[IMC-News] IMC NEWSBLAST | January 10, 2002
imc-news@lists.indymedia.org
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Thu, 10 Jan 2002 14:28:49 -0500 (EST)
IMC NEWSBLAST | January 10, 2002
D14 IN BRUSSELS - EU & THE EURO - NATO GATHERING IN MUNICH
Compiled by the Indymedia News Blast Team & IMC BELGIUM
<http://www.indymedia.be>http://www.indymedia.be
<mailto:imc-belgium@lists.indymedia.org>imc-belgium@lists.indymedia.org
LANGUAGES: English
-
En:
<http://belgium.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=15631&group=webcast>http://belgium.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=15631&group=webcast
URL's of translations will be added on the url of English newsblast !
The IMC NEWS BLAST features a selection of news summaries and stories found
on the Independent Media Center websites and in other media.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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1. SUMMARY: EU-SUMMIT IN BRUSSELS
2. IMC FEATURES ON THE D13-15 ACTIONS
3. ACTIONS
3.1 NGO Forum
3.2 d13 - Union Demonstration
3.3 d14 - demonstration
3.4 d15 - Peace March - Anarchist Demonstration - Street Parade
4. MEDIA WATCHING
5. OUTCOMES OF EU SUMMIT
6. LINKS
- Activism
- Extensive alternative media coverage
- Official sources
7. EU & THE EURO
8. NATO GATHERING IN
9. IMC RESOURCES AND ADDITIONAL COVERAGE
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1. SUMMARY: EU-SUMMIT IN BRUSSELS
In the second half of 2001, Belgium served as president of the European
Union. During at least five of the 2001 EU summits there were protests:
Brugge (s6), Leuven (s14-15), Liège (s21-22), Gent (o19) & Brussels (d13-15).
While the corporate media seemed to acknowledge somewhat the so-called
antiglobalisation movement, most of the focus was on the "violence issue"
rather than on the political, social and economic aspects the movement is
fighting for.
The summit in Brussels was a clear example of the repressive tactics being
used against the anticapitalist movement by both the Belgian government and
the EU in general. Despite this repression, during the three days of the
summit, at least 100,000 people demonstrated.
2. IMC FEATURES ON THE D13-15 ACTIONS
INDYMEDIA WWW FEATURES
For links and many reports on the actions around d13 - d15, see IMC center
column features at: belgium.indymedia.org, www.indymedia.org,
athens.indymedia.org, austria.indymedia.org, barcelona.indymedia.org,
france.indymedia.org, germany.indymedia.org, italy.indymedia.org,
russia.indymedia.org, thessaloniki.indymedia.org, indymedia.org.uk,
radio.indymedia.org, indymedia.nl and more.
INDYMEDIA BELGIUM COVERAGE:
A complete multimedia overview:
<http://belgium.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=14884&group=webcast>http://belgium.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=14884&group=<http://belgium.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=14884&group=webcast>webcast
This article should continue to be updated to cover all articles, pictures,
etc. that appear on the Belgium site about the actions. Other IMC and
non-IMC coverage will also be compiled here. While reading this newsblast
it may help to have this overview open as well. Links are grouped by day
and are therefore easy to find while reading more details below.
RADIO BRUXXEL:
A collaboration between Bruxxel, Cinema Nova, Indymedia and others, Radio
Bruxxel was a four-day-long, 24-hour non-stop radio broadcast on the web and
on four local radio stations in Brussels:
<http://www.bruxxel.org/article.php3?id_article=17>http://www.bruxxel.org/article.php3?id_article=17
http://www.indymedia.nl/live/
INDYMEDIA PAPiER
IMC Belgium ran a daily print of 6,000 copies on December 13, 14 and 15.
All editions were trilingual (en - fr - du).
13 Dec:
<http://belgium.indymedia.org/local/webcast/uploads/print13th_laeken.pdf>http://belgium.indymedia.org/local/webcast/uploads/print13th_laeken.<http://belgium.indymedia.org/local/webcast/uploads/print13th_laeken.pdf>pdf
14 Dec:
<http://belgium.indymedia.org/local/webcast/uploads/krantje2.pdf>http://belgium.indymedia.org/local/webcast/uploads/krantje2.<http://belgium.indymedia.org/local/webcast/uploads/krantje2.pdf>pdf
15 Dec:
<http://belgium.indymedia.org/local/webcast/uploads/krantje3.pdf>http://belgium.indymedia.org/local/webcast/uploads/krantje3.<http://belgium.indymedia.org/local/webcast/uploads/krantje3.pdf>pdf
Print overview page:
<http://belgium.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=11788&group=webcast>http://belgium.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=11788&group=<http://belgium.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=11788&group=webcast>webcast
3 ACTIONS
3.1 NGO FORUM
A forum organised one week before the summit by a number of Belgium NGO's,
with funding from the Belgian government. Even the big Unions ended up
supporting this forum.
3.2 D13
The big unions didn't want to demonstrate together with the leftist
parties/NGO's on D14. There were around 100,000 at this demonstration,
where people from the bankrupt Sabena took the lead, together with Greek
syndicalists. People came from all over Europe, with big delegations from
France (10,000+), Germany, Greece (2,000+), etc.
3.3 D14
Twenty-five thousand people from the more radical side of the movement
demonstrated. The demonstration itself was calm until some people started
throwing bricks at bank offices. For the police this was the excuse for a
repression campaign ending in the blocking of about 25,000 at the
Turn&Taxis site. Numerous undercover cops (and provocateurs ??) were
identified, despite the mayor's promise that no undercover cops would be used.
<http://www.d14.be>http://www.d14.be
3.4 D15
- D14 peace demo.
About 5,000 people gathered at a summit and peace march organised by "D14".
<http://www.d14.be>http://www.d14.be
- Anarchist demo:
3,000 anarchists demonstrated from Hallepoort to the south station. Again,
numerous masked and unmasked undercover cops were present. Some riots with
the police took place, and video cameras, a bank, and cars were trashed. At
the end of the demo most people went on in the street parade. There was a
bigger riot with the police near the south station resulting in a lot of
arrests.
<http://www.anarchy.be>http://www.anarchy.be
- Street parade
This street party was organised by the "Bruxxel" collective. Five thousand
people were expressing themselves in the streets. The police blocked the
whole parade in a small street for more then one hour. People stayed
relatively quiet until the police finally let the parade go on.
<http://www.bruxxel.org>http://www.bruxxel.org
4. Media Watching
A mediawatch team kept busy tracking the corporate press response. One of
their most important conclusions was that the corporate press focused most
of its time and energy on following the violence. While there were many big
reports about the violence, there was almost no analysis of why people were
protesting or of the violence and repression used by the government.
<http://belgium.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=14884&group=webcast#repression>http://belgium.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=14884&group=webcast<http://belgium.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=14884&group=webcast#repression>#repression
5 OUTCOMES OF THE EU SUMMIT
The EU summit in Laeken was important for several reasons. First: the issue
of the growth of the union. At least 10 countries are nearly ready to
become full members of the EU. At some point in 2003-04 (before the next
European elections) they'll become members.
In addition to the issue of the growth, some European Institutions are
having problems with their function in the context of the union, and aren't
adapted to working in a bigger EU. Therefore, it has been decided that a
"convention" will work on this matter. The EU is also working on its
critics. They want things to look more democratic without being it.
On issues with more direct impact on the people, some information can be
found in the offical documents: There were agreements on further
privatisation of public services -- at least, for the Postal Services
there's an agreement. Immigration (especially stopping it) is also an
important issue in "Fort Europe". There will be a coordinated and common
asylum and immigration policy. The aftermath of the WTC attack lead to new
laws on terrorism. According to Statewatch, this law is also dangerous for
protestors.
6. LINKS
- Activism
ANARCHY (in Belgium)
<http://www.anarchy.be/>http://www.anarchy.be/
ANOTHER EUROPE
<http://www.anothereurope.org/>http://www.anothereurope.org/
BRUXXEL
<http://www.bruxxel.org/D14>http://www.bruxxel.org/
D14
<http://d14.be>http<http://d14.be>://d14.be
EUROMARCHES:
<http://www.euromarches.org/>http://www.euromarches.org/
PROTEST.NET
<http://www.protest.net>http://www.protest.net
- Extensive alternative media coverage
BRUXXEL
<http://www.bruxxel.org>http://www.bruxxel.org
KANAL B
<http://kanalb.de/spezial-bruessel2001/index.jsp?such=bruessel2001>http://kanalb.de/spezial-bruessel2001/index.jsp<http://kanalb.de/spezial-bruessel2001/index.jsp?such=bruessel2001>?such=bruessel2001
NADIR
<http://www.nadir.org>http://www.nadir.org
PRIMITIVI
<http://www.transversales.com/primitivi/marsBrux/marsbrux.htm>http://www.transversales.com/primitivi/marsBrux/marsbrux.htm
SAMIZDAT
<http://hns.samizdat.net/rubrique.php3?id_rubrique=38>http://hns.samizdat.net/rubrique<http://hns.samizdat.net/rubrique.php3?id_rubrique=38>.php3?id_rubrique=38
STATEWATCH
<http://www.statewatch.org/>http://www.statewatch.org/
- Official sources
Official Belgian EU presidency site
<http://www.eu2001.be/>http://www.eu2001.be/
Council of the European Union
<http://www.consilium.eu.int>http://www.consilium.eu.int
Official European Union site
<http://europe.eu.int>http://europe.eu.<http://europe.eu.int>int
Debate: The future of Europe
<http://europa.eu.int/futurum/>http://europa.eu.int/futurum<http://europa.eu.int/futurum/>/
Overview of offical EU sites:
<http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/GSSI/eu.html>http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/GSSI/eu.html
7. EU & THE EURO
The European Union has a new currency. It's not exactly new, except you can
pay now cash with it. In 12 countries it's now the official currency. This
will lead to even more liberalism and militarism in Europe. Critics say
it's impossible to have a strong currency without enough military power
behind that currency.
8. NATO GATHERING IN MUNICH
Every year in February the Munich Security Conference is hold, a meeting of
administration officials of the NATO-members and about 200 representative
military strategists, generals and experts on military equipment. This top
is about to militarise even more Europe, USA and the world. A lot of
organisations are working together in a platform against this Nato top.
Agenda:
- Feb 1: protest manifestation at the city hall
- Feb 2. Carnival Against the Nato - demonstration to the summit place -
"anti-congress" against militarism.
<http://www.anti-nato.de.vu/>http://www.anti-nato.de.vu/
http://www.stopthenato.org
9. IMC RESOURCES AND ADDITIONAL COVERAGE
- Ongoing Coverage
See these indymedia websites: IMC global, http://www.indymedia.org, and
links in the left column of IMC websites to over 60 IMC local websites and
various media projects, including the following:
IMC Print
For upcoming print summaries of the WTO actions and other issues in
distributable newsletter-flier format, see:
<http://print.indymedia.org>http://print.indymedia.<http://print.indymedia.org>org
IMC Radio (ongoing radio coverage)
<http://radio.indymedia.org>http://radio.indymedia.<http://radio.indymedia.org>org
IMC TV (ongoing video coverage from various IMCs)
<http://www.indymedia.org/video/imc.ram>http://www.indymedia.org/video/imc.ram
Past IMC Newsblasts:
<http://lists.indymedia.org/mailman/public/imc-news/>http://lists.indymedia.org/mailman/public/imc<http://lists.indymedia.org/mailman/public/imc-news/>-news/
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imc-belgium@indymedia.<mailto:imc-belgium@indymedia.org>org, for this
edition only)
SOLIDARITY.
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INDEPENDENT MEDIA CENTER
The IMC is a decentralized network of independent media makers, organizers,
and activists working to increase democracy and social justice by reporting
events and producing information as acts of autonomy, resistance, and
liberation. A working group comprising individuals throughout the network
compiled this News Blast.
The IMC was established to cover the WTO protests in Seattle in November,
1999. Hundreds of media activists have since set up more than 60
independent media centers around the world, including sites in Argentina,
Belgium, Brasil, Chiapas, Canada, France, Italy, Prague, South Africa,
Sydney, U.S., and many more.
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