Some comments from participants at the Horizine

The mainstream media will predictably cast the
protesters at the Horizone as violent nutters who
don't know what they're talking about. Of course
that's rubbish. Here's what really going on...

The Horizine is a collection of international
contingents - from Europe, plus north america,
Australia, and eleswhere. There is a barrio system of
accommodation where people from regions camp together
and cooperate on resources like food, as well as join
together with friends on the protests. Some groups are
in barrios, others are choosing to focus on meeting
new people and expanding their networks.

Some people are experienced direct action protesters,
for others this is their first event.

Here they are seeing 'other' ways of organising - for
instance consensus decision making processes, and how
it is possible to run operations like feeding
thousands with vegan food, in kitchens run by
volunteers, funded by donation (as opposed to
overpriced festival-type fast food stalls).

Take for instance the Anarchist Teapot. They are
running a kitchen feeding 1000 odd a day, and claim
that they are never short of volunteers, and most
other parts of the site such as the front gate all say
that there is no end of helpers. Because this is all
about being a participant, rather than waiting for
someone else to lay it all on... otherwise known as
DIY - Do It Yourself.

Here are some quotes from people around the site...

"This is not some utopian holiday camp - this is how
we live our lives. The way we are organising... like
with consensus decision making and organically forming
groups to get jobs done is how we do things normally."

"Compared to the corporate meat-based catering at the
Stop Poverty marches it's amazing to see so many
people being fed with vegan food by donation... and it
works by sharing resources, and cooperation not
competition."

"It was amazing on Tuesday to see this site transform
from a festival atmosphere to everybody being totally
focused on organising for the action, pouring over
maps, in their affinity groups. I saw people
practising various NVDA (non-violent direct action)
techniques around the site. People were very ambitious
with their plans and look what we've achieved."

"There's no crime (like theft) on this site, and there
is minimal drugs and alcohol - because we're here to
work together. People have observed the nightly noise
curfews well and respected one another."

"This is my first (summit type) action - I feel a bit
of an outsider but I have learned a lot."

"Consensus decision making is a big feature of how
HoriZone is being organised, but frankly I tend more
towards letting people form into organic structures -
like Affinity Groups - acknowledging that different
people with different skills go into different roles.
I think affinity groups work well because you're
working with your friends, people you trust, in a
manageable size of group - and workable structures
emerge. The big 'consensus' meetings often feature the
same 'well spoken' people who offer a sort of liberal
'voice of reason'."

"I've spoken to people from all over the world - and
it's a breath of fresh air to see loads of young
people who are really clued up. These people are under
no illusions that any incremental positive change to
the current system will solve the problems. They are
talking about sustainable futures which involve
completely doing away with the market-driven
neo-liberal resource rip-off we have masquerading as a
democratic system. It makes me optimistic, not jaded."


We have no control over the garbage which will appear
on the front page of the Sun et al writing us off as
violent nutters who don't have a political
understanding. The truth is that HoriZone is a highly
self organised and disciplined operation which offers
models for a sustainable future.