City wary of Asian Development Bank protest
By Scott Ishikawa and Robbie Dingeman
Advertiser Staff Writers
Honolulu police and other law enforcement agencies are preparing for what could be one of the larger protests in the Islands since the Vietnam War, when the Asian Development Bank holds its annual conference here May 7-11.
With meetings at the Hawai'i Convention Center about three weeks away, however, it's still unclear exactly how many people may participate in the protest or whether Mainland groups will send members to join the demonstrations.
ADBwatch, an umbrella group representing about two dozen organizations critical of ADB policies, has estimated that 2,000 to 5,000 protesters will march on May 9 from Magic Island and a site near the former police station on Young Street to the Convention Center.
The groups are raising human rights and economic issues related to the ADB. Its critics say ADB projects exploit the poor and force people from their homes by damaging the environment.
Joshua Cooper, ADBwatch co-coordinator, said he believes 90 to 95 percent of the demonstrators will be from Hawai'i, with the rest — mostly speakers — from the Mainland and Asia.
"We projected that number to show up because of recent local rallies that brought out 2,000 people," Cooper said. "Any higher number will depend on whether others will participate because of the police presence."
Some of the local groups planning to demonstrate include the Hawai'i Institute for Human Rights, Refuse and Resist, and Solidarity Hawaii. Organizations outside Hawai'i that are expected to attend include environmental groups Land Is Life and Rainforest Action Network from the Mainland, and Cordillera People's Alliance from the Philippines.
Police, however, said it is unclear exactly how many demonstrators will participate during the week of the ADB conference.
At a press conference last week, Honolulu assistant police chief Boisse Correa said police don't expect the same problems or similar numbers of demonstrators as during the 1999 World Trade Organization riots in Seattle, which drew 30,000 to 40,000 protesters.
ADB critic Carolyn Hadfield agrees, saying Honolulu is unlike Seattle, where activists in other states could jump in a van or a car and join the movement.
"Honolulu is becoming the site of these meetings because of its isolation," Hadfield said.
Hadfield has testified several times before the City Council, cautioning that preparations for a violent protest may provoke the use of force. Many protest group members are wary about the $518,000 being spent on police equipment and training in preparation for the conference.
"It's really extravagant, and we think it's meant to intimidate people," said Natalia Palomino, a member of the group Refuse and Resist. "Those kind of actions dissuade people from expressing their opinions."
But Correa said the Seattle violence was a wake-up call for law enforcement officers to prepare for worst-case scenarios.
"I think Seattle was overwhelmed by the situation," he said. "We know the majority of the (protest groups) are legal, peaceful individuals just trying to get some of their message across. It was a small group in Seattle that caused havoc, and it taught us that we had to prepare."
Correa said police are more concerned about a reportedly disruptive Mainland-based protest group that may travel to the Honolulu conference and infiltrate among the other demonstrators. Correa refused to disclose the organization's name.
"We saw the same group in Seattle go to demonstrate (at the Republican National Convention) in Philadelphia, then Los Angeles (for the Democratic Convention)," Correa said. "It would be a misconception that these people don't have money to get here."
Cooper believes police are referring to a California group that provides training in the skills of non-violent civil disobedience to help environmental and human rights organizations.
Group officials could not be reached for comment at their California office.
"They're spending money to deal with a ghost group," Cooper said. "If it's who I think they're eyeing, I haven't heard plans of those guys coming. We would be willing to organize a meeting between the two sides."
Cooper and others organizing the protests insist their activities will be conducted peacefully and will not disrupt businesses or traffic.
"We're not going to make human chain-links to block the road," Cooper said. "Basically, we're planning our own conference, with speakers to counter their discussions. All the activities planned will be within the law, while best utilizing our free-speech rights."
"While civil disobedience may be effective in getting a point across, that is not in the works for this event," said Matt MacKenzie of Solidarity Hawai'i, which will demonstrate under the ADBwatch umbrella. "We're not protesting just for the sake of protesting. The main goal is bring attention to others about the social injustices brought on by this organization."
Despite 10 months of police training to deal with possible problems with protesters, Correa said police are optimistic that demonstrations during the ADB conference will be peaceful.
"We've traveled to other conferences and conventions to look at the best way to let these groups get their message across in a safe and peaceful manner," Correa said. "We've talked to some of the groups and their attorneys. All of these protesters don't want to see physical confrontation or property damage or violence, and we fully agree with that."
