communities with CFWTO campaign materials:
-Qatar Travel Permit for you to sign (listing our demands to Canadians representatives traveling to Qatar)
-Campaign Handbill (with information on the GATS and WTO)
-GATS Attack Card Game
-Corporate Profile Stickers
-WTO Video: "They Can Run, but they Can't Hide"EDUCATION MODULE
The caravan will be hauling tons of
handy resource material for communities to choose from. CFWTO member organizations have produced excellent education materials that will be distributed during the tour, as well as other material specifically for the fall 2001 WTO campaign.NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL SPEAKERS
The caravan will have a selection of skilled speakers from different national and regional organizations, long-time activists, and international spokespeople from Latin America, the Middle East and Africa. A wealth of knowledge on board each Winnebago!FOR MORE INFO:
Email: caravan2001@sympatico.ca
Phone: 613-236-7230 x7953
Website: http://www.wtoaction.org/cfwto
---------
The DC Masquerade- Aug.2001
The DC Masquerade:will raise money to buy and fabulously decorate hundreds of gas masks for free distribution at the IMF/World Bank protests in Washington Sept 29.
http://www.masqueradeproject.org
--------
Toronto Buses to Washington D.C., Sept 2001
-PLEASE DISTRIBUTE WIDELY
For those interested in travelling to Washington D.C. for the World Bank/International Monetary Fund Demos at the end of September, Toronto Mobilisation for Global Justice is sending six buses. Space is very limited so buy your tickets now to avoid disappointment.
Price: $80 - $110 sliding scale (alternate arrangements can be made). Ticket info: mob4glob_buses@hotmail.com or (416) 208-0785.
Contact - mob4glob_buses@hotmail.com
Cheques can be made payable to Toronto Mobilisation for Global Justice.
Please mail them to: Toronto Mobilisation for Global Justice, c/o Canadian Federation of Students, 720 Spadina Ave. Suite 201, Toronto, ON M5S 2T9
Buses are TENTATIVELY scheduled to leave on the evening of Thursday, Sept. 28 and return on Saturday, Sept. 30.
Good Links:
- Here's a great - article on the World Bank/IMF.
- I think this is the official demo website.
- This is one of the best pieces out there (Susan George's "Brief History of Neo-Liberalism").
- The goods -straight from the horse's mouth:
-------
Genoa News Digest (young man murdered by police, hundreds injured) July.21.2001
- Protestor Shot Dead by Paramilitary Police in Genoa
- Vigils for Victims of Police/State Violence at Genoa Summit
- Click here to read a full news digest with photos
--------
Italy/G8 Summit(Aug.1): Amnesty International calls for commission of inquiry
---------
WTOAction.Org!- July.2001
-Protest World Bank / IMF, September 28, Washington DC
---------
Article - Free trade', rape and murder (July.2001)
-------
The FTAA text in English is at http://www.ftaa-alca.org/alca_e.asp
--------
Agriculture and the FTAA - Wed, 04 Jul 2001
From: "Henry Martinuk" <hmartinuk@hotmail.com>
- Full Article at http://www.mob4glob.ca/agri.html
--------
Student Deaths in Papua New Guinea- July.2001
-PNG Death Toll Rises to 4
-PNG families demand compensation
-PNG Govt announces inquiry into students' deaths
--------
Indy Media - july.1.3002
- PNG revolts against World Bank
--------
BioDevastation - Protests over the BIO 2001 International Convention – June.2001
- See photos/reports from San Diego and Toronto
---------
At the Globe
- Police gun down 3 in Papua New Guinea - June.26.2001
Port Moresby — Riot police opened fire with automatic weapons on a crowd of students protesting economic reform.
- Talks to open on Niagara free-trade zone
--------
BARCELONA, Spain Protest - Reports from Plaça Catalunya - Sun, 24 Jun 2001
From:web@j25.org
Today, we are told, was the pacifist event. During said event Burger king lost its signs and all its windows, many shops on one side of the road were smashed and banks locks were glued and windows covered in Grafiti.
We spent a lot of the afternoon in bars building international links. At one point the police came under fire from bottles but responded by shooting the fuck out of everyone. The day has been charcterised by skirmishes and extreme force from the police. Quite a few people have decided they have had enough and have called it a day I think. It is very good that we have been able to regroup etc, given police tactics. When we were able to push lines back and the police on other side of square were attacked with bottles which was empowering.
http://www.j25.org/latest.htm
http://barcelona.indymedia.org/
http://uk.indymedia.org/display.php3?article_id=6357
-------
Swedish Police Violence Protested in Toronto – Thurs.June.21
A protest took place at the Swedish Trade Office in Toronto today. The issue being the police attack on protesters at the EU meeting in Gothenburg Sweden. Three people were shot by the police in Sweden where demonstrators were opposing the idea of Fortress Europe, neo-liberalism and the presence of George Bush and his scrapping of Kyoto and selling of the new Star Wars Militarization of Space Plan (NMD).
Toronto Photos:
Protester chalks out body mark
..\pic\gothen1.jpg
And lies shot on the pavement
..\pic\gothen2.jpg
The Toronto protest was an information picket. People signed a petition, spoke through a horn and handed info to passersby.
Info on Swedish Police Violence – In Sweden police targeted a high school that was legally being used as an organising centre for the protests. Hundreds of protesters were trapped inside and many arrested.
The next morning 5,000 people attempted to march to the European leaders' summit, which was sealed off behind giant steel walls. Police halted the march with a barricade and started batoning people. Among the first victims was Knut Jensen, convenor of the print workers' union at one of Norway's main newspapers. He fell with blood pouring from his head.
After the baton assault a snarling pack of police dogs and their handlers appeared. They tore into the march and dozens of protesters needed treatment for bite wounds. Seconds later baton-wielding mounted police charged into the rear of the demonstration. Only after these assaults did some protesters start throwing stones. Some went on to vent their rage at shops along the city's main street, mainly hitting symbols of the global system like McDonald's.
The Shooting - People were dancing, enjoying themselves. Then the police started charging. As police kept charging, some people started fighting back, throwing stones. The police then fired leaving a young man on the ground.
Three people were shot by police in the square and the next morning some 30,000 people joined an already planned demonstration. Some of them accepted the entirely false government claims that the police acted in self defence.
Others condemned the police, but also accepted media tales of violent protesters. Many others understood that the police alone were responsible for the violence.
--------
Stop the Attacks on Anti-Globalisation Activists in Indonesia - Mon, 11 Jun 2001 Police and Islamic militia raid a peaceful anti-globalization conference in Jakarta.
- read the full report.
--------
A PROPOSAL FOR AN ONTARIO NONVIOLENT DIRECT ACTION NOVEMBER 9 AS THE WTO MEETS IN QATAR
- read the full article from Homes not Bombs
---------
Declaration of the Forum on Human Rights
Second Peoples' Summit of the Americas
© Quebec City, Canada, April 16-21, 2001
- read the full document.
--------
Globalization is no excuse for states to shirk their human rights responsibilities - 31 May 2001
- Full report by Amnesty International
---------
Call to action against the World Bank Barcelona - June 22-25.2001
A new web site is being set up to "encourage and facilitate mass international mobilisation to Barcelona in June". It is being put together by a group, mainly based in the UK, that is excited by the prospect of doing a positive action, that celebrates our ability and intent to change the world, in the most symbolic of places. It can be found at:
http://www.j25.org
Please send comments, inquiries etc. to:
mailto:web@j25.org
Thankyou and see you on the streets.Call to action against the World Bank Barcelona - June 22-25th
BARCELONA PEOPLE: 1 - WORLD BANK: 0
On June 25th-27th the World Bank was to hold its Annual conference on Development Economics in Barcelona, and following the example of Seattle, Melbourne, Prague, and so many others, we started organizing the Campaign Against the World Bank Barcelona 2001, which received a great response from, social movements, unions, neighbourhood associations, student associations, workers on struggle, political parties and organisations and lots of different people who saw this as an opportunity to spread the idea that 'A different world is possible'. The success the campaign had in bringing people together meant that, when the WB approached some NGOs in order to strenghten their image-washing strategy, those NGOs made clear that their place was not at the WB conference, but at the Campaign's counter-conference. Facing all this, on May 19th the WB announced the cancellation of their meeting. The mobilization of thousands of people around the Spanish state to organize a counter conference, a massive demonstration and the siege of the WB s delegates, made them change their mind. The pressure from below made them realize that their slogan our dream, a world without poverty would have looked like nothing but a joke, as thousands of demonstrators would have been tear-gassed and arrested while shouting Our world is not for sale .
We think that the reasons we had to protest against the World Bank still stand, and therefore we will continue to organize around the slogan
A DIFFERENT WORLD IS POSSIBLE
GLOBALIZE RESISTANCES AND SOLIDARITY
And we would like to invite you to join us for the counter-conference, the demonstations and the people's trial against the institution.
If you would like to join us in this big celebration of people s power or to know anything about the Campaign, contact us at logisticabm@hotmail.com (english prefered, but all languages accepted) or subscribe to our mailing list in English bcn2001_ensubscribe@egroups.com. If you can understand spanish and/or catalan, join our main list, bcn2001-subscribe@egroups.com. You can also visit our website www.rosadefoc.org.
---------
Musings on a hemispheric war
By Adam Strange, May.2001
* Column on Quebec, the FTAA, Oppression, Mike Harris, Capitalism and anti-Capitalsm
- read the full article
--------
European Days of Action Website and Calendar
Updated Events Calendar - http://www.tao.ca/~ridefree/summithop/
------------
Free Trade/Globalization – a simpler argument against it.
* I usually do write-ups covering what other people say on the issues. Their arguments are often complex so I've done a simple one in this letter to a friend.
- read the article.
--------
Report on the Toronto anti-Capitalism conference by Dave Marshall
May.6.2001
- read the full report
--------
Oppose the IMF - The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank will be holding their Joint Annual General Meetings in Washington, DC from September 28 to October 4, 2001.
An organizing listserve for the coordination and networking among activists for the counter actions has been established.
To subscribe, send a blank message to following address:
DestroyIMF-subscribe@topica.com
--------
Protest the World Economic Forum (FTAA Meeting Oct. 7-9th, 2001.)
HEY! YOU! (ESPECIALLY YOU in Quebec City, or Traveling around the country in A BIG BUS.) Please spread this to other activists. NOT just through email! If possible use the text for a small flyer to hand out in large quantities...maybe even give it one of those hip, over-used, mass action, power to the people graphics...thanks
CALL TO ACTION?
the WEF is planning on meeting in Miami, primarily to assess the progress of the FTAA negotiations. The date they've decided on, tentatively, is Oct. 7-9th, 2001.
There is intent on mobilizing opposition on a large scale in south Florida and we are seeking to find support from other activists around the state/country/world in these areas:
-Indy Media
-Legal aid
-Medical team
-Food
-Action Trainings
-Logistics
-Outreach
WE NEED TO GET STARTED NOW!
The south FL activist community is not very large, and dwindles even more in the summer, but this state's network is pretty tight. Planning for October could help strengthen these both, as well spreading the global movement to new places. Please get in touch ASAP if you can help coordinate in one of the above areas, especially if you think you wanna spend the summer in the tropics,
helping prepare locally.
For info. and updates: rodentuprising@hotmail.com
This post came in from David Levy <dglevy@cepr.net>
--------
Economic Reform Article
- The International Monetary Fund's Four Steps to Damnation by Gregory Palast - May.2001
--------
A SMALL MIND FOR A SMALL WORLD - May.2001
Mike Harris and the Political Agenda of Globalization
By JOHN CLARKE, ONTARIO COALITION AGAINST POVERTY (OCAP)
- read the full article
--------
Armies Of Compassion: GW Bushs' Compassionate Fascism
by Robert Lederman
- read the full essay
---------
International Monetary Fund Water Privatization Kills Millions each Year - 9 Feb 2001
(IMF Forces Water Privatization on Poor Countries)
info from: Sara Grusky Globalization Challenge Initiative
A random review of IMF loan policies in forty countries reveals that, during 2000, IMF loan agreements in 12 countries included conditions imposing water privatization or full cost recovery. In general, it is African countries, and the smallest, poorest and most debt-ridden countries that are being subjected to IMF conditions on water privatization and full cost recovery.
Ironically, the majority of these loans were negotiated under the IMF's new Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF), a reform announced with great fanfare in 1999 when IMF officials claimed that the new loan facility would re-focus the IMF's controversial structural adjustment measures on activities that borrowing government's would identify as leading to poverty reduction. Rather than contributing to poverty reduction, water privatization and greater cost recovery make water less accessible and less affordable to the low income communities that make up the majority of the population in developing countries. The most immediate impact of reducing the accessibility and affordability of water falls on women and children.
More than five million people, most of them children, die every year from illnesses caused from drinking poor quality water. When water become more expensive and less accessible, women and children, who bear most of the burden of daily household chores, must travel farther and work harder to collect water - often resorting to water from polluted streams and rivers.
--------
**** THE WORLD SOCIAL FORUM ****MANIFESTO OF THE WORLD SOCIAL FORUM By the World Social Forum collective (21-DEC-2000) DAVOS PORTO ALEGRE: TWO WORLDS CLASH by Patrick Le Hyaric, WHEN DAVOS MEETS PORTO ALEGRE by Walden Bello (01-FEB-2001) THE PROMISE OF PORTO ALEGRE By Ignacio Ramonet (22-JAN-2001) OVERVIEW OF THE WORLD SOCIAL FORUM By Thiago Oppermann (28-JAN-2001) OCCUPATION OF MONSANTO AG-INDUSTRY COMPLEX IN NAO-ME-TOQUE by Patricia Comunello, (26-JAN-2001) JOSE BOVE HELPS TO DESTROY MONSTANTO TRANSGENICS IN NAO-ME-TOQUE By Débora Lerrer, Circuíto Porto Alegre(27-JAN-2001) WSF: Authoritarian Left or Anarchist Left?
--- PHOTOS of the BY RABBLE:
-- Anti-USA Banner:
-- Banner Announcing March Against "Wall of Death" (US/Mexican Border) in 2003
-- World Social Forum "Mosaic of Resistance"
-- "World Heart" at WSF, Symbol of Global Unity
-- Police Protect American Brazilian Cultural Center as Activists Pelt it With Rotten Fruit
-- Activists Throwing Rotten Fruit at the American Cultural Center (I)
-- Activists Throwing Rotten Fruit at the American Cultural Center (II)
-- Counter ALCA/FTAA Banner
-- Burning McDonald's Bag
-- Anarchist Symbol Scrawled on Van in Porto Alegre
-- Flags at a Rally in Porto Alegre
--------
Foreign debt forgiveness a focus at the World Social Forum - Jan.2001
http://www.workingforchange.com/article.cfm?ItemId=10630
--------
Nov.2000 -The Americans and the Russians have developed capabilities to manipulate the World's climate.
- Read Environmental Warfare by Michel Chossudovsky.
--------
Research Institute Releases Study on Corporate Power on 1st Anniversary of Seattle Protests
(Study Reinforces Public Distrust of Corporations)
- Seven Years Under NAFTA - http://www.ips-dc.org/downloads/NAFTA%20at%207.pdf
--------
Quebec Fortress for Summit - Jan.2001
A historic European-style fortress on the bluffs above the St. Lawrence River will protect 34 heads of state coming for the Summit of the Americas in April. Added to it is metal fencing around several square miles of old Quebec City. Riot police will stand guard along the fence in a show of force intended to prevent the protest movement from disrupting the three-day summit that likely will be the first foreign trip for President Bush.
It will be about the largest security operation in Canadian history. The planned security zone covers much of old Quebec City's upper town -- both inside and outside the fortress walls. It will include six hotels, the Congress Center meeting site, the Quebec Parliament buildings and familiar tourist stops like the Terrasse Dufferin boardwalk, the Chateau Frontenac hotel and the Plains of Abraham.
Access will be tightly controlled, with special passes required to enter the security zone and additional photo identification badges for each summit venue, including hotels.
All the Western Hemisphere's heads of state except Cuba's Fidel Castro are coming to discuss expanding the North American Free Trade Agreement and other issues.
Police will harass demonstrators traveling to the summit and provoke violence. Police will also identify and contact protest organizers before the summit. The goal being to take out the leaders.
Representatives of the RCMP, Quebec Provincial Police and Quebec City police have been meeting for months to study security tactics at other meetings such as the recent European Union summit in Nice, France.
Police says they will be ready for anything, even protesters trying to repeat the British tactic from 1759 of climbing the cliffs along the St. Lawrence to attack the bastion of what was then called New
France.
--------
The Ten Worst Corporations of the Year 2000
- read the full story.
--------
WORLD SOCIAL FORUM - An attempt is made, in Southern Brazil and globally, to work on socially just alternatives to the dominant form of economic globalisation, by the WORLD SOCIAL FORUM on 25th to 30th January 2001 in Porto Alegre, Southern Brazil
http://www.forumsocialmundial.org.br/ingles/
The Forum's website hosts a Library of Alternatives at
http://www.forumsocialmundial.org.br/ingles/biblioteca/
--------
2000: The Year of Global Protest against Globalization by Walden Bello - Jan.2001
- read the full article
--------
Top 200: The Rise of Corporate Global Power - Dec.2000
by Sarah Anderson and John Cavanagh of the Institute for Policy Studies
The profits of the Top 200 firms grew 362.4 percent, while the number of people they employ grew by only 14.4 percent between 1983 and 1999.
The complete report with charts is at http://www.ips-dc.org/top200.htm
--------
Unveiling "NAFTA for the Americas" - Dec.2000
NAFTA + WTO = FTAA
Read the online facts page at
http://www.tradewatch.org/FTAA/factsheet.htm
---------
New Articles at Green Left Weekly - Dec.2000`Corporate globalisers are on the defensive' QUEBEC: Seattle to come to Quebec? ARGENTINA: Mass support for anti-IMF general strike
--------
Corporate Watch - Dec.2000
BEYOND SEATTLE
- Student Movement Thriving After Seattle
http://www.corpwatch.org/feature/wto/8-youth.html
- The Struggle for a Deglobalized World
http://www.corpwatch.org /feature/wto/8-bello.html
----------
MAI and NAFTA Chapter 11 rules in Canada's bilateral agreements - Nov.2000
Dear friends,
I've written a a brief note on NAFTA Chapter 11-type rules in Canada's bilateral agreements. It's posted on the wtoaction.org web site here:
http://www.wtoaction.org/greenfield4.phtml
Basically it shows that 2 key elements of MAI-like rules have already been put in Canada's recent bilateral trade and investment agreements with developing countries in the region.
In solidarity,
--------
GerardG20 scandal - government waste! - Oct 2000
NDP Candidate denounces government waste at G20 Summit
David Bernans, the NDP candidate running in Lasalle-Emard, is demanding that the Chair of the G20 Summit, Paul Martin, apologize immediately for the shameless waste of 306 dinners thrown-out at the Sheraton Hotel on Tuesday night in Montreal Quebec.
This food could have been given to Concordia University¹s People¹s Potato Soup Kitchen just down the street, or dozens of other organizations, or even the young protesters outside!² Bernans complained. ³Why book two opulent dinners for 306 guests in two hotels at exactly the same time without a plan for the food that was not going to be used? This disgusting display of privilege and waste symbolizes everything that is wrong with globalization and the G20! Paul Martin says that the benefits of globalization ought to be extended to the world¹s poor. Maybe distributing some of this perfectly good food would be a way to start the process.
Bernans learned that the G20 Summit had booked two dinners for Tuesday night; one at the Sheraton Hotel and the other at the Windsor Ballrooms. Since delegates opted for the Windsor dining experience, the Sheraton dumped its 306 sumptuous meals in the garbage. Of the 306 meals, 180 were for delegates, 76 for bankers and 50 for police.
--------
(Oct.26.2000) Updates on the G20 Protests in Montreal this week can be found at
http://www.cmaq.net/
http://quebec.indymedia.org/
--------
Prague -Reports Sept. 26.2000 Global Day of Action Against the World Bank and IMF
Dave Bleakney, staff member of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) reports from Prague
From: "dave bleakney" <bleakneyd@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, 27 Sep 2000
What a crazy few days it's been. What will I take home from Prague? Will it be the thumbs up and waves from Prague citizens from their balconies as we marched by? Was it the Czech people who left their apartments and came filled the street when the armoured personal carrier went by? Was it the fifteen delegates that tried to leave the conference centre by foot and were turned back by people linking arms? Was it the old man that shook my hand and said "thank you to come her" in broken English? Was it the humiliation of some delegates having to be hustled out of the Convention Centre in ambulances (they were not injured but ambulances were not stopped)? What a coincidence that five ambulances in a row entered and left the conference centre with covered windows! I couldn't help thinking that those who structurally adjust us and destroy our health care have no qualms about using ambulances to hustle them to their $300 hotel rooms.Last night the main square was closed. The suits missed the opera (closed by protestors). McDonalds and Mercedes Benz were smashed to pieces. I must confess, I didn't feel even a little bad about that.
According to one IMF delegate from Argentina the meeting was one of the usual talk of rich nations displaying their arrogance toward the rest of the world. Little was accomplished he said.
I marched with Peoples Global Action. What a joy to march with Nicaraguan workers, the Landless Peasant Movement (MST) of Brazil, an Indian representative of the National Alliance of Peoples Movements, the Maori and many more. We were Bolivian and Korean. We were Russian and Banglaeshi. We were Canadian and Colombian, Italian and German. For one brief moment in time we were one people of many streams celebrating and defending our beautiful planet, communities and people who have not even been born yet.
And while the labour movement may still be sleeping, the presence of the Greek Telecom Workers Union, the Nicaraguan Woekrs Central, U.S. Longshoreman and English teachers suggest that this is not entirely true.
For those that haven't reported their actions, you will do us a huge favour by sending them to http://www.wtoaction.org and the indy media centre whose email I do not have presently. It means a lot. Reports are that the Czech police are treating Czechs much worse than foreigners. Most demonstrators that were arrested are Czech, contrary to some reports by the media that this was a group of "outsiders". It is not surprising they would say this. The truth hurts. Maybe that's why USA TODAY and the Financial Post today had absolutely no mention of what occurred here.
These days have not been without repression. Freedom fighters have been jailed, denied food and lawyers while the police so far are refusing to identify those they have arrested. Yet, still we march and still we cry "we will not go away". You will see our face in Seattle, Melbourne, Washington, La Paz, Windsor, Bangkok, Kyoto and anywhere else where the global masters and extortionists choose to plot. Soon we will have to do more than cost them their egos. We must hurt their production and their finances.
Solidarity, we will win, the times they are a changing, enough is enough,
Dave Bleakney
<bleakneyd@hotmail.com>
---------
Friday Sept.29 Day of Protest for S26 Prisoners
Horrific conditions in the Prague jails
More than 859 prisoners are being held as a result of s26 activities. Of these 859, all but 200 or so are Czechs who are reportedly being treated worst of all. Friday the 29th has been declared an international day of action to demand the immediate release of these prisoners and all s26 prisoners. Various groups have called for demonstrations/occupations at Czech Embassies, Consulates, Czech airline offices and other appropriate venues at the hour of 12:00 noon. Please distribute this as widely as possible. Czech prisoners will not simply be deported and are vulnerable to severe reprisals once the international support network is gone. We must not let this happen.
PRAGUE - In addition to the mass denial of the legal rights, individuals have faced extreme brutality in Czech Jails. Paul Rosenthal from Seattle Washington who was released this morning from the Olsanska jail in Prague after forty hours states, "What is happening inside the Czech jails is more than frightening. People have no rights, they are being beaten severely, they are disappearing. Women are being forced to strip in front of male guards and perform exercises. People with serious medical problems have been denied help."
INPEG International Press Agent
http://www.inpeg.org
--------
Toronto: Arrests at S26 Anti-Globalisation Solidarity demo in Toronto
Anti-poverty activist Fernando Soto was arrested on charges stemming from his alleged participation in the June 15th Ontario Coalition Against Poverty Demo. He was taken to the 52nd division to be processed. A sizeable group came to 52 division to show support. The charges are Participating in a riot, Assault police officer, Assault with a weapon, Weapons dangerous, Obstructing a police officer, Attempting to injure an animal.
Fernando's hearing is tomorrow morning (Wednesday) at 9:00 a.m., Old City Hall, room 111. Fernando has been very active in anti-poverty activism in Toronto. Fernando was instrumental in designing and building the 'Homeless Moose,' (The Moose has made appearances at the 'Safe Park' anniversary and the Labour Day parade, the DEC bookstore window and is presently at York U)
-- There are unconfirmed rumours that two other people were arrested and an ugly scene between police and demonstrators.
--------
Photos of S26 Protest Action in Prague
- at Indy Media
- at Yahoo
Updates - PRAGUE, Sept 26.2000 - Protesters besiege International Monetary Fund Meeting
Police tried to force rioters back with water cannon, tear gas, dogs, thunderflashes and even threw cobblestones as they were at times overwhelmed by hundreds of masked youths shouting anti-globalist slogans.
The worst threat to those at the conference occurred when protesters stormed a hotel just across the road from the congress centre. They pelted financiers and journalists with stones until police pushed them back with dogs and truncheons.
Despite arrests, thousands of people are still in the streets of Praha. Confrontations with police are still continuing. Reports of more than 500 arrested in the last hour.
--------
At Corporate Watch - Protesters Parade Through Praguewww.corpwatch.org/globalization/bretton/jl9-26.html
----
Excerpts - Undercurrents report from Prague - 26 Sept 2000
By Martin Palmer and Paul O’ Connor, Undercurrents
The images presented to the planet when the International Monetary Fund and World Bank hold their annual joint meetings are not ones of men in suits making key decisions for entire nations. The latest images are now of young people playing drums and waving banners, often lost in smoke and tear gas fired from riot police. Today, as the meetings got underway in Prague’s former Communist-era Palace of Culture, a police and army guard set out to ensure the security of the “castle” as activists have dubbed it. Around 8000 activists are on the streets of the capital of the Czech republic to disrupt the meetings, taking inspiration from the actions in Seattle and Washington DC.
At the police barricade on the road bridge opposite the conference center, banners in various languages declared the protests illegal and that force would be used to disperse people. A stand off was the result with the Ya Basta! leading the yellow group trying to push past the police line. Activists succeeded in taking two police batons as souvenirs. Having made their was round to the other side of the center the Pink group, consisting of mainly British activists, moved in. With a sound track from a Samba band and activist folk band ‘Seize the Day’, activists got busy with fence cutting. One fence cutter said “ I am doing this to stop people being hurt if the police try to force us into the side.” Meanwhile the downed fence was dragged off to become part of the activist’s barricades. Police refused to talk despite various musicians trying to open a dialogue. A diminutive middle aged Indian woman from the Narmada dam campaign stood nose to nose with the line of armed & armored police in gasmasks. The pink group moved past the military tanks, hundreds of armored police, and dozens of army personnel and found a side street blocked only by a thin line of uniformed police. Masked up black clad activists grabbed a metal barrier and ran at the line and a battle ensued with both sides getting stuck in. Sticks and rocks were thrown as police responded with deafening loud firecrackers, smoke grenades, and water cannons. One masked up young man grabbed cameras screaming at the press, both independent and mainstream, to stop filming. Meanwhile the samba band and other activists blockaded the streets forcing a number of delegate’s cars off the road. One Mercedes had its windows smashed and after making a run for it the suited middle aged male occupants had an undignified clamber over the police barricades to escape.
--------
Sites Reporting on S26
AinfosCzech, Report from Prague Protestors block center of Prague in first major demo S26 in two days .. and Anarchists attack skinheads http://prague.indymedia.org http://x21.org/s26 http://www.s26.org www.jwj.org/S26/grid_9_17.htm. http://www.corpwatch.org/ http://www.indymedia.org/ http://www.lbbs.org/weluser.htm
--------
Tensions Run High in Prague - Sept.26.2000
http://www.corpwatch.org/globalization/bretton
The Congress Center, where the World Bank/IMF annual meeting is taking place, is ringed by police. Officials warn against violence by demonstrators and have denied them a permit to march. The activists have repeatedly vowed to stay nonviolent in their efforts to blockade the meeting. Despite the tension, they are making puppets, costumes, banners and gathering musical instruments for their parade.
HEADLINES
http://www.corpwatch.org/headlines
--------
September 26 Global Day of Action
http://www.s26.org
Call for A Day of Action Against Capitalism across North America on September 26, 2000
In solidarity with the global day of action worldwide, we propose that communities throughout North America organize actions for September 26th, 2000.
From September 26th to 28th 2000, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank are holding their 55th annual summit in Prague. A mass mobilization of people to Prague has begun. On September 26, peoples of the world will express their opposition to the World Bank and the IMF and their policies. Peoples of the world will join together in an expression of solidarity with the demonstrators in Prague in recognition that the capitalist system, based on the exploitation of people, societies, and the environment for the profit of a few, is the prime cause of our social and ecological troubles.
If you or your group plan to join this day of action, please let others know as soon as possible, to facilitate networking and communication. There are several international mailing lists available for open discussions and co-ordination. A public international contact list is regularly posted to these lists in order to facilitate decentralized networking. To have your contact information added to it, please contact resistance@x21.org
--------
New Site (Aug.2000) -World Economic Forum Protests in Melbourne.
--------
Protests at Sept.11 World Economic Forum Melbourne - Sept.11.2000
- Sep.10.2000 -Anti-globalization protesters battled police and formed a human barricade around the site of an international economic forum on Monday September 10, delaying its start.
Thousands of demonstrators waved placards and attacked the cars of delegates outside the hotel and casino complex in the southern city of Melbourne, which was hosting the Asia-Pacific Economic Summit of the World Economic Forum.
- Sep.11.2000, From:stoO@bigpond.net.au - The police have upped the ante at the protests today, perhaps in response to huge crowd numbers and successful blockading yesterday.
This morning has seen sporadic and increasingly concerted efforts at breaking the lines of protestors. The unprovoked attack on an unsuspecting group of people by mounted and foot police at 7.45am this morning was the first of many such clashes. Further violence occurred as police formed Roman-style phalanxes to shield delegates and burst them through picket lines on the Spencer Street side of Crown Casino.
The behaviour of the police in these instances has been above and beyond their publicly-touted role of keepers of civil order. The thuggery seen here today drew calls of "shame" from angered witnesses. Smirking officers and angry, bloodied protesters only helped worsen the atmosphere that has crept into this second day of the S11 blockade.
One can't help but feel that these attacks are part of a broader strategy to break the protester spirit, even if that means breaking noses. We hope those on the front line can stay strong in the face of this unreasonable, unconscionable action by police.Indy Media Melbourne Feature story Green Left
--------
NDP Demands Appeal of WTO Drug Ruling -Sep.9.2000
WINNIPEG - NDP health critic Judy Wasylycia-Leis has called on the federal government to appeal the World Trade Organization decision delaying access to generic drugs.
She said Canada should do everything possible to make sure Canadians have access to reasonably priced pharmaceuticals. The federal government's decision to repeal its own regulations rather than appeal the WTO ruling will delay access to generic drugs and their much needed cost savings.
"This government has signaled to international pharmaceutical companies that it's open season in Canada," Ms. Wasylycia-Leis said. "The Canadian drug industry has been deregulated to the point that increasing drug costs are now threatening the very survival of medicare."
--------
NEW ON CORPORATE WATCH - Sept3.2000Al Gore: The Other Oil Candidate
UN and CORPORATIONSTangled Up in Blue: Corporate Partnerships at the United Nations Teach-In: Economic Globalization and the Role of the United Nations
As world leaders gather for the Millenium Summit in New York, "We The Peoples" of the United Nations are asking a momentous question: Will corporations rule the world or will they be subordinated by governments and civil society to the universal values of environmental, labor and human rights?
--------
At A-infos - Sept.2000
Canada, Quebec, The Carnival Against Capitalism
--------
NAFTA at Odds with the Environment - Sept.1.2000
Mexico has lost a major NAFTA lawsuit and it will have serious implications for Canada's ability to pass environmental regulations. It may even affect the way that Toronto disposes of its garbage.
An independent tribunal under the North American free-trade agreement ruled this week that Mexico must pay California-based Metalclad Corp. $16.7-million as compensation for a Mexican municipality's refusal to allow the company to run a hazardous waste dump.
The Canadian Environmental Law Association says the decision is proof that NAFTA and the environment are at odds. NAFTA is saying, you can have your local rules for dumping, but if a foreign company wants to dump it can force you to pay.
Example - if the Canadian firm that plans to ship Toronto's garbage to Kirkland Lake, Ont., is bought by a U.S. firm, local authorities will have a difficult time restricting the foreign company if they decide that Toronto's garbage would be unhealthy for the Kirkland Lake community.
The Mexican government says it will try to have the award set aside using a loophole in NAFTA that will let Mexico argue its case again before a neutral court -- in this case, the British Columbia court system.
--------
The People's Summit takes place Sept 5th to 8 in New York
http:// www.peoplessummit.orgS8 Mobilization is a coalition of international organizations working to mobilize a massive people's presence at the Millennium Summit to reclaim the United Nations for all and to advance a people's agenda for the 21st century.
On September 6-8, 2000, the United Nations will host the UN Millennium Summit, the largest gathering of heads of state in history, to set the agenda for the world for the new millennium.
Political and corporate leaders will consider the ratification of over 500 treaties that declare the need for economic, social, political, and cultural human rights for all peoples. However, the hierarchical structure and openness to corporate influence of the UN make it close to impossible for the will of the people to be implemented and renders it a forum for impotent rhetoric.CSIS - Canadian Security Intelligence Service releases report on Globalization Protests
Read it - Anti-Globalization - A Spreading Phenomenon
--------
New articles: Aug.2000Control of Canada's water yielded to the U.S. by NAFTA Canadians' Choice: NAFTA or Medicare
- Read them at canadaelection.org on the Canadian Action Party Page
--------
A Failed Global Experiment: The Truth About the US Economic Model by John McMurtry
(Economic Reform, Vol. 12, No. 7 July 2000)
The US and world economy it leads are, in fact, sliding into a black hole. The giant sucking sound you hear is the rush of Canada and other imitators racing to follow.
- Read the full essay
--------
At Activist News- US Government plotted to disrupt peaceful protests, rights groups charge
Washington DC -29 July, 2000 - The United States and District of Columbia governments deliberately plotted to disrupt and stifle peaceful protests against the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, according to a lawsuit filed by civil rights and protest groups here today.
--------
Peoples Global Action Bulletin #5 - Worldwide resistance round-up inspired by FEB 2000 - UK EDITION III
www.agp.org/agp/infopool/pgabulletin5en.html
--------
A Gift of Debt for Dying Africa - July.2000
Info from David Creighton <dcr8on@sympatico.ca>The recent International AIDS conference in Durban spoke of an Africa that is dying. An epidemic of HIV, and other diseases being labeled as HIV is raging across Africa, taking 6,030 lives each day. This number is expected to double during this decade.
Longer-term economic consequences for Africa are falling food production, deteriorating health care, and disintegrating educational systems. With the virus continuing to spread, life expectancy could drop to 30.
The good news is that some countries are halting the spread of the virus. Senegal responded early to the threat. As a result, it held the infection rate to 2 percent of its adults.
Saving Africa depends on a large-scale international plan to curb the spread of the virus and to restore economic progress. Yet the plan put forward at the recent AIDS conference in South Africa is lacking. The USA Export-Import Bank has announced it will "Offer Africa $1 Billion a Year to Fight AIDS." Bank Chairman, James Harmon says, "Rather than using the limitations of our mission as an excuse to do nothing, we are finding a way -- as a credit agency -- to do something constructive.''
This sounds great until we remember that The World Trade Organization ruled that it is illegal for developing nations to manufacture low-cost generic drugs, either for their own use or for export. This is due to new "intellectual property rights" laws that protect the profits of the multinational pharmaceutical/chemical corporations.
Africa's borrowing to purchase the expensive drugs means a corporate bonanza, reaped from human suffering. Now Africans can borrow the money, at interest, to buy expensive drugs that they were beginning to produce themselves.
This isn't helping Africa, it is an absolutely brilliant, absolutely criminal scam.
--------
Free Tibet Protesters Win Victory Over China.
Info from:Josh from Milarepa/Students for a Free Tibet. ustc@igc.org
The World Bank has decided to cancel the China Western Poverty Reduction Project! And Protesters who camped outside the building to block China's resettlement of Tibet are claiming victory.
"When we got the announcement, people screamed and shouted, and soon we were spraying champagne all over the place. It was amazing to be there, and to be a part of this victory that has been a long time coming."
1. For almost the first time, the governments of the world have stood up to the Chinese government and refused to support their activities.
2. The Tibetans inside Tibet will probably be overjoyed to hear the news that the world community came together and refused to support population transfer.
3. We insured that the Chinese government will never be able to get International Aid money for its colonization efforts.
4. We had a profound effect on the World Bank and how it operates. This campaign will have such a major impact on how the Bank operates in the future, and will force a level of accountability that the Bank has never known!
Original Post - Protesters Oppose Chinese Resettlement of Tibet at World Bank - July.4.2000
FROM WORLD BANK BASE CAMP!!!
Since the World Bank seems so determined to resettle Chinese farmers into Tibet, free Tibet protesters decided to resettle themselves in front of the Bank! They were present 24 hours a day til the vote on the project.
They hung prayer flags in the park across from the bank, unfurled a giant Tibetan flag, and held placards that read “The World is Watching” and “Resettle This!!!” For over two hours people shouted: “World Bank Out of Tibet!” and “Don’t Fund the Chinese Government.” Whenever a World Bank worker left the building, the shouting got louder.
Josh Schreitake action at www.tibet.org/sft
coalition action site www.milarepa.org/action4tibet
--------
Globalization as Apartheid - In a brilliant speech Martin Khor details the damage globlization has done to the Third World and labels it a form of apartheid.
Millenium Forum speech by Martin Khor of the Third World Network -posted July.2000
--------
U.S. and WTO target Canada's wheat board - July.2000
(Action would increase food costs in starving world)
The U.S. has reiterated its intention to target the Canadian Wheat Board and other government initiatives
U.S. Trade Representative Charlene Barshefsky told Congress of the plans last week. Ottawa's milk pricing export system has already been declared illegal by a hostile World Trade Organization.
The U.S. has said it wants to kill the Canadian Wheat Board and similar organizations that offer lower prices for wheat and food. The inefficient American system leads to high prices and the US want to compensate for that through a WTO attack on other nations.
Canada's farm supply management programs are also under attack as the WTO continues to move toward eliminating the sovereignty of nation states.
--------
At Corporate Watch - June 2000Canada Detains and Deports Corporate Watch Staffer The Counter Petroleum Congress Tell BP Amoco to Stop Funding its Tibet Pipeline! UN Ends Flawed Corporate Partnership
--------
OIL Protest - a report from the protest at the World Petroleum Congress meeting in Calgary this week. June.2000
From: Barbara Jill Walden.2,000 to 3,000 people, surrounded by hundreds of curious onlookers and surveyed by lots of uniformed and ununiformed cops, gathered at Eau Claire Centre as scheduled, 3pm on Sunday, June 11.
The Edmonton Radical Cheerleaders, in their red and black tops and skirts, kept the energy level high. A lot of placards defended human rights and condemned the murder committed directly or indirectly through corporate incursions in various areas of the world. There was special attention paid to the situation facing indigenous peoples.
Families, young people, elderly people of various backgrounds participated, smiling in the face of police intimidation. They shouted slogans such as "This is what democracy looks like!", and "No Blood for Oil!", and "I Say Shell, you say murder"!. There was a strong message of support for solar energy methods as well.
There was a request that no participant speak to the National Post and the Calgary Herald reporters. Scores of media cameras and reporters watched; they may have hoped for a riot but the colourful parade only made the city, corporations and paramilitary look worse and worse. It was clear who represented the interests of democracy and rights.
WE walked for about twelve blocks, the corporate greed puppet and Greenpeace polar bears joining us along the way. We filled the Olympic Plaza outdoor theatre bowl with whoops of joy, surrounded by 3-meter high wire fencing behind which the riot squads and oil magnates cowered.
As the plaza filled, one could see the full array of the carnival-cloud, sun and bird puppets, including the anti-oil thunderbird (gas hose and nozzle ensemble). Four dinosaurs on bikes arrived. Someone brought a windmill. There was a Ralph Klein puppet carried by two elderly women opposed to privatization. Many banners spread under the hot afternoon sun.
A skit portrayed the enslavement of people oppressed by the oil industry development and the shallow concern with consumer prices of gasoline. What is the true cost of oil?
An environmental contingent, boasting the native woman puppet and Radical Cheerleaders, circulated throughout the downtown streets while the rally proceeded.
The event was graced by the Raging Grannies and a singer/guitarist who performed between speeches by NAC, CDLC, Council of Canadians (Loretta Gerlach) and someone from Sudan. The rally lasted about an hour.
The whole area had been closed off, with the false pretext of "protecting" persons and property. Even the C-Train had been re-programmed. It was clear the "authorities" did not want anyone to see the political action and get inspired by it. But knowledge of the protesters, whether seen or unseen, was inspiring as was the heavy police presence.
Photos to be available soon at the VAN-DAN.
------------
News Digest of Windsor OAS Protest
Windsor Mistreatment - Call for Testimonials - July.6.2000
From: ilene77@hotmail.com
To all who were present at the Organization of American States protest in Windsor
We are the Windsor Peace Committee! Due to the many Human Rights violations and mistreatment of protestors that occurred before, during and after the OAS General Assembly we have formed an accountability committee.
It is the job of this committee to make sure that the brutality that occurred is brought out to the Canadian public and that the people responsible be held accountable.
In order to gather evidence for our legal team we are sending a call out for written testimonials. Everything from border hassles, campsite rejection, seizure of personal property, to the severest police brutality is important to this documentation. It is our intention to give a voice and a sense of validity to those who were mistreated and abused against all the laws of our country.
If you have any questions or concerns about your statement please feel free to call co-ordinator of the statement team, Ilene Sova after 4:30 at 519-977-8787. You can e-mail your statements to
Ilene Sova ilene77@hotmail.com
Jahan Kargar jsk314@hotmail.com
--------Final Four Released - OAS Protesters out of Jail - 9.Jun.2000
Ending their hunger strike after several nights in jail, the final four OAS Shutdown protesters were released from jail yesterday afternoon.
One, a young offender charged with assaulting the police officer whose boot was on her face, was released on her own recognizance.
The other three prisoners had been part of a group arrest of direct action ‘organizer’ types charged with mischief. One woman and two men, they were released on condition that $500.00 cash bail be paid, and they leave the city of Windsor within 24 hours. They are not to return, unless their visits are court-related.
The Canadian Auto Workers generously posted the $1500.00 bail, in addition to the $1500.00 they had contributed the day before.
Pursuit of civil action is being considered by the prisoner who suffered physical and sexual abuse at the hands of police, both during and following her arrest.
For more information, including future action against police misconduct, write to: stopftaa@tao.ca
The OAS Shutdown Coalition legal team has run up many expenses working for the release of the political prisoners. To make a contribution, please send
your cheque payable to:
OPIRG Toronto (memo: OAS Shutdown Coalition Legal Fund)
563 Spadina Ave,Toronto, ON,M5S 2J7
--------
Canada, Windsor, Hunger Striking Political Prisoners still being Jailed in Windsor
From: "Stefanie Gude" <stefgude@hotmail.com
June 7th, 2000, Windsor -- Four protesters have been on a hunger strike since 2pm on Tuesday after being arrested with trumped-up charges during the protests of the Organization of American States (OAS) General Assembly meetings in Windsor, Ontario.
Three are charged with mischief, and one protester is facing an assault police charge. The woman tried to remove an officer’s foot from her face.
At 17 years old and only 5’2, seventy riot police felt intimidated enough to charge her with assault police. Another woman protester has allegedly been sexually and physically assaulted at the hands of the authorities. She is one of the four who have still not been released. Most of the other protesters have also reported mistreatment upon arrest.
The protesters are being targeted for their political beliefs, and according to the police, are integral organizers of the action. The activists are being persecuted in jail for their principles of practicing non-compliance tactics in order to maintain jail solidarity. They are being held unnecessarily long, in relation to the crimes they are accused of. In addition, the bail conditions themselves are excessive.
An urgent request by the Legal Committee of the Coalition to Shutdown the
OAS / FTAA has been released. The public is urged to express their outrage by calling the Crown Attorney’s office at 519-253-1104 (fax 519-253-1813).
People can also contact the Chief of Police at 519-255-6700 x4486, MP and
Deputy Prime Minister Herb Gray at 519-257-6817 (fax 519-257-6820) and Mayor Hurst at 519-255-6315 (fax 519-255-7796).
Any contributions for legal costs can be sent to stopftaa@tao.ca.
For more information, contact:
Coalition to Shutdown the OAS / FTAA
Media 519-258-9193
Legal Committee 519-944-4749
--------
URGENT JAIL SUPPORT NEEDED - June 6.2000
Eleven more activists have been arrested during a support rally outside the "secret" OAS jail in Windsor, ON, Canada.
As yet, we are unaware of the charges, but they were arrested during a soft blockade.
We can expect the same treatment as the previous activists have experienced.
--------
Windsor arrestees still in Jail, June 6, 8:00 pm
Hi........
Nine people arrested in Windsor today, denied access to lawyers, denied bail hearing until June 9.
I just got a call from Windsor, June 6, 7:45 pm.
I was told that the following info had been sent out by email. But, it has not appeared in my email box yet.
- Nine people, who were marching peacefully in protest of the OAS meeting in Windsor, arrested today, June 6.
- Ten people now in custody
- Denied access to lawyer
- Denied bail hearings until June 9
- One woman arrestee reported verbal and sexual abuse in jail
- Arrestees participating in jail solidarity
- Arrestees threatened with being moved to separate jails across the province
You are urgently requested to immediately phone:
- Mayor of Windsor 519-255-6315
- Detention Centre 519-944-6603
- Herb Gray, MP 519-257-6817 <Gray.H@parl.gc.ca>
- Windsor Police 519-255-6700
You may be able to get more info from Black Star Legal Coalition in Windsor
519-564-4554. But that's just a guess.
Bob Olsen, Toronto bobolsen@interlog.com
--------
Jailed Activists in Windsor - Tue, 6 Jun 2000
From: smack@dojo.tao.ca
Two american activists have been detained on bogus immigration charges in Windsor as part of the Canadian government's ongoing efforts to silence dissent against the Organization of American States, which is currently meeting in Windsor. Arthur Foelsche is being detained on the grounds that he
"might" commit an indictable offence (equivalent to a felony) while David
Solnit (a puppeteer from California whose skills helped to create the colourful masks and puppets at the protests in Seattle and Washington, D.C.) is being detained for having a 14 year old charge on his record. The two are appearing at the Canadian Immigration Review Board over the next two days, and need your calls and faxes asap!
These charges are clearly political in nature and being used to detain and target activists. No offences have actually been committed. The government is attempting to undermine the rights of everyone to protest the reprehensible actions of the Organization of American States.
Call or fax the Immigration Review Board Adjudication Division at:
ph: 416/973-0853 FAX: 416/973-0852.
Demand that the two be released, and that they not be deported!
--------
Latest - OAS pepper spray continues, students walk out - June 5, 2000.
We are here to help shut down the OAS summit. We already feel we have been successful since they had to build a 16 city block prison downtown to keep the OAS in and the demonstrators out. As the Canadian Foreign Minister
blabs about Canadian values and human rights the cops are beating people and confiscating their banners.
I came to Windsor with postal workers from Toronto. Yesterday the police were very brutal and violent. Cops sprayed people with pepper spray whenever they felt like it. The brutality is what you did not see on tv. Fortunately, there is lot's of video footage around of the violent cops.
The police even sprayed people who got too close to the fence they set up. Anyone who got close got sprayed. The CUPW Toronto local president called on labour organizers to support the direct action folks. It was clear the cops were preparing for more violence and beatings directed against the demonstrators. Announcements were made calling on workers to support the direct action people, thus preventing the cops from going crazy.
Today, I am joined by some postal workers as we march around Windsor in several large groups. We are visiting high schools. Students are walking out of Walkerville Collegiate. Teachers are standing on the steps trying to hold them back but they are walking out and joining us. The cops are disoriented. They don't know what to do. There is an incredible police presence and they are following us around everywhere. Our numbers are growing.
Our resistance is as transnational as capital.
In solidarity, Mike, a letter carrierDavid Bleakney
From: Dave Bleakney <DBLEAKNEY@CUPW-STTP.ORG>
National Union Representative
Canadian Union of Postal Workers
--------
Organization of American States Protest June 4, 2000 in Windsor Canada.
Latest - OAS pepper spray continues, students walk out - June 5, 2000.
We are here to help shut down the OAS summit. We already feel we have been successful since they had to build a 16 city block prison downtown to keep the OAS in and the demonstrators out. As the Canadian Foreign Minister
blabs about Canadian values and human rights the cops are beating people and confiscating their banners.
I came to Windsor with postal workers from Toronto. Yesterday the police were very brutal and violent. Cops sprayed people with pepper spray whenever they felt like it. The brutality is what you did not see on tv. Fortunately, there is lot's of video footage around of the violent cops.
The police even sprayed people who got too close to the fence they set up. Anyone who got close got sprayed. The CUPW Toronto local president called on labour organizers to support the direct action folks. It was clear the cops were preparing for more violence and beatings directed against the demonstrators. Announcements were made calling on workers to support the direct action people, thus preventing the cops from going crazy.
Today, I am joined by some postal workers as we march around Windsor in several large groups. We are visiting high schools. Students are walking out of Walkerville Collegiate. Teachers are standing on the steps trying to hold them back but they are walking out and joining us. The cops are disoriented. They don't know what to do. There is an incredible police presence and they are following us around everywhere. Our numbers are growing.
Our resistance is as transnational as capital.
In solidarity, Mike, a letter carrierDavid Bleakney
From: Dave Bleakney <DBLEAKNEY@CUPW-STTP.ORG>
National Union Representative
Canadian Union of Postal Workers
--------
News Digest - Organization of American States Shutdown protest in Windsor - Sunday June 4, 2000The OAS protest is related to worldwide protests against globalization and free trade. Our regular media will probably simplify the issue to whether or not protesters succeeded in shutting down the meeting. The Federal Liberals will likely say that the OAS is about improving human rights and that most Canadians support free trade. Yet the real issue is sovereignty. Agreements through these global bodies are more about removing national sovereignty and democracy than they are about trade. Environmental regulations, the auto pact and on and on have been destroyed by international bodies that do not represent the Canadian people.
Nearly all Canadian politicians support globalization. The exceptions are a few NDPers, the Canadian Action Party, Green Party and the Socialists. If there is a key reason why activists don't give up in the face of these overwhelming odds it is that many moral issues are involved that relate to world poverty and suffering. Canadian citizens are now to the left of their governments on most issues and it has been shown that they swing to the left when they are educated on the issues. In that sense, our government's greatest enemy is the democratic citizen, slowly educating the public as to the negative effects.
--------
Links
For in-depth non-corporate media coverage of the ongoing protests against
the Organization of American States' meetings in Windsor, Canada, point
your browser to the Windsor Independent Media Center's newswire, at
"http://windsor.indymedia.org". Today, June 4, 2000, police clashed with
demonstrators who are trying to shut down the meetings, using pepper spray
and arresting many activists.
Main site
http://www.shutdownOAS.org
OAS Discussion list
http://phorum.tao.ca/list.php3?num=13
OAS Shutdown Video Centre
http://www.tao.ca/~stopftaa/tvac/
Photos
http://www.tao.ca/~stopftaa/tvac/stills.html
Shutdown OAS Detroit Site
http://stopoasdetroit.webjump.com/
--------News Clips
Amnesty International Statement Condemns the Organization of American States Human Rights Record - June 4,2000In a public document released today, Amnesty International and other Non Governmental Organizations expressed their concern over the failure of the OAS to seriously tackle the issues of human rights. These include widespread impunity for human rights violations; the persistence of practices such as torture, enforced "disappearance" and extrajudicial executions; appalling prison conditions in many countries in the region; and the continued application of the death penalty in some of them.
The adoption of a resolution last year by the OAS General Assembly has not been translated into any positive improvement of the situation of human rights defenders, who continue to be the victims of human rights violations in several countries in the region, Amnesty International said.
The OAS has been taking little or no reaction to overt steps taken by some member states to limit human rights protection. One example of this is the withdrawal of Trinidad and Tobago from the American Convention on Human Rights. The OAS has not reacted to Peru's refusal last year to comply with decisions of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights on fair trial.
Amnesty and NGO's want many improvements including
- Establish a Human Rights Action Plan, which would include the participation of organizations of civil society.
- Urge the full ratification of the American Convention on Human Rights and other inter-American human rights systems by all member States of the OAS.
- Urge all American States to take the necessary steps for their national legislation to conform with their international human rights obligations;
- Reiterate its recognition and support for the work of human rights defenders and urge States to provide guarantees for human rights defenders to carry out their work.
- Urge states to adopt the necessary measures to ensure that the system of consultative status for organizations of civil society provides for their effective participation in the work of the OAS.
--------Cops clash with Protesters in Windsor- June.4.2000
Windsor has been turned into a fortress, with concrete barriers and steel fences keeping thousands of protesters away from the downtown convention centre. The demonstrators are made up of a wide range of groups, from mothers against domestic violence to priests lobbying for social justice.
Students banged on drums and tied themselves together with rope as police helicopters clattered overhead and police snipers stared down from office towers. A no public access zone was created and it included public parks on the riverfront. Police set up several base camps within the perimeter. Officers were posted on rooftops and others carried riot gear. Still more patrolled streets outside the perimeter in golf carts, utility vehicles and motorcycles. The police state measures are standard procedure in a globalization agenda that pretends to include the public while at the same time disallowing it.
Pepper spray, batons, armoured police vehicles, sniffer dogs, riot squads and other police violence was used to stop protesters. In one case they were blocked from putting up a banner.
Police later arrested more than two dozen protesters who sat in front of a bus being used by delegates. 41 people were arrested in total.
Most think police have overreacted to the presence of the protesters.
At the same time, about 400 people across the river in downtown Detroit paraded with Shut Down OAS banners, chanting ''Clean up this mess, stop the OAS.'' After listening to several speakers, the protesters marched on Detroit's Woodward Avenue as police equipped with nightsticks and gas masks observed from street corners and rooftops.
Earlier in Detroit police attacked the critical mass bike ride, arrested between 15-20 people and confiscated their bikes. Police felt that attacking the bike riders was an action against anti OAS protesters.
OAS Opposition Activities included
- North American Peoples Global Action Conference
- Teach-In on the FTAA with Tony Clarke
- A Teach-In with Labour and Social Activists
- Towards A Democratic Hemisphere
- Shut Down the OAS - Direct Action Resist!
- Visions from the Four Corners of the Continent With Noam Chomsky.
- Rally & March for Democracy, Social Justice and Fair Trade in the Americas
- OAS and Human Rights Inter-Church Committee for Human Rights in Latin America
- A grassroots teach-in and speak-out on the Organization of American States, the Free Trade Area of the Americas and capitalist globalization presented by the Coalition to Shutdown the OAS/FTAA, in collaboration with People's Global Action.
--------Here is one account of police overreaction before the protest
Arrests Continue in Windsor . . . by icm 8:59pm Fri Jun 2 '00
account of an arrest in windsor, june 2nd
this evening around 7pm i was walking home from the teach-in and witnessed the following arrest:
a guy was riding his bike down the other side of the street in the other direction. he waved at me, i waved back, then i noticed two cop cars (310
8EF and 313 9EF) pass the car in front of them and race down the road after him. they cut him off, and according to another witness, as they screeched to a halt dirt flew up in his eyes so that he put his hands to his face and fell off.
an unmarked van (345 4EF) had pulled up behind them at this point and I couldn't see him on the ground. as i was trying to get close enough to take some pictures a couple of cops came towards me and told me to take off, so I stayed put and took down license plates instead. as i stood there a guy on a red motorcycle pulled up and started talking to the cops. i'm pretty sure he had something to do with the whole thing, they seemed like they knew each other.
eventually the cops got really pissed off that i was there and came towards me so i crossed the street with the other witness. one cop came over to ask me if i knew the guy, to see my id., if i was in town for the protest, etc.
i asked if i was under arrest to which he replied "you just jaywalked." i asked him again and he said no.
an emergency services police truck pulled up and the back door opened up to let more cops out. there was about ten cops at this point for one guy already on the ground. inside the truck was what looked like a whole lot of riot gear. they put the bike in it.
another windsor police car and then an opp car arrived. then the wagon (337 OEF). the other witness told me they were pushing the arrestee up against the bumper of the wagon, then i saw him sitting on the bumper being drenched with water. they put him in the wagon and took him away.
according to whoever answers phones at the cop shop, it would be a breach of privacy to let us know if they have him at the station or not.
it's nice that the police are around to keep us safe...
peace, mandy :-)
--------
Public Education in Ontario on the Rocks of NAFTA - May.9.2000
Public Funding for the Ontario post-secondary education system will be open to a challenge under
Canada's free trade agreement if Mike Harris moves ahead with his scheme to allow private universities.
- read the full article.
--------
Thousands Form Human Chain Around Asian Development Bank Meeting
CHIANG MAI, Thailand, May 8 - Anti-capitalism protesters formed a human chain around a luxury hotel hosting the Asian Development Bank's annual meeting Monday, demanding a rethink of its policies in Thailand.
Several thousand protesters linked arms and chanted slogans watched by hundreds of riot police lined up around the building, as the final day of the conference got under way inside.
Protest leaders have threatened they will try to storm the hotel if their demands issued on Sunday for compensation for people affected by ADB projects and a reassessment of bank policies are not met.
Demonstrators say that ADB policies have exacerbated poverty rather than loosened its grip on Asia -- which is home to 70 percent of the world's poor.
--------
Leaders at Cuba Summit Support World Bank, IMF Protesters
UPI, April, 2000
WASHINGTON - Leaders of the world's poorest countries who met in
Cuba this week for a three-day summit voiced solidarity with anti-World Bank/International Monetary Fund protesters the Washington Post reported Sunday.
About 40 heads of state attended the Group of 77 summit in Havana.
Spokesman for the Group of 77, Arthur Mbanefo, of Nigeria, said on Saturday, "I, for one, support the demonstrators."
"Many countries have rejected the results of various policy initiatives of the World Bank and IMF," he said.
"We are very supportive of demonstrations that could forcefully handle those concerns,"he added.
South African President Thabo Mbeki said, "We believe consciousness is rising, including in the north, about the inequality and insecurity globalization has brought about the plight of the poor countries." Mbeki added that the skirmishes in Seattle at the WTO meeting and the planned World Bank and IMF protests are a sign of "a changing atmosphere which a more coherent Third World voice can take advantage of."
Cuban President Fidel Castro called the economic difference between Cuba and the United States "a new apartheid," the paper reported.
The newspaper also reported that Nigerian President and G-77 Chairman Olusegun Obasanjo said, "It is indeed time to recover our fighting spirit." He added, "No doubt that from here we go forward, determined to make a difference."
About 80 percent of the world's population is represented by the
Group of 77, which was founded in 1964 to help alleviate poverty. The group is composed of 133 members.
--------
Michel Chossudovsky - The IMF-World Bank's "Economic Medicine" by Michel Chossudovsky
* Through the imposition of deadly macroeconomic medicine, the IMF and the World Bank are responsible for destroying national economies and impoverishing millions of people.
--------
Read -The Price of Dissent - by Renée Menius - Mar.31.00 (So it goes with protests against mega-corporations and their power, whether performed online or on the streets of Seattle. With the media framing these issues in terms of war, the US Justice Department and FBI using taxpayer-funded resources to protect US businesses against activist citizens, and the US judicial system imposing sentences on hackers that are usually reserved for violent perpetrators, today?s activists have heard the message loud and clear: there is no room in the land of the free for dissenters of capitalism)
-------
Economic Reform - William Krehm deals with the dot.com boom and how funding that is available for web companies that are not profitable is not available for older productive industries - and concludes that neglect of infrastructures essential for the productive economy and society itself are bound to pull the economy out of shape.
The Virtues of Virtuality! - By William Krehm (Apr 2000)
--------
GLOBALIZATION: SOME IMPLICATIONS & STRATEGIES FOR WOMEN -Apr.00 -
www3.sympatico.ca/truegrowth/womenstrat1.html
Written by Marjorie Griffin Cohen, Laurell Ritchie, Michelle Swenarchuk, and Leah Vosko
National Action Committee On The Status of Women (Canada)
nac@web.net 416-932-1718
Laura Cabarrocas <nacio@web.net>
--------
John Ralston Saul - Read his essay - How we will make Canada ours again
--------
Protest over Corporate Water Plans - Mar.22.00 - Maude Barlow says the international water conference has been hijacked by big business. Barlow is leader of the Blue Planet Project.. The Blue Planet Project was among a number of groups which last night pleaded for delegations from 112 countries to call for the protection of water as a basic human right.
"This entire conference has been hijacked by the multinationals,'' Barlow said. "It's an outrage that decisions on the future of water are happening according to the agendas of some of the world's biggest companies."
Barlow's alternative action plan calls on the industrial world to immediately cancel foreign debt to the
developing world, so they can finance water-treatment facilities. It also calls for a restoration of foreign aid to 0.7 per cent of gross domestic, and for the Tobin Tax on global electronic money transactions.
--------
APEC Protesters Withdraw Complaints - March 1st - Three unrepresented APEC complainants have formarly withdrawn from the process. Rob West, Jonathan Oppenheim, and Jaggi Singh formally and irrevocable withdrew their complaints today, and asked that all complaints made on their behalf be ignored.
Read their letters
more at
http://www.physics.ubc.ca/~jono/pcc/pcc.html
--------
Jubilee Year Clips
World Bank chief says debt relief would "screw up" market
MANILA, Feb 26 (AFP) - Using Christianity's Jubilee year as a platform to press for debt relief for the world's developing countries is "whimsical" and could "screw up the market," World Bank president James Wolfensohn said here Saturday.
"The notion that for the Jubileum for someone to come along and forgive that debt is whimsical," he said. The Roman Catholic church is celebrating the 2,000th birthday of Jesus Christ. Some church leaders and church-based pressure groups have called for debt write-off for poor countries by lending institutions, including the World Bank, to mark the celebrations.
Forgiving a Dying Man's Debt isn't enough, says OAU President
Bangkok, 21 Feb -- A comprehensive analysis of the plight of Africa and a devastating critique of the response to it by Western governments was presented by the President of Algeria and current Chairman of the Organization of African Unity OAU), Abdelaziz Bouteflika, on the final day of UNCTAD X.
Bouteflika's speech and answers to questions, which came at a panel made up of world leaders were a major highlight not only of the final day but of the Conference. The Algerian President's views and comments were greeted with loud and long applause.
The OAU President's main message was that writing off the debt of 33 poorest African countries which could not pay the debt anyway was only a gesture -- a "macabre scene" where a creditor visits a dying man to forgive his debts.
Much more needed to be done by the international community, if Africans, who are a disappearing people threatened with extinction, are to survive.
Bouteflika's presentations at the very end of the Conference served as a stark reminder of how the poorest continent had been subjected not only to exploitation but to hypocrisy from rich nations that purported to help the poor countries.
Current debt relief measures only apply to bankrupt states that could not repay the debts anyway. For debt alleviation to go beyond the symbolic, it must be provided for middle-income African countries, as it had been to Russia.
Bouteflika said Africa had been split away from the flows and processes of development of the rest of the world. "Globalization can only benefit those countries with the material basis and technological foundation to operate," he added. "Only they can benefit from globalization."
He also said that "We can't live with a conscience side by side with this large part of humanity, which faces drought, disease, AIDS affecting up to 40% of the population. Africans are a disappearing people, going extinct. Developed countries now have third-generation AIDS drugs, but not a single African country has benefitted yet from the first generation of such drugs. Everything is happening as if we are trying to regulate the world's population through Malthusian logic, to let the weakest die so we can have a world of the rich and let the poor go to the wall.."
--------
Brazil Clashes With I.M.F. Over Plan to Aid the Poor - RIO DE JANEIRO, Feb. 20-- A new Brazilian government plan to spend more than $22 billion on social programs in the next decade has led to a squabble with the International Monetary Fund, which argues the money should be used to reduce Brazil's indebtedness rather than to fight poverty.
The public dispute has added to the unpopularity of the I.M.F., which in the past has been accused of provoking recession in Brazil and trampling on the country's sovereignty. It has also given President Fernando Henrique Cardoso badly needed political help, forcing opposition parties to line up behind him and potentially strengthening his hand in continuing talks with the I.M.F.
Departing managing director of the I.M.F., Michel Camdessus told a United Nations trade conference that, "We in the I.M.F. believe that what is important in the strategy of a country is not to get rid of the problems of the poor by doing some charity from time to time."
--------
Bangkok Protest Against Globalization - Sun, 13 Feb 2000 - A thousand activists marched on a major UN trade conference calling for radical changes to the global financial system which they say keeps much of the world locked in poverty.
Demonstrators were not deterred by a massive Thai security curtain around the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) designed to prevent a repeat of violence which marred trade talks in Seattle and Davos. As world leaders and delegates met inside a conference centre, singing and yelling protestors carried banners lambasting the World Bank, World Trade Organization and IMF.
Flanked by cordons of police, several hundred Thai and foreign protestors were later allowed to approach the conference centre hosting UNCTAD and stand across the road from the venue. Once in front of the venue, protestors slammed globalization and presented their demands to UNCTAD officials, who came out to police barriers to meet demonstrators. Among their demands demonstrators called on UNCTAD delegates to reform the world's financial system to benefit developing countries and help protect natural resources.
--------
DAVOS - a personal account - report at TAO on the the Davos demonstration against the WEF (World Economic Forum) Feb.2000
--------
Protests mar Davos meeting Boisterous group smashes windows, starts bonfire; but held in check by police
http://www.ainfos.ca/ainfos03174.html
--------
US Ownership - Government Misleads re Free Trade - by Paul Hellyer, Jan.6.00
--------
Michel Chossudovsky "Seattle and Beyond: Disarming the New World Order"
--------
Tony Clark -World Trade Organization - By What Authority
--------
Susan George has written an excellent brief history of international trade negotiations leading up to the Seattle WTO negotiations that begin on November 30, 1999.
TRADE BEFORE FREEDOM: SEATTLE PREPARES FOR BATTLE
http://www.tni.org/george/wto/trade.htm
--------
Facts World Trade Organization
WTO Sets rules for the global economy and enforces them
US delegations to the Uruguay Round; the vast majority were members of the corporate elite
GATS: Extends rules to include services: health care, education, water systems...
Key players - U.S. Coalition of Service Industries
TRIPS: Patents life forms, DNA, traditional medicines, etc.
Key Players - Intellectual Property Committee (Monsanto, Dupont, GM, Bristol Myers, Squibb, & 7 other major US corporations)
Financial Services: Gives "North" banks open access to entire world
Key Players - Financial Leaders Group (Barclays Bank, Chase Manhattan, Ford Financial Services, Bank of Tokyo, Goldman Sachs, Royal Bank of Canada, etc.)
Millennium Round
Lets corporations overturn national laws
Key Players - International Chamber of Commerce & the Investment Network (Fiat, Daimler-Chrysler, BP, etc.), and the U.S. Coalition of Service Industries
WTO Agreements
Agriculture: The Uruguay Round Agreement expands markets for global food corporations like Cargill and Archer Daniels Midland, while undercutting small farmers and food self-sufficiency.
Food Safety: The WTO's Sanitary and Phytosanitary Standards (SPS) tell countries "how much safety" they can have - and even whether they can label possible hazards. The SPS Agreement protects trade at the expense of scientific caution and consumer protection.
Services: 70% of the U.S. Gross National Product now comes from services like banking, telecommunications, and health care. GATS, the General Agreement on Trade and Services, opens up the world to highly developed U.S. service corporations.
Patents and Copyrights: TRIPS, the Trade-Related Intellectual Property Agreement, extends U.S. "first come first patent" rules to the whole world. Under TRIPS, a corporation can patent a strain of rice grown for hundreds of years in India, a medicinal plant from the Amazon jungles, or even your DNA.
Investment: TRIMS, Trade-Related Investment Measures, give corporations more rights to use their money however they want without government interference.
Dispute Settlement: Under the WTO, trade complaints go to a secret, unelected panel of three "trade experts." Their decision is binding on all the countries in the WTO.
--------
Ten Reasons to Dismantle the World Trade Organization
From an article by Russell Mokhiber and Robert Weissman, 19991. The WTO prioritizes trade and commercial considerations over all other values. WTO rules generally require domestic laws, rules and regulations designed to further worker, consumer, environmental, health, safety, human rights, animal protection or other non-commercial interests to be undertaken in the "least trade restrictive" fashion possible.
2. The WTO undermines democracy. Its rules drastically shrink the choices available to democratically controlled governments, with violations potentially punished with harsh penalties.
3. The WTO rules are biased to facilitate global commerce at the expense of efforts to promote local economic development and policies that move communities, countries and regions in the direction of greater self-reliance.
4. WTO rules force Third World countries to open their markets to rich country multinationals, and abandon efforts to protect infant domestic industries. In agriculture, the opening to foreign imports, soon to be imposed on developing countries, will catalyze a massive social dislocation of many millions of rural people.
5. The WTO eviscerates the Precautionary Principle. WTO rules generally block countries from acting in response to potential risk -- requiring a probability before governments can move to resolve harms to human health or the environment.
6. The WTO squashes diversity. WTO rules establish international health, environmental and other standards as a global ceiling through a process of "harmonization;" countries or even states and cities can only exceed them by overcoming high hurdles.
7. The WTO operates in secrecy. Its tribunals rule on the "legality" of nations' laws, but carry out their work behind closed doors.
8. The WTO limits governments' ability to use their purchasing dollar for human rights, environmental, worker rights and other non-commercial purposes. In general, WTO rules state that governments can make purchases based only on quality and cost considerations.
9. The WTO disallows bans on imports of goods made with child labor. In general, WTO rules do not allow countries to treat products differently based on how they were produced -- irrespective of whether made with brutalized child labor, with workers exposed to toxics or with no regard for species protection.
10. The WTO legitimizes life patents. WTO rules permit and in some cases require patents or similar exclusive protections for life forms.
----------
Peoples' Global Action against 'Free' Trade and the WTO
- http://www.agp.org
View pictures of PGA Rallies
http://www.agp.org/agp/en/Pictures/manif2/manif_02.html
http://www.agp.org/agp/en/Pictures/manif5/manif_05.html
http://www.agp.org/agp/en/Pictures/manif7/manif_07.html
Web site of the Intercontinental Caravan
http://stad.dsl.nl/~caravan
Pictures
http://www.squat.net/caravan/fotos/ICCframe-fotos.htmThe global PGA secretariat for the next year will be based at the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW), 377 Bank Street, Ottawa, Ontario, CANADA. The email address of the secretariat remains <pga@agp.org>. The temporaryregional technical secretariat for Latin America and the Caribbean will be based at Güises Montaña Experimental (GME), Rio San Juan, Nicaragua, email <gme@tmx.com.ni>, but only until the regional conference of Latin America and the Caribbean takes place in March 2000. This regional conference will also decide where in Latin America the next world-wide PGA conference will take place.
--------
More linksCOC (Council of Canadians- Toronto Chapter) call 340-1865 Web Site The Defence of Canadian Liberty Committee http://www.canadianliberty.bc.ca/ Citizens concerned about Free Trade http://web.idirect.com/~ccaft Link to the Stop MAI Page at Flora.org The MAI Information Centre Corporate Watch Latest Headlines
--------
Stop-wto-millennium-round-and-globalization-stuff-webliography"
--------
New Democratic Party of Canada - Minority Report on the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) Bill Blaikie, MP- October 25, 1999 NDP Critic for International Trade
Also read the federal pro Free Trade document - Report of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade
--------
The WTO and Public Health - Oct/99 - For over fifty years, access to health-care for all has come to be regarded as a fundamental human right in many countries. Today, though, health-care is increasingly considered as a new field for commercial activity. Next month's meeting of the World Trade Organisation in Seattle is set to accelerate this creeping privatisation of public health-care.Read a full report as citizens prepare to oppose the sellout of Health Care.
The Health Care Action Group of the Alliance for Democracy will be at World Trade Organation meeting in Seattle holding a workshop Monday Nov. 29.
--------
Demo Against the Free Trade Area of the Americas - Nov/99 - Activists Hang 30' Banner on Toronto Metro Convention Centre
Toronto, Canada--Activists from ACERCA (Action for Community and Ecology in the Rainforests of Central America) and Native Forest Network hung a 600 square foot banner off the Toronto Metro Convention Centre where Trade Ministers of 34 Latin American countries (excepting Cuba) are meeting to discuss the Free Trade Area of the Americas. "
More information and articles at http://www.acerca.org
See the Trade page for banner photo
---------
Peoples' Goblins arise and scare off Chretien - Nov 4/99
This afternoon the peoples' goblins arose en masse and took on the form of a demo mob monster to scare off the evil trade ministers, the 1000 and 1 capitalists, and the Grand Chretien himself. Today was the last of the three-day Americas Business Forum (ABF) where corporations from around the world do the real planning and drafting of the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA).
With drums and rattles leading the way, the goblins stormed over the western bridge to the southern tower where the CEO's and ministers were hatching plots to rule the world. The sound of goblin cackles and drums could be heard coming over the hill as they marched down to the entrance.
"Free Trade's not Free! It's a right wing strategy! To enslave you and me!"
"Privatization and Free markets! (clap clap) We're all targets!"
It seemed the police were not ready for the tricky smooth moves of these peoples' goblins as they ran around trying to block routes that they thought would be taken. In the end, the goblins stormed down the hill en masse. Police tried to block them, but there were no leaders and each goblin moved forward on their mission. They surrounded the doorways and windows of the hall and bellowed loudly to disrupt the sinister meetings below. Many suits and their television eyes came up to see the ruckus and shiver in their loafers. (For of course there were sneaky goblins inside as well!)
When it seemed like the goblins had gathered a chaotic force, the corporate lords and Chretien sent their star rugby police force to engage the goblins in a sporting match. For about 45 minutes the goblins scrummed, with police laughing and falling, yelling and whirling. Slippery goblins were a match for the squad but they were finally pushed to the sidewalk line where they continued to throw insults and curses at the CEO's inside.
In the end the score was high for the goblins. Corporate goons were forced to be rerouted and the Grand Chretien was delayed 45 minutes until we had left. At which point the goblins marching back to the caverns ran into Chretien's motorcade under the bridge and beat it away with placards and
drums.
--------
Anti Free Trade Goblins Strike in Toronto - Nov/99 - Monday evening saw a gala hosted by Mayor Mel and the city for the 1000 and 1 capitalists coming to town for the Americas Business Forum (The real negotiaters of the Free Trade area of the Americas). And as any good trickster goblins, our peoples goblins were there in style.
A number of goblins made it inside Roy Thomson Hall amongst the suits and evening gowns and raised the stink of stinks. Throughout the entire hall , grotesque aromas of rotten eggs and feces emanated from the crowd. From the outside one could see random areas become vacant within seconds. The business leaders carried on but from a back alley we could hear a goblin rolling around in laughter.
A larger body of goblins took to the streets outside the gala and masqueraded as right wing business students/groupies, cheering on the CEO's and the Americas Business Forum Agenda. On top of their formal wear, the goblins pinned down body-banners such as: "1000 Capitalists can't be wrong!" "Hurrahh For the Rich!! FTAA NOW" " End Environmental Regulations Now! More Profit!" "Privlege is Divine!" "War on the Poor Now!" and "Who Gives a shit about the South"
As the business leaders entered and left the building, the goblins waved, shook hands, cheered, and conversed with the rich and richer. They videotaped a number of interactions with the corporate leaders who were happy to see their young supporters.
--------
Report on the Halloween Trick or Treat Rally - Oct/31/99 (Free Trade Area of the Americas Demonstrations in Toronto) By Gary Morton
--------
Federal NDP -$10.5 billion (US) NAFTA lawsuit threatens Canadian water by Nelson Riis
-----------
Pervian General Strike - Oct/99 - Roadblocks, demonstrations and some clashes with anti-riot police marked the24-hour general strike Thursday called to protest the policies of Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori.
Protestors blocked roads across the country, and in the capital, Lima, three thousand demonstrators burned effigies of Mr Fujimori at a noisy rally outside the presidential palace.
The General Civic National Front and the Regional Coordinated Union called the strike in protest of Mr Fujimori's economic policies which had created unemployment and poverty.
In Lima, a huge cloud smoke rose up in front of the Palacio de Gobierno as thousands of strikers burned cardboard and wood.
Jose Risco leader of the General Workers Confederation, which belongs to the General Front, said the strike was against "the neoliberal economic policies that the government has applied unsuccessfully, and the continued growth of unemployment in this country."
The university student union joined in the strike, while around 1,000 civil construction workers blocked major highways as police looked on.
Other groups joined together in Dos de Mayo Square to march toward the Palacio de Gobierno, as police surveillance helicopters flew overhead.
In Peru's second-largest city, Arequipa, some clashes with police were reported. Army patrols attempted to keep order after groups of workers rolled rocks into place at entry points into the city.
--------
CLIPS: The Global Justice Project - "working for justice in a global economy"
--------
Internet Free Trade may be the end of Local Internet Freedom - Sept/99 - read the full article
--------
The APEC Monitoring Group Websiteis being continually updated. Programme and registration details for the Alternatives To The APEC Agenda forum (Sept 10-12, Auckland) can be found at this site, as well as articles, media statements and other resources on APEC and globalisation.
URL is http://www.apec.gen.nz
--------
International Monetary Fund Policies a Root Cause of Huge Columbian Strike - Sept/99 - At least 1.5 million union workers, joined by thousands of members of peasant and grass-roots social organizations, heeded the call for a nationwide strike to protest against government austerity measures and free-market economic policies. Students and housewives joined teachers, health, communications and oil workers and truck drivers in a bid to bring the country to a standstill. Hospitals, schools and the courts were closed, and public transport badly disrupted. Mass transit was crippled as protesters burned buses in several cities on Tuesday. In all of Colombia's main cities, demonstrators hurled rocks at helmeted riot police, who fired tear gas and crouched behind plastic shields.
In a televised speech, President Pastrana appealed to workers to call off the strike, which could complicate talks with the IMF over a $3 billion loan agreement. But workers see the IMF as a root cause of the problem. Demands on the government are for an economic and social recovery plan which respects the needs of the majority of the population. The trade union and social organisations have published a 41-point list of demands making a series of concrete proposals to improve the country's economic and social situation. The demands include guarantees as to the respect of the freedom to form and join trade unions, of human rights and of the freedom of expression at the workplace.
--------
Mass Brazilian Demonstration Targets Privatization - Sept/99 - In the largest demonstration yet against the five-year government of President Fernando Henrique Cardoso, approximately 100,000 people from all over the country, representing trade unions, other organizations and opposition political parties, marched on the Congress building in Brasília on August 26.
In particular, the marchers were protesting the president's free market policies and economic austerity plans and demanding the creation of a parliamentary commission to investigate irregularities in the privatization process of the telecommunications group Telebrás.
This latest mass demonstration follows earlier ones this summer, one organized in July by thousands of truck drivers who blockaded all main cities in the country in protest at the rising cost of fuel and the high tolls on privatized roads. And, more recently, farmers and landowners, who are demanding a write-off of US$9 billion of debt, continue to camp out in Brasília in order to put pressure on the government.
--------
Apec Witches - Spell-binding ceremony to vex New Zealand Summit - Sept/99
Three witches put a hex on the Apec leaders' summit in a ceremony outside the Auckland Town Hall yesterday.
Leigh Cookson, witch and member of the Apec Monitoring Group, said the effects of the hex would be unpredictable. "Delegates can expect items to go missing, meetings to degenerate into meaningless arguments and Apec to become even more unstable during the meetings," she said.
"Worse still, they may find themselves mimicking Mike Moore and Lockwood
Smith's incomprehensible raves about the global economy at completely inappropriate moments."
Apec security personnel were not taking any chances with these part-time practitioners of the occult - three burly men with very short haircuts and sunglasses coincidentally strolled through the group during the recital.
The hex contained words to strike fear into the hearts of free-trade enthusiasts.
Drizzle, sizzle, watch this hex
Frizzle Apec, we are going to vex
those corrupt transnationals,
Full of greed
Thinking only of profit,
never need.
After a similar spell was cast on Apec's Small and Medium Enterprises gathering in Christchurch in April, the Chinese delegation "mysteriously left" before the meeting started.
--------
Gates Buys World Trade Organization - Aug/99 - Some of the world's biggest companies are paying for privileged access to key heads of state, ministers and negotiators, at the meeting of the World Trade Organisation in Seattle at the end of the year. They have taken up an offer from a committee headed by Microsoft?s Bill Gates.
The Gates scheme threatens to have a devastating effect on the credibility of the WTO, which is already heavily under fire from development experts, green campaigners and some governments for promoting the interests of big companies
--------
Ecuador - Four Hundred Arrested & Thirteen Shot - Aug/99
International Monetary Fund and government provoke violence
http://www.amazoncoalition.org
Five more people were shot yesterday as they tried to march from Guallabamba to the capital to protest the impacts of the economic measures introduced during the past six months. In Latacunga, a town of about 500,000 one hour to the south of the capital, indigenous groups which had been closing roads, charged a military vehicle full of troops on Saturday night. The vehicle turned tail and fled. On Sunday the native people were not so lucky, eight were shot as they confronted the military attempting to keep the road open. One later died.
The protests and the indigenous uprising have been brought about by the severity of the economic measures taken to supposedly pull Ecuador out of its economic plight. The now discredited IMF recipe of provoking inflation and removing subsidies in order to balance the budget has been applied without relief since the effects of the global economic crisis hit Latin America late last year.
Congress along with taxi drivers, starving Indigenous groups throughout the central mountains, teachers, medical workers, banana workers, bus and transport workers and in some cases whole neighbourhoods are involved in the uprising.
The government has declared a general state of emergency, endowing the President with extraordinary powers to control the state budget, and to order military intervention wherever and whenever he pleases
--------
ANKARA, Turkey: Citizens Fight the International Monetary Fund - in attempt to regain sovereignty. July/99
More than 250.000 citizens took to the streets in Ankara demanding an end to Social Security Reform, privatization, and to new changes in the Turkish Constitution which will eliminate Turkish courts? jurisdiction in conflicts between Turkish people and multinational corporations.
Almost all social groups and workers are together against the IMF attack. Worldwide, the International Monetary Fund has proved to be the enemy of national sovereignty and citizens. IMF financial and debt restructuring plans do not take human beings or their needs into account and workers in Turkey know they must fight now or it will be too late.
--------
NAFTA for Africa.July/99 - The African Growth and Opportunity Act, a gold mine for U.S. business, is scheduled for a quick vote in the House. If it passes the House - no certainty, thanks to public opposition -- it will come up for consideration sometime thereafter in the Senate, where it will face entrenched opposition. Should it pass both chambers, the White House is eagerly awaiting a signing ceremony.
The NAFTA for Africa bill would grant very modest trade benefits to African countries; but it would condition those benefits on African countries opening their borders to imports and investments from U.S. companies, privatizing government operations, protecting U.S. intellectual property interests and following the prescriptions of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Illinois Representative Jesse Jackson, Jr. has rightly said the bill is about Africa's "recolonization."
---------
Reclaim the Streets Worldwide Protests June 18/99 - Toronto Report By Brian Burch.
--------
Montreal Anti-MAI Activists Found Guilty-June 18, 1999 - All 86 Operation SalAMI defendants were found guilty on four charges: mischief over $5000, participating in an illegal gathering, obstruction of a police officer and disturbing the peace. They were pronounced not guilty on a second charge of disturbing the peace.
Last May 25, 1998, hundreds of activists blockaded the posh Sheraton Center Hotel, which was hosting the $1000 per delegate Conference de Montreal. The annual capitalist confab attracts an assortment of local and international business, political and bureaucratic elites.
The SalAMI action was held in solidarity with the People's Global Action (PGA) protests against the World Trade Organization in Geneva.
Sentencing will commence on July 6 at Municipal Court, and could take a few days as 86 defendants can each make personal statements before the Court. Many SalAMI activists will be refusing to pay fines or serve any so-called "community service", and may face jail time as a result.
For more information about organizing against capitalist globalization in Montreal, e-mail jaggi@tao.ca or phone 514-526-8946. 60,000 found in `jail camps'
--------
Also see our National news page & Economic Reform Pages
Report on the Halloween Trick or Treat Rally - Oct/31/99 Ovide Mercredi - Against Americanization - Save Canada Conference, 1999 USA - 167 Billion Spent Yearly in Corporate Welfare - 1999 Evils of a North American Monetary Union - July/99 Corporate Front Group Destroying the Planet - June/99 Anti-IMF movement finds voice in Southeast Asia by Robert Weissman Free the Poorer Nations from Debt - Jubliee 2000 NAFTA's Bitter Pill By Joyce Nelson Criminal capitalism By Ralph Nader Canadian Action Party's Position on a Citizens' MAI: NAFTA 'FIRST NATIONS' Summit in Calgary Canada slapped with NAFTA lawsuit against another environmental law REPORT from The Defence of Canadian Liberty Committee Public Citizen Global Trade Watch - MAI WTO THREAT CONSTITUTIONALITY of MAI Goes to Court Speakout on the Multilateral Agreement on Investment GAMBLING and the MAI Sovereignty for Sale
--------------------------------
MAI & Global Trade News
Evils of a North American Monetary Union - June/99 - Now that NATO has proved too big to beat in Kosovo, many of our brave pundits of the right and liberal corporate media have now got back to basics. Remaining true to the skunk stripes running down their backs they want to sell us the idea of a North American Monetary Union. This is the idea of killing Canada?s borders and adopting the American dollar.
Richard Gywn in the Toronto Star gives advice on how to popularize and simplify the idea so that Canadians might accept it. In the Toronto Sun Michael Harris tells us that even Gretsky lives in the States.
Here are some of negative effects we might expect from a North American Monetary Union. The comparison is with the already established European Monetary Union.So if you had any doubts as to why the Quebec Separatists are supporting this, you shouldn?t now. Perhaps a new French State will rise from the ashes of Canada. And like Gretsky we?ll all live in the States.The whole EMU is under the control of an absolutist central bank. The European Central Bank (ECB) is independent of any level of institutional power. It never has to explain its policies and it rules over Europe in full secrecy. It is a cornucopia for the banks since it generates gigantic revenues without increased risks. The whole EMU is rooted in the absolute necessity of high unemployment to keep banks happy. All member states must target a fiscal surplus regardless of social spending needs. The sovereign Central Bank means the demise of any real degree of freedom for member states and of democracy itself. By the Treaty of Maastricht, the Central Bank is forbidden to create money that might finance state outlays. This means that the state can never finance its outlays by asking its former national central bank, now become a local branch of the ECB, to create money at zero interest. Instead it must ask private banks to grant it the credits at whatever rate is their pleasure.
This prohibition is tantamount to the absolute privatization of money, which enslaves member states to the almighty private banks and kills national sovereignty.A North American Monetary Union will impose either dramatic credit-worthiness rules, thus lower social spending, or charge us higher interest rates than is charged to the private sector.
* To create this I used an article from Economic Reform by Alain Parguez of Université de Franche Comte and the University of Ottawa
Posted at Citizens on the Web Economic reform page
-----------------------
Corporate Front Group Destroying the Planet- June/99 - For the past couple of years the Global Climate Coalition (GCC), a corporate front group made up of 200 corporate polluters like Exxon, General Motors, Ford, Texaco -- has worked to pull the wool over the public?s eyes on global warming.
These 200 companies spew carbon monoxide into the atmosphere and are turning the atmosphere into one giant greenhouse. Ozone Action's John Passacantando says that the polluters could end the threat of global warming if they would simply embrace currently available technology to make the economy work more efficiently.
Sea levels are projected to rise one to three feet as a result of the global warming, meaning Miami Beach and a good part of Florida will be drowned by corporate inaction, lies and greed.Corporate Carbon Pushers Damaging the Planet - Aug/99 - Since 1995, much new evidence has come to light indicating that the Earth is warming. The Earth's average temperature has been rising for at least 100 years, but in recent decades the rate of increase has speeded up. Eleven of the past 16 years have been the hottest of the century. The average global temperature in 1998 was higher than it had been at any other time during the previous 1000 years.
Cleaner sources of energy are already available and affordable. Adopting them in the U.S. alone would create 770,000 jobs, save $530 per household per year, and significantly reduce the threat of global warming
A recent report from the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), U.S.
Public Interest Research Group, and the Union of Concerned Scientists points out that 80% of greenhouse gases are produced by only 122 corporations, which act as "carbon pushers" comparable to drug pushers. These 122 corporations are jeopardizing the integrity of the entire global ecosystem, endangering the future for all children, and holding the world's people and their governments hostage by a combination of bribery and brute force. This is antisocial -- even sociopathic -- behavior by executives and boards of directors? And in spite of it we often here the old argument about how the private sector does things better.
--------Criminal capitalism - Why must American taxpayers subsidize the greed, corruption, and recklessness of foreign regimes?
By Ralph NaderWashington, D.C., recently hosted a swarm of 3,000 central bankers and finance ministers from around the world. Limousines were thick as locusts, and hotels filled to bursting with the gushing hospitality of banks and securities firms. But the reason for their meeting was hardly cause for celebration. After all, the worsening crisis of runaway global capitalism isn't something to rejoice over.
Conference rooms filled with concerned "three-piece suiters" and their cell phones, listening to speakers who pretended to offer a diagnosis for the problems confronting them. Out of the sobered and weighty discussions, one theme emerged: The capitalists called on socialism -- in the form of government bailouts, loans, and credits -- to save them. Small taxpayers -- mostly Americans -- would bear the financial burden and risks of subsidizing that aid. The message was relentless -- governments must do something; Congress must send $18 billion of taxpayer money to the International Monetary Fund to pour into Russia, Brazil, and other nations where corruption and oligarchy abound.
Invoking socialism (i.e. taxpayers) to save capitalism has become routine in Washington. Our federal government and other western countries use our tax dollars to guarantee profits by subsidizing private investment with public monies.
After so many years of such largesse -- at our expense and without our participation -- big corporations have begun to view such corporate welfare policies as entitlements. They demand them. And they often get them, while those who truly suffer -- the poor and the underfed -- are faced with two- or five-year welfare cutoffs, nonliving wage jobs, and heaps of opprobrium.
It's bad enough that the United States must aid American corporations in financial trouble; can we also reasonably be expected to bail out foreign regimes and their speculating Western creditors? Apparently. If we don't -- secretary of the treasury Robert Rubin and president Bill Clinton warn -- our own economy will suffer.
Globalization, as practiced by many multinational corporations and their governments, means interdependence -- GATT (General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs) style. Autocratic regimes are able to squash democratic processes and the rule of law. There is little room under corporate globalization devoid of democratic practices for community self-reliance or self-sufficiency. But criminal capitalism continues to expand, while innocent American taxpayers are forced to pay for the greed, corruption, and recklessness of others.
Many consumer, labor, and environmental groups have been pressing for a sustained national debate on economic globalization during and between elections. If you'd like more information on economic globalization, send one dollar in postage to the Multinational Monitor Magazine, P.O. Box 19405, Washington, D.C. 20036. Oct 1998
------------------------
