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Indymedia UK is a network of individuals, independent and alternative media activists and organisations, offering grassroots, non-corporate, non-commercial coverage of important social and political issues

Rostock: rap against fortress Europe

brum imcista | 04.06.2007 20:46 | G8 Germany 2007 | Migration | Birmingham

Thousands of people demonstrated against the Border Regime in Rostock this afternoon. There was a rally at a detention centre in the suburbs of Rosstock with speakers from the detention centre. What followed was a lively march into the centre of Rosstock, although the police didn't want the march to reach it's intended destination - the city's harbour, where the police provoked a surreal riot on Saturday.

The march organisers were apparently told by the police to follow an alternative route, but they refused and thousands of people made their own way to the harbour with the help of a sound system playing some banging tunes and an amazing political rap about Europe's border regime.

Here's part of a translation of the rap which someone in the Friedrichstraße Indymedia centre translated. Hopefully someone can translate the rest :)

"Demonstrate against fortress Europe! Demonstrate against all borders! Just another announcement: It would be nice if people come around the truck. And now here is someone who has prepared something for you.

I wrote a rap... Its about the struggle of migrant workers which was organised in (St. Joseph's camp)? Here it comes in accapella:

I want to tell you a short story, its not in the media. Its not about celebrities, and their 'so important' lives. If you watch tv, it seems there is no underclass. Its about white shirts with dirty collars. I want to teach you.. Imagine Manhatten and ask yourself who cleans the floors? Think of the managers, I would like to ask them: "Do you know Maria, who is cleaning your desktop?" She is cleaning the stairs and the houses, and washes the windows. She does not ask for breaks or better wages because she is frightened of her boss calling the immigration office. She is from Mexico. Everyday she is threatened by death.."

brum imcista


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translation

02.07.2007 13:11

She flew over the border
was looking for the trone of the world here
she has always been poor
didn't posses anything
managing 10 hours every night
still it's not enough for food
now she knows the dark side of the American dream
of millionaires, jobbing and earning nothing with it
she was one of the losers in the game of life
knew in every skyscraper here
there must be so many of us
without any feeling to live

can one do anything about that?
Si se puede! (yes you can)
we only want a happy life
Si se puede!
at last take our pride back
we can not even give toys to our children
can one do something about that?
Si se puede!

they push us out of the real jobs
that means ....?
we are meant to believe that a day of strikes (?) in life don't work
we are not meant to notice who's really against us
but like a smart aleck says the truth is simply concrete
our bosses aren't drawing a picture-book about that for us
one has to inform himself if he's searching for models

Maria had less than nothing in her bank
no ....? like the judge demands
that's why she couldn't say how the shift was too long
what if she looses her job?
Her siblings are ill
but even like that money wasn't enough for an operation
though she thinks of sacrificing her health for pay
one day bent like a creature she stands
her back aking so much she's holding back the tears
there she hears on the street a stagnant noise
she pricks up her ears
it was surely another block away
the first minute nothing was understandable
then: weren't that not words in english and spanish?
she looks at the street and there are people standing just like her
with apron and broom really people just like her
she never saw so many colleagues at once
and her heart says like the crowd
Si se puede!

a short time later the land doesn't know other times
meanwhile germany has forced labour again
with Harz 4 (reform of the benefit system for the unemployed) they take both away
bread and butter
and who has got work gets pressure on the wage
and unfortunately despite the state unions it is similarly hard with the resistance here
to fight the current state so we'll be better off
the union leaders cling themselves to the SPD (social democrats)
I know it will be a hard piece of work
but some time we will take the EGM and verdi (workers unions) back
when Maria strikes she won't be alone anymore
then the wind will change here
one can be sure
and then skilled worker stands next to .....?
on the street and says we don't want to talk anymore
you took the piss long enough
we have enough of cutting jobs
enough of Harz
.... ? Germany looking for the superstar
and we believe no politician and his good advice anymore
all the parties have said too much over the years
no we say with one voice
Si se puede!

cat


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