LL:ART: S11 Protest victory despite police brutality

[Communist Party of Australia]

                                     Communist Party Statement

The following statement was published in "The Guardian", newspaper
of the Communist Party of Australia in its issue of Wednesday,
September 20th, 2000. Contact address: 65 Campbell Street, Surry Hills.
Sydney. 2010 Australia. Phone: (612) 9212 6855 Fax: (612) 9281 5795.
CPA Central Committee: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
"The Guardian": <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Webpage: http://www.cpa.org.au>
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  S11 Protest victory despite police brutality
                 Communist Party of Australia Statement

During the meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) held at the
Crown Casino in Melbourne from September 11 to 13, thousands of
people took to the streets in opposition to the insatiable greed,
brutality and arrogance of capitalism, its corporations and the
governments that serve them.

The courageous demonstrations reveal the growing understanding of
the real nature of the world we live in. More and more people are
coming out against Nike, Nestle, Mitsubishi, Shell, Rio Tinto and
the many other transnationals with their criminal exploitation
and abuse of workers, peasants and the environment upon which we
all depend for survival.

Over the three days of actions in Melbourne at least 30,000
people took part, many of them young, many from organisations,
some coming as individuals.

They came to condemn corporate globalisation, to speak out for
the poor and oppressed, to fight for a better future and, as
their immediate aim, to shut down the WEF meeting.

A real people's alliance was built on the streets of Melbourne
with many discussions, street theatre, music and a carnival
atmosphere in which the people felt the strength of their numbers
and the common cause between all participants.

On the first day there was some success with about one-third of
the delegates kept out of the meeting. On the second and third
days, in order to get WEF delegates into and out of the meeting,
police on foot, on horseback and using dogs, smashed their way
through the human barricades.

To the screams and shouts which echoed around the gambling casino
where the WEF meeting was held, were added the sirens of
ambulances rushing injured protesters to hospitals.

The demonstrators, many of them new young activists, showed
outstanding courage and commitment in the face of large and
brutal police actions.

This brutality was another example of the growing repression by
reactionary governments being used against the people resisting
the attacks on their jobs, democratic rights, health, housing,
education, welfare services and environment.

The right-wing Labor Premier of Victoria first provoked the
violence by criticising the police for not being "forceful"
enough. After the police violence he praised them for doing what
he called an "excellent job".

The right-wing Labor Premier of New South Wales, described the
demonstrations as "bully-boy fascism", while he found unity
inside the WEF rubbing shoulders with Bill Gates and other
corporate capitalists.

The right-wing Labor leaders together with the representatives of
the conservative parties found their brand of common cause in
protecting the interests of global capital.

Not for the first time, right-wing social democracy betrayed the
people.

The police brutality is being investigated by Victoria's
Ombudsman and many of those injured are taking legal action
against the police.

On the second day, a large trade union rally marched to the
casino to hold a protest rally against globalisation. Following
the meeting many joined the people's blockade.

Despite the police violence, despite the lies and
misrepresentation of sections of the media, despite the injuries
and fear, the demonstrators were steadfast in maintaining their
blockade for three days.

Spokesmen for the World Economic Forum went on the defensive,
claiming that they had failed to properly "explain" the benefits
of globalisation and free trade to the public.

Some claimed that they shared many of the concerns of the
protesters and that, of course, everyone should share in the
benefits of globalisation.

These smooth, well fed, well dressed representatives of the big
corporations own and control vast wealth, but they are not
convincing a growing number of people around the world.

They will not convince millions that their poverty, unemployment,
lack of health care and their homelessness is "inevitable" as WEF
representatives assert.

The word "capitalism" has come back into the vocabulary here in
Australia and a stronger basis for real social change is being
built.

To the names of Seattle, Washington and Davos can now be added
Melbourne, September 2000.

It is now, "Over to you Prague", where the next battle against
IMF, World Bank and corporate capitalism is to take place in a
week's time.

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