Request for help from Cancún
author: Hurricane
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We are writing to you from Cancun, Mexico because we urgently need your help. People from Mexico, Central America and all over the world are converging here to derail the 5th Ministerial meeting of World Trade Organization, scheduled from September 10th - 14th.
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September 3, 2003
Dear family and friends,
We are writing to you from Cancun, Mexico because we urgently need your help. People from Mexico, Central America and all over the world are converging here to derail the 5th Ministerial meeting of World Trade Organization, scheduled
from September 10th - 14th.
The WTO threatens our communities, environment, and the basic structure of democracy. Its meetings are not open to public comment or ratification. Its agreements enforce the rights of corporations to privatize all public services like water, electricity, healthcare, schools and more; to patent plants and life itself, to spread genetically modified seeds all over the world and to force small farms out of business in favor of industrial agriculture.
The WTO rulings override national laws and constitutions. Any environmental regulation, labor law, safety regulation or finance law can be ruled a trade barrier and member countries can be sued and required to change laws created by
citizens for the public good. The WTO in effect, places its own authority above that of any government, any constitution or any democratic constituency.
There are about a hundred of us in Cancun now taking care of all the logistics of housing, medical, legal, food, transportation and clean water to drink. We are also working hard to shift the media coverage to the key issues and express why we are here. We are organizing trainings, puppets, creative actions, and an eco-village that will provide a model of sustainable design to the encampments.
We are doing everything we can to care for the needs and organization of thousands people who are coming here over the next week to speak out and demonstrate against the WTO.
This is a critical moment. The WTO is coming to this meeting on the run: they haven't met any of their deadlines, the ministers from the underdeveloped countries are resisting the agenda of the dominant countries, they're meeting in an
isolated part of Mexico and filling the city with police, military and all the accompanying threats to public security. We intend to keep them on the run.
We need water, copies of fliers, supplies for our banners and enormous puppets, and medical supplies. Leftovers will go to support local organizations, assuming you don´t receive another letter asking for bail money. If you would like
to be with us, and can´t, you can still join us financially. Your money will make a huge difference. All funds will go to the needs outlined below.
Thank you in advance for your support.
The Organizing Committee
We need:
$1000 for Medical to rent the clinic, buy supplies and get a phone.
$1000 for copies (it´s really expensive) but we need to copy leaflets for the neighborhoods, maps, legal handbooks
$ 1,000 for water for the convergence and street. It is about $1.60 for a 5 gallon jug. We are going through about 5 jugs a day in the convergence space and we are still a small number of the people coming.
$ 700 for IMC Street Communications, for bikes, etc.
$500 for supplies for the Convergence and Art space
$500 for Media for fax blast, phone and internet
$2500 to rent a school near the encampment that has 7 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms which can house up to 50 people.
$500 for Food Not Bombs, to get a place with a kitchen and get food. (They have already raised $500)
So we are looking for about $8000 more dollars.
We have already raised about $20,000! We have rented a great Convergence space, secured sleeping places for about 80 people, gotten 3 buses for students and money for the campesinos, some phones, art supplies, and we have raised money to set up the Eco-Village.
TO SEND MONEY: (Please if you can, email Lisa at  fithianl@igc.org to let us know what to expect, thank you)
To Make a Tax-deductable donation, send a check to:
Daughters/Sisters Project
(Make check out to Daughters/Sisters, earmark it RANT)
PO Box 4492
Rolling Bay, WA 98061
EIN: 91-188-5041A
All non - tax deductable contributions can be sent directly to:
RANT, 1405 Hillmont St. Austin, TX 78704
Please specify in the memo field how you want your money used for the WTO Ministerial mobilization. ie. buses, permaculture project, convergence space, general
To Wire Money:
Compass Bank, 2401 South Congress Ave. Austin, TX 78704
RANT Account # 0014433716
Routing # 113010547
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