[stop-imf] New WDM Report: States of Unrest II - Resistance to IMF and WorldBank policies in poor countries

[Robert Weissman]

Another excellent report and great map on global protests against
IMF/Bank policies from our friends at the World Development Movement.


From: Mark Ellis-Jones <MARK@wdm.org.uk>

Please find below a press release and summary of WDM's new report, titled
'States of Unrest II  - Resistance to IMF and World Bank policies in poor
countries'.

You can download the report from our website at:
http://www.wdm.org.uk/cambriefs/Debt/unrest2.pdf
You can download a map of the protests at:
http://www.wdm.org.uk/cambriefs/Debt/Unrest2_map.htm

For your free hard copy please email wdm@wdm.org.uk or contact us at: World
Development Movement, 25 Beehive Place, London, SW9 7QR, United Kingdom.
Tel: 020 7737 6215 Fax: 020 7274 8232

Mark Ellis-Jones
Research & Information


PRESS RELEASE

ANTI-IMF protests sweep dEVELOPING WORLD


New report reveals widespread and sustained resistance to IMF and World Bank
policies by millions in world's poorest countries

Protest and civil unrest in developing countries directed against the
policies of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank intensified
in 2001 according to a report released today by London-based development
campaigners, the World Development Movement (WDM).

States of Unrest II: Resistance to IMF and World Bank policies in poor
countries in 2001 documents that seventy six people, including a
fourteen-year-old boy, were killed, and thousands injured and arrested in
protests which took place across twenty three developing countries and
involved millions of poor people.

In September 2000, on the eve of massive protests at the Prague meetings of
the IMF and World Bank, WDM released its first States of Unrest report. It
revealed a previously undocumented pattern of protest and civil unrest in
developing countries directed against the policies imposed and
championed by
the IMF and World Bank. It demonstrated that protests against these
institutions and their policies were not limited to privileged 'students and
anarchists' from rich countries, as some politicians and the IMF and World
Bank themselves had tried to claim, but lead by the world's poorest people.

States of Unrest II, published on the first day of the IMF and World Bank
Spring Meetings in Washington DC (20/21 April 2002), charts this trend
throughout 2001. Using official documents, published by these institutions
and developing country governments, it traces the link between civil unrest
and the impacts of IMF economic policies. Of the 77 episodes of civil
unrest, 18 ended with the deployment of riot police or the army - often
against initially peaceful protests. 

Author of the report, WDM researcher Mark Ellis-Jones said: "Millions of
desperately poor people around the world have been brave enough to protest
against IMF policies: doctors, farmers, priests, teachers, trade unionists
and indigenous people, from Angola and Argentina to Zimbabwe and Zambia have
called for an end to IMF imposed economic reforms." 

"They have seen the IMF continue to undermine their national governments by
forcing countries into a free market, one-size-fits-all blueprint of
economic development. At a time when links are being made between poverty,
disempowerment and terrorism this erosion of the democratic contract is
downright dangerous." 

"The IMF claims to put poverty reduction at the centre of its policies but
we have to ask how deep its commitment goes when the world's poor - those
closest to the policies on the ground - are its fiercest critics."

Of the 23 countries documented, nearly three-quarters have IMF-sponsored
privatisation programmes, and over half of these have experienced
anti-privatisation demonstrations. Half of the countries have had protests
by civil service and public sector workers, aimed at policies that either
cut or freeze wages or lead to redundancies. Over a third of countries have
had demonstrations against the rising prices of basic goods and services
because public subsidies have been removed.
ENDS

Notes for editors:
1.	WDM have produced a high quality full colour map to illustrate the
findings of the report. It plots the 77 anti-IMF and structural adjustment
protests in 2001 documented in States of Unrest II. A high-resolution
electronic version for reproduction is available on request. A
low-resolution map accompanies the email version of this release. The full
report (in electronic and hard copy) and a summary of the report are also
available. Spokespeople from WDM are available for interview on the reports
findings. After release the report, summary and map will be available at
www.wdm.org.uk

2.	The South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU), participants and
organisers of some of the protests documented, can be contacted for
interview on the issues raised by the report.
		Roger Ronnie, General Secretary, SAMWU. Contact tel: +27 82
2006799 or email roger@samwu.org.za 

3.	IMF loan conditions typically include: reducing government
expenditure (often leading to public-sector redundancies; freezing salaries,
and cutbacks in health, education and social welfare services);
privatisating  state-run industries; currency devaluation and export
promotion; raising interest rates to tackle inflation; removing of price
controls (often leading to rapid price rises for basic goods and services).

4.	The first States of Unrest report, published in 2000,documented
protest in the ten months running up to the IMF and World Bank Meetings in
Prague in September 2000. It catalogued 50 separate protests in 13
countries. More than half of these protests ended in the deployment of riot
police or the army. A total of 10 people have lost their lives, and over 300
were injured in protests against the IMF and its policies. This report is
available on WDM's website at:
www.wdm.org.uk/cambriefs/Debt/unrest_summary.htm
<http://www.wdm.org.uk/cambriefs/Debt/unrest_summary.htm>


States of Unrest II 
Resistance to IMF and World Bank 
policies in poor countries in 2001


Summary 

States of Unrest II documents protests in 23 countries, charting 77 separate
incidents of civil unrest involving millions of people. Estimates indicate
that 18 of these incidents ended with the deployment of riot police or the
army, with 76 documented fatalities, and arrests and injuries running into
thousands. Over a third of these countries experienced protests directed
specifically at the IMF and World Bank as institutions. 

The protesters include: peasant farmers, indigenous peoples, the unemployed,
teachers, civil servants, priests, doctors, public-sector workers,
trade-union activists and owners of small businesses. Typically the protests
are against cuts in government expenditure, privatisation of state-run
industries, and the removal of price controls and subsidies.

Of the 23 countries documented, nearly three-quarters have IMF-sponsored
privatisation programmes, and over half of these have experienced
anti-privatisation demonstrations. Half of the countries have had protests
by civil service and public sector workers, including teachers, doctors and
the police, aimed at policies that either cut or freeze wages or lead to
redundancies. Over a third of countries have had demonstrations against the
rising prices of basic goods and services because public subsidies have been
removed.

Selected examples from States of Unrest II country reports: 

ANGOLA
The IMF "stressed the importance of adhering to a prudent wage policy,
keeping overall public spending in check." In January public sector workers
across Angola take part in a four-day general strike over government
proposals to reduce the minimum wage. 

ARGENTINA
As a condition for a $21bn loan in September the IMF demands "primary
spending will be cut... [including] an across-the board cut of 13 per cent
in unprotected primary spending, including wages and pensions". Earlier in
the year the General Workers Confederation, calls a two-day strike at
proposals to cut public salaries by 13 per cent and cut pension benefits.
Police were deployed as tens of thousands of workers take to the streets,
blocking roads, shutting banks and Government offices and marching on
Congress. A spokesperson, representing the Argentinean Confederation of
Education Workers said: "We are all in the same situation. The people are
all affected by these cutbacks and by exclusion, misery and poverty. Nobody
escapes." President Fernando De La Rue admits the country's sovereignty is
"limited" due its US$128 billion debt.
 
ECUADOR
Through out 2001 massive protests continue in response to extreme structural
adjustment and IMF-agreed austerity measures including a 60 per cent
increase in cooking gas, plans for eighteen privatisations in the
electricity sector, an end to state monopoly for telecommunications, and the
granting of a 30-year concession to a foreign company for the supply of
water and sewage services to the city of Guayaquil. A peaceful march of ten
thousand people in Quito is dispersed by police and army using teargas and
rubber bullets, hunger strikes occur on University campuses, a state of
emergency is declared, and a fourteen year old boy is one of four shot and
killed as troops break up a demonstration of five thousand indigenous
people. In an occupation of IMF offices in Quito one protester says: "We
want to expose the real culprits. The IMF-imposed policies, carried out by
the Ecuadorian Government in exchange for more loans."

INDIA
Ten million state employees go on general strike against privatisation plans
and call for a halt to IMF, World Bank and WTO policies, as the IMF urges
that, "power sector reform was a particular priority [along with] the
privatisation of Government enterprises, and liberalisation of labour laws."

 
NEPAL
In July more than 500 protesters denounce a 40 per cent price hike in
electricity prices by the Nepalese Government. According to a news report,
the Nepal Electricity Authority was put under pressure from the Asian
Development Bank and the World Bank to raise prices as a precondition for
fresh loans on water resource development. The IMF announces it is
"encouraged by the recent policy initiatives to adjust public sector prices
and tariffs".

PAKISTAN
In May, Pakistani Non-Governmental Organisations protest outside the World
Bank building in Islamabad with banners saying: "IMF: International Monetary
Fraud", and, "World Bank policies: poverty elevation or alleviation?" The
IMF continues to demand "the restructuring of public enterprises [and]
accelerated privatisation".

SOUTH AFRICA
Thousands of protesters descend on Johannesburg to demonstrate against the
privatisation of the city's water supply to French water multinational, Suez
Lyonnaise des Eaux as advocated by the IMF. The South African Municipal
Workers Union (SAMWU) complains the deal, "has not come up with any plan to
extend running water to Johannesburg's poor." 

TURKEY
Economic crisis in Turkey continues as government agrees a massive
adjustment package with the IMF including "restructuring the banking sector,
improving budget transparency, and preparing the privatisation of
state-owned enterprises [including steel, electricity, airline and telecom
companies]."  In March, unions and civil society groups organise a protest,
with thousands of protesters taking to the streets shouting, "IMF go home!".
Bayram Meral, President of Turkeys largest union confederation said: "The
policies of the IMF and the World Bank do not aim to help Turkey but to
assure that Turkey can pay its debts on time and in full." In November
thousands attend demonstration calling for an end to "the Governments
subservience to IMF policies". 

ZAMBIA
Thousands of Lusaka City Council workers strike over non-payment of salaries
as IMF makes  "firm control on public wages" a condition of $64m loan.