Copyright © 1999 NLThomas
All Rights Reserved

It is estimated that over fifty thousand of people converged on Seattle for the World Trade Organization meeting.

"Established in 1995, the WTO is a powerful new global commerce agency, which transformed the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) into an enforceable global commercial code.

The WTO is one of the main mechanisms of corporate globalization. The WTO's 700-plus pages of rules set out a comprehensive system of corporate-managed trade. Under the WTO's system of corporate-managed trade, economic efficiency, reflected in short-run corporate profits, dominates other values. Decisions affecting the economy are to be confined to the private sector, while social and environmental costs are borne by the public".

First Nations and Native Americans from Canada and United States through the sponsorship of the Indigenous Environmental Network, and the Seventh Generation, in partnership with the Indigenous Women's Network and other Indigenous organizations spent 5 days in sessions educating their members and the broader public about ways that the WTO and international trade agreements will impact the globe's Indigenous Peoples.

While they were left out of formal representation,Indigenous peoples wasted no time in educating others present. They were also joined by Indigenous peoples from Central and South America and Asian Pacific.

Front and center of the Indigenous agenda are such issues as Forestry, Bio-diversity and Bio-piracy, Persistent Organic Pollutants, Self-determination and Treaties, Militarization of Indigenous lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Human Rights/Indigenous rights, and Lands and territories.

While some Chiefs of communities were present it is clear that Indigenous community issues were not part of formal WTO talks. This is particularly disturbing as the majority of the world's valuable natural resources exist on Indigenous lands.

Organizers of the parallel Indigenous event say that economic globalization policies endanger Indigenous cultures communities and traditional subsistence lifestyles by clear-cutting forest, destroying fisheries, displacing populations and undermining Indigenous Peoples power over their land and natural resources.

"The liberalization of trade policies and mining laws allows the free entry of corporations to take over Indigenous lands, evict Indigenous peoples and claim the rights over their resources," said Victoris Tauli-Corpuz of the Indigenous Peoples Network for Policy Research & Education, based in the Philippines.

Representatives from Colombia and other South American countries say that the current WTO policies have encouraged murder, genocide and the dislocation of Indigenous populations.

The rally of November 30, was attended by an estimated 50,000 people and brought Indigenous peoples, trade unionists, environmentalists, nationals from Tibet, Philippines and Vietnam together.

Youth from all parts of the nations dominated the rally.

As we were marching next to Lynda Chavez, the daughter of United Farm Workers of America (leader) Cesar Chavez, another trade unionist was heard to say, "This march brings a lump in my throat; it is just an amazing show of solidarity among the world's people, all colors all races, it's just amazing".

The one thing that united all the ralliers was that the WTO must be stopped until the interests of ordinary citizens are considered.

It is felt by all of the "unofficial" members of the WTO meeting that further 'behind closed doors meetings' by the world's leaders must stop as the consequences of the decisions made by WTO members will greatly impact all of the world's citizens.

These feelings were evidenced when the WTO official meeting was prevented from happening and many official delegates were prevented from entering and leaving their hotels and other places.

The rally turned violent when police fired gas canisters on many innocent bystanders and marchers. Demonstrations went long into the night and by morning over 300 people had been arrested. Large areas of Seattle's downtown area had been cordoned off by the police and the national Guard as a state of civil emergency was declared by the City of Seattle and the Governor of the State of Washington.

Police used the unruly behavior of some people to shut down through aggressive measures the voices and presence of all people. Unfortunately many of the pictures which media focused on were of broken windows and mayhem, rather than issues - issues which united the people.

A large area around the WTO convention centre was under National Guard presence where no one was allowed to pass. Towards the end over 500 people had been arrested.

What is evident is that from all of this is that ordinary citizens want a say into how events impacting their communities, jobs and lands will unfold.