The mobilization took place in the Central Station St. Charles in Marseille. The World Water Forum is taking place in that city gathering governments called by the World Bank and the World Water Council.
The Alternative World Water Forum is also being held in the same city by social movements and organizations from different countries in defense of the human right to water.

“This is a symbolic protest for the media against the greenwashing exerted by large companies, against the Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol (HSAP), against the massive finance provided by international financial institutions such as the World Bank and the European Investment Bank to large companies, and in favor of healthy rivers”. according to a statement issued by the website of the alternative forum. The organizations that called the protest included CounterBalance, Campagna per la Riforma della Banca Mondiale, Amis de la Terre and International Rivers.

Real World Radio’s correspondent in Marseille and member of Censat Agua Viva – Friends of the Earth Colombia, Danilo Urrea, talked about yesterday’s action with International Rivers representative, Zachary Hurwitz. The activist also talked about the Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol.

In addition to the organizers, the protest in Marseille also gathered activists from Red Vida, the Italian Forum of Water Movements and Chile Sustentable, among other networks. It was a cultural-musical activity, with a performance in which a river was dammed.

On Monday, two representatives of the Italian organization Yaku, Enzo Vitalesta and Francesca Caprini, and Colombian Activist Bibiana Salazar were surrounded by local police officers while demonstrating outside the official forum. On Wednesday’s action there were no conflicts with the police.

Photo: http://www.fame2012.org