------- Forwarded Message Follows -------
Date: Mon, 8 Feb 1999 03:34:17 +0100
To: Recipient.List.Suppressed:;@agp.org
From: "Peoples' Global Action Secretariat" <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: A day of protest, action, and carnival on 18th June 1999
**please circulate widely**
A PROPOSAL FOR: A day of protest, action, and carnival in financial centres
across the globe on 18th June 1999.
....Wherever there is oppression there is resistance.....
A proposal has been made by various groups and movements of activists from
England to hold an international day of action aimed at the heart of the
global economy: the financial centres, banking districts and multinational
corporation power bases. The suggested date is the 18th June 1999.
Movements involved include Reclaim the Streets (RTS, a popular movement
seeking the liberation of city streets and public spaces using direct
action, and now Western European Conveners of Peoples' Global Action
Against 'Free' Trade and the World Trade Organisation), and London
Greenpeace (a group independent of Greenpeace International, recently
involved in a large successful battle with McDonald's). This proposal is
made in the spirit of strengthening our international networks and follows
from the success of co-ordinated global action during May 16-20th 1998.
These days saw actions, protests and demonstrations on all continents, for
example over 30 'Reclaim the Streets parties' in over 20 countries - a
combination of illegal carnival, protest and direct action, catalysed by
RTS in London. In Brasilia 50,000 unemployed and landless peasants were on
the streets, while in Hyderabad, India, 200,000 were protesting. These
events coincided with the 'G8' meeting in Birmingham, Great Britain, and
the third ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organisation in Geneva,
Switzerland. The 'G8' consists of the leaders of the eight most
industrialised countries and exists solely to promote economic
globalisation, 'free' trade and corporate dominance.
Next year between the 18th-20th June the G8 will meet in Koln, Germany. The
idea is to take action around the globe to coincide with this meeting. This
also links with the proposed tour of Indian farmers/activists in Europe to
campaign against the World Trade Organisation and multinational
corporations. The proposal is to encourage as many movements and groups as
possible to organise their own autonomous protests or actions, on the same
day (June 18th), in the same geographical locations
(financial/corporate/banking/business districts) around the world. Events
could take place at relevant sites, e.g. multinational company offices,
local banks, stock exchanges. Each event would be organised autonomously
and co-ordinated in each city or financial district by a variety of
movements and groups. It is hoped that a whole range of different groups
will take part, including workers, peasants, indigenous peoples, women,
students, the landless, environmentalists, unwaged/unemployed and
others....everyone who recognises that the global capitalist system, based
on the exploitation of people and the planet for the profit of a few, is at
the root of our social and ecological troubles.
The proposal has already been discussed by movements and groups on all
continents, for example the Karnataka State Farmers (KRRS, India), the
Rainbow Keepers (ecologists from ex-USSR states), Processo de Communidades
Negras (Colombian Black communities movement), Friends of the Earth,
Uruguay (Environmentalists), CTERA (Argentinean teachers Union), Reclaim
the Streets (New York, USA; Prague, Czech Republic; Sydney, Australia),
COMUTRAS (textile workers union, El Salvador), peasant movements in
Mozambique and many more. Plans are already well advanced in London, and
Koln, Germany. Ideas are flowing and enthusiasm is growing. We'd very much
like to hear what you think. There is an email discussion list. To
subscribe, send an email to [log in to unmask] with the following request:
subscribe J18DISCUSSION Your e-mail address
then messages sent to [log in to unmask] will automatically go to
other interested groups around the world to facilitate wider discussion of
this proposal. Or write to 'June 18th', PO Box 9656, London, N4 4JY, Great
Britain.
OUR RESISTANCE WILL BE AS TRANSNATIONAL AS CAPITAL!
for more information on Peoples' Global Action visit http://www.agp.org
for more information on Reclaim the Streets visit http://www.gn.apc.org/rts/
for more information on London Greenpeace / McLibel visit
http://www.mcspotlight.org
June 18th web-site: http://www.gn.apc.org/june18
PLEASE PASS THIS PROPOSAL ON TO OTHERS.
*******************************************
Peoples' Global Action [log in to unmask]
against 'Free' Trade www.agp.org
and the WTO (PGA)
David Wood
PhD Student ('The Rural Peace Dividend')
Department of Agricultural Economics and Food Marketing
University of Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 7RU
Tel: 0191 222 5305
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