Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, March 19, 2004
World anti-war assembly to hold demonstration against Iraq occupation
The Anti-War Assembly formed by anti-globalization groups from 100 countries reiterated Thursday that a "global protest" against the occupation of Iraq will be held Saturday.
The Anti-War Assembly formed by anti-globalization groups from 100 countries reiterated Thursday that a "global protest" against the occupation of Iraq will be held Saturday.
A year after the US-led invasion of Iraq, members of the assembly, the so-called "alterworldists," told the press that the massive mobilizations and protests were supported by "hundreds of networks, coalitions, forums and social movements throughout the world," including the World Social Forum.
The assembly expected Saturday's global demonstration to be stronger than the one waged on Feb. 15, 2003, when around 15 million people all over world protested the then imminent invasionof Iraq by the US-led coalition.
An announcement posted on the Internet by the World Social Forum estimates that the staunchest march will come in Pakistan with the participation of around 1 million opponents to globalization.
The Brazilian cities which will see the highest concentrations of people are expected to include Sao Paolo, where the World Social Forum's Secretariat is located, and Porto Alegre, where theanti-globalization movement was launched four years ago and the forum's next annual meeting will be organized.
Spain, hit last week by terror train bombings that killed 202 people and wounded more than 1,400, will witness demonstrations inthe cities of Barcelona, Sevilla and Valencia.
In January, during a celebration of the World Social Forum in Bombay, India, the protesters called for various demonstrations near diplomatic headquarters in New York, Washington, San Francisco, Chicago, Boston and Philadelphia on March 20, the firstanniversary of the Iraq war.