D5 Mobilization Against the WTO

A decade ago, tens of thousands of people converged in Seattle, Washington to protest the ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organization.  Directly confronting some of the planet’s most powerful corporations, governments and security forces, those activists made history by successfully derailing the WTO’s expansionist agenda.

What is the WTO?  A Brief Look...

Today, we find ourselves in the midst of the worst economic and environmental crises in generations. The same corporate interests activists confronted in Seattle are attempting to exploit these crises in order to concentrate their own power. Amazingly, they even have the gall to have scheduled a new WTO ministerial meeting in Geneva in late November and early December—the exact 10-year anniversary of the Seattle protests.  At this meeting, government officials will undoubtedly promote market fundamentalism as a solution to, rather than a cause of, the global economic crisis.

We need to fight back.  It is time to reclaim the “Spirit of Seattle,” come together as affected communities and take control over the policy decisions that affect our economic and ecological well-being.  As part of this resistance, a broad coalition of labor, environmental, faith, human rights and community activists are organizing a large-scale march and rally in Portland for Saturday, December 5, 2009.  Allies in Seattle, Geneva and around the globe are planning similar demonstrations.

On D5, people will come together to demand:

• An end to the undemocratic, “free trade” model. We’ll let elected officials know we’ve had enough of trade agreements that lead to a collective race to the bottom for workers in the United States and across the world; that worsen global poverty; push small farmers off their land; force migration; increase carbon emissions; destroy the environment; deregulate banks; weaken consumer safety; and disappear the middle class.

• The prioritization of human needs over corporate greed. From global trade to global warming, financial services to health care, “free market” corporate rule has been a disaster for most of the world’s people.  Rich corporations have had their say.  We’ll work together to take control of the decisions that affect our lives and the planet.

This is envisioned as a “big tent” event.  It will be a time to highlight the connections between different progressive issues, and strengthen relationships between people working on those issues.  The WTO protests famously brought together “Teamsters and Turtles.”  Let’s use the anniversary of that historic alliance to work together again.

Communities across Oregon are beginning to plan local teach-ins, rallies and other events for the fall in the build-up to D5, and are encouraged to use this website as a platform for sharing information about their work.  D5 organizers are making efforts to connect with other activists across the nation and beyond for a “Week of Action,” from November 28 to December 5.