Wobblie folksinger Utah Phillips' daughter Morrigan is in Cancun for the WTO protests. Here's her report of today.
Dan Scanlan
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I am writing the summary of day two on the morning of day three because I was out quite late. Yesterday was a rougher day than any of us could of immagened. The Campasino march was a beautiful display of solidarity. The were passionate and very vocal. The woman factory workers were also preasent and many of the fisherman who have been desplace by Cancuns hotel zone arrived as well. By far the most intense group was the Koreans. They marched with determination. They marched right up to the police baracade and charged. Even the Capasinos were intimidated by there energy. Serveral Korean farmers jumped atop the barracade and began to rock it. At that point a big push was made to knock the fence down. I was on the front lines with three others that I have met. We saw the police looked suprised and then determined not to let us pass. They could not stop us however. A large opening was made in the fence and promtly the police filled the gap tewenty deep. A sort of stand off took place with protesters charging the police line and the police charging back. Some were injured by the police. Rocks began to be thrown and the police began to throw them back. The Campasinos now believe that provocatures were to blame as it was agreed that there would be no such violence, just the charge of the barracade. The Black Bloc had agreed to all the campasinos terms and should not be blamed, the campasinos issued a statement saying just that. It was around the time of the breach that the Koreans set ablaze there large float and in a mad sprint charge the fence and sent it flying. Many others set banners and flages on fire. Not known to many of us, just prior to setting the float on fire a man by the name of Lee, while straddling the fence, committed ritual suicide. He was wearing a sign that said the WTO is killing farmer. The previous day I had taken this mans picture because his sign had moved me. As he fell from the fence others in the Korean delegation cought him and laid him on the ground. He was taken to the only public hospital in Cancun, where he later died. A impromtue wake was held infront of the hospital. Black clad anarchists held hands with farmers and children as we all mourned the loss of this man. Lee was a farmer and labor orginizer. He had been at the forefront of the movement for global justice in Korea for years. In Korea farmers are loosing everything because richer nations can heap tons of cheap rice on them because of farmers subsidies. This act of suicide has been done by many farmers in Korea. In deed in India some ten thousand farmers have committed suicide since free trade was introduced. So this is not an isolated case. I went to the wake at the cultural center last night until very late. It was a beautiful and moving cerimony. The Koreans sang rebal songs and so did the Campasinos. We all reaffirmed our purpous for being here...derail the WTO. At first I did not know what to think. Then it dawned on me. Just as the head bandanas the Koreans say, we are in a struggle. And some are in it for there lives. The WTO and all other super national orgainizations and the policies they impose have demoralized much of the worlds population. They have stripped them of there ability to make a living, to live traditionally to support there families and thus they have taken there dignity. That is powerful....we may not be able to fully understand that yet, I know I am stuggling. But we must try. This is not a commotion, this is a struggle. I do not use the word war, because some will not engage in battle or rebellion. But all tactics will be used and we must prevail. The WTO is killing people mentaly and physically. Today we are all wearing white head bands as that is customary in Korea in a time of mourning. They will be another push at the barricade and another evening march. Some good did occure yesterday. In fact a lot of good. During the WTO opening ceremony the NGOs got up and chanted shame on you in Spanish to presidant Fox and the presidant the the WTO. They were forced to leave and the press followed. So that is day two, hard but we feel strong. Keep all ten thousand of us in your thoughts. Again I say we are doing good work. I will write again tonight with day 3
morrigan phillips
