Bin Laden Pops Up in WSF Meet in Karachi
Sebastian Rodrigues | Sun Mar 26 12:25:14 UCT 2006
By: Huma Aamir Malik, Arab News www.arabnews.com
KARACHI, 26 March 2006 More–than–15,000–activists–gathered–late–Friday–to–open–the–World–Social–Forum–(WSF),–where–anti-globalization–and–peace–and–security–issues–will–be–discussed–over–the–next–six–days.
Delegates–from–50–countries–attended–the–opening–session–chaired–by–Indian–Member–of–Parliament–Kumari–Nirmala–Deshpande–and–watched–a–cultural–show–by–Pakistani–performers,–organizers–said.
"We–want–peace–and–justice–in–the–world,–we–are–against–war,"–Brazilian–delegate,–Moema–Miranda,–told–the–gathering."We–can–achieve–this–by–uniting–ourselves–and–the–World–Social–Forum–must–move–on,"–she–added.
The–WSF–was–established–in–2001–as–a–counterpoint–to–Switzerland's–World–Economic–Forum–of–political–and–business–leaders.–Delegates–accused–the–United–States–of–creating–Osama–Bin–Laden–and–his–terror–icon–Al-Qaeda.
At–a–WSF–workshop–on–"Bin–Laden–Constructing–New–Politics–of–Terror,"–speakers–described–the–Saudi-born–terrorist–as–"a–symbol–of–evil–in–the–world–politics."
"Al-Qaeda–and–Osama–are–the–creation–of–the–US–and–its–Central–Investigation–Agency–(CIA)"–to–suit–their–hegemonic–designs,–Sehba–Khattak,–a–leading–Pakistani–human–rights–activist–from–North–Western–Frontier–Province–said.–She–alleged–that–Osama–was–created–as–part–of–a–US–global–policy–to–have–"elements–of–instability–on–the–world–map"–that–could–allow–US–involvement–in–regional–affairs.
Pakistan's–first–WSF–meeting–is–being–held–under–tight–security–after–the–latest–in–a–series–of–suicide–blasts–in–this–volatile–southern–city–killed–a–US–diplomat–and–four–other–people–this–month.
"It's–good–that–despite–the–blast–a–lot–of–foreign–delegates–are–attending–the–meeting,"–chief–organizer–Karmat–Ali–said.
Delegates–will–hold–discussions–on–issues–ranging–from–immigration–to–land–and–water–rights,–women's–issues,–militarism–and–subsidized–cotton.–"Nuclear–weapons–and–politics–of–oil–are–other–topics–to–be–discussed–by–the–Forum,"–Ali–said.
British–MP–Jeremy–Corbyn,–who–is–also–vice-president–of–anti-war–coalition,–Palestinian–activist–Jamal–Jumma–and–London-based–political–writer–and–novelist–Tariq–Ali–were–also–to–speak–in–the–forum.
karachi–––wsf–2006–––wsf–––oil–––www.agp.org–––www.all4all.org