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G8 2005: Why Are People Protesting?

(re)search | 07.06.2005 02:52 | G8 2005 | Ecology | Globalisation | Social Struggles | London

Tony Blair recently said "it would be very odd if people came to protest against this G8... I don’t quite know what they’ll be protesting against" - a comment that underlies the way that the UK Government has been working to paint the G8 as a progressive force for good when it comes to tackling Climate Change, Poverty and Debt.

However there's a wealth of critical literature from a wide range of sources that clearly spell out some of the problems with the G8 and reasons why people will be protesting.

Even as Chancellor Gordon Brown backs calls for people to attend Make Poverty History protests in Edinburgh, groups within that coalition are at pains to point out that the UK Government is actualy part of the problem and not the solution.

While most mainstream press coverage either limits itself to celebrity led headline demands like 'Dopt The Debt' or publishes articles that read like Treasury Department press releases, a grass roots movement is preparing to confront the G8 world leaders, to take action understanding that it is indeed action that's required now - the time for hollow words has passed into the pages of history.
It's time to Make History, not talk about it.


G8 Background, Briefings and Research:

"Bringing Home The G8" - 52 Page In Depth Corporate Watch Report
Report Update: The Commission for Africa and Corporate Involvement
'2005 and Sustainable Development' briefing: Why The Uk Governemnt is Part of the Problem (pdf)
The G8: A Study in Power (or Why People Should Protest)
People and Planet G8 Basic Briefing (pdf)

The G8 Climate Chaos Criminals (2 page intro pdf)
LEAKED: G8 Climate Decisions Draft and response from FOE
"Up In Smoke" Report - 40 pages on impacts of climate change on the environment and human rights (pdf)
FOE Climate Change Briefings: Expert | Basic Briefings
BeyondOil: The oil curse and solutions for an oil-free future (pdf)
Emissions Trading (pdfs): Climate Fraud And Carbon Colonialism | Where the Trees are a Desert | The Sky is Not the Limit
House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee attacks Govs Climate Stance
International Call to Action on Root Causes of Climate Change On Final Day of G8 Summit 8th July 2005
FOE Climate Alarm Action - Thursday 7 July 2005

Corporate Watch Special G8 Issue:
Highlights include: The G8 Summit: Better Living Through Corporate Rule?
The Alcopop Summit - Gleneagles Hotel owner Diageo's Corporate Interests
Climate Change and the G8 - No Solutions Here
The Corporate Assault on Africa (aka the Commission and Action Plan)
Scotland Plc Report
Hydrating the G8 - Water Exploitation from UK to Brazil
Atomic Waste UK
UK Aid: Teaching Tanzinia to want water privatisation
Glasgow's Southside faces M74 Motorway Threat

G8 Audio Materials for Download:

Why Close The G8? (audio from the film - a basic introduction to the G8)
In Depth G8 Interview with Mark Curtis on The UK Governement, G8 and Protests
"Voices from Africa" Conference - G8 - Migrants - Aid, Trade, Debt - HIV
G8 Music Remix - UK Government Policy + Media Manipultaion
G8 July 2005: Scotland: Trident Nuclear Submarine Base Blockade Interview
Hate Mail Spoof Newspaper Interview on Migrant Issues


The above is just a small selection of materials. There's a lot missing, from illustrations of the G8's role in militarisation, arms and nuclear weapons to moves to introduce nuclear power as a solution to climate change etc etc

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Comments

Display the following 55 comments

  1. whats wrong with the g8? — max
  2. Destabilisation for Profit — G Hater
  3. Nice :-) — Mr C-W
  4. I know why they are protesting against the G8! — Tom
  5. daft — erm
  6. Tom Tit — You Fucking Idiot
  7. Re: Tom — mr c-w
  8. head in hands — i can't bear people like tom
  9. Good Links — luke
  10. What does — sceptic
  11. what do western companies plunder from africa in the present? — not again
  12. Just one point for Septic — Septic Wank
  13. plunder — sceptic
  14. Sceptic — Danger
  15. get thee to a library — studies
  16. dib dib dib — Zaskar
  17. ah, when all else fails — sceptic
  18. paradox — pedro
  19. ... — Hermes
  20. Bored of the same old stories — Krop
  21. supply and demand — daft
  22. Nothing to be sceptical about... — Leyman
  23. Nothing to be sceptical about... — Leyman
  24. plunder — mr c-w
  25. About plunder — Leyman
  26. ah — sceptic
  27. I must be... — Bored
  28. Definitely time for the libraray — ftp
  29. Integrety is the issue — viziondanz
  30. colonial legacies — sceptic
  31. Hidden Fist — Mr C-W
  32. Yeah so? — Septic Tom
  33. indeed — sceptic
  34. ... — Hermes
  35. further comments on 'sceptic' — sceptical about sceptic
  36. Hermes makes a good point — mcw
  37. what I am sceptical about — sceptic
  38. Choices — ftp
  39. are you surprised people are unhappy with the Zimbabwe Government? — sceptic
  40. sceptic, you completely misunderstand the banking/debt-finance system — merchant banker
  41. sceptic, that's SUCH a naive, simplistic view, it *really* is. — mcw
  42. Interesting News Story... — mcw
  43. Tony Blair... — @
  44. interesting — sceptic
  45. very interesting — merchant banker
  46. link to Michael Rowbotham book (amazon): — Rowbotham
  47. More response to sceptic — mcw
  48. ... — Hermes
  49. Africa — Hermes
  50. Democracy Now — Djinn
  51. Additions — more links
  52. Why Are People Protesting? — Disgusted Scot
  53. smiling? — rhi
  54. african examples — sue
  55. sceptical — richie