Campaigners
Diary:
The Public Eye on Davos
The 2001 World Economic Forum (WEF) in
Davos created news headlines. Police
mobilization and the violent riots were
more of an issue than the topics being
discussed by the "leaders of the world"
behind closed doors. Miriam Behrens,
Alexandra Wandel, Katrin Imwinkelried, Tony
Juniper, Duncan McLaren and Beat Jans from
Friends of the Earth were in Davos to
criticize the WEF’s neoliberal approach at
the parallel conference "The Public Eye on
Davos".
Thursday January 25th
8:30 am: Let’s Get Started!
What a short night! We arrived late
last night in Davos after being controlled
by police three times along the way from
Basel. Yet we are excited, as today our
"Public Eye" conference will be launched.
Our colleagues from the Berne Declaration
and other NGOs participating in the
conference are waiting for us at the
breakfast table. Between bites of orange
slices and whole wheat bread we discuss the
final details.
11:00 am: The Press Conference
The conference hall, not far from the
official forum, is about to burst. BBC
World, CNN, Corriere della Sera, a
Nicaraguan radio station, an independent
Indian journalist and German television
have all gathered to hear what the "Public
Eye" has to say. Together we present the
NGO statement that was signed by more than
100 organizations worldwide. We demand a
social and environmental framework for
economic development. Social and
environmental standards must have priority
over economic interests. Tony speaks on
behalf of Friends of the Earth
International. The press conference is
followed by dozens of interviews in which
Tony and I repeatedly criticize the WEF’s
neoliberal approach. In the meantime, our
colleagues are arrested for distributing
the programme of our conference in the
streets of Davos!
Friday January 26th
9:30 am: Where’s Adam?
I have been ringing Adam Ma’anit from
FoEI affiliate Corporate Europe Observatory
non-stop since 8:00 this morning. He is
supposed to speak on a panel on corporate
regulation together with Duncan at the
"Public Eye" conference. It turns out that
the police stopped him on his way to Davos.
He was put on a train back to the border in
spite of the invitation he carried
indicating that he was a speaker at the
conference. His long dark hair and Israeli
nationality seemed to be reason enough for
the Swiss police to deport him. Adam is a
peaceful person. Now he is sitting in the
train under police escort, feeling confused
and intimidated. I try to organize help.
Our office is at the border in Basel, and
Swiss television is interested in coming to
the station with us to meet Adam. Perhaps
together we can convince the police to let
Adam come to Davos.
10 to 12 am: "Who’s in Control?"
Panel
The economic and political power of
multinational companies has increased
dramatically over the last years.
Corporations often reap profit without
taking responsibility for people or the
environment. NGOs discuss the effects of
this behaviour: climate change,
over-exploitation of natural resources,
destruction of biodiversity and a rapidly
increasing gap between rich and poor.
Conclusion: an international binding
agreement to regulate large corporations is
urgently needed. Such an agreement could be
signed by the UN at the Rio Plus Ten
conference in South Africa in 2002.
18:00 pm: Made It!
Accompanied by Otto Sieber from Pro
Natura/FoE Switzerland and Swiss
television, Adam managed to pass through
police controls on his second try. He is
exhausted but happy he made it. He will be
able to criticize the policies of large
corporations here in Davos after all.
Saturday January 27th
Reranking the Sustainability
Index
The "Sustainability Index" was
presented today inside the World Economic
Forum. This index is a WEF ranking of the
sustainability of countries. A good idea,
in principle. But the WEF has a unique view
on sustainability: the index in fact
measures the potential for economic growth.
Environmental criteria, like resource use,
are ignored. The effect is that rich
industrialized countries, like the US, rank
highest, whereas developing countries
receive few points. Outrageous! We cannot
accept this arbitrary definition of
sustainability. Instantly we draft a press
release and Duncan recalculates the index,
taking resource use and human rights into
account. The ranking changes drastically.
The US is now amongst the least sustainable
countries!
Sunday January 28th
15:00 am: A First Evaluation
Following a panel on trade policies
chaired by Alexandra this morning, the
final panel of our conference is now about
to begin. This time Tony and I are among
the speakers. I want to show what we have
achieved with "The Public Eye on Davos",
which was a success in many respects. Our
concerns were taken seriously. The media
did not praise the WEF one-sidedly, as has
been the case in former years. Our
criticism was heard worldwide! Some WEF
participants attended our panel discussions
and actively contributed to the debate;
even Swiss President Moritz Leuenberger
gave a short presentation. The conference
has challenged the legitimacy of the
WEF.
Monday January 29th
14:00 am: the World Eating
Fatcats
We have decided to do another fat cat
stunt to demonstrate the closed attitude of
the WEF to the world. There should also be
space for creative and humorous actions in
Davos! Tony, Duncan and Katrin dress up in
suits, ties and fat bellies. Each of them
carries a sign: see no problem, hear no
protest, speak no truth. Photographers and
television stations like our parody of
businessmen, and enjoy the police
mobilization that results!
"The business fat cats of the WEF
consistently undermine social justice and
environmental protection," says Tony to
close the action. "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."
The Public Eye will remain on Davos!
Miriam Behrens,
FoE
Switzerland
FoEI’s press releases and photos from
Davos are available at
www.foei.org
.
Information about The Public Eye on Davos
is available at
www.davos2001.org
.
