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Isolated in Davos, but Tibet is never far

By Carl Lavin | Forbes.com

Pro-Tibet demonstrators in Davos, Switzerland. The protesters target Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, who was attending the World Economic Forum.Forbes/Lauren Shay Lavin/Switzerland

With a proper Swiss respect for order, anti-globalisation protesters asked for permission to demonstrate in Geneva against the World Economic Forum. When the government rejected the request, nothing happened.

Maybe they decided to head south, where a large group of activists finding solidarity under the banner “Another World Is Possible” had a kind of anti-Davos in Brazil this week at the World Social Forum.

Advocates for Tibet were more willing to get their message to the 2,600 Forum participants in Davos. Their real target: Premier Wen Jiabao who addressed the Forum on the opening day and the Chinese media following him across Europe.

Security is tight around the Congress Centre and the Hotel Belvedere, where much of the official and unofficial Forum action takes place. Even roads in and out of town have checkpoints. But the efficient Swiss railway still runs regular service from Zurich (one transfer required to get to Davos). Anyone with motive is free to take a train to Davos, and walk to within a few blocks of the action.

That’s exactly what these protesters did.

Copyright © 2009 Forbes

Published in Forbes.com