Open Invitation: Asian Movements? Strategy Meeting against WTO Hong Kong Ministerial Meeting
Date & Time : 16th November, 2005; 20:00 – 24:00 (During the anti-APEC action week)
Venue : Busan University; Busan, Korea
Background
The 6th WTO Ministerial Meeting is due to take place in Hong Kong, from 13th to 18th December. Already, social and people’s movements all around the world are preparing to mobilize against the WTO, against the devastation of peoples lives in each country and nation.
Because the Ministerial is taking place in Asia, where there has always been a strong movement against neoliberal globalization and imperialism, it is vital that Asian movements stand in the forefront of mobilizing against the WTO in December, and that we formulate a detailed strategy to put a stop to the WTO in Hong Kong.
In the meanwhile, the APEC Summit is scheduled to take place on 18th and 19th November 2005, in Busan, Korea. The APEC itself is a driving force in imposing neoliberal policies as well as US military hegemony in the Asia-Pacific region. It is also expected that the APEC will come up with a statement reaffirming the importance of coming up with an agreement in Hong Kong. Thus, Korean movements have designated 13th to 19th November to be a week of action against APEC, with a people’s forum from 16th to 17th November, and then a mass demonstration of 100,000 people during the days of the summit. Many international participants are expected be present in APEC to participate in the various events.
We believe that the anti-APEC action week will be an appropriate occasion to organize an ‘Asian Movements’ Strategy Meeting against WTO Hong Kong Ministerial Meeting’. Along side the fact that Asian and Pacific heads of state will make every use of APEC to promote the WTO, there will also be a large international presence from anti-war and anti-globalization movements in Busan during that time. Furthermore, the APEC Summit is just one month away from the WTO Ministerial Meeting as well as the time that Pascal Lamy is expected to come up with the document to be presented in Hong Kong.
Objectives
This strategy meeting aims:
- to share updates on the DDA negotiations
- to share updates on how various movements and organizations are preparing for Hong Kong
- to come up with common objectives and action plans of Asian movements
- to discuss concrete strategies on effective mobilizing in Hong Kong and incapacitating the WTO
Various other workshops and meetings on the WTO are expected to be organized during the anti-APEC action week in Korea.
All those who are interested are welcome to participate in the meeting, as well as other anti-APEC events.
Unfortunately, organizers of this meeting cannot give financial support to the participants. However, we can introduce cheap accommodation for international participants. If you need help with finding accommodation in Busan, please send the following information to antiapec@hanmail.net cc agora76@nate.com
* Name (of yourself, in the case of individual / of a person in charge, in the case of group)
* Number of rooms (single / double )
* Check in /out date
Korean People’s Action against Neoliberal Globalization
Hong Kong People’s Alliance
Via Campesina
Japan Anti-WTO Grassroots Campaign
Focus on the Global South
(as of 30th October)
For questions and comments, and endorsement of the proposal, contact:
Korean People’s Action against Neoliberal Globalization
Jeon Sohi (Mobilizing Coordinator) / Mikyung Ryu (Policy Coordinator)
antiwto2005@naver.com / tel: +82-11-9072-5782 (Jeon Sohi) / fax: +82-2-2631-5029