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Balanced and Objective ESF 2004 Report :-)

Lucy Davis | 24.02.2004 10:46 | European Social Forum

If there is anyone out there in the UK who is (still?) paying attention to the possible UK ESF this year, here's my balanced and objective (nudge nudge, wink wink) quick update of events that've occurred these last few weeks. [written February 16]

-- A group calling itself the UK Organising Committee for the European
Social Forum 2004 (London) began meeting recently on Thurday evenings. This
meeting is supposedly public, accessible to all, with minutes being taken
and circulated promptly, with rotating meeting chairpeople and equality in
speaking/access to the floor. (guffaw....) Other than the time/place, any
resemblance to truth in the above section is entirely coincidental!! In
reality the meeting is always at the Greater London Assembly building, with
personal security searches thrown in for free. It is always chaired by the
same two people (Maureen O'Mara (NATFHE) and Alex Gordon (RMT)) with the
Mayor's Mouth (Redmond O'Neill) sitting next to them, making sure they say
The Right Thing and who gets preferential rights to shout down anyone who's
saying something he doesn't like, for as long as it takes him to ram his
point home.

-- The above established an elite, smaller "Coordinating Committee" that
will meet (in private, no minutes) at 2pm in the afternoon on Fridays. It
must be noted that no decision has ever been taken, in any meeting, about
who they are and how they've been nominated. Terms for exclusion from these
meetings ... Will be drawn up by the constituents of this meeting. (The
proverbial fox guarding henhouse situation springs to mind)

-- The temporary Working Groups have ceased to exist, there are no new
Working Groups. Instead the new, all-powerful elite "Coordinating Committee"
is deciding everything of importance... And re-deciding a few things that it
didn't like the first time around.

-- However, the UK ESF still has no bank account, no legal
constitution/organisation and no set level of affiliation fees.

-- The Programme Group (old) no longer exists. Instead there is ...
Ta-daaaa... A Programme Group (new). Now, only affiliated organisations can
speak/vote (write your cheque and cast your vote: the bigger the cheque, the
more votes you get!!). Apparently non-affiliated are invited to witness the
momentous events. And the meetings are very conveniently being held all
over the country (NOT!) at a reasonable time of day (NOT). I do pity poor
Dave Timms of the World Development Movement, who's been doing his darndest
to get a voice to report back from the Programme Group (old) at the GLA,
without much success. If you want a copy of their report, please email me
privately and I'll send one.

-- There are now rumors that 2005 is an option... the Mayor's Mouth O'Neill
seems to like the idea of January 2005. (oooh, when its even *warmer* than
in November so the folks who aren't paid by parties and unions can put up
tents in the parks and bask in the heat). The big union rep, Alex Gordon,
from the RMT apparently liked the idea as well. So there you go, it must be
OK then!

-- The entrance fee being discussed for the participants at the forum will
be between £25 and £35. Please note that the scale for individuals in Paris
and Florence was much lower and in reality 60% of attendees won concessions
there. The Mayor's Mouth has voiced his concern that we must make sure that
there's none of that soft treatment going on here in London! Profits first!
Only 20% will get concessions, of 20%.

-- Recently the self-appointed UK Organising Committee had a Brasilian-based
WSF organiser in attendance who was invited to speak. He pointed out that
under WSF principles, the UK process cannot be run by the government in
power (that is, Labour) and that meetings shouldn't be taking place at the
GLA. Oops, crisis?! Naa, get out the wood-chip wallpaper and start papering
over those obvious cracks.

-- This fact -- that the Labour-affiliated GLA is driving the UK ESF
process -- is a *large* source of concern to the European level assembly
members, who will be coming to London March 6/7 for a meeting whose outcome
will decide whether or not there will be an ESF (London) 2004

-- A group of activists from many backgrounds -- networking
(dis)organisations, local Social Forums from around the UK, feminists,
anarchists, etc. -- and from all over Europe have got together and call
themselves the "horizontals". Which refers to their preferred methods of
organising and communicating... As opposed to the traditional methods used
by "verticals" (in this case, shorthand for traditional party and union
methods).

-- The horizontals are deeply concerned about the flawed nature of the
organising and the process for this UK ESF, about its overtly commercial
basis and about the control the Mayor's Office is exerting in concert with
the SWP. This in an atmosphere where most civil society groups are being
left out of the process, with the exception of big NGOs. In addition, the
horizontals are concerned about the very short amount of time to prepare and
about the lack of space for these independent groups to participate with the
planning and practicalities.

-- The horizontals met recently to collectively decide a way forward. They
are drawing up two documents for presentation at the March 6/7 European
Assembly: a summary of changes they'd like AND a chronology of events thus
far. They've also presented a formal proposal for a legal framework upon
which the UK ESF organising might be based. This has disappeared into the
guts of the GLA somewhere, probably never to be seen again.


Upcoming meetings:
-- Inaugural meeting of the Programme Working Group (new): TODAY. 16
February at 5.30pm at Unison headquarters, 1 Mabledon Place, London.

-- the UK ESF Organising Committee: Every THURSDAY, 5:30-8:30pm, GLA,
Queen's Walk, London SE1 2AA, tube: London Bridge. Open-ish. Check this
meeting is still running as it might be disbanded now that they've got:

-- the UK ESF Co-ordinating Committee: Every FRIDAY (?), 2pm (?), GLA,
Queen's Walk, London SE1 2AA, tube: London Bridge. Closed-ish but you can
try. Has possibly changed days its meeting. Good luck finding out about this
if you're not invited.

-- UK ESF Organising Committee (that SHOULD read UK Assembly!!): Sunday, 29
February, 12-4pm. GLA, Queen's Walk, London SE1 2AA, tube: London Bridge.
The purpose of the meeting will be to agree the proposal that to be
presented to the European preparatory meeting.

-- European Assembly: March 6, 10a-5p. March 7 10a-1p. GLA, Queen's Walk,
London SE1 2AA, tube: London Bridge.

Lucy Davis

Comments

Hide the following 8 comments

we all know whats going to happen

24.02.2004 12:11

You will throw your toys out of the pram and set up an "alternative" ESF.

After all the autonomists did the same in Florence and in Paris,

Why not just get on with it and stop pretending you have any interest in the official process other than wrecking it.

Sonic


ohmygod!

24.02.2004 13:04

'Official process'!!!!!!!
Where the fuck do you and your ilk get off?!
It's the European Social Forum, and gathering of activists and grassroots campaigners against global corporate and governmental injustice, and a celebration of alternative space, and not some fucking central committee party organ that should be thought of in terms of 'official processes'.
Officious trot wanker.

llantwit


Nice to see such a reasoned response.

24.02.2004 17:00

The ESF exists as an organisation, I was there when it was founded in Florence, were you?

The Paris ESF decided to have it's next event in Londom , were you there?

Now the UK groups represented at paris are organising it, whats your problem with that?

Go off and set-up your alternative ESF, you obviously cannot control your hatred and bile for others on the left, so I doubt very much that you have anything to add to the ESF project.

Have fun in the phonebox!



Sonic


Why these systematic attacks on the ESF?

24.02.2004 22:17

The post at the beginning of this thread is such a bunch of distortions and lies it's unbelieveable. There seems to be a group whose aim is to derail the London ESF at any cost, and who are now stooping to spreading lies about the organisers of the ESF in order to discredit it.

Take this for instance: the thread starter says the ESF is going to be run on an "overtly commercial basis." What bullshit. You'll notice that no evidence is supplied for this assertion. If this was true, then where is the sponsorship from Coke or Pepsi or McDonalds?

And this: most civil society groups "are being left out of the process." Oh, er, apart from NGOs, unions and everyone with credibility on the left.

And this: apparently the 25 quid price is going to be levied to boost "profit." Once again, no evidence is offered. The truth is that a massive event like the ESF needs to pay for the venues and other facilities that we need to make sure it is the biggest anti-capitalist gathering in Europe. The organisers - who are bravely taking on a massive task - are likely to end up out of pocket. There will be no "profit." This doesn't stop the person who started this thread from spreading cheap lies, though.

I wonder whether the person who started this thread has any connection to the person who claimed on Indymedia the other day that Tony Blair would be a keynote speaker at the ESF? Once again, total bollocks, and no evidence. Another part of the systematic attempt to wreck the ESF.

This thread was started by someone who has nothing to offer but their own cynicism on behalf of a tiny group who represent nothing but their own bile.

smash the system


erm....

25.02.2004 13:29

>The above established an elite, smaller "Coordinating Committee" that
>will meet (in private, no minutes) at 2pm in the afternoon on Fridays

funny that, just received the minutes of the co-ordinating committee in my mailbox.....must be some mistake!!!

minute taker


Hello Lindsey

25.02.2004 13:47

Always nice to hear from you.

Ian


Poor Ian

25.02.2004 16:09

Sees the SWP everywhere

"Ian I can't find my book"

"The SWP must have stolen it!"

"Ian, I'm hungry"

"Only because the SWP ate all the pies!"

"Ian, I disagree with you slightly"

"TRAITOR! TROT! EVIL EVIL EVIL EVIL" (head explodes)

Sonic


consume the esf!

27.02.2004 14:58

one question: yes, why did the "old" programming and other groups stop working? I don't care wether all these possible workshops will eventually take place inside or outside the official esf, but i want them to take place. Am convinced that the grassroots scene WILL be able to find locations in London and elsewhere, they have done it for years, also convinced that there is money around that could be applied to grassroots organising. It's even possible to insert workshops into the official esf when it's closer to the time - "consume the esf!"

answering to some comments:

"the thread starter says the ESF is going to be run on an "overtly commercial basis." What bullshit. You'll notice that no evidence is supplied for this assertion."

don't know about commercial basis. But why paying someone to "review" Alexandra Palace as a venue, rather than discussing it openly, with input from all the different strands of the movement and their varied knowledge?
This is an way to organise a trade-fair or a corporate conference, or even a GLA event, but it doesn't help to motivate the grassroots volunteers - and they are the ones who will spend their time doing the boring work on the ground, cleaning, providing, welcoming, stewarding - or will this be outsourced as well?
btw, i couldn't find credible evidence of this AllyPally Review anywhere on the web, is it just a rumour?


"And this: most civil society groups "are being left out of the process." Oh, er, apart from NGOs, unions and everyone with credibility on the left."

I am on the left. NGOs and unions have credibility with me. But also the wide grassroots networks of squatters, direct action people, tree-huggers, and other disorganisations. Part of their activism is a lifestyle with very little money, they produce open spaces, networks, solidarity, grounds to live on on the basis of sharing and recycling. what's wrong with that? These are people who can't simply fork out £25 to attend a conference, or however much you need to pay to be involved in the ESF process. But for sure they have something to contribute, actually i think they are much closer to the initial WSF initiative than the old and respectable trade unions or a local authority.


And this: apparently the 25 quid price is going to be levied to boost "profit." Once again, no evidence is offered. The truth is that a massive event like the ESF needs to pay for the venues and other facilities that we need (...)

Don't think the ESF organisers will make a profit for themselves. Some of them might get paid for their work, or get time off their regular jobs to do it. Problem is a) many extremely deserving grassroots projects are running on a very low budget or on no budget. Some people live on benefits, but most contribute in ADDITION to their regular jobs, they DONATE their time to fix derelict buildings, offer workshops, engage in collective processes, play gigs, report actions.
But b) if you need money to outsource a website, to hire companies to assess your venues and all that crap, of course you need a lot of money. But this approach doesn't help to get this enourmous resource of the grassroots social movements with all their creativity on board.
And c), evidence that this is possible - have you ever been to a convergence center at a big protest? I recommend to read the "Seattle" part of the book "we are everywhere" for a bit of insight.

dis