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그래 그렇다 치자.

국가 경제의 안정과 내국인 고용보장을 위해,

해외에서 유입되는 인력의 안전한 국가 관리를 위해

외국인 인력은 관리되어야 한다고.

그렇다고 치자고. 

(물론 이 전제에 절대 찬성할 수 없지만)

근데 왜 외국인을 때려잡아야 하지?

미등록 외국인을 고용한 회사를 문닫게 만들면 되지 않나?

미등록 외국인 무서워서 못쓰게 만들면 되지 않나?

그러면 굳이 이주노동자 개인에게 폭력을 가하면서 인권을 유린하지 않아도 될텐데.

들어올만한 이유가 없거나, 들어왔어도 일자리가 없으면 자연 나갈텐데.

사람 몸에 손끝 하나 안 대도 해결할 수 있는 방법이 있는 것 같은데.

근본적인 뿌리는 건들지도 못한채,

글로벌소싱은 꿈도 못꾸는 영세기업, 중소기업에 대한 대책하나 세우지 못하는 주제에,

외국인을 불러들이고, 이들이 '불법'이 되게 하는 구조, 그놈의 고용허가제는 손도 못대고,

오직 궁핍한 변명, 미등록이라는 이름으로 하루에 100명씩 때려잡고 있다.

때려잡다, 뛰어내리고, 다치고, 죽는다.

좀 더 조용하고, 좀 더 인간적이여 보이고, 좀 더 평화로운

(그러나 개인의 삶에 대해서는 똑같이 침묵하는)

그런 방법들이 있음에도 그 대안을 생각하지 않는다.

수많은 세계의 인권단체들에게 욕을 먹어도 때려잡는 방법만 능사란다.

왜?

타 인종과 타 문화에 대한 존중도 없고

특히 가난한 나라 사람들에 대해서는 더 무시하는 천박한 졸부 자본주의와

피가 절대 섞여서는 안된다는 파시스트적인 순혈주의.

외국인이니까 그것도 가난한 나라의 외국인이니까

그렇게 해도 된다는 보통 사람들의 암묵적 동의.

그러니까 기본적으로 인간에 대한 예의가 없다는 거다.

더 나아가 예의를 배워본 적인 없는 교육현실이 문제다.

나도 한번도 초중고등학교때  인권교육이란 걸 받아보지 못했다.

인간이라면 피부, 종교, 문화, 빈부를 떠나, 똑같이 먹고 싸고 자고 사랑하고 놀고 일하며 산다는 것에 대한공감력과

그렇게 사는 것에도 조금씩 다 차이가 있다고 하는 차이에 대한 상상력,

이런거 배우고 훈련해야하는 거 아닌가?

다른 나라에서도 다 그렇게 때려잡는다고 하면,

단속 자체의 비도덕성과 비인간적인 면모가 사라지나?

남들 하니까 다 한다, 이게 변명이 되나?

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makker님의 [Laser Tag in Seoul] 에 관련된 글.

하자에서 열렸던 쥐8 공연을 보고 나서

9시쯤 광화문으로 나섰다.

시청부터 닭장차가 막고 있는 이순신 동상까지

그 커다란 대로가 뻥 뚤렸다.

사람들은 여기 저기 옹기종기 모여,

노래하고 기타치고 북치고...

길가에 앉아 맥주 마시고 놀고 지치면 싸우고,

싸우다 지치면 놀고 ㅋㅋ 완전 축제다.

미문동 친구들이 무언갈 준비한다기에

가보았더니, 미디액트 건물 안에서 몇 시간째 끙끙 거리며

뭔가를 준비하고 있다.

레이저로 뭘 할거란다.

배가 고파서 친구와 뭘 먹으러 나갔다

돌아와보니 찻길 가 커다란 교통 표지판에 무언가

레이저 비스무리한 것을 쏘고 있다.

형체를 알 수 없는 선들이 정신없이 그어지고 있기에,

미문동 친구들 빈정상하게 "에게 저게 뭐야?"했다.

하지만 얼마간 준비운동을 한 후,

제법 그럴듯한 글씨들이 써지기 시작했다.

"2MB OUT " 주위의 사람들 와~ 박수치기 시작.

살짝 자리를 옮겨, 닭장차 근처의 큰 건물에 레이저를 쏜다.

왕따시만한 글자들이 나타나자, 사람들이 입을 벌리고 감탄사를 쏟아낸다.

한편, 옆에서는 미친꽃이 92.8 메가 헤르츠 전파를 타고

라디오 생중계를 했다. 이 방송을 들으시는 분은 핸펀으로 문자를 보내달라고 하자,

어디선가 누군가가 듣고 있다며 문자를 보낸다. 신기 신기...

어쩔때는 참 뻘짓들을 한다 싶을때도 있지만,

미문동 친구들이나 서울리데리티 친구들 정말 어디서 그런 생각을 했나 싶을 정도로

깜찍하고 멋진 행동들을 참 잘해낸다.

너무 늦은 시각... 빈집 게스트하우스에 가서 자고 말았다.

'잠은 집에서'라는 나의 오래고 견고한 철칙이 깨진 하루지만

오랜만에 만끽해본 자유....

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씨애틀 추장의 편지 원문

-A Letter from Indian Chief-

We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children. - Haida Indian Saying

    The great leader in Washington proposed that he hopes to buy our land. The great leader sent us words of friendship and amity, which we appreciated because we know he doesn't need our friendship that much. Yet we are going to consider his suggestion, because we are aware that otherwise white men with guns will deprive us of the land.

    How on earth do you think you can buy the vital warmth of sky and land? This way of thinking is very strange to us. We can possess neither fresh air nor twinkling water. So how can you buy those things from us? Everywhere on this land is holy to all my people. The bright needles of pines, the sandbanks along the coast, gloomy fog in the forest, and all kinds of singing bugs are sacred with my people's memory and experience.

    I know white men don't understand our way of life. To white men a section of land is same as the rest of it because they are just strangers who get there at night and take everything they need. Land is not their brother but their enemy. After conquering a part of land, they migrate there. Their vigorous appetite devours the land and makes it barren. The appearance of your city hurts Indian's eyes, which is probably because we are barbarians and don't understand your way of life.

    If I must accept your proposal, I will take only one condition, which is that white men should think of all creatures on this land as their brothers. If there are no animals, humans are what? If animals disappear, people will die due to the loneliness of the soul. What happens to animals will happen to people.

    We now know a fact that white men someday will know; your and our God is the same and one. Perhaps you think you can obtain our God just as you want to possess our land. But it is impossible! God is for all people. God's Mercy is same to red men and white men. This land is valuable to God; to harm His land is to insult Him. Someday white men will also disappear. Maybe they will perish before other tribes. If you keep polluting your sleeping place, some night you will be choked in your trash. When all the buffalos are killed, when the wild are tamed, when sacred forests are filled with people's smell, and when hills where wild fruits are getting ripe are defiled by talkative women, where can you find bushes and condors? And what does it mean if migrating and hunting come to an end? That is just the end of life and the beginning of death.

    There isn't anywhere silent in white men's cities. There isn't anywhere you are able to hear insects' flying. Noise hurts my ears - perhaps I don't understand as I am a savage. If you can't listen to the beautiful songs of nightjars and frogs in the lake at night, what is left in your life? North American Indians prefer the soft wind with smell of pine washed by mid-day rain. Air is of great worth to Indians because animals, trees, and people breathe it all together. White men don't seem to be aware of value of the air which they breathe. They can't smell like a moaning patient who has been sick for a long time.

    If we know the white men's dream, if we know their hope they tell their children during the long winter nights, and if we are aware of their vision for the future flaming in their hearts, perhaps we can understand them. But we are savages. White men's dreams are hidden to us. Because theirs are hidden, we shall be on our ways. If we agree with you, we will secure an Indian Reservation. We will finish our short life there as we hope. Although the last Indian on the earth vanishes, and although only the shadow of cloud flowing across the field is left, the coast and forest will still cherish the souls of my pepole - because they love this land just as a baby loves the pulses out of its mother's heart.

    If we decide to sell our land to you, please love it as we do, take care of it as we do, keep its memory as it is. With all your power and ability, and with your whole heart, preserve the land for your children. Please love it as God does us. We know that your God is same as ours. Land is of great value to God. Even white men can't be excluded from the Fate of community.

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마붑에게 배워 처음으로 영어자막을 원비디오에 입혀봅니다.

원비디오는 여기 ->

http://www.newscham.net/news/view.php?board=media_report&id=1165&page=5

GET OUR FILEDS BACK, THAT IS PEACE!!

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이주노동자와 함께 하는 작은 대안무역!

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한국 비정규직 투쟁에 대해 제이미가 znet에 쓴 기사   Against Flexibilization: South Korean Unions Battle Against The Expansion Of Irregular Work
.........	by Jamie Doucette	May 14, 2005
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	The fight against the expansion of irregular work to wide segments of the Korean workforce entered a new phase last week with the postponement of a series of government-initiated bills expanding the terms and conditions under which companies may use non-regular workers. Bill Postponed The "Non-Regular Workers' Protection Law," which was expected to be passed in the April extraordinary session of the National Assembly was postponed till the next extraordinary session in June. The new law is comprised of three different bills on the protection and use of temporary workers, 'dispatched' workers (workers hired as casual or contract workers through staffing agencies), and a revision of the National Labor Relations Committee's labor arbitration process. Following several months of protests, the bill was postponed after talks failed between labor and management groups participating in tripartite meetings that included South Korea's two largest labor union confederations, government officials, and management groups. Chairman Lee Mok-Hee of the Bill Deliberation Sub-Committee in the National Assembly's Environment and Labor Committee said in a briefing on May 3 that the issues that labor and management failed to agree upon were the terms of use of non-regular workers and the regularization of employees that have served a minimum period of time at a company and continue to be employed. According to the Korean International Labour Foundation, the two unions had demanded that a strict definition be drafted that clearly articulates the circumstances under which fixed and short-term contract workers can be hired.  The unions also stated that companies should not be allowed to hire irregular workers if their reasons are insufficient or if they plan to employ them for over a year.  In addition, the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) voiced its concern over the termination of staffing contracts as a punitive measure against trade union organizing -a practice that the KCTU would like to see made illegal -- and pressed for the regularization of casual workers who have already been employed for a total of more than two years. Employer's groups, however, have only agreed to a tacit limit on non-regular employment and have demanded that those now on a contract for less than three years be exempt from such restrictions, and those who have worked for more than three years only be provided with protection against dismissal, rather than regularized as employees. During the Bill Deliberation Sub-Committee's press conference, Chairman Lee Mok-Hee suggested that the bill may in fact be processed at the next Extraordinary Session of the National Assembly based on the contents agreed upon so far, excluding the issue of fixed-term employment, but labor representatives are opposed to such a proposal. Basic Labor Rights In addition to setting strict conditions for the use of irregular workers, the KCTU has been campaigning for legislation to protect their basic labor rights. Under the Korean constitution, the three basic labor rights include the right to organize, the right to strike, and the right to a collective bargaining agreement. In order to push forward with these demands, the presidents of FKTU and KCTU, the two largest trade union confederations in Korea, staged a twelve-day fast in front of the National Assembly building. They decided to end the fast on May 3rd following the announcement that the bill had been postponed. In a joint statement they reiterated their concerns about the bill. "If there is even a small hole in one of the three principles-restriction on the usage of non-regular employment, equal pay for equal work, or the three basic labor rights for non-regular workers-, it will be impossible to prevent the proliferation of non-regular work and discrimination of non-regular workers."[1] The joint fast marks an increasing degree of collaboration between the country's two largest labor groups whose relations have been tense in the past. Protests Intensifying Opposition to the government-initiated bill has been building steadily over the last eight months. In addition to the recent fast, the KCTU has coordinated general strikes against the bill on November 6, 2004 and April 1, 2004.   May Day demonstrations also focused heavily on the bills, in part stemming from police action on April 30th against on striking irregular workers at the Hynix-Magnachip semiconductor plant in Cheongju.  May Day also saw police confrontations against irregular construction workers in Ulsan who had climbed an oil refinery tower to hang their union flag and a banner calling for collective bargaining talks with their employer, SK Construction. The construction workers had been on strike since March 18th and are calling for an 8-hour work day, paid holidays, minimum-standard safety equipment, and a designated place to eat and change clothes. Despite the legal nature of the strike, 12 workers have been jailed and 100 workers arrested since their struggle began. [2] Finally, on Monday May 4th, the chairman of Samsung Group, Lee Kun-hee, was met with angry student protests while visiting Korea University. More than 100 students turned out to demonstrate against university's decision to give Mr. Lee an honorary degree in philosophy. According to the JoongAng Daily, the group blocked the entrance to the hall where the award was to be given, criticizing Mr. Lee for the suppression of labor unions at Samsung and discrimination against irregular workers. [3] Equal Pay for Equal Work In a January 2005 report to an OECD mission, the KCTU criticized the government's proposed bill, citing that the government's refusal to make a written statement on the principle of "equal pay for equal work" for non-regular worker makes it extremely difficult to eradicate employer discrimination against irregular workers. "Without a written policy statement on the principle of equal pay for equal work," the reports states, "there is no standard on which to judge discrimination. The major problem that irregular workers face is the infringement of their three basic labor rights---the right to organize, the right to strike, and the right to a collective bargaining agreement---due to a clear lack of accountability from employers." [4] The KCTU's criticism was strengthened in recent weeks by a report from South Korea's National Human Rights Commission criticizing 'unreasonable discrimination' against irregular workers.  The Commission's report was the product of a 2-year taskforce study on irregular workers which reviewed their situation in the light of the UN's International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as well as major ILO conventions and the Korean Constitution, which guarantees the right to equal treatment for employees. Cho Young-hoang, president of National Human Rights Commission, criticized the government-initiated bills, advocating that the bills be drafted again to accord with the principle that non-regular forms of employment be adopted only 'exceptionally and limitedly.' According to the Korea Herald, the commission stated that any new draft of the bill should clearly stipulate that a company can hire temporary workers only when there is an understandable need and, in addition, there should be a limit on the period that temporary workers can be used. The commission also stated that the principle of equal pay for equal work should be clearly stipulated in any future legislation. [5] The 1997 crisis and the expansion of irregular work The use of causal and contract workers was greatly expanded after the 1997 monetary crisis when the then President Kim Young-Sam administration passed a series of new labor laws, one of which allowed for companies in specific sectors to hire greater numbers of temporary and contract workers, including during times of labor action, causing an almost overnight rise in the number of temporary staffing agencies.  The KCTU claims that with the introduction of these temporary agencies, exploitation of temporary workers and job insecurity greatly increased. They also claim that under the guise of sub-contracting workers, practices of illegally hiring and laying-off of temporary workers have also become prevalent. [6] Since the 1997 crisis, employer's groups have been advocating greater flexibility in using irregular workers. According to the Korea Herald, the current labor minister Kim Dae-Hwan has also promoted further labor market reforms, and has pushed for the implementation of the recent government-initiated bills. "The bills on irregular workers are aimed at reforming our labor market into that of more advanced countries, by boosting the flexibility in the rigid market and at the same time protecting and stabilizing workers' status," Minister Kim stated in a recent meeting with employer's groups. [7] How the government proposes to protect and recognize workers' status without making them formal employees or enforcing the principle of equal pay for equal work seems unclear.  Thus, labor leaders say, South Korea's governing Uri Party seems to be following in the footsteps of other neo-liberal 'third way' social democratic parties, putting employer's economic rights ahead of basic labor rights and demands for workplace democracy and equality from labor unions. Punitive Anti-Labor Practices Many in the labor movement have also expressed fears that the proposed legislation will bring further unrest and suppression of labor by being used to dissuade or prevent trade union action across a rising number of workplaces. The unions claim that the government is making it harder to declare a legal strike through introducing measures aimed at enforcing compulsory arbitration, as well as intervening on strike ballot voting procedures, and preventing non-regular workers from organizing altogether; which, says the KCTU, will lead to more conflict between workers and government, and harsher suppression against workers in the labor movement. To support their argument, the KCTU, in their report to the OECD mission, chronicle an increase, over the last three years, in employer's claims for damages, provisional seizure of individual property, and forced arbitration in cases of workplace action.  For example, the Hanwon Country Club, whose union went on strike for over two months near the end of 2004, has filed for provisional seizure against the union, including 240 million won (230,000 $US) for the apartments of two union members and 50 million won for real estate belonging to another two members. Bank accounts of around 30 union members have also been seized. Similar actions by employers in 2003 resulted in rash of suicides by worker's who had literally seen their livelihoods seized and sensed no other alternative. In January 2002, Bae Dal-Ho, a union member of Doosan Heavy Industries branch of Korean Metal Workers Union (a member of the KCTU) set himself on fire in protest of his employer's claim for damages and provisional seizure of his personal property and wage assets that had been ordered in response to a workplace action that had been declared illegal. Kim Joo-Ik, member of Hanjin Heavy Industries branch of the Korean Metal Worker's Union, and Lee Hae-Nam, president of the Sewon Technical Trade Union also committed suicide in similar protests through self-immolation during the same year. As the problem gained wider public attention in 2003, the government promised several times that it will find a resolution, however, there have not been any substantial solutions offered to deal with the issue to date. In addition, the government itself has not withdrawn similar claims against it's own workers in the public sector. According to the KCTU's statement to the OECD mission, as of January 2004, the total amount of claims for damages and provisional seizure of assets totaled 110.09 billion won (or a 110 million US dollars) over 41 workplaces, 33.48 billion won of which coming in the public sector over 5 workplaces. [8] In response to the government's continuing efforts to introduce bills on labor market reform without guarantees of workplace equality or basic labor rights, the KCTU is calling for stronger international monitoring of Korean labor practices and for other activists and trade unionists to support the KCTU in their struggle against the proposed bills. As part of the strongest labor movement in East Asia, they believe that their struggle can play a significant role in developing solidarity against the flexibilization and the expansion of irregular work that they see as a new hallmark of capitalist globalization in South Korea and across industrialized countries in general. Jamie Doucette lives and works in Vancouver, Canada. He helps maintain a blog on Korean social movements that can be found at www.twokoreas.blogspot.com. 1. Korean International Labour Foundation. Labour News (May 4, 2005). www.koilaf.org 2.Posted on International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers' Associations (IUF) website, May 5, 2005 http://www.iuf.org/cgi-bin/dbman/db.cgi?db=default&uid=default&ID=2056&view_records=1&ww=1&en=1 3.Korea University embarrassed by protestors. Joong Ang Daily. May 4th, 2005. 4.KCTU Report on Recent Situation of Labour Laws and Industrial Relations For the Meeting with OECD Mission 18th January, 2005. http://www.kctu.org/maybbs/pds/kctuinfo2/eng_docu/OECDpresentation-editedversion.doc 5.Korea Herald (2005.04.15) 6.Lee Soo-Ho, President, Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU). April 13, Call for International Solidarity for Korean Workers in the their Struggle Against Bills to Expand Irregular Labor. See http://www.kctu.org/maybbs/pdsview.php?db=kctuinfo2&code=eng_action&n=24. 7.Korea Herald. Ibid. 8.KCTU 'Report'ibid.

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From North Carolina Independence Center

------------------------------------------

Below the Belt
by danyele mcpherson • Tuesday February 10, 2004 at 03:07 PM

On Friday, January 30th, Shira EtShalom brought her touring menstrual health workshop to the Internationalist Bookstore in Chapel Hill to educate local menstruators and non-menstruators alike on the alternatives and problems with corporately produced tampons.

Shira, a resident of Philadelphia has been teaching menstrual health workshops and sewing homemade cloth menstrual pads which are available for purchase on her website for over 3 years. Her tour, aptly titled the Below the Belt Tour began January 24th at the 7th annual National Conference on Organized Resistance (NCOR) in Washington D.C.

Shira spoke to a group of approximately 11 women in her Chapel Hill workshop, detailing the many options available for menstruators and offering the pros and cons of each.

She stressed environmental, health, and social concerns as an impetus to seek alternatives to tampons made by Tampax, Platex, o.b. and other corporate tampon producers.

Waste was cited as a major concern of disposable menstrual products on the environment. "The average woman may use up to 15,000 tampons in her lifetime [and] that's a lot of waste for the environment," claims www.thekeeperstore.com. This website is dedicated to selling The Keeper, a tampon alternative that is reusable with a life of approximately 10 years. The Keeper is made of natural gum rubber, so it has a severely reduced impact on the environment when compared to traditional tampons.

Shira mentioned The Keeper, sea sponges (not vegan), and reusable cloth pads as alternatives which create less waste for the environment.

Also harmful for the environment and menstruators alike, Shira discussed the use of rayon and the bleaching process employed in the production of corporately produced tampons. Shira stated that rayon, a synthetic fiber made of wood pulp, caused small cuts on the vaginal walls, which increased bleeding. She also noted not only do these tampons cut the vaginal walls, but that they leave behind fibers which as a result of the bleaching process can increase chances of endometriosis and cancer.

Tampax's website directly addresses these accusations stating, "Rayon...has been used in Tampax tampons for more than 25 years. Extensive testing by a number of leading scientists at Harvard, Dartmouth, University of Minnesota, and Centers for Disease Control has demonstrated that rayon and cotton are equally safe materials. Fibers can come off any tampon. The natural cleansing process of the vagina removes these fibers with a short time. Medical literature recognizes this process and [it] does not represent a health risk." (tampax.com)

With regard to the bleaching, endometriosis and cancer risks noted by Shira, Tampax maintains their tampons are tested by "the most advanced government approved methods available" and they "contain no dioxin (a cancer causing agent). There is absolutely no scientific evidence that tampons lead to the development of endometriosis or cancer." (tampax.com) Shira counters this stating that the "government approved testing methods" referenced by Tampax were not developed to test for minute dioxin levels and their effects in sensitive areas like the vagina.

Other environmental and health concerns like pollution from tampon production and yeast infections were also discussed in the workshop.

These issues intersected with social and cultural concerns over corporately produced tampons. Participants in the workshop noted that commercials for menstrual products often convey a sense of shame to the menstruator, that it is something which should be hidden from the world. The new Tampax Compak indeed illustrates this point as it was designed to fit in the palm of one's hand, "for maximum discretion." (tampax.com) In a recent commercial, this tampon is designed so small that a woman's boyfriend mistakes it as a sugar packet.

Tampax reminds women that an advantage to wearing tampons is, "you can wear any type of clothing from body hugging workout gear to mini skirts and no one will know." (tampax.com) Another advantage Tampax cites is with tampons, "you stay clean and feel fresh" intimating that menstruation is naturally unclean.

Emphasis on secrecy is obviously part of Tampax as well as other corporate tampon producers marketing strategy. All of these advertisements and minaturized products work together to tell women the same message: menstruation is unnatural and unclean therefore, it should be concealed. Shira and workshop participants rallied against these corporately created norms yelling "tampon" in unison.

Shira presented the alternatives in order of her least to most favorite providing information on organic tampons, sea sponges (not vegan), The Keeper, and cloth reusable menstrual pads like the ones she makes and sells.

Her pads are made of 100% cotton, come in various sizes, and are machine washable. Since they are used externally and made from cotton, risks of cancer, endometriosis, and yeast infections are avoided and their reusability prevents harmful effects on the environment.

Environmental, health, and social concerns all intersected in the Below the Belt workshop, making it clear that menstrual product alternatives must be sought and education on these issues must continue.

If all this weren't enough to cause some uneasiness in the feminine care product aisle once a month, Shira hit us in the pocket. Her cloth reusable pads are $3-$10 sliding scale. The Keeper with a life of 10 years is $35 and even offers a 3 month trial with a money back guarantee. Sea sponges also offer a similar value as they can be used up to 4 cycles and cost well under the price of a box of Tampax.

All things considered, we can't afford not to give up corporately produced tampons.

Shira can be contacted at belowthebeltshira@yahoo.com

You can purchase menstrual pads and obtain relevant information on menstruation at her website, www.deadletters.biz/belowthebelt/

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from Independent Media Nagai Homeless Fest- A successful People's Dignity fest! 現在の点数: 1 jen より Eメール: kindlady76 (nospam) hotmail.com (未確認!) 09 8 2004 Osaka Nagai Park's first ever homeless festival was a success for both those with and without a home. Though hardships still exist, the festival brought soldidarity and fun into what will hopefully be a traditional free space for years to come. Read here for more... Nagai Homeless Fest A Successful Dignity Fest! It had taken months for the Nagai Park homeless residents to plan the July 24 and 25th matsuri (festival) event. Being the first of its kind for them, it was a well planned out event organized under the blue tarps of Nagai Park’s homeless squatter community. The community has existed for about 4 years and has been under constant threat by the Osaka government to move further and further away from the park. Currently they occupy the outskirts of the park, but during a tour of the park, I saw barbed wire, fences, and intimidating signs that barred them from most of the park. The “Dairin” matsuri, Big wheel festival, was created to encourage solidarity between both those with and without homes. The desire was to create a space of dignity where people could dance, drink, speak out, share, do sumo, make instruments, eat, and just have fun together as nakama- friends, comrades. With over 100 volunteers and homeless helping to create the event and over 200 participants, most thought of the event as a success. Being a foreigner interested in the movements in Japan, I have always felt that the one thing that is generally missing from activism here is empowerment and…fun. So when k and I suggested that Nagai Park do what everyone else does in Japan, a matsuri, but make it their own, they took the idea and rolled with it, being an idea that was something they had already been thinking about. Contrary to my knowledge, a homeless matsuri is nothing new to the homeless communities in Osaka as the Kamagasaki area, the heart of the day laborer’s struggle in Japan, has been doing fests for years and Ooigimachi park has been doing it for the past 2 years. While I sensed some division amongst different homeless groups in Osaka, there was support on making this event possible for Nagai Park. And many groups helped to create the event: Nagai Park, Nakama no kai, Kamagasaki patrol, Kamagasaki Elder’s Union, Nishi-nari park homeless support group, Yuai Koubou- the handicapped people’s work warehouse, youth and students, those with DIY sentiments, and more… I contacted one organizer and good friend, Jill, who has been working with Nagai Park for over 4 years now. While critical of the event, his feeling (and mine as well), was that one of the biggest successes was that there were a lot of youth helping to create this event, something both of us rarely see in activist Japan. The event included music ranged from enka to punk to a samba line around the stage area, making the event way more appealing to youth than the typical “senso hantai!” no war monotone chants. People danced, sang both old and young. And for my girlfriends, and me the sumo ring was one of our highlights as women have always been banned from entering the sumo ring in Japan. (I won once, yata! But then totally lost on the second round.) To end the event, one of the main organizers got up on stage and made a powerful speech about the struggle of the homeless to the tune of emotional and encouraging drum beats, yips and yells. While getting half of what he said (getting bits and pieces of translation), his voice and the music evoked a strength that left all of us entranced. When the drumming stopped, the samba line began and what a wonderful way to end 2 days of workshops, music, fun, speeches and solidarity. There are 2 more fests planned for August which I encourage all to join and you are all welcome- 8/13, 14, and the 15th at Kamagasaki, this is the largest homeless festival with a long tradition. Contact Kanatsu san- (both English and Japanese ok)- kamapat (at) infoseek.jp and Oogimachi park’s fest will be on 8/22. Contact Jill (both English and Japanese ok)- rebel_jill98 (at) yahoo.co.jp While being a success in most people’s eyes I spoke to at the event, Jill made some good criticisms, something that will hopefully be changed for next year’s event. One was that there was some division between the homeless themselves and some chose not to join the event due to disagreements. Another was that there was not enough English and Japanese information to explain the history of Nagai Park and their amazing activism and how people can volunteer and get involved. While there was communication between homeless and participants, maybe making a better defined space for questions both in English and in Japanese would have encouraged more dialogue. But, while not perfect, it was really better than what we had imagined. It was great to see people getting together and really creating something for free. We left the park feeling elated, feeling like community and support is really possible in Japan. If you are in Osaka or plan to visit, I recommend you contact Jill and visit Nagai park, Jill or someone can give you a personalized tour of the place and other areas if time- or ask him about volunteering for the Nagai park’s organic garden, night patrol, and soup kitchen. Nagai Park has really has been one of the most remarkable experiences for me in Japan. I thank them for opening my eyes not only to homeless issues here, but in my home country as well. This is not just something about people receiving food and shelter, but it’s about all of us being able to have dignity in our lives, by choosing to live where we want, how we want. It’s about being able to create our own communities and having jobs that support us, not kill us. これも見てね: http://de.geocities.com/nagaipark_nakamanokai/ http://www.geocities.co.jp/WallStreet-Bull/8932/

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from Guardian

http://education.guardian.co.uk/higher/sciences/story/0,12243,975737,00.html

Scientists develop GM 'protato' to feed India's poorest children

John Vidal
Thursday June 12, 2003
The Guardian

The Indian government raised the global biotechnology stakes yesterday by saying it intended to feed "nutritionally enhanced" GM potatoes to poor children as early as next year. But objectors claimed that the plan, which relies on the potatoes being scientifically approved, was risky and naive, and would barely impact on malnutrition

Dr Sharma said she planned to incorporate the vegetable into the government's free, midday meal programme for schools. "There has been a serious concern that malnutrition is one of the reasons for the blindness, the vitamin A deficiency, the protein deficiency. So it is really a very important global concern, particularly in the developing world," she told the BBC yesterday.

But critics reacted by saying there were other conventionally grown foods with far higher nutritional values which could more easily and cheaply enrich the diets of malnourished children.

Leading Indian food analyst Devinder Sharma dismissed the GM potato as "another magic bullet from the trashcan of biotechnology industry". He argued that protein could be better provided by the pulses used traditionally in India. "What this country needs is pulses. They contain 20%-26% proteins... this potato has 2.5% protein. Please tell me which one is better."

Pulses

Greenpeace campaigners dismissed the protato as an advertisement for biotechnology. "Years were spent in a lab trying to lever protein into potatoes, while cheap, protein-rich pulses grow abundantly all over India," one said. "It makes you wonder what problem the scientists were trying to solve."

New Delhi is committed to tackling serious malnutrition rates among the poor, but it is also believed to have one eye on the £116bn global potato market. India exports 18,000 tonnes of potatoes to 29 countries, including European states, and is the main provider of seed potatoes to Bangladesh and other developing countries.

If, as expected, the protato is approved by Christmas, India will have won the race to develop the first "functional" GM food. British, American and Australian researchers are all working on a range of other vegetables that the industry claims could counter malnutrition and illness. More than 600 million people worldwide are thought to be malnourished.

The GM innovations include vegetables and fruit that could stimulate the immune system, and rice modified to carry extra iron and vitamins. But despite promises that these foods were to have been available some years ago, most are at least five years away from the market.