media advisory
friends of the earth international
16 march 2006
mexico: water activists challenge world
water forum
MEXICO CITY, MEXICO, March 16, 2006 --
Voices excluded from the 4th World Water
Forum held in Mexico City March 16-22 will be
heard at an alternative forum attended among
many others by Friends of the Earth
International campaigners.
The official Water Forum is a
business-dominated talk-shop attended by
influential organizations such as the World
Bank, the UN and the IMF, as well as some of
the world's largest water and energy
corporations.
The alternative "International Forum in
the Defense of Water" gathers instead
activists meeting to defend the fundamental
human right to clean, affordable water and
calling for water to be recognized as part of
the global commons.
"We were shocked by the apathy shown by
Forum organizers and Mexican officials asked
to include alternative viewpoints in the
official Forum program. Forum organizers also
refused to assist many community activists
from around the world obtain Mexican visas,"
said Longgena Ginting of Friends of the Earth
International.
"The official Water Forum is dominated by
corporate interests, North American and
European governments, agencies and
international financial institutions. It
claims it is founded on collaboration and
partnership but in reality it keeps out too
many voices. The registration fee of 480-600
USD made real public participation
impossible," he added.
The World Water Forum seeks to influence
water policy making at a global level. But
pie-in-the-sky solutions like water
privatization advocated by Forum host 'the
World Water Council, are failing in many
places, from Bolivia to the Philippines.
According to Carlos Santos of REDES /
Friends of the Earth Uruguay: "Water
privatization guidelines that came out of the
3rd Water Forum failed spectacularly in
Uruguay. Privatization of water services in
the Maldonado area caused grave social,
economical and environmental consequences. It
also brought about a popular uproar and a
constitutional reform - backed by 64,7% of
Uruguayan citizens - which prohibited water
privatization and laid the ground for
participatory and sustainable water
management."
The alternative forum in Mexico city
includes 'Community Days in Defense of Water'
organized by and for indigenous and farmer
organizations, community groups, academics,
trade unions, students, grassroots
organizations, women's groups, public health
advocates, and social movements from within
Mexico.
Friends of the Earth groups from Paraguay,
Uruguay, El Salvador, Colombia, France and
more are among these groups.
for more information contact in mexico
city:
in english
Tel: +52 (044) 5529951533
Longgena Ginting, Friends of the Earth
International (English/Bahasa)
en castlellano
Tel: +52 (044) 5529951533
Carlos Santos, Friends of the Earth Uruguay
(Spanish)
Elías Díaz Peña, Friends of the Earth
Paraguay (Spanish)
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