World Trade Organization
and
Indigenous Peoples.



WTO Meeting in Seattle, Washington : November 29 - December 3, 1999

SEATTLE - Indigenous elders, students and activists were at the forefront of thousands of peaceful demonstrators representing labor, environmental, consumer, health and food safety groups protesting closed-door meetings by trade ministers from 135 countries gathered here to set the global economic agenda for the next 10 to 20 years.

Braving tear gas, concussion grenades, rubber pellets and hundreds of police officers in full riot gear, some 50,000 protesters succeeded in shutting down the opening session of the World Trade Organization's four-day ministerial conference Nov. 30.

By nightfall, Gov. Gary Locke had declared a state of emergency, called out the National Guard and placed a 7 p.m. curfew on the downtown area. An additional 300 officers were brought in to quell a small group of gangs who shattered windows, looted stores and painted anti-WTO graffiti on downtown businesses.

The massive demonstrations were largely fueled by concerns that global free-trade policies set by the WTO will weaken fair labor standards, environmental regulations and protections for human rights.

Many object to the sweeping powers of the WTO to over-ride the laws of nations, states and tribes if those laws present barriers to global trade.

"The WTO is here to impose corporate-managed trade rules on our food, agriculture, health, education, intellectual property and patents on life-forms,"said Richard Moore of the Southwest Network for Environmental and Economic Justice.

"We're the low-income, rural people of color who are disproportionately victimized by members of the WTO who want free trade, not fair trade. This profit without principles mentality is directly responsible for increases in hazardous waste, birth defects, undrinkable water and air pollution in our communities."

A delegation of Indigenous peoples representing more than 1 million constituents from communities in the United States, Canada, Asia and Central and South America joined the four-mile march bearing banners that called for protection of cultures, languages, sovereignty and Indigenous homelands.

"This isn't just about trade and economic development , it goes beyond that," said Tom Goldtooth, coordinator of the Indigenous Environmental Network, a coalition of grass-roots Native organizations. "We have grave concerns regarding free trade and its impacts on the environment, food safety and our treaty rights."

"We're concerned about the domination provided to corporations by the WTO that commodifies our water, our forests, our genes, and the theft of our intellectual property rights."

In the U.S. and Canada, some tribal leaders fear new WTO trade policies will erode tribal sovereignty, trample long-standing treaty rights and threaten existing tribal laws to protect Native lands and peoples.

Alvin Manitopyes, a Cree traditionalist from Calgary, Alberta, predicted that WTO's policies will mean more outside control over tribes.

"Our youth are being bombarded by corporate advertising and as a result there's a loss of culture, language and identity. The impact is going to create more economic and social hardship for our communities."

Indigenous representatives from Panama, Mexico, Columbia, and other South American countries say the current WTO policies have encouraged murder, genocide and dislocation of Indigenous peoples in their homelands.

"The weakening 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 Victoria Tauli-Corpuz of the Indigenous Peoples Network for Policy Research & Education, based in the Philippines.

Tauli-Corpuz was one of many Indigenous women who took part in a "Women of Diversity" forum, one of five special public forums organized to voice the views of Native elders, women, environmental justice groups and pro-sovereignty advocates.

"We came from South America because the situation for Indigenous peoples there is getting worse due to economic globalization," said Nilo Cayuqueo of the Abya Yala Fund. "Our territories have been seriously contaminated because of oil, mining, dredging of rivers and clear-cutting of our forests. In some places, we can no longer drink the water. We hope the trade ministers here will listen to us because they affect the future of Indigenous peoples and other peoples worldwide."

As the ministerial meetings finally got underway, with continued protests outside, activists of many colors and races expressed skepticism that the WTO will include a seat at the negotiating table for their causes. But they vow not to give up.

Many representatives said the ministerial negotiations will serve as a catalyst for more people to demand accountability from the WTO and to restructure the corporate-heavy WTO rule-making process.

"We're issuing a call to action to all our tribal leaders to learn more about the WTO's powerful influence and to assert our inherent rights to protect those things that are sacred to our people," said Goldtooth as the Native delegation reached police barricades.

"The bottom line is that the rights of all people to have a say in their destiny must be respected."



Friday march in Seattle
From: ASWAD@anarch.free.de (catkawin)

Earlier today Natives joined the march that started in front the of labor temple in downtown Seattle's No Protest Zone. Natives who'd been attending the Indigenous Environmental Network and the Seventh Generation Fund's conferences held at Seattle University went to the streets today.

They were marching in front of the labor group when the police in their full riot gear tried to stop them. The Natives in the front line came to a halt, the others behind them kept drumming and singing.

A front line Native reached forward and tapped the police on their helmets with his coup stick, stricking them each three times. The police were confused, and I think labor was a bit confused. The police opened their lines and the march continued on their way. I think this will remain on of my favorite stories of the "Battle in Seattle."

I have more stories, and will tell more if'n people want to hear them.

This is Henry from Earth First! California. This is a quick recap of some of the events from Seattle on the week of Nov. 28th to Dec. 4th. Please send this to your friends.

On Tuesday, November 30th thousands of non-violent protesters started marching towards the convention center in downtown Seattle. At the same time hundreds of non-violent protesters decided to hold arms, set up tri-pods, or lock down at all the intersections leading to the convention center. We totally stopped the WTO from happening, because no one could get in. At 10:00 A.M. the police told people at one intersection to move. They then shot pepper spray canisters into the middle of the intersection, even though their where non-violent people, children, labor, sitting down peacefully. They also got concussion canister (they just make a large noise when the explode), and they also started shooting 3 different sizes of rubber bullets at us. They used these same tacticts at different intersections over the next hour. They got some intersections back, but, the people where seeing the police for who they really where. Protecting the corporations and not the people.

At about 10:30 A. M. about 20 people dressed in black from Eugene who call themselves anarchists started throwing rocks at businesses like nike, the gap, mcdonalds, etc... . This is what has been mostly shown on the news. Out of 50,000 protesters 20 people where getting most of the attention.

For the rest of the day, the people tried to hold their ground well the police tried to use torture to stop them. Pepper spray, tear gas, concussion grenades, horses, tanks, people in storm trooper outfits taking billy clubs and swinging and connecting on protesters heads. At one point I saw 5 police offices on horses brake through a line and three non-violent protesters sat on the ground in front of them. One people officer when out of his way to run over the woman laying on the ground. It was so crazy. I felt at that moment such a close connection to the people of the world who do not ever have the right to protest. I had been carrying a sign around the whole day with the face of the leader of Burma on it. She won the elections in 1990 with 80 percent of the vote and has been in jail since. The poster has a quote from her asking us to speak for her and her people.

By 5:00 P.M. the police started moving everyone out of the downtown area because there was martial law declared for 7:00 P.M. As the police finally shot enough tear gas, etc... to get us out of the downtown the followed us up to Capital Hill. This is a middle class/freak neiborhood just East of the downtown. Their curfew zone stopped at the border, yet, the chased up up and down Capital hill all night. The national guard and the police where hitting and pepper spraying anyone on the streets. If you where unluckily caught in the crossfire it did not matter. City councilmen and judges where gassed. It was out of control. The television was show pictures of police offers kicking the shit out of people on the ground. It was so surreal.

On the 1st. We gathered at 8:00 A.M. at a park about two 1 1/2 miles from the convention center. As we started to march towards the convention center, the police started arresting people. No one was aloud to speak out, gather, or enjoy any of the rights we have in the constition. It was crazy. It was not America. Most of the people in Seattle did not seem to care. Some came to witness, but, most thought that the people had the right to suspend the constition. I felt like we needed to be there in order to protect American and the constition from whoever was in charge. At 9:30 A.M. 300 of us at sat down in the downtown area. (For those of us who sneaked in.) 200 of us where then arrested for unlawful assembly and other crazy laws which are unconstitional. I witnessed all of these things, but, somehow the police choose not to arrested me. People told me that anyone who was in the downtown area, educating the public was arrested and that they where sneaking out the leaders. At one point at the 8:00 A. M. arrest, 8 police officers broke through their police line at tackled one of our organizers to the ground. He was cut up badly, but, was not arrested. Another sign of their power.

At 1:00 we met with labor at the docks. The teamsters, steelworks, dockworkers joined the students and the environmentalists in denouncing the WTO. This non-violent crowd. (The 20 anarchists in black had not been seen since the morning of the 30th) started marching towards the convention center. I was up front. There was about 5,000 of us. When we got within 1 mile the police in riot gear shot tear gas canisters into the middle of the crowd (for the first time with no warning). There was many old people, people in wheel chairs, children, and just regular people on the street. Businesses where open and work was going on, so, everyone was affected. We got split with the first 600 people divided from the make. The police shot off about 20 more tear gas cans, concussion grenades, and really started to shoot the rubber bullets. I saw one person try to pick up an old man who was knocked out by the tear gas on the ground and two police officers charged him and shot up in the stomach with rubber bullets. It was so out of control. These police where trying to hurt and mame non-violent protesters. I was hiding behind a post, watching the rubber bullets wiz by. I has a gas mask, but, was told by the protesters that it was now a felony to have one.

That night police and national guard again went into the streets and attacked anyone (99.9%) being non-violent people. It was a war against its own people. By the morning of the 2nd, there was such a backlash (I assume) that the tear gas stopped. Most of our people where in Jail, so, we only where marching around with a couple thousand people. There was no violence at that point. We marched to the jail and tried to help get the release of our people. Two others and I worked with the people trying to get our people out. By Friday night more where getting released, there had been many reports of police brutality against our people. I had to drive back to Santa Cruz at that point and catch a flight out of the country.

Please send this out to all of your friends, so, that there are witnesses to the battle in Seattle against the WTO.

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

From: Priscilla.Settee@extfc.usask.ca (Priscilla Settee)

"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, Biodiversity and Biopiracy, 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 colours 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 behaviour 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.

-Reported by:
Priscilla Settee,
Indigenous Women's Network Canada and National Council member of the Indigenous Environmental Network Priscilla.Settee@usask.ca

INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ SEATTLE DECLARATION
on the occasion of the
Third Ministerial Meeting of the World Trade Organization
30 November - 3 December 1999

We, the Indigenous Peoples from various regions of the world, have come to Seattle to express our great concern over how the World Trade Organization is destroying Mother Earth and the cultural and biological diversity of which we are a part.

Trade liberalization and export-oriented development, which are the overriding principles and policies pushed by the WTO, are creating the most adverse impacts on the lives of Indigenous Peoples. Our inherent right to self-determination, our sovereignty as nations, and treaties and other constructive agreements which Indigenous nations and Peoples have negotiated with other nation-states, are undermined by most of the WTO Agreements. The disproportionate impact of these Agreements on our communities, whether through environmental degradation or the militarization and violence that often accompanies development projects, is serious and therefore should be addressed immediately.

The WTO Agreement on Agriculture (AOA), which promotes export competition and import liberalization, has allowed the entry of cheap agricultural products into our communities. It is causing the destruction of ecologically rational and sustainable agricultural practices of Indigenous Peoples.

Food security and the production of traditional food crops have been seriously compromised. Incidents of diabetes, cancers, and hypertension have significantly increased among Indigenous Peoples because of the scarcity of traditional foods and the dumping of junk food into our communities.

Small-scale farm production is giving way to commercial cash-crop plantations further concentrating ancestral lands into the hands of few agri-corporations and landlords. This has led to the dislocation of scores of people from our communities who then migrate to nearby cities and become the urban homeless and jobless.

The WTO Forests Products Agreement promotes free trade in forest products. By eliminating developed country tariffs on wood products by the year 2000, and developing country tariffs by 2003, the Agreement will result in the deforestation of many of the world’s ecosystems in which Indigenous Peoples live.

Mining laws in many countries are being changed to allow free entry of foreign mining corporations, to enable them to buy and own mineral lands, and to freely displace Indigenous Peoples from their ancestral territories. These large-scale commercial mining and oil extraction activities continue to degrade our lands and fragile ecosystems, and pollute the soil, water, and air in our communities.

The appropriation of our lands and resources and the aggressive promotion of consumerist and individualistic Western culture continue to destroy traditional lifestyles and cultures. The result is not only environmental degradation but also ill health, alienation, and high levels of stress manifested in high rates of alcoholism and suicides.

The theft and patenting of our biogenetic resources is facilitated by the TRIPs (Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights) of the WTO. Some plants which Indigenous Peoples have discovered, cultivated, and used for food, medicine, and for sacred rituals are already patented in the United States, Japan, and Europe. A few examples of these are ayahuasca, quinoa, and sangre de drago in forests of South America; kava in the Pacific; turmeric and bitter melon in Asia. Our access and control over our biological diversity and control over our traditional knowledge and intellectual heritage are threatened by the TRIPs Agreement.

Article 27.3b of the TRIPs Agreement allows the patenting of life-forms and makes an artificial distinction between plants, animals, and micro-organisms. The distinction between “essentially biological” and “non-biological” and “microbiological” processes is also erroneous. As far as we are concerned all these are life-forms and life-creating processes which are sacred and which should not become the subject of private property ownership.

Finally, the liberalization of investments and the service sectors, which is pushed by the General Agreement of Services (GATS), reinforces the domination and monopoly control of foreign corporations over strategic parts of the economy. The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund impose conditionalities of liberalization, deregulation and privatization on countries caught in the debt trap. These conditionalities are reinforced further by the WTO.

In light of the adverse impacts and consequences of the WTO Agreements identified above, we, Indigenous Peoples present the following demands:

We urgently call for a social and environmental justice analysis which will look into the Agreements’ cumulative effects on Indigenous Peoples. Indigenous Peoples should be equal participants in establishing the criteria and indicators for these analyses so that they take into consideration spiritual as well as cultural aspects.

A review of the Agreements should be done to address all of the inequities and imbalances which adversely affect Indigenous Peoples. The proposals to address some of these are as follows;

a. It should not include in its coverage small-scale farmers who are mainly engaged in production for domestic use and sale in the local markets.

b. It should ensure the recognition and protection of rights of Indigenous Peoples to their territories and their resources, as well as their rights to continue practicing their indigenous sustainable agriculture and resource management practices and traditional livelihoods.

c. It should ensure the food security and the capacity of Indigenous Peoples to produce, consume and trade their traditional foods.

a. It must stop unsustainable mining, commercial planting of monocrops, dam construction, oil exploration, land conversion to golf clubs, logging, and other activities which destroy Indigenous Peoples’ lands and violate the rights of indigenous peoples’ to their territories and resources.

b. The right of Indigenous Peoples to their traditional lifestyles, cultural norms and values should likewise be recognized and protected.

c. The liberalization of services, especially in the areas of health, should not be allowed if it will prevent Indigenous Peoples from having access to free, culturally appropriate as well as quality health services.

d. The liberalization of finance services which makes the world a global casino should be regulated.

(3) On the TRIPs Agreement, the proposals are as follows:

a. Article 27.3b should be amended to categorically disallow the patenting of life-forms. It should clearly prohibit the patenting of micro-organisms, plants, animals, including all their parts, whether they are genes, gene sequences, cells, cell lines, proteins, or seeds.

b. It should also prohibit the patenting of natural processes, whether these are biological or microbiological, involving the use of plants, animals and micro-organisms and their parts in producing variations of plants, animals and micro-organisms.

c. It should ensure the exploration and development of alternative forms of protection outside of the dominant western intellectual property rights regime. Such alternatives must protect the knowledge and innovations and practices in agriculture, health care, and conservation of biodiversity, and should build upon indigenous methods and customary laws protecting knowledge, heritage and biological resources.

d. It should ensure that the protection offered to indigenous and traditional knowledge, innovation and practices is consistent with the Convention on Biological Diversity (i.e., Articles 8j, 10c, 17.2, and 18.4) and the International Undertaking on Plant Genetic Resources.

e. It should allow for the right of Indigenous Peoples and farmers to continue their traditional practices of saving, sharing and exchanging seeds, and cultivating, harvesting and using medicinal plants.

f. It should prohibit scientific researchers and corporations from appropriating and patenting indigenous seeds, medicinal plants, and related knowledge about these life-forms. The principles of prior informed consent and right of veto by Indigenous Peoples should be respected.

If the earlier proposals cannot be ensured, we call for the removal of the Agreement on Agriculture, the Forest Products Agreements and the TRIPs Agreement from the WTO.

We call on the member-states of the WTO not to allow for another round whilst the review and rectification of the implementation of existing agreements has not been done. We reject the proposals for an investment treaty, competition, accelerated industrial tariffs, government procurement, and the creation of a working group on biotechnology.

We urge the WTO to reform itself to become democratic, transparent and accountable. If it fails to do this we call for the abolition of the WTO.

We urge the member nation-states of the WTO to endorse the adoption by the UN General Assembly of the current text of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the ratification of ILO Convention l69.

We call on the peoples’ organizations and NGOs to support this “Indigenous Peoples’ Seattle Declaration” and to promote it among their members.

We believe that the whole philosophy underpinning the WTO Agreements and the principles and policies it promotes contradict our core values, spirituality and worldviews, as well as our concepts and practices of development, trade and environmental protection. Therefore, we challenge the WTO to redefine its principles and practices toward a “sustainable communities” paradigm, and to recognize and allow for the continuation of other worldviews and models of development.

Indigenous peoples, undoubtedly, are the ones most adversely affected by globalization and by the WTO Agreements. However, we believe that it is also us who can offer viable alternatives to the dominant economic growth, export-oriented development model. Our sustainable lifestyles and cultures, traditional knowledge, cosmologies, spirituality, values of collectivity, reciprocity, respect and reverence for Mother Earth, are crucial in the search for a transformed society where justice, equity, and sustainability will prevail.

Declaration by the Indigenous Peoples' Caucus convened and sponsored by the Indigenous Environmental Network, Seventh Generation Fund in alliance with the TEBTEBBA (Indigenous Peoples' Network for Policy Research and Education), International Indian Treaty Council, Indigenous Peoples Council on Biocolonialism and the Abya Yala Fund.

• Nilo Cayuqueo, Abya Yala Fund, USA
• Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, Indigenous Peoples Network for Policy Research and Education, Philippines
• Tom Goldtooth, Indigenous Environmental Network, USA/Canada
• Antonio Gonzales, International Indian Treaty Council, International
• Margarita Gutierrez, Social Commission for The Development of The Nanhu, Mexico
• Debra Harry, Indigenous Peoples Council on Biocolonialism, USA
• Clemencia Herrera Nemarayema, National Indigena Organization of Colombia, South America
• Chief Johnny Jackson, Klickitat Band of Yakama, Elder Committee of Indigenous Environmental Network, USA/Canada
• Carol Kalafatic, International Indian Treaty Council, International
• Dune Lankard, Eyak Alaska Preservation Council, USA
• Chief Arthur Manual, Interior Alliance of First Nations, Canada
• Alvin Manitopyes, Cree Strong Heart Environmental and Wellness Society, Canada
• Jim Main Sr., Gros Ventre White Clay Society, USA
• Jose Matos, Indigenous Alliance Without Borders, USA/Mexico
• Esther Nahgahnub, Anishinabeg Treaty 1854 Committee, USA
• Chris Peters, Seventh Generation Fund, USA
• Priscilla Settee, Indigenous Women's Network, USA/Canada
• Taita Stanley, Movimiento de la Juventad Kuna, Panama
• Chaz Wheelock, Great Lakes Regional Indigenous Environmental Network, USA/Canada
• Clemente Ibe Wilson, Movimiento de la Juventad Kuna, Panama

Other Indigenous Peoples' Organizations, NGOs and individuals who wish to sign on to this statement, send email to ien@igc.org or tebtebba@skyinet.net.

More than 300 Adivasis [i.e. indigenous peoples] from the Indian state of Madya Pradesh, representing all mass-based Adivasi movements, jumped over the fence of the World Bank building on the 24th of November at 12:00. They blocked the building, covering it with posters, grafitti, cow shit and mud, sang slogans and traditional songs at the gate, and went back only after Mr. Lim, country director of the World Bank in India, went out to receive an open letter signed by all their movements.

The letter, reproduced below, denounces the destructive impact of World Bank investments in forestry and of the liberalisation in timber products enshrined in the WTO system, which range from the commodification and destruction of the forests to increasing violence, rape and assassinations. The letter also clearly states their stand in relation to these institutions: "We fought against the British and we will fight against the new form of colonialism that you represent with all our might."

The attempts of the country director of the World Bank to deliver a speech were refused by the Adivasis, who said that after talking with World Bank officials for the last 5 years they had concluded that such 'dialogues' had the only objective of betraying, misleading and deceiving the Adivasis while pushing through commercial and industrial interests.

Adivasi organisations in Madhya Pradesh have repeatedly denounced the highly destructive, so-called 'eco-development' programmes that the World Bank has been funding for the last five years in their forests. Those programmes involve the violent forced eviction of Adivasis from their lands (where all means of force were used, including several killings), which as so many other aspects of the 'eco-development' programmes of the WB goes against the Operational Directives of the Bank, as well as a remarkably awkward combination of bans on the activities on which Adivasis have based their livelihoods since milennia (shifting cultivation, fishing, extraction of forest produce, etc.) on 'environmental grounds', combined with the liberalisation of commercial activities to 'make conservation a good business'. A great business not for the Adivasis, but for the corrupt administrative system exploiting the forest and the commercial and industrial interests behind this sort of 'eco-development'. Hence, the Adivasi communities see themselves forced to buy in the market the products that they are not anymore allowed to extract from their forests.

The other target of the action was the WTO regime, an increasingly important tool for the interests that are destroying the lives of indigenous peoples all over the world. The attempts to include in the WTO system a new agreement aimed at boosting timber extraction and trade were highlighted, and the Adivasis expressed their determination to fight against it.

The open letter to the President of the World Bank concludes:

"For the World Bank and the WTO, our forests are a marketable commodity. But for us, the forests are a home, our source of livelihood, the dwelling of our gods, the burial grounds of our ancestors, the inspiration of our culture. We do not need you to save our forests. We will not let you sell our forests. So go back from our forests and our country."

Pictures of the action will soon be available at the PGA website, (http://www.agp.org). In the next months more background information on this issue will be slowly added to that webpage.

Please write to the president of the world bank demanding an immediate end to all the so-called 'eco-development' programmes in the forestry area in india. Remind him that the operational directives of the world bank have been grossly violated and countless atrocities have been linked to the implementation of these projects, which only lead to the destruction of the forests that they are supposed to protect and of the indigenous cultures that have since milennia lived in complete balance with their environment. The name of the World Bank President is James D. Wolfensohn and his address is The World Bank, 1818 H Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20433 U.S.A. Please send copies of the letters to sergio@artamis.org

We, the tribal people of India, demand that the World Bank immediately stop its attempts to take over our forests. The Madhya Pradesh Forestry Project and other such projects only intensify the colonial takeover of our forests that began with British rule in our country. We fought the British and we will fight the new form of colonialism that you represent with all our strength.

For us the MPFP and other such projects have meant an increasing threat to our rights over our land, our rights to extraction of forest produce, the loss of our grazing lands our fishing rights. It has meant increasing violence against our people. It has deliberately attempted to foster conflicts among our people in the old colonial tradition of 'divide and rule'. It has endorsed rape in Hoshangabad, killings in Khandwa, the burning down of homes and fields in Mandla and Dindori, beatings, extortion, and criminal cases against our people when they have attempted to protect their rights and livelihood.

You know nothing about our forest or about how we have lived in them for centuries. You did not even consult us before you devised the MPFP and other forestry projects. You have never bothered to ask us how we have been affected by your projects. But with unforgivable arrogance you are attempting to take away our rights over our forests on the grounds that it is we who are destroying the forests that are our home, our source of livelihood. Even though it is so well known that it is the commercial and industrial interests that you represent that have destroyed our forests.

Our forests can only be saved by us, the people of the forests. You know that. That is why you talk of 'Joint Forest Management'. But your 'Joint Forest Management' is a sham - a ruse that you use to pretend that you have our consent when you wrest our forests from us.

Your Operational Directives assure us that you will seek our consent and fully informed participation in your projects. They assure us that your projects will not affect us adversely. You have betrayed that promise and violated your own Operational Directives. You have repeatedly ignored our protests. We agreed to participate in a Joint Mission with you in this regard, but you abandoned the Mission when it became clear that your project has so seriously violated our rights.

We know that in the Seattle Round of the WTO, there is a plan to hand over our forests to commercial and industrial interests. We will resist this too, with all our might. For the World Bank and the WTO, our forests are a marketable commodity. But for us, the forests are a home, our source of livelihood, the dwelling of our gods, the burial grounds of our ancestors, the inspiration of our culture. We do not need you to save our forests. We will not let you sell our forests. So go back from our forests and our country.

On behalf of our people:

• Ekta Parishad, Madhya Pradesh (M.P.) and Orissa
• Adivasi Mukti Sangathan, M.P.
• Shramik Adivasi Sangathan, M.P.
• Kisan Adivasi Sangathan, M.P.
• Jan Van Andolan, M.P.
• Pench National Park Sangharsha Samiti, M.P.
• Bandhavagash Rashtriya Udyan Sangharsha Sangathan, M.P.
• Sanjay Rashtriya Udyan Sangharsha Samiti, M.P.
• Sitanadi Abhayaranya Sangharsha Samiti, M.P.
• Nagarhole Restoration Movement, Karnataka
• Vikalpa, Uttar Pradesh (U.P.)
• Mazdoor Morcha, U.P.
• Ghat Kshetra Samiti, U.P.
• Kalpavriksha, Delhi
• Samajwadi Jan Parishad
• Narmada Bachao Andolan
• National Alliance of People's Movements
• Centre for Law and the Environment, New Delhi
• Coorg Organisation for Rural Development, Karnataka
• Budakattu Krishikara Sangha, Karnataka

Press Release

Besides denying their basic rights to livelihood the project has led to an increase in atrocities among tribals. In Dainala village of the Gurungpur forest division of Khandwa district and at Katukia village of Bagli forest division of Devaas district, tribals have been shot dead by the forest department. In Mandla and Dindhori districts the hutments and crops of "primitive" Baiga tribals were burnt down and they were beaten and jailed. In Hoshnagabad district, a Ranger who repeatedly raped a tribal girl has not only not been punished but has been rewarded with a foreign trip under the MPFP. Harassment and criminal cases against tribals who attempt to protect their rights are common allover the state.

At the WTO Seattle conference there is a plan to clear the way for exploitation of the forests by multinationals. There is a plan to grab the forests from the people of the third world countries and to entrap them in the form of the "globalization" which is detrimental to their basic interests but tribals and other forests dwellers as well as their representative organisation has pledged to fight the interference of the World Bank and other international agencies and their forests and unlike an elected government refuse to become pawns in their hands.

Sergio Oceransky sergio@artamis.org

Forums to highlight impacts on Treaty Rights, Biodiversity, Intellectual Property Rights, Forests, Agriculture, Border Justice & Human Rights

Date: Indigenous Peoples Forum, Wed, 12/01/99 - 6:00 pm to 11:00 pm Location: Piggot Auditorium, Seattle University, 900 Broadway Avenue

SEATTLE - Indigenous Peoples from the Arctic to the Amazon to Asian have gathered here to join protests against the WTO and to call attention to the impacts of WTO policies on Native communities that are at the forefront of environmental and cultural destruction.

Organizers say that economic globalization policies endanger their cultures, communities and traditional subsistence lifestyles by clear-cutting forests, 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 Victoria Tauli-Corpuz of the Indigenous Peoples Network for Policy Research & Education, based in the Philippines. Representatives from Columbia and other South American countries say that the current WTO policies have encouraged murder, genocide and the dislocation of Indigenous populations.

In the U.S. and Canada, Indian tribes fear WTO trade policies will trample long-standing treaty rights and erode tribal sovereignty to protect Native land and peoples. The Clinton Administration's position on advanced tariff liberalization will increase forest destruction worldwide and destroy homelands and cultures of many Native Nations.

"This isn't just about trade and economic development. It goes beyond that," said Tom Goldtooth, coordinator of the Minnesota-based Indigenous Environmental Network. "We have grave concerns regarding free trade and its impacts on the environment, food safety and our treaty rights. The rights of all people to have a say in their destiny must be respected. We're concerned about the domination provided to corporations by the WTO that commodifies our water, forests, our genes, and theft of our intellectual property rights."

"We're issuing a call to action to all our tribal leaders to learn about these issues and to assert our inherent rights to protect those things that are sacred to our people," Goldtooth added.

On Wednesday evening, the Indigenous Environmental Network and the Seventh Generation Fund are co-hosting an Indigenous Peoples Forum at Seattle University focusing on Indigenous Peoples' rights to self-determination, cultural integrity and sovereignty.

Speakers include Chief Ed Moody, Nuxalt Nation, British Columbia; Priscilla Settee, Nuclear Free Independent Pacific,Canada; Chris Peters, Seventh Generation Fund; Sharon Venne, attorney, Cree First Nations; Debra Harry, Indigenous Peoples Council on Bio-Colonialism; Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, Indigenous Peoples Network for Policy Research and Education; Esther Nahgahnub, Anishinabeg Treaty Office; Taira Stanley, Movimiento de la Juventud Kuna, Panama; Cipriano Jurapo, Border Justice Campaign, Cuidad Juarez, Mexico and Chief Stewart Phillip, President, Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs.

On Thursday at Seattle University's Schaffer Auditorium, 900 Broadway Avenue, from 10:00 am to 2:00pm, traditional Indigenous elders from North America also will speak about the importance of protecting Native cultures, lands and values.

The panel "North American Indigenous Elders" will include Janet McCloud of the Tulalip Tribe in Washington; Chet Kiyou, Salish, Canada; Tom Sampson, Vancouver Island, Canada; Lee Piper, Eastern Band of Cherokee; Vernon Lane, Lummi Nation; Chief Johnny Jackson, Yakama Klickitat Band, and Jim Main, Sr., Gros VentreWhite Clay Society.

On Friday, a panel moderated by Chris Peters of the Seventh Generation Fund will examine "Indigenous Peoples, Forests and the WTO." Presenters include Chief Arthur Manuel, Interior Alliance of First Nations, B.C.; Jeff Thomas, Puyallup Tribe, Washington; Dune Lankard, Eyak Preservation Council, Alaska; and Chaz Wheelock, Great Lakes Indigenous Environmental Network, Wisconsin.

Position statements from an array of Indigenous groups are available and several North and South American Indigenous delegates are available for interviews. The Indigenous Peoples Networking Office has been established at Seattle University, 900 Broadway, Lemieux Library, Room 108, 206/296-2288, 2289.

WE, INDIGENOUS PEOPLES from around the world, believe that nobody can own what exists in nature except nature herself. A human being cannot own its own mother. Humankind is part of Mother Nature, we have created nothing and so we can in no way claim to be owners of what does not belong to us. But time and again, western legal property regimes have been imposed on us, contradicting our own cosmologies and values.

WE VIEW with regret and anxiety how, Article 27.3b of the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreements will further denigrate and undermine our rights to our cultural and intellectual heritage, our plant, animal, and even human genetic resources and discriminate against our indigenous ways of thinking and behaving. This Article makes an artificial distinction between plants, animals, and micro-organisms and between (essentially biological) and (microbiological processes) for making plants and animals. As far as we are concerned all these are life forms and life creating processes which are sacred and which should not become the subject of proprietary ownership.

WE KNOW that intellectual property rights as defined in the TRIPS Agreement are monopoly rights given to individual or legal persons (e.g. transnational corporations) who can prove that the inventions or innovations they made are novel, involve an innovative step and are capable of industrial application. The application of this form of property rights over living things as if they are mechanical or industrial inventions is inappropriate. Indigenous knowledge and cultural heritage are collectively and accretionally evolved through generations. Thus, no single person can claim invention or discovery of medicinal plants, seeds or other living things.

The inherent conflict between these two knowledge systems and the manner in which they are protected and used will cause further disintegration of our communal values and practices. It can also lead to infighting between indigenous communities over who has ownership over a particular knowledge or innovation. Furthermore, it goes against the very essence of indigenous spirituality which regards all creation as sacred.

WE ARE AWARE of the various implications of the TRIPS Agreement on our lives as indigenous peoples. It will lead to the appropriation of our traditional medicinal plants and seeds and our indigenous knowledge on health, agriculture and biodiversity conservation. It will undermine food security, since the diversity and agricultural production on which our communities depend would be eroded and would be controlled by individual, private and foreign interests. In addition, the TRIPS Agreement will substantially weaken our access to and control over genetic and biological resources; plunder our resources and territories; and contribute to the deterioration of our quality of life.

IN THE REVIEW of the Article 27.3 (b) of the TRIPS Agreement, therefore, our proposals are as follows:

This Article should be amended to categorically disallow the patenting of life forms. Thus, the revised Article 27.3b should clearly prohibit the patenting of plants and animals including all their parts, meaning, genes, gene sequences, cells, proteins, seeds, etc. It should also prohibit the patenting of natural processes involving the use of plants, animals and other living organisms and their parts and processes used in producing variations of plants, animals, and micro-organisms.

The provision for the protection of plant varieties by either a patent, a sui generis system, or a combination of both should amended and elaborated further: It should:

We urge the WTO Member-States to put the amendment of the TRIPS Agreement as a priority item in agenda of the forthcoming WTO Ministerial Conference in Seattle. The implementation of the TRIPS Agreement in its present form will have devastating social and environmental consequences which will be irreversible. It is an imperative, therefore, that this Agreement be amended to prohibit the patenting of lifeforms and the piracy of indigenous peoples knowledge and resources.

We also call on all the WTO Member-States to work for the extension of the deadline of the implementation of Article 27.3b of TRIPS to the year 2006, five years after the completion of the review of this has been done.

Finally, we reiterate our commitment to sustain our struggle to have our rights to our intellectual and cultural heritage and our lands and resources promoted and protected. We call on the WTO to become an instrument in promoting our rights instead of enacting and imposing Agreements which are violative or undermining our rights as distinct peoples.

Signed at the United Nations, Geneva, Switzerland, on 25 July l999

To subscribe to our MAI Listserv send an e-mail to mstrand@citizen.org, or subscribe directly by going to our website, www.tradewatch.org (Please indicate organizational affiliation if any, and also where you found out about this listserv).
No to TRIPS of WTO say Indigenous People's in Geneva, July 99. Search the MAI-NOT & MAI-INTL archives at http://lists.essential.org.

PROMOTING BIOPIRACY, BLOCKING TRIPs REFORM:

Seattle and the politics of the W.T.O./TRIPs Review

The TRIPs agreement of the W.T.O. is a globalisation of U.S. styled patent laws which encourage, the patenting of centuries old indigenous knowledge as "novel inventions". A phenomena we call Biopiracy occurs because U.S. Patent Laws and TRIPs fail to take the "prior art" and existing innovations of other countries into account in the granting of patents and do not recognise alternate sui generis systems for the protection of traditional knowledge.

A second major flow with TRIPs, which is also rooted in using U.S. patent as the model law, is the introduction of patents on life forms through Article 27.3 (b).

This Article is supposed to be reviewed during 1999.

In addition, article 71.1 requires that in the year 2000 the implementation be reviewed, and if necessary, the TRIPs agreement be amended in the light of any relevant new developments which might warrant modification or amendment of the Agreement.

When TRIPs was forced on countries during the Uruguay Round, many issues of public concern were totally bypassed and the full ethical, ecological and economic implications of patenting life were not discussed. Third World countries were coerced into accepting that western style IPR systems were "strong" and "advanced". However, public interest groups showed that these systems were strong to establish corporate monopolies globally, but they were weak to protect indigenous knowledge and prevent biopiracy. They were `advanced' means for taking away the resources of the poor, and stealing the knowledge of our grandmothers. But they were primitive when viewed from the perspective of justice, equality and cross-cultural respect.

As a result of sustained public pressure, after the agreement came into force, in 1995, many Third World countries have made their recommendations for changes in Article 27.3 (b) to prevent Biopiracy. India in its discussion paper submitted to the TRIPs Council stated on patenting of life forms.

"Patenting of life forms may have at least two dimensions. Firstly, there is the ethical question of the extent of private ownership that could be extended to life forms. The second dimension relates to the use of IPRs concept as understood in the industrialised world and its appropriateness in the face of the larger dimension of rights on knowledge, their ownership, use, transfer and dissemination. Informal systems eg. The `shrutis' and `smritis' in the Indian tradition and grand mother's potions all over the world get scant to recognition. To create systems that fail to address this issue can have severe adverse consequences on mankind, some say even leading to extinction.

Clearly there is a case for re-examining the need to grant patents on life forms anywhere in the world. Till such systems are in place, it may advisable to

a) exclude patents on all life forms, if this is not possible then;

b) exclude patents based on traditional/indigenous knowledge and essentially derived patents based on traditional/indigenous knowledge and essentially derived products and processes from such knowledge, or at least;

c) insist on disclosure of the country of origin of the biological source and associated knowledge, and obtain consent of the country providing the resource and knowledge, to ensure equitable sharing of benefits.1"

Bolivia, Columbia, Ecuador, Nicaragua and Peru have made a proposal on the Protection of the Intellectual Property Rights Relating to the Traditional Knowledge of local and indigenous communities.

This paper states,

The entire modern evolution of intellectual property has been framed by principles and systems which have tended to leave aside a large sector of human creativity, namely the traditional knowledge possessed by local and indigenous communities.2

The group proposed that negotiations be initiated at the Ministerial Conference in Seattle, with the view of establishing a multilateral legal framework that will grant effective protection to the expressions and manifestations of tradition knowledge.

The African group has also called for systems to protect traditional knowledge.

The African Group has proposed that a footnote should be inserted to Article 27.3 (b) stating that any sui generis law for plant variety protection can provide for the protection of the innovations of indigenous and local farming communities in developing countries, consistent with the Convention on Biological Diversity and the International Undertaking on Plant Genetic Resources.

In spite of all of the Africa region, five countries in Central and Latin America and India calling for changes in 27.3(b) on the basis of their right to a review as built into the Agreement, the U.S. and Europe are determined to block the reform of TRIPs and any attempt to stop Biopiracy. In a "Green room" consultation (the undemocratic structure of decision making in W.T.O.) the powerful industrialised countries told Mike Moore, the Director General that they rejected all the proposals for the reform of TRIPs.

The African Group and India have also called for exclusion of life forms from patentability and for W.T.O. to be subordinate to CBD. U.S. and Europe have rejected the developing country proposals related to 27.3 (b) on grounds that W.T.O. cannot be subordinated to other international agreements which confirms the belief of the environment movement that in W.T.O issues of environment are always sacrificed for trade.

Using W.T.O., the rich North is committed to protecting corporate monopoly rights at any cost, even if this means undermining protections for nature and people guaranteed by International Agreements and National Constitutions.

In its submission related to the TRIPs review, the U.S. has stated categorically that it believes that an exception to patentability, authorised by Article 27.3 (b) is unnecessary and therefore, treats plants and animals and non-biological and microbiological processes as patentable subject matter under its law.

The U.S. heralds the beginning of patents on life with the Chakrabarty patent on a genetically engineered microorganism as "extremely fortuitous". In granting the first patent on life in 1980, the U.S. Supreme Court interpreted life as "manufacture" and "constitution of matter". This started the slide down the slippery slope of patenting seeds, cows, sheep, human cells and micro organisms. The U.S. is proud of having started a perverse trend based on flawed scientific assumptions which ignored the self-organising, dynamic, interactive nature of life forms and defined them as mere "Constitution of matter. As the U.S. paper on the TRIPs review states, the Supreme Court's decision in Diamond, Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks Vs. Chakrabarty spurred the development of a new industry - the biotechnology industry.

The U.S. is, therefore, committed to patents on life in order to defend its Biotech industry. But having opened the flood gate to treating life forms and these modifications as patentable, the U.S. patent office started to grant patents not just to GMOs (genetically modified organisms) but to process and products derived from biodiversity using indigenous knowledge. This is how patents on neem, karela, basmati have been given in the U.S.

Instead of recognising that it is promoting piracy and changing its laws to prevent its practice, the U.S. has rejected all Third World proposals for the recognition and protection of indigenous knowledge.

On the issue of Biopiracy, the U.S. states that the requirement to patent applicants to identify in their application the source of any genetic materials or traditional knowledge used in developing their claim "would be impractical". Recognising and screening indigenous knowledge, should be a necessary element of the test for inventiveness and novelty that is required under any patent system. However, when it comes to traditional knowledge of the Third World, this screening for "prior art" is declared as impractical. Forcing all countries to change their patent laws in spite of protests is considered practical. Imposing an immoral order of patents on life in spite of people in the North and South not accepting it is considered practical. Changing all cultures of the world, and enforcing property rights on seed is considered practical. Collecting royalties from the poor in the Third World for resources and knowledge that came from them in the first place is considered practical. But taking the simple step to change one clause in one law in the U.S. and one clause in TRIPs is considered impractical. This suggests that the U.S. is committed to not taking any steps to prevent Biopiracy, and is in fact committed to promoting it.

TRIPs and U.S. style patent laws annihilate rights of Third World communities by not having any system of recognition and protection of indigenous knowledge and not having any system for preventing patents claiming piracy of such knowledge as an invention.

The U.S. proposes that the Third World should solve the problem of Biopiracy by granting access to the companies that are patenting indigenous knowledge.

"The most effective means for exercising these rights would appear to be to require that parties seeking access to genetic resources or traditional knowledge enter into a contract with the sovereign entity that grants that access."

Instead of correcting the deficiencies in TRIPs and U.S. style patent laws, the U.S. would like to maintain the structures and laws that promote biopiracy at the global level. Instead of changing the laws at the International level and in the U.S. which allow pirated knowledge to be treated as an "invention", the U.S. wants the Third World to write contracts with the "Biopirates".

This is like the police asking a person whose house has been burgled to make a deal with the burglar instead of arresting the burglar. It is equivalent to a woman who has been raped being told she should have taken steps to not let herself to be raped, instead of putting a rapist behind bars as a criminal.

Biopiracy is intellectual and cultural rape. It is the slavery of the new millenium. And there is only way to stop it - to make it illegal in international law by changing TRIPs. Anything short of stopping Biopiracy through reform of TRIPs is participation in a crime against nature and the poor.

Citizens of the world will not let this crime continue. That is why in Seattle we will launch a Global Campaign Against Biopiracy to ensure that TRIPs and U.S. laws are changed, and Third World countries can take steps to protect their rich biological and intellectual heritage.

References:

1. Discussion Paper by India on Review of Art 27.3 (b).
2. Bolivia, Columbia, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Peru Proposal on Protection of the Intellectual Property Knowledge of local and indigenous communities.
3. Views of the U.S. submitted to W.T.O.

ACTION ALERT: NATIONAL CALL-IN DAY ON THE WTO

Demand a "Review & Repair" of the WTO!

The World Trade Organization (WTO) is meeting in Seattle from November 30th to December 3rd, 1999. Several of the WTO member countries are pushing to expand its powers into new areas, like investment. The WTO has shown a terrible track record in its first five years, ruling against environmental and health safeguards each time it has reviewed them. The WTO should be replaced, minimally fixed, rather than expanded! More than 1100 organizations world-wide have called for a "Review and Repair" of the WTO.

On Tuesday, November 30th, join concerned citizens and organizations from across the country and abroad in a Day of Action against the WTO. In cities and communities around the U.S. events are being organized on this day, to coincide with the massive "March on the WTO" that is being organized for Seattle by the labor movement. While thousands of people are marching on the streets in Seattle, tens of thousands of people should also be taking action around the country. YOU can participate in this historic event by:

1) Organize an event - like a march, a press conference, a teach-in in your community on or around the 30th of November. Contact mstrand@citizen.org or alesha@citizen.org for information about events planned in your community.

2) By participating in a National Call-IN Day on the WTO

• Broad opposition to expanding the WTO into areas such as investment;
• Broad support for assessing the WTO's impacts to date on our health, environment and democracy;
• Broad opposition to secretive, unaccountable institutions - like the WTO - ruling over us.

Contact Numbers:

John Podesta, Clinton's Chief of Staff at the White House: 202-456-1414

Vice-President Gore (Afraid and staying away from Seattle): 202-456-1111

Tony Coehlo, Gore's Campaign Manager: 615-340-2000

DAILY ONLINE NEWS FROM THE SEATTLE WTO MINISTERIAL



Announcing "World Trade Observer" online. http://www.worldtradeobserver.org

During the Seattle Ministerial of the World Trade Organization (November 30 December 3, 1999), a coalition of non-governmental organizations will publish a daily newspaper reporting news on the meeting from the NGO perspective. The paper will focus on labor, environmental, food and agriculture, and human rights issues at the ministerial as well as provide commentary, a calendar of events, and a few surprise guest columnists.

The first 10,000 copies of the World Trade Observer's "Welcome to Seattle" issue hit the streets on November 18. The first daily edition of the newspaper will be distributed Monday, November 29, to observers, the international press, and delegates attending the ministerial.

Media & Educational Links Encouraged News outlets, web portals, NGOs, labor unions and educational institutions seeking to broaden their online resources on the WTO event are encouraged to link to the newspaper at http://www.worldtradeobserver.org

"The Observer" is a joint project of Earthjustice Legal Defense Fund, Institute for Trade and Agriculture Policy, International Forum on Globalization, and Public Citizen. Funding was provided by the Lawson Valentine Foundation, the Solidago Foundation and an anonymous donor.

For more information contact: Brian Smith, Earthjustice Legal Defense Fund 415-627-6700.

Journalist of color looking for WTO/biotech activists of color

I am a journalist of color working with a new local progressive media agency called The Media Center.

I would like to interview people of color involved in the protests of WTO and I noticed you will be part of the activities of the week.

Is there someone in your organization who would be willing to be interviewed for our 24-hour video and radio broadcasts? The studio is in the heart of downtown Seattle, very accessible by public transportation (a little harder by car).

I look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

Dove
Esther "Little Dove" John
for The Media Center, Seattle dove@scn.org

URGENT: WTO SATELLITE INFO

ACTION ALERT
Please contact your local public television and community access (cable access) stations and urge them to downlink and run this historic feed of World Trade Organization protests in Seattle. Here is the satellite information that stations will need:

Satellite Information

W1 (GE ONE)
103 West
Transponder: 13
11am to 12 noon Pacific Standard Time
2 - 3pm Eastern
Tuesday November 30 thru Saturday December 4

• If you have any questions or concerns, please contact:
  Carlos Pareja carlos@papertiger.org , (212) 420-9045
• For up to the minute reports of protests via the internet: www.indymedia.org

Deep Dish Satellite Television Network
339 Lafayette Street
New York, NY, 10012
ph: 212 473-8933, fax: 212 420-8223

Please print, post or distribute
CONTACT: Carlos Pareja (212) 420-9045, carlos@papertiger.org, Jessie Epstein (212) 473-8933

As the World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial approaches, independent video makers,radio producers, journalists and activists are rallying under the common goal of social and economic justice to challenge the WTO pro-corporate policies.

In an effort to reclaim media democracy, this unprecedented media collaboration will make public the voices and concerns of tens of thousands from all over the world who will gather in Seattle from November 29 to December 3. Simultaneously, it will offer independent, non-commercial analytical and investigative coverage of the issues and implications surrounding multilat-eral organizations such as the WTO.

Deep Dish Satellite TV in association with The Independent Media Center in Seattle and Free Speech TV will broadcast directly from Seattle as activists representing labor, the environment, civil society, international law, and Indigenous Nations will converge on this city to hold counter events and stage demonstrations. Big Noise Films, Changing America, Citizen Vagrom, Paper Tiger TV, Speakeasy, Whispered Media and others (over a dozen video crews in all) will participate in this alternative pool coverage along with contributors from around the world.

The televised coverage will be provided on a next day basis via satellitecast as a 60 minute feed during five consecutive days. The series will consist of five 30-minute programs covering each day's events.

W1 (GE ONE)
103 West
Transponder: 13
11am to 12 noon Pacific Standard Time
2 3pm Eastern
Tuesday November 30 thru Saturday December 4

A diversity of cogent voices will articulate their concerns with the WTO and contribute to an educated and meaningful understanding of the issues. A second 30 minute satellite feed will consist of pre-produced programming focusing on specific global issues as they relate to the WTO, the IMF, and the World Bank (program titles TBA).

Because these important voices, opinions and points of view are likely to never be seen or heard in commercial mainstream media, Public Access Cable TV Centers are invited to encourage local producers to sponsor and schedule this five day, five hour series on their local access channels. Local PBS affiliates are also requested to run the series in its entire-ty. The series is provided free of charge to non-commercial programmers and channel provider and may be rebroadcast multiple times. The series will also provide information on how viewers can receive additional information via the Seattle Independent Media Center's internet sites which will provide print, audio and video content on a daily basis http://www.indymedia.org.

If you are interested in receiving additional information concerning how you can receive and program this television series, contact: Carlos Pareja, phone: (212) 420-9045 or email: carlos@papertiger.org. Satellitecasts will run from November 30th through December 4th, transponder location, specific times and other pre-event updates will be posted to http://papertiger.org/wto and

INDIGENOUS PEOPLES NETWORKING AT THE WTO

The World Trade Organization (WTO) will be in Seattle, November 29-December 3, 1999. This is their 5th anniversary. This WTO summit will lay the agenda for WTO for the next 10 years. Trade ministers from 135 nations will be welcomed by President Clinton who wants the WTO to begin a new round of "free trade" negotiations.

On Tuesday, November 30, from 12:00 noon to 2:00 p.m. a rally/march will take place in downtown Seattle with non-governmental organizations (NGO's) estimating near 30,000 people to show up. We are organizing for Indigenous Peoples to have a strong presence at this historical meeting of the WTO which has become the main rule-making bureaucracy of corporate lead economic globalization. This globalization has diminished environmental, labor, public health, food safety, culture, democracy and sovereignty of countries throughout world, let alone the sovereignty of Indigenous Peoples in North America.

Corporate rule has increased patenting of traditional knowledge and intellectual property rights of Indigenous Peoples, seeds, medicinal plants, and even the human DNA of Indigenous Peoples. Protection of forests and water is becoming threatened as these natural resources are defined as trade good items protected under the trade rules of the WTO.

Indigenous Peoples in North America, the Americas and the world have foreseen the consequences of economic globalization that endanger the sustainble survival of Indigenous Peoples. The WTO has not been open to the public or Indigenous Peoples. The Indigenous Peoples Forum and Networking at the WTO is the first step towards Indigeous Peoples to come together, educate ourselves, and develop strategy on action to be taken on the WTO.

FINAL AGENDA

INDIGENOUS PEOPLES NETWORKING AT THE WTO

The World Trade Organization (WTO) will be in Seattle, November 29-December 3, 1999. This is their 5th anniversary. This WTO summit will lay the agenda for WTO for the next 10 years. Trade ministers from 135 nations will be welcomed by President Clinton who wants the WTO to begin a new round of "free trade" negotiations. On Tuesday, November 30, from 12:00 noon to 2:00 p.m. a rally/march will take place in downtown Seattle with non-governmental organizations (NGO's) estimating near 30,000 people to show up.

We are organizing for Indigenous Peoples to have a strong presence at this historical meeting of the WTO which has become the main rule-making bureaucracy of corporate lead economic globalization. This globalization has diminished environmental, labor, public health, food safety, culture, democracy and sovereignty of countries throughout world, let alone the sovereignty of Indigenous Peoples in North America. Corporate rule has increased patenting of traditional knowledge and intellectual property rights of Indigenous Peoples, seeds, medicinal plants, and even the human DNA of Indigenous Peoples. Protection of forests and water is becoming threatened as these natural resources are defined as trade good items protected under the trade rules of the WTO. Indigenous Peoples in North America, the Americas and the world have foreseen the consequences of economic globalization that danger the sustainable survival of Indigenous Peoples. The WTO has not been open to the public or Indigenous Peoples. The Indigenous Peoples Forum and Networking at the WTO is the first step towards Indigenous Peoples to come together, educate ourselves, and develop strategy on action to be taken on the WTO.

Indigenous Peoples Networking Office:
Seattle University
900 Broadway Avenue
Seattle, Washington 98122

Lemieux Library Room 108
(To be staffed starting November 28 and during the week of the WTO).
Tel: (206) 296-2288, 296-2289, 296-2290
Fax: (206) 296-2280
e-mail: ien@igc.org Indigenous press and radio broadcasting ("Native American Calling") will be scheduled.

Unless otherwise noted, all Indigenous activities are sponsored by the Indigenous Environmental Network, USA/Canada and Seventh Generation Fund, USA. In alliance with International Indian Treaty Council, Indigenous Peoples Council on Biocolonialism, the Abya Yala Fund, the Indigenous People's Network for Policy Research and Education and many other Indigenous organizations and nations throughout the Americas and the world. This Indigenous networking promotes the principle that as Indigenous Peoples, “We Speak For Ourselves" on issues that affect the future of our communities and the world.

7:00-10:00 p.m. - International Forum on Globalization, "Teach-In: Economic Globalization and the Role of the WTO."
Benaroya Hall, 3rd Avenue and University Street Purchase $10 ticket to get in 2 hours before, not guaranteed to get in. Speakers from throughout the globe with the following Third World/Indigenous Peoples presentations: Martin Khor, Third World Network, Malaysia and Vandana Shiva, Research Foundation for Science, Technology and Ecology, India. Sponsored by the International Forum on Globalization. For more information contact IFG at (415) 771-8094 http://www.ifg.org

The Seventh Generation Fund would like to bring to your attention a very urgent and extremely important issue that will have an immediate impact upon the environment and Indigenous Peoples. Enclosed you will find a summary of the World Trade Organization Ministerial Meeting and a sign-on letter requesting your support.

The World Trade Organization will convene its Ministerial meeting in Seattle, Washington, from November 29 through December 3, 1999. As you know, the WTO represents the final phase of economic globalization and has already elevated corporate power above the sovereign powers of all Nation-States. Needless to say, the potential adverse impacts of the WTO on tribal sovereignty will be far reaching. Although the WTO will decide upon many significant trade related issues that will impact Native nations which include intellectual property rights (Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property, TRIPS) and the patenting of Indigenous peoples genes (Human Genome Diversity Project). In addition, we chose to address the two following issues because of the overarching impacts on the environment and Tribal Sovereignty.

The first is to encourage the Clinton Administration to reject trade policies that threaten to treat Indian treaty rights as “illegal non-tariff trade barriers.” The second issue is the “Global Free Logging Agreement,” which if passed will eliminate all tariffs on wood products. This action will heighten the consumption of wood products world wide, thus decimating the worlds endangered Native forests and threaten the Indigenous Peoples who reside in such forests with imminent extinction. A united Tribal voice must be heard on these critical issues. So please encourage your tribe or organization to sign-on to the enclosed letter.

The Seventh Generation Fund, The Indigenous Environmental Network, and the International Indian Treaty Council will be facilitating events that will bring visibility to the effects the WTO has on Indigenous Peoples and the environment. From November 26th through December 4th, 1999 we will hold informational meetings, Indigenous Peoples forum, and media campaigns bringing Native issues to the forefront of the WTO events. These events a