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For Immediate Release: November 19th, 2003
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NEW HOTLINE: 305-576-****
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MASS NONVIOLENT DIRECT ACTION TO STOP THE FTAA ARTS ACTIVISTS INVITE MEDIA TO "EMBED" IN PAGENT OF RESISTANCE
6:15 am: Puppet Convergence at Welcome Center 2300 Miami Ave
7:00 am: Meet for Non-violent Direct Action Government Center NW 1st and 2nd Ave
MIAMI, FL - Global Justice activists from around Miami, the country, and
the Hemisphere are converging to stop the Free Trade Area of the
Americas (FTAA) this week, and demonstrate that a better world of global
justice and democracy is possible. Protesters from all walks of life
have come from far and wide to stop the FTAA, a proposed trade agreement
being negotiated this week. “As an expansion of NAFTA to the 34
countries of the Americas, the FTAA will effect every aspect of life,
from increasing poverty and inequality, eroding consumer and
environmental protections, and privatizing essential services like
education, health care and even water. These are issues of life and
death. We must stop the FTAA. ” explained Mollie Hurter of
www.stopftaa.org.
The morning's action starts at 6:15 AM with the celebrated puppet
troupe, the Free Carnival Area of the Americas. The troupe is a
traveling band of puppets and protestors who are extending a special
invitation to media to start off the day at 23 St. and North Miami Ave.
by "embedding" in their section of the parade. This will allow
reporters, photographers, and camera people to get a unique perspective
from inside one of the most exciting parts of the demonstration, the
cabal of giant puppets. The Pagent activists will convoy over to
Government Center Park, NW 1st and 2nd Ave, where the day's
demonstrations and nonviolent direct actions will kick-off with a
performance and solidarity statements at 7 AM.
'The joyful, creative mission of the Free Carnival Area is a wonderful
juxtaposition to the secretive, closed door meetings of the corporate
elite who are writing the rules of the FTAA in their interests," said
Jimmy Fishhawk of Gainesville, FL and www.stopftaa.org. "And because
these puppets are so effective at exposing the corporate power grab, the
puppets have been targeted and destroyed by police in previous global
justice demonstrations. We are inviting media to embed with the puppet
group to see first hand a vision of a world where human need takes
priority over corporate greed."
Demonstrations to stop the FTAA will continue all day, as people from
across the Americas--trade unionists, environmentalists, students, human
rights activists, farmers, anti-war activists and food safety
campaigners will march to the famous chain link fence surrounding the
FTAA meetings. "The fence is very symbolic; inside, corporations at the
American Business Forum are putting our food, water, jobs, and planet on
the auction block for the race-to-the-bottom. People with a vision for a
better world of democracy and human rights are taking to the street s
in Miami to reclaim our future," said Beka Economopolous of
www.stopftaa.org.
The Mobilization to Stop the FTAA (www.stopftaa.org) is a decentralized,
“affinity group”-based structure, made up of people from all walks of
life who will engage in nonviolent direct action against the FTAA
ministerial meetings in the streets of Miami this week. The mobilization
is acting in solidarity with marches, educational events and peoples'
movements for democracy, peace, ecology and justice across the
hemisphere.
"We are Stronger Than Greed or Fear! United to Stop the FTAA!"
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