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CounterPunch
October
1, 2002
On the Road
Again:
IMF/World Bank Protests Show a Revived Movement for Global Justice
by
BENJAMIN SHEPARD
Having lost the possibility of surprise in the
days after the Seattle, the Global Justice Movement's cacophony
of voices was successful with the theatre of bringing its message
to the world. A coalition of debt reduction activists, anarchists,
pagans, queer/AIDS activists made their presence known for the
weekend of protests. Activists barely got off the ground on
Friday morning before facing police. Around 9 am, forty members
of the Pagan Cluster were arrested at the Blake Building on K
St. just down from the intersection of 17th St. Their march
had started quiet and peacefully in Dupont Circle. Police moved
in as the cluster danced, chanted, and weaving a circle around
the intersection of K & 17. Blowing bubbles, chanting, drumming,
dancing, the cluster watched the police surrounded them, blocking
the sidewalks in front, the sidewalks in back.
The story was the same for countless
groups throughout the day. Yet, the strategy was similar. A
critical mass style bike ride to Freedom Plaza was disrupted
by the police in a similar fashion earlier that morning. Police
cordoned off some 300 bikers at Pershing Park, separating them
from activists at Freedom Plaza. By standards and activists
alike complained about the police overkill. "They closed
Freedom Plaza and turned it into a non-Freedom Plaza," Joseph
Mayer, a retired Army Lieutenant colonel, explained. Other activists
were simply arrested for marching without a permit. As always,
part of the strategy of the peaceful protests was to expose the
aggressive nature of the police. In the end, 649 activists were
arrested preemptively during the People's Strike organized by
the Anti-Capitalist Convergence on Friday October 28th. Activists
were acutely aware that the arrests took place not because of
any "threat" to the City but because of the vocal opposition
to the IMF, World Bank, and War for Oil.
Arrestees were taken to the Police Academy
outside of D.C. Those arrested reported it took some 6 hours
to be processed and move them into the gym. Many reported long
discussions with some of the police there, who were angry at
having to pull double shifts to control the protests. My friend
and I overheard one policeman complaining he'd been written up
for refusing to arrest an activist who had done nothing wrong.
The main events of the Saturday protests
were the ACT UP/ Healthgap/ Jubilee USA Drop the Dept March.
After a brief rally highlighting speakers from ACT UP, Africa
Action, and Health GAP, the diverse group of marchers demanded
an end to the Global AIDS crisis and the cancellation of debt
for developing countries through loud chants, and colorful signs
and banners.
"We have returned to Washington
because the rich countries still haven't got it right,"
explained Kris Hermes of Health GAP. "Despite poverty and
death due to AIDS being on the rise, the IMF and WB refuse to
cancel the debt of the most impoverished countries. It is unacceptable
that money be robbed from essential services like health care
while over 8,000 people a day continue to die from AIDS."
"At best, Treasury is standing by
as IMF/WB policies kill people," says
John Bell, of ACT UP Philadelphia. "At worst, they are helping
the IMF/WB to obstruct the social and economic development of
poor countries -- taking a direct role in the death of millions."
The US Treasury is being targeted as the principal financier
and architect of IMF/WB policies. Through debt and loan conditions,
these institutions have worsened or destroyed the lives of millions
of people struggling to survive in poor countries around the
world.
The demands of the marchers, like the
demands of thousands of people
coming to protest these institutions, are the cancellation of
all impoverished country debt owed to the IMF/WB, and an end
to structural adjustment policies that result in the denial of
access to health care and life-saving drugs through privatization
and the imposition of "user fees."
"It's really quite simple,"
says Marie Clarke, National Coordinator for
Jubilee USA. "When impoverished countries are relieved of
their debt, they spend more on social services like health care
and, as a direct result, lives are saved-allowing children a
better chance to reach their potential."
The scope of the debt problem is staggering.
Sub-Saharan Africa owes
over $300 billion in debt and will spend $14.5 billion on debt
repayments this year. This annual figure is roughly the estimated
dollar amount needed to address AIDS and related diseases in
Africa.
One of the most important elements of
the largely successful IMF/World Bank protests over the last
weekend in September was the movement's continued ability to
push itself on a public agenda. The evening news/ war pep rally
was constantly interrupted with countless images of activists
willing to be arrested to fight corporate globalization. While
the police, entertainment, war 10 o'clock news script attempted
to stay on message about a need a preemptive attack, their message
was disrupted with images of mass dissent. News reports across
the world covered the images of activists standing up against
the frenzy like attempt by the Bush administration to push its
war agenda, shielding itself from a weak economy and the aftershock
of corporate scandal.
After months of 9/11 backlash and forth,
opposition is alive and well.
Ben Shepard
can be reached at: benshepard@mindspring.com
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