A-Infos (en) Philippines, Eat the state alive! and other ramblings [excerpt from post]

[worker <a-infos-en@ainfos.ca>]

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'just updating you on what we've doing lately. 

We just had a great time doing a food not bombs gimmick 
last thursday. not without attracting the suspicion of 
a very sectarian Marxist-Leninist-Maoist group here --- 
their front org's named BAYAN and the party's the 
Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP). we set up 
the whole thing in Mendiola -- that's one of the major 
streets leading up to Malacanang, the state's seat of power. 

the BAYAN mob. was already there, so at the first instance 
we unfurled our "May our resistance be as transnational as 
capital! - LaN" banner, ten people (a comrade counted 8 men 
and 2 womyn) from BAYAN (probably they were the mob.'s marshalls) 
approached and confronted us. 

they asked "What org are you?" and i said "Local anarchist 
Network." "Who is your leader? Can we talk to him?" ala Martian 
style. We all said, "We don't have a leader." "Can we get a 
sample of your flyers?", so we gave them some. 

after reading the flyer (with really weird quizzical looks on 
their faces) they approached us again and said, "Hey, your 
stand (on the Estrada issue) is the same as SANLAKAS' (the 
BAYAN's rival ---  also Marxists). Are you from SANLAKAS?"  
I retorted, "Hey, it doesn't automatically mean that we're 
from the same org. We're against Gloria and all the other 
leaders wanting to be prez." 

And they asked us again, "Who is your leader?" A comrade, R., 
is getting a bit pissed off and said, "We're anarchists. Isn't 
that obvious? We don't want to have masters!!!" then two of our 
comrades, r. and b., arrived on the scene and one of the 
marshalls asked, "Are you their leaders?" (hahaha!!!)

anyway, we all left the scene a bit angry at them, but we set 
up the fnb near a squatters' area also near Mendiola, and a 
lot of street children and autonomous activists (those who 
wanted to join in the anti-Erap campaign) came up to us, ate 
some "lugaw" (that's a bit like porridge, but made from rice, 
onions and some garlic, all cooked in a giant vat), shouted 
and also helped giving out flyers, etc. 

it was fun. unfortunately for the vast majority of workers 
and peasants who were forced by the BAYAN organizers to attend 
the mob. (it's common practice here by Marxists here to measure 
the success of a mob. solely by its numbers, not if whether of 
not they made a point.), they got tired sitting around doing 
nothing and listening to their "leaders" at the BAYAN platform. 

honestly, i haven't been able to talk to some workers and 
peasants around here in the Flips. most of the ones we know 
are already part of the big Marxist-Leninist groups. i know 
some of my comrades who tried talking to people in  the 
grassroots, but once the party cadres in the workers' unions 
get wind of them, they immediately start spreading malicious 
rumors about "young punks-anarchists trying to take over the 
union", etc.  
so what we've been doing lately are actions that we just like 
doing and we do them, e.g. anti-Erap, anti-state actions; the 
fnb stuff; intervening in "Green" rallies, countering their 
positions of green capitalism and lobbying, etc. 

it's only been three months since LaN was formed and so much has 
been happening, talking with you from the East Mediterranean 
Anarchist Collective, R. and co. from the Belgrade Libertarian 
Group, the Korean Anarchist Network, U. from PROVO, Australia, V. 
and co. from the Anarchist Black Cross - Germany (they talked 
and made solidarity with us just a few weeks back), our own 
actions, discussions, etc. oh, 'rambled a bit back there (hehehe). 


eco-anarchist greet! (to paraphrase r.'s greeting)

r.
LaN


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