>From: "Macdonald Stainsby" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >To: "Rad Green" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Date: Tue, 26 Sep 2000 13:55:52 -0700 > >Prague protests turn violent > >Police arrest a demonstrator, who flashes a victory sign, during clashes in >Prague >September 26, 2000 >Web posted at: 11:16 AM EDT (1516 GMT) > > >PRAGUE, Czech Republic -- Petrol bombs, protest barriers and cobblestones >were thrown at riot police as anti-capitalism protests became violent near >the summit of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank in >Prague. > >Czech officials said at least 15 people -- including 12 police -- had been >injured as Molotov cocktails exploded amid violent clashes. > >Tear gas and water cannon were used to force back a breakaway group of >activists that attempted to reach the summit venue to shut down the meetings >of the global financial institutions. > >Nearby, up to 5,000 other protesters are still in a standoff with thousands >of armed police at a bridge that is the only access point to the Congress >Centre. > >The clashes are a reminder of violent disruptions at last year's IMF and >World Bank summits in the U.S. cities of Seattle and Washington, although >Prague authorities have so far prevented the trouble reaching the >convention. > >South Africa's Finance Minister, Trevor Manuel, who is chairman of the >summit, said it was "a pity that it has descended into violence." > >"I know what they're against but have no sense of what they're for," he >said. > >Fifteen-thousand people, including delegates from 182 countries, are >attending the annual meetings to discuss world financial issues including >third world debt and poverty, rising oil prices and the declining value of >the euro currency. > >But the anti-capitalist protesters see the institutions as a central reason >for the economic problems faced by the third world. They want wealthy >countries to cancel the debt of poor nations. > >As the summit opened, World Bank President James Wolfensohn told delegates >the protesters' message should be heard although he did not directly mention >their tactics. > >"Outside these walls, young people are demonstrating against globalisation," >Wolfensohn said. "I believe deeply that many of them are asking legitimate >questions, and I embrace the commitment of a new generation to fight >poverty. I share their passion and their questioning." > >Czech authorities were ready for trouble, mobilising 11,000 police and >putting 5,000 troops on standby. > >Earlier, 1,000 activists marched through Prague's streets to Namesti Miru >(Peace Square). > >Some demonstrators threw stones at a McDonald's outlet in a town square, >cracking the glass door. > >In the days leading up to the meetings, Czech authorities stopped almost 300 >people at the country's borders who had previous arrest records from >anti-globalisation rallies. "We condemn this attempt of the Czech government >to prevent people from exercising their democratic rights to freedom of >speech, movement and gathering," complained Alice Dvorska, a spokeswoman for >an activist umbrella group, the Initiative Against Economic Globalisation. > >Czech Prime Minister Milos Zeman told CNN that the authorities' vigilance >was aimed at protecting the conference delegates and the residents of >Prague: "We are not against protests. We are against violence. > > >Police officers were among the injured during Tuesday's clashes >"If you show you are prepared, the protesters hesitate a little in being >involved," he said referring to the low turnout. > >Most of the delegates attending the meetings were bussed to the venue at >dawn before the access bridge was closed. > >Many local shops were shut and boarded up by owners worried that their >property could be damaged. > >The IMF's Deputy Managing Director, Stanley Fischer, told CNN the issues >raised by the demonstrators would be a key focus at the meetings. > >"I hope and expect that we will be able to accelerate the work on debt >relief at these meetings," he said, conceding there are improvements to be >made in how the institutions deal with the problems. > >"The recipes have worked in many countries but there are still poverty >problems ... I'm sure we don't have exactly the right formulae." > >Fischer said the IMF was working very hard to alleviate the problems and the >greatest reduction in world poverty in history had already been achieved >during its existence. > >World Bank statistics predicted that the inclusion of 20 nations in new >debt-relief efforts, out of 40 that are eligible, will result in forgiveness >of 65 percent of those countries' foreign debt, saving them about $30 >billion. > >The Associated Press & Reuters contributed to this report. > > > >================ >Macdonald Stainsby. > >Rad-Green List: Radical anti-capitalist environmental discussion. >http://lists.wwpublish.com/mailman/listinfo/rad-green >---------- >http://www.geocities.com/leninist_international/ >http://lists.wwpublish.com/mailman/listinfo/leninist-international > > >_______________________________________________ >Rad-Green mailing list >[EMAIL PROTECTED] >To change your options or unsubscribe go to: >http://lists.wwpublish.com/mailman/listinfo/rad-green > _______________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. 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