Dale Mills & Pip Hinman
2007 will be known as the year of protest in Australia. More than 100 meetings of officials from the world's largest capitalist economies will be meeting in various Australian cities from January, culminating in the final Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting in September in Sydney, at which US President George Bush will be present.
Government and security agencies have already started a major scare campaign about next year's meetings in Sydney, with PM John Howard and NSW Premier Morris Iemma canvassing a public holiday on September 7 to encourage people to vacate the city. Reports suggest that more than $10 million will be spent on security.
The threat of a terrorist attack will be used to try to stifle legitimate dissent, but this is not deterring groups from beginning to organise. Trade unionists, aid organisations, anti-debt groups and anti-war coalitions are starting to discuss protest plans, including a convergence in Sydney to protest against Bush's illegal invasion and occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan.
Sydney Stop the War Coalition activist Katelyn Mountford said that Bush's visit provides an opportunity to organise an enormous protest against Bush's warmongering, as well as providing a focus for protest against the neo-conservative agenda — the destruction of jobs, the environment and social spending. "It's also an opportunity to present an alternative pro-people and pro-environment agenda", she told Green Left Weekly. To that end, Stop the War Coalition has called a convergence meeting on October 9 to discuss plans for a major peaceful protest.
"PM Howard is one of Bush's most staunch allies. He sees the US-Australia alliance as critical, but we see it as very dangerous", Mountford said. "We want to send a clear message to Bush and Howard that the US-led occupation troops must get out of Iraq and Afghanistan, and stop threatening new wars." There's evidence that at least 92% of Iraqis, and a majority of US and Australian people, want the troops to leave, Mountford said, adding that Bush and Howard's imperial designs are making the world a more dangerous place.
Concern about APEC's push for greater trade liberalisation, which will enrich the already wealthy countries at the expense of the countries of the South, will also be a major protest theme next September. The issue will also be taken up at the protests to be held at this year's G20 meeting in Melbourne in November. AID/WATCH in Sydney is organising to support the G20 protests and has called a meeting on September 21, 6pm at its offices at 19 Eve Street, Erskineville to discuss logistics.
For more information visit <www.stopg20.org>. To get involved in the Sydney 2007 convergence, come to the first organising meeting on October 9 at 7pm. For venue details visit <www.stopwarcoalition.org>, or email <stopwarcoalition@yahoo.com.au>, or phone Pip on 0412 139 968.]