Clashes mar free trade summit

By Sridhar Krishnaswami

WASHINGTON, APRIL 21. Thousands of anti-globalisation protesters disrupted the opening of the Summit of the Americas in Quebec City, Canada, again trying to impress upon the 34 leaders attending the three-day meeting of the dangers of the efforts to create the world's largest Free Trade Area stretching from Canada to Chile.

Coming from various economic backgrounds, the leaders are hoping to hammer out the creation of a Trading Area by 2005 that would encompass some 800 million people. Supporters of the Free Trade Area of the Americas say that the arrangements will spread prosperity which will be underpinned by democratic rule. The FTAA plans see a lowering of tariffs and easing of customs rules. Opponents argue that the rich will exploit the poor.

The U.S. President, Mr. George W Bush, prior to leaving for his first major summit of Presidency, said the goal was to build ``a hemisphere of liberty''. But his call to approach it ``with a spirit of civility, mutual respect and appreciation for our shared values'' met with hostility in the streets around the Summit venue when protesters clashed with police, indulged in stray acts of vandalism and in reports of demonstrators using petrol bombs.

Authorities in Canada have been bracing themselves for ``trouble'' in the aftermath of what happened in Seattle in 1999 over the World Trade Organisation meeting and the next year in Prague. And the Royal Canadian Mounted Police had its hands full during the meeting of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum meetings in Vancouver in 1997 even if the protests were of a different nature. Protesters tried to storm - and were successful in some ways - the 6.4 km 10-ft high chain link fence, dubbed by demonstrators The Wall of Shame, that was put up around parts of the historic city. Nearly 7000 police forces and 1200 troops have been pressed into service to ensure that the meeting goes on without major disruptions. In spite of all precautions and the actual venue itself being ``sealed off'', the Opening Ceremonies had to be postponed by 90 minutes. Police in Canada have blamed a small group of anarchists from the United States for the violence that resulted in a handful of arrests and injuries to some demonstrators and police personnel as well. But the protests in Quebec are no comparison to the kind of events that took place in 1999 at the time of the WTO meeting in Seattle when the city had to be virtually shut down by a curfew that lasted several days.

In his opening address, the Prime Minister of Canada, Mr. Jean Chretien, argued that a small group of extremists were to blame for the violence. ``I welcome those who have come to Quebec City to make known their views on how best to advance the social and economic interests of our fellow citizens. But violence and provocation is unacceptable in a democracy.'' The only note of political support to the demonstrators came from the President of Cuba, Mr. Fidel Castro. The Cuban leader, the only one in the hemisphere not invited to the Summit, opposes the Free Trade Proposals, expressed admiration for the demonstrators and denounced the ``brutal'' actions of the Canadian police.

Mr. Bush, whose meetings with Latin American leaders have had to be delayed and postponed as a result of the disturbances, is facing some plain talking by Latin American leaders who on the one hand favour a free trade zone but at the same time point out the need to put on a human face to economic globalisation.

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Section  : International
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