>X-Sender: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Unverified) >From: "robert rodvik" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: Activists being held at the Czech border >Date: Fri, 22 Sep 2000 > >FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ... September 21, 2000 > >Contacts: > >Jobst 49-0170-3418-814 > Susanah 49-0173-4433-488 > Altenberg, Czechloslovakia > >Approximately 75 bicyclists (participating in a ride from Hanover, >Germany to Prague, Czechloslovakia as part of the upcoming >demonstrations against the IMF and World Bank meetings in Prague) are >being held illegaly at the Czech / German border area known as >Altenberg. > >The cyclists were participating in a 600 kilometer ride that was to >put them in Prague in time for the events related to the meeting of >the two controversial >institutions of global finance - the World Bank and International >Monetary Fund. > >When they arrived at the Czech border, they discovered that some >Americans and Italians (with a group calling itself "Ya Basta") were >not being allowed in and were not being given clear explanations by >the Czech. officials there. The caravaners also learned that the >officials had a list of international activists and are now claiming >that persons are being excluded from entering based on "activist >profiling." Also, the Czech officials were not communicating with the >bicyclists in any language that travellers could comprehend. This >coupled with the failure to give any explanation for not allowing the >travellers through comprises a breach of normal legal procedures for >border crossings there. Acitivists there feel that this represents a >politically-motivated action to thwart their legal, polititical >activities. > >Upon first learning of the profiling and exclusion of the Americans >and Italians - the cyclists decided to "be in solidarity" with the >peoply from "Ya Basta" and to remain at the border area. Later, they >decided to go through and to pressure the authorities inside >Czechlosovakia to let them pass. The cyclists were allowed passage, >but their supply vehicles were held at the border. When attempting to >retrieve their supplies, the cyclists were told that, if they went >back onto the German side of the border, they would not be allowed >back in to Chechloslovakia. They remain at the border - tired, hungry >and cold. Their situation is deteriating as the border region is >high-altitude and very cold. They have weathered some precipitation >and this has added to their discomfort and exposure. Some among them >are getting ill. > >Please, pressure the Czech embassy nearest you to let all the people >cross freely as they normally do. It should also be noted the Prime >Minister of Czechloslovakia had formerly promised (during a >broadcast) that he would not keep world cititizens or activists from >entering the country during the WB/IMF meetings there. >-- > >**************************************** >Whispered Media >[EMAIL PROTECTED] >P.O. Box 40130 >San Francisco, CA 94140 USA >(415) 789-8484 >http://www.whisperedmedia.org >**************************************** >Video Activist Network >http://www.videoactivism.org >**************************************** _______________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki - Finland +358-40-7177941, fax +358-9-7591081 e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.kominf.pp.fi _______________________________________________________ Kominform list for general information. Subscribe/unsubscribe messages to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Anti-Imperialism list for anti-imperialist news. Subscribe/unsubscribe messages: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] _______________________________________________________
