World: New Report Links IMF Policies to Widespread Protests

A new report today reveals that protests and riots against the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and its policies, are taking place in poor countries around the world. Since the Seattle protests ten months ago there have been at least 50 separate episodes of civil unrest in 13 poor countries, all directed at the IMF. Half of these protests have ended in violent clashes with the police or military. In one country the protests led to a military coupe.

The report uncovers a previously undocumented pattern of protest against the policies of the International Monetary Fund. It links these policies to a catalogue of riots and civil unrest in poor countries around the world.

The World Development Movement publishes its report, called 'States of
Unrest: Resistance to IMF Policies in Poor Countries', on the eve of massive protests against the IMF at its annual meeting, in Prague.

Jessica Woodroffe, co-author of the report said: "Attempts by the World
Bank and IMF to dismiss protesters as 'rich students' are nave and
insulting. Millions of people around the world have been brave enough to
protest against IMF policies. From Argentina to Zambia, farmers, priests,
teachers and trade unionists have called for an end to IMF imposed economic
reforms.

"Millions of people around the world have seen the IMF attempting to
undermine their national governments. It is seen as forcing countries into a
one-size -fits-all blue print of economic development.

"It is significant that all these protests have happened since the IMF
announced its new commitment to poverty reduction at its Annual Meetings
last September. The depth of opposition reveals just how far the IMF has to
go if its new poverty reduction rhetoric is to be anything more that a
re-branding exercise."

States of Unrest details examples where IMF policies are threatening fragile and newly established democracies. It quotes Adams Oshiomhole, a Nigerian trade union leader: "We are on a mission to rescue the president [who has] been hijacked by the IMF and the World Bank. This country belongs to Nigerians."

For full text of report click:
http://www.wdm.org.uk/cambriefs/DEBT/unrest.htm

REPORT SUMMARY

States of Unrest: Resistance to IMF policies in Poor Countries

World Development Movement

Jessica Woodroffe and Mark Ellis-Jones

September 2000

Claims by James Wolfensohn, Horst Khler, and the Western
media that protests against the International Monetary Fund
(IMF) and World Bank are led by students and anarchists
from the rich global north demonstrates an insultingly
partial outlook on the world. Conservative estimates
suggest that mass demonstrations against these institutions
have taken place in at least 13 countries across the global
south since protests against the World Trade Organisation
(WTO) in Seattle last November.

These protests demonstrate strong feeling against the harm
caused by IMF policies and demonstrate how IMF-imposed
conditions undermine governments' ability to govern.
Significantly, all these protests took place after the
Annual Meetings in Washington last year, when the IMF
announced its new poverty-reduction mandate and renamed
structural adjustment programmes.

Since the WTO meeting in Seattle in November 1999, there
have been over a million civilians protesting across 13
countries on more than 50 separate occasions. Estimates
indicate that more than half of these protests ended in the
deployment of riot police or army; that more than 300
people have been injured, 10 killed and more than 160
arrested. All of the protests have been calling for an end
to reforms prescribed by the IMF. Below are details of
those protests, with a description of the policies they
have tried to stop.

Country summaries

Argentina

A series of strikes and protests against the Government's
continued IMF reforms end in violence. Trade unions say the
measures have led to unemployment and rural communities
complain of a decline in public services.

Bolivia

Escalating protests against the privatisation of water and
a 200 per cent price hike lead to serious riots and calls
for the Government to end IMF policies. The President is
forced to call a state of emergency and soldiers are
deployed on the streets of Cochabamba. At least six people
are killed.

Brazil

More than a million people vote against IMF reforms in a
mock referendum, and thousands follow the vote with a mass
demonstration called Cry of the Excluded.

Colombia

Public sector redundancies and wage cuts (part of IMF
austerity measures) lead to a 24-hour general strike.

Costa Rica

Privatisation of the telecommunications sector, prescribed
by the IMF, results in demonstrations and at least one
death.

Ecuador

Delayed negotiations with the IMF lead to a deepening of
the economic crisis. A mass movement of 40,000 people,
opposing further IMF reforms, leads to the storming of
Congress and subsequently a bloodless military coup.
Despite a new President, the IMF continues with its
reforms, leading to continued riots and civil unrest. The
situation remains unstable.

Honduras

Strikes across the country demand an end to IMF-required
public service cuts.

Kenya

A peaceful demonstration calling for debt relief and an end
to IMF conditions ends in violence.

Malawi

Protesters demonstrating against IMF conditions are stopped
by the police when they try to march on the Consultative
Group meeting of donors.

Nigeria

The newly elected President faces a general strike against
the deregulation of the oil sector and fuel price hikes
(part of the IMF programme). Protesters condemn his
adherence to IMF policies, against the wishes of his
electorate.

Paraguay

Participants in the 48-hour general strike against
privatisation of telephones, water and railways are told
this is non-negotiable as it is part of the IMF package.

South Africa

Encouraged by the IMF, the Government is rushing through
liberalisation laws in an attempt to attract foreign
investment. The measures are met with sustained protests
from trade unions.

Zambia

Demonstrators picket the hotel where IMF staff are meeting
government officials, claiming SAPs have led to cuts in
health services and that privatisation has left people
unemployed.

• 104 Globalization
• 110 Trade Justice