Civil society in Rostock, Germany jointly chanted “Another world is possible” as they launched week-long protest actions in time for the G8 Summit in Heiligendamm. The demonstrations were targeted against the G8—the world’s eight richest states—and the neo-liberal policies they promote.

On June 2, 2007, just four days prior to the G8 Summit, around 80,000 people marched in Rostock in Northern Germany to kick off protest actions against the G8 and its policies. The protesters jointly expressed resistance to the kind of development that rich countries adhere to, which they claim, undermines peoples rights and livelihoods, promotes wars and conflicts, destroys the environment, and threatens indigenous cultures across the globe.

A demonstrator, in an interview with the Inter Press Service, says “When you see how social justice has been removed from the official political debates all over the earth, while at the same time you notice that hunger and the lack of elementary health services kill thousands per day, and you hear of the exorbitant salaries paid to mediocre, corrupt executives, then you know that something fundamental is foul in the this neo-liberal system.”

The mobilisation served as a platform for the articulation of diverse issues including the rights of migrant workers, women, gay and lesbians as well as anti-globalisation protest to stop, rethink, and resist economic partnership agreements (EPAs) and free-trade agreements (FTAs).

Protesters marched carrying banners with the now standard motto of civil society, borne out of the World Social Forum: “Another world is possible.”

Oskar Negt, Professor Emeritus of Social Sciences at the University of Hanover, says, “People are increasingly aware of the growing social justice gap in all societies…more and more people feel the social consequences of these policies as an attack against human dignity.”

The G8 summit held on June 6-8, 2007 in Heiligendamm was attended by the ministers of the eight richest states—Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States—to discuss international policy issues, including efforts to avert global warming, more effective action to fight poverty in Africa, reducing global trade imbalances, and controls for speculative financial funds.

Critics reported that the Summit ended without an agreement on international trade negotiations, or on eliminating subsidies for agriculture in the industrialised world.

For more related news to G8: visit Inter Press Service “G8 Plus More” at <http://www.ipsnews.net/new_focus/g8/index.asp>;  log on to G8-TV, <http://www.g8-tv.org/>,  to see videos on protests against the G8 summit; or go to the World Association of Radio Broadcasters' (AMARC) radio coverage at <http://g8.amarc.org/>.

Related article:
“G8 protesters are suspected terrorists, says German police” in we! May 2007, No. 2 

Sources:
“G8: Despite Germany's Tight Controls, Violence” from Inter Press Service, posted on June 3, 2007, <http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=38015>.
“G8: Much Talk, Too Few Results” from Inter Press Service, posted on June 8, 2007, <http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=38104>.
“Protest actions against the G8 continue in Rostock as security tightens around the city” from Focus on the Global South, posted on June 5, 2007, <http://www.focusweb.org/protest-actions-against-the-g8-continue-in-rostock-as-security-tightens-around-the.html?Itemid=1>.