5/7/00 Now that the distractions of evil " Communism " are gone, only capitalism is left to deal with. Lo and behold, it stands before the world on its own. And people hate it for what it is and does. It has no excuses. The fewer it serves, the shorter its life expectancy. Joshua2 ======== BBC News Sunday, 7 May, 2000, 10:46 GMT 11:46 UK Protests against Asian capitalism Police said they had never seen such a determined crowd Thousands of demonstrators have pushed past police lines in protest against policies of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), which is holding its annual meeting in Thailand. Up to 3,000 Thai activists, farmers and students chanted slogans "ADB go to hell" and blocked traffic in the northern town on China Mai. Imaginative protest in China Mai Many of the protesters claim they have lost their land or livelihoods as a result of ADB-funded projects. They say the bank's policies have worsened poverty and damaged the environment. Police officials at the demonstration are quoted as saying they have never seen such a large and determined crowd. However, there was no violence and no serious casualties. Pushing through The activists, many wearing brightly coloured headbands and carrying flags and banners, belong to a number of non-governmental and student organisations. They were joined by poor farmers from around Chiang Mai, the town in the middle of Thailand's agricultural heartland. We promise that we will listen to you and we need to meet more ADB's representative Craig Steffensen Chanting slogans, they marched towards police arm in arm, holding banners critical of the ADB and other global financial institutions. They pushed through crowd-control barriers, forcing riot police into a hurried retreat to a final line of defence just 10 metres from a hotel where the meeting is held. Elite Thai Army border troops armed with shields, sticks and tear gas backed up police as bewildered officials looked on from inside the hotel. The march left a trail of debris with twisted metal barriers dumped on the side of the road and smashed lights at roadside restaurants. Demands Protest leaders have submitted a letter demanding that ADB loans to Thailand be scrapped. They also want Thailand to resist ADB pressure to charge for water used in farming. If the ADB continues to refuse and respond to these issues we are concerned it will increase the likelihood of confrontation From the protesters' letter The ADB's representative Craig Steffensen, who met the protesters, told them that the issues need to be discussed. "We promise that we will listen to you and we need to meet more," he said. But the protesters refused to leave the venue. "If the ADB continues to refuse and respond to these issues and demands in a meaningful and sincere way we are concerned it will increase the likelihood of confrontation," their statement said. "You have a legal and moral responsibility to respond, you have an opportunity to do so now, and we urge you not to miss it." The ADB in Thailand The ADB's Vice President Myoung-Ho Shin delivered a long and detailed reply to questions asked by non-governmental organisations on Saturday. ADB replies to demands The ADB has lent $1.2 billion to Thailand as part of its contributions to help it to recover from the 1997 economic crisis. Some of its projects deal with irrigation for agriculture, waste water management and the operations of government health care and education. Governors of the bank were meeting to discuss poverty alleviation projects and expanding the ADB's soft-loan facility. 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