An Indian's view of Genoa
Sheffield Mayday | 29.07.2001 14:42
The letter below appeared in the Guardian Letter page on July 25th.
As an Indian woman writer, I found it offensive, not to say ludicrous, that Clare Short should use African politicians to belittle the millions protesting against globalisation in solidarity with the people at Genoa (Why Clare Short is wrong, July 24). Her remark that the protesters were mostly young and white might strike her spin doctors as clever. But the fact is, if the G8 had been meeting in Delhi or Africa, it's possible there would have been a million black faces protesting instead of 20,000 white ones. Speaking as an Indian, I'm grateful to the young white people who represented us.
I agree violence is counter-productive. I grew up in Calcutta in the 60s amid Naxalite terrorism. But the non-violent demonstrators have for decades been dismissed as peaceniks and ineffectual hippies. Every serious group of dissenters faces the problem of their agenda being hijacked; of people jumping on the bandwagon who are almost football hooligans. But if you go to protest and are barricaded as though there's a war on, something gives somewhere. And it is a war.
Why don't they use the democratic process, asks Clare. Becoause no one bothers to listen to the democratic protesters. If you went to lobby against the WTO in Geneva or Washington, you'd find politicians of all hues being wined and dined by corporate lawyers. Congress Watch activists can't access US representatives. Japanese business interests can. So people the world over are disillusioned by the democratic process.
Seattle was seminal. It gave people hope. It's a sign to me, a product of the 60s and 70s protest generation, that the mindlessness of the 80s and 90s has ended. That there were mostly youn people is even moreexciing, because it proves we've come full circle.
Mari Marcel Thekaekara
Gudalur, Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu
marimarcelt@email.com
As an Indian woman writer, I found it offensive, not to say ludicrous, that Clare Short should use African politicians to belittle the millions protesting against globalisation in solidarity with the people at Genoa (Why Clare Short is wrong, July 24). Her remark that the protesters were mostly young and white might strike her spin doctors as clever. But the fact is, if the G8 had been meeting in Delhi or Africa, it's possible there would have been a million black faces protesting instead of 20,000 white ones. Speaking as an Indian, I'm grateful to the young white people who represented us.
I agree violence is counter-productive. I grew up in Calcutta in the 60s amid Naxalite terrorism. But the non-violent demonstrators have for decades been dismissed as peaceniks and ineffectual hippies. Every serious group of dissenters faces the problem of their agenda being hijacked; of people jumping on the bandwagon who are almost football hooligans. But if you go to protest and are barricaded as though there's a war on, something gives somewhere. And it is a war.
Why don't they use the democratic process, asks Clare. Becoause no one bothers to listen to the democratic protesters. If you went to lobby against the WTO in Geneva or Washington, you'd find politicians of all hues being wined and dined by corporate lawyers. Congress Watch activists can't access US representatives. Japanese business interests can. So people the world over are disillusioned by the democratic process.
Seattle was seminal. It gave people hope. It's a sign to me, a product of the 60s and 70s protest generation, that the mindlessness of the 80s and 90s has ended. That there were mostly youn people is even moreexciing, because it proves we've come full circle.
Mari Marcel Thekaekara
Gudalur, Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu
marimarcelt@email.com
Sheffield Mayday
Homepage:
http://www.sheffieldmayday.ukf.net
Comments
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Claire Short should think before she speaks
29.07.2001 15:14
When she said that I thought, "that's an excellent description of you". Party politicians patronsingin people like this is what leads to protests.
Mickey Mouse
Short prejudices, Short temper
29.07.2001 16:26
However, her respect for the third world shined through in her attitude towards the victims of the volcano on the island of Montserrat. After years of under-investment and negligence from the UK - the island's imperial masters - the disaster condemned the island's poor to even more misery. When they demanded relief aid, she told stated that they would 'be wanting golden elephants next'. This implied that they should bow and scrape to her like good imperial subjects, instead of making their point.
Although this was widely reported in the press, no-one heard about the life Short subjected the island's refugees to in the UK. Hundreds were taken from the Caribbean and thrown into urban tower blocks to rot. Most had never left the Caribbean, let alone coped with the pressures of impersonal urban life.
I know of one steel drum maker who ended up in atrocious housing in Leeds, without any family, friends or support from people of a similar origin. He had a nervous breakdown, was sectioned under the Mental Health Act and dumped in an asylum. I believe he is still there after two years, a victim of Short's arrogance - and her treatment of Montserrat is certainly indicative of a sick racist mentality.
If there's any cabinet minister that needs to depart from her narrow middle-class prejudices, it's that fuck-wit Short. She's certainly a target for a custard pie.
Daniel Brett
e-mail:
dan@danielbrett.co.uk
Short/Straw
29.07.2001 16:52
It has just been announced that the CPS (Crown Prosecution Service) is guilty of institutional racism, it is indemic. Even weak cases involving black accused, goes to trial, there is empirical evidence that they receive disproportionate charges compared to white counterparts, and miscarriages of justice are common, against certain ethnic groups, such as West Indians.
There is no integrity in these Institutions, this is also the case in the Police Force, Prison Service, Fire Service, the Government, House of Lords and most definately within the Monarchy. So how can we EVER believe that they have the best interests of the Third World at heart? Never!
LIARS!