Wetlands
Works Newsletter October 2000
Wednesday,
September 6: Protest Against Colombian President Pastrana at the World
Forum
15-20
protesters with signs, leaflets, and drums protested Colombian President
Pastrana at the World Forum, a major gathering of world leaders held
at the Hilton Hotel and Towers. Pastrana spoke on a panel on Globalization
and Latin America, voicing his support for the Plan Colombia as a means
to combat the drug trade. The protesters were almost immediately moved
across the street under threat of arrest by police. There they staged
a street theater performance, where an activist wearing a Ray Irani
mask and sign handed money to activists dressed as Al Gore and President
Pastrana, who proceeded to lift oil drums bearing Oxy logos and dumped
"oil" on an an activist bearing a sign which read "U'wa people." The
"U'wa" then whithered under the oil, fell to the ground, and died. The
demonstration was covered by Univision and Telemundo, NYC's two Spanish
language TV stations. Maria Gallon, a Wetlands activist and Colombian
citizen handled Spanish language press interviews.
Friday,
September 8: People's Assembly Against Anti-Imperialist Globalization
Consulate March 100-150 protesters
Activists from Wetlands and a broad range of other imperialist groups
held a march stopping at the Colombian, Peruvian, Salvadoran, and Phillipine
consulates to challenge the US/corporate domination of the third world
and the suppression of its people. At the Colombian consulate, a Wetlands
activist joined other speakers in the challenging US military aid to
Colombia, serve the agenda of big oil. The Wetlands activist used the
case of the U'wa to illustrate the Clinton/Gore/big oil agenda within
the Colombian civil war.
Thursday,
September 14 Protest at Major Gore Fundraiser at Radio City Music Hall
with Colombia Action Committee
Amidst
the media circus of the Gore's star-studded celebrity benefit concert,
CAC and Wetlands activists were on hand to expose Gore's connection
to the ensuing war in Colombia and his stake in Occidental's grab of
U'wa lands. Numerous TV stations filmed the demonstration. Also on hand
were Nader activists protesting to get the Green candidate included
in the presidential debates. After the protest, about ten activists
sneaked into the pedestrian viewing area by the red carpet celebrity
entrance and held up signs, drummed and challenged celebrities like
Crosby, Stills, and Nash; Jon Bon Jovi; Julia Roberts;Michael Douglas;
and Lenny Kravitz on ther support of a human rights and environmental
abuser.
Wednesday,
September 20 Protest at Victory 2000 Office (campaign office for Gore-Lieberman
2000 and Hillary Clinton 2000.)
20-30
protesters staked their ground outside the Gore/Clinton campaign office,
with the intent to 
enter
the building to serve Gore a notice of eviction. The group brought a
poster-sized eviction notice, an 8' cardboard oil derrick and oil drums
bearing Oxy logos intending to "drill for oil" in the lobby of Gore's
building just as Occidental intends to drill on U'wa lands.
Entering
the building, however was made difficult, by a few rather large, imposing
gentlemen who stood directly in front of the entrance of the building
with their arms folded. They were joined shortly their after by a large
compliment of uniformed police officers.
TV
crews, reporters, and journalists began to arrive in surprisingly large
numbers. Paradoxically, though, they were uninterested in talking to
our media rep or taking our press packets. We soon learned that they
were there not to cover our demonstration, but instead to cover a media
stunt by Rick Lazio campaign reps who were bringing a contract to the
Hillary Clinton campaign folks, asking Clinton to join Lazio in refusing
to accept soft money contributions.
The
group had decided that despite the large guys and cops at the doors,
we would attempt to enter the building. When we realized that the media
presence on site would only grow as the minutes passed we bided our
time.
At
one point, the numerous media crews entered the building with the Lazio
aides. When activists tried to enter after them, they were grabbed by
cops, and pushed back, but not arrested.
Thereafter,
we negotiated a scenario, whereby we could enter the building, but if
we were asked to leave by security upon entering we would have to depart
or be arrested. 
Thus,as
the media folks were about to leave the building, a bizarre spectacle
took place in front of them: activist would enter one of the buildings
revolving doors, a security guard would gesture at him or her to leave,
and he or she would go out the other revolving door. With twenty or
so people doing this in immediate succession, it created a sort of carousel
effect, which was shot by many media still and video cameras. The first
activist to enter the building served the notice of eviction, and announced
that Gore employees would have to leave the premises.
We
continued protesting until the last vestiges of Lazio campaigners and
media were gone, and then, much to the relief of cops, and security,
called it a night.
