Increasing numbers of people are beginning to recognize privatization is unstoppable. What the Seattle commandos probably don't understand is that they are serving interests they profess to hate - Third World oligarchies, for example. National poverty is not ordained by heaven. Such oligarchical classes sit on top of any number of impoverished Third World countries. Some of them initially sold themselves to their followers as Marxist populists but learned that power and wealth have their psychic rewards even if the ideology didn't work out.
Poverty is caused by third world elites.
As often as not, they protect their privileged status by keeping out great multinational corporations that might come into their countries and mobilize people and resources for efficient commercial endeavors that would drive the local cronies out of business. MAI is a distinct threat to such people, as is any measure that opens up the world to trade and investment. Third World elites retain power by keeping out multinational corporations. The MAI and liberalization of trade favors multinational corporations. It therefore hurts third world elites' ability to retain power.