The first of the G7 meetings leading up to the G8 Summit took place in London over February 4th/5th in the form of the G7 Financial Ministerial.Activists from Dissent!, the new South East Resist G8 Network and others were there to greet them...
The first of the G7 meetings leading up to the G8 Summit took place in London over February 4th/5th in the form of the G7 Financial Ministerial. The Financial G7 brings together the central bank governors and finance ministers of the seven richest countries in the world. Activists from Dissent!, the new South East Resist G8 Network and others were there to greet them
Each of these G7 central bankers sit on the board of directors of The Bank of International Settlements (BIS) in Switzerland, the central bank of central banks. The meetings of the ‘Basel Club’ are disturbed by nothing. During the Second World War, the BIS quietly carried on its activities, with bankers from both sides meeting under the presidency of Thomas McKittrick, an American who was ‘officially neutral’ in the conflict. Diplomatic immunity, provided at the time courtesy of the Swiss government, no doubt comes in handy from time to time for these gentlemen.
The Financial G7 met for a fancy dinner at Lancaster House on the Friday night and, as expected, the police presence was high with FIT team harrasment continuing from beginning to end. Make Poverty History campaigners were 'allowed' to protest from the confines of a fenced off pen. However, after refusing to join them in the pen, activists were followed and verbally harrased, with the Met using all the usual intimidation tactics. Reportedly, others were stopped and searched with one person recieving an on the spot fine for a minor offence.
However, despite this harrasment (and the short notice of a last minute call-out!), Rythms of Resistance showed up, blocking the exit and along with roughly 20-30 other activists made sure their presence was felt. Noisey support from a pizza delivery driver topped the demo off. As the night drew to a close, the ever thoughtful police officers kindly escorted activists to a local public house, where they continued to look after them by parking a riot van outside!
Despite the short notice (and thanks in no small part to the drummers) the finance ministers and bankers didnt get to enjoy their dinner in peace. Hopefully, the trembling rythms of a samba band did nothing for the rich mens digestion! Yet this was only the first of the G7 Minesterials which mark the countdown to the G8 Summit in July, and as the Summit gets closer our resistance to these meetings must get stronger - lets shut them down!
March 10-11, G8 Employment Ministers Meeting, London
March 15-16, International Energy/Environment Ministers Roundtable, London
March 17-18, G8 Environment and Development Ministers Meeting, Derbyshire.
June 11-11, G7 Finance Ministers Meeting, London
June 16-17, G8 Justice and Interior Ministers Meeting, Sheffield
July 6-8, G8 Summit, Gleneagles, Scotland.
Each of these G7 central bankers sit on the board of directors of The Bank of International Settlements (BIS) in Switzerland, the central bank of central banks. The meetings of the ‘Basel Club’ are disturbed by nothing. During the Second World War, the BIS quietly carried on its activities, with bankers from both sides meeting under the presidency of Thomas McKittrick, an American who was ‘officially neutral’ in the conflict. Diplomatic immunity, provided at the time courtesy of the Swiss government, no doubt comes in handy from time to time for these gentlemen.
The Financial G7 met for a fancy dinner at Lancaster House on the Friday night and, as expected, the police presence was high with FIT team harrasment continuing from beginning to end. Make Poverty History campaigners were 'allowed' to protest from the confines of a fenced off pen. However, after refusing to join them in the pen, activists were followed and verbally harrased, with the Met using all the usual intimidation tactics. Reportedly, others were stopped and searched with one person recieving an on the spot fine for a minor offence.
However, despite this harrasment (and the short notice of a last minute call-out!), Rythms of Resistance showed up, blocking the exit and along with roughly 20-30 other activists made sure their presence was felt. Noisey support from a pizza delivery driver topped the demo off. As the night drew to a close, the ever thoughtful police officers kindly escorted activists to a local public house, where they continued to look after them by parking a riot van outside!
Despite the short notice (and thanks in no small part to the drummers) the finance ministers and bankers didnt get to enjoy their dinner in peace. Hopefully, the trembling rythms of a samba band did nothing for the rich mens digestion! Yet this was only the first of the G7 Minesterials which mark the countdown to the G8 Summit in July, and as the Summit gets closer our resistance to these meetings must get stronger - lets shut them down!
March 10-11, G8 Employment Ministers Meeting, London
March 15-16, International Energy/Environment Ministers Roundtable, London
March 17-18, G8 Environment and Development Ministers Meeting, Derbyshire.
June 11-11, G7 Finance Ministers Meeting, London
June 16-17, G8 Justice and Interior Ministers Meeting, Sheffield
July 6-8, G8 Summit, Gleneagles, Scotland.
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Pics from WDM + press release
08.02.2005 14:52
Giant 'Drop the Debt' clock records the number of children who die from poverty during the G7 meeting
As the G7 finance ministers meet at Lancaster House the World Development Movement (WDM) have constructed a giant 'Drop the Debt' digital counter outside the summit. The digital counter is recording the number of children around the world who die needlessly as a result of poverty while the G7 are meeting - one every three seconds. From the time the ministers arrived for dinner (18.45 on Friday) until they depart (17.00 on Saturday) 26,700 children will have died.
Campaigners are demanding that the G7:
* Cancel 100% of the unpayable debts of the world's most impoverished countries, by fair and transparent means.
* Fund debt cancellation without diverting money from aid budgets - for example by selling IMF gold.
* End the imposition of harmful economic conditions - such as privatisation and trade liberalisation - to which debt cancellation is currently linked.
WDM's, Martin Powell said: "The current level of debt cancellation delivered by the international community is shamefully inadequate, while the economic conditions attached to debt relief have been shown to make developing countries poorer. This year the G7, chaired by the UK, has a real opportunity to change this. If they want to halt the crime of one child dying unnecessarily every three seconds, they must cancel 100% of the unpayable debts owed by the world's poorest countries, without imposing failed policies such as privatisation and free trade."
Every day, 30,000 people die in poor countries as a result of poverty. Meanwhile, every day the poorest governments are made to pay over £30 million to the rich world in debt repayments.
nog8