Protests to Corporate Control of Water at the UN

By Matthew Russell Lee.

While the UN talks of water, corporations with juice enter the building to write their own rules. This is the distillation of a protest letter some 125 non-governmental organizations have sent to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. On Monday at UN Headquarters, Inner City Press asked Ban's spokesperson about the letter, which asked Ban "to withdraw from something called the CEO Water Mandate, claiming that it's run by corporations and it's just an excuse for exploitation of water resources. Did he receive it and if so, what then?"

The spokesperson answered, "I don't have the letter at this point." Click here for transcript. Later in the day, Inner City Press was e-mailed a notice that the letter had been received. Later still, a paragraph was inserted into the transcript:

"The Spokesperson later added that the letter had been received and, according to the United Nations Global Compact Office, the Mandate's purpose is to provide a platform for companies and stakeholders to share knowledge and emerging practices with respect to water stewardship and sustainability. Regarding a 5 March event, which the letter reportedly alleges was a meeting between corporations and their allies to map out their plan of action for the CEO Water Mandate, the Global Compact Office notes that the learning-and-dialogue session brought companies together with a range of stakeholders, including non-business attendees and representatives from various United Nations agencies. The Spokesperson added that the Global Compact Office has said, 'The UN Global Compact Office has long recognized and stated that voluntary initiatives cannot be a substitute for regulation or government action. Rather, the two are complementary, with voluntary platforms such as The CEO Water Mandate providing a space for learning and innovation.'"

But, the activists question, innovation in what? Spin? As Inner City Press previously reported from the UN, Coca-Cola's purported exoneration in India was in a study which Coke itself funded. At Dow Chemical's last appearance at the UN, also on the issue of water, non-violent protesters were hustled off the UN's grounds, and the press told not to cover it -- click here for that story, and compare to Monday's affirmative answer by the UN Spokesperson's to Inner City Press' question if it is "the UN's position that people have a right to protest right in front of the UN building without being arrested." The UN's blithe partnership with corporations continues apace, with its Global Compact rebuffing in this case a letter from more than 100 NGOs from all over the world, without identifying the "non-business attendees" of the meeting alluded to.

Source: Inner City Press (25/3/2008)