May 1, 2009 by Tim McDowell.

The U.S. Embassy in Berlin issued the following Warden Message on 30 April 2009: “The U.S. Department of State continues to closely monitor the developing worldwide situation regarding confirmed outbreaks of H1N1 Influenza. The Department of State has issued a Travel Alert warning Americans to defer all non-essential travel to Mexico. At this time Mission Germany is tracking reported cases of infected individuals in Germany. As the worldwide situation develops, we will continue to update information on our website at http://germany.usembassy.gov.

“For further information about H1N1 Influenza, please consult the Department of State information on Swine Flu at http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/pa/pa_pandemic.html,

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website at:

http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/

World Health Organization website at

http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/index.html
 

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May 1, 2009 by Tim McDowell.

Demonstrations and labor stoppages are occurring in many countries worldwide to mark May Day. Some of the protests have caused few disruptions, while others turned violent.

Protests have been reported in several European countries, including Germany, where protesters in Berlin’s eastern Friedrichstain district vandalized vehicles and threw bottles and rocks at passing cars and trams, as well as security forces. More than 2,000 people participated in the protest, which the authorities dispersed. In Hamburg, at least three people were injured during a protest. Authorities anticipate further unrest in the course of the day. Violence also occurred in Istanbul, Turkey, near the city’s Taksim Square, which police officers had closed off to demonstrators. Protesters broke windows at banks and supermarkets, and police officers responded with water cannon and tear gas to disperse rioters. Many businesses were closed, as 1 May was declared a public holiday due to “pressure from labor unions.” In Greece, labor actions by unions forced the national air carrier Olympic Airways to cancel approximately 100 flights. The strikes also disrupted bus, train, subway and ferry services. In the United Kingdom, a rally is scheduled to begin shortly after 1700 local time (1600 UTC) outside the Bank of Englad building in London. The focus of the rally will be to protest police behavior during the G20 meeting that took place in London on 2 April.

In Russia, demonstrations have been reported in several locations, including Moscow and St. Petersburg, over economic issues and high unemployment. In Moscow, where 33 events were planned, thousands of people marched through the city and called on the government to step down. Events were also organized by Russia’s ruling United Russia party. In total, approximately 25,000 people are said to be participating in the various actions in the city. There were no reports of major incidents, although police officers detained several people. In St. Petersburg, police officers arrested approximately 120 protesters affiliated with antifascist, anarchist and nationalist groups, claiming that they were in possession of weapons, including knives and rubber-bullet pistols. In Kiev, Ukraine, the Federation of Trade Unions of Ukraine and the Communist Party of Ukraine organized two rallies on Independence Square (Maidan Nezalezhnosti), which drew approximately 7,000 people. Traffic along Khreschatyk Street in the vicinity of the square was blocked; no incidents of violence were reported. Approximately 2,000 supporters of various leftist parties are also planning to rally in the square later in the day following a march from Arsenalna Square. According to reports, more than 300 separate rallies are planned to occur at various times across France. Thousands of people were expected to stage street demonstrations in Paris. May Day marches were also scheduled to take place in Spain, the Czech Republic, Belgium and Italy.

In the Americas, several demonstrations are scheduled to take place later in the day. In Bolivia, members of various social organizations and political opposition groups will organize a protest march against the government through the center of La Paz, the capital; thousands are expected to participate, and disruptions are expected. In Uruguay, a large labor union will organize a demonstration in Montevideo beginning at the Plaza 1 de Mayo at 1500 local time, from where participants will march to the city center. In addition, two other labor unions will organize demonstrations in Montevideo. The first will meet at 1200 local time at the corner of Agraciada and Aguilar streets, before joining the above demonstration at 1500. The other demonstration will take place at 1300 local time in Plaza Cagancha. In Venezuela, the political opposition movement headed by Caracas Mayor Antonio Ledezma will meet at 1000 local time at Plaza Venezuela before marching to the seat of the National Assembly in downtown Caracas. The group is protesting President Hugo Chavez’s increasing centralization of power. Ledezma claims that the protest will be peaceful; however, political protests in Venezuela often devolve into violence. Travelers should avoid all protest areas to the extent possible. In the U.S., major transportation disruptions are expected in downtown Los Angeles, where officials expect that between 20,000 and 60,000 people will attend at least seven marches or rallies scheduled throughout the day. Travelers should especially anticipate disruptions near City Hall in the afternoon; Almadeda, Grand, Ora and 11th streets will be closed. Other rallies are planned in most major U.S. cities, including Chicago, New York, San Francisco, Miami, Seattle, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, Boston, and Washington, D.C. No major protests are expected in Mexico, where a ban on public events remains in effect due to the outbreak of the H1N1 swine flu virus.

In the Middle East region, May Day-related protests are known to have occurred in at least Iran. A demonstration took place in Sanandaj, a predominantly Kurdish city in the northwest; at least five labor union activists were detained, but there were no reports of significant violence. In Tehran, the capital, unions were anticipated to stage demonstrations to protest against the economic problems that Iran is currently experiencing.

Demonstrations have also occurred in Asia. In the Philippines’ capital city of Manila, hundreds of protesters marched in the early morning from Morayta Street to Mendiola Bridge near Malacanang Palace at approximately 0400 local time. The protest march began Labor Day protests throughout the country. Protesters, led by the group Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP), marched peacefully through the streets; police officers were deployed throughout the capital to prevent protesters from disturbing the peace. Gatherings were also reported elsewhere in the Philippines, including a government sponsored job fair in Pasay City. Other protest actions focused on the alleged corruption of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s administration. No violence was reported. Thousands of protesters gathered in Taipei, Taiwan, to demonstrate against the increasingly deteriorating job market and the high level of unemployment. The May Day protest saw more than 12,000 Taiwanese rallying in the streets; reports indicate that more than 100 protesters clashed with police when they tried to forcefully enter Cabinet buildings. Several police officers and demonstrators were injured in the protest. In Cambodia, more than 1,000 workers protested in Phnom Penh to demand higher wages. The demonstrators, largely consisting of textile and hotel workers, marched from a park near the royal palace to the Parliament building, expressing dissatisfaction with the government over the global economic crisis. The protesters demanded the establishment of a labor court, an increase in the minimum wage and a reduction in working hours; there were no reports of violence.

In Africa, protests have thus far been reported In South Africa, where the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) is hosting 36 rallies nationwide. The umbrella union’s main rally is being held at the Sisa Dukashe Stadium in East London, where approximately 150,000 workers and African National Congress (ANC) supporters are expected to gather. COSATU added that approximately 10,000 buses and taxis will transport people to the venue. ANC President Jacob Zuma and the COSATU secretary general will address the crowd. The South African Police Service (SAPS) has deployed extra security to the area in order to manage crowds and deal with traffic congestion.

Worldwide: As of 1 May 2009 more cases of H1N1 swine flu have been reported in multiple locations throughout the world, including Japan, Spain and Canada. Although there have been no additional reports of deaths in Mexico, health officials in the country confirmed 52 new cases, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 312. Mexico’s Health Secretary Jose Cordova expressed optimism, based on the fact that the number of hospitalizations for the illness has decreased since 20 April, although World Health Organization (WHO) officials have cautioned that it is too soon to determine any trends. On 1 May the country began a planned five-day suspension of all non-essential business; schools and many businesses remained closed. There have been no reports of plans to close Mexican airports. As doctors are screening passengers for symptoms of swine flu on international flights prior to departure, travelers should arrive at the airport at least three hours before their flights. Long lines have been reported in the commercial terminals at many Mexican airports. No U.S.-based airlines have suspended flights to Mexico, though several have temporarily reduced the number of Mexico-bound flights in response to a precipitous drop in demand for tickets. Most U.S. airlines are providing flexible options for passengers wishing to postpone or cancel flights to Mexico.

In the United States, the number of suspected and confirmed cases rose, although the reported cases have been less severe than in Mexico. Health officials reported that the United States will receive new flu tests that will provide faster results. Schools across the U.S. continued to close in order to prevent an outbreak. The most recent report from the U.S. Department of Education stated that the number of school closures totaled 298.

On an international level, many countries continued to enact measures to control the spread of the flu virus, with airports and border patrols stepping up the screening of passengers arriving from countries where infections have been reported. Peru has canceled all flights to and from Mexico, although officials retracted an earlier report that the first H1N1 case was detected in the country. Although travelers may experience delays due to the increased number of screenings, there are no plans to close the U.S.-Mexico border.

In response to growing reports and global reactions concerning an outbreak of swine flu in Mexico City, ASI Group has activated the World Watch® Monitor Web site http://monitor.asigroup.com/. The Monitor site is designed to consolidate raw information and more detailed reports in a single location for easier tracking and updates.

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