Oct. 6 (GIN)—Farmers, indigenous peoples and other social justice groups will be taking to the streets this week in 10 cities, calling for an end to ruinous business-driven development plans for poor countries around the world.
According to the “Our Land Our Business” campaign, millions of people are being thrown off their land because large corporations have been given special rights. Showing their disapproval, participants will stage “creative resistance” outside the World Bank’s annual meeting in Washington, D.C., and in other cities Oct. 10 and Oct. 11.
More than 200 organizations from more than 100 countries have signed on to the group’s Our Land Our Business statement, the group said. Other cities planning actions include Nairobi, Lagos, Mexico City, Delhi, Kinshasa, Johannesburg, Dhaka, Brussels and London.
“The World Bank’s Doing Business ranking gives points to countries when they act in favor of the ‘ease of doing business.’” stated event organizers. “This consists of smoothing the way for corporations’ activity by, for instance, cutting administrative procedures, lowering corporate taxes, removing environmental and social regulations, or lowering trade barriers.