[Gipfelsoli Newsletter] Hokkaido -- Bukarest

[International Newsletter]

- Movements around the G8 Summit (2008): the Situation in Japan
- 20,000 police officers to be deployed for security at G-8 summit
- Acclaim Collective’s anti-G8 meeting project
- Martin Krämer: We are everywhere...to make another world possible!
- Security Training Getting up to Speed for the Summit
- Freedom of movement in Europe constrained because of NATO summit
- Repressions at the romanian border
- NO BORDERS CAMP - Ruse (Bulgaria)-Giurgiu (Romania)

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Movements around the G8 Summit (2008): the Situation in Japan

An overview of the relationship between leftists and NGOs.

The alterglobalization movement in Japan

The forthcoming G8 Summit this year will be held between July 7th and 9th in
Hokkaido, Northern Japan. The related ministerial conferences will be held in
various parts of the country between March and June.
For example in the Kansai area (Western Japan),

    * the meeting of the Ministers of Environmental Affairs will take place
between May 24th and 26th in Kobe,
    * the Ministers of Financial Affairs will meet on June 13th and 14th in
Osaka, and
    * the Ministers of Foreign Affairs will meet on June 26th and 27th in Kyoto.

Since the beginning of this year, NGOs, Leftists, trade unions, green political
parties etc. have organized several events and networks concerning the G8
meeting. The position of these networks and organizations range widely from
those opposing the G8 (mainly the Leftists) to those offering opinions and
alternative ways of the G8 (mainly NGOs).

Research on such Global Movements (including “anti-globalization movements”,
“alter-globalization movements”, “alterglobal movements”, “globalization
movements”, “transnational activists”
) has identified various actors such as
NGOs, Leftists, trade unions, environmental movements, women’s movements, and
farmers’ collectives.

In Japan, Leftist movements (new lefts and their several sects), dating back to
the 60s, still have a strong influence within (social) movements sector of
Japan. However, due to their violent past during the 70’s [1] and subsequent
struggles among sects, even now NGOs are reluctant to work with the Leftists.
Then, in the case of Japan how do the various actors work together?

NGOs and Leftists: The Situation in Kanto

In the Kanto area (the Eastern part of Japan, such as Tokyo), NGOs and Leftists
work independently. The NGOs mainly discuss and offer possible alternatives to
the G8 in the “G8 Summit NGO Forum”.

“2008 Japan G8 Summit NGO Forum” was formed in January 2007 “as a civil platform
by Japanese NGOs’ broad coalition for the 2008 G8 Summit in Toyako, Hokkaido. On
the 31st of July 2007, 101 NGOs are affiliated with the forum. These NGOs are
working on areas such as Environment, Poverty elimination and Development,
Human rights and Peace. Through these working areas, the forum coordinates
messages of the civil society in international policy processes on global
issues.” (www.g8ngoforum.org/english)

The “G8 Action Network” of the Leftists, however, refutes the G8, pointing to
its undemocratic character.

“G8 Action Network” is the anti-neo-liberal globalisation network of various
Japanese organizations and movements (32 groups 142 individuals as of
2008/3/1). “It is calling on all social movements, peasant organizations,
women, migrants, urban and rural poor, fisher folks and civil society from all
over the world who are resisting free trade in its many forms, war and
militarism, the privatisation of essential services and natural resources,
illegitimate debt and the domination of global finance, and fighting for and
building real people based solutions to global warming, to come and join us in
the week of action against the G8 here in Japan.” (www.jca.apc.org/alt-g8)

What becomes highly important here is the fact that the NGOs and the Leftists
started to walk separate routes last year. [2] This separation was induced by
the founding of the NGO Forum in order to gather together the various NGOs in
Kanto area. The newly established NGO Forum was bound by a manifesto which
prohibited anti-G8 activities. Thus the Leftists were excluded from this forum.

The Situation in Kansai

In Kansai area (mainly Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe), the NGOs and the Leftists are
looking for possible ways to work together. Mutual executive committees were
created in cases such as the “Citizens Environmental Summit (CES)” in Kobe (May
25-26), and the “Symposium toward G8 Summit” in Osaka (February 23).

What makes Kansai different from Kanto is that the NGOs and the Leftists in
Kansai held a successful common forum last year, an alternative forum (May 5-6,
2007 at Doshisha University) to the 40th commemorative meeting of the Asian
Development Bank (ADB). More than 50 domestic and international NGOs and 1000
people in total participated in this forum. There were 17 workshops, and also
some demonstrations. The executive committee of this forum consisted of five
organizations, such as the Kansai NGO’s Council (office), AM net, ATTAC Kansai
group, Japan Conference of unions affiliating Public Service International and
Research center of “Environment and Sustainable Society.”

Conclusion

The current situation of Global Movements in Japan concerning the G8 can be
classified through the relationships between the Leftists and the NGOs.

These movements can be divided into

(1) a split-pattern between NGOs and Leftists (e.g in Kanto) on one hand, and

(2) a cooperative pattern (e.g. in Kansai) on the other hand.

The author thinks that a cooperative pattern may have the greater potential, as
this approach can be accepted by a greater plurality of actors.

Notes:

[1] For example, Rengo-sekigun incident (1972): The Rengo Sekigun (United Red
Army) murdered disloyal elements at one of their mountain hideouts under the
name of “purge”, and there was a shoot-out at the Asama Mountain Lodge between
the police and the Red Army.

[2] The Basic Principles for Activities of the NGO Forum: To facilitate
proactive advocacy activities when it is not possible to make joint proposals
or reach agreement through discussion./ To conduct its activities in a
democratic manner, with an emphasis on achieving consensus among all
participating NGOs./ To give importance to the process of discussion among NGOs
as well as achieving results through advocacy./ To oppose any advocacy activity
that employs violence or illegal means. (www.g8ngoforum.org/english/about)

[http://japan.indymedia.org/newswire/display/4277/index.php]


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Acclaim Collective’s anti-G8 meeting project

Now, we are planning the split CD (maybe) project called “Punks Against G8”
(it’s still a tentative name) against the G8 meeting, because the 2008’s G8
meeting is held in Toya Lake, Hokkaido Japan. We plan to make this a series.
About the first project, the participation of GOTCHA (they are a Japanese
anarcho-punks) has been decided already.

We post it here as soon as the details are decided.

Fight against G8!

Shut them down!

Kazu / Acclaim Collective

Acclaim Collectives

Acclaim is an anarcho-punk, political hardcore-punk non-profit label/distro from
Tokyo/Japan. We also are distributing DIY fanzines, anarchist books and radical
newspapers/pamphlets besides those records, cd’s, cassettes, and are supporting
info on international anarchist movement (in Japan especially). We resist
capitalist and authoritarian who oppressed our desire, standardize our soul,
takes our life and construct “hierarchical relations” and “hostile relations”
in us. Moreover the most important thing for us is to pursue the pleasure of
resistance. So we aim at “trust your desire”, “end of silence”, “reclaim the
life”, and are performing propaganda of (A)cclaim against this fucking system.
It’s based on the following message : “as long as we turn our anger and fears
against ourselves – no system will fall” – Lost World

About “our” myspace :

We finally have the myspace, but we know that this “our” space will promote
false communication (it’s capitalist lies!). Moreover we know that “a place for
friends” is also everywhere except here (clean and shitty). We started this only
for ourselves, people to whom we are interested, and people who get interested
in us. So, when this is started, we think that we want to say as follows : No
racists, No sexists, No homophobes, No borders, No nations, No gods, No
masters. Do it yourself.

Thanks.

PS : Please remember. We are not “deadly serious”. We did not take the way which
refuses myspace completely. Now, it is “mainstream” between DIY punk/hardcore or
anarchist/activist movements. We simply turned our eyes there. But that
“mainstream” is not the myspace (absolutely) but our distinguished services. We
all have not participated to this capitalist system and are made to participate.
First, we think it is important to recognize like this. Therefore, we will have
to pay close attention to “only being used” by them. This is also an idea of
our so-called “diversion” using their myspace. That is, this is our
counterattack for us to meet “real people” and build the network of various
resistance and love. So please fill this shitty place with our music, our
words, our artwork, our photograph and our advertisement, and please change
into “our color” (it is most shitty for this system). We will welcome it, but
it will become only a certain constant share. Because here is not a medium of
our “main”. We never trust any place given by the nation, capital, and this
kind of commercial media which are going to normalize us globally. As expected,
myspace owned by Rupert Murdoch who just accomplishes those cores claimed that
this was “a place for friends”. However, we ourselves create such a place.
“Life is in another place” is also this.

Our email address : acclaim at nomasters.com

Our web-site : acclaim.nomasters.com

[http://blog.myspace.com]


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20,000 police officers to be deployed for security at G-8 summit

SAPPORO, March 21 (AP) - (Kyodo)—About 20,000 police officers, including those
from outside the Hokkaido region, are to be deployed to ensure security at the
Group of Eight summit to be held in the northernmost Japanese prefecture in
July, the Hokkaido police said Friday.

"The scale of the planned security will be unprecedented and it is important
that we make meticulous preparations," Kiyotaka Takahashi, head of Hokkaido
prefectural police, said in a speech at a meeting.

Dedicated security headquarters will be set up in three locations in Hokkaido --
the Lake Toya area, the venue of the summit, the New Chitose Airport, the main
gateway to the island prefecture through which G-8 leaders are likely to
travel, and the Hokkaido capital of Sapporo, according to the police.

Two other law enforcement centers are planned. One will conduct intelligence
activities to avert terrorist attacks. The other one will manage the traffic of
motorcades carrying leaders and delegates, the police added.


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Martin Krämer: We are everywhere...to make another world possible!

Clips on youtube about denial of entry in Otaru, Japan:
* http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=gzDY5BBZLCA
* http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=E20CTzRrafI

Juzhno-Sakhalinsk, 25th March 2008 (publication deadline 5:00 GMT) Giving in to
mounting political pressure from prominent human rights activists on the island
of Sakhalin, in Moscow, Berlin, New York and Tokyo, the Russian Foreign ministry
has finally ended the combined Russian-Japanese deportation arrest of the left
antiG8 activist Martin Krämer on 23rd of March at 2:00 GMT. After 14 days of
border detention between Japanese and Russian territory, the Berlin based
doctor of agricultural science, aged 37, was released on Sunday and granted an
unprecedented 10-days-visa to tour the Russian Federation and help in mounting
further nationwide support against the G8 military show-down near Sapporo this
summer (7.-9.7.08).

“Wars and resource grabbing by G8 oligarchs is destroying us and our planet at
such a speed that we cannot wait until summer to stop them. So, we start acting
now, giving our support to civil society wherever it takes the initiative
against the global G8 nightmare of putting profits before people” said Martin
in a press conference organised by Sakhalin human rights activists in the
island’s capital after his recent liberation. Dr. Krämer takes part in
organising Global Caravan Against G8, a People’s Global Action initiative
following PGA hallmarks. This world-wide informal network of activists and
friends was founded after the Italian security forces had killed the antiG8
activist Carlo Giuliani in Genova on 20th July 2001. It has since co-organised
and participated actively in the blockades and disruptions of G8-summits in
France (2003), Scotland (2005), Leningrad (2006) and Rostock (2007). For the
2008 Hokkaido summit, caravan activists have chosen to target G8 warfare, its
nuclear risk policy, exploitation of workers and global ecological damage
caused by the anti-democratic exploitation of people’s world-wide resources in
the name of G8 capital. In the Northwest Pacific the caravan supports artisanal
fishermen and local farmers fighting for food sovereignty against multi-national
corporations. A special focus will be put this year on supporting the struggles
of indigenous people and working class migrants in Japan and the Russian Far
East, e.g. Iranian migrants and the aboriginal Ainu who are both denied
recognition by the Japanese occupation regime on their very Island of Ainu
Mosir (called “Hokkaido” since being militarily annexed by the Japanese
Imperial regime). Martin Krämer now spends almost half of the time unexpectedly
granted to him for campaigning in Russia by the authorities of the Federation on
the Pacific island of Sakhalin exclusively. “Sakhalin is likely to become a
corner-stone in international mobilisation against G8 this year. We want to
learn from the people of this fabulous island! Their closeness to Japan has
made them develop amazing skills of civil disobedience (grazhdanskaja
kontrabanda). According to our experience, any active citizen of Sakhalin can
teach us better how to fight for our rights ending G8 than Putin, Merkel and
other war criminals heading for their probably last summit”, reminded Martin in
the press conference after his liberation. Sakhalin and the Southern Kuril
Islands are indeed the closest neighbouring territory to Ainu Mosir. Various
means of transport are likely to cross the dividing waters within hours only.
The Panama ship “BM-2” deporting Martin from Japan back to Sakhalin was
escorted by several armed military vessels at the expense of Japanese tax
payers on the 14th, 15th and 16th of March until its final forced re-entry into
Russian waters. “If they go on spending millions of US $ for expulsing just one
single activist, they will hilariously bankrupt when thousands of us begin to
move towards Japan in forthcoming summer. We will enter anyhow!” Martin
declared laughingly, visibly happy for the unexpected freedom to move
throughout Russia campaigning from Sakhalin to Leningrad until April. He is
currently preparing to marry a Japanese citizen during traditional cherry
blossom festivities this spring.

[email]


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Security Training Getting up to Speed for the Summit

Joint Security Training by the Police and Self-Defens Force

At Chitose City on the 17th, units from the Hokkaido Police Headquarters and the
Japan Ground Self-Defense Force conducted a joint, security training. Under the
premise that an armed foreign agent had infiltrated Hokkaido, a team from the
Hokkaido Police Headquarters secured the safety of the injured and conducted a
search for toxic substance, after which the chemical unit of the Japan Ground
Self Defense Force cleaned up the area. The Hokkaido Police Headquarters plan
to continue the training for the July Hokkaido Toyako Summit.

Hospitality Academy Held at Toyako Hot Springs

At Toyako hot springs, the Hokkaido Government held a “hospitality academy” to
improve customer service of hotels and inns.　On the 17th, a former
airline cabin attendant gave a lecture on the kind of services desired by
foreigners.　At the July Hokkaido Toyako Summit, summit-related people
from every country are expected to stay at Toyako hot springs. The tourist
bureau plans to take the Summit as an opportunity to promote Toyako as a resort
area.

Hokkaido Punishes the Senior Director of Toyako Summit Bureau

The government of Hokkaido punished the Senior Director of the Toyako Summit
Bureau under the Governor’s Policy Planning Department, with a pay cut for
repeatedly wining and dining with subcontractors. According to the Hokkaido
government, Yoshihiro Yamaya, Senior Director of the Summit Bureau, was
penalized with a 10% salary reduction for 3 months. His removal from office as
the Summit Bureau Senior Director is under consideration at next month’s
personnel shift.

[http://www.hbc.co.jp/g8/eng/news/asx/t05-10_27_223.asx]


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Freedom of movement in Europe constrained because of NATO summit. Activists
stuck in Bulgaria

This morning two Germans were deported at the Serbian border while on their way
back home. The woman and the man were travelling in a coach to Berlin. When
they reached the Serbian border they had to get out and were stuck and
interrogated at least two hours. After denial of transit through Serbia they
had to go back to Sofia.

As reason for the deportation the border police named a few patches, containing
antifascist slogans, which the travellers were carrying with them. But in their
passports a notation was made that the entry to Serbia was denied because of
fascistic propaganda. The German embassy in Sofia is already attended to the
case.

Three days ago the German activists were not allowed to enter Romanian territory
and later expelled since they were suspected to be activists against the NATO
summit from 2nd to 4th of April. Right now there is no other possibility for
them to get back to Germany by car except passing the Kosovo.

To what extend those two happenings are connected to the incident at the
Romanian Border in Calafat and if there was an arrangement between Romania and
Serbia is not clear yet. “Democratic basics such as freedom of speech and
freedom of movement are annulated several times within a few days.” stated one
of the activists.

Articles in the international press in the past days

NEUES DEUTSCHLAND, March 25, Kritik an der NATO unerwünscht,
http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/126081.html
JUNGE WELT, March 25, Repression vor NATO-Gipfel,
http://www.jungewelt.de/2008/03-25/044.php
REUTERS Rumänien, March 21: Deutschen Anti-Nato-Demonstranten Einreise
verweigert, http://de.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idDEKOE23711820080322
THE LOCAL, March 22,Romania expels six Germans ahead of NATO summit,
http://www.thelocal.de/10841/20080322/
THEAEATHTIMES, UK, March 21, 2008 Six anti-NATO activists stopped on Romanian
border

[http://de.indymedia.org]


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Repressions at the romanian border

Law breaking as a European standard, Romania shows its democratic side with more
repression.

Since the Romanian N.AT.O. Summit was confirmed; people who do not agree started
their own camping against N.A.T.O. While the summit preparations were in
progress the corporate main-stream media started its own campaign of
misinformation and public opinion manipulation against the critical point of
the anti-militaristic movement. Using only the violent imagines from protest
and presenting wrong facts, they turned the opposition to war, militarism and
alliances like N.A.T.O. into a monster that is going to attack Bucharest. All
this misinformation created a reason for the authority’s repression. The future
repression was shown as a measure of security, typical N.A.T.O. strategy
(creating an enemy to have an excuse for a war).

Yesterday 6 persons felled the repression of the border police 19 hours long,
when they tried to enter in Romania. All of then were germane citizens, they
were coming to express their opinion and disagreement about the N.A.T.O.
politics. They brought few anti- N.A.T.O. materials (that contained only public
information like a visitors guide, a legal guide
), c.d.-s with documentary
movies, buttons, patches, t-shirts, posters all on the subject of human rights.

[http://www.contra-doxa.com]


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NO BORDERS CAMP - Ruse (Bulgaria)-Giurgiu (Romania)

Today 25.03.2008 the same six persons that tried to enter Romania a couple of
days ago, have retried to do it without having anti Nato material, and anti -
violence material (quoting the representative from the border police). After 2
hours of being searched again and again, the police deported them by force
again even if they had no reasons to do it (yes in violations again of many
things, any surprise there?).

[http://www.contra-doxa.com]