Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Police forces still crawling all over the WWF venue




Several witnesses have seen Turkish intelligence services checking computers available to journalists in the Press center, particularly Internet browser history.

Yesterday afternoon, during the High level Panel on Finance, one activist from Germany was forcefully taken out of the room by six police officers. Having been denied the microphone, he couldn't restrain his frustration when the panel's chair concluded the session by expressing his delight to have moderated such an inclusive and transparent debate. He shouted "If the WWF is so transparent and democratic, why don't you organise it under the UN instead of this corporate fair?"

He was detained for about 10 minutes outside the room while the officers reported the situation to their superiors, and was finally released. He was luckier than the two activists from International Rivers who were given the "choice" between a year in Turkish prison and deportation at their own expense to their home country.

According to an inside source, when two Turkish employees of the WWF turned for work, they could no longer access to the venue as they were deemed "too political".

The World Water Council has remained silent despite questions raised by media and activists on those unacceptable practices.

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