From notoapec at clear.net.nz Mon May 7 08:58:44 2001 From: notoapec at clear.net.nz (APEC Monitoring Group) Date: Mon, 7 May 2001 11:58:44 +1200 Subject: [asia-apec 1760] NZ Herald article on globalisation Message-ID: <001f01c0d688$7d6a7900$f9cca7cb@notoapec> New Zealand Herald 03/05/01 Globalisation: for and against Some don't want a bar of it. Others want to call it a new name that sounds a softer note. EUGENE BINGHAM on the arguments surrounding global free trade. Waves of cleaners swept in behind waves of protesters on the streets of the world yesterday in the aftermath of May Day protests. >From Auckland to Oslo, Havana to Berlin, millions of people flocked to capitals and major cities to decry capitalism. The worldwide nature of the demonstrations left the undeniable impression that protest has become the most high-profile product of globalisation. The protests marking the traditional workers' day took on new meaning this year, linked as they were with movements that have grown since the so-called Battle of Seattle in December 1999. The example of Seattle, when thousands of people disrupted a World Trade Organisation meeting, has spawned similar demonstrations and inspired millions to take to the streets. Their common enemy is globalisation, but their backgrounds are as varied as the languages they speak. The scene on the streets, however, is only the most visible end of an insurrection that has made business and world leaders sit back and take stock, if only of their own tactics. Even the term globalisation is being reconsidered, with politicians admitting that it now conjures up negative images. "We're going to have to find a new term because that word globalisation has become too sullified right across the world," said Australia's Trade Minister Mark Vaile at last year's World Economic Forum - another trigger for violent protests. What is globalisation? The most basic definition is the international integration of markets for goods, services and capital. But globalisation is a process that cannot be undertaken without parallel social and cultural changes - and that is where the battle is being fought. Globalisation is a product of trade and international business, a function of organisations like the World Trade Organisation and multinational corporations. Yet it is nothing new. Niall Ferguson, a professor of political and financial history at Oxford University, wrote in Britain's Daily Telegraph yesterday that world trade figures now are comparable to those just before the First World War. In 1913, merchandise exports accounted for about 9 per cent of the world's gross domestic product. In the 1990s, it was 13 per cent. Professor Ferguson said the globalisation pattern of the early 1900s was brought about by the technological advances of the day - railroads, steamships and the telegraph. Wars and economic retraction put a halt to it. The recent rapid advances in computer technology, telecommunications and travel have helped this latest round, stirred along by political will to break down national trade barriers. What do the believers in globalisation say the benefits are? The WTO, watchdog and champion of a global world market, says trade liberalisation has come a long way thanks to the 1986-94 Uruguay Round of negotiations between countries. Tariff cuts resulting from those talks have reduced customs duty collected on imports between 1994 and 1999 by 10 per cent for the United States, the European Union and Japan. These account for nearly half of the world's imports. The organisation's director, former New Zealand Prime Minister Mike Moore, says the only way people and countries can achieve their full potential is by tackling the remaining trade barriers. Supporters such as the Business Roundtable see the free and open markets of globalisation as a prerequisite for economic growth. Minister for Trade Negotiations Jim Sutton says New Zealand's economic well-being relies upon further international trade liberalisation. In a recent speech, he said a 50 per cent reduction in global tariffs would add about 4 per cent to the country's GDP. With the progress towards future worldwide trade deals only a wish at the moment, the Government has taken up the approach of securing further regional deals such as the proposed closer economic partnership with Hong Kong. During a visit to Hong Kong last week, Prime Minister Helen Clark told a business audience that New Zealand was seeking "new, open trade relationships." "At the regional level, New Zealand supports linkages between our CER agreement with Australia and the Asean free trade area." So what are the protesters campaigning against? A study published by the non-government organisation Arena last month damned the Hong Kong deal as "globalisation by stealth." The paper, by researcher Bill Rosenberg, said the agreement contained hidden dangers for New Zealand, including the destruction of the remaining textiles, clothing and footwear industries. Mr Rosenberg said the agreement would facilitate further pressure to commercialise social services and diminish control over foreign investment, reducing New Zealand ownership of land and fishing quotas. In short, the Hong Kong agreement would lead to the results feared from all advances in globalisation. Those on the streets say the inevitable results of globalisation are a reduction in basic worker's rights, the advancement of the economy at the expense of the environment, a growing gap between the First World and the Third, and the transfer of power from governments to multinational corporations. Auckland University's Professor Jane Kelsey says globalisation attacks our democratic system. She has argued that the WTO fundamentally affects the capacity of New Zealand Governments to determine and implement domestic economic and social policy. Giving fuel to the anti-free trade campaigners are figures showing globalisation has taken place in parallel with widening income disparity around the world. Professor Ferguson said the gaps had increased dramatically in the past 40 years. "In 1963, the richest fifth of the [world's] population earned 71 per cent of the world GDP; the poorest fifth, 2.3 per cent. Today the top fifth get 89 per cent of the total output; the poorest, 1.2 per cent." Who are the protesters? There is no simple way of describing those who took to the streets this week. They come from non-Government organisations, unions, political parties, churches and universities. They come from across the political spectrum. In Germany, far-left marchers were unnerved when skinheads of the far right joined in. Around the world, greenies and farmers are marching for the cause. Before the World Economic Forum in Melbourne, unions, churches and non-Government organisations formed beneath the umbrella of an organisation calling itself S11, a coalition of largely left-wing activists. Within the New Zealand Parliament, members of the Green Party campaign for fair trade, not free trade. MPs Sue Bradford and Nandor Tanczos marched on the Melbourne streets outside the forum. But the protesters are not all what might be called radical. In February, the leaders of the Pacific's small nations condemned the effects of globalisation. Niue's Prime Minister, Sani Lakatani, told the Pacific Leaders Conference: "The uneven distribution of wealth and power points to the potential loss of sovereignty by Governments as the control of their respective economies becomes more subject to global forces such as multinational companies and the pressures of the select global brotherhood." Cook Islands Prime Minister Terepai Maoata said: "I don't know where this globalisation came from and from who - it's time to get together and fight." What methods are used to halt globalisation? The protests that have unfolded since December 1999 have been described as the re-emergence of civil unrest on a scale not seen since the 1960s. Certainly, the numbers who have taken to the streets around the world are staggering. But the violence that has captured the attention of the television networks is not the aim of most who have joined the protest lines. Many, in fact, believe the shattering of glass and the sound of pitched battles have drowned out the message. Organisers favour civil disobedience, but not violence. Cyclists in London on May Day, for instance, went on a slow ride to make their point. Multinational companies such as McDonald's and Nike are targeted for protest, and slogans are painted on their buildings. Internet communications are used to inform and debate about the issues. An activist newsletter posted on the internet yesterday called for more calm in future protests. "We need to train and prepare as many people as possible," said the newsletter, Organising in the Face of Increased Repression. "We also need ever-more flexible and creative tactics ... We need to clarify our vision of the world we want to create so we can mobilise people's hopes and desires as well as their outrage. And we need to be creative, visionary, wild, sexy, colourful, humorous, and fun in the face of the violence directed against us." Will the forces for or against globalisation win the fight It depends whom you ask. It is not too late to stop globalisation, but there are powerful forces behind it. In New Zealand, the Labour-Alliance Coalition has put a five-year freeze on tariff reduction and introduced labour issues into discussions about its trade agreements. Internationally, there are fears among pro-trade campaigners that countries have lost their nerve. From kevin.li at graduate.hku.hk Mon May 7 09:44:57 2001 From: kevin.li at graduate.hku.hk (Kevin Yuk-shing Li) Date: Mon, 7 May 2001 08:44:57 +0800 Subject: [asia-apec 1761] Hong Kong: Action against Fortune Global Forum Message-ID: <005c01c0d68e$f402d3e0$24242dca@enduser> Hong Kong Globalization Monitor Action against Fortune Global Forum Press release/declaration People Before Profit The Fortune Global Forum is holding its annual meeting in Hong Kong over this week. Guests include the Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party and President of PRC, Jiang Zemin as well as the former US President, Bill Clinton. In keeping with the policies of influential global institutions such as the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and the World Economic Forum, Fortune Global Forum's aim is to facilitate the investment of transnational capital into every corner of the world - a policy commonly known as "globalisation". The effect of globalisation on workers and farmers everywhere has been devastating: increased exploitation; the destruction of stable jobs; a downward spiral in wages; environmental havoc and a dramatic increase in the gap between rich and poor. "Free trade" and "privatisation" have been the rallying calls of the global financial institutions who are successfully assisting transnational corporations (TNCs) to take over public resources and reduce even the most basic of resources, such as water, into a profit-generating commodity. One of the most pernicious results of "free trade" has been to pitch worker against worker as people from different countries are forced to participate in a race to the bottom to seek job. Here in Hong Kong, the partially-elected legislative body has been enthusiastically promoting privatisation of the public sector over the last few years. The results have been all-too-clear, a decrease in wages and an increase in unemployment, as jobs are out-sourced and working conditions are attacked. At the same time, TNCs have secured new contracts and increased profit margins. Multinational banks such as the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited (HSBC) and the Standard Chartered Bank Limited have callously penalised customers with small savings accounts, viewed as "non profit-making", while simultaneously drawing up plans to lay off staff and move their back-up service operations to low-wage regions such as China and India. These moves are part of a global trend that has been continually noted by the United Nations over the last decade, namely, a shift of wealth and resources from the poor to the rich. In response to the TNCs growing monopolisation of global resources, we have witnessed an increasing number of people from around the world who have protested against so-called globalisation. From Seattle's WTO meeting in 1999 to the meeting of the Free Trade Area of the Americas in Quebec two weeks ago, demonstrators have made their presence felt, despite often overwhelming police violence. More and more ordinary people no longer tolerate the behavior of a handful of enormously powerful TNCs and the governments who support them. Globalization Monitor is joining a demonstration against the Fortune Global Forum and calls on all those who are fed up with the hypocrisy of the global super-rich to join the demonstration. Date: May 8, 2001 (Tuesday) Time: 5 p.m. Place: Convene at the entrance to the Family Planning Association, Wanchai MTR, Southorn Playground Exit. Then walk to the demonstration area at the Hong Kong Convention Center, Wanchai. Contact persons: Yuen Hoi Yan (9223 9629) or May Wong (9012 2214) From kevin.li at graduate.hku.hk Tue May 8 23:30:04 2001 From: kevin.li at graduate.hku.hk (Kevin Yuk-shing Li) Date: Tue, 8 May 2001 22:30:04 +0800 Subject: [asia-apec 1762] Fw: 'Sovereignty to the people' Message-ID: <003a01c0d7cb$61ce0b00$8e242dca@enduser> SCMP Tuesday, May 8, 2001 'Sovereignty to the people' To: President Jiang Zemin. With your arrival in Hong Kong to attend the Fortune Global Forum, you glorify globalisation as the model to enhance the wealth of the countries in Asia, but what we see is that the free-market system you embrace does not bring wealth to the common people. Rather, what we see is transnational corporations stealing the resources of the world and making workers more vulnerable, their working conditions more intolerable and the gulf between the rich and poor more entrenched. Presently, as China awaits entry to the World Trade Organisation (WTO), the gap between the rich and poor is widening with a gini-coefficient that measures income distribution of 0.456, a high figure, especially for a nation that calls itself socialist. This gap is reflected in the unemployed population of China that now stands at 140 million workers and the decreasing income of peasants. These hardships will become even more of a burden when China enters the WTO. Meanwhile, in Hong Kong, the Government extols Hong Kong's success because of its free-trade economic system, but Hong Kong's economy, in reality, is facing a great crisis. Hong Kong's gini-coefficient is 0.52, which indicates that the gap between the rich and the poor is the greatest among the developed countries. The difference between the income of the 20 per cent of the highest income families and the 20 per cent of the lowest income families is 23 times. The population of the poor in Hong Kong is now more than one million people. Their employment is never secure, and working conditions are getting worse. Moreover, occupational health and safety in the workplace is more precarious as more industrial accidents are occurring. We believe that after China enters the WTO the lives of workers will become even worse. Thus, you come to Hong Kong to sell to us and the world this global free-trade system. You tell us everyone will benefit from free trade, but the people who really benefit from this system are a small number of business tycoons while the majority of the poor will become even more marginalised. We believe that, as the leader of the country, your responsibility is to ensure that the nation's wealth is shared by all. Now, since Hong Kong and China are facing difficult times, only a more equal distribution of wealth will lead to a real economic alternative for the poor and will eventually bring social stability, but what a pity it is that our Hong Kong Government does not guarantee or provide comprehensive social security for the people. Instead, it promotes the privatisation of public services and the subcontracting of government projects, which breaks the workers' "rice bowls". The imbalance of economic power among the people in Hong Kong is because of the imbalance in political power. Presently, directly-elected legislators comprise only 40 per cent of the Legislative Council seats whereas the voting bloc system and the limitations on tabling private member's bills inhibit the ability of Legco to monitor the Government. Recently, the Government proposed that senior civil servants must be more accountable; but without a directly-elected legislative system, this will only expand the Chief Executive's power. Meanwhile, senior civil servants will not dare criticise or disagree with the views of the Chief Executive. We believe that the people are the master of the country. To actualise the real sovereignty of the nation, we must protect people's rights. Sovereignty and human rights are not mutually exclusive; sovereignty should not override human rights. However, respect for human rights in China and Hong Kong is still deteriorating. For example, the voices of dissidents in China are still being silenced, and dissidents on the mainland continue to be arrested. The religious freedom of Falun Gong practitioners is also being denied, and the Public Order Ordinance in Hong Kong further violates people's civil rights. As China enters the global economic system, many cities of China are becoming internationalised. Hong Kong is already an international city, but Hong Kong's international character is only reflected in the economic arena. A truly international city is a place of diversity with diverse people living together. Through this exchange, people re-create a new culture together. Therefore, an international city must strive to eliminate all forms of discrimination and to move towards an inclusive and tolerant society. An inclusive society must affirm the basic rights of individual groups, must affirm and respect their unique culture and contribution. An international city should not seek to strive for homogeneity but should instead nurture different groups to express their diversity to make life in the community more vibrant. However, the policy of the Hong Kong Government moves the community in the opposite direction and creates divisions. For example, people who receive Comprehensive Social Security Assistance are stigmatised, and divisions have been created between Hong Kong's citizens and new immigrants from the mainland. Globalisation not only destroys the environment but also, in the name of development, breaks the natural interdependence between people and the environment. Very often the most vulnerable are those who are powerless. This is an edited extract from an open letter to President Jiang Zemin from 18 local labour and religious groups protesting the holding of the Fortune Global Forum. Their eight Chinese character advertisement, stating `Sovereignty to the people, wealth shared by all', appears in Ming Pao today. From kevin.li at graduate.hku.hk Tue May 8 23:30:04 2001 From: kevin.li at graduate.hku.hk (Kevin Yuk-shing Li) Date: Tue, 8 May 2001 22:30:04 +0800 Subject: [asia-apec 1763] [ATTACINTL] Fw: 'Sovereignty to the people' Message-ID: <003a01c0d7cb$61ce0b00$8e242dca@enduser> SCMP Tuesday, May 8, 2001 'Sovereignty to the people' To: President Jiang Zemin. With your arrival in Hong Kong to attend the Fortune Global Forum, you glorify globalisation as the model to enhance the wealth of the countries in Asia, but what we see is that the free-market system you embrace does not bring wealth to the common people. Rather, what we see is transnational corporations stealing the resources of the world and making workers more vulnerable, their working conditions more intolerable and the gulf between the rich and poor more entrenched. Presently, as China awaits entry to the World Trade Organisation (WTO), the gap between the rich and poor is widening with a gini-coefficient that measures income distribution of 0.456, a high figure, especially for a nation that calls itself socialist. This gap is reflected in the unemployed population of China that now stands at 140 million workers and the decreasing income of peasants. These hardships will become even more of a burden when China enters the WTO. Meanwhile, in Hong Kong, the Government extols Hong Kong's success because of its free-trade economic system, but Hong Kong's economy, in reality, is facing a great crisis. Hong Kong's gini-coefficient is 0.52, which indicates that the gap between the rich and the poor is the greatest among the developed countries. The difference between the income of the 20 per cent of the highest income families and the 20 per cent of the lowest income families is 23 times. The population of the poor in Hong Kong is now more than one million people. Their employment is never secure, and working conditions are getting worse. Moreover, occupational health and safety in the workplace is more precarious as more industrial accidents are occurring. We believe that after China enters the WTO the lives of workers will become even worse. Thus, you come to Hong Kong to sell to us and the world this global free-trade system. You tell us everyone will benefit from free trade, but the people who really benefit from this system are a small number of business tycoons while the majority of the poor will become even more marginalised. We believe that, as the leader of the country, your responsibility is to ensure that the nation's wealth is shared by all. Now, since Hong Kong and China are facing difficult times, only a more equal distribution of wealth will lead to a real economic alternative for the poor and will eventually bring social stability, but what a pity it is that our Hong Kong Government does not guarantee or provide comprehensive social security for the people. Instead, it promotes the privatisation of public services and the subcontracting of government projects, which breaks the workers' "rice bowls". The imbalance of economic power among the people in Hong Kong is because of the imbalance in political power. Presently, directly-elected legislators comprise only 40 per cent of the Legislative Council seats whereas the voting bloc system and the limitations on tabling private member's bills inhibit the ability of Legco to monitor the Government. Recently, the Government proposed that senior civil servants must be more accountable; but without a directly-elected legislative system, this will only expand the Chief Executive's power. Meanwhile, senior civil servants will not dare criticise or disagree with the views of the Chief Executive. We believe that the people are the master of the country. To actualise the real sovereignty of the nation, we must protect people's rights. Sovereignty and human rights are not mutually exclusive; sovereignty should not override human rights. However, respect for human rights in China and Hong Kong is still deteriorating. For example, the voices of dissidents in China are still being silenced, and dissidents on the mainland continue to be arrested. The religious freedom of Falun Gong practitioners is also being denied, and the Public Order Ordinance in Hong Kong further violates people's civil rights. As China enters the global economic system, many cities of China are becoming internationalised. Hong Kong is already an international city, but Hong Kong's international character is only reflected in the economic arena. A truly international city is a place of diversity with diverse people living together. Through this exchange, people re-create a new culture together. Therefore, an international city must strive to eliminate all forms of discrimination and to move towards an inclusive and tolerant society. An inclusive society must affirm the basic rights of individual groups, must affirm and respect their unique culture and contribution. An international city should not seek to strive for homogeneity but should instead nurture different groups to express their diversity to make life in the community more vibrant. However, the policy of the Hong Kong Government moves the community in the opposite direction and creates divisions. For example, people who receive Comprehensive Social Security Assistance are stigmatised, and divisions have been created between Hong Kong's citizens and new immigrants from the mainland. Globalisation not only destroys the environment but also, in the name of development, breaks the natural interdependence between people and the environment. Very often the most vulnerable are those who are powerless. This is an edited extract from an open letter to President Jiang Zemin from 18 local labour and religious groups protesting the holding of the Fortune Global Forum. Their eight Chinese character advertisement, stating `Sovereignty to the people, wealth shared by all', appears in Ming Pao today. -- International Information List - Organizations only All organizations are welcome to publish their newsletter weekly or monthly Liste Internationale d'information - R?serv?e aux organisations Toutes les organisations peuvent y publier leur p?riodique ?lectronique (hebdomadaire ou mensuel) From kevin.li at graduate.hku.hk Tue May 8 23:30:04 2001 From: kevin.li at graduate.hku.hk (Kevin Yuk-shing Li) Date: Tue, 8 May 2001 22:30:04 +0800 Subject: [asia-apec 1764] [ATTACINTL] Fw: 'Sovereignty to the people' Message-ID: <003a01c0d7cb$61ce0b00$8e242dca@enduser> SCMP Tuesday, May 8, 2001 'Sovereignty to the people' To: President Jiang Zemin. With your arrival in Hong Kong to attend the Fortune Global Forum, you glorify globalisation as the model to enhance the wealth of the countries in Asia, but what we see is that the free-market system you embrace does not bring wealth to the common people. Rather, what we see is transnational corporations stealing the resources of the world and making workers more vulnerable, their working conditions more intolerable and the gulf between the rich and poor more entrenched. Presently, as China awaits entry to the World Trade Organisation (WTO), the gap between the rich and poor is widening with a gini-coefficient that measures income distribution of 0.456, a high figure, especially for a nation that calls itself socialist. This gap is reflected in the unemployed population of China that now stands at 140 million workers and the decreasing income of peasants. These hardships will become even more of a burden when China enters the WTO. Meanwhile, in Hong Kong, the Government extols Hong Kong's success because of its free-trade economic system, but Hong Kong's economy, in reality, is facing a great crisis. Hong Kong's gini-coefficient is 0.52, which indicates that the gap between the rich and the poor is the greatest among the developed countries. The difference between the income of the 20 per cent of the highest income families and the 20 per cent of the lowest income families is 23 times. The population of the poor in Hong Kong is now more than one million people. Their employment is never secure, and working conditions are getting worse. Moreover, occupational health and safety in the workplace is more precarious as more industrial accidents are occurring. We believe that after China enters the WTO the lives of workers will become even worse. Thus, you come to Hong Kong to sell to us and the world this global free-trade system. You tell us everyone will benefit from free trade, but the people who really benefit from this system are a small number of business tycoons while the majority of the poor will become even more marginalised. We believe that, as the leader of the country, your responsibility is to ensure that the nation's wealth is shared by all. Now, since Hong Kong and China are facing difficult times, only a more equal distribution of wealth will lead to a real economic alternative for the poor and will eventually bring social stability, but what a pity it is that our Hong Kong Government does not guarantee or provide comprehensive social security for the people. Instead, it promotes the privatisation of public services and the subcontracting of government projects, which breaks the workers' "rice bowls". The imbalance of economic power among the people in Hong Kong is because of the imbalance in political power. Presently, directly-elected legislators comprise only 40 per cent of the Legislative Council seats whereas the voting bloc system and the limitations on tabling private member's bills inhibit the ability of Legco to monitor the Government. Recently, the Government proposed that senior civil servants must be more accountable; but without a directly-elected legislative system, this will only expand the Chief Executive's power. Meanwhile, senior civil servants will not dare criticise or disagree with the views of the Chief Executive. We believe that the people are the master of the country. To actualise the real sovereignty of the nation, we must protect people's rights. Sovereignty and human rights are not mutually exclusive; sovereignty should not override human rights. However, respect for human rights in China and Hong Kong is still deteriorating. For example, the voices of dissidents in China are still being silenced, and dissidents on the mainland continue to be arrested. The religious freedom of Falun Gong practitioners is also being denied, and the Public Order Ordinance in Hong Kong further violates people's civil rights. As China enters the global economic system, many cities of China are becoming internationalised. Hong Kong is already an international city, but Hong Kong's international character is only reflected in the economic arena. A truly international city is a place of diversity with diverse people living together. Through this exchange, people re-create a new culture together. Therefore, an international city must strive to eliminate all forms of discrimination and to move towards an inclusive and tolerant society. An inclusive society must affirm the basic rights of individual groups, must affirm and respect their unique culture and contribution. An international city should not seek to strive for homogeneity but should instead nurture different groups to express their diversity to make life in the community more vibrant. However, the policy of the Hong Kong Government moves the community in the opposite direction and creates divisions. For example, people who receive Comprehensive Social Security Assistance are stigmatised, and divisions have been created between Hong Kong's citizens and new immigrants from the mainland. Globalisation not only destroys the environment but also, in the name of development, breaks the natural interdependence between people and the environment. Very often the most vulnerable are those who are powerless. This is an edited extract from an open letter to President Jiang Zemin from 18 local labour and religious groups protesting the holding of the Fortune Global Forum. Their eight Chinese character advertisement, stating `Sovereignty to the people, wealth shared by all', appears in Ming Pao today. -- International Information List - Organizations only All organizations are welcome to publish their newsletter weekly or monthly Liste Internationale d'information - R?serv?e aux organisations Toutes les organisations peuvent y publier leur p?riodique ?lectronique (hebdomadaire ou mensuel) From amittal at foodfirst.org Tue May 15 07:18:57 2001 From: amittal at foodfirst.org (Anuradha Mittal) Date: Mon, 14-May-2001 22:18:57 GMT Subject: [asia-apec 1765] MEMBERS OF CONGRESS TO JOIN FOOD FIRST TO LEAD ANTI-POVERTY TOUR IN CALI Message-ID: <0.700000824.72621237-212058698-989878739@topica.com> FOODFIRST/ INSTITUTE FOR FOOD AND DEVELOPMENT POLICY MEMBERS OF CONGRESS TO JOIN FOOD FIRST TO LEAD ANTI-POVERTY TOUR IN CALIFORNIA As Economy Slows and Tax Cuts for the Rich Loom, Three-Day Economic Human Rights Bus Tour To Highlight Personal Testimonies of People Struggling To Make Ends Meet. Oakland, May 14th, 2001 -Members of Congress will join Food First/Institute for Food and Development Policy on an Economic Human Rights Bus Tour to hear from people excluded from the economic growth of the 1990's. The tour starts in the Bay Area on May 29 and ends in Watsonville, CA May 31. The tour will bring members of Congress and prominent activists to economically depressed areas in Oakland, San Francisco, Salinas and Watsonville to highlight the dire need for national policy initiatives that make a real difference in peoples' lives. Tour stops will feature personal testimonies from mothers on welfare and members of living wage, anti-hunger and homelessness coalitions Organizers are calling for a reordering of national budgetary priorities to meet the needs of the nation's poor by steering resources toward ending hunger and poverty and providing decent health care and education for all. 1 in 5 children live in poverty in the United States, the worst record among all industrialized nations. 44.3 million Americans are uninsured and over 36 million do not have adequate access to food. The tax cut proposed by President Bush will further benefit the wealthy, increasing the gap between the rich and poor. Millions of Americans are still facing unemployment, homelessness, and destitution. Supported by over 200 national organizations and endorsed by the Congressional Progressive Caucus, this tour, sponsored by Food First/Institute for Food and Development Policy, represents a powerful grass roots anti-poverty movement rooted in the promotion of economic human rights. Among those who have agreed to participate in the tour are: U.S. Representative Earl Hilliard (D-Alabama) U.S. Representative Barbara Lee (D- Oakland) Carl Pope - Executive Director, The Sierra Club Medea Benjamin - Co-Founder, Global Exchange Cheri Honkala - Founder and Director, Kensington Welfare Rights Union Paul Hawken - Author and Co-founder of Smith & Hawken Monica Moore - Executive Director, Pesticide Action Network North America Eric Mar - SF School Board Aaron Peskin - SF City Supervisor Matt Gonzalez - SF City Supervisor Kriss Worthington- Berkeley City Council Tim Fitzmaurice - Mayor, Santa Cruz For more information on the tour, please contact Nick Parker at (510) 654-4400 ext. 229 or David Lerner at (212) 260-5000. ### Join the fight against hunger. For more information contact foodfirst@foodfirst.org. ==^================================================================ EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://igc.topica.com/u/?aVxil2.aVxCnz Or send an email To: fianusa-news-unsubscribe@igc.topica.com This email was sent to: asia-apec@jca.ax.apc.org T O P I C A -- Learn More. Surf Less. Newsletters, Tips and Discussions on Topics You Choose. http://www.topica.com/partner/tag01 ==^================================================================ From notoapec at clear.net.nz Wed May 16 05:25:51 2001 From: notoapec at clear.net.nz (APEC Monitoring Group) Date: Wed, 16 May 2001 08:25:51 +1200 Subject: [asia-apec 1766] Market Missionaries flock to Pacific Message-ID: <022e01c0dd82$1998b8a0$8f85a7cb@notoapec> Market Missionaries Flock To The Pacific By Aziz Choudry (ZNet Commentary) "Your nonsense spreads to Pacific beliefs like the plague bubonic/ speaking tongues parallel to concrete jungle mumbo." (Reverse Resistance, by King Kapisi) Samoan hiphop artist King Kapisi slams colonialism and missionary beliefs on his Savage Thoughts CD. Another kind of missionary has been active in the Pacific for many years. Like their predecessors they claim that they alone follow the true path, and that there is no alternative to their vision. Their articles of faith include reform programmes, privatisation, and public sector downsizing. Salvation will be achieved through embracing the cash economy, attracting foreign investment, greater integration into the global economy and debt servicing. Amen. At this month's regional consultation on globalisation debt and trade in Nadave, Fiji, organised by Pacific Island NGOs, participants identified three priority concerns - economic reforms, the power and role of transnational corporations and free trade. We heard of fightbacks against water privatisation in Fiji and the environmental and social devastation caused by mining and logging in Papua New Guinea (PNG), Bougainville, and the Solomon Islands. There were tales of deals struck between foreign investors and governments behind the backs of traditional landowners. We discussed how Coca Cola-nisation has devalued traditional diets, values and societies. We shared strategies for raising awareness and mobilising communities in the Pacific. Sadly, while many international peoples' gatherings on globalisation have boasted the name "Asia Pacific", there has been little acknowledgement of the existence of the Pacific and its peoples in such fora. Pacific struggles for economic justice and self-determination are often eclipsed by issues about Asia, Europe, Africa and the Americas. A joint church/NGO submission to Fiji's 1999 national budget asked "are we trying to make Fiji into something it was never meant to be - a poor copy of large nations, reliant on an economic model in which we will always be dependent or losers? In our current system some may profit but most are excluded or exploited. We believe that this system is not made for us". Many at Nadave echoed this sentiment. Only PNG, Fiji and the Solomons belong to the World Trade Organisation (WTO). Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu have applied to join. Yet Pacific island nations are under pressure to restructure and open their economies. The Asian Development Bank (ADB), whose board of governors met recently in Honolulu, operates in 12 Pacific Island member countries. Since 1995 it has promoted a familiar package of reforms, including privatisation, downsizing the public sector, cutting government expenditure, and "more open and growth-orientated" economic policies. Predictably, the ADB speaks of consulting more widely with "civil society" and working to "strengthen the interface and collaboration" between Pacific member governments and NGOs/civil society groups. Its March 2001 report, "A Pacific Strategy for the New Millennium" states that "wider NGO involvement and consequent stronger ownership of Pacific developing member country governments' development strategies and reform agenda has become a priority." It emphasises "poverty reduction" and "good governance". It will tailor its activities towards "country-specific strategies" in the Pacific. The buzzwords might have changed. But the economic fundamentals which underpin its programme remain unchallenged. Pacific peoples have little or no input into the development of macroeconomic policies affecting them, promoted with little empirical or independent research on whether or not they are appropriate or desirable for the recipient country. The Pacific Islands Forum (formerly the South Pacific Forum) represents 14 Pacific Island governments (Australia and New Zealand are also members). It plays a key political role in getting assent and commitment on economic, financial and trade policy measures. Forum leaders, ministers, and officials have increasingly focussed on promoting the economic agenda already pushed by World Bank/IMF structural adjustment programmes, ADB loan conditionalities, the WTO and APEC. Donor countries like Australia and New Zealand frequently link future aid commitments to undertakings by governments to further pursue economic reforms. Increasingly bilateral aid consists of "technical assistance" to implement new policies. Previous preferential trade arrangements, like the Lome agreement between the European Union and the Africa Caribbean and Pacific (EU-ACP) states have been replaced with new frameworks aimed at liberalising trade and investment in Pacific countries. Last year's Cotonou Agreement, the successor to Lome, listed the objectives of economic and trade cooperation: "to promote smooth and gradual integration of ACP economies into the world economy; to enhance production, supply and trading capacities; to create new trade dynamics and foster investment; to ensure full conformity with WTO provisions." In reality, few Pacific countries enjoy preferential access to Europe's markets. Last July, Forum economic ministers pledged "we will, to the extent practicable, implement domestic measures consistent with WTO and APEC principles and obligations, and cooperate in responding to and taking advantage of multilateral trade developments." A regional free trade agreement is currently being negotiated among Pacific island states, although its exact nature is not yet known. A draft text should be presented to the Pacific Island Forum Trade Ministers Meeting in June, and Forum Leaders in August, at their meeting in Nauru. With the Cold War's end, the Pacific's strategic importance lessened. Aid flows started to diminish. Bilateral aid programmes had always reflected donor countries' political and economic interests. In many cases, 70-90% of official aid to the Pacific has returned to donor countries like Australia, Japan and New Zealand, in the form of education services, consultants, technical services and the provision of materials for infrastructure projects, while creating lucrative investment opportunities and new markets for goods and services. In the Solomon Islands, New Zealand government aid part-funded a programme to reduce the public sector by 7-10%. Since 1997, New Zealand has supported the ADB Comprehensive Reform Program in Vanuatu, which includes significant cuts to the size of the public sector (an estimated 25-30% reduction), the introduction of value-added tax, and tariff cuts. Social services spending cuts and the introduction of user-pays have seen the decline of health services, especially in rural areas, and imposed barriers to the affordability of education. Unemployment, especially for youth, has worsened as the private sector in Pacific Island countries cannot absorb the available labour. Public sector "rightsizing" has been accompanied by a sudden increase in the numbers of consultants. New Zealand and Australia have provided assistance in the establishment of a Privatisation Commission in PNG and its work in preparing state-owned assets for privatisation. An export-oriented, exploitative model of development has become entrenched in parts of the Pacific. The US-administered Northern Marianas Islands became best-known for its sweatshops employing low-waged women migrant workers producing popular clothing for duty-free export to the US market. Much of Fiji's textile clothing and footwear export industry is based on tax holidays for overseas investors, labour market deregulation and wages well below the poverty line. The Solomons and PNG are relatively "resource rich" in minerals and forestry, yet local communities derive little or no benefit from investment in these sectors. Logging in the Solomons and PNG has been environmentally destructive and created few local jobs, with raw logs being exported for processing offshore. In 1993, Pacific Island countries received US $126 million from a resource worth US $2 billion annually - tuna fishing - an industry dominated by a handful of US and Asian companies. Forced dependency on imports has had dire consequences for small Pacific Island farmers, unable to compete with lower priced products from overseas. While Pacific nations are told to export more to earn more foreign exchange and repay debts, commodity prices on world markets continue to plummet, and the floods of imports of overseas goods and services continue unabated. The communal ownership of land, the existence of the subsistence economy (some 85% of people are engaged in the subsistence economy in PNG, 80% in Vanuatu and the Solomons, and 55% in the Federated States of Micronesia) and strong communitarian values are celebrated as strengths against the onslaught of corporate globalisation by its critics in the Pacific. To the market's true believers, however, these obstacles must be overcome in order to entrench the cash economy and attract foreign investment. Land is the issue where opposing values of Pacific societies and corporate globalisation most obviously collide. In Melanesia, 97% of land is communally-owned. The people of Bougainville shut down the massive CRA/RTZ Panguna copper mine in 1989 after over two decades of environmental degradation, appalling health problems and the trampling of Indigenous Peoples' land rights. Kanak communities have razed tourist developments to the ground in New Caledonia. The Freeport gold and copper mine in West Papua has destroyed the lands and rivers of the local Amungme, Dani, Moni and Kamoro peoples, and remains a potent symbol of the relationship between transnational corporate greed and Indonesia's colonial occupation of the territory. In PNG land is seen as "my life, my bank, my everything". In 1995, popular opposition including mass protests by students, churches, and NGOs against a World Bank-driven programme to register customary title defeated the government's proposed Land Mobilisation Bill designed to attract foreign investment. One local commentator described this "as little more than a scheme to ready the legal system and population for massive expropriation of traditional lands". Then, this March, PNG Defence Force soldiers rebelled against plans to restructure the PNGDF, but made explicit links between their situation and the structural adjustment programmes imposed by the IMF, World Bank and the ADB. Army Captain Stanley Benny said: "Their foreign ideas have completely destroyed the nation. The World Bank, the IMF and Australian influences - have denuded the nation's vast resources under the guise of assistance." Troops urged that World Bank and IMF advisors, as well as Australian military advisors, be expelled from the country. Students and Unions also protested the economic reforms. A joint trade union/NGO statement read: "The soldiers' struggle here is part of the people's global fight against the wanwol gavman" (global government). The Morauta Government is cutting back the public sector and introducing privatisation of public assets such as Air Niugini and Telikom PNG, in return for US$200 million in soft loans from the international financial institutions." Some Pacific leaders are openly sceptical about the global free market economy. At January's Pacific Island Conference of Leaders, Niue's Prime Minister Sani Lakatani and Cook Islands Prime Minister Dr. Terepai Maoate strongly criticised globalisation. Lakatani said. "Small island nations are vulnerable and are practically of no consequence when it comes to combating the adverse effects of globalization and what is emerging is a new order of colonialism. The uneven distribution of wealth and power points to the potential loss of sovereignty by national governments as the control of their respective economies become more subject to global forces such as multinational companies and the pressures of the select global brotherhood." There is definitely trouble in paradise. Watch this space. From kevin.li at graduate.hku.hk Wed May 16 20:30:43 2001 From: kevin.li at graduate.hku.hk (Kevin Yuk-shing Li) Date: Wed, 16 May 2001 19:30:43 +0800 Subject: [asia-apec 1767] HK: Activists plan summit rival during WEF Summit Message-ID: <00e501c0ddfb$aa08b100$61242dca@enduser> South China Morning Post, Wednesday, May 16, 2001 HONG KONG Activists plan summit rival Protesters plot 'alternative conference' to coincide with economic meeting in SAR Anti-globalisation activists are planning to host an "alternative conference" to counter an international economic summit to be held in October. The proposal is posted on a major direct-action group's Web site, which publicises information about its worldwide campaign and forthcoming protests against corporate globalisation. On the site, protest group Asian Activism says an alternative meeting on "fascism and imperialism" is being planned for October 29, when the World Economic Forum (WEF) starts its three-day annual Asia-Pacific Economic Summit in Hong Kong. On another site, the Hong Kong-based Globalization Monitor says it is planning activities in response to "WEF propaganda". Yuen Hoi-yan, an editor of Globalization Monitor, a Chinese-language periodical focusing on the impact of globalisation, said it hoped to reach local concern groups rather than those overseas. "We are aiming to increase awareness of the impact of globalisation among the people in Hong Kong, so we want to discuss it with local groups to work out our strategy," Ms Yuen said. She said that while activists were also considering inviting some overseas protesters to Hong Kong, they were only thinking of inviting a few people from Southeast Asian countries. Other actions being considered included demonstrations and workshops, but mass protests would not be an option as it would be difficult to raise enough funds. Hong Kong police have been keeping a close watch on possible action by overseas activists to guard against any attempts to disrupt the summit and the 14th general meeting of the Pacific Economic Co-operation Council in late November. Police Commissioner Tsang Yam-pui said on Monday that some anti-globalisation groups had launched a recruitment exercise on a Web site to enlist activists to demonstrate in Hong Kong. Thousands of anti-globalisation protesters clashed with police during the World Economic Forum's meeting in Melbourne last September. Activists also warn on a Web site of their intention to "smash" another World Economic Forum meeting to be held in Salzburg, Austria, from July 1 to 3, saying they are "going to confront the rulers with resistance that cannot be ignored". But one of the key US-based anti-globalisation activists, Lee Siu-hin, said there were no plans to target the two meetings in Hong Kong as they were busy preparing for action against the World Bank meetings in Washington in September and October. Earlier, Mr Lee said major demonstrations were unlikely to be held in Hong Kong as the territory lacked the necessary conditions, such as financial support for the activists. But SAR police insist they will stay vigilant and that last week's tight security arrangements for the Fortune Global Forum served as a deterrent against any plans to disrupt the two conferences later in the year. From kevin.li at graduate.hku.hk Wed May 16 23:00:43 2001 From: kevin.li at graduate.hku.hk (Kevin Yuk-shing Li) Date: Wed, 16 May 2001 22:00:43 +0800 Subject: [asia-apec 1768] Capital Watch Pacific Asia News Vol. 1 No. 2 Message-ID: <003901c0de10$9a725100$14242dca@enduser> * sorry for cross-posting! * * please distribute this message widely * Capital Watch Pacific Asia News Vol. 1 No. 2 http://pesean.uhome.net/capitalwatch/ Action Alert ODA (Japan) Stop granting Burmese military junta Japan has quietly approved the largest grant aid package since Burma's ruling generals cracked down on pro-democracy demonstrations in 1988. However, Ethnic Karenni opponents of Myanmar's ruling military said that Japan's plan will only hurt local people and environment. We urge the Government of Japan to withdraw their decision in giving the grant to Burmese military regime for revamping the aging hydroelectric dam project. Please send your appeal to both Foreign and Finance Ministers of Japan through the following URL: http://pesean.uhome.net/capitalwatch/camp_japan.html Still alive... Urge JBIC to adopt the guidelines of World Commission on Dams (WCD) http://pesean.uhome.net/capitalwatch/camp_jbic.html Urge a Halt to the Implementation of the San Roque Dam Project & Rehabilitation of Agno River (Philippines) http://pesean.uhome.net/capitalwatch/camp_sroque.html Make G8 know Large Dams are not sustainable http://pesean.uhome.net/capitalwatch/camp_g8.html And other actions against... Large Dams- http://pesean.uhome.net/capitalwatch/camp_dams.html Transnational Corporations http://pesean.uhome.net/capitalwatch/camp_tnc.html Headlines in Newsroom ADB Pressed to resume lending to Burmese junta China Elected Chairman of 35th ADB Board of Governors Neighbours 'face harm from Chinese dam project' China to Input Another 300 Bn Yuan for Western Development For more news: http://pesean.uhome.net/capitalwatch/newsroom.html From kevin.li at graduate.hku.hk Tue May 22 09:07:25 2001 From: kevin.li at graduate.hku.hk (Kevin Yuk-shing Li) Date: Tue, 22 May 2001 08:07:25 +0800 Subject: [asia-apec 1769] Work on Women Workers in the Informal Sector - Research and Information Message-ID: <006d01c0e253$303de6e0$6c242dca@enduser> ----- Original Message ----- From: Sujata Gothoskar Sent: Saturday, May 19, 2001 4:31 PM Subject: Work on Women Workers in the Informal Sector -- Research and Information Dear friends, As you would know, Committee for Asian Women (CAW) has been actively concerned with issues of women workers. Women workers in the informal sector are a growing number and are one of the most vulnerable sections of society. The recent changes in the economic and political structure of the global economy have had an impact, most often negative, on these sections of society. On the other hand, there has been a spurt of organising efforts of a very varied kind in the informal sector. In order to map these twin processes - the impact as well as organising efforts at the region level, CAW is thinking of organising a regional level workshop as well as conducting small research projects to fill in some gaps in information. We would also like to see these efforts result in negotiating some space for informal sector women workers in the national legislation and regional and international forums. We would like to involve our network groups as well as other groups working with informal sector women workers in this process. Objectives of the proposed research projects: To decipher new areas and new sections of women workers emerging in the current context. To understand the situation of different sections of women workers in the informal sector. To map out the organising efforts and strategies of women workers' organizations, trade unions, NGOs etc., in the informal sector. Objectives of the workshop: To understand the situation of different sections of women workers in the informal sector. To map out the organising efforts and strategies of women workers' organizations in the informal sector. To contribute to a process of sharing and solidarity building of women workers' organizations in the informal and formal sector. To contribute to the process of campaigning, advocacy and lobbying on the issues that concern and are in the interest of women workers, especially in the informal sector. Expected outcome: Bringing out material on the situation of women workers in the informal sector in the region. Networking among organizations working with women workers in the informal sector. Contributing to the ILO proceedings on the informal sector, which is due for discussion in June 2002. In order to prepare well for this regional workshop, we need to involve as many organizations working with informal sector women workers, some new ones too that have not been contacted by us as yet. Could you please help by sending us the names and addresses of organizations you know and also by sending us the required information in the two accompanying questionnaires as soon as possible? Please do send us this information as early as possible - by the 15th June 2001 would be ideal. This would help us to work well and efficiently towards making the regional workshop a success. Could you please write to me at the following address: Sujata Gothoskar-Kanhere Committee for Asian Women Operating office: 1347, 17-B, MHB Colony, Tata Power House Road, Borivali (East), Mumbai - 400066 Telephone: 91-22-886 8329 Fax: 91-22-865 0651 or 91-22-886 3493//1967//3946 E-mail: caw2@usa.net or sujatagothoskar@hotmail.com or sujatagothoskar@yahoo.com Thank you. In solidarity and with regards, Sujata Gothoskar Programme Officer Committee for Asian Women Questionnaire for Organizations - Information about Informal Sector Organising 1. Name of the organization 2. Address / telephone / fax / e-mail: 3. Contact persons: 4. Number of years the organization has been in existence: 5. Type of organization: Trade union / NGO / Co-operative / Association / Federation / member- based / any other type Please fill the following table: 6. Section of women workers 7. Sector they belong to 8. Number of members Direct employees - Casual, Daily & Part-time workers Indirect workers / employees - Dispatch, Sub-contract workers Workers in workplaces with less than 5 workers Irregular workers / Temporary workes Un-recognized workers Agriculture For example, tea plantations or rice Construction Homebased For example, garments, etc Street vendors For example, products they sell Rag-pickers Small-scale factories For example, chemicals Contract workers For example, engineering Domestic workers Forest workers 9. Type of activities the organization is involved in? a. organising, b. bargaining, c. marketing, d. production, e. social security, f. any other 10. Are you a part of or affiliated to any Federation / Association? 11. Are you a part of or affiliated to any Network - national, regional or international? 12. Which ones? Name and addresses? 13. Since how long? 14. Name and addresses of other organizations working with women workers in the informal sector. Questionnaire for network groups and other groups about the current situation: 1. What are the main issues facing women workers in the informal sector in your country in the 2000s? 2. Could you list it in terms of the most important to the less important? Please fill out the following table: 3. Proportion of women workers - informal sector out of total employed workforce 4. Proportion of men workers - informal sector out of total employed workforce 5. Proportion of women workers - formal sector out of total employed workforce 6. Proportion of men workers - formal sector out of total employed workforce 7. What are the legal provisions and enactments that cover the informal sector workers? 8. What are the social security schemes that cover workers - a. unemployment benefits b. health c. accident d. insurance e. any other 9. Which government department in your country deals with the following information: a. Rate of unemployment in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s? b. Proportion of people living below the poverty level in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s? c. Proportion of men and women workers in the informal sector? d. Proportion of men and women workers in agriculture, manufacturing and the service sector? e. Proportion of men and women workers in unions? 10. Would you have the above information or would you be able to acquire and send it to CAW? From amittal at foodfirst.org Tue May 22 11:59:43 2001 From: amittal at foodfirst.org (Anuradha Mittal) Date: Tue, 22-May-2001 02:59:43 GMT Subject: [asia-apec 1770] US Representatives To Join Food First Bus Tour Message-ID: <0.700000824.1576598063-951758591-990500385@topica.com> Second Media Advisory for May 29-31 Contact: Nick Parker: (510)654-4400 X 229 David Lerner, (212) 260-5000 Shonna Carter, (212) 260-5000 U.S. Representatives Barbara Lee, Nancy Pelosi and Earl Hilliard to Join Food First on Anti-Poverty Bus Tour in California While a Tax Cut for the Wealthy is Pushed Through the Senate, Three Day Tour to Hear from People Struggling to Make Ends Meet (Oakland, CA, May 22, 2001:) U.S. Representatives Barbara Lee (CA), Nancy Pelosi (CA) Earl Hilliard (AL) and other members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus will join California state and local policy makers to meet with communities in the Bay Area as part of an "Economic Human Rights Bus Tour." This distinguished delegation will kick off the tour in Oakland on May 29, 2001, ending in Salinas on May 31, 2001. The delegation will visit: a soup kitchen at St. Mary's Center, Oakland; Building Opportunities for Self Sufficiency, the largest social service provider in the Bay Area; the Day Labor Program, an immigrant labor rights and support organization; St. Anthony's Foundation soup kitchen; an environmental justice coalition at the Bay View Hunters Point; an after school program at Everett Middles Schoolís Beacon Center, an inner city middle school in San Francisco; United Farm Workers field sites in Salinas and Watsonville; and several other locations. The tour will highlight the dire need for national policy initiatives that could make a real impact on the quality of peoples' lives. These stops will feature personal testimonies around economic human rights violations from veterans, single mothers, immigrant farm workers and members of living wage, workers rights and health care coalitions. The tour is calling for: • Adequate funding for a living wage, child care, health care, and education; • A reordering of federal priorities toward meeting the needs of our nation's poor; • Measures to address the relationships between race and poverty; • Recognition and implementation of economic human rights including the right to feed oneself, right to housing, and the right to just and fair conditions of employment. Supported by over 200 groups across the country and endorsed by the Congressional Progressive Caucus, the Economic Human Rights Bus Tour is organized by Food First/ Institute for Food and Development Policy and represents a powerful grassroots anti-poverty movement rooted in the promotion of human rights. TOUR PARTICIPANTS: Rep. Barbara Lee (CA), Rep. Nancy Pelosi (CA), Rep. Earl Hilliard (AL), Rep. Dick Gephardt - invited (MO), Supervisor Aaron Peskin (San Francisco), Supervisor Matt Gonzalez (San Francisco), Council Member Nancy Nadel (Oakland), Council Member Kriss Worthington (Berkeley), Mayor Tim Fitzmaurice (Santa Cruz), Eric Mar (SF School Board) Carl Pope, Executive Director, The Sierra Club; Medea Benjamin, Co-Founder, Global Exchange; Cheri Honkala, Director, Kensington Welfare Rights Union; Paul Hawken, Author and Co-founder of Smith & Hawken; Boona Cheema, Executive Director, BOSS TOUR SCHEDULE: Tuesday, May 29, 2001 (Oakland, California) 12:00-1:00 pm: Kick-off at St. Maryís Center Location: 635 22nd Street, Oakland Speakers: Members of Congress; Bus Tour Organizers; Council Member Nancy Nadel; Carol Johnson (Executive Director, St. Mary's Center); Cheri Honkala (Director, Kensington Welfare Rights Union); Roger Normand (Center for Economic and Social Rights); Wilson Riles, Jr. (Director, American Friends Service Committee) Focus: Increasing Hunger and Homelessness in Oakland 1:00-2:30 pm: Walking Tour of Low-Income Housing Sites Location: Begin/end at St. Maryís Center ñ 635 22nd Street, Oakland Speakers: Member of Congress; Council Member Kriss Worthington (Berkeley); Boona Cheema (Executive Director, Building Opportunities for Self Sufficiency; Kendra Wilson (Community Organizer, BOSS); Residents of low-income housing (Melinda Cooper, Freeman Davis) Focus: Mayor Brown's Gentrification of Oakland and its Impact on Affordable Housing 2:45-4:15 pm: Congressional Hearing on Hunger and Poverty at St. Maryís Center Location: 635 22nd Street, Oakland Speakers: Rep. Barbara Lee (CA); Rep Richard Gephardt (MO)-invited; Rep. Earl Hilliard (AL); Carl Pope (Executive Diretor, Sierra Club), Jessica Bartholow (Alameda County Community Food Bank); Weekly clients of St. Mary's Center and Alameda County Community Food Bank (Lynn Hoberg, Cherry Jackson, James Abner); Bus Tour organizers Focus: Human Rights to an Adequate Standard of Living 5:30-7:00 pm: Public Event, First Congregational Church - UCC Location: Corner of Harrison and 27th Street, Oakland Speakers: Members of Congress, Bus Tour Organizers; Mayor Shirley Dean (Berkeley); Carl Pope (Executive Director, Sierra Club); Mark Weisbrot (Director,Center for Economic and Policy Research); Sarah Zaidi (Center for Economic and Social Rights); Paul Hawken (Founder Smith & Hawken, Noted Author); Community members facing hunger and a lack of housing (Ken Moshesh, Mary McAdams, David Earl Surrell, Artensia Barry); Ethyl LongñScott (Director, Womenís Economic Agenda Project). Focus: Income Inequalities, Growing Hunger and Poverty, Welfare Reform are Violations of Most Basic Human Rights Wednesday, May 30 (San Francisco, California) 9:30-11:00 am: Site Visit at Day Labor Program Location: Franklin Square Park, 17th & Hampshire Street, San Francisco Speakers: Rep. Earl Hilliard (AL); Hina Shah (Attorney, Asian Law Caucus); Francisco Herrera (Program Director, Interfaith Coalition for Immigrant Rights); Renee Saucedo (Director, Day Labor Program); and non-standard workers organizing for a living wage and basic rights Focus: The Need for Protection of Workersí Rights in a Global Economy 11:30-1:30 pm: Site Visit at Saint Anthony's Foundation Location: 121 Golden Gate Avenue, San Francisco Speakers: Rep. Nancy Pelosi (CA); Martina Gillis (Director, Coalition for Ethical Welfare Reform); Paul Boden (Executive Director, Coalition on Homelessness); Juliet Twomey ( St. Anthony's Foundation); Riva Enteen (Regional Representative, National Lawyers Guild); Cheri Honkala (Director, Kensington Welfare Rights Union); Clients of Homeless Prenatal Program (Kimberly Chacon, Stephanie Hughes) Focus: Growing Hunger and Homelessness 2:30-4:15 pm: Site Visit at Heronís Head Park, Bayview Hunterís Point Location: Pier 98, Eastern end of Cargo Way, San Francisco Speakers: Supervisor Sophie Maxwell (SF); Supervisor Aaron Peskin (SF); Frances Payne (Regional Representative, Neighbor to Neighbor); Dana Lanza (Director, Literacy for Environmental Justice); Youth participants in neighborhood leadership program (Craig Cohen, Sasha Galloway-Bonce); Health provider from local hospital Focus: Environmental Justice and Crisis in Healthcare 5:30-7:00 pm: Site visit at Community Bridges Beacon at Everett Middle School Location: 450 Church Street (between 16th and 17th Streets), San Francisco Speakers: Rep. Earl Hilliard (AL); Supervisor Matt Gonzalez (SF); School Board Member Eric Mar (SF); John Avalos (Coleman Advocates for Children and Youth); Kate Washburn (WILD for Human Rights); Anthony Hill (Director, Community Bridges Beacon); Perla Nolosca (Community organizer, Youth Force Coalition); Greg Zhovreboff (Student delegate to SF Board of Ed.); Colin Rajah (Executive Director, JustAct- Youth Action for Global Justice); Students, parent, and staff of inner-city public schools Focus: Education Equity and the Need for Increased Funding of Community-Based Programs for Youth and Their Families Thursday May 31 (Central Coast, California) 8:00 am: Depart for Central Coast 10:30-11:00 am: Site visit to United Farm Workers field site, Davenport, CA Location: Swanton Berry Farms, 5221 Coast Road, Davenport. Speakers: Rep. Earl Hilliard (AL); Roberto de la Rosa, Jr. (Regional Representative, United Farm Workers); Peter Rosset (Co-Director, Food First); Margret Reeves (Pesticide Action Network ñ North America); Farm workers impacted by unsafe working conditions and poor labor standards Focus: Working Conditions of Farm Workers 12:00-1:30 pm: Site visit to La Manzana Center, Watsonville, CA Location: Corner of Main & West Lake Street, Watsonville Speakers: Council Member Ramon Gomez (Watsonville); Mayor Tim Fitzmaurice (Santa Cruz); Luis Lopez (Regional Director, United Farm Workers); Monica Moore (Executive Director, PANNA); Workers and community members organizing for basic human rights Focus: Impact of Income Inequalities on Working, Immigrant Families 2:00-3:30 pm: Community Hearing, Salinas, CA Location: Teamsters 890 Meeting Hall, Corner of Sanborn & East Market Street, Salinas Speakers: Rep. Earl Hilliard (AL); Juan Uranga (Director, Center for Community Advocacy); Paul Johnston (Organizing Coordinator, Citizenship Project); Sarah Zaidi (Center for Economic and Social Rights); Fritz Conle (Organizing Director, Teamsters 890); Community members harassed by authorities regarding immigration status; Women farm workers organizing to address disproportionate impacts of human rights abuses upon women Focus: Discrimination and Inequity Faced by Immigrant Workers 4:15-4:55 pm: Site Visit to Dorrance Ranch, Hollister, CA Location: 535 Shore Road, off of Highway 25, immediately after Brianís Ranch Speakers: Rep. Earl Hilliard (AL); Anuradha Mittal (Co-Director, Food First); Diego Vasquez (Co-founder, AMO Organics); Cecilia Barros (Co-founder, Lideres Campesinas); Immigrant organic farmers Focus: Immigrant Farm Workerís Organic Agriculture Cooperative For more information on the tour please contact Nick Parker at (510) 654-4400 ext. 229, 510-469-5228 (Cell) or David Lerner at (212) 260-5000. ### Join the fight against hunger. For more information contact foodfirst@foodfirst.org. ==^================================================================ EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://igc.topica.com/u/?aVxil2.aVxCnz Or send an email To: fianusa-news-unsubscribe@igc.topica.com This email was sent to: asia-apec@jca.ax.apc.org T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================ From ircalb at swcp.com Wed May 23 03:20:44 2001 From: ircalb at swcp.com (Interhemispheric Resource Center) Date: Tue, 22 May 2001 12:20:44 -0600 Subject: [asia-apec 1771] U.S.-China Relations Message-ID: <5.0.2.1.0.20010522120639.00a68c60@swcp.com> An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/private/asia-apec/attachments/20010522/45547e88/attachment.html From amittal at foodfirst.org Sun May 27 09:54:52 2001 From: amittal at foodfirst.org (Anuradha Mittal) Date: Sun, 27-May-2001 00:54:52 GMT Subject: [asia-apec 1772] Food First Anti-Poverty Bus Tour Kicks Off in Oakland Message-ID: <0.700000824.1517549503-212058698-990924893@topica.com> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MAY 29, 2001 CONTACT: Nick Parker, (510) 654-4400 ext. 229 Cell: (510) 469-5228 David Lerner/Shona Carter, (212) 260-5000 U. S. Representatives Barbara Lee, Nancy Pelosi, Pete Stark & Earl Hilliard to Join Food First's Economic Human Rights Bus Tour Economic Human Rights Bus Tour Challenges California's Growing Hunger and Homelessness "I'm a 71 year old disabled veteran and I'm homeless. I served my country well and now I do not have enough income to rent an apartment. I only get $700 per month for old age social security and I get $100 per month for fighting in the Vietnam War. That is not enough money to feed myself every day." - Freeman Davis, 71 Year Old Oakland Resident (Oakland, CA, May 29, 2001): After the country celebrates the Memorial Day on May 28, veteran Freeman Davis will testify on how the U.S. has abandoned the veterans before national and local policy makers on May 29, 2001, as they kick off the "Economic Human Rights Bus Tour" of California. The distinguished delegation will wrap up the tour in Salinas/Watsonville on May 31, 2001. On May 29, the delegation will visit a soup kitchen at St. Mary's Center; participate in a walking tour of low-income housing in Oakland, organized by Building Opportunities for Self Sufficiency (BOSS); a public hearing at the St. Maryís Center; and a public event, hosted by BOSS at the First Congregational Church. The delegation will explore the nation's growing homelessness and hunger and hear personal testimonies from the working poor excluded from the economic growth of the 1990's. The Economic Human Rights Bus Tour will travel to San Francisco on Wednesday, May 30, and then head to Salinas/Watsonville on May 31. The tour will highlight the dire need of policy initiatives that could have a real impact on the well-being of Americaís poor. Stops will feature personal testimonies around economic human rights violations from veterans, single mothers, immigrant farm workers and members of living wage, workerís rights and health care coalitions. The tour is calling for: 1. Adequate funding for a living wage, child care, health care, and education: 2. A reordering of federal priorities toward meeting the needs of our nationsí poor; 3. Recognition and implementation of economic human rights including the right to feed oneself, right to housing, and the right to just and fair conditions of employment. Supported by over 200 groups across the country and endorsed by the Congressional Progressive Caucus, the Economic Human Rights Bus Tour is organized by Food First/Institute for Food and Development Policy. For more information or to schedule interviews, please contact Nick Parker at 510-469-5228, or David Lerner at 212-260-5000. ### Join the fight against hunger. For more information contact foodfirst@foodfirst.org. ==^================================================================ EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://igc.topica.com/u/?aVxil2.aVxCnz Or send an email To: fianusa-news-unsubscribe@igc.topica.com This email was sent to: asia-apec@jca.ax.apc.org T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================ From s.nadeem.bukhari at undp.org Thu May 31 21:21:33 2001 From: s.nadeem.bukhari at undp.org (S Nadeem Bukhari) Date: Thu, 31 May 2001 17:21:33 +0500 Subject: [asia-apec 1773] [OppAnn] [Fwd: [Fwd: WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY 2001]] Message-ID: <3B16374C.FD72EEB0@undp.org> Join 3 leading Email Lists for Law, Announcements & Info: LawJuC-subscribe@yahoogroups.com, OppAnn-subscribe@yahoogroups.com, helpasia-subscribe&yahoogroups.com For unsubscribing: OppAnn-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ -------------- next part -------------- An embedded message was scrubbed... From: "Abdul Qadir" Subject: [Fwd: WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY 2001] Date: Thu, 31 May 2001 17:05:26 +0500 Size: 5741 Url: http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/private/asia-apec/attachments/20010531/c3fc4ad6/attachment.mht -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: s.nadeem.bukhari.vcf Type: text/x-vcard Size: 415 bytes Desc: Card for Nadeem Bukhari Url : http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/private/asia-apec/attachments/20010531/c3fc4ad6/s.nadeem.bukhari.vcf