Anti-WTO Activists Denied U.S. Entry by Clinton Administration
10/29/99
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RELAYED TEXT STARTS HERE:
Title: Anti-WTO Activists Denied U.S. Entry by Clinton
Administration
Source: WTO Seattle Discussion
Status: Copyright 1999, contact source for permission to reprint
Date: October 29, 1999
Byline: Michael Morrill1-610-478-7888
Friederike Habermann 1-610-507-4416
(NEW YORK)-An international gathering of grassroots activists from
around the world begins its cross-country trek today minus nine of
its key member due to a decision by the Clinton Administration to
deny them visas. The organizers of the trek, dubbed "The Road to
Seattle, Peoples' Global Action Cross Country Caravan" blame a
decision by Clinton's State Department to stifle opposition to the
upcoming World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerium in Seattle.
The caravan includes women and men from about a dozen countries who
believe that the WTO meeting will sow the seeds for further erosion
of human rights, environmental protections and health and safety
standards. The caravan is being organized under the auspices of
Peoples' Global Action (PGA), an international movement which
believes that the WTO is fundamentally flawed, is beyond reform and
must be abolished. It is because of this stance that the activists
are being excluded from the United States.
Those excluded include Siwakoti Gopal and six other members of the
Nepalese human rights organization INHURED as well as Badrul Alum and
Pradip Kumar Roy, director of the Bangladesh' Krishok Federation.
Gopal received his degree in law in the U.S., teaches human rights
and international law in Nepal. He also received endorsements for
his visa application from U.S.-based organizations and Members of
Congress. Despite this support, he was still denied his visa. "With
these credentials, who would be allowed to enter the U.S. if not
him?" asked Michael Morrill, one of the U.S. organizers of the
caravan.
"They just ignored all these letters and financial guarantees,"
stated Gopal. "They [U.S. Embassy officials] did not even look at
them. They said that they did not have to [give the visas] They were
also questioning our organizations and our personal integrity. They
were very abusive. It was a terrible humiliation for all of us!"
"Two weeks ago President Clinton said he was not concerned about the
massive protests planned for the WTO summit," continued Morrill. "Now
his administration is hard at work to keep the protest out."
Activists from India, the United Kingdom, Israel, Bolivia, Germany
and Panama are already in the U.S. to begin the caravan. Among them
is Mr. Sanjay Mangala who is representing a movement, which is
heading the resistance against dam-projects in the Narmada Valley in
India. Activists in London scaled the world's biggest Ferris wheel
three days ago, attracting global attention and highlighting the
money interests of transnational corporations, the World Bank and
Western governments in dam building projects such as those in the
Narmada Valley.
Michael Charder, who is involved with Reclaim The Streets, London
said, "This action has been linked to PGA. It's only too obvious the
U.S. government is afraid of our global resistance, and tries to
counteract this by not allowing protesters visas."