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>>> Writer : AP > korean farmer - "nosotros somos lee" > > > > Fyi- this is from Pratap who is a reporter with kpfa in the bay > > -----Original Message----- > Subject: [apicaw] korean farmer > > this is pratap, > > i just got back from the hospital - he's dead. his name was Lee, > Kyung Hae and he was the former president of a small farmers union. > our team did a short interview with him just before he stabbed > himself. but since we don't speak korean all he could say to us in > english was "WTO Kills Farmers" - we had no idea he was about to > commit suicide. he gave us an article about how he had gone to Geneva > to hold a vigil outside the WTO. the 120 strong-korean delegation > that was accompanying him are in complete shock too - they did not > expect this. when i left they were sitting down in the street > surrounded by some black bloc activists who were shouting "nosotros > somos lee" (we are all lee) a popular chant when some one is killed > in a revolutionary struggle > > (09-10) 17:17 PDT CANCUN, Mexico (AP) -- > > Farmers and students clashed with police Wednesday as they > tried to storm past barricades and march to the World Trade > Organization meeting site. One protester fatally > stabbed himself to show his anger over WTO policy. > > The man, South Korean farmer and former lawmaker Lee > Kyung-Hae, died after he stabbed himself in the chest. His friends > called the suicide a ceremonial act. > > WTO officials said Lee recently spent at least two months > camped out in front of the WTO's headquarters in Geneva, holding up > signs that accused the trade organization > of killing people. > > He also attempted suicide in the lobby of the building in > 1990, when he pulled out a Swiss army knife and plunged it into his > stomach. > > At the time, Lee was president of the Korean National Future > Farmer's and Fisherman's Association, one of the country's main > farming lobby groups. He also was a > former South Korean lawmaker. > > After his death, protesters gathered outside the hospital, > chanting: "We are all Lee." > > They read a statement saying Lee committed suicide because > "the WTO was killing peasants around the world" and calling on the > South Korean delegation to leave the > talks. > > Lee stabbed himself as thousands of protesters, largely > farmers who believe new trade rules could drive them out of business, > threw chunks of concrete, bottles and > burning banners at police in an attempt to break through a > police barricade. > > They pushed down the impromptu fence, prompting hundreds of > police to try to drive them away with tear gas and nightsticks. After > several hours, they dispersed, vowing > to try again. > > Several other protesters were injured by police, at least four > of whom were treated at a hospital. Police said one of their > colleagues also suffered minor injuries. > > The clash took place several kilometers (miles) from where WTO > delegates kicked off a five-day meeting aimed at reducing farm > subsidies and tariffs. > > The protesters said they want to persuade the WTO to drop > agriculture from their trade negotiations. They argue that each > country has a right to protect its food supply, > and that farmers should not be forced to compete on a global > level. > > The issue has been among the most sensitive the WTO has had to > negotiate, and most delegates agree they won't reach any concrete > conclusions during their meeting in > Cancun. > > Protesters have been a force at every major WTO meeting since > 1999, when street riots disrupted talks in Seattle. Activists, who > include farmers, union leaders and > students, argue that free-trade rules benefit big business at > the expense of the poor and the environment. > > ?003 Associated Press > -- > Pratap Chatterjee > Program Director/Managing Editor > CorpWatch > 2288 Fulton St., #103 > Berkeley, CA 94704 USA > Tel: 510-849-2423 > Cell: 510-759-8970 > Email: pchatterjee@igc.org > URL: http://www.corpwatch.org > >
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