S. Korea Struggles Against WEF
KCTU/ETU-MB - 14.06.2004 20:19
While we are since 214 days in sit-in strike, last weekend we supported the struggle of S. Korean workers, peasants and students against WEF.
MSSC STRUGGLE REPORT (서울, 南朝鮮, 6.12/13)
Yesterday, June 13, the Asian WEF, begun and of course we protested against it.
At first we started on Saturday with joining a rally against the plan of troop dispatch to Iraq, but only few people participated (and beside this, the rally was dominated by a nationalist tone). We only can repeat: if we continue like that, the government will send the troops and the movement will lose!! Everybody says: “Another world is possible”, but first of all we have to begin here to change the situation. And for this it needs more than 2,000 people! What we saw on Saturday it was only a bad poor imitation of the anti USFK demonstrations in the fall and winter 2002!
After the rally we joined KCTU peoples assembly and culture festival in Dongkuk University.
For Sunday a large protest against WEF was organized and we decided to join it. We, like many other comrades, expected a massive and radical manifestation, but it came different: especially on KCTU’s opening rally in Daehak-ro – before this, several small rallies took place - only, at least, two third of the expected participants were coming.
On the rallies we had some good conversations with comrades from different foreign countries, but of course, also with Korean comrades.
Later on the demonstration to Shilla Hotel, where the WEF sit, the crowd swelled to estimated 10,000 people, Voice of the People (민중의 소리) wrote.
Arrived near Shilla Hotel – of course thousands of riot cops were on the spot, blocking with their busses the way to the conference location – a long final rally took place. At around 5:30 pm a crowd was getting closer to the cops and on the right side in front of the rally the first cops went crazy and attacked the demonstrators. A short while later the demonstrators were throwing some color bombs (the effect was nearly zero) on the cops and now on the left side the cops went crazy and injured several protestors (strange to say, but the organizer were not announcing this). After all, just a hard struggle weekend, where we learned that the movement still is weak. To achieve our goals we have to intensify our efforts much more, otherwise...
Finally here we found a really good article about our struggle.
On Saturday’s…
…anti-war rally
Followed by a culture festival in Dongkuk University…
…where we participated too
The international delegates for the Asian Social Forum
The Japanese performance
Anti troop dispatch musical
On Sunday’s first rally…
…our “mime” team had a performance
…but not with “attac”, because they only want to reform the capitalism!
Flag of a Japanese communist group, but they write in German (THE FEDERATION OF THE COMMUNISTS)
Japanese anti-war activist
2 pm, the KCTU rally, but not many are participating
Later about 10,000 marched to Shilla Hotel
Comrades from the Philippines
After a long final rally,…
…short, but bloody clashes - a while later everything was over
LET’S FIGHT TOGETHER FOR A WORLD
WITHOUT EXPLOITATION AND OPPRESSION!
ANOTHER WORLD IS POSSIBLE, ONLY
IF YOU WANT AND FIGHT FOR IT!
WE’VE NOTHING TO LOSE EXCEPT OUR CHAINS!
착취와 억압이 없는 그날을 위해 투쟁
다른 세상은 가능하다, 당신이 그걸 원하고 그것을 위해
투쟁한다면! 투쟁!
우리가 잃을 건 쇠사슬밖에 없다구!
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