DSP, Resistance in the thick of it
BY CHRIS SPINDLER
MELBOURNE — The September 11 protests here against the multinationals' World Economic Forum have gathered enormous steam; a diverse range of groups and individuals which have helped to turn S11 into a major battle against corporate globalisation. In the thick of it have been activists from the Democratic Socialist Party (DSP) and Resistance, which together form the largest socialist tendency in Australia.
Green Left Weekly spoke to a range of DSP and Resistance activists about their involvement in the S11 protests and what they think the protests signify.
Resistance member Katie Nevile, who is in year 10 at high school, is an organiser of the high school walkouts planned for September 11 and 12, which have attracted considerable coverage, even denunciation, from the corporate media.
She's emphatic about the walkout's importance: "Young people have shown in the past that they will stand up for their future — if they're given the opportunity. Demands like cancel Third World debt have huge support on schools, and in September we'll turn this support into action."
Jo Brown was one of the organisers of the July 29-30 Global Action conference, which was jointly sponsored by Friends of the Earth and Green Left Weekly. "The event was hugely inspiring", she said. "It brought together more than 230 people from the unions, green and solidarity movements, as well as many newcomers, to discuss what we have in common and how we could work together in building alternatives to the politics of the WEF and global capital."
She believes the conference should be only the beginning of this dialogue, saying she hopes it continues in Green Left Weekly and FoE's magazine, Chain Reaction.
The DSP's district secretary, Jorge Jorquera, was one of the drafters of a community declaration aiming to unite varied organisations under a series of demands and is heavily involved in preparations for S11 itself.
"The community declaration drafted with activists in FoE helped to put a range of political issues on the agenda", he said. "It really was an extension of demands that are already being raised in the countries of the South and was just one way in which we have been trying to involve broader forces, whether it be from church, migrant or union organisations, with a clearly political and radical focus."
Justine Kamprad is a rank and file member of the Australian Manufacturers Workers Union. She thinks the union response as been "mixed but encouraging".
"Under pressure from the state Labor government, some sections have acted conservatively, not wanting to be associated with S11", she said, "but for example my union has led the way by putting full support behind the September protests. A lot of work still has to be done in workplaces to get basic information out, but I am expecting a massive turnout from workers."
DSP organiser Arun Pradhan has been producing the Global Action radio show, which has brought S11 to listeners nationally.
"We are using any media we can to help get the facts out, but also to take up debates and help clarify issues in the movement so we can get the most out of the protests", he said.
"Green Left Weekly is definitely the backbone of this, which in turn helps us to produce the radio show and maintain our web site (<http://www.greenleft.org.au/globalaction/s11>). We are also trying to coordinate and link up with others involved in the Indy Media Centre (<http://www.melbourne.indymedia.org>) and the S11 web site (<http://www.s11.org>). This sort of networking and building of alternative media will hopefully be a long-term spinoff from the September protests."
[The DSP and Resistance can be contacted in Melbourne on (03) 9639 8622, or by visiting the Resistance Centre. See page 2 for listings.]