Because of train shedules, the water privatization demo going to the WTO will be delayed leaving Annemasse until 3:55 will arrive central station 4:30

The bulk of the demonstrators leaving Annemasse for the water privatization demo at the WTO have been delayed. It is now 10 minutes after the train was scheduled to depart, but it is still sitting there. Police have reportedly been seen talking to the train operators.

On the bright side, the train workers, who are scheduled to go on strike tonight at midnight, have spontaneously given all of the demonstrators half-price tickets for the ride. If it does leave...updates soon.

UPDATE

50 riot police have just shown up on the platform and have entered the train, searching people's belongings. They have made one arrest so far.

For more info on why they are fighting against Water Privatisation - check out these links:

Global Water Grab: How Corporations are planning to take control of local water services (link to intro, where you can access English, French, and Spanish versions)
 http://www.polarisinstitute.org/pubs/pubs_global_water_grab_intro.html

The Water Barons (excellent report from the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists - includes many radio shows)
 http://www.icij.org/dtaweb/water

Global Water Lords: How transnational water corporations are commodifying the earth’s water for profit (Chapter 5 from Blue Gold: The Battle Against Corporate Theft of the World's Water):
 http://www.polarisinstitute.org/pubs/pubs_blue_gold_ch5.html

Profiles of various water privateers:
 http://www.polarisinstitute.org/corp_profiles/public_service_gats/corp_profiles_ps_gats.html

Some more excellent resources can be found at:


New Internationalist Website
 http://www.newint.org/features/kyoto/index.html


and Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO) water info briefs
 http://www.corporateeurope.org/water/infobriefs.htm

Check out Vandana Shiva's book _Water Wars_ ( http://www.southendpress.org) for a great background on this struggle and also read about the successful struggle in Cochabamba Bolivia which kicked Bechtel (the same corporation that is "rebuilding" Iraq) out of their country when Bechtel tried to privatize the water supply.