Activists Slam World Water Forum as a Corporate-Driven Fraud

[bridgit]

'ISTANBUL - A global ministerial meeting was putting the final touches here Saturday to resolutions for tackling the world's water crisis but activists attacked the process as a corporate-driven fraud.

Demonstrators, protesting against the privatization of water resources clash with riot police in front of the venue of the World Water Forum in Istanbul March 16, 2009. Turkish police fired teargas to disperse a group of hundreds gathered at the start of the global water forum in Istanbul on Monday and detained 17, state-run news agency Anatolian reported.The communique to be issued by more than 100 countries on World Water Day on Sunday climaxes a seven-day gathering on how to provide clean water and sanitation for billions and resolve worsening water stress and pollution.

"The world is facing rapid and unprecedented global changes, including population growth, migration, urbanization, climate change, desertification, drought, degradation and land use, economic and diet changes," according to a draft seen by AFP.

The document, which is non-binding, spells out a consensus for boosting cooperation to ease trans-boundary disputes over water, preventing pollution and tackling drought and floods.

It also describes access to safe drinking water and sanitation as "a basic human need." France, Spain and several Latin American countries were striving to beef up this reference, from "need" to "right," a change that could have legal ramifications.

But campaigners representing the rural poor, the environment and organized labor blasted the communique as a sideshow, stage-managed for corporations who are major contributors to the World Water Council, which organizes the Forum.'

http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2009/03/21-3

[DCKit]

1. No doubt this is a corporate sham.

Control over water gives them control over life and death.

Energy, food and water: the trifecta. Exxon, Monsanto/AGM and Bechtel.

[HillbillyBob]

2. First the corporates kill for $ (black water) rob citizens (aig, citi et al)

food (monsanto etc) now water. I think its long past pitchfork and torch time.
These f ing corpses need to be converted to dead bodies, god knows they have deprived and killed enough of us for profit. How many have died in mines, wars for profit? on and on all they care about its $$$$$. not living people they don't give a fuck about us only their demented priorities.

[GiveMeFreedom]

3. HillybillyBob...

I got a cold beer for ya in California, could not agree with you more !:toast:



edited for syntax! whatever that means?

[peacetalksforall]

4. Viva Bolivia! They were able to stop the privatization of their water - a French firm and Bechtel.