New England regional planning for the FTAA mobilization


The Vermont Mobilization for Global Justice, a coalition that currently includes more than 15 progressive and radical groups, plans to coordinate crucial support on the Vermont side of the US-Canadian border when heads of state gather to negotiate the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA).

The goals include:

• setting up and managing a convergence center for activists
• creating an independent media center (IMC) for journalists and media makers
• providing support services for border crossings and protest actions

An organizational meeting was held Feb. 5 in Burlington, with a follow up planned for Central Vermont next week. Discussions are also undeway within the New England Global Action Network (NEGAN). A VT Coordinating Council is slated to be formed by the end of the month. Here's the basic outline of what the VTMGJ hopes to do:

Border Mobilization and Support

Thousands will attempt to cross the border via Maine, Vermont, and upstate New York. Based on the Canadian government's promise to mount the largest police and security operation in the nation's history, as well as the fact that it blocked about 500 people from crossing into Canada during an OAS meeting there last June (and ten people who attempted to attend a CLAC meeting last week), it is likely that a large percentage of these thousands will be prevented from crossing. Already activists with political arrest records have been turned back at the border due to the FTAA meeting.

Given this potential, actions are being called for any and all people prevented from crossing. The message will be opposition to "Free Trade" that opens borders to corporations while shutting them down to people. With this in mind, along with addressing the need for food, transportation, and temporary housing, VTMGJ will create and coordinate a support network based in Burlington, a city strategically located an hour from the border.

Convergence Center

The success of recent protests in Seattle and other places has been due in large part to the presence of an infrastructure that provides space to gather, develop materials and strategies, and respond to the unexpected. This will be especially vital in April, since the border itself is in a remote location and Quebec City will be surrounded by a "security zone." To deal with these unusual logistical challenges - and, hopefully, reduce the potential for negative publicity and local backlash -- in early April VTMGJ will open a Convergence Center in Burlington.

Independent Media Center

Plans for an Independent Media Center (IMC) in Vermont have been underway for several months, and many groups in the VTMGJ also sponsored or participated in the independent media conference held in Burlington last October. As past protests have made clear, we can't count on corporate media to fairly and accurately cover issues like "free trade" and globalization, not to mention direct actions that sometimes occur during mass mobilizations, without an effective independent media presence. Therefore, VTMGJ plans to establish an IMC to distribute news and information, and to support visiting journalists and media makers. Maintaining close contact with activists, the Vermont IMC will help counteract the corporate line, supporting the visiting indy journalists who can bring our agenda to the world.

Activities

1. Prior to the Summit, teach-ins will be held to raise local awareness; training workshops will also be offered, covering areas such as non-violent direct action, legal issues, the FTAA, and police/security repression.

2. Beginning April 18, VTMGJ will provide housing (in local homes, etc. if necessary), transport to and from the border, and both food and communication support at the site of border actions.

3. The Vermont Mobilization will also help to orient visiting activists, establish a Coordinating Council to facilitate democratic process among participating groups, provide legal and medical back up if necessary, and continue its public education and outreach efforts via mainstream and
alternative media.

4. Large enough to accommodate mass meetings and equipped with basic materials and amenities, the Convergence Center will serve as a safe haven for activists and a base of operations for actions at the border and throughout the region.

5. VTMGJ will establish basic operating principles for the Center, and develop committee to deal with outreach, food, housing, transportation, scenarios, special services (medical, legal, etc.), and media. At least one representative from each committee will participate in the Coordinating Council, which will also include representatives from VTMGJ member groups and make decisions by consensus. During the mobilization, committees will be open to all participants.

6. The Independent Media Center, which will be managed by a media committe, will include an office with phone lines and adequate facilities for radio, print, and video journalists, an IMC Website, space for press events, and TVs to monitor mainstream news coverage.

7. Potential IMC activities also include a newspaper with FTAA analysis and tips for activists, daily press releases, coordination of press events, and a low power radio station

Members

To date, the coalition includes the Native Forest Network (NFN) and Action for Community and Ecology in the Regions of Central America (ACERCA), the Vermont Action Network (VAN), Institute for Social Ecology (ISE), UVM Student Political Awareness and Responsibility Coalition (SPARC), Toward Freedom (TF), International Socialist Organization (ISO), American Friends Service Committee - Vermont (AFSC), Action for Community and Ecology in the Regions of Central America (ACERCA), Independent Media Convergence Project (IMCP), Old North End Rag, and Vermont Free Media Network. The following groups are currently considering endorsement: Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) chapter, Vermont chapter - National Writers Union (NWU), Peace and Justice Coalition (PJC), and several unions.

A VTMGJ listserv will be established soon.

Greg Guma
Independent Media Convergence Project