I went to the demo called for the post-meeting banquet of the G8 finance ministers in the run up to the G8 gathering in Gleneagles

Basically about 2 dozen protesters where there, at most -

about 6 where world development NGO supporters who stood in the police pen
about 12, where a noisey samba band, who got a lot of shoving from the cops for playing in front of the building and in the end, they where given the choice of fuckin off or been nicked
and around 6 where anti-capitalist / anarchists activists - who spent most of the time hanging around the demo trying to look inconspicious with their black hoodies and stay out of the reach of the bill

as far as the rest of the world was concerned we might as well have not been there

the millions of people in the overdeveloped world who bought white wristbands from chinese sweatshops to make poverty history were nowhere to be seen

hmmm......its gonna take a lot more work than just annoucing at date, if we're serious about making a differnece next time

On Wednesday 2 November 2005 campaigners will stage a mass lobby of Parliament in London England calling for trade justice not free trade.
 http://www.makepovertyhistory.org/comingup/parliament.shtml

Other solidarity events in december during the WTO are highly encouraged please.

HK WTO is 13-18th Dec

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The Hong Kong People's Alliance on WTO (HKPA)
 http://hkpa.does.it

Launched on 22 September 2004, the HKPA is a network of grass-root organizations which include trade unions, community labour groups and organisations that represent migrant workers, students, women, church, human rights, research organisations and regional organisations that are based locally in Hong Kong.

At present the HKPA has 31 organisations which include regional groups like: Asian Student Association (ASA), Documentation for Action Groups in Asia (DAGA), Christian Conference of Asia: Urban Rural Mission (CCA-URM), and Asia Monitor Resource Centre (AMRC).

HKPA is mobilising thousands of people together to put pressure on the WTO Ministerial in Hong Kong.

For more details, or to get your organisation or group involved, you can contact:
Mabel Au, Hong Kong People's Alliance on WTO, +852 3173 8412,  pawto2005@yahoo.com.hk

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Hong Kong Events

9-10:
Conference: Globalizing Economic Justice and Social Sustainability, Hong Kong
Hosted by: Christian Organizations in Hong Kong

10: International Human Rights Day (rallies planned)

11: People's Action Week: Cultural Events and March/Rally

*** If you, your organization, or movement are going to be here during the WTO MC6 People's Action Week, please fill out an HKPA survey of activities and modes or participation for the week. This will help us be able to assist everyone and coordinate the actions for maximum impact for the people's events, activities, and protests.

11-17: International Network of Cultural Diversity (INCD) Action Program during week of WTO meeting in Hong Kong: Public forum, a workshop, and a series of cultural events and performances.

12:
Asia-Pacific Research Network: Conference on Globalization and Trade, Hong Kong
Hosted by: Asia Monitor Resource Center, Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants, Documentation for Action Groups in Asia

12-14: Conference: Global Ecumenical Women's Forum on Life-Promoting Trade, Hong Kong - Organisers by: World Council of Churches (WCC), Christian Conference of Asia (CCA), Hong Kong Women's Christian Council (HKWCC), Association of Christian Institutes for Social Concern in Asia (ACISCA), Hong Kong Christain Institute (HKCI)

13: People's Action Week: Opening Public Assembly and Rally

18: People's Action Week: Closing March/Rally

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Police are reportedly stocking up on riot shields and rubber bullets, while the Highways Department is making sure paving stones are securely in place and cannot be used as missiles by protesters.

Prisons are preparing for an influx of inmates and practising with riot drills in the run-up to the conference, the South China Morning Post reported, citing senior officials.

Other press reports talk of hundreds of dangerous Korean militants planning on attending and plans to block access to the wto meeting with blockades and damage the walls of the hotels.

Such reports have angered rally organisers, who hope to bring 10 000 protesters to the week-long summit. "The government is setting an unpleasant tone," said Elizabeth Tang, head of the Hong Kong People's Alliance Against the World Trade Organisation, an umbrella group of non-governmental organisations.

Official website:  http://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/minist_e/min05_e/min05_e.htm
Hong Kong Host Government Website:  http://www.wtomc6.gov.hk/

Call for international mobilizations in Geneva: STOP the WTO corporate agenda before Hong Kong!
Geneva People's Alliance

9/14/2005

Call for international mobilizations in Geneva :

STOP the WTO corporate agenda before Hong Kong !

With December’s Ministerial Meeting in Hong Kong in view, WTO members are speeding up negotiations to ensure a successful outcome. The collapse of the trade talks in Cancun still in mind, the WTO changed their negotiating strategy. Negotiators will seek to resolve major conflicting issues in Geneva during General Council meetings – thus avoiding the public scrutiny and popular pressures that contributed to previous deadlocks. Decisions would thus be taken in an even more opaque and undemocratic fashion. Civil society must mobilize to counter this strategy!

The July Framework that was agreed upon last year exposes this change in strategy. During the this year’s July General Council, which ended without any substantial deal, the true character of trade talks became once more evident – the current round of talks will be just another round for large corporations, whereas the interests of family farmers around the world, women, workers, the poor and the environment are not taken into account. Given what is at stake in agriculture, services and industrial goods -- and the existing power imbalances in the WTO -- these developments are of grave concern. Therefore it is imperative that we ensure popular pressure and international attention, on the upcoming General Council meetings in Geneva,. Social movements and civil society must be present to hold WTO members accountable and ensure that developing countries, the interest of peoples around the world and the environment are not furthered trampled in the stampede of trade liberalization.

In the run up to Hong Kong, all attention is now being put into October’s General Council during which important decisions are expected in all areas. The Ministerial Meeting in Hong Kong, therefore, may become little more than a stocktaking session, rather than a decision taking meeting.

We are therefore calling on social movements and civil society organizations to mobilize for a week of action against the WTO corporate agenda, including:

• An international demonstration in Geneva on 15 October (start 14.00 in front of WTO, Av. de la Paix);

• An observatory of negotations, lobbying and symbolic actions from 17 to 21 October in Geneva.

hacked off activist.... at least 10th December is a Saturday - that's promising!

Now I'm not saying someone should organise anything. But a show of solidarity wouldn't go amiss would it.

Obviously it would be nice and a bit more inspiring if it were more that ten people though. The reason the demo you refer to was so poorly attended was it wasn't promoted by anyone, and all the activist types were too busy preparing for the G8 itself and didn't want to either get demoralised or nicked in the immediate run up.

Luckily most of that is no longer the case. On the other hand it would be useful if the objective of any demo thing is clear.

10th Dec is also Human Rights Day - celebrating the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. So bound to be some good tie-ins there...