[E-rundbrief] Info 29 - Food First: WTO Derailed in Cancun

[Matthias Reichl]

E-Rundbrief - Info 29

Bad Ischl, 15.9.2003

Begegnungszentrum für aktive Gewaltlosigkeit
www.begegnungszentrum.at

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WTO Derailed at "Second Seattle" in Cancun
September 14, 2003 - 4:30 PM
by Peter Rosset
Food First

http://www.foodfirst.org/wto/reports/2003-09-14PR.php

We just returned from a very moving ceremony for Lee Kyung-hae, the
Korean farmer who immolated himself in protest against the WTO last
Tuesday. The ceremony was held at Camp Lee, formerly known as Kilometer
Zero - the start of the security perimeter, the spot where Lee
sacrificed himself, and the place where the Koreans and supporters from
around the world have been camping ever since. Today his brother and one
of his daughters were present, having just arrived from Korea -- his
wife died ten years ago in a car accident. Speaker after speaker had the
same message: "The sacrifice of Compañero Lee was not in vain, it gave
us the energy to derail the WTO talks in Cancun, and his spirit of
struggle will live on in our hearts as we keep fighting for that better
world that is possible."

Just a short time later the Via Campesina delegation got calls from
inside the convention center announcing the collapse of the official
talks. We were told that the Kenyan representative had just stood up
during the official press conference at the Convention Center and
emphatically declared: "This is over. We have just had a second
Seattle," and walked out, followed in short order by the representatives
of South Korea and India.

Earlier that day we had been told by one of the official negotiators
that the talks were on the verge of collapse because of agriculture and
the so-called "new issues," and that it was all but over. He told us
that the massive protests in the streets and the death of Mr. Lee had
been key factors in creating a climate in which Third World countries
felt they could once again stand up to pressure from the U.S. and the
European Union, just like in Seattle.

In fact yesterday, Saturday, was the most incredible day of protest any
of us had ever experienced. From multiple actions by credentialed and
non-credentialed protestors inside the security zone -- the latter after
having "infiltrated" into the zone -- to the powerfully moving
farmer-indigenous people-trade union-youth protest at the fence.

After the violence triggered by paid provocateurs on Tuesday, the death
of Mr. Lee, and a general climate of anger and repression, everyone
feared the worst sort of confrontation on Saturday, and the police
brought in massive reinforcements. They tripled the size of the metal
barriers, and the provocateurs showed up in greater numbers, with shopping
carts filled with stones and huge metal bars. But the diverse sectors of
legitimate protestors came together in an amazing plan that produced the
most beautiful, moving and symbolic protest imaginable, so powerful that
we were all sure we had reached and passed the turning point viz-a-viz
the WTO.

Just when large-scale violence most seemed likely to erupt, the
collective "we" created a show of unity and power that left even paid
rock-throwers with no recourse but to stand down. All day and night
Friday the Via Campesina and the Korean delegation led and/or
participated in numerous internal and external meetings, using the moral
authority of the farmer/indigenous peoples' cause and the sacrifice of
Mr. Lee to forge a collective unity with students, black blocks, trade
unions, NGOs, you name it. Saturday showed our strength when we work
together.

With the black blocks providing security from the provocateurs, and
cordoning off the first 10 meters in front of the wire walls, more than
a hundred women went forward with bolt cutters and began dismantling the
walls, bit by bit. What a diversity of women it was! Indigenous women,
punks, students, old women, young women, Mexican women, American and
European women, African women. Once the wall was weakened, the Koreans
supervised the attachment of 50 meter long, 4 inch circumference ropes
to the top of the walls. Then thousands of people of all nations, races
and cultures, punks, black blocks, peasants, etc., together pulled the
walls down. Quite literally, the power of the people, united, pulled
down the walls of the WTO.

When the walls finally fell, there stood thousands of riot police
clearly spoiling for a fight, big time. Just when they thought we would
attack them, however, the Koreans who were on the front line turned
their backs on them, everyone else sat down, hundreds of flowers
appeared, and we had a mass memorial service for Mr. Lee. Marcial of the
MST then sang John Lennon's Imagine for the crowd, the WTO was burned in
effigy, and we got up and marched away. The police were left with their
mouths hanging open in shock, with nobody to fight with. The hundreds of
journalists who were present marveled at our collective ability to do
the unexpected, to turn promised violence into moving peace, and to make
a statement so powerful that the WTO could not hope to resist.

Oh, and by the way. I just got a call on my cell phone that the whole
interior of the security zone is paralyzed by multiple "inside actions"
and traffic is stopped everywhere.

Some chants from the march, for the newest martyr of the global farmers'
movement, from Via Campesina:

Todos somos Lee!
We are all Lee!

Lee, hermano, te has hecho Mexicano!
Lee, our brother, you have made yourself Mexican.

Lee, presente, hoy mañana y siempre!
Lee, you are with us, today, tomorrow and always!

Lee no murió, la OMC lo asasinó!
Lee did not die, he was murdered by the WTO!

To read Mr. Lee's own words, visit:
http://www.foodfirst.org/media/news/2003/2003-09-11-lee.html

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Matthias Reichl
Begegnungszentrum für aktive Gewaltlosigkeit
Wolfgangerstr.26
A-4820 Bad Ischl
Tel. +43-6132-24590
e-mail: mareichl at ping.at
http://www.begegnungszentrum.at