For the record, we don't necessarily endorse all the views on any of these web sites. On the other hand, we can almost guarantee that they will all be useful if you're interested in learning about the impact of the WTO on our lives. This list of organizations and informational web sites is not exhaustive, but it will get you started. Any suggestions for additional web sites will be much appreciated. --Ed.
Read The Battle Beyond Seattle - a good article on the WTO by William Greider in The Nation.
(12/16/99) Read Jeffrey St. Clair's Seattle/WTO experiences in Counterpunch Magazine
Mokhiber and Weissman: 10 Reasons to Dismantle the WTO
WTO critics now face a perilous moment. They must not be distracted by illusory or cosmetic reform proposals, nor by even more substantive proposals for changing the WTO -- should they ever emerge from the institution or its powerful rich country members. Instead, they should unite around an uncompromising demand to dismantle the WTO and its corporate-created rules. (11/23/99)
| A Citizen's Guide to the World Trade Organization. (212KB) (Clicking on the foregoing link will either open the document or download it as an Acrobat file to your hard disk. You must use Adobe Acrobat to read or print out the file. Download a free Acrobat reader from Adobe by clicking on the button to the left. |
|
Published by the Working Group on the WTO/MAI, July, 1999. Before you go any further, download this pamphlet, print it out, and read it. It's an excellent introduction to the WTO.
Mr. Conservative writes a summary of the impact of the WTO on the U.S. and the world and gives some insight into what we can expect if the present trends continue. This is a good place to start understanding how trade agreements can erode the ability of our own government to protect our welfare. From the San Francisco Chronicle.
The Independent Media Center, Seattle
Up-to-the-minute news--print and multimedia--of the Seattle demonstrations and meetings. The Independent Media Center is a grassrots organization committed to using media production and distribution as a tool for promoting social and economic justice.
Commentary on the importance of the WTO meeting in Seattle and the popular response.
World Trade Observer (Did not respond on 11/22/00 --Ed.)
Published by Earthjustice Legal Defense Fund, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, International Forum on Globalization, and Public Citizen. Funding is provided by the Lawson Valentine Foundation, the Solidago Foundation, and one anonymous donor.
Peoples' Global Action against "Free" Trade and the WTO (Did not respond 11/22/00 --Ed.)
Impressive, multilingual site. From the 23rd to the 25th of February 1998, peoples' movements from all continents met in Geneva and launched a worldwide coordination of resistance against the global market, a new alliance of struggle and mutual support called the Peoples' Global Action against "Free" Trade and the World Trade Organisation (PGA). This new platform will serve as a global instrument for communication and co-ordination for all those fighting against the destruction of humanity and the planet by the global market, building up local alternatives and peoples' power.
Direction Action Media Network (DAMN)
Latest coverage of the demonstrations and events in Seattle. The Direct Action Media Network (DAMN!) is a multi-media news service that covers direct actions that progressive organizations and individuals take to attain a peaceful, open and enlightened society. DAMN places its coverage of social justice actions into both historical and contemporary context so that any audience will find the events and issues covered accessible.
Public Citizen: Global Trade Watch
Public Citizen, founded by Ralph Nader, has been involved in trade issues for many years.
ZNet's pages on the Global Economic Crisis
ZNet offers this site as a source for understanding global economics and trade issues in general and as an inspiration and source for the Nov/Dec 1999 WTO Seattle Demonstrations. Writings by Chomsky, Weisbrot, Hahnel, Solomon, etc.
Information center on trade, the WTO and the activities in Seattle. Sponsored by Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy
A group of International, National and Seattle groups who have come together to oppose the destruction of people and environment that untrammeled free trade promises. Daily updates.
The International Forum on Globalization
The goal of the IFG is twofold: (1) Expose the multiple effects of economic globalization in order to stimulate debate, and (2) Seek to reverse the globalization process by encouraging ideas and activities which revitalize local economies and communities, and ensure long term ecological stability.
World Trade Organization/GATT Home Page
Parody of the WTO web site. A good resource. [1/3/2000 Server does not respond. Hopefully, this one will be back before long.]
An independent, non-partisan citizens' interest group providing a critical and progressive voice on key national issues. The Council of Canadians are planning to mobilize in Vancouver for a conference immediately prior to the Summit and then descend on Seattle
This is a web page for the Irish campaign against the World Trade Organisation's conference in Seattle (USA) in November 1999. Major demonstrations are planned for November 30th (hence N30) and we hope to organise activities here on that date also. If you live in Ireland or are planning to be there then, contact joe.black@pmail.net if you are willing to help organise activities, include a phone number and postal address if possible. (And, yes, the Jackson Progressive has Irish readers.)
Provides training in the skills of non-violent civil disobedience to help environmental and human rights organizations achieve their goals.
The Direct Action Network: Resist the WTO -- Come to Seattle on November 30!
The Direct Action Network is a network of local grassroots organizations and street theater groups across the Western United States and Canada who are mobilizing their communities to creatively resist the World Trade Organization (WTO) and corporate globalization.
Youth Action for Global Justice
Founded by students in 1983 as the Overseas Development Network (ODN), the organization recently renamed JustAct promotes youth leadership and action for global justice. There's not a lot on the WTO specifically, but we thought this was such a good idea that it belonged on this list, anyway.
The World Trade Organization (WTO) web site
This is the official web site of the WTO. We wouldn't be fair if we omitted it, would we?
Earthjustice Legal Defense Fund
Earthjustice Legal Defense Fund, formerly the Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund, is the law firm for the environment. For more than a quarter century, the Legal Defense Fund has represented hundreds of environmental clients, large and small, without charge. Resources: check out the downloadable documents about the WTO and the environment http://www.earthjustice.org/work/international.html
Global Exchange Resources List:
Extensive international list of links to organizations and resources related to trade and the WTO. Global Exchange is a non-profit research, education, and action center dedicated to promoting people-to-people ties around the world. Its goals are: (1) to promote respect for human rights political and economic; (2) to educate the U.S. public about global issues; (3) to encourage the U.S. government and international institutions to move toward policies that promote democratic and sustainable development; (4) to link people of the North and South who are promoting sustainable development; and (5) to help improve the lives of the poor by providing material and technical assistance and access to grants.
Adbusters: The Big Question. November 30 - December 3
Adbusters has long been in the forefront of media criticism. They are now running "uncommercials" on CNN, other TV networks, radio and billboards.
the electrohippies Electronic Activism & Electronic Civil Disobedience website
"In the beginning the military-industrial complex invented the Internet, and the generals looked upon the Internet and saw that it was an effective war-proof control structure. And as the military-industrial complex penetrated the halls of academia, the professors looked upon the Internet and saw that it was interesting. The professors showed it to their students, and the students looked upon the Internet and saw that it was brilliant. Then the student activists saw the Internet, and realised that it was capable of being subverted into a more socially useful purpose than a control structure for the military-industrial complex and lo, the state lost control of the Internet!"
| The Jackson Progressive http://www.jacksonprogressive.com |
P. O. Box 2050 | Jackson, Mississippi 39225-2050 |