B-day
I was lying in bed a couple of nights ago, about to enter the land of nod, when I distinctly heard the newsreader on the radio say in the usual matter of fact, nonchalant way:
…capitalism is destroying the planet and bringing more poverty and hunger every day…
He was, of course quoting the inimitable Venezuelan president, who was hanging out in Buenos Aires ahead of some major international rioting, oops, I mean a major international summit on the Free Trade Area of the Americas in Mar del Plata, Argentina. Hugo and his mate Diego joined thousands of others in telling Bush to shove his war and neo-liberalism agenda where the sun don’t shine. Somehow Chavez also got to take part in the summit itself (oh yes, that must be because he’s the democratically elected leader of Venezuela).
Diego and Hugo
But lo, another chance to bash Bush appears on the horizon a mere two weeks away when Bush comes to Busan for the APEC conference (November 18). Here’s the official Korean Anti-APEC website. Plus some news stories on the preparations for the demos from Voice of [the] People and NewsCham.
The police for their part are apparently ’stepping up security’ (there’s a surprise) with the usual security cordons, cancelling of leave for riot police, banning of foreign protestors and promises to deal harshly with illegal anti-globalisation protests (English article in KT here). All of which has a decidedly familiar air, bringing to mind Genoa 2001, London 2003 and Gleneagles 2005.
Meanwhile, much controversy has so far centred around an anti-APEC video made by the Korean national teacher’s union which parodies world leaders in the style of Baywatch. GNP lawmakers are getting their knickers in a major twist as the teachers intend to use the video in their classroom teaching over the couple of weeks leading up to the summit. As the teachers point out, the government and Pusan city have both produced material putting their view of the APEC summit, so they are providing some balance (like it).
Well, that’s some of the background, I hope to provide some more coverage of this as events unfold.
