WK Chan from Qatar
Hong Kong Coalition of Service Industries
http://www.hkcsi.org.hk/papers/report/doha/adventure.doc

The WTO Doha Ministerial was as much about security as it was about trade negotiations. In fact, the event was almost staged elsewhere upon concern over security. In the end, the WTO decided to stay with Doha, after the Qatari host reaffirmed maximum security. One result, however, was that some delegation, especially the US, were smaller in size than originally planned. And none of the 20 business representatives from the US turned up.

My first taste of that famed security arrangement was when I landed at the hotel, the Museum Apartments. Every one who entered had to give their bags for examination. Everybody there wore a WTO badge, including the cleaners. Even so, one could get away quite easily with waving one’s hand and passing through straight. Perhaps they were too good-mannered to stop people.

But if individuals were lax, that was more than made up for by the system. The Conference venue was the Sheraton Hotel, but nobody would go to Sheraton direct. Every one had to be transported to an interchange, Al Dana Club, and be taken by shuttle there to Sheraton.

I moved to the Marriott two days later and the extent of the security system became clearer to me. There was to be no other means of transport except by official shuttles (for which the drivers wore a "WTO Driver" badge also). You were welcome to take a taxi or limousine but one had to go out of the way to hail one -- the access to every central hotel was cordoned off 100 meters away.

And every hotel had X-ray checks at the door, even though every one who came through had to be WTO-related -- there were no tourists because the hotels were all dedicated for the WTO Conference only.

When I moved hotel, the trips I took consisted of: a shuttle from Al Dana (the registration centre) to Museum to check out; then from Museum, with my luggage, back to Al Dana; and from Al Dana, another shuttle to Marriott to check it; and afterwards, the Marriott shuttle to Al Dana, before taking the Conference shuttle to Sheraton.

From Al Dana Club, the shuttle had to pass through eight police check points, many with soldiers wielding machine guns, before landing in front of Sheraton.

The sight from these familiar journeys was of a city whose business stopped. One did not see anybody walking about. Not that anyone would enjoy doing so; given the Arabic sun which would melt anything in five minutes.

Yet a five minute walk in the glare of security guards was required from one end of Al Dana, the "bus terminus", to the other end where one boarded the Conference shuttle.

Next to the Sheraton the organizer kindly set up the Qatar International Exhibition Centre as the "NGO Centre. That would, however, take another 400 meters walk across seven check points under the sun. With these journeys an SPF 15 Olay moisturiser would seem a necessity. Not so for the guards and soldiers of the check points along the way, though.

The press was luckier as the press centre was located in the Sheraton. That was also a base which I preferred to work from, masquerading myself as a member of the press.

As for security inside Sheraton, white-robed Arabs wearing security badges were everywhere, though I once turned over my badge and wandered around as a delegate and nobody cared.

People did care, however, when it came to the American delegation, who announced themselves wherever they went -- a fast-walking group of striders flanked by crew-cut US marines bearing "delegate" badges and shoving away cameramen who stood in the way. A journalist had this description in the Conference News Daily which is worth reproducing:

"Security is at maximum at the Sheraton and all around the conference centres in Doha. Within the centre delegates have to be careful of the whereabouts of the US delegation. Delegates run the risk of being railroaded by the large delegation if they do not jump out of the way fast enough when US Trade Representative Robert Zoellick speeds past surrounded by security personnel. The US is not taking any chances at the conference and has asked all citizens to remain vigilant at all times. In the meantime delegates from other countries must be vigilant at all times too -- to avoid being run over."

I managed to shake hands briefly with friend Assistant USTR Joe Papovich, which was quite an achievement in those circumstances.

The last Ministerial in Seattle is often remembered for the violent demonstrations against the WTO. It was sometimes said that Qatar was chosen as the venue out of a concern for the NGOs and the anti-globalisation movement, that it would be easier to control NGO’s movements in Doha. That may be a disrespect to the Qataris, since NGOs were treated rather nicely. But their numbers were indeed very small, on the very justifiable ground that hotel places were limited.

The WTO registered 650 NGOs and every one was given only one seat. In the end, perhaps half of them turned up, and out of those, not all were anti-globalisation NGOs, although, obviously, business NGOs were in the minority. To many we met, it appeared that the badge "NGO" denoted anti-WTO.

Despite being anti-WTO, the mainstream NGOs were friendly and non-violent. Their first action was a loud "boo" emanating from my right hand side at the Opening Plenary, just as Mike Moore took the microphone.

I next saw the NGOs in action after the approval of China’s protocol of accession, when I was typing my report at the press centre. The US delegation had the good sense to schedule a meeting in a room next to the press centre. Security went in full force, with sniffing dogs and the like -- a clear "I’m here" message right next to the press corp. Naturally a large number of reporters and cameramen waited outside to see what came of it. Somebody did some organising quickly and soon, as the crowd got bigger, suddenly about 15 hands were raised with "No Arm Twisting" printed on ordinary A4 size paper, and a Latin rombo-rhythm chant of "What’s behind the door? Arm twisting, arm twisting." The crowd immediately got bigger, with tens of nervous white-robed security personnel surrounding, but not knowing what to do. Photographers did know, they took pictures.

Another NGO protests I witnessed was Green Peace setting up carton boxes with a simple message to "recycle the WTO". The had a point, since every one at the Conference printed and copied papers liberally and wastefully, including Friends of the Earth.

That protest was later followed by another against the Quad not "paying up" and delivering the good things promised to LDCs, like development and sustainable development. It consisted mostly of slogan chanting of "No false promises". Our own Longhair would have pulled his hair at how tame these protests were.

My pre-arranged hotel was one Museum Apartments, a name that rouses the imagination of Babylonian furniture and mummies next to your bed. The real thing was a big let-down: a backpacker hostel in what looked like a residential area. There were perhaps ten of us from the airport, including an Apple Daily journalist and a photographer. The checking in took 90-minutes -- much to my regret for gracefully being the last.

When my turn came at 2:00 am, the bigger surprise was that my name was not on the register. I showed them the official document under which someone scribbled "Museum Apt", but the front desk said that did not count because it was handwritten. Fortunately, the Hong Kong photographer had earlier given up his room to share with a German environmentalist in order to save some money, so a room was available but they only registered me for one night because "they had to give priority to WTO delegates".

I finally got to the US$200 room and found that for the price of Conrad I got no IDD, no business centre, no restaurant (apart from a dining area in the reception), no shops, and needless to say, none of the niceties of Conrad like safe, recreation, pool, or the heavenly bathrobe. But at least it was clean, except for stains in the bath, faucets that needed replacing, and a shower without curtains. But they did invest in hospitality. There was a new TV (though without reception), a new oven (which could not be plugged into any socket), and a new refrigerator (with some packaging still intact).

I tried to get an explanation from the organiser but it took a half day of detective work to find out where they were. The headquarter was not in Sheraton, the conference venue, but in Al Dana Club, the half-way shuttle terminus. But my timing was bad -- the first day was not the time to be troubling the organiser about accommodation. I was told politely to be patient and to come back the next day; "It’s a big conference." I understood as I seemed not the only one to be having accommodation problems.

I tried my luck the next morning and, to my surprise, I was shown the computer screen which said I was registered with the Marriott. So I had been sent the wrong information and then transferred to the wrong place from the beginning.

After checking with Marriott to make sure -- wouldn’t take any more chances -- I happily checked out of Museum. It took five minutes for the Marriott to check me in. Then came the shock; my registration was for five nights even though I would be staying for three only. I was assured that the rooms came as a package and there was no flexibility. Another shock was that the rate was to be US$600. But I knew better than to argue; my policy was to take it first, argue later.

I checked with the Al Dana Club headquarter when I had an opportunity and they verified that the whole package had to be for 9-13 November. Even if one were staying one night only, one had to pay for five because all hotel rooms were taken over during that time, and the hotels could not sell to anybody else even if the rooms were empty. There were no tourists, and no spouses either. Later, when I had a chance I checked with the front desk manager to see if there were any cheaper rooms, rooms with no views or smaller beds etc. The answer was that all rooms were pre-allocated and they could not do anything.

As the days went by, the organiser seemed more relaxed and flexible, so I made another try to save money. I had paid seven nights for five, after all. The man at Al Dana first said impossible, then very difficult, and finally told me to see someone, who gave me a telephone number and a name. I thought that was enough, it was not my money after all. But then, that’s not the point; it’s about the service industries.

I rang Malik, the name given me, and explained briefly my situation. He told me to ring me back in five minutes. I did in seven, and he told me to go back to the Marriott which would give me a discount.

I thought that was great. But the Marriott reception said, first, they did not know, and secondly, it was not possible. I rang Malik and gave my phone to the front desk. After some conversation, the receptionist said, everything is fine, sir, just come back in the evening; so I went on my WTO business. In the evening I went on to find out how much cheaper my room could be, but the front desk manager there said, again, that was not possible, with the same explanation.

That was developing into something quite funny. I had to ring Malik again, who asked me to hold on and later a young man named Nahib appeared, who listened to my story and then held a conversation with the front desk manager. Afterwards, he said, there was nothing they could do, but they persuaded the hotel to give me a discount of 15% over my spending in the restaurant, spa, etc., excluding room rental. "It’s a big conference." I said of course. 15% off my bill was not much, but that was a gesture. I should have had caviar for breakfast.