2009-11-27
Next week the WTO is going to convene at its headquarters in Geneva (Monday November 30 – Wednesday December 2). It is their way to commemorate ‘Seattle’. There will be protests and counter-programs. But there is not much attention for that internationally, as everything seems to be eclipsed by the coming climate-summit.
Tomorrow, Saturday 28, a demonstration starting at 14.00 at Place Neuve (see details here: http://www.anti-omc2009.org/spip.php?article7). This demonstration will walk past the WTO-headquarters.
(Reuters: Peaceful demonstrations planned for WTO ministerial
http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSL9432130)
On Sunday there is some counter conference: at the Salle Communale de Plainpalais, Rue de Carouge 52, Genève. http://www.anti-omc2009.org/spip.php?article17
The summit itself is from Monday – Wednesday Dec. 2. Autonomous groups in Switzerland are calling for ‘direct action and blockades’ during those days: http://www.autonome.ch/Mobilisation-contre-l-OMC-a-Geneve
Also there will be more counter program, like the Geneva Trade and Development Symposium form ICTSD (with many crooks in the program too): http://www.ictsdsymposium.org
Apart from that there is this caravan starting in Geneva then going via Paris, Brussels, Hamburg to Copenhagen: http://www.climatecaravan.org
There’s a newspaper made (in German) about the WTO:
http://www.anti-wto.ch/Seiten/Antidot_Internet.pdf
Call out from OWINS (Our World Is Not For Sale):
http://www.ourworldisnotforsale.org/en/signon/global-turn-around
As for the official program; it is understood that it is a full ministerial meeting, but that they convene mainly because of the symbolic value and because they are obliged to have one every two years. Still there are also real negotiations on the agenda, that can have serious consequences. Pascal Lamy described what the ministerial will be about:
http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news09_e/tnc_dg_stat_23oct09_e.htm
If you want to follow the negotiations critically here: http://www.twnside.org.sg/general_negotiations.htm
As for the Swiss police: Their victims from previous protests are still battling to get some compensation. Like British photographer Guy Smallman, who lost half of his leg when they shot him with a grenade during the 2003 G8-protests: http://www.nuj.org.uk/innerPagenuj.html?docid=991