The following is the text from a street flyer being destributed in Wellington on the MayDay2k protests taking place today...

Carnival against Capitalism

Mayday 2000 Global day of Action

Our Resistance is as Global as their Capital.

( Pic of Protestors in Seattle )

The two Global days of Action against Capitalism on June 18th (Ji 8) and November 30th (N30) last year were very successful. Our networks grew, we learned much, and we saw many new people engage themselves.

"The enemies of capitalism will be back..." The Times newspaper editorial, London 19/6/99 the day after J18 carnivals erupt on every continent.

Groups around the world are now preparing for a new Global Day of Action in the same spirit on May 1st, in recognition that the capitalist system based on the exploitation of people, societies and the environment for the profit of a few, is the prime cause of our social and ecological troubles. This day will continue the process of building up a strong, bold, and creative grassroots movement.

As on previous occasions, people of different movements and different countries will join forces for a against the social, political, and economic institutions of the capitalist system. Workers, the unemployed, students, trade unionists, peasants, the landless, fishers, womens groups, ethnic minorities, indigenous peoples, peace activists, environmental activists, ecologists, and so on will xvork in solidarity with one another in the understanding that their various struggles are not isolated from each other. The simultaneous occupation and transformation of the capitalist social order around the globe - in the streets, neighbourhoods, fields, factories, offices, commercial centres, financial districts, and so on will strengthen mutual bonds at the local, national, and international levels.

"We do not want your charity, we do not want your loans. Those in the north have to understand our struggle and to realise it is also part of their own. Everywhere the rich are getting richer, the poor poorer, and the environment is being plundered. Whether in South, we face the same

the North or future... Globalisation should mean we want to globalise human society, not business. Life is not business. ‘

A farmer from Karnataka, India.

Mayday is what?

Traditionally, the workers’ movement the world over has considered May lstto be ofspecial significance. A day of world wide solidarity, a time to remember, and demonstrate our international links, common interests and common goal

- the emancipation of the working class and social justice for those who produce the wealth of the world.

History of Mayday

May 1 1 886 saw 340,000 workers striking all over the United States demanding an 8 hour day. In Chicago alone, 80,000 came out and there a number ofanarchists militants were agitating inside the movement. The following Monday, the police fired on strikers at the McCormick Harvester works and six workers were killed. The next day a protest meeting at Haymarket Square was broken up by the police. In the following confusion, a bomb was thrown at the police, killing one outright and fatally wounding 7 others. Evidence came to light later that the bomb had been thrown by a police agent. The bosses, however, used this incident to victimise leading working class militants and attempt to break the movement. After a farcical trial, with a jury made up of business men, their clerks, and a relative of a dead policeman, four anarchists were hanged (Albert Parsons, August Spies, George Engel and Adolf Fishcer) some of whom hadn’t even been at the protest meeting! Another anarchist (Louis Lingg) escaped the noose by taking his own life the day before execution. At the funeral, an estimated 500,000 people lined the route and up to 25, 000 saw the burial. Seven years after the execution, an inquiry found those executed innocent of all charges and 3 anarchists serving life sentences were released. Workers organisations from then on made May 1st a celebration of the Haymarket Martyrs.

Over a century later, where are we? The murder of 5 anarchists is completely forgotten. But the real revolutionary Mayday should be seen as important because ‘once upon a time’ there were massive shows of strength by workers on an international level. It is a day to remember the thousands of workers who have died fighting the class struggle all over the world. It is a day to celebrate the spirit of solidarity and resistance, to continue to fight capitalism and the state in all their forms and to rebuild those revolutionary mass movements.

The Present

After a century of pretending to reform itself into a more humane system, capitalism can now only show itself as unrestrained exploitation - much as it did when workers fought for an eight-hour day. Its constant drive for profit compels it to ruin the environment, provoke wars and force everyone to work harder - and longer. Increasingly people are becoming frustrated and angry with debt - ridden, stressful lives over which they have no control.

The media are keen to misdirect this anger against fellow workers, against asylum seekers or beneficiaries. But last years demonstrations in the cities of London and Seattle (and around the world on June 18th and November 30th) show that people are beginning to direct their anger against the real source of their problems: capitalism.

"The struggle to free West Papua is not to take away one government and replace it with a new government. We do not want to administer ourselves the capitalist ‘profit making’. It is the struggle between modern society and tribal people. We have our common enemy, and we need to work together, throughout the world to make it disappear from this planet earth. We can only make it happen if we are united. The unity of all people in this world will make it happen. Yi Wa 0!" Liberation Army of the Free West Papua Movement (OPM / TPM).

The Future

Everywhere there is a growing realisation that we cannot rely on politicians, no matter how good they may seem. Things only really change through direct action.

Direct action groups need to go beyond single issues, to inspire people to take control of their lives by replacing capitalism worldwide with a society based not on profit, but on our needs and desires - a society where work is replaced by free creativity.

We could then transform the amazing knowledge and productive capacity ofhumanity to feed, clothe and house everyone on the planet in abundance. If we, rather than the capitalist system, controlled our skills and ingenuity, we could do all this in far less than eight hours a day and without environmental damage.

A world of freedom and equality in harmony with the environment may seem a tall order. Making it happen will not be easy. Leaving things as they are will be far worse. Ifthis vision ofthe future is to happen, it cannot be left to a few activists. Everyone must be involved: old and young, male and female, all cultures, all sexualities!

Kill Capitalism!

Before it kills the planet!

Global Actions that happened on November 30th (N30)!!!

An international day of protest action and carnival, against global capitalism, to coincide with the third ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organisation in Seattle, USA. Over 70 cities worldwide erupt in anger.

Seattle ... "As I write this riot squads and the national guard are shooting tear gas, concussion grenades, rubber bullets, pepper spray (from cannons and directly into our faces), using long batons, boots etc. against peaceful protesters, shoppers, workers and anyone else they come across.

Yesterday (Nov. 30), what seemed to be at least 100,000 people took to the streets of Seattle for protest, civil disobedience, direct action, and also fucking shit up. Riot cops reacted by gassing people sitting on the ground and people dancing in front ofthem," wrote a Seattle protester.

"They never knew what hit them. They assumed it would be business as usual, the way it had been for decades. Rich men gather, meet, decide the fate of the world, then return home to amass more wealth. It’s the way it’s always been. Until Seattle." Michael Moore, U.S. comedian (not director general of WTO).

Coordinated protest happened around the world on N30 in the following countries: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, England, France, Germany, South Korea, India, Ireland, Iceland, Israel, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Philippines, Pakistan, Portugal, New Zealand, Turkey, USA and Wales.

India: Bangalore: Several thousand farmers from the district of Karnataka gathered to protest at the central train station before heading towards Mahatma Ghandi’s statue. At the end of the demo they issued a "Quit India" notice to Monsanto, telling them to leave the country or face direct action. Another notice was issued to the Indian Institute of Science, which has permitted Monsanto to do its research work in its premises. Anjar (Narmada valley): A demonstration with bullock-carts took place, with more than 1000 people from around 60 villages participating in a colourful procession. New Delhi: 500 participated in a 3 day Dharna (sit in) at Raj Ghat, where Ghandi’s ashes are buried, to protest against a proposed d~in in Maheshwar. The following day 11,000 protest cards were delivered to the German embassy while a demo took place outside asking them to pull out of the project. Later a statue symbolising the WTO was burned at raj Ghat, and the 500 activists committed themselves to Ghandi’s vision of a self-reliant, sustainable, solidarity based India composed of village republics, the week before, 300 scaled the fence of the World bank building, covering it with posters, graffiti, cow shit and mud, while others sang slogans and traditional songs.

For information on what happened in other countries check out the following websites: (At the Schnews web site look under the bare breasts and rubber bullets part) www.schnews.org.uk/ www.agp.org www.n30.org

Mayday Information Sources!

Aotearoa contact email - nzmayday2k@hotmail.com or check out- http://walk.to/mayday

Or write to- C.E.C. at P.O. Box 9263, Te Aro, Wellington. or for overseas info.- www.freespeech.org/mayday2k/

ENDS

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