NEW YORK, Oct. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- An international gathering of grassroots activists from around the world begins its cross-country trek today minus nine of its key members 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.''
SOURCE: Pennsylvania Consumer Action Network