University plays host to Commonwealth visitors

Ministers and MPs from the Commonwealth countries will be the guests of the University of Sussex this week (May 12) as part of a visit arranged by the UK branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA).


Every year, the CPA's UK branch, based in Westminster, extends an invitation to fellow CPA branches to visit the UK as part of the Association's mission to promote parliamentary democracy.


The two-week May visit is one of the highlights of a calendar of seminars and other events. This year, Brighton is playing host to a delegation that includes MPs, Ministers and Speakers from countries including Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Uganda, Malaysia, Nigeria, Kenya and St Lucia.


The day-long campus visit to the University of Sussex forms part of the two-week tour and will include presentations by the Vice-Chancellor, Alasdair Smith, on funding in higher education, and Regional Development Manager Sharon Phillips on the University's business links and initiatives.


Delegates will also tour the campus and meet students - particularly those from the visiting countries represented - during the day.


Paul Jackson, Deputy Secretary of the CPA (UK branch), says: "We like to take our visitors out of London for a few days to show them 'the best of British' and to give them the opportunity to study local government, visit a university and to experience the local area's tourism and agriculture. We decided on Brighton for this year and are very much looking forward to the visit."


Corporate Events Manager Sue Hepburn says: "The University of Sussex is delighted to welcome the Commonwealth delegation. A varied programme has been arranged to give our visitors a taste of University life at its best and we hope their visit will be both informative and enjoyable."

Found this by doing a web search...

Burn the Bank!

Today, Wednesday 18th October 2000, a group of around 60-70 people took part
in a solidarity action with those remaining in jail following last months
actions against the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank in
Prague.

Around 30 people occupied the seminar rooms of the Career Development Unit
at Sussex University to prevent a World Bank "Young Professionals"
recruitment day from taking place. Occupiers barricaded themselves into the
rooms, daubing the walls with statements of prisoner solidarity, anti-World
Bank, anti-capitalist and anti-state graffiti. Similar graffiti had been
daubed across the university campus the previous night. The occupation
continued until hearing that the seminar, and the interviews expected to
follow, had been cancelled. The group then moved downstairs to blockade the
room where the World Bank representative was being held "for his own
safety".
Leaflets reading "Capitalism? No thanks. We Will Burn Your Fucking Banks!"
and copies of the spoof newspaper "Financial Crimes" were handed out to
those hoping to attend the seminar. Simultaneously, an anti-World Bank
banner was hung from a nearby window, exits were barricaded, fire alarms set
off and passers-by were leafleted.

When the World Bank representative was finally escorted from the building he
was harangued by a large group of people and had his taxi blockaded for
around 20 minutes. One woman managed to open the door of the taxi and place
a pie in the fat cat's face as a final goodbye. No arrests were made. Those
occupying the Career Development Unit issued the following demands and
statement of solidarity,

"During the recent actions against the IMF and World
Bank in Prague 859 people were arrested. Most have now been released.

However, several "internationals" and an unknown number of Czechs remain in
prison. Many others await prosecution. Most of the prisoners were tortured.
We are currently occupying the building at Sussex University where a World
Bank recruitment seminar was to be held. We do so in solidarity with all
those still subject to police brutality and prosecution. Our demands are:
1)The immediate release of all remaining prisoners.
2)The halting of prosecutions against those who took part in the
demonstrations.
3)The immediate return of all property confiscated from arrestees.
4)World-wide proletarian revolution with unlicensed pleasure as it's only
goal!!"

Many of those who took part in today's actions pledge that until our
demands are met actions will continue!



LETS HOPE THAT THE WORLD BANK DON'T THINK IT'S SAFE TO COME BACK....
Smash Capitalism!

Sussex Action for Peace are mainly anti-war but the WB are certainly the economic front of the current imperial project ... they might stick any overt actions on their website and put it out on their email list.


www.safp.org.uk
 mail@safp.org.uk