The Hindu : International : London set to host European Social Forum

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Oct 14, 2004

International

International

London set to host European Social Forum

By Tania Branigan

LONDON, OCT. 13. Padmanabhan Krishna Murthy had only just arrived in London, but on Tuesday afternoon he had one matter on his mind: how to find Karl Marx's grave in the Highgate cemetery.

The inscription on it — ``Workers of all lands unite'' — seemed an apt summary of the reason for his trip. The Indian trade union leader is one of hundreds of overseas delegates who have arrived in London for the third European Social Forum (ESF), a global justice conference that will kick off on October 14 with a welcoming event at the Southwark Cathedral.

But he corrected that suggestion: ``It's not only workers. It's people of the world.''

``The same multinationals are operating in Europe and India; you can't fight globalisation within one continent. The forum is not about a single way of thinking, but about bringing together people who feel there's a common challenge.''

Around 20,000 campaigners from trade unions, charities and religious groups will converge in London this weekend to take part in over 500 seminars, workshops and talks.

A huge cultural programme of screenings, theatre and exhibitions is running alongside the political debates and the event will culminate in a demonstration against the war in Iraq on Sunday. The Guardian is the media partner of the event.

Range of affiliates

Its affiliates range from the National Union of Teachers, of the United Kingdom to the Norwegian-Cuban Friendship Association, via Oxfam. Its speakers include the American feminist and black activist, Angela Davis and the musician, Pete Doherty. Other participants range from Gerry Adams to Che Guevara's daughter, Aleida, and from the rapper Asher D to Ahmed Ben Bella, leader of the Algerian independence struggle.

``The whole point of the forum is finding common ground,'' said Mr. Krishna Murthy. ``People everywhere are feeling the pinch of neo-liberal policies and globalisation... Coming here allows us to build bridges and remove misunderstandings.''

Some charges

But the event has attracted misunderstandings of its own, with participants of previous events claiming that this year's has been ``hijacked'' by mainstream organisations and individuals such as the trade unions and the Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone. The Greater London authority (GLA) has given £400,000 to the event.

It has attracted a rival conference, Beyond ESF. Its organisers, backed by the anarchist grouping the Wombles, claim the forum has been ``hijacked by authoritarian organisations such as the Socialist Workers party and racist, war-crazy corporate whores Neo Labour [who have] got in on the act through Ken Livingstone and the GLA.''

Last month 10 British non-governmental organisations, including Oxfam, Greenpeace and War on Want, wrote an open letter criticising ``the lack of transparency and openness in the UK process [of choosing speakers]''.

``I think there have been similar problems in previous years, but they have escalated this year,'' said Hannah Griffiths of Friends of the Earth.

``Because the GLA put the money in, understandably, they wanted to track where it was going. That has translated into a practical way of working which is hierarchical, in direct opposition to the philosophy of the ESF.'' But Mr. Livingstone said on Tuesday: ``The European and World Social forums [their international equivalent] are the broadest and most representative movements for social justice in the world today.

``As against some backward traditions in parts of the left, they positively celebrate and give voice to the diversity of the movements seeking alternatives to neo-liberalism.''

The forum's spokesman said: ``With over 500 sessions and over 250 speakers, no one particular organisation has undue influence.''

Delegates may be inspired by the quotation that completes the inscription on Marx's grave: ``The philosophers have only interpreted the world, in various ways — the point is to change it.'' — © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2004

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