Campaigners banned from IMF and World Bank meetings
-10/09/06
Lobby groups and activist
Campaigners banned from IMF and World Bank meetings
-10/09/06
Lobby groups and activists have been told that they will be turned away from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank meetings due to take place in Singapore next week ñ even though they have official accreditation to attend.
The organisations hit by the ban are non-violent campaigning organisations that have been doing work on the IMF and World Bank for a number of years.
The World Bank has openly criticised the Singaporean governmentís actions. However the events seriously question their choice of venue, say campaigners, as it is a country with well-known record of restrictions of freedom of expression and assembly.
Justin Macmullan, Christian Aidís campaign policy officer, said: “These attempts to stifle the voice of campaigners make it all the more important that people join Christian Aidís march in London on 14 September.
“Campaigners are being denied a voice at the World Bank and IMF meetings, just as the IMF and World Bank deny poor people a voice in how they run their own countries.”
Thousands of campaigners and a group of celebrities are to march past the Treasury to demand that the UK government cuts funding to the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The rally will be calling for the institutions to reform and stop pursuing damaging policies that harm poor people in developing countries.
At the same time, plans to hold a peopleís forum of civil society organisations and activists in Indonesia have also been put in doubt.
The meeting would have involved up to 1,000 delegates from around the world. Organisers believe the local authorities came under pressure from the Singaporean government to withdraw permission for the event to take place.
After intervention by the Indonesian government in Jakarta, organisers finally received assurances that the meeting could go ahead, although it looks likely that it will have to be scaled down.
Campaigners banned from IMF and World Bank meetings
-10/09/06
Lobby groups and activists have been told that they will be turned away from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank meetings due to take place in Singapore next week ñ even though they have official accreditation to attend.
The organisations hit by the ban are non-violent campaigning organisations that have been doing work on the IMF and World Bank for a number of years.
The World Bank has openly criticised the Singaporean governmentís actions. However the events seriously question their choice of venue, say campaigners, as it is a country with well-known record of restrictions of freedom of expression and assembly.
Justin Macmullan, Christian Aidís campaign policy officer, said: “These attempts to stifle the voice of campaigners make it all the more important that people join Christian Aidís march in London on 14 September.
“Campaigners are being denied a voice at the World Bank and IMF meetings, just as the IMF and World Bank deny poor people a voice in how they run their own countries.”
Thousands of campaigners and a group of celebrities are to march past the Treasury to demand that the UK government cuts funding to the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The rally will be calling for the institutions to reform and stop pursuing damaging policies that harm poor people in developing countries.
At the same time, plans to hold a peopleís forum of civil society organisations and activists in Indonesia have also been put in doubt.
The meeting would have involved up to 1,000 delegates from around the world. Organisers believe the local authorities came under pressure from the Singaporean government to withdraw permission for the event to take place.
After intervention by the Indonesian government in Jakarta, organisers finally received assurances that the meeting could go ahead, although it looks likely that it will have to be scaled down.