WDM is an outstanding organisation - independent, clever in its campaigning, meticulous in its research, and angry. Its important work deserves our support.
John Pilger, author and activist
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up to E-NewsArchive of WDM Scotland actions around the 2005 G8 summit in Gleneagles
'Skating Minister' highlights why G8 progress is "on Thin Ice"
On Friday 9 December, at Murrayfield Ice Rink, Edinburgh the Rev Mitchell Bunting recreated Raeburn's famous portrait of 'The Skating Minister'. Rev Bunting - who lives in Duddingston- donned period dress and a Tony Blair mask to highlight the lack of progress by the G8 on making poverty history.
The stunt marked the launch of 'On Thin Ice', a new report by Jubilee Scotland and the World Development Movement which highlights the fundamental causes of trade injustice.
WDM at the G8 Summit
WDM at the MPH march, 02 July 2005. More from the
MPH march.
Credit: Paul Harper/WDM
- 02 July: Make Poverty History march
- 03 July: Counter conference
- 06 July: Gleneagles protest
- What is the G8?
- Previous G8 Summits
Tuesday 02 August
Leaks reveal G8 debt deal faces funding shortfall:
World Bank leaked documents show that far from granting 100 per cent debt cancellation immediately for the poorest countries, the G8 has only promised enough money to meet the debt repayments of 18 developing countries for three years.
Read more
Thursday 21 July
WDM verdict on G8 action on trade justice, debt cancellation, more and better aid:
The Make Poverty History Campaign set a range of challenges to the G8 on aid, debt and trade. Here is an analysis of G8 commitments on all of these demands.
Read more
Friday 15 July
Leaks reveal IMF threat to already weak G8 debt deal:
Leaked documents show European representatives at the IMF are suggesting major modifications to last week's G8 debt deal. (15/07/05)
Friday 08 July
WDM response to the final outcomes of the G8:
G8 condemn Africa to miss Millennium Development Goals (08/07/05)
Other press releases:
Campaigners distance themselves from Geldof praise for G8 (08/07/05)
World Development Movement statement: "The debt stuff, we are not there on that." (06/07/05)
G8 - trade issues being sidelined (07/07/05)
Read all G8-related press releases
Gleneagles protest, Wednesday 06 July
WDM has marched to the Gleneagles Hotel on the opening day of the G8 Summit.
Marching to Gleneagles, 06 July 2005. More from
the Gleneagles march.
Credit: Paul Harper/WDM
11pm: The 10,000 strong G8 demonstration at Gleneagles was terminated by the police, who deployed military helicoptors against civilians for the first time on mainland Britain.
After a 4-hour journey from Edinburgh, beset by diversions and road blocks erected by the police, the march finally got underway from the village of Auchterarder towards the Gleneagle Hotel.
The sounds of trumpets, drums, whistles and chants filled the air and although the atmosphere was like a carnival, the marchers had a serious message for the leaders of the G8: We demand total unpayable debt cancellation, an end to free trade injustices and more yet better aid.
Read more as the day unfurled and view photos
WDM Brighton scale new heights and are arrested, Tuesday 05 July
At
6.20pm today, exactly 12 hours after their dramatically taking possession
of a 150 ft crane outside Edinburgh Waverley station to protest against
the "Brownwash" of UK government spin on trade, aid and debt policy,
three exhausted activists from Brighton WDM brought their occupation
to a peaceful end and were arrested.
View photos of and read more on the arrest
Read pre-arrest story and press release
WDM's new G8 briefing
Walden Bello speaking at the G8 Counter-conference, 03 July 2005. More
from the conference.
Credit: Paul Harper/WDM
Every year, hundreds of millions of pounds are spent on the G8 gathering; every year, hundreds of journalists try to interpret, and report on, what the G8 are saying; and every year, disbelief is suspended by millions of people hoping that 'this time' these countries can agree to concrete actions that will address a range of global problems.
Yet little attention is paid to the G8's track record; each year, the focus is on what the G8 may or may not come up with 'this time'. This year, perhaps more than any other, the G8 will be scrutinised for what they will deliver on a series of global issues: debt, aid, climate change and trade, but it is important to place this in context. This briefing is therefore designed to provide some background information on what the G8 have said during the last 'cycle' of meetings since they last met in the UK in 1998, and what the G8 countries have done.
Read more in WDM's new briefing on the G8:
Suspending disbelief - The promises and actions of the G8, from
1998-2005
Word (251kb) / PDF
(312kb)
G8 counter-conference
Hundreds
of people turned up to the WDM co-organised G8 Corporate Dream/Global
Nightmare counter-conference in Edinburgh on Sunday.
They listened as speakers such as The Yes Men, Walden Bello, Samir Amin, Nnimmo Bassey, Amit Srivastava, George Monbiot, Trevor Ngwane and Berenice Celeyta enthused them with their impassioned discussions on Challenging Privatisation, Challenging Global Trade Rules, Challenging Climate Change, Challenging Corporations and Make the G8 History.
Make Poverty History rally
Over
225,000 activists marched through Edinburgh on Saturday, forming
a human white band around the city and demanding the G8 leaders hear our
demands for total unpayable debt cancellation, an end to free trade injustices
and more yet better aid.
The carnival atmosphere was electric as banners and placards of every hue were waved on the streets, drums were beaten, people chanted or sung, and whistles were shrilly blown.
At 3 o'clock, a hush descended around Edinburgh as a minute silence was observed, as everyone remembered those living in extreme poverty around the world.
Later in the evening, hundreds of people danced the night away at a WDM co-organised Reson8 club night.
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