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CWDM Newsletter Oct 2003
Trade Justice Lobby Marathon
27 June A crowd of WDM supporters and others from our partner organisations met to lobby MP Anne Campbell as part of a national effort to demand real action on Trade Justice. We handed in over 400 signatures showing how strong feeling is locally that more should be done to make trade rules fair and reduce the Debt. 28 June The Lobby was followed the next day by action in Cambridge Market Square with a weigh-in and an unfair tug of war between Multinational Fat Cats and Poor People from developing nations. A stall with Banner, information & a petition to sign attracted more signatures supporting trade justice. 10 September A Vigil highlighting Trade Justice was held outside the Guildhall in the Market Square, one of many such vigils across the country. Jenny Dawkins from Christian Aid gave an interview on BBC Radio Cambridgeshire about the collapse of the WTO Talks at Cancun and the action was also listed on Ceefax News.
WTO Cancun Talks break down
The World trade
Organisation’s (WTO) 5th Ministerial Meeting in Cancun came to a dramatic end without agreement on 14 September leaving
negotiations in a deadlock. On the agenda were agriculture, services,
e-commerce and the environment. The European Union had continued to push for
an expansion of the WTO's powers to include new issues (investment,
competition policy, government procurement and trade facilitation), until the
eleventh hour, insisting that these issues get dealt with first before the
development issues that should have been at the top of the agenda.
Despite the
Ministerial Meeting's abrupt ending, the outcome is not a negative one.
Developing countries refused to be pushed into a corner and have proved they
are a force to be reckoned with at the WTO.
Now it is your
turn to rate the UK Government on its performance on trade issues at Cancun. Send Tony Blair his very own Trade Report
Card and tell him what you really think about the way the Government
performed in Cancun.
http://www.wdm.org.uk/campaign/cancun03/cancun.htm
BIG NEWS! 17 October Cambridge WDM welcomes MEP Eryl McNally and City Councillor Ruth Bagnall for a discussion on FAIR TRADE : WHAT NEXT AFTER CANCUN at Emmanuel United Reformed Church, Trumpington Street Cambridge at 7.30pm. Eryl McNally was a delegate at WTO’s Talks in Cancun so can report what actually happened. Let’s all demand Fair Trade! Come along and take part. Room for all. 22 Oct 8pm at CB1 Café Mill Road The new Cambridge Forum has invited WDM to speak on Fair Trade and what happens now after the breakdown of WTO Talks in Cancun. All welcome. 13 Dec “Christmas Contrasts” event outside Cambridge Guildhall 11:30am – 12:30pm drawing attention to huge imbalance between Christmas celebrations here in UK and poor countries around the world struggling to pay back unfair debts and deal with unfair trade rules.
For details on GATS see
WDM’s website www.wdm.org.uk/campaign/GATS.htm#GATSreports
EVEN BIGGER NEWS! 21 October at 7.30pm AFROBEAT LIVE IN CONCERT – FREE!
Makhou of Afrobeat TO LAUNCH Cambridge WDM’s exhibition to mark One World Week on “Malawi’s Debt Problems” at Emmanuel United Reformed Church Trumpington Street Cambridge. Refreshments available. The display continues for the rest of the Week. OXFAM: The Bridge Street Oxfam shop is to relaunch with a wider selection of fairtrade goods, opening on Saturday 18 October. Let’s all help make it a success!
Erin
Coyle (centre) spoke on PRSPs and Debt at CWDM’s meeting in June
’03 +CWDM Chair Beth (left) &Aidan (right)
Cambridge WDM Meetings If you’d like to join
this campaign for justice for the world’s poor, why not come to one of
our meetings? 7.45pm on 3rd Wednesdays:
Oct
15 at Beth’s 8
Railway Street
Nov
19 at Aidan and Clare’s 17
Conway Close
Dec
17 at Frank’s Grantchester
Vicarage
Sue Woodsford, Hon Sec 14 Chesterton Hall Crescent Cambridge CB4 1AP.
Tel No 01223 – 562983 or see website:
www.woodsfordps.supanet.com/camwdm/home/htm
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