Geneva prepares for the anti-g8 blockades

national | miscellaneous | news report Saturday May 31, 2003 20:34 by rory hearne - globalise resistance globalise_resistance at yahoo dot com

Alternative Summit meetings very successfull

SATURDAY UPDATE FROM RORY HEARNE IN GENEVA ATTENDING ALTERNATIVE g8 SUMMIT AND THE BLOCKADES

1000s of activists from all over the world have been taking part in an alternative g8 summit in Geneva. The main focus of the meetings were on continuing the movement against war by oppposing the occupation of Iraq and of opposing the neo-liberal corporate-led process of globalisation. Alternatives to the present model of capitalism were also discussed. Tonight the preparations are underway for the blockades of the g8 delegates. Blockades will take place in Geneva, Annemasse and Lausanne.

The International movement against war and capitalist globalisation debated for two days the issue of the G8 and what these governments are doing to the world. Concensus was reached that their meeting in Evian is illegitimate because it is completely against democracy that 8 people meet in secret to decide the fate of the planet and its population of 6 billion. The policies of the g8 are causing war, poverty, environmental destruction and racism. WE therefore, tomorrow will attempt to disrupt the meetings of the G8 by placing blockades on the roads that will bring delegates to the meetings. The blockades will begin at 5.30am (CET). These will be followed by a march involving hundreds of thousands from all over Europe and indeed the world. The marches leave from Annemasse and Geneva and will converge on Evian.

Globalise Resistance in IReland have over a hundred activists from Ireland taking part in the alternative summits and protests

At the meeting of international movements this evening in Geneva many international events were planned for the upcoming year such as mass mobilisations to the World Trade ORganisation meeting in Mexico and Globalise Resistance Ireland put out a call to international movements to come to Ireland in October to demonstrate at the World Economic Forum meeting that will be held in Dublin.