Brussels 2001

national | miscellaneous | news report

Wednesday January 30, 2002 18:42

by Finghín Kelly - Socialist Youth UCD

info at syucd dot cjb dot net

Eye witness report & exclusive pictures from Irish contingent

For exclusive pictures of the Irish CWI contingent(Socialist Party/Youth) on the Brussels demonstrations and at the ISR conference visit www.socialistyouth.cjb.net or www.geocities.com/finghin2000/syucd/brussels/index.html Below there is also an account of the Demos IsR Conference and the build up

For exclusive pictures of the Irish CWI contingent(Socialist Party/Youth) on the Brussels demonstrations and at the ISR conference visit www.socialistyouth.cjb.net or www.geocities.com/finghin2000/syucd/brussels/index.html

Below there is also an account of the Demos IsR Conference and the build up

Last month tens of thousands of workers and youth from all over Europe took to the streets of Brussels to protest at
the EU summit. The demonstrations took place on the anniversary of the birth of the anti-capitalist movement in
Seattle two years ago. More significantly, however, they were the first protests of their kind since the horrific events of
11 September. In many ways the demonstrations on the 13th and 14th were a lithmus test for the anti-capitalist
movement.

On 13 December, 100,000 workers marched in the demonstration called by the European Confederation of Trade Unions (ECTU). There was a clear
mood of anger amongst the majority of the participants on the protest against the cut backs and privatisation which are being carried out accross the
European Union.

However, this anger was not matched by a willingness on the part of the leadership of the ECTU to fight against the neo-liberal agenda of the EU. This
was shown in the speeches made by the various trade union secretaries who simply put forward the vague demand of a more "social Europe".

On the 14th a demonstration of 25,000 took place. Members of Socialist Youth (SY) and the Socialist Party marched in the 800 strong contingent of the
Committee for a Workers' International (CWI) and International Socialist Resistance (ISR), to which Socialist Youth are affiliated. The contingent was by
far the liveliest and best organised in terms of stewarding. Young people from all over Europe as well as the CIS, South Africa, USA and Canada were
part of it.

The following day saw the launching of the International Socialist Resistance (ISR) at a conferance held in the university in Brussels. Issues such as the
privatisation of education, young workers' rightss and the futire of the anti-capitalist movement were discussed.

In the discussion on education, the comrades from differant sections of the ISR gave examples of how their respective governments are bringing about
the privatisation of schools and colleges. In the case of the latter, this is a result of the signing of the Bologna Treaty three years ago by 30 European
ministers. At the end of the conferance it was agreed that a European day of action against this treaty would take place on 23 May to coincide with the
next EU summit in Madrid. This is also an issue that will be taken up by Socialist Youth.

Members of Socialist Youth contributed to many of these discussions and gave reports on the issues taken up by SY such as the fight against
sectarianism in the North and the growth of racism in the South. Throughout the day the crucial role of young people in bringing a socialist society into
being was emphasised.

The ISR conferance was by far the most successful counter summit of that weekend. More than 500 young people attended it. The aim of ISR is to win
over a new layer of radicalised youth to the ideas of socialism. The conferance acted as a step towards building a socialist alternative to the capitalist
system which only offers wat and exploitation to the world's billions.