Cancun Files: A Day of Cooperation

By Tom Hayden, AlterNet. Posted September 13, 2003.

Tom Hayden reports from the WTO ministerial conference in Cancun each day. Read yesterday's report.

CANCUN, Sept.11 (1:40 PM) -- While protestors succeeded in taking direct action inside the WTO security perimeter today, delegates from the global South reported that the White House was making phone calls leaning on their governments, who are fighting for impoverished small farmers. In response, the Brazilian government's negotiators opened a new alliance with global activist organizations to push back at the rich countries.

Mexican police have cordoned marchers behind barricades ten kilometers from the convention center. But moving individually and in small groups, with some dressed as tourists, at least a hundred protestors engaged in street actions and draped a banner from a construction site visible from the center. The protest led to several arrests. Led by Teamster activist Jennifer Esposito, 40 U.S. protestors were thrown out of a private meeting between members of Congress, Wal-Mart, JC Penney, the Gap, the Limited, and Target meant to promote the benefits of corporate liberalization in southern Africa.

Meanwhile the Bush Administration was ratcheting up the pressure, reportedly making direct phone calls lobbying Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Thailand, South Africa, the Philippines and possibly others affiliated with the Group of 21 (G21) that was formed a month ago to challenge Western agribusiness subsidies. Together, the 21 governments represent over 60 percent of the world's rural population.

Brazil's government was warned it was "not in their interest" to be aligned with the G-21, while Colombia and Costa Rica were informed that their talks with Washington on free trade were in jeopardy due to their position. While the White House strategy was denounced as "bullying" by Lori Wallach of Citizens Trade Watch and a coalition of non-governmental organizations, there were no signs, at least today, that the G-21 nations are succumbing to the U.S. and EU campaign.

In a significant new development, the Brazilian negotiating team held a closed-door briefing for civil society activists from nearly 20 countries, including the U.S., Germany, France, Norway, Canada, Italy, Sweden, Mexico, the U.K., Holland, India, the Philippines and Australia. Brazil's government, which was a catalyst in building the G-21, is led by Inacio Lula da Silva, whose Workers Party has sponsored two previous global forums bringing together the social justice movements. Today's meeting, facilitated by Wallach, was a new step in coordinating progressive citizen campaigns with progressive governments challenging the WTO's priorities from within.

Declaring the status quo unacceptable, the Brazilians said there was no reason for optimism at the moment but pointed to a "a certain space for talks to continue." Reflecting a consensus in the room, they said no agreement at Cancun would be better than a bad agreement. Asked by Global Exchange's Kevin Danaher whether Brazil was supportive of an alliance among small farming interests, including U.S. family farmers, against the corporate agricultural interests of the U.S. and EU, the Brazilian minister declared "Si!" and commended the NGO's for moving the globalization debate forward.

Differences emerged in the meeting as well. India's Vandana Shiva condemned the existing trade regime, the so-called Uruguay Round, as "devastating," noting reports of 20,000 farmer suicides in her country. Issues of import regulation and biodiversity should not be "dropped through the cracks" in the current negotiations, she added.

The Brazilians were not optimistic at the moment on the state of discussions with the U.S. and EU. The U.S. negotiating language was becoming a "little harsh," they said.. On the other hand, U.S. negotiators were still asking the G21 "what can you give us," indicating the possibility of a negotiated outcome by Sunday.

The newborn G21, while still fragile, is a strategic project that will continue beyond Cancun and address critical issues other than agriculture.

CANCUN, Sept. 12, (8 PM) -- The demonstration that shut down traffic around the WTO convention center was imagined for months but planned only this morning by the direct action wing of the global justice movement.

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