Dear friends
STAND UP FOR GLOBAL JUSTICE
As you know, we are only a week away from the World Economic Forum (WEF)
meeting, to be held at the Crown Casino in Melbourne from September 11 -
13th 2000.
We are writing to encourage you and your organisation to join the
non-violent blockade of the Crown Casino during the WEF meeting. While the
conservative media has done its best to stir up fears of violence many
groups like FoE are determined to hold creative, disciplined and focused
peaceful action to close down the WEF.
To this end, we invite you to join us in a 'green block' which will be a
part of the non-violent blockade around the Casino. We wish to maintain an
autonomous blockade under the broader S11 umbrella, which is targeted,
peaceful, with a clear focus, and good liaison with the police and other
activist groups operating around us. The green bloc will function as a
collective of affinity groups - it will be made up of a number of affinity
groups and individuals. Peacekeeping and liaison with police and other
groups will be undertaken for the green bloc, not for other sections of the
rally.
From this area we will be coordinating our own action that compliments the
overall S11 blockade to stop the World Economic Forum. We are organising
peacekeeping training and briefing everyone on nonviolent protest
techniques. If you do not wish to be part of the blockade you will have the
option of joining the supportive presence beyond the police lines.
The key times for blockading will be from 7am - 10am each morning as WEF
delegates attempt to enter the building. We will gather at 6.45 each
morning just to the west side of Crown Towers on Whiteman St, South
Melbourne where we will be identifiable by the Friends of the Earth banner-
"stand up for global justice".
We will meet briefly each morning to work out the 'game plan' for that day.
Ideally we would hope you could attend as an affinity group with a
nominated spokesperson or spokespeople who can represent your group in the
planning meetings.
Our intention in holding an identifiable green presence at the blockade is
two fold:
1. to ensure the environmental and social consequences of corporate
defined globalisation are on the agenda in the media coverage of the WEF
meeting; and
2. to help ensure the largest possible cross section of environmental
and social groups are represented at the WEF protests. We believe we can
play a significant role in helping create a safe and focussed forum for
direct action by co-operating with other green groups in actions with good
peace keeping and a strong commitment to non-violence.
We would encourage you to bring along whatever banners, placards or other
materials you think are appropriate. We are also planning to host a
'cup-of-tea space' in a nearby park. This will be a relaxed place to share
information, unwind from being on the picket line and liaise with passers
by. The S11 stage, food, and other groups will be located here (this is
still subject to negotiations with the police). Again, we would welcome
your involvement in this.
Please feel free to contact Peter Barker, Cam Walker, Cam Ling, Loretta
O'Brien, Domenica Settle or Damian Sullivan for extra information. We will
also be holding an open planning meeting for Green Block events at FoE
Melbourne on 10am Friday 8 September. Ring (03) 9419 8700.
--
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