Date: Fri, 22 May 1998 To: •••@••.••• From: Makere Harawira <•••@••.•••> Subject: Re: (en) Peoples' Global Action May 18th, 1998 To all those who took part in and otherwise supported this non-violent action in Geneva and elsewhere, he mihi whanui ki a koutou katoa. Kia kaha koutou. I add my voice also to the condemnation of the actions of the Geneva police and justice. At the same time I also want to voice my support to the concept of monitoring to ensure that our non-violent protests are not co-opted by those whose have a different agenda or who choose other methods. Too often our efforts are subverted by small groups who seize the opportunity to add their voice to the protest - which in itself is wonderful - but who then markedly lessen the opportunity to make an enormous impact for good, as happened in Geneva. I believe that these protests have equally important and simultaneous functions of conscientising as well as one of protest, and to see the opportunities for large-scale conscientisiation lost and the struggles of our friends being recast as one of violent agitation is deeply non-productive. Perhaps it would be opportune to have some thorough consultation on this issue with a view to developing a policy that is both productive and workable, and still remaining non-judgemental of those who choose different methods and who may therefore choose a different forum without disrupting that of others. Heoi ano Makere Harawira •••@••.•••
