Private companies exist to make pronts. it is incir tca son for existence to provide returns for their share-holdAre party PR excursions are purely The point is that it should not be their job to ensure Secause this is the job of governments. That is what governments are for. Affordable Health Governments must recognise that health is more than than promoting the eliminaof discase, rich ora stoucasueSC support is available for the poor.
governments in the developed world must support nS TUCH which would enable children to grow up in an all-round healthy environment. People with need quate housing, employment and tion. People throughout the world need the cancellation oocoeso caae col tries can afford public ser. vices such as health and education. Health is more than the MASCe OSCS The victory of South African people with HIV in the court-room in Pretoria shows that world-wide peomeny different tay, that many different ways, people come before profit.
Need v. greed
The imagery and the victory were clear. It was and is life and death. It was and is For the pharmaceuticals to declare immediately afterSusan Moore QUEBEC CITY from April 20-22 was the site of the latest round of international mass protests, this time in opposition to the Summit of the Americas. For tne governmeais of the Western hemisphere (excluding boardroom, the idea was further talks towards creating a "free trade" arca across tne rolc exion, in orace that the process of neo-liberal global.
could smoothly.
The protesters - upwards of 50,000 of them, of course had other ideas These mobilisations in Quebec, and echoing protests in other parts of tac smencas, saw arcater wiloa par ticipation than we have seen at any previous anti-capitalist demonstrations. This was despite the attempts by the union leaderships to keep a predominantly youthful protestors.
To some extent this reflects the strength and combativity of the trade union movement in the Canadian state were battles against privatisation in particular have been bitter He OH DE AISO CHCAC the fact that increasing numbers of trade unionists world wide see the movement as their own.
The attempts of the Canadian gorernment to suppress the protest through a range of repressive meakonicci dubbed the 4 metre high metal fence round the conference site the :"Wall hic ano sons noHa to the summit highlighted the attack this represented on the democratic righis ol all those who live in tne The wall was breached in serdemonstra Since January the Canadian police the country - searching cars and takAt leas: 100 ing people off activists were prevented from entering including at least one person who CONO NOVeS WOS Hio Proviuo medical assistance and had no crimi. 8181 CORV IONS The police violence on the demonstration itself was extreme. X rounds or tcar gas werc Brca durink tac course of the weekend - fortunately a lot of the time the wind was blowing he gas away from the protestors ani Use police lines. The hotels anc the convention center were required to shut their windows and their air conditioning systems so that the tear cas does not cater toc unocmocratic Water cannon and rubber bullets werc aiso usca - onc man was shoc in the leg when dancing with a group of drummers about 1>-20 metres away from the police lines. Another marcher, already on the ground, was On one occasion on the Friday a group of protestors were chased by the police into a block of flats which turned out to be a sheltered housing peace sign to the police, and others explaining to them in both English and French that this was obviously where pensioners lived. Despite this, and the fact of the residents were visible volleys of tear gas were fired into the block. At another point the police became frustrated that people near the fence were hecoming immune to the gas. so they starting throwing canisters further back where people weren't OCO SCR CaSEC missed their mark and fell into the streets below. Over 400 people were arrested and 120 hurt - of which 2 were police.
yet again proves that the real violence comes not Trom those opposing neo-liberalism but those in the state protecting it...
Amnesty International, after examining a report trom tis coscryct in Quebec City, made a statement. expressing concein about:
" the excessive use of tear gas on protesters not involved in violent Ponaviou: Oi property or police, including the firing of tear gas canisters directly at vate property for no apparent reason (the use of tear gas in enclosed spaces is extremely dangerous in certain circumstances);
•Ml the use of plastic bullets in situ• ations where the safety of police officers and the integrity of the Summit were not threatened;
the use of an electro-shock device (taser on a peaceful demonstrator who had refused police instructions to move. This amounts treatment;
the denial of prompt legal repatrose anun "• the overcrowding of cells conraining those arrested, including the holding of up to five persons in cells designed for two"
the events in Quebec, as well as the increased state violence against May Day marches across the globe, that our oponents in the boardrooms and governments rattled strength and visibility of the anticapitalist movement. The best way of ensure the biggest possible mobilisation for Genoa in July If you haven't yet booked transport • to Genoa contact globalise resistance on 0208 980 3005 or 7956 681328 or contact www. resist.org.uk.