The
World
Bank announced today the cancellation of its 2001 Annual Bank Conference
on Development Economics (ABCDE) in Europe, originally slated to be held
in Barcelona on June 25-27.
Explaining the decision, World Bank spokeswoman Caroline Anstey said,
"A conference on poverty reduction should take place in a peaceful atmosphere
free from heckling, violence and intimidation. Despite our efforts to reach
out to some of the groups planning demonstrations, and to include them
in the conference, the intention of many of the groups who plan to converge
on Barcelona is not to join the debate or to contribute constructively
to the discussion, but to disrupt it. We do not want to expose academics
from around the world and our hosts in Spain to such a situation." Particularly,
she said, "It is time to take a stand against this kind of threat to free
discussion."
World Bank spokeswoman said that fortunately the internet means that
academic debates can now take place on line.Papers prepared for the conference
will be posted on the conference web site and plans are being made for
an on-line discussion, she said.
More information:
-
Press
release May 19, 2001(World Bank)
-
Campaña Contra el Banco
Mundial, Barcelona 2001 (Rosa de Foc)