With Chalk and Songs, Students Fight Global Injustice

Author: Nicha Rakpanichmanee

"We did not save the world," said Brittany Gill '02. Yet 15 Middlebury College students joined about 2,500 protesters from around the world in November 2001 on the streets of Ottawa, Canada. They marched, chanted and even danced for global causes like social justice and environmental responsibility.

The target of their discontent included international economic institutions like the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Group of 20 (G20). This latter group is composed of the Group of 7 (G7) most industrialized nations, Russia and a geographically diverse selection of 12 other "systemically important countries," as stated by the G7 in 1999, such as Argentina, China and Saudi Arabia.

From November 16 to 18, protesters joined the 2001 summit of economic policy makers from G20, the IMF's International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC) and the World Bank's Development Committee (DC).

Protesters and conference attendees were separated by the building's concrete walls as well as the more active wall of Ottawa police, German shepherds, tear gas guns and cold water blasts.

"We didn't stop the meetings," continued Gill. "We didn't talk to any of the representatives. We didn't even get into the building."

Many things did not happen at the Canadian capital last November. But last Monday in Bicentennial Hall 220, some students shared what they were able to accomplish

What drove them to Ottawa?



Allison Barker '04, president of The Progressives, asserted that such institutions as the World Bank and the IMF are "financially motivated" and "undemocratic." She cited the appointed — not elected — delegates, the "vague" meeting minutes which do not contain specific speeches and the absence of videotaping in conference rooms.

"This lack of transparency does not make [the representatives] responsible to us," she said.

Accompanying World Bank or IMF loans to needy nations are Structural Adjustment Plans (SAPs). "They basically tell governments how to run their countries," continued Barker. "[SAPs] take away the individuality of each country. They promote only economic growth, ignore environmental and social impacts [and] cause countries to cut social spending."

"[Loans and development projects] provide minimal benefits to the host country," Barker added. "The social and environmental costs are high. And countries end up paying off only interest, not their debts."

Barker organized Middlebury students to protest at Ottawa because "there were so many people who could not be there." She explained, "Most people who are [adversely] affected live in impoverished areas, mostly in third-world countries, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere. These meetings take place in industrial countries, in the Northern Hemisphere, where people are not affected."

If they did not save the world,

what did protesters do?



Between the motivational speeches and marches around Ottawa, "we created solidarity among the people that came, built networks and raised awareness," said Gill.

In addition to Middlebury students, numerous other schools and activist organizations attended the streets outside the G20, IMFC and DC meetings. In comparison to the over 50,000 crowd at Quebec City earlier in 2001, the Ottawa protest was small. This was due to the last minute announcement after Sept. 11, moving the meeting's location from New York City to Ottawa. Organizers of the protest had three weeks to prepare.

Still, the list included students from University of Vermont, Carleton College and University of Ottawa. A nonprofit group called Food Not Bombs fed the protesters. There was also a group providing free legal service. Barker noted a man from Bolivia, who went to protest the privatization of water in his village.

"Suddenly, you go from a group of 15 Middlebury students to a group of a few thousand people," added Barker. "It just fuels your passion."

"We built a trust with each other," said Gill. "We realized we were here for the same purpose, for social justice."

Between police barricades, protesters marched with signs, wrote on sidewalks with chalk and sang slogans like "We're not violent, how about you?" and "Revolution will be coming."

Few people acted violently at Ottawa. The police employed few of their weapons. In comparison to previous demonstrations in Seattle and Quebec City, the 50 confirmed arrests in November 2001 rated the Ottawa event rather peaceful.

Among the 50 arrested, one was a Middlebury student, who wished to remain anonymous. The student was detained "under investigation" for almost 16 hours in the basement of a courtroom without means of communication. According to the student, the police asked "Where are you from?" The student answered Vermont, and the police said, "Oh, an American! You're coming with us." The student was released at 4:30 a.m. the next morning with no charges. "It was obviously an attempt to diminish the number of protesters," this student commented.

"[The student] was unjustly detained, arrested for being a 'potential troublemaker'," said Gill. "That strengthened my reason for having gone."



Two months later,

what did they achieve?



"After being anti-this, anti-that, it was nice to gather positive ideas," said Barker. "We [protesters] bounced ideas off each other, and we agreed that we wanted a movement based on grassroots [support], local people in control of local resources. And our basic goals are decent wages, healthcare and respect for the environment."

Barker acknowledged that these goals are "definitely idealistic." However, she noted that "they are value goals, not concrete goals. From that, we need to make more concrete steps. I don't think what we've been doing was for nothing."

"Making the World Bank and IMF more transparent, this is an incredibly laudable goal," said Assistant Professor of Economics Jon Isham.

He compared these non-violent protests to those of the Civil Rights movement and called them both "very heroic" and "steps in the right direction."

However, from Isham's three-year experience working with the World Bank, he commented that the employees of such institutions are "as dedicated to saving lives and lessening poverty as the protesters." He joined the World Bank after being in the Peace Corps and obtaining a masters degree in social change and development.

While backing the protesters' fight to push such institutions to achieve higher ideals, Isham noted that the World Bank has made significant improvement in making its institution more transparent.

He made reference to the World Bank office and library, which are open to the public, and project documents, some of which are, for the first time, obtainable and free. "Whether it can go far enough is the question," he said.



Reform...

from without or within?



About a month after attending the Ottawa protest, Matt Longo '04.5 wrote a letter to Congressman Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) about the Fast Track Trade Authority Bill H.R. 3005. This bill sends presidential trade negotiations to Congress without the possibility of amendments. Consequently, room for negotiation is limited. Barker notes the difficulty of placing social and environmental provisions on such international trade agreements.

"This allows multinational corporations and organizations like the IMF and World Bank to exploit resources in developing countries," said Longo. "If trade laws don't make businesses accountable for their actions, ultimately the powerless will be harmed the most."

Sanders replied to Longo's letter in an e-mail explaining his vote against the bill. The Fast Track Bill passed in the House, however, by a vote of 215-214.

"Both
protesters and politicians like Sanders are fighting for the same cause," continued Longo. "People probably take Sanders more seriously than protesters; this is my way of supporting the cause. I can't make any bills, but I can talk to people, let them know that things need to be changed."

Just as the power to influence the Fast Track Bill lies within congressmen's hands, World Bank reforms can only arise from World Bank employee initiatives.

"I think that change won't happen unless it's from within the system," said Gill.

Isham noted two other institutions with the power to reform international economic institutions like the World Bank and the IMF: national governments and the press.

"We assume that these governments, the receiver of loans, care," said Isham. "But it's true in the United States too. We have our own version of political corruption."

"The press is also accountable," added Isham. "Why aren't we hearing more about the lack of education, lack of literacy around the world? It's true that people want to hear about Gary Condit. But 1.5 billion people live on two dollars a day or less. That to me seems to be news."

Gill mentioned a newspaper article covering the Ottawa protest, which attributed the small crowd of protesters to "cold weather." She said, "It wasn't about cold weather. There was not enough time to plan for a protest, especially one of this magnitude."

Nevertheless, Gill is optimistic about their influence last November as protesters. Perhaps that is why approximately 10 Middlebury students are driving to New York City this weekend to protest against the World Economic Forum.

"[The delegates] could hear us through the building," said Gill. "They could see us in the newspapers, whether it's fair or biased coverage. They do have to be careful where they step."