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News :: Globalization |
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Greetings From WTO Protests And Alternative Economic Forums In Cancun! |
Current rating: 0 |
by Meridith Kruse
Email: meridithkruse (nospam) riseup.net (unverified!) |
08 Sep 2003
Modified: 03:51:22 PM |
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I just arrived in Cancun last night and the contrasts between the rich and poor here were immediate and stark. This morning, while WTO officials met in barricaded plush hotels campesinos and indigenous rights groups met in an open gym and under outdoor tents...with over six hours of singing, chanting, flag waving and powerful speeches small farmers from around the world demanded an end to the WTO, World Bank, and neo- liberal economics. In contrasts they shouted, "Globalize the Struggle, Globalize the Hope", "The Country Side Cannot Take Anymore!" |
I wonder if you all are getting any news of what is happening down here in Cancun? What, if anything, are the newspapers reporting? I am sure you are hearing very little of the amazing organizing, popular forums, and alternative proposals being put forth by indigenous groups, campesino organizations, women's groups and unions...If anything you are probably hearing about the threat of violence, or promises for success by WTO trade representatives...
The headlines of a local paper here today said Al Queda is suspected of planning an incident soon in Cancun...hah!
If anything I reccomend checking the IMC sites and turning to the alternative press, there is a swell of resistance here, some of the main issues are around Agriculture, and the unfair "dumping" of subsidized US corn into the Mexican Market, plus controversial discussions over intellectual property rights (TRIPS), investment, patents, and more.
While the offical WTO meetings are held behind closed doors there are a host of alternative economic forums occuring around the city...these are free and open to the public...
One such forum was "Via Campesina" which took place all morning in a open gym and under an outdoor tent. Ironically this gathering of small farmers from around the world took place in the shadow of a towering Wal-Mart store connected to a Sams Club complex. While campesinos spoke of the inability of the countryside to take anymore oppression tourists whisked by to shop in airconditioned mega stores.
Those attending "Via Campesina" came from throughout Mexico, Central America, South America, South Africa, Korea, Thailand, Europe, Asia, Canada and the United States. Their message was clear, in contrast to corporate driven economic globalization, we must globalize the struggle for environmental justice, food security, health, education, and human rights. We must globalize hope.
Direct comments were directed to George Bush, telling him to stop looking for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq because the weaspons of destruction can be found in his own house...they are the weapons of the FTAA, WTO, and Plan Puebla Panama...these are the weapons wreaking economic devastation and suffering on the world.
Other alternative economic forums throughout the week are focusing on Biodiversity, Fishing, an International Women´s Forum, Fair Trade, Solidarity with Cuba, Alternatives to FTAA, PPP, WTO, and CAFTA, and much much more...
Students are supposed to be arriving from Mexico City, but no one knows if they will be allowed through by security forces. Between 5,00-10,000 security forces are in town, this includes local police plus the Mexican Army... organizers say they expect around 15,000 protestors.
Major marches are to take place on the 10th, when campesinos plan to march to the WTO meeting site, and another demo is planned when-if the students from Mexico arrive.
There is an IMC office set up here as well as a convergence center and much creative organizing for direct action is happening out of these sites. So we will see...
Although the language of global economics may be intimidating or difficult to understand do not let this deter you from becoming involved...we can see through the jargon expoused by those in power...saying the free trade equals freedom is a farce, and the effects of NAFTA on those living in Mexico, the US, and Canada has made it clear that neo liberal economics does nothing to help the poor...
Those inside the WTO meetings are deciding how to make the world over in their image, to benefit a very few and the expense of the majority, while destroying the environment in the process. This really affects us all, and their ideas do not have to be accepted. Plenty of alternatives are being proposed from the grassroots, we just do not hear about them! How many people in the US know there is a huge movement throught Latin America against these policies?
As parting words I urge us all to keep this week of WTO protests and alternative forums in perspective...the WTO is only one piece of a larger oppressive structure that includes Plan Puebla Panama, CAFTA, the World Bank, and Interamerican Development Bank, and all the bilateral trade agreements the US is making country by country encroaches on the rights of people to decide their future and structure their lives in a just way...
Best wishes to everyone, I hope you are all able to access accurate coverage about what is going on in Cancun this weekend, if not, call your media outlets and ask why not! |
