Residents of South African townships reconnect their neighbours' electricity under the slogan “Power to the People.” In Arequipa, Peru, moves to sell electricity companies bring the mayor out on hunger strike and demonstrators blocking the airport runway. 10 million strike in India in protest against bank privatisation. These are but a few examples of the growing resistance to privatisation being forced on the developing world by the G8, International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. The recent strengthening of GATS has led to growing fears about the entrenchment and irreversibility of some privatisation processes. Water lies at the heart of the issues, writes Jo Kuper, a researcher at War on Want.