[WSF-Discuss] 8th WSF opens with world celebrating the Crisis and calling for International Solidarity

[Madhuresh Kumar]

Day one in Belem, January 27 2009

*Indigenous People Unite*

*Against the Crisis : International Solidarity *

*Its Women´s turn after the Down Turn *

8th The world social forum opened today with a March from the old part of
the Belem (it's an old port city) next to Estacao das Docas with nearly
100,000 people celebrating their struggle and the current crisis and
asserting their right to the world. There were indigenous people from all
over Amazonia, gays, lesbians, farmers, workers, feminists, children,
differently abled people, students, young men - women,  and every other
group you can think of. The world of hopefuls was there. The March was
welcomed by heavy downpour adding to the spirit of the marchers. We all
soaked in to the songs, dances, slogans and riots of the colour, all saying
together, another world is possible. Everybody came with their own issues :
demanding save the planet, rainforest, Amazonia, right to education, health,
work,  no slavery, freedom, justice and dignity.

The organizers of the Forum made sure that the indigenous people from the
region were here and it does seem to have paid dividends. There were groups
from Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, Amazonia, Colombia and Venezuela; all under
banners which defied the nation state boundaries. There was a small group of
indigenous people from India who called ´Indigenous People Unite´. The
opening ceremony stage was occupied by the indigenous people themselves who
danced, sang and thanked everybody for coming to Belem and showing their
solidarity and commitment to saving the rainforest and recognizing their
rights. They declared the Forum open with slogans for the struggles and
unity of purpose amidst applause and cheer from a large gathering of young
people.

Whole city of Belem is caught in the WSF fever and many of the residents
young, old, children marched shoulder to shoulder with people from all over
the world. Presence of thousands of young people did mean the struggle is
not on decline but it's a long way to go.

One of the high points of the march was spirited protest in front of the Mc
Donald´s joint which was in the route. Everybody came, booed and cheered for
the end of capitalism and hegemony of the capital. The owners called for
anti-riot police who gently stood as the guard and quietly passed on mild
pepper spray to disperse the crowd. WSF volunteers also tried their bit,
directing people to not throw stones or damage the property but the point
was made by throwing beer cans and plastic bags.

Everybody was dressed for the occasion and carried their banners. Somebody
was hanging the Coca Cola crimes against the humanity, and then somebody was
marking the end of Empire by burning the USA flag. There were farmers
protesting against the GM seeds, Soya cultivation and WTO.  LGBT groups and
Feminists added a lot of color to the marches and demanded for their turn
after the downturn.

Red was the color of the day, one could see the flags of PT, NCST, PCdor,
UBM, PSTU, CTB all over the place. Red flags, red bandana, t-shirts, and the
spirit. The march ended at the Praca de Operario with people cheering,
dancing, and listening to the indigenous people call to unite and save the
earth from destruction. There was no one message or one way, but the
celebration and invitation was to all forms of struggle, celebration and
diversity.

For those who felt the Global Movement for the Justice was on downturn or
WSF itself was dying perhaps it´s time to rethink. The innovation and the
emphasis on the indigenous people seem to be working. The ephemarility of
the Forum makes it difficult for people to understand the WSF but those who
come take back with them the spiritual and revolutionary spirit which surely
keeps them going for the years to come. The march for me, personally, here
in Brazil marked a life time experience, something which is much much
different from forum marches in Mumbai, Karachi, Nairobi or New Delhi.

Today the workshops and seminars begin with Pan-Amazonia day and there are
events marked for the indigenous people and the stages where they will be
celebrating their culture, tradition and narrating to the world in their
ways of life, forest, river of the Amazonia and need to preserve them. The
issues of climate change, dams, development, displacement, deforestation,
energy will all be taken by them and how to move ahead in efforts to save it
and integrate the efforts across the world.

There have been reports of some problems with the translations facilities or
room allocation which is possible with 2000 events scheduled but the efforts
are on and we do hope to be able to come up with more on this in coming
days.

The CACIM team is here and we will try and write our impressions everyday of
the Forum and things happening all across. We would also be loading pictures
as we go along. Zindabaad !
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