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Welcome to the 4th Cancun Bulletin from the Global Exchange Puente
a Cancun team providing a road map to de-railing the 5th WTO Ministerial...
WTO
Scrambling to Rescue the 5th Ministerial from Imminent Failure,
Protesters Numbers grow....
Summary
With a week or so left before the beginning of the Cancun
Ministerial, three key factors are beginning to predominate...
a)
The WTO is under duress, as agreement for the proposed accords
(particularly in Agriculture) looks more and more unlikely. Failure
to
advance on the Doha Development Agenda in Cancun would mark a
disaster for
the trade liberalization organization. To keep up on regular commentaries
about the WTO negotiations from a progressive, developing-country
perspective, please see Third World Network¹s TWN Info Service
at
http://www.twnside.org.sg/trade_11.htm
b)
The protests will be larger, more widespread, and better organized
than
originally anticipated. After a slow and somewhat messy build-up
over the
last 6 months, it seems that the protesters may well surprise
everyone,
including themselves, by upstaging and indeed de-railing the WTO!
c)
The security forces on the ground have created an overbearing
climate of
fear and tension. The Police Commissioner of the Federal Preventative
Police
force flexed his security muscle saying his force would ¨trade
an eye for an
eye¨ with the protesters. Meanwhile, we¹ve seen a militaristic
build-up,
spying on activists, and intimidation of people on the streets.
There is the
sense that the police are becoming more and more autonomous of
the civil
authorities and present a real danger of provoking violence. Additionally,
they are reserving a bull fighting stadium and football stadium
as temporary
detention centers.
Contents
of this Bulletin:
Part 1
1. What¹s At Stake in Cancun: a summary
of issues
2. International Solidarity Events, September
13th
3. News from Cancun
Part 2
4. News from Mexico
5. News from around the world
6. Media
7. Official WTO world
8. Security
9. Legal
10. Health
11. The Real Cancun
12. History of Quintana Roo
13. Telephone Numbers and Accomodation.
Apologies to any group or event that we excluded. We have included
links to
other more comprehensive listings.
1.
What¹s at Stake in Cancun: A Short Summary
Many issues will be discussed in Cancun, but there are four that
many agree
are the most controversial and hotly debated. They are agriculture,
services
(GATS), TRIPS and health, and the New Issues. How these negotiations
affect
women, indigenous peoples, farmers, our environment, our jobs,
our health,
etc will be the subject of the forums and debates, listed afterwards.
Here
are a few English-language web resources for more information
for anyone
looking for more in-depth assessment of these issues and their
impacts on
peoples around the world. A more in-depth, excellent summary
along with
breaking news during the Ministerial - can be also found at Friends
of the
Earth International website at http://www.foei.org/cancun/what.html
a.
AGRICULTURE
Rich countries refuse to lower their tariffs or stop subsidizing
corporate
agribusiness. Developing countries want access to northern markets
and an
end to the Odumping¹ of cheap subsidized, industrial agribusiness
products
in their countries, which undermine family farmers and cause massive
rural
crises. Countries should be able to develop policies of Food Security,
Food
Sovereignty, and Fair Trade, and no GMOs, among other important
policies.
Via Campesina, the international farmers¹ and peasants¹
network, says ³WTO
OUT of Agriculture!²
Global Exchange has produced a simple 4-page analysis of Agriculture
and
Free Trade, which you can read at
http://www.globalexchange.org/campaigns/wto/FTAAWTOAgriculture.html
For more information on agriculture, the FTAA and the WTO:
Via Campesina www.viacampesina.org
Third World Network www.twnside.org.sg
National Family Farm Coalition www.nffc.net
Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy www.iatp.org
Food First/Institute for Food and Development Policy www.foodfirst.org
b)
SERVICES: GATS
One of the major threats of globalization is the rapid and often
unnecessary
push for the privatization and corporate takeover of public services
<
including education, healthcare, water, social assistance, environmental,
and municipal services < in countries all over the world. Large
transnational corporations in the for-profit service industries
are working
with allied national governments, to establish a set of powerful
trade rules
that serve their interests not workers or communities. Eager
to pry open
the services market internationally, corporations and governments
are
quietly negotiating a new trade and investment treaty called the
GATS
General Agreement on Trade in Services.
Polaris Institute, Canada www.polarisinstitute.org
Public Services International www.world-psi.org
Friends of the Earth International www.foei.org
World Development Movement www.wdm.org.uk
c)
TRIPS and Health
An estimated over 5,000 people die every day from HIV/AIDS
many of whom
could have lived to raise their children had they had access to
life-saving
medicines patented in the US. But the WTO includes Trade-Related
Intellectual Property Rights, or TRIPs, which is in total
contrast to
Ofree trade¹ the largest protectionist agreement in
history, to extend
20-year long patent rights to companies that invent medicines,
rather than
allowing countries to produce cheap and effective generic versions
of
lifesaving drugs. At Doha, the WTO affirmed the right of developing
countries to force companies to license the domestic production
of generic
versions of lifesaving drugsf or a fee called compulsory
licensing and
for poor countries without domestic production capacity to import
from other
developing countries called parallel importing. But ever
since then, the
US has been making a foul and solitary attempt to restrict compulsory
licensing and parallel importing to only 3 diseases (HIV/AIDS,
tuberculosis
and malaria) and restrict it to a very limited number of countries
(excluding, for example, Brazil and India), which would effectively
sign the
death warrant for thousands of people around the world. Recently
negotiators came to some agreement on the TRIPs issue so that
the WTO could
at least claim that it is moving forward somewhat and is not stuck
in a
total quagmire.
Third World Network www.twnside.org.sg
Consumer Project on Technology www.cptech.org
Health GAP www.healthgap.org
d)
Investment and the 'New Issues'
The New Issues are a package of four issues (Investment, Government
Procurement, Trade Facilitation and Competition Policy) that the
rich
countries want to launch a new round of trade negotiations about
at Cancun.
The New Issues are also called the Singapore Issues. It is a primary
defense
of the developing countries to prevent the launching of the New
Issues,
particularly Investment and Government Procurement, at Cancun.
Investment
would give corporations far reaching new powers in local economies
and take
away local governments¹ right to regulate foreign capital.
It would give new
Orights¹ to foreign investors over and above the rights of
domestic citizens
and corporations. In August the 77-member African, Caribbean and
Pacific
countries met and declared that ³there is no basis for negotiating
the
Singapore issues.² http://www.twnside.org.sg/title/twninfo54.htm
Strongest
opposition has come from Bangladesh, Cuba, Egypt, India, Indonesia,
Kenya,
Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Venezuela, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
http://www.twnside.org.sg/title/twninfo43.htm
A simple summary is available at
http://www.globalexchange.org/campaigns/wto/FTAAWTOInvestment.html
For more information and up to date analysis: www.twnside.org.sg
and be sure
to check out www.investmentwatch.org
for different in-depth policy papers
from a wide coalition of groups.
e)
What¹s at Stake in Mexico? Spanish-language resources
Ciepac, a Chiapas based think-tank has produced some excellent
resource
materials dealing with the WTO. Read their "Frequently Asked
Questions about
the WTO" at www.ciepac.org here, or if you can¹t connect,
follow the links:
http://cancun.mediosindependientes.org/newswire/rate/15
The Mexican Action Network Against Free Trade, http://www.rmalc.org.mx
has a
wealth of resources in Spanish as well. And the International
Forum on
Globalization, that has been supporting a lot of organizing on
the Yucatan
Peninsula, has written a helpful short guide at
http://www.ifg.org/analysis/wto/cancun/plan_cancun.htm
2.
International Solidarity Events, September
13th
Worldwide Day of Action Against Militarism and War
In May, a call was put out to peoples of the world to organize
solidarity
actions timed right before the last night of negotiations in Cancun.
The
goal is to make the connections between militarism and corporate
globalizatin (ie War and the WTO); voice our opposition to the
power
politics and corporatization of our communities, democracy, and
environment
during the negotiations, and to give some backbone to the trade
negotiators
who would like to represent their developing country citizens
if they had
the power to stand up to last-minute arm-twisting and green room
politics
from the rich countries. As a result there are now actions organized
in:
Australia, Austria, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia,
Japan,
Korea, Mexico, Nepal, Norway, Philippines, Spain, the U.S., and
many more.
The A portion (about half) of the US actions can be seen at
http://www.unitedforpeace.org
3.
News from Cancun
Things are really beginning to pick up here in Cancun, with more
and more
people arriving daily to confront the WTO. Newspaper estimates,
supported by
activist projections, have risen as to how many will descend upon
Cancun in
September ...a fairly consistant figure thrown about is 20,000.
The main forum and camping spaces will not be availible until
the 7th, so
the activity hub remains on Calle Margaritas and the Palapas Park.
The Hotel
Zone and the area around the (WTO) Convention Center (known locally
as the
³party zone² we shall see!) is still open to all
(August 30th), with
little restriction. Security is supposed to be stepped up dramatically
from
September 1st, but it remains to be seen how draconian that will
be.
On the organizing front, there is lots of work still yet to be
done, and
everyone is encouraged to participate. If you think there would
be nothing
to do if you came early, think again.... The Convergence and Media
centers
are in full swing..
Cancun
Calendar of Events Here is a link to the latest (August
31)
calender from Cancun, which has the most current information available,
covering events from the 1st of September to the last day of the
mobilization. Compiled by OWINFS, it can be found here:
http://slash.autonomedia.org/print.pl?sid=03/09/01/0721229
GETTING ORIENTED:
The Margaritas Strip. As if by fate, the main sites of alternative
activist interest the Convention Center and the Indymedia
Center are all
located on one street, leading to the Palapas Park, which will
host many
cultural resistance events of the alternative forums. Five minutes
from the
central bus station is Calle Margaritas (turn south at the bookstore
Librería La Rana Sabia on Calle Uxmal; the Convergence
Centre is the large
4-story building, about 25 metres down the street).
The
Convergence Center is an autonomously organized gathering space
and
information hub where people arriving in Cancun can get oriented,
network
with others, plug into various working groups, make banners and
puppets, get
trainings in first aid, legal rights, nonviolent direct action,
and other
useful skills. Cultural events and spokescouncil meetings to plan
the
actions will take place here nightly, and all are welcome to attend.
The
Indymedia Center, next door to the Convergence Center, is preparing
for
the Tidal Wave Alternative Media and Tech Convergence (September
1 7) and
afterwards will serve as the base of operations for dozens of
independent
journalists. Independent media coverage of the mobilization is
vital for the
spread of accurate information.
If you would like to participate in and/or assist in organizing
for the
Media Convergence and Cancun Indymedia please contact:
[email protected] or [email protected]
Please fill out the registration form for the Tidal Wave Alternative
Media
and Tech Convergence, which can be found on the front page of:
www.cancunindependientes.org
The
Global Exchange Puente House, located further down the road, has
been
the de-facto welcoming house for many national and international
activists
arriving in Cancun, and continues as a logistical space until
the eve of the
protests.
Conact: Puente a Cancun at [email protected]
Comité
de Bienvenida, the main Cancun-based organizing group, is helping
logistically in setting up the People´s Forum, organizing
the march on the
11th, and briefing the local press. The Comité has done
a huge amount of
work over the the last 6 months in very difficult circumstances,
and have
now taken a more logistical support role, forming a working group
featuring
Jaun Carlos Nunez President, Arturo Mosso Treasurer,
Ivanova Pool
Press Officer, Hector Rodriguez Cultural Events. The phone
number is
887.8167 and they are located at Coco 4 at the corner of Chiabal,
but they
are not receiving unsolicited visits.
GET
INVOLVED!
Alternative
Cancun Hook into the various working groups!
Different working groups have been formed around what are seen
as key and
exciting issues to address, such as the alternative media convergence
from
the 1-7th of September, food for the thousands of descending protestors,
tactical communication, and medical support. We invite you to
participate in
this effort for a successful resistance to the WTO and all it
represents in
the struggle against corporate domination. This is by no means
a definitive
list. Please use the contacts below for the working groups you
are
interested in helping out.
These
projects are all organic creations, which will only improve with
your
participation and initiative. We must respond to their determination
for
control with our creative resistance. These are the seeds of dissent.
Make
them grow!
Street
Medics: Medical teams are being assembled to assist
in the
mobilizations. If you are a doctor, paramedic, EMT, or would like
to be
trained as a street medic, please contact: [email protected]
Creative
tactics and Puppetistas: Many forms of creative resistance
will be
taking place. Several projects are under way, from giant puppets
of angry
Mayan gods to giant banners to amazing stencils. We invite you
to write to
this list if you plan on bringing your own project or would like
to
participate in any of the ones already in formation. All creative
ideas are
welcome. Contact: [email protected]
Direct
Action: The working group focused on developing a plan
for direct
action has been very productive, compiling information from various
sources
and coming up with proposals to present to student groups in Mexico
City who
will be arriving later in the week. Much progress has been made,
and many
creative and effective strategies are coming together.
Film
festival: A protest film festival will be taking place
throughout the
week of the mobilization. We will show films about protest movements
and
political struggles, particularly recent films on the anticapitalist
globalization movement. Many independent filmmakers will be will
be bringing
their work in person. If you are a filmmaker, film collector,
technician, or
would like to help organize, please contact: [email protected]
Music:
Concerts will be occurring during the week of mobilizations. If
you
would like to participate as a performer, sound engineer, stagehand,
or in
any other way, please contact: [email protected]
Food:
For the mobilization to succeed, thousands of people will need
to be
fed daily. Food Not Bombs will be in Cancún to provide
support. If you would
like to participate in this important aspect of nourishing the
dissent,
please contact: [email protected]
Tactical
Communications: An independent communications infrastructure
will
be set up to support the mobilization and critical actions. If
you are
interested in participating please contact: [email protected]
MEXICO
SOLIDARITY NETWORK PROGRAM NOTES
For more information about these upcoming programs click the links...
September 10-14: Cancun WTO Ministerial (MSN
delegation)
September 14-Oct 5: Women
Confronting Globalization (w/ Mayan Women's Weaving Collective
"Jolom Mayaetik") Speaking tour to and through IL, KS,
MO, OK, TX
September-October: FTAA Road to Miami Speaking tour: US
Southeast
October: Immigrant Rights Speaking tour: US Southwest
November:
Women Confronting Globalization Speaking
tour: US Northeast
November
19-21: Mobilization
to Confront and Expose the FTAA Ministerial in Miami
November 22-23: School
of the Americas Protest at Fort Benning, Georgia
Mayday 2004: Labor
(Organized and otherwise) Delegation to Mexico (link to last
delegation)
Summer
2004: Women's Delegation to Chiapas and Ciudad Juarez
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