sticks and stones and pots and pans

national | miscellaneous | news report Wednesday April 02, 2003 22:45 by ipsiphi iosaf - espai alliberat contre la guerre ipsiphi at diplomats dot com barcelona.

Cacerola. a form of protest and civil disobedience.

On the night of December 1st 1971, housewives marked the first day of Fidel Castro's twenty five day visit to Allende's Chile by banging their pots and pans.

The Cacerola has since been part of South American protest culture.

On the 11th of September 1974 the housewives of Santiago saw General Pinoochet with CIA support topple the democratically elected governemnt of Allende.

They had no opportunity to perform "la Cacerola" till the return of "democracy" to their country many many years later.

The return of "democracy" was assisted by the CIA.

When the people of Argentina saw their banks fail as a result of the imposed regulations of the World Bank and IMF and the failed policy of Dollari$ation (which was supported by the CIA), the masses returned again to "La Cacerola".

Barcelona has now for eight days performed "la Cacerola" it is a sign of kinship with the South American peoples many of whom have fled their cotinent in search of a better life.

groups such as "Yo Mango Tango" actively encourage "La Cacerola" by walking the streets with their pots and pans.

Barcelona's nightly "Noise" is heard throughout the city from 22h00-22h15.

Other cities have experienced a few nights of noise, this a form of non-offensive protest, it is quite moving to walk through a high density city and žknowž that in most homes the most essential utensils that is the kitchen ware is being used to express the popualar mandate.

London is not practising La Cacerola, Italy and Madrid are.
I do not know if Irish cities are,
but is very easy to do.

We today spoke about many facets of our campaigns here in BCN that are not being replicated in other cities.
It was suggested that perhaps the lower density of living space in Northern European cities such as Dublin discourages "La Cacerola".
Perhaps.

But it is very good therapy.

Find some kitchenware, find a spoon, and bang them.

South America has given us most of the answers we pretend to seek. I wrote long long ago before the first mass demonstrations against this war that Venezueala is key.
And it still is.

Tomorrow I shall tell you about other protest techniques that we have anaylised here and feel may work well elsewhere.

meanwhile, enjoy stretching acoustic pollution.
enjoy breaching the silence of massed TV watching.
When the WAR that is their WAR enters your home, invades your livingroom, remember the real WAR that is the quotidien search for food, future, shelter.
Connect these things in your mind and make some noise. I assure you that the žreal newsž shall not be missed.