News24 (SouthAfrica) lets us in on the welcoming locals:
Johannesburg - The tripartite alliance will march during the upcoming Earth Summit to demand that the developed countries adopt a 10-year programme of action on sustainable development.Apparently the ability to count is not a requirement for alliance membership. And hey, they have an active Communist party! I didn't know there was going to be an antique show.
This was announced at a joint African National Congress, SA Communist Party, Congress of SA Trade Unions and SA National Civics Organisation briefing in Johannesburg on Tuesday.
The ANC's Gauteng provincial secretary, David Makura, said the mass rally and march would be "a popular expression of our demands to the developed countries... to join the developing world in adopting a 10-year programme of action on sustainable development". ...Translation: send cash!
"Central to the discussions on sustainable development are the key questions of poverty eradication, human rights, environmental justice, equitable distribution of resources, the fight against the HIV/Aids pandemic, women's empowerment, global peace and fair trade between developing and developed nations."
Then there's US frets over security at World Summit:
With just a week to go before the start of the World Summit on Sustainable Development, concern within security and intelligence circles has been expressed over the attitude of the United States administration, reportedly insisting on organising its own security for US officials.With a South African government that is hard pressed to find its collective butt with a road map, except when it comes to endorsing terrorists, I would tend to fret too. Of course, another article about the exorbitant rents being charged the visitors (e.g. $500 for a night in a slum) mentions a townhouse rented by the US delegation. Yep, real secure.
Why are we sending anybody to this goat rodeo? Besides the futility, why doesn't someone tell 'em about teleconferencing? (But don't mention the mute button.)
