Das Internationale Forum zur Globalisierung von der Polizei umzingelt / The South African Police have surrounded the International Forum on Globalisation

Als die TeilnehmerInnen des Forums die Universität von Witwatersrand zu einer Solidaritätsdemonstration (u.a.mit den verhafteten Landlosen) verlassen wollten, wurden sie von der Polizei umzingelt, die mit Tränengas schoss - die beteiligte "alternative Prominenz" (Vandana Shiva, Naomi Klein) wurde ebenfalls getroffen... Der südafrikanische Filmemacher Rehad Desai wurde festgenommen. Nachfolgend die Pressemitteilung des Indymedia Centre vom 24.8.02 (englisch)

Indymedia Centre
Press statement
24 August 2002, 7pm

The South African Police have surrounded the International Forum on Globalisation

Total onslaught as police fire teargas on Vandana Shiva and Naomi Klein

The IFG have just closed todays forum at Wits University with a rally in support of the freedom of expression, and against the brutal clampdown on dissent. The IFG delegates are joining the Anti Privatisation Forum in a march to Thabo Mbeki Square (formerly the famous John Vorster Square). Moments ago, the marchers were attempting to leave the university campus on route to the police station where over 250 members of the Soldiers Forum and Landless Peoples Movement (LPM) were until yesterday detained. The soldiers have still not been released and reports of their fingers being broken by police, teargassing in their cells and the coughing-up of blood have not relented the states resolve.

Police had cordoned off the rally and are now trying to restrict it to the university campus. With such heavy security deployment and with the police seeing only red, the prospect of arrests is not unlikely. Vandana Shiva and Naomi Klein, among the most prominent of the IFG speakers, are participating in the march and could well found themselves victims of the South African governments total onslaught.

News just in is that the police have fired teargas on the marchers and have arrested a reknowned South African filmmaker, Rehad Desai. The marchers are refusing to leave the point of confrontation until Rehad is released.