Dear Mr.Nico Verhagen,

The organisers of the Asian Social Forum were to meet me on Decemeber 2, 2002 to have a discussion about KRRS participation in their January meet in Hyderabad.

I wanted to wait till this meeting to let you know about the participation from the South-Asia Region.

The organisers of ASF were here on Decemeber 2, I explained to them why I did not attend the last WSF and also gave them copies of reports containing opinions of some of the main organisers of WSF like Bernard Cassen that ''Bush was never as close to Attac as he is now. With a little effort, may be he could become a member'' and the quatation from Attac's newsletter of October -Novemebr 2001 that ''Despite bombing, anthrax, despair and death,
trade must go on. In all the political tools used , war is in the forefront of further liberalisation in the world''and also of Daniel Cohn-Bendit's [of Attac who is also a Greens member of European Parliament] description of
anti- globalisation activists in Europe as being divided between backers of the ''old, ultra-left ideologies that are hiding inside'' the movement and young people who are in favour of democratisation of the market-economy.............''.

I also told the ASF organisers that I didnot get any reply to the above questions I raised before the last WSF, even from the major organisers like MST which is a part of La Via Campesina along with KRRS in the LVC-ICC.

Besides all this, KRRS also expressed its dissatisfaction about the way in which ASF is being launched only by NGO's little known by the people of India, who are trying to approach mass based grassroots movements only in December 2002 having the ASF in January 2003, which eliminates all
expectations of mass movements in India getting to understand and become active constituents of WSF. Indian NGOs usually think that mass movements can be used as appendages which practically becomes very reactionary. It
should be the otherway around.

Inspite of all this, the KRRS has offered a compromise formula to the organisers of ASF to try and persuade the organisers of WSF 2004 in India or wherever it is going to be held [as KRRS has it's own doubts whether the Government of India would be willing to permit and provide security to the huge member of delegates in an year of General Election to the Union Parliament] to invite Mr.Fidel Castro to inagurate WSF 2004, whose participation in WSF 2002 was vetoed by one of the main organisers of WSF saying that Castro's participation would divide the movement and that the organisers should know that 'vetoeing Castro's participation also would divide the movement'.

In view of all this, KRRS is not participating in ASF and also WSF 2003, but assures that KRRS will not influence the decisions to do so of other farmers organisations in India They are free to take their own decisions, regarding this.

Yours,

With Regards,

Prof.Nanjundaswamy

P.S. I can come to Brazil to attend the ICC but I cannot participate in WSF.
Please let me know whether it is ok.
MDN

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
PROF.M.D.NANJUNDASWAMY
PRESIDENT-KARNATAKA RAJYA RYOTA SANGHA [KRRS]
636, IDEAL HOMES LAYOUT- RAJARAJESHWARINAGAR,
BANGALORE- 560 098
INDIA


TELEPHONE/FAX - 0091-80-860 4640
E-MAIL -  swamy.krrs@vsnl.com



Dear friends,

Let me react to the quotations that are being used as an argument not to participate in the WSF.

It seems that French irony completely evaporates when translated into English. No French-speaking reader ever misinterpreted my remarks about Bush and Attac, as well as those on trade. Everyone knows that Attac is a fierce opponent of US present policies (we are constantly being labelled as "anti-American") and that the fight against The WTO and GATS is one of our main campaigns. We have dozens of documents

As to Cohn Bendit, he in no way represents Attac Germany of which I am not quite sure he is still a member.

So please do not take these quotations out of ther context and draw the wrong conclusions. Our enemies never made that mistake. I do hope you will reconsider your decision as regards the WSF.

Yours.

Bernard Cassen

Bernard Cassen est journaliste et directeur général du "Monde diplomatique".
1, avenue Stephen Pichon, 75013 Paris.
Tél. : 01 53 94 96 06.- Fax : 01 53 94 96 26.
Bernard Cassen est également professeur émérite à l'Institut d'études européennes de l'université Paris 8.
Il a récemment dirigé la publication de "Tout sur Attac 2002" et "Attac au Zénith" (Editions 1001 Nuits, Paris, 2002).





Dear Bernard Cassen,

maybe Attac is a fierce opponent of US present policies, but I really would like to know whether Attac is or not anticapitalistic and antipatriarcal. Further, i would like to know, if that is possible, why it was allowed the presence of the Chiapas Governador in the last Porto Alegre Forum, specially in the human rights table, after being accused with strong proofs by the Human Right Organizations of violeting human rights in Chiapas, or the presence of French Minister, responsible for not specially "nice" policy on migration.

And well, just for other small questions, why Attac never appologize for the declarations on the Swiss mobilizations and on the death of Carlo Giovani, where instead of look to the violence of the fascist police, which toture in police stations, which atack even the white hands, ... the declarations were focusing in the violence of the black block?.
Why didn't Attac help at all when in Genova the people were arrested and torture in the police station, and instead given back the only secure building to sleep for the internationalist in Genova the last days, and where all the things of the arrested people were?.
For not speaking of the eternal Davos.

Just as a question, why didn't you answer the email of Swamy about the power in the decision making of the NGOs, instead of the grassroot organizations?.

In the last social forum in Ecuador, I really have the feeling on coming back to the old times, when before the big conference the NGOs organize a forum, with the small diference that in many workshops there was let space for social leaders to speak. Of course, indymedia was atacked by the social forum and the coordination was almost not existing between the two comunication centers. And I am understood, Florencia was not so much difference.
Knowing the process that become in the call for the first forum in Porto Alegre, where people from social movements were invited to speak for 3 minutes, and then the documents and conclusions made by the "intelectuals", (when they were allowed to speak, of course), the eternal NGOs and intelectuals speaking in the name (and legitimazing themselves by that) of social movements.

In fact, I am really surprise of receiving an email from you throught the caravan list, that it is part of a PGA European process, accused by ATTAC of being radical and violents. I am very surprise, and I really would like, when it is possible, if you could then explain me what it is the position of ATTAC about capitalist, patriarcy, autonomus movements and PGA.

Un saludo,
trasgu

Dear Mr. Cassen,
I am very surprised to find your statement on the pga-list. Even when Ithink that Attac is asking some important questions and gives an organisationalframe for critical citicens, I think your way of making policy is wrong.
You are using social movements in the south to show your own "importance",but you make no real, egalitarian co-operation. The same is to be said aboutthe publicity you took over in Europe. You work very effectively with themedia, you say, you would be THE voice of the anti-globalisation-movement. Youhelp marginalising grasroot groups, who have more radical ways of action andwho critizise the capitalistic system.
You seem to like, that Attac occupies the public discussion about"globalisation". I never noticed anybody from Attac saying, that there are alsoother political groups who have other goals. The same are expressing books like"what are the anti-globalisation-activists wanting?" (german version "Was wollendie Globalisierungskritiker?").
You are not the only one!!