2008-03-25
- Movements around the G8 Summit (2008): the Situation in Japan
- 20,000 police officers to be deployed for security at G-8 summit
- Acclaim Collective’s anti-G8 meeting project
- Martin Krämer: We are everywhere...to make another world possible!
- Security Training Getting up to Speed for the Summit
- Freedom of movement in Europe constrained because of NATO summit
- Repressions at the romanian border
- NO BORDERS CAMP - Ruse (Bulgaria)-Giurgiu (Romania)
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Movements around the G8 Summit (2008): the Situation in Japan
An overview of the relationship between leftists and NGOs.
The alterglobalization movement in Japan
The forthcoming G8 Summit this year will be held between July 7th and 9th in Hokkaido, Northern Japan. The related ministerial conferences will be held in various parts of the country between March and June.
For example in the Kansai area (Western Japan),
* the meeting of the Ministers of Environmental Affairs will take place between May 24th and 26th in Kobe,
* the Ministers of Financial Affairs will meet on June 13th and 14th in Osaka, and
* the Ministers of Foreign Affairs will meet on June 26th and 27th in Kyoto.
Since the beginning of this year, NGOs, Leftists, trade unions, green political parties etc. have organized several events and networks concerning the G8 meeting. The position of these networks and organizations range widely from those opposing the G8 (mainly the Leftists) to those offering opinions and alternative ways of the G8 (mainly NGOs).
Research on such Global Movements (including “anti-globalization movements”, “alter-globalization movements”, “alterglobal movements”, “globalization movements”, “transnational activists”…) has identified various actors such as NGOs, Leftists, trade unions, environmental movements, women’s movements, and farmers’ collectives.
In Japan, Leftist movements (new lefts and their several sects), dating back to the 60s, still have a strong influence within (social) movements sector of Japan. However, due to their violent past during the 70’s [1] and subsequent struggles among sects, even now NGOs are reluctant to work with the Leftists. Then, in the case of Japan how do the various actors work together?
NGOs and Leftists: The Situation in Kanto
In the Kanto area (the Eastern part of Japan, such as Tokyo), NGOs and Leftists work independently. The NGOs mainly discuss and offer possible alternatives to the G8 in the “G8 Summit NGO Forum”.
“2008 Japan G8 Summit NGO Forum” was formed in January 2007 “as a civil platform by Japanese NGOs’ broad coalition for the 2008 G8 Summit in Toyako, Hokkaido. On the 31st of July 2007, 101 NGOs are affiliated with the forum. These NGOs are working on areas such as Environment, Poverty elimination and Development, Human rights and Peace. Through these working areas, the forum coordinates messages of the civil society in international policy processes on global issues.” (www.g8ngoforum.org/english)
The “G8 Action Network” of the Leftists, however, refutes the G8, pointing to its undemocratic character.
“G8 Action Network” is the anti-neo-liberal globalisation network of various Japanese organizations and movements (32 groups 142 individuals as of 2008/3/1). “It is calling on all social movements, peasant organizations, women, migrants, urban and rural poor, fisher folks and civil society from all over the world who are resisting free trade in its many forms, war and militarism, the privatisation of essential services and natural resources, illegitimate debt and the domination of global finance, and fighting for and building real people based solutions to global warming, to come and join us in the week of action against the G8 here in Japan.” (www.jca.apc.org/alt-g8)
What becomes highly important here is the fact that the NGOs and the Leftists started to walk separate routes last year. [2] This separation was induced by the founding of the NGO Forum in order to gather together the various NGOs in Kanto area. The newly established NGO Forum was bound by a manifesto which prohibited anti-G8 activities. Thus the Leftists were excluded from this forum.
The Situation in Kansai
In Kansai area (mainly Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe), the NGOs and the Leftists are looking for possible ways to work together. Mutual executive committees were created in cases such as the “Citizens Environmental Summit (CES)” in Kobe (May 25-26), and the “Symposium toward G8 Summit” in Osaka (February 23).
What makes Kansai different from Kanto is that the NGOs and the Leftists in Kansai held a successful common forum last year, an alternative forum (May 5-6, 2007 at Doshisha University) to the 40th commemorative meeting of the Asian Development Bank (ADB). More than 50 domestic and international NGOs and 1000 people in total participated in this forum. There were 17 workshops, and also some demonstrations. The executive committee of this forum consisted of five organizations, such as the Kansai NGO’s Council (office), AM net, ATTAC Kansai group, Japan Conference of unions affiliating Public Service International and Research center of “Environment and Sustainable Society.”
Conclusion
The current situation of Global Movements in Japan concerning the G8 can be classified through the relationships between the Leftists and the NGOs.
These movements can be divided into
(1) a split-pattern between NGOs and Leftists (e.g in Kanto) on one hand, and
(2) a cooperative pattern (e.g. in Kansai) on the other hand.
The author thinks that a cooperative pattern may have the greater potential, as this approach can be accepted by a greater plurality of actors.
Notes:
[1] For example, Rengo-sekigun incident (1972): The Rengo Sekigun (United Red Army) murdered disloyal elements at one of their mountain hideouts under the name of “purge”, and there was a shoot-out at the Asama Mountain Lodge between the police and the Red Army.
[2] The Basic Principles for Activities of the NGO Forum: To facilitate proactive advocacy activities when it is not possible to make joint proposals or reach agreement through discussion./ To conduct its activities in a democratic manner, with an emphasis on achieving consensus among all participating NGOs./ To give importance to the process of discussion among NGOs as well as achieving results through advocacy./ To oppose any advocacy activity that employs violence or illegal means. (www.g8ngoforum.org/english/about)
[http://japan.indymedia.org/newswire/display/4277/index.php]
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Acclaim Collective’s anti-G8 meeting project
Now, we are planning the split CD (maybe) project called “Punks Against G8” (it’s still a tentative name) against the G8 meeting, because the 2008’s G8 meeting is held in Toya Lake, Hokkaido Japan. We plan to make this a series. About the first project, the participation of GOTCHA (they are a Japanese anarcho-punks) has been decided already.
We post it here as soon as the details are decided.
Fight against G8!
Shut them down!
Kazu / Acclaim Collective
Acclaim Collectives
Acclaim is an anarcho-punk, political hardcore-punk non-profit label/distro from Tokyo/Japan. We also are distributing DIY fanzines, anarchist books and radical newspapers/pamphlets besides those records, cd’s, cassettes, and are supporting info on international anarchist movement (in Japan especially). We resist capitalist and authoritarian who oppressed our desire, standardize our soul, takes our life and construct “hierarchical relations” and “hostile relations” in us. Moreover the most important thing for us is to pursue the pleasure of resistance. So we aim at “trust your desire”, “end of silence”, “reclaim the life”, and are performing propaganda of (A)cclaim against this fucking system. It’s based on the following message : “as long as we turn our anger and fears against ourselves – no system will fall” – Lost World
About “our” myspace :
We finally have the myspace, but we know that this “our” space will promote false communication (it’s capitalist lies!). Moreover we know that “a place for friends” is also everywhere except here (clean and shitty). We started this only for ourselves, people to whom we are interested, and people who get interested in us. So, when this is started, we think that we want to say as follows : No racists, No sexists, No homophobes, No borders, No nations, No gods, No masters. Do it yourself.
Thanks.
PS : Please remember. We are not “deadly serious”. We did not take the way which refuses myspace completely. Now, it is “mainstream” between DIY punk/hardcore or anarchist/activist movements. We simply turned our eyes there. But that “mainstream” is not the myspace (absolutely) but our distinguished services. We all have not participated to this capitalist system and are made to participate. First, we think it is important to recognize like this. Therefore, we will have to pay close attention to “only being used” by them. This is also an idea of our so-called “diversion” using their myspace. That is, this is our counterattack for us to meet “real people” and build the network of various resistance and love. So please fill this shitty place with our music, our words, our artwork, our photograph and our advertisement, and please change into “our color” (it is most shitty for this system). We will welcome it, but it will become only a certain constant share. Because here is not a medium of our “main”. We never trust any place given by the nation, capital, and this kind of commercial media which are going to normalize us globally. As expected, myspace owned by Rupert Murdoch who just accomplishes those cores claimed that this was “a place for friends”. However, we ourselves create such a place. “Life is in another place” is also this.
Our email address : acclaim@nomasters.com
Our web-site : acclaim.nomasters.com
[http://blog.myspace.com]
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20,000 police officers to be deployed for security at G-8 summit
SAPPORO, March 21 (AP) - (Kyodo)—About 20,000 police officers, including those from outside the Hokkaido region, are to be deployed to ensure security at the Group of Eight summit to be held in the northernmost Japanese prefecture in July, the Hokkaido police said Friday.
"The scale of the planned security will be unprecedented and it is important that we make meticulous preparations," Kiyotaka Takahashi, head of Hokkaido prefectural police, said in a speech at a meeting.
Dedicated security headquarters will be set up in three locations in Hokkaido -- the Lake Toya area, the venue of the summit, the New Chitose Airport, the main gateway to the island prefecture through which G-8 leaders are likely to travel, and the Hokkaido capital of Sapporo, according to the police.
Two other law enforcement centers are planned. One will conduct intelligence activities to avert terrorist attacks. The other one will manage the traffic of motorcades carrying leaders and delegates, the police added.
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Martin Krämer: We are everywhere...to make another world possible!
Clips on youtube about denial of entry in Otaru, Japan:
* http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=gzDY5BBZLCA
* http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=E20CTzRrafI
Juzhno-Sakhalinsk, 25th March 2008 (publication deadline 5:00 GMT) Giving in to mounting political pressure from prominent human rights activists on the island of Sakhalin, in Moscow, Berlin, New York and Tokyo, the Russian Foreign ministry has finally ended the combined Russian-Japanese deportation arrest of the left antiG8 activist Martin Krämer on 23rd of March at 2:00 GMT. After 14 days of border detention between Japanese and Russian territory, the Berlin based doctor of agricultural science, aged 37, was released on Sunday and granted an unprecedented 10-days-visa to tour the Russian Federation and help in mounting further nationwide support against the G8 military show-down near Sapporo this summer (7.-9.7.08).
“Wars and resource grabbing by G8 oligarchs is destroying us and our planet at such a speed that we cannot wait until summer to stop them. So, we start acting now, giving our support to civil society wherever it takes the initiative against the global G8 nightmare of putting profits before people” said Martin in a press conference organised by Sakhalin human rights activists in the island’s capital after his recent liberation. Dr. Krämer takes part in organising Global Caravan Against G8, a People’s Global Action initiative following PGA hallmarks. This world-wide informal network of activists and friends was founded after the Italian security forces had killed the antiG8 activist Carlo Giuliani in Genova on 20th July 2001. It has since co-organised and participated actively in the blockades and disruptions of G8-summits in France (2003), Scotland (2005), Leningrad (2006) and Rostock (2007). For the 2008 Hokkaido summit, caravan activists have chosen to target G8 warfare, its nuclear risk policy, exploitation of workers and global ecological damage caused by the anti-democratic exploitation of people’s world-wide resources in the name of G8 capital. In the Northwest Pacific the caravan supports artisanal fishermen and local farmers fighting for food sovereignty against multi-national corporations. A special focus will be put this year on supporting the struggles of indigenous people and working class migrants in Japan and the Russian Far East, e.g. Iranian migrants and the aboriginal Ainu who are both denied recognition by the Japanese occupation regime on their very Island of Ainu Mosir (called “Hokkaido” since being militarily annexed by the Japanese Imperial regime). Martin Krämer now spends almost half of the time unexpectedly granted to him for campaigning in Russia by the authorities of the Federation on the Pacific island of Sakhalin exclusively. “Sakhalin is likely to become a corner-stone in international mobilisation against G8 this year. We want to learn from the people of this fabulous island! Their closeness to Japan has made them develop amazing skills of civil disobedience (grazhdanskaja kontrabanda). According to our experience, any active citizen of Sakhalin can teach us better how to fight for our rights ending G8 than Putin, Merkel and other war criminals heading for their probably last summit”, reminded Martin in the press conference after his liberation. Sakhalin and the Southern Kuril Islands are indeed the closest neighbouring territory to Ainu Mosir. Various means of transport are likely to cross the dividing waters within hours only. The Panama ship “BM-2” deporting Martin from Japan back to Sakhalin was escorted by several armed military vessels at the expense of Japanese tax payers on the 14th, 15th and 16th of March until its final forced re-entry into Russian waters. “If they go on spending millions of US $ for expulsing just one single activist, they will hilariously bankrupt when thousands of us begin to move towards Japan in forthcoming summer. We will enter anyhow!” Martin declared laughingly, visibly happy for the unexpected freedom to move throughout Russia campaigning from Sakhalin to Leningrad until April. He is currently preparing to marry a Japanese citizen during traditional cherry blossom festivities this spring.
[email]
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Security Training Getting up to Speed for the Summit
Joint Security Training by the Police and Self-Defens Force
At Chitose City on the 17th, units from the Hokkaido Police Headquarters and the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force conducted a joint, security training. Under the premise that an armed foreign agent had infiltrated Hokkaido, a team from the Hokkaido Police Headquarters secured the safety of the injured and conducted a search for toxic substance, after which the chemical unit of the Japan Ground Self Defense Force cleaned up the area. The Hokkaido Police Headquarters plan to continue the training for the July Hokkaido Toyako Summit.
Hospitality Academy Held at Toyako Hot Springs
At Toyako hot springs, the Hokkaido Government held a “hospitality academy” to improve customer service of hotels and inns. On the 17th, a former airline cabin attendant gave a lecture on the kind of services desired by foreigners. At the July Hokkaido Toyako Summit, summit-related people from every country are expected to stay at Toyako hot springs. The tourist bureau plans to take the Summit as an opportunity to promote Toyako as a resort area.
Hokkaido Punishes the Senior Director of Toyako Summit Bureau
The government of Hokkaido punished the Senior Director of the Toyako Summit Bureau under the Governor’s Policy Planning Department, with a pay cut for repeatedly wining and dining with subcontractors. According to the Hokkaido government, Yoshihiro Yamaya, Senior Director of the Summit Bureau, was penalized with a 10% salary reduction for 3 months. His removal from office as the Summit Bureau Senior Director is under consideration at next month’s personnel shift.
[http://www.hbc.co.jp/g8/eng/news/asx/t05-10_27_223.asx]
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Freedom of movement in Europe constrained because of NATO summit. Activists stuck in Bulgaria
This morning two Germans were deported at the Serbian border while on their way back home. The woman and the man were travelling in a coach to Berlin. When they reached the Serbian border they had to get out and were stuck and interrogated at least two hours. After denial of transit through Serbia they had to go back to Sofia.
As reason for the deportation the border police named a few patches, containing antifascist slogans, which the travellers were carrying with them. But in their passports a notation was made that the entry to Serbia was denied because of fascistic propaganda. The German embassy in Sofia is already attended to the case.
Three days ago the German activists were not allowed to enter Romanian territory and later expelled since they were suspected to be activists against the NATO summit from 2nd to 4th of April. Right now there is no other possibility for them to get back to Germany by car except passing the Kosovo.
To what extend those two happenings are connected to the incident at the Romanian Border in Calafat and if there was an arrangement between Romania and Serbia is not clear yet. “Democratic basics such as freedom of speech and freedom of movement are annulated several times within a few days.” stated one of the activists.
Articles in the international press in the past days
NEUES DEUTSCHLAND, March 25, Kritik an der NATO unerwünscht, http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/126081.html
JUNGE WELT, March 25, Repression vor NATO-Gipfel, http://www.jungewelt.de/2008/03-25/044.php
REUTERS Rumänien, March 21: Deutschen Anti-Nato-Demonstranten Einreise verweigert, http://de.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idDEKOE23711820080322
THE LOCAL, March 22,Romania expels six Germans ahead of NATO summit, http://www.thelocal.de/10841/20080322/
THEAEATHTIMES, UK, March 21, 2008 Six anti-NATO activists stopped on Romanian border
[http://de.indymedia.org]
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Repressions at the romanian border
Law breaking as a European standard, Romania shows its democratic side with more repression.
Since the Romanian N.AT.O. Summit was confirmed; people who do not agree started their own camping against N.A.T.O. While the summit preparations were in progress the corporate main-stream media started its own campaign of misinformation and public opinion manipulation against the critical point of the anti-militaristic movement. Using only the violent imagines from protest and presenting wrong facts, they turned the opposition to war, militarism and alliances like N.A.T.O. into a monster that is going to attack Bucharest. All this misinformation created a reason for the authority’s repression. The future repression was shown as a measure of security, typical N.A.T.O. strategy (creating an enemy to have an excuse for a war).
Yesterday 6 persons felled the repression of the border police 19 hours long, when they tried to enter in Romania. All of then were germane citizens, they were coming to express their opinion and disagreement about the N.A.T.O. politics. They brought few anti- N.A.T.O. materials (that contained only public information like a visitors guide, a legal guide…), c.d.-s with documentary movies, buttons, patches, t-shirts, posters all on the subject of human rights.
[http://www.contra-doxa.com]
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NO BORDERS CAMP - Ruse (Bulgaria)-Giurgiu (Romania)
Today 25.03.2008 the same six persons that tried to enter Romania a couple of days ago, have retried to do it without having anti Nato material, and anti - violence material (quoting the representative from the border police). After 2 hours of being searched again and again, the police deported them by force again even if they had no reasons to do it (yes in violations again of many things, any surprise there?).
[http://www.contra-doxa.com]