Letter from a wounded London

G8 summits are conclaves of prominent world leaders usually associated with dull final declarations full of good intentions as well as with anti-capitalist street protesters. Not this time. The devastation caused by the terror attacks on London have disrupted Tony Blair's ambitions of forging a global political agenda based on environmental reform and ending African poverty. As the host of such a high profile summit, the British prime minister who has also just assumed the presidency of the European Union, seemed to be self assured in his position of world leader this morning until news came through of the explosions which wrecked London's underground system and ripped open a double-decker bus.

The glory of Blair's recent electoral victory and the optimism generated by yesterday's momentous Olympic victory have now been quickly replaced by an air of doom and gloom. Blair and Brown were pushing forward the cause of many organizations that want to Make Poverty History. They welcomed the Live 8 concert series which brought the urgency of Africa's sufferring into the international cultural mainstream. As the Daily Telegraph noted, Blair "set the agenda" by insisting that big achievements are possible: "100 per cent international debt relief for the poorest [African] countries and a doubling of aid to US $50 billion (£28 billion) a year by 2010."

On the other hand, the attacks have elevated the summit in terms of worldwide attention and instead of overshadowing the summit, the attacks may hopefully result in stronger language and resolve by the G8 in favour of climate change and anti-poverty action in Africa. Most of the G8 countries have themselves experienced the brutal force of terrorism. OpenDemocracy editor Isabel Hilton says in her letter that today's events are a moment to reaffirm democratic values:

It was a cruel contrast. On Wednesday Londoners rejoiced at the news that the city had won its Olympic bid. Thursday’s front pages were given over to scenes of jubilation. But as those editions reached the newsstands, London was already a darker, grimmer place, as a series of coordinated explosions ripped through its transport network...

Londoners have been stoic in the past in the face of terror. For thirty years the capital was the object of intermittent attack by the IRA, occasionally bombed, frequently disrupted. Each attack is an assault on the city’s trust and tolerance and it would be naive to imagine that these qualities are not at risk. But now is a moment to reaffirm those values – to resist blaming any community or faith for the actions of criminals, to defend traditions of justice, dissent and solidarity – that broad ground on which the democratic citizen stands.

Hundreds of thousands of these citizens have been in Scotland this week, gathering to demonstrate their discontent with the leaders of the G8, to argue for another path, for different priorities, for urgent attention to poverty in Africa and the cataclysmic threat of climate change. They are the voice of the democratic values that terror seeks to destroy.

London is a wounded city today. Other attacks may follow. How should we, democratic citizens, respond? Terror alone cannot destroy democracy, but it can provoke us to do so. It is for the police to find the perpetrators, it is for the citizen to insist that the state must not do what terror cannot, it is for government – however provoked – to honour and defend our liberties.

Todd Gitlin on 9/11; Paul Rogers on Bali; Murat Belge on Istanbul; Mary Kaldor on Madrid

According to the Guardian: "Making poverty history is a terrific slogan and a noble ambition, but even its most enthusiastic backers acknowledge that it will only be achieved in a long, drawn-out and multi-faceted process over many years rather than at a single event lasting less than three days,"; Blair faces a backlash, said the Times: "if his ambitious targets for helping Africa are watered down by his fellow world leaders."; La Repubblica in Italy (translated by the BBC) said that Blair's very public agenda amounts to a "threat" to his guests: "If the summit fails to produce a concrete and relevant deal on aid to Africa and the defence of the environment, it will be clear to all who bears the responsibility."; What is the G8?; Can the G8 save Africa?; Blair speech at World Economic forum.



With Toni, Jacques, Sharon (in central London), Immanuel and MaltaGirl being personal or nostalgic about today's events, I cannot resist recalling one of my favourite Smiths lyrics, from There is a light that never goes out: "And if a double-decker bus, crashes into us, to die by your side, is such a heavenly way to die.."