The STWC/SWP were the only large organisation at the ESF to oppose a Europe wide march/protest in Brussels on Mar 19 against the Bolkenstein directive, (see below) calling yet another STW demo!
While the STWC /SWP demo was occurring, over 50,000 people from all over Europe including many contingents from Eastern Europe were marching against the Bolkenstein directive as well as Neo-Liberalism and the War,
The Bolkenstein EU directive, if agreed, would allow open competion into public sectors across Europe: health, education, etc. The European Social Forum (ESF) saw this as extremely worrying and decided to highlight this by a Europe wide demo in Brussels on March 19. All roads would lead to Brussels as it were
The SWP/STWC were the only large organisation to oppose it and hijacked it by calling another A/W demo in London, (just as they did at the ESF last autumn) thus denying many people the chance to hear about it and oppose the B/D.
as someone asked on Urban75 why do we tolerate such behaviour?
http://www.indymedia.be/news/2005/03/94781.php
http://www.stopbolkestein.org/
'The Bolkenstein EU directive, if agreed, would allow open competion into public sectors across Europe: health, education, etc.
'If adopted, this European directive would result in the merchandisation of all services within the Union. This would mean that essential sectors such as culture, education, health care and all services relating to national social welfare systems could be exposed to the same forms of economic competition as commercial goods.
This merchandisation would inevitably lead to the deterioration of pension systems, social welfare and health care cover in favour of private insurance. It would also entail the deregulation of our education systems and the end of any kind of cultural excellence'
http://www.stopbolkestein.org/index...Content_ID=3000
The Bolkenstein EU directive, if agreed, would allow open competion into public sectors across Europe: health, education, etc. The European Social Forum (ESF) saw this as extremely worrying and decided to highlight this by a Europe wide demo in Brussels on March 19. All roads would lead to Brussels as it were
The SWP/STWC were the only large organisation to oppose it and hijacked it by calling another A/W demo in London, (just as they did at the ESF last autumn) thus denying many people the chance to hear about it and oppose the B/D.
as someone asked on Urban75 why do we tolerate such behaviour?
http://www.indymedia.be/news/2005/03/94781.php http://www.stopbolkestein.org/ 'The Bolkenstein EU directive, if agreed, would allow open competion into public sectors across Europe: health, education, etc.
'If adopted, this European directive would result in the merchandisation of all services within the Union. This would mean that essential sectors such as culture, education, health care and all services relating to national social welfare systems could be exposed to the same forms of economic competition as commercial goods.
This merchandisation would inevitably lead to the deterioration of pension systems, social welfare and health care cover in favour of private insurance. It would also entail the deregulation of our education systems and the end of any kind of cultural excellence'
http://www.stopbolkestein.org/index...Content_ID=3000 
Comments
Hide the following 6 comments
Really?
21.03.2005 13:09
In a way, that's all they've done - just organised their own thing. Nothing was hijacked. It's just the kind of autonomous, de-centralised action we all like, isn't it?
(And at least it kept them away from the Brussels march! :) )
Dan Aktivix
e-mail:
dan@aktivix.org
erm but the anti-war protests were global!
21.03.2005 17:52
On the face of it the ESF groups' decision to pick the same day to march in Brussels against a Directive even most Europeans haven't heard of seems the odder one...
type
Could we Tolerate Two Galloways
21.03.2005 21:42
Yes toleration "saddened": We tolerate your perverse or ill-informed words. Try applying some thought, and toleration yourself.
You stupid idiot, the real SWP weren't even on the DEMO. They split last week, and the majority faction called a counter demo in the East End where RESPECT are standing George Galloway. Galloway turned up at Trafalgar Square at the end of the Troops out Demos, to be lauded by the minority, where his brown-nosing fans were shaking his hands.
Or, are their two Galloway's - feckin hell, bless us and save us.
AFKAED
SWP split????????????
23.03.2005 16:04
f44
Disorganisers
24.03.2005 13:09
Angered
Disorganisers
24.03.2005 13:16
Angered