To: International Civil Society

From: WTO "Watch List" (published by Mexican national security)

Sixty international activists (see the US list below) were
named recently by Mexico's national security apparatus as
"globalophobic leaders" in a not-so-secret document leaked
to La Reforma newspaper. Mexico's Federal Preventative
Police, the Army and several other security forces are
apparently concerned about our participation in
alternative conferences and demonstrations in Cancun
during the September 10-14 WTO Ministerial. While it is a
dubious honor that our work has been recognized, we are
concerned that millions of people throughout the world who
are also opposed to the WTO are NOT named on the "watch
list." Do you feel left out? If so, send a message to
the Mexican Embassy or Consulate in your area. We take
the liberty of suggesting the following language.

Or you can E-mail your name to [email protected] and
we'll add you to a collective sign-on letter.

Dear Government Agents Bent on Restricting Civil Liberties,

I recently found out about the "watch list" prepared by
Mexican authorities, purportedly to quell the voice of
civil society at the upcoming WTO Ministerial in Cancun.
Despite hefty expenditures of tax money on intelligence
gathering (both Mexican pesos and US dollars, some of
which, we are confident, find their way to Mexico's
security forces!), we are concerned that you were only
able to find 60 internationals and 20 Mexicans who are
opposed to the World Trade Organization. Haven't you
noticed that the tide of public opinion is turning
decidedly against the WTO? Don't you remember the WTO
Ministerial in Seattle, when over 50,000 workers, students
and environmentalists brought the meeting to a halt?

Please add my name to your "watch list" immediately!!
Nothing less is acceptable in a true democracy.

Or perhaps that's the point. After all, the WTO is one of
the least democratic organizations in the world.
Corporate members of America's Business Forum write the
trade rules, while security forces spend our tax money
keeping people like myself as far from the process as
possible.

If you are unwilling to add my name to the list, then I
must insist that you remove those singled out for special
attention. I can assure you that we have similar views -
we are all opposed to the WTO and a "free" trade agenda
that impoverish the majority of us while enriching a few
corporations. And I can also assure you that repressive
measures directed against these few will have little
impact in Cancun. Thousands of us will be in Cancun,
representing millions around the world. Our collective
voices will say NO to the WTO. A better world is possible.

PS Perhaps the funds that were used so ineffectively for
intelligence gathering could be mobilized instead so that
the Mexican government can comply with its commitments in
the National Agreement on the Rural Crisis, signed
recently by El Campo No Aguanta Mas and the Fox
administration. Since WTO policies helped cause the rural
crisis in the first place, it would only be just. We
would be happy to see the portion provided by US security
forces spent on programs for campesino corn producers.
But check with the corn producers first; they might not
want "dirty" money.

Sincerely,
Click here to sign onto this letter!!!

Click here to see the who is on the list>>

Mexico's "watch list" includes:
Ralph Nader, Noam Chomsky and Stan Gacek (of the AFL-CIO),
all listed as "moderates."

Among the "ultras" are:
Lori Wallach of Global Trade Watch
Victor Menotti of International Forum on Globalization
Peter Rosset of Food First
John Sellers and Howard Camson of the Ruckus Society
John Kinsman of the Family Farm Defenders
Michael Hart of Duke University
Peter Larsen
Hazie Stenders
Lynn Mare
Tom Hansen of the Mexico Solidarity Network