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Poor don't Belong in Prisons. Fight the WTO!

targetwto | 16.02.2006 09:08 | Globalisation | Social Struggles

A call for international solidarity and pressure to continue derailing WTO: International Action Week Feb 27 – March 5th 2006
in solidarity with 2 anti-WTO political prisoners who stand trial in Hong Kong, and millions of prisoners of WTO-related policies. Join targetwto network now and for a common action front against wto.

Hong Kong, FEB 15 (TargetWTO) – In Early March, two anti-WTO political
prisoners will stand trial for charges of unlawful assembly during the Dec
17th occupation of Gloucester Road outside the 6th Ministerial Conference of
the WTO. If convicted, they face a fine of HK$5,000 and imprisonment for 5
years.

Over 1,200 anti-WTO protesters were arrested on Dec 18th in Hong Kong.
Forteen were detained in Hong Kong for almost a month, not allowed to go to
their home country to continue their livelihoods. On January 11th, charges
against 11 were dropped. Charges against M. Yang Kyoung Kyu were dropped on Feb 14th. Conviction against the 2 standing trial would further face isolation from their home, family, and livelihood. The three
are M. PARK IN HWAN and M. YOON IL KWON from the Korean Peasants League
(member of La Via Campesina).

The anti-WTO support group in HK has set Feb 27th to March 5th as the
international action week to support anti-WTO political prisoners and
continue derailing the WTO. While two face charges in Hong Kong, millions
of farmers, women, workers and the poor are prisoners of WTO policies.

Targetwto Network is calling on people, groups and allies around the world
affected by WTO policies to stage a protest during the International Action
Week in order to derail the current Doha Round, to protect the lives of poor
people and to stand in solidarity with all those who are prisoners of WTO
and US imperial policies. Doha Round began in 2001 in Quatar as WTO's
so-called development agenda. The Doha Round is aiming to strengthen the
growth of corporations, profit and privatization before people and
indigenous livelihoods.

Small rallies to mass mobilizations all make a difference. Possible actions
can include protest at Chinese Embassy/Consulate, action at your
government's trading council, demonstration outside local prisons and
detention camps, reclaimation of public space against privatization, direct
action against exploitative multinational corporations or a rally of your
group's interest to support the millions of sufferers of WTO-related
policies. Please relate the action to the two who stand trial and to
derail the Doha Round. Promote the event with your media for international
visibility.

Targetwto is a loose network of grassroots people and groups struggling
against the WTO. It was created in December during MC6 Resistance when it
made international impact in collobarating for direct action, exchanging
grassroots news, and calling for solidarity. We believe in the hallmarks of
People's Global Action (PGA) and want to grow targetwto to build an
international common-front of action-oriented groups struggling against WTO.
We believe in a non-reformist and non-hierarchical agenda. From farmers, to
migrant workers, to fisherfolks, to women, to workers, to students, to
low-income families and allies, targetwto front will hold an action stance
to fight against WTO-related policies. The commonfront will be equally
hosted by all groups who are part of it. It will be a key for international
solidarity campaigns along with emphasizing decentralized, localized and
autonomous actions. See  http://targetwto.revolt.org/about for more
information and for the hallmarks of the People's Global Action.

Send details of your planned actions for the Int'l Action Week so we can
compile all the events. Also send reports of the actions. If you would like
to be part of this targetwto network, please give your groups details and we
will link your group through our website and put you on a mailing list where
all action groups can exchange resources and appeals.

IN SOLIDARITY,
targetwto
c/o Hong Kong Social Movement Resource Centre,
Flat 8A, 739-741 Nathan Road,
Kowloon, Hong Kong.
Website:  http://targetwto.revolt.org
Email:  targetwto@riseup.net

People's Global Action (PGA):
 http://www.nadir.org/nadir/initiativ/agp/en/index.htm

targetwto
- e-mail: targetwto@riseup.net
- Homepage: http://targetwto.revolt.org