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Thousands of trade campaigners challenge LabourMore than 6,000 campaigners protested outside the Labour Party Conference, putting pressure on Prime Minister Tony Blair to change the government’s unfair trade policies. In what is likely to be the largest mass demonstration at the Brighton meeting this year, demonstrators called on the Labour government for trade justice. Protestors in colourful costume made themselves heard by banging pots and pans in a Latin American style protest as the suited Labour delegates looked on from the balconies of the conference centre. Campaigners from Edinburgh, London, York, Cardiff, and all over the UK joined guests from Bolivia, Ghana, South Africa, and India in a carnival atmosphere. Their message was that the government must act now to change its policies on trade – policies that are keeping millions of people in developing countries trapped in poverty. Campaigners want the government to stop supporting policies that force poor countries to open their markets whatever the cost. They chanted, “Free Trade is not Fair Trade.” Trade Justice Movement Coordinator Glen Tarman said: “The rules governing world trade protect wealthy countries and hurt poor ones. We are sending a clear message to the government that this obscene set-up is unacceptable to British voters.” Campaigners listened to speakers before marching down the seafront to cast their “Vote for Trade Justice” ballots in giant boxes outside the Conference hall. There was a two-minute silence to remember the millions whose lives are destroyed by current trade rules. Celebrities such as Casualty’s Kwame Kwei-Armah and Time Team’s Tony Robinson spoke at the event, while Bono sent a message. Neville Gabriel, South African trade campaigner, said at the rally: “World trade rules hurt the poor and help the rich. What we need to see is trade rules that allow us in the poorest nations to make a living.” The event marks the start of a new campaign, Vote for Trade Justice, which will run throughout 2005 and aims to collect one million votes. More than 60,000 people have so far voted. Next year is crucial for the global fight against poverty with the next ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organisation in Hong Kong. The UK Government is in a unique position to take the lead in that fight. In July 2005 it is hosting the G8 meeting of the world's most powerful countries and takes over the presidency of the EU. The Trade Justice Movement is a coalition of aid agencies, environment and human rights campaigns, fair trade organisations, trade unions and faith groups that represents nine million people. Ends. Photographs from the event are available. For media enquiries and further information please contact: Action Aid: Paul Collins on 020 7561 7634, 07753 973486 or PCollins@actionaid.org.uk Christian Aid: Stuart Halford on 020 7523 2058, 07791 365119 or medvol3@christian-aid.org CAFOD: Patrick Nicholson on 020 7326 5559, 07979 781015 or pnicholson@cafod.org.uk Oxfam: Shaista Aziz on 01865 312359 or saziz@oxfam.org.uk Tearfund: Abby King on 020 8943 7901, 07767 473516 or abby.king@tearfund.org WDM: Dave Timms on 020 7274 7630, 07711 875345 or dave@wdm.org.uk War on Want: John Coventry on 020 7620 1111, 07905 397084 or jcoventry@waronwant.org www.tjm.org.uk Note to Editors The members of the Trade Justice movement are: ActionAid, ACTSA, ADRA-UK, African Initiatives, AEFJN-UK, Baby Milk Action, Banana Link, Baptist Union, CAFOD, Campaign Against Arms Trade, CARE International UK, Catholic Institute for International Relations, Christian Aid, Church of England, Church of Scotland, Board of World Mission, The Church in Wales, The Fairtrade Foundation, Find Your Feet, Friends of the Earth, Greenbelt Festival, Greenpeace, Harvest Help, Justice for Colombia, MAYC World Action, Methodist Relief and Development Fund, National Board of Catholic Women, National Federation of Women's Institutes, National Justice and Peace Network, National Union of Students, Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign, One World Action, Oxfam, Peace Child International, People and Planet, Peru Support Group, Quaker Peace and Social Witness, Rugmark UK, Save the Children, SCIAF, Scottish Catholic Justice and Peace Commission, Shared Interest, SPEAK, Student Christian Movement, Tearfund, Tools for Self Reliance, Traidcraft, TUC, Unitarian Office of Social Responsibility, Unison, United Reformed Church, VSO, War on Want, Women's Environmental Network, Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, The Woodcraft Folk, World Development Movement, World Vision UK www.tjm.org.uk |
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