Police Attack Protesters at Miami's FTAA Summit While Negotiators Scale Back Scope of Free Trade Treaty

Interview with Karen Hansen-Kuhn, international coordinator with the Alliance for Responsible Trade, conducted by Scott Harris

When more than 20,000 protesters converged on Miami to voice opposition to the Free Trade Area of the Americas during a major summit meeting there last week, police had transformed the streets of this resort city into a virtual military camp. As union activists, environmentalists, students and clergy participated in peaceful and legal rallies and marches, many were attacked by police shooting plastic bullets and wielding batons, tear gas and pepper spray. An estimated 250 people were arrested, many with injuries. One student from the University of Massachusetts received a severe head injury at the hands of police, but was denied medical attention while in custody. John DeLeon, a past president of the Miami chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union said, "...the government and police treated these people who came to express their views as enemies rather than as Americans exercising their rights."

But while demonstrators struggled to make their voices heard outside, delegates from 34 nations throughout the Americas came to the realization inside that a comprehensive FTAA treaty, along the lines of the North American Free Trade Agreement, was impossible. So negotiators ended their summit meeting a day early and announced a narrow framework -- dubbed "FTAA Lite" -- which excluded contentious issues such as agricultural tariffs, intellectual property and rules governing foreign investment. Brazil, with support from many nations in Latin America, blocked Washington's blueprint, which demanded that governments surrender their sovereignty to multi-national corporations and their quest to maximize profit.

Between The Lines' Scott Harris spoke with Karen Hansen Kuhn, International Coordinator of the Alliance for Responsible Trade who was in Miami for the FTAA summit meeting. She discusses the widespread opposition to the Washington driven FTAA and why the result of this summit is a victory for those who oppose corporate-led globalization.

Contact the Alliance by calling (202) 898-1566 or visit their website at www.art-us.org

Related links:

"Fragments of the Future: The FTAA in Miami," by Rebecca Solnit, TomDispatch.com, Nov. 25, 2003

"The War on Dissent:Heavy-handed Police and Propaganda Tactics Brought Baghdad to Miami," by Naomi Klein, Toronto Globe & Mail, Nov. 25, 2003

"FTAA Indymedia Reports On Repression" FTAA Indymedia, Nov.24, 2003

"FBI Targets Antiwar Activists," by Eric Lichtblau, New York Times, Nov. 23, 2003

"Tom Hayden: Police Repression In Miami," ZNet, Nov. 23, 2003

"FTAA Summit in Miami Greeted by Massive Protests Opposing Anti-Democratic Corporate Agenda for the Americas,"Between The Lines interview with George Naylor, Week Ending Nov. 28, 2003

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