Imprimir
asian development bank vs. anti-capitalist action
by imc-philippines crew 2003-07-02 1:21 PM +0800
The protesters also further urge the Bank to acknowledge its accountability for the mess that plagues the Philippine power sector. “The restructuring of the power sector serves the ADB’s bottom line of creating the biggest space for foreign private capital, but is a dismal failure in terms of serving the public interest. The way the privatization of the Philippine energy sector has evolved has meant higher electricity prices for consumers, greater probability of private market power in the sector, lesser environmental protection, lesser consumer protection, and legitimating wrong policies and corruption.” Freedom from Debt Coalition (FDC) said.
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ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK VS. ANTI-CAPITALIST ACTION
imc-philippines crew (june 30, 2003)
ORTIGAS, Philippines- Decentralized anti-capitalist protest actions from various progressive groups such as BMP, SANLAKAS, FDC, KPD, BISIG, BAYAN, etc. occupied the 3 main entrance gates of Asian Development Bank (ADB) showing fierce resistance against the proposed multi-national imperialist projects and programs financed by the ADB and IMF-WB as the bank hold its 36th Annual Governors Meeting in Manila-June 30, 2003.
According to SANLAKAS, the proposed projects and programs initiated by the ADB is crucial to the horrors of local industry privatization that is currently causing long-term misery for the Filipino people. “ADB’s participation in privatizing the Metropolitan Water Works and Sewerage Systems (MWSS) is a classical case of a badly-designed privatization program, where the major aim appears to have been the creation of opportunities for foreign water companies rather than to ensure affordable and quality water services for all.” SANLAKAS, added.
The protesters also further urge the Bank to acknowledge its accountability for the mess that plagues the Philippine power sector. “The restructuring of the power sector serves the ADB’s bottom line of creating the biggest space for foreign private capital, but is a dismal failure in terms of serving the public interest. The way the privatization of the Philippine energy sector has evolved has meant higher electricity prices for consumers, greater probability of private market power in the sector, lesser environmental protection, lesser consumer protection, and legitimating wrong policies and corruption.” Freedom from Debt Coalition (FDC) said.
DIRECT ACTION
The protest starts around nine in the morning gathering up a number of 10,000 people besides the Ortigas Center while encircling the ADB building. The contingent of Kilusang para sa Pambansang Demokrasya (KPD)- a national democratic movement stormed the second gate and clashed with the police barricading along the street leading to ADB building. The group successfully stood their ground while the phalanx of police is pushing them behind.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the street, the groups from BMP, SANLAKAS and FDC surprisingly attacked the third gate causing to occupy the area and securely barricaded the service truck loading the group’s sound system. A handful of police tried to clash with the activists in the front line but the strong number of protesters neutralized the force of the police. It was around 10:30 a.m. when the place was securely captured and the program of speeches started. On the other block, BAYAN reclaimed the street across the first gate of the ADB building.
Around 11:00 a.m., police reinforcement arrived equipped with truncheons and night sticks to violently disperse the crowd. The fire truck positioned itself to water down the protesters but unfortunately some groups sporadically spreads out and coordinately converged back again in front of SHANGRI-LA hotel few blocks away from the ADB headquarters to execute a direct action against ADB President Tadao Chino and President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo who is having a luncheon meeting at the place.
The street fighting continued until around 1:00 p.m., According to one of the grass root activist from the socialist/syndicalist labor group- BMP, he said that these actions is only the beginning of build-up protest actions that will culminately proceed to a more bigger street dissent this coming STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS (SONA) of the President this third Monday of July. But so far, no one was hurt and no one was arrested.