Make the G8 History Blog

African civil society groups slam G8 deal

As ageing rock stars Bono and Geldof were praising the G8 leaders for their aid and debt promises and Geldof was shouting down anyone who dared to criticise the summit's outcomes, African civil society groups gathered in Gleneagles were singing from a very different hymn sheet. They have issued a joint statement condemning what they regard as a 'disappointing' deal well short of their minimum expectations.

Continue reading "African civil society groups slam G8 deal" »

Tuesday, 19 July 2005 in Africa, G8 | Permalink | Comments (3)

In their own words: how campaigners responded to the G8 communique

Although our hearts and minds are elsewhere, Red Pepper has been working hard to maintain our live coverage of the G8 summit and its aftermath. Below you will find a large number of links to statements and press releases issued by NGOs, social movements and other campaigning organisations to Friday 8 July’s controversial G8 communique. This page will be constantly updated over the next weeks - we are particular interested in responses from Southern civil society groups and the UK's African diaspora. SH

Continue reading "In their own words: how campaigners responded to the G8 communique" »

Sunday, 10 July 2005 in Africa, Climate Change, Debt, G8 | Permalink | Comments (6)

G8, Africa and climate change: a good time to bury bad news

Friday 8 July. Stuart Hodkinson in Edinburgh. When the news of the bombs hitting London broke on our campsite in Craigmillar, we all immediately reached for our mobile phones in the hope that friends were ok. In that moment, the G8, Africa, the protests and the police all became irrelevant. As  good news filtered through, political minds inevitably began to drift back to the wider political implications. "This will definitely mean ID cards,” one sighed. "Iran will be next for the neo-cons," said another. "And Muslims are going to be hammered." Debates and disagreements broke out but on one thing everyone was agreed: this was “a good time to bury bad news”. And yesterday's announcement of the G8 deal on Africa and climate change contained a lot of bad news, whatever those idiots Geldof and Bono say.

Continue reading "G8, Africa and climate change: a good time to bury bad news " »

Saturday, 09 July 2005 in Africa, Climate Change, Debt, G8, Make Poverty History | Permalink | Comments (4)

Rivers of oil, oceans of hunger: Nnimmo Bassey Interview

Oscar Reyes. Nnimmo Bassey is Secretary-Director of Environmental Rights Action (Friends of the Earth, Nigeria) and a poet. In this interview at the Global Dreams, Corporate Nightmares conference he discusses the environmental and economic impact of the oil industry in Nigeria and reads from his poem 'Mountains of Food, Oceans of Hunger'. You can hear a recording of the full interview here or continue reading for an edited transcript.

Continue reading "Rivers of oil, oceans of hunger: Nnimmo Bassey Interview" »

Wednesday, 06 July 2005 in Africa, Climate Change, Corporations, Counter-summits | Permalink | Comments (42)

Nobel Peace Prize for Sir Bob? Why not

Gabriele Zamparini, The Cat's Dream. Live8 organiser Bob Geldof has been nominated for the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize. Why not? Look at these recent statements in the media:

Sir Bob Geldof has warned an unnamed American musician not to criticise US President George W Bush during the American Live 8 concert next month. (...) The mystery singer, who is anxious not to be named, was told by an angry Geldof, "Please remember, absolutely no ranting and raving about Bush or Blair and the Iraq war."

Continue reading " Nobel Peace Prize for Sir Bob? Why not" »

Wednesday, 06 July 2005 in Africa, G8, Live8, Make Poverty History | Permalink | Comments (3)

Africa for Sale

The Gleneagles hotel, which is owned by UK drinks multinational Diageo, is not the only venue hosting a G8 summit today. The official G8 Business Summit is taking place in London, hosted by Business Action for Africa and chaired by former Shell boss and current Anglo-American PLC chairman, Sir Mark Moody Stuart. But who is behind this initiative and where does it come from?

Continue reading "Africa for Sale" »

Wednesday, 06 July 2005 in Africa | Permalink | Comments (1)

Alternative Africa Commission launched in Edinburgh

Stuart Hodkinson. Tuesday, 11am. On the eve of discussions on Africa at the G8 summit in Gleneagles, a range of leading campaigners and activists from across Africa today gathered together in Edinburgh to launch their own highly critical response to Tony Blair's Commission for Africa (CfA). 'The Alternatives Commission on Africa' contains statements, analyses and perspectives from African civil society voices previously silenced by the Geldof-Government-Oxfam coalition that is running the Live8/Make Poverty History axis.

Continue reading "Alternative Africa Commission launched in Edinburgh" »

Wednesday, 06 July 2005 in Africa, Alternatives, Counter-summits, G8 | Permalink | Comments (4)

Crane stoppers protest against 'Brownwash' of anti-poverty movement

Stuart Hodkinson. At 8.30am this morning, three protesters hung a banner off a construction site crane near Edinburgh's North Bridge demanding 'No More Brownwash' in response to the successful co-optation of the aims and message of Make Poverty History by Gordon Brown and the UK government. The development campaigners from Brighton World Development Movement (WDM) wanted to get out a message from grassroots activists that New Labour is not a defender of the poor and has no intention of delivering the Make Poverty History agenda. The activists came down at 6.15pm and were immediately arrested.

Continue reading "Crane stoppers protest against 'Brownwash' of anti-poverty movement" »

Tuesday, 05 July 2005 in Africa, Make Poverty History, Protest | Permalink | Comments (2)

The Abominable Live 8

Gabriele Zamparini, The Cat's Dream I felt dizzy when I read about Bono and World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz talking about poverty in Africa. But the worst had still to happen. I wanted to laugh – but I couldn’t – when I heard George W. Bush talking about the great generosity of US Government to help the developing countries. But the worst had still to happen. I felt sick when I saw Tony Blair and Sir Bob Geldof flirting and preaching on TV about Make Poverty History. But the worst had still to happen.

Continue reading " The Abominable Live 8" »

Sunday, 03 July 2005 in Africa, Debt, G8, General, Live8, Make Poverty History, Media | Permalink | Comments (2)

Jubilee South: ‘debt’ cancellation as neoliberal bribery

Jubilee South (Africa), a network of debt campaigns from across the continent, has issued a statement condemning the use of debt by G7 finance ministers as a weapon to secure free market reforms. It points out that "in order to qualify for debt cancellation eligible countries would have had to have gone through what is known as the Heavily Indebted Poor Country Initiative’s completion point, which involves the implementation of stringent free market reforms such as budget cuts, financial and trade liberalisation, privatisation and other reforms." Read the full statement here

Continue reading "Jubilee South: ‘debt’ cancellation as neoliberal bribery" »

Wednesday, 29 June 2005 in Africa, Alternatives, Debt, G8 | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (1)

Next »

Recent Posts

  • G8 witness appeal
  • African civil society groups slam G8 deal
  • G8 policing condemned
  • In their own words: how campaigners responded to the G8 communique
  • Gleneagles Demo: Send in the Clowns.
  • G8, Africa and climate change: a good time to bury bad news
  • Police make good on their promise to 'get the Wombles'
  • G8 and London terror
  • Scotland protesters told to stay put, plus update on London blasts
  • London Blasts: Don't Let Them Win

Categories

  • Africa (16)
  • Alternatives (4)
  • Climate Change (5)
  • Corporations (2)
  • Counter-summits (5)
  • Debt (8)
  • Dissent! (6)
  • G8 (17)
  • General (6)
  • Live8 (4)
  • Make Poverty History (12)
  • Media (11)
  • Practical info (3)
  • Protest (25)
  • Repression (8)
  • Scotland (3)
See More

Red Pepper

  • Venezuela Blog
  • Subscribe to Red Pepper
  • G8 Blog
  • Back to redpepper.org.uk

G8 Links

  • Campaign against the G8 Arms Trade
  • Corporate Dream, Global Nightmare counter-conference
  • Corporate Watch
  • Dissent!
  • Faslane G8 Blockade
  • G8 Legal Support
  • G8Alternatives
  • Global Echo
  • Indymedia UK
  • Make Poverty History
  • Radical Radio Coalition - G8 Radio
  • Resist the G8 train
  • SpinWatch
  • UKWatch - G8

August 2005

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
  1 2 3 4 5 6
7 8 9 10 11 12 13
14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27
28 29 30 31      

Archives

  • August 2005
  • July 2005
  • June 2005
Subscribe to this blog's feed

Transnational news