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>>> Writer : KoPA > Sketch of the O20 Struggles in Seoul > > > The actions started bright and early yesterday, with the leadership of KoPA (Korean People's Action against Investment Treaties and the WTO) and the People's Rally Committee attempting to deliver a letter protesting the free trade/neo-liberal agenda of the Asia Europe Meeting. However, police stopped the attempt immediately after they got off the bus in front of the conference site. A placard reading "No to Neoliberal Globalization" and "No to Structural Adjustment Programs," was torn away from the hands of the religious, labor, human rights, and social movement leaders' hands. Police violently pushed away the protestors using shields and clubs. The leadership conducted an immediate sit-in protest at the site, explaining to reporters the situation and declaring that since peaceful means are being blocked, 'other means to deliver the people's voice' would have to be used. > > With such efforts being repressed, it did not take long for the direct actions to commence. Students took to the streets an hour later, in close to a dozen places in the Seoul area, in an effort to draw the police away from the site of the summit meetings. The government and police had announced several weeks before the meetings that all demonstrations would be prohibited around the ASEM Tower and had stationed 30,000 policemen around the tower to enforce the announcement. Students teamed up in groups of 20 or so, 'popped out' of subway stations near main intersections and blocked off roads, and then dispersed when police showed up. A little later in the morning, a rally jointly organized by the Korean People's Action Against Investment Treaties and the WTO and the People's Rally Committee was held in downtown Seoul about 4 miles away from the ASEM Tower. Over 3000 workers, students, and activists gathered and demanded an end to the neo-liberal free trade order. They demanded an end to plans for privatization of the public sector and reduction of working hours. They started to march toward the conference site but were soon stopped by police. Clashes ensued between the activists and police wielding clubs. Ten activists were injured in the process. > > In the afternoon, 20,000 gathered in at Olympic Park for the main event of the day: The Seoul Day of Action Against Neo-liberal Globalization rally. Speakers both national and foreign, spoke about the atrocities caused by neo-liberal globalization, in front of a huge sign on the stage which read 'no to Neo-liberalism,' 'humans before profits'. Sign held by participants read 'enough destruction of our lives,' 'no to BITs (Bi-lateral Investment Treaties).' A huge statue, made by a famous Korean artist from the bomb shells and empty cartridges gathered at American bombing ranges in Korea, was unveiled during the rally. Afterwards another march toward the conference site followed, and again police blocked the march about a mile away from the ASEM Tower. Tensions mounted as each side deliberated on what actions to take next. Intense discussions went on within the ranks on wether to push forward or call off the rally at the police blockade. However, in the end, the leadership of the organizing committee decided to call off the rally. Many participants remained at the blockade for an hour after the decision, refusing to move. Afterwards, criticisms of the decision filled related webpages. > > Demonstrations continued late into the night, as close to 1000 students held a separate rally in the northern part of the city, continuing the struggle of the day. Students retreated into a university nearby afterwards and this marked the end of the O20 struggle in Seoul. > > The joint independent media project group for ASEM 2000 has been as active as anyone bringing news of the struggle to the people of the world through radio broadcasts, text news, and video clips. All the actions of the 19th and 20th, as well as of the preparatory process for the struggle can be seen at the KoPA website (http://antiwto.jinbo.net). > > The evaluations of the O20 struggle are still on-going, but the outcomes of the struggle pose some very basic questions for the progressive movement here in Korea. The movement's products are perhaps clear: mobilizing more than 20,000 for the actions, bringing the struggles of Seattle, Washington, and Prague to East Asia, demonstrating that the voice of the people against neo-liberalism exists world-wide, engaging in an active discussion with the people of Korea on the effects of globalization and what alternatives exist. But analysis of the failures and limitations of the movement is not so easy. The struggle was not able to have a direct effect on the meetings themselves; the relationship between the civic movement sector and people's movement sector was constantly a problem; democratic decision making process within the organizing committee came into question; and many more. > > The struggle against neo-liberal globalization has ended in Seoul. For now, that is. But we here in South Korea know that the struggle continues today for the people all over the world fighting for democratic rights, for diversity, for the environment, for human rights, and for all the values that we hold dear. We will be coming to you once more with an evaluation on the O20 struggle here in Seoul, with the hope that it will be of help to all those who are concerned with the same issues which we are. We hope to meet you again, wherever the struggle takes us next. > > The Struggle of the People Continues!! > An Immediate Stop to Neo-Liberal Globalization!! > > More information on the actions can be seen at: http://antiwto.jinbo.net > > Regular updates on the preparations for the ASEM action can be heard through the internet broadcasts at: http://cast.jinbo.net/news/yundai.html > > Contact us at: kopa@jinbo.net > > Korean People's Action against Investment Treaties and the WTO(KoPA) / People's Rally Committee > > ** This newsletter is originally from the Policy and Information Center for International Solidarity (PICIS: http://picis.jinbo.net) Newsletter Team > > > > >
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