And in a video statement smuggled out of Burma, the pro-democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi calls for Premier to withdraw its investment, arguing that 'it is doing a great disservice to the cause of democracy' and 'should be ashamed of itself'. Many campaigning groups find public hearings an effective way of drawing attention to the activities of multinational companies. It concluded that clothes made for export to the European market are made on the basis of gross violations of basic labour rights for which the responsibility lies squarely with the multinationals both retailers and producers. Now, the International Forum on Clean Clothes will take the momentum built up over the tribunal to the World Cup, where it will draw attention to the activities of World Cup sponsors Adidas. The Europe that denies citizenship rights, encourages repatriation and clamps down on refugee rights, is also the Europe that represents the interests of the European multinationals.
Big business is increasingly setting the agenda in the UK, say campaigners.
They are angry at a new scheme to give public companies including those involved in the arms trade exclusive access to Labour's policy-making process for subscriptions of 1000. Its most immediate concern will be to draw attention to a meeting of European agricultural ministers on 22 June, where the future of the EU's trade policy on Caribbean bananas will be decided. In the past, Caribbean farmers have had preferential access to the European banana market. But now this relationship is under threat. More repression and another refugee crisis will follow as surely as night follows day.