Women, Poor people, Farmers, Migrants, Workers don't belong in WTO prisons!

Join Targetwto Commonfront in this International Action Solidarity

Hong Kong, FEB 15 (TargetWTO) – In Early March, two anti-WTO political prisoners will stand trial for charges of unlawful assembly during the Dec 17th occupation of Gloucester Road outside the 6th Ministerial Conference of the WTO. If convicted, they face a fine of HK$5,000 and imprisonment for 5 years.

Over 1,200 anti-WTO protesters were arrested on Dec 18th in Hong Kong. Forteen were detained in Hong Kong for almost a month, not allowed to go to their home country to continue their livelihoods. On January 11th, charges against 11 were dropped. Charges against M. Yang Kyoung Kyu were dropped on Feb 14th. Conviction against the 2 standing trial would further face isolation from their home, family, and livelihood. The three are M. PARK IN HWAN and M. YOON IL KWON from the Korean Peasants League
(member of La Via Campesina).

The anti-WTO support group in HK has set Feb 27th to March 5th as the international action week to support anti-WTO political prisoners and continue derailing the WTO. While two face charges in Hong Kong, millions of farmers, women, workers and the poor are prisoners of WTO policies.

Targetwto Network is calling on people, groups and allies around the world affected by WTO policies to stage a protest during the International Action Week in order to derail the current Doha Round, to protect the lives of poor people and to stand in solidarity with all those who are prisoners of WTO and US imperial policies. Doha Round began in 2001 in Quatar as WTO's so-called development agenda. The Doha Round is aiming to strengthen the growth of corporations, profit and privatization before people and
indigenous livelihoods.

Small rallies to mass mobilizations all make a difference. Possible actions can include protest at Chinese Embassy/Consulate, action at your government's trading council, demonstration outside local prisons and detention camps, reclaimation of public space against privatization, direct action against exploitative multinational corporations or a rally of your group's interest to support the millions of sufferers of WTO-related policies. Please relate the action to the two who stand trial and to derail the Doha Round. Promote the event with your media for international visibility.

Targetwto is a loose network of grassroots people and groups struggling against the WTO. It was created in December during MC6 Resistance when it made international impact in collobarating for direct action, exchanging grassroots news, and calling for solidarity. We believe in the hallmarks of People's Global Action (PGA) and want to grow targetwto to build an international common-front of action-oriented groups struggling against WTO. We believe in a non-reformist and non-hierarchical agenda. From farmers, to
migrant workers, to fisherfolks, to women, to workers, to students, to low-income families and allies, targetwto front will hold an action stance to fight against WTO-related policies. The commonfront will be equally hosted by all groups who are part of it. It will be a key for international solidarity campaigns along with emphasizing decentralized, localized and autonomous actions. See  http://targetwto.revolt.org/about for more information and for the hallmarks of the People's Global Action.

Send details of your planned actions for the Int'l Action Week so we can compile all the events. Also send reports of the actions. If you would like to be part of this targetwto network, please give your groups details and we will link your group through our website and put you on a mailing list where all action groups can exchange resources and appeals.

IN SOLIDARITY,
targetwto
c/o Hong Kong Social Movement Resource Centre,
Flat 8A, 739-741 Nathan Road,
Kowloon, Hong Kong.
Website:  http://targetwto.revolt.org
Email:  targetwto@riseup.net

People's Global Action (PGA):
 http://www.nadir.org/nadir/initiativ/agp/en/index.htm