>To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >From: Bob Olsen <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >Date: Fri, 30 Jun 2000 12:50:19 +0100 >From: "Viviane Lerner" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: FW: (en) minutes from prague international meeting > > ________________________________________________ > A - I N F O S N E W S S E R V I C E > http://www.ainfos.ca/ > ________________________________________________ > >The following e-mail details the outcome of the June 16-18 International >Organising Meeting for the Prague September 2000 actions against the IMF and >the WB. Out of this meeting several important decisions were made regarding >the nature of the actions to be taken in September. These decisions are >highlighted below and immediately following them are the detailed minutes >from the meeting. > >ACTION DETAILS: > >Consensus regarding the action to be taken was reached after a complex >process of debate in general assembly, small groups, and in INPEG meetings. >This was a difficult process and still needs much figuring out, but thus far >we have: > >For the 26th of September - Global Day of Action: > > >We (INPEG) do not support the initiation of any violence against people, >animals or property. At the same time we support citizens' democratic rights >to demonstrate. We oppose any measures taken by any authorities to prevent >people from exercising this right. > >+ In the morning there will be AUTONOMOUS non-violent actions around Prague >with the aim to raise awareness and to disrupt the IMF/WB conference. It >was discussed that much of this will consist of creative non-violent action >with the theme of carnival with the purpose of outreach (i.e. - puppets, >music, theatre, art, etc.) > >+ In the afternoon, there will be a non-violent MASS ACTION OF CIVIL >DISOBEDIENCE with an aim to stop the IMF/WB. > >+ The non-violent action of civil disobedience will be announced publicly >months ahead, as we have nothing to hide and we don�t see any legitimacy in >the existence of the IMF/WB. > >In Addition to the 26th of September: > >- - Counter Summit - June 22 - 24 - > (that should probably read Sept 22 -24) > will explore issues of globalization >- - The Art of Resistance - June 22 - 24 > (that should probably read Sept 22 -24) > in conjunction with counter summit- >political arts festival with, theatre, music, dance, exhibitions etc. >- - Continued non-violent Protest Actions - June 27 - 28 > (that should probably read Sept 27 - 28) > > >MEETING MINUTES: > >INDEX: > >I) Participation >II) Brief overview of general situation in the Czech Republic >III) INPEG Update >IV) Working groups > a) Media: - mainstream media, - indymedia, - > b) Propaganda and agitprop > b) Accomodation > c) Counter summit > d) Political Art Festival > e) Law group > f) Fundraising group > h) group on European call > i)street and action group / assembly > >V) Next European meeting >VI) Trade Unions >VII) Calls by INPEG >overview of dates and activities >IX) Updates from European realities > >- ---------------------------------------- > >I) ==== Participation ==== > >Around 70 people from different parts of Europe attended the meeting: >France, UK, Germany, Netherlands, Spanish State, Italy, Finland, Norway, >Slovakia, USA and Czech Republic. People represented their organisations, >collectives, coalitions or participated as simple individuals. See under V - >update from groups or �participants� at <http://x21.org/s26> > >II) ==== Brief overview of general situation in the Czech Republic (CZ) > >The General situation is characterised by : >- - CZ is now more than 10 years after the change in regime from State >communism to capitalism >- - No long tradition of resistance. Grassroots groups in the country are >young and under experienced. >- - People are not informed adequately about IMF/WB and neoliberal policies. >- - There is a big attempt by the State and the Media to criminalise the >protest movement. Protesters are pictured as terrorists. There are visa >application problems. Apparently �extremists� have been identified and the >State may control people at the border. > >=== INPEG (Initiative Against Economic Globalisation) === > >INPEG is a coalition of individuals and organisations, created to >co-ordinate the anti IMF/WB protests. Thus far it includes various >anarchist, ecologist, socialist, and Christian groups that have come >together around the concept of uniting for justice against the World Bank >and IMF. . > >The work of INPEG has included so far: Solidarity demonstration with A16, >information stalls (two every week, one in Prague and one in Brno). >Preparation of speaker tours in the summer, one done in Bratislava >(Slovakia), Mainstream media communication so far. > >IV) ==== Working Groups ==== > >INPEG functions with several working groups. Some groups are yet to be >created. More support is needed. Feedback from the work done so far, >strategies, deficits and needs, suggestions, follows: > >a) Media and outreach group - outreach > >Report: Group is based in Brno not in Prague. Tools for outreach: website >(visited by 100 people /day), press releases, monthly newspaper (1000 >copies). >There�s a plan to produce a daily newspaper for Prague during the days of >action (10.000 copies). They would like to use a radio to make daily 5 hours >programmes during the days of action. For the last 5 months, the media has >included one article about the IMF/WB summit + protests every day. The >public is told that there will be riots and fights in the streets of Prague. >There is a lack of corroborated information available in Czech about the >social and environmental impacts of IMF/WB policies. > >Suggestions and decisions of the Media group at the meeting: > >*) MAIN STREAM MEDIA > >There is a decision to deal with it. INPEG is dealing with it. >- - Each country should start working on developing press contacts and have >representatives that are ready to plug into the media group/centre in early >September. >- - Suggestion to make a media centre for the days of the action that could >possibly be located in the IMF media centre >- - Set up an alternative press conference space, suggestion to have it in a >symbolic place that is important for Czechs. >- - Language - need a network of translators as everything needs translating >into other languages !!! >- - We have to have a clear strategy about issues beforehand in order to react >quickly. >- -Each country / language should contact movements around the world to send >in statements about IMF/WB to include in the press releases >- - Need more contacts to CEE countries >- - For activists coming to Praha there will be media trainings and >suggestions >on how to deal with the media, how to react to interviews etc. > >There will be an e-mail list serve for co-ordination of people wanting to >get involved >in the main stream media. It is [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subscribe by sending a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > >There will also be a one way mailing list just for sending out press >releases to journalists. > >A group of sympathetic journalists would like to help changing the image >spread in the media right now. They will set up a monitoring group of the >police. Call to send materials and videos of protest actions by your >organisations and movements giving a true image of what you are doing. >Materials that can be used to improve our image in the media. Contact: >[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > >*) INDY MEDIA CENTRE > >There is a lot of interest internationally of people wanting to help and >join but we urgently need people with the technical skills to set up the IMC >in the Czech Republic. This includes finding a venue. We need money for the >IMC !!! > >The IMC should probably start by 15th September to have everything set up in >time. There is an existing email list for co-ordination: Subscribe by >sending an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the words "subscribe >imc-prague" in the body of the message (no quotes). People also may be able >to subscribe through the web at >"<http://lists.indymedia.org>". Send your messages to >[EMAIL PROTECTED] > >We will have to break down into sub-groups: video group, radio group, etc > >*) OUTREACH and PROPAGANDA > >The idea is to produce a reader, alternative info pack with legal >information, strategic points, info about civil disobedience and an > >activists phrasebook� etc. There will be an email address for it soon. > >Anyone with good information about impacts of IMF/WB policies especially in >CEE countries, send it to INPEG. We should all be doing more research. > >Call for people to bring cameras etc to document the event. > >Group couldn�t discuss it extensively due to lack of time but this is a >massive area which needs to be developed !!! >Contact for the local outreach / Prag agitprop : [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >===== Accommodation ==== > >Try to be self sufficient as much possible. There are several cheap places >to stay in Prague: hostels, people at train station offering private homes, >contact friends etc... The INPEG website should have information on >accommodation possibilities soon: <http://inpeg.ecn.cz> During the days of >action, there will be information about accommodation available at the INPEG >information centre. INPEG is trying to organise as much decentralised >accommodation as possible. A camping site with space for 1500 people has >been secured so far. INPEG expects it to be mainly for Czechs. >The city of Prague has offered a stadium to accommodate people, this is >still in negotiation. Some people felt rather uncomfortable about staying in >the stadium, as the fear was that we could be blocked in by the police. > >==== Counter Summit === > >Report: >Aim to introduce critical views and alternatives to the IMF/WB polices as >the main pillars of capitalist globalisation and to the contradictions of >the capitalist system to the general public in the Czech Republic. The >Counter Summit will work closely with the Art of Resistance festival. > >When ? : The Counter Summit will take place from September 22nd-24th >Where ?: 3 venues have been secured: >- - Domovina, Cultural House, out of the centre. Reserved for 23-24.9. >Capacity 500 people for 10 hours a day. >- - Charles University, Faculty of Philosophy, in a centre close to the Old >Town Square. Reserved for 23,24. 9 whole day. Capacity: 440 people >- - Cinema �Aero�, out of centre, reservation 22nd-24th, 8:00 to 17:00 >capacity 360 people. >Several other places are in negotiation (university buildings, church...). >Venues will be clarified in 2-3 weeks. > >Who?: Several speakers have been contacted and proposed. Contact the >organisers for the list or if you want to help out in contacting people >E-mail for counter summit: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >Suggestions by the group meeting: > >- - the Counter Summit group should try to invite more people from CEE and >Southern Countries and should try to reach a gender balance in the speakers >participation. >- -to invite people that can report from struggles are wished, not only >theoretical presentations, discussions. Proposal for people from Mexico, >Bangladesh, India etc Lack people from CEE countries, please help. Ya Basta >(Italia) will officially invite the Zapatistas to come to Prague (consensus >by plenary). >- - Some ideas were put fwd for not only �lecture type� activities, but have >more participatory activities. combination of bands / speeches / >performances >- - Slogan ? the group is working on it. >- - proposal to involve the speakers of the CS in public forums in the streets >of Prague, during S26 (before/after) >- - CALL to find people who can translate from other languages to Czech (and >vice versa) at the summit. Please send all these contacts to INPEG office >address: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > >d) ==== Political Art Festival - �the Art of Resistance� ===== > >The aim of the festival is to give a cultural input in the political >activities: summit, protest, direct actions, outreach. And to organise some >public events for the general public: concerts, performances in a political >context. So far only little has been prepared as there was no-one to work on >it. People willing to work on it have just settled down in Prague. >CONTACT: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > >Suggestions by group that met in Prague: > >Theme: Carnival on the Streets, Carnival of resistance (?) >Date: September 22nd-28th. On 22-24 linking strongly with CS >Suggestion: day 25th day of outreach and agitation through carnival. >26th: working with the street and action group >27/28th: continuation > >Call for people to organise as autonomously as possible. >Need a large venue for preparation and for artists that will be arriving >earlier. >Want more Czech people to be involved in the preparations. >Idea: To have an alternative Eurovision contest > >Proposed Names: Shattered Lives, Forced Transitions, the Art of Resistance, >Alternative Realitys. >It is up to the group organising it to find the adequate name and take a >decision if common name or separate names. > >e) ==== LAW GROUP === > >There was an excellent legal briefing with a Czech lawyer. The notes from >that session will be processed separately from this report. They will be >checked by the lawyer again before sending out and being posted on the Inpeg >website. In general: there are a few laws that may be used to our >advantage. > >The legal centres will be run by students and lawyers without licences which >will provide all the necessary support during the days of action. They will >put you contact with licensed lawyers when necessary. > >The law group will provide 3 �bust cards� which will contain information >about your rights and phone numbers you can use. There will also be one bust >card in Czech language with which you will be able to communicate with the >police. > >Contact the law group through: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > >f) === FUNDRAISING GROUP === > >INPEG is in urgent need of money. Their bank account is currently in minus. >The amount of money to be raised for the minimal infrastructure and >activities is: 30.000 DM. Have raised 8.500 DM: Other applications are >still out and waiting for confirmation if granted or not. > >Money is needed for everything: printing costs, travel for people from >Southern Countries, IMC, office space etc etc. CALL for people outside of CZ >to make donations urgently. Please send donations to: ipb, CS.amrmady35, 160 > __________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki - Finland +358-40-7177941, fax +358-9-7591081 e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.kominf.pp.fi ___________________________________ [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe/unsubscribe messages mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] ___________________________________
