AFTER GENOA- WHERE NEXT? (page two) July 31 2001 back to first page Next the G8 jamboree moves to a tiny town of Kananaskis in Canada, where the delegates will be ever more shrouded from view. Instead of being guarded by steel fences they will use the natural defences of the mountains and forests as well as the inaccessability of the location and paucity of transport links to dissuade protesters from attending. Reports of Mounties wielding hand grenades have not been confirmed. Something about the choice of location is intensely cynical - no protester worth his salt would want to bring harm to that stunning wilderness - but hopefully there's a silver lining. Kananaskis apparently only has around 800 hotel rooms; this year the American delegation in Genoa numbered 1200. So we could be seeing a paring-down of the G8 summits, which on one front would be progress. The opulence of these meetings is something that irritates everyone, not just anti-globalisation protesters. The food for thought here is whether these beanos need to take place at all. We have enough platforms at which world leaders can gather legitimately, democratically and in purpose-built, well-guarded enclaves. But world and corporate leaders are fond of their get-togethers in luxury resorts, whether it be the hilariously odd parties at Bohemian Grove or the travelling circus that is the Bilderberg Group. (Read "Them" by Jon Ronson for the surprised discoveries of a journalist who had assumed these events were just extremist myths) I have little doubt that as many of the decisions that affect us all get made one-to-one over the dinner table at these places as in Congress, Parliament or at the UN. We will never be able to stamp it out entirely. But protesters are absolutely right to bring it to our attention. Damning the protesters (as Tony Blair did) while seemingly approving of quasi-military action against them is not the way forward. If traditional politics is inspiring less people to vote than ever, and yet the anti-globalisation movement gathers pace, it means that more average members of the public are coming on board, feeling that their political 'representatives' are not correctly defending their interests. Politicians would be wise to think about how they can make people feel involved again. One way would be to end the move the G8 summits to more suitable facilities and invite far more non-governmental oranisations, protest groups and local political representatives to take part. Better still would be greater legislation to curb the corporate sponsorship of government. Ultimately, though, the words of people like Tony Blair prove that we cannot trust our politicians to adequately regulate themselves. And so I feel that the ball is in the protesters' court. Over the past six months they have been handed an enormous opportunity almost by accident. Violent protest will not bring many more people on-side: what they need now is to present an ethically-sound, united front. They need to engage the media more imaginatively than ever before and - this is the really hard part - find ways to quosh the violent elements, both within the protest groups and the police. back to first page recommended reading list: Captive State by George Monbiot No Logo by Naomi Klein Culture Jam by Kalle Lasn Them: Adventures With Extremists by Jon Ronson related links: Indymedia.org Nologo.org JohnPilger.com Guardian globalisation special Adbusters.org EthicalConsumer.org comment on this article e-mail this to a friend start a discussion thought index Problems? Questions? Suggestions? Contact me: mail@tobyslater.com back to top back to home page

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