forwarded by Michael Hoover > >From the (Morristown, NJ) Daily Record > > By Joseph McLaughlin > Daily Record > > FLORHAM PARK (N.J.) -- About 30 human rights activists > and environmentalists, under the close eye of a few dozen > police officers and sharpshooters, gathered at the Hamilton > Park Conference Center yesterday to protest a meeting of > the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. > > At 10 a.m., two women were arrested after unfurling a 40-foot > banner from the building's roof. They cut the chain on a service > door with bolt cutters to gain access, police said. > > Judith A. Karpova, 55, of Hoboken and Lisa M. Kuhn, 19, of Salt > Lake City were in the Morris County jail last night on charges of > criminal trespass, criminal mischief and possession of burglary > tools. > > Their sign, which read "World Bank and IMF = Corporate Colonialism," > was confiscated by police in about 10 minutes. > > The crowd, some dressed in grim-reaper masks, cheered at honking > cars that responded to shouts of "Break the chains of death. More > world, less bank." They circulated photos of their two comrades who > were arrested. > > "It's very exciting to have this happening right in Drew's backyard," said > one demonstrator, Drew University graduate student Nicole Roskos. > "I felt very alienated when everything was going on in Seattle because > I wished I was there." > > She referred to riots outside a meeting of the World Trade Organization, > a World Bank affiliate, in December. > > Those disturbances are why Morris law enforcement officials aren't taking > any chances. > > "We learned from what happened in Seattle. We won't let it happen in > Morris County," Prosecutor John B. Dangler said. He expects at least > 700 protesters at the site today and tomorrow. > > Protesters called on the World Bank to eliminate debt incurred by all > Third World countries. The demonstrators blame the bank for trapping > developing nations in a downward spiral that forces them to eliminate > social programs and natural resources to make high loan repayments. > > The World Bank is charged with helping underdeveloped countries by > pairing them with leading international corporations. > > "A lot of the money they get actually goes to rolling over the debt," said > Jim Burchell, director of the nonprofit PeaceWorks in Morristown. "We > feel that the World Bank is destroying the social infrastructure of > many nations." > > The World Bank and IMF chose Florham Park for the three-day conference > because of its proximity to New York. The groups are meeting with members > of the Brookings Institute, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank. About 180 > guests will discuss the collapse of economies in Asia and its effect on > developing countries. > > "These protesters are barking up the wrong tree," World Bank spokesman > Andrew Kircher said. "The purpose of this conference is not to ratify any > decision. It's just a discussion." > > The crowd, however, would hear none of it. "All of their meetings ultimately > serve the same objective -- to help corporations dominate the world," Ted > Glick of Bloomfield said. Glick arrived at 3:30 p.m. to open the rally and > expected to stay all night. > > Police departments from across the county spent the day converting the > conference center into a barricaded stronghold. > > By 11:15 a.m., a cadre of sheriff's officers and National Guard soldiers > dotted the landscape. Officers from the K-9 unit walked police dogs > around the perimeter of the property while sharpshooters from the > specialized Sheriff's Emergency Response Team appeared as tiny > silhouettes atop the conference center's rooftop. > > National Guard troops erected two first aid tents on property which > nearby Fairleigh Dickinson University owns. > > "We're here to expose the World Bank and IMF as false prophets > whose mission is to protect those who already control too much > wealth and power," Kuhn said before her arrest. > > She and Karpova circumvented police by checking in as guests a > few days prior to the start of the World Bank meeting, police said. > > By 8:30 p.m., the protesters had dwindled to about 20, but a party > atmosphere prevailed. Some protesters pounded drums, blew > wooden flutes and clanged bells to attract the attention of passing > motorists and to alert delegates that there was still a group of > demonstrators outside. > > Some police and protesters were conversing as the demonstration > wound down. > > They agreed the events of last night were a precursor to heightened > demonstrations set for today and tomorrow. > > A teach-in is set for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. today at the Drew University campus > in room 107 of the university center. Those who attend the session will > march to the protest site to join other demonstrators from 3 to 6 p.m. > > Protesters then are to return to Drew's Madison campus for a concert > from 7 to 11 p.m. > > Tomorrow, a rally will be held from noon to 5 p.m. in front of Fairleigh > Dickinson's Hamilton Park campus. > > Joseph McLaughlin can be reached at [EMAIL PROTECTED] > or (973) 428-6627.
