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30 january 2001
the public eye on davos
the public eye on davos hailed as great
success - organizers consider legal action
over protest crackdown
ìThe Public Eye on Davosî meeting has been
a great success. Although the police
prevented peaceful protest, the real
challenge for economic globalisation is the
new issues being discussed by people
worldwide. We need more from the economy than
never-ending growth which is destroying the
environment whilst further enriching the
already wealthy.
Both "The Public Eye on Davos", an
independent NGO conference parallel to the
World Economic Forum in Davos and the World
Social Forum in Porto Alegre, were a great
success. ìBoth public fora have challenged
the legitimacy and the policies of the World
Economic Forum. NGO representatives
highlighted the failure of economic
globalisation and put forward alternative
ideas for a truly equitable and democratic
economic system that respects environmental
limitsî, said Miriam Behrens from Pro Natura
ñ Friends of the Earth Switzerland. Amid the
din of global triumphalism, the critical
truth spoken at the ìPublic Eye on Davosî was
heard clearly - inside and outside the
forum.
The 2001 Annual Meeting of the World
Economic Forum now draws to a close. The
"Public Eye on Davos" coalition is not
impressed by the glamour and the rhetorical
commitments to social and environmental
responsibility and dialogue which are again
emanating from the WEF's police fortress in
Davos. "NGOs will continue to challenge
corporate roadshows like the WEF which commit
to social responsibility in public while
promoting the policies of economic
globalization behind closed doors", says
Jolanda Piniel of the Swiss advocacy group,
the Berne Declaration.
"The business fat-cats of the WEF
consistently undermine social justice and
environmental protection. We will continue to
judge economic and political decision-makers
by their actions, and not by the propaganda
of the Davos Forum. We will continue
campaigning for international binding
regulations for corporations that are
negotiated in an internationally legitimate
forum like the United Nations. ", comments
Tony Juniper of Friends of the Earth
International.
The World Economic Forum was marked by
ëpolice stateí methods which have so far been
unknown in Switzerland. Many peaceful
citizens were denied access to Davos because
they were carrying the "Public Eye on Davos"
program. Adam Ma'anit of Corporate Europe
Observatory, a speaker at the "Public Eye"
conference, was temporarily detained and
almost deported by the Swiss police. Vandana
Shiva, the Alternative Nobel Prize laureate
from India and a participant of both the WEF
and the "Public Eye", was beaten by the
police when she took part in a peaceful
demonstration on 27 January in Davos.
"The politics of privilege and exclusion
which typify economic globalization have
finally hit Davos. The civil rights of a
majority have been violated to protect the
rights of a privileged few", says Peter
Bosshard of the Berne Declaration. The Swiss
organizers of the 'Public Eye' conference are
seeking legal advice on behalf of those
denied their human rights to protest,
assemble and speak freely. We want to ensure
that police repression against public debate
of globalization policies cannot happen
again.
For further information:
Jolanda Piniel, Berne Declaration, 079 478
91 94 (or 079 339 37 01)
Tony Juniper, Friends of the
Earth/International, 0044 7712 843 207
Peter Bosshard, Berne Declaration, 01 277 70
07
Miriam Behrens, Pro Natura ñ Friends of the
Earth Switzerland, 079 216 02 06
www.davos2001.ch
The Public Eye on Davos was a joint
project of The Berne Declaration
(coordination), Asociacion Latinoamericana de
Organizaciones de Promocion, Focus on the
Global South, Friends of the Earth
International, Genetic Resources Action
International, Network Women in Development
Europe, Pro Natura (Swiss affiliate of FoEI),
Tebtebba Foundation, World Development
Movement.
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