Seattle In The South Pacific- Help Shut Down The World Economic Forum.

This September the world-wide social movement of resistance against free market globalisation will continue to raise its voice against the institutions of greed and exploitation.

On September 11-13th, three days before the Sydney Olympics open, the World Economic Forum (WEF) will be attempting to hold its Asia-Pacific economic summit in Melbourne.

Like the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the International Monetary Fund / World Bank, the WEF is a means of promoting economic and social policies that will benefit the rich and powerful at the expense of the majority of the world's people and environment. Following the example of the recent anti-capitalist protests in London, Washington and Seattle, activists from across Australia will be converging in Melbourne to shut down the WEF and turn S11 (Sept 11th) into the "Seattle of the South Pacific".

Here in New Zealand, the Socialist Workers Organisation is helping to build a solidarity movement including demonstrations, educational 'teach ins' and fund-raising to send activists to Melbourne, then to tour New Zealand when they come back.

If you are interested, there are public meetings to plan S11 events, that are organised by the Socialist Workers Organisation in your area.

PUBLIC MEETINGS

Auckland - Thursday June 29th at 7.30pm Trades Hall, 147 Great North Road

Wellington - Friday June 30th at 7.45pm Aro Valley Community Hall

Christchurch - Thursday 29th at 7.30pm WEA Centre, 50 Gloucester Street

Hamilton - contact Joe at 025 6048955 socialistwaikato@hotmail.com

WHO ARE THE WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM?

The WEF is an exclusive, un-elected, invite-only organisation.

A 'think tank' and a driving force behind the global economy.

Incorporated since 1971 as a foundation, the WEF claims to be "independent, impartial and not-for-profit, tied to no political, partisan or national interests."

It has a consultative status with the United Nations.

Members include: 1000 CEOs from the worlds top (sic) multi-national corporations. Academics, trade-ministers, heads of state, and elite media also attend as guests.

The WEF holds its annual meeting in the small ski resort town of Davos in the Swiss Alps.

According to the WEF this meeting is now considered the global summit that defines the political, economic and business agenda for the year.

The WEF's summits allow the richest and most powerful corporations in the world to mingle with trade representatives from nations, and with each other, to make business deals and determine global political and economic policies.

According to the WEF, it initiated the World Trade Organisation (WTO), the focus of protest in Seattle last year.

Its 1982 annual meeting in Davos brought together cabinet members of major countries with heads of international organisations, such as the World Bank, IMF, and GATT. This special Informal Gathering of Trade Ministers from 17 countries organised the launch of the Uruguay Round, which is where the WTO was founded.

This is just one significant example of how the WEF, driven by its corporate agenda,shapes the political, economic and social landscape.

The World Economic Forum is an extremely powerful and unaccountable body who are making major decisions about what we will read in the media, what food we will eat, what we will study in school, where, when and in what conditions we will work; almost every aspect of our everyday life.

Our actions against the WEF are the beginning of communicating our struggles, learning to co-operate, and working towards an alternative to the violent world order that enforces exploitation and inequality across the globe.

Kia kaha Joe Carolan, SWO Waikato.

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