Platform Against Bush's Politics (Port Louis, Mauritius)
26 December 2002
press release
Port Louis — Today, the "Platform Against Bush's Politics" was informed by the Police Commissioner of the prohibition of the peaceful demonstration planned for 15th of January, 2003, in parallel to the African Growth and Opportunity (AGOA) Forum. Last week, George W. Bush announced that he will not be present at the AGOA Forum for "domestic and international" reasons. He will, it is believed, be replaced by Secretary of State, Colin Powell.
Tomorrow, the Platform is filing a Writ against the Police Commissioner in the Supreme Court to declare the Police Commissioner's ban "illegal" and "unconstitutional".
The peaceful march is to be held by a coalition of 29 trade union federations, social organisations of planters, youth, women, ecology movement, housing movement, and political organisations. The march is part of a series of events forming part of the Peoples' Forum being held to oppose the official AGOA Forum.
The cavalier reason stated for the police banning of the march, is that "as the AGOA Conference will be in progress, no public gathering or procession will be allowed as the [police] Force will be fully taken up with the commitments in connection of the said conference". This means that the fundamental human rights to freedom of assembly and freedom of expression are to be suspended in Mauritius for the duration of the AGOA Conference convened by President Bush. This is a serious blow to democracy and human rights. Peaceful public gatherings of this nature are part of a long democratic tradition in Mauritius, fought for so hard by the people throughout history.
The letter, signed by Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr. J. Bruneau, also says that he is "copying this letter to the US Embassy for ease of reference". This is the first time that correspondence between Mauritian citizens and police are being "copied" to an Embassy. Such procedure shows up the colonial and extra-territorial nature of the US African Growth and Opportunity Act, a law that gives President Bush the power to open or close the US market to African goods and services depending on whether African States implement US-defined economic and social policies, US-defined customs regulations, even US foreign policy and US national security policy, to the satisfaction of the US President.
The Platform Against Bush's Politics is holding the march and other events on the 13th and 15th of January to precisely to protest against the conditions imposed on African people by the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), to denounce war-mongering policies of the Bush administration, and to demand the closure of the US military base on Diego Garcia, a part of Mauritius that the US occupies illegally. This base is to be used by the US military in the imminent attack against Iraq. Other prominent points in the Platform against Bush's politics are against the US refusal to sign the Kyoto agreement on Global Warming, US-led imposition of corporate globalisation and to denounce serious infringement to human rights in the USA.
The Platform Against Bush Policies will be holding press conferences in Mauritius on the 13th and 15th of January, 2003.
Rajni Lallah On behalf of the Platform Against Bush Policies, Mauritius, uniting the following organisations: General Workers' Federation (GWF) Féderation des Syndicats de Corps Constuées (FSCC) Planteurs du Nord Muvman Liberasyon Fam (MLF) Lalit Amis de Chamarel Ledikasyon pu Travayer Arts Jonction Government Servants Association (GSA) Government Teachers Union Rodrigues Government Employees Association (RGEA) Mauritius Labour Congress Small Planters Association (Montagne Longue-Creve Coeur) Institute of Environmental and Legal Studies Samll Planters Association (Petite Raffray) Association pour le Developpement Sociale Petit Planteurs de L'Ouest Front du Centre (Association desss Planteurs des Iles) Féderation des Travailleurs Unis (FTU) Federation of Preschool Playgroups Muvman Lakaz Nouvo Lizour Centre Diocesain du Monde Ouvriere Association contre le 'Mind Control' et la Pensée Unique ABAIM Rodrigues Government Employees' Association (RGEA) Comité pour l'Amerioration de Santé Ligue Ouvriere d'Action Catholique Organisation pour l"unité des Artisans Grup Fangurin
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