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Towards a new world

Social Forums show the way to a world run by its people

interact

News, analysis, ideas from the Catholic Institute for International RelationsCIIR is known in some countries as International Cooperation for Development

autumn 2004

Also in this issue: Crisis in Haiti

Democracy in PapuaAgroecology in El Salvador

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15

interact autumn 2004

Towards a new worldOrdinary people have always been excluded fromthe closed circle of politicians and businessmenwho run the world. It is easy to be cynical,pessimistic and defeatist, and to step back fromit all.

But increasingly, people are not just washing theirhands of responsibility, or wringing their handsabout how terrible things are. Instead, they areraising their hands and saying: yes, I am concernedabout what is happening in the world; yes, I wantto find out more about alternatives to the way theworld is being run; yes, I want to get involved inbringing about changes.

The social forums movement is one example ofthis new-found energy and conviction. In this issueof Interact, we get an insight into how socialforums bring people together to question andchallenge the way things are.

The majority of the contributors to this Interact areonce again CIIR/ICD staff or development workers.They show time and again that they are notpeople who are prepared to sit back and let thingstake their course. They have great respect for thepeople and partners they work with; they arequestioning, committed, involved.

With people like this raising their voices, maybeanother world really is possible.

Editor

Published Nov 2004 by the Catholic

Institute for International Relations

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Contents

Editor Alastair Whitson

Communications Manager Nick Sireau

Executive Director Christine Allen

Design Twenty-Five Educational

Printing APG (ISO 14001 accreditation

for international environmental standards)

4 diary: laying the ground work

5 comment: the desire for change

6 news: supporting independent voices

www.ciir.org

editorial

In some countries,

CIIR operates under

the name of

International Cooperation

for Development (ICD). CIIR/ICD works

with local partners and people for

sustainable development and the

eradication of poverty.

Cover picture: Ecuadorian women at a march forindigenous peoples held a few days before the AmericasSocial Forum in Quito in July. Photo: Mauricio Ushiña

10

17 country profile: Namibia

18 interview: Abdulla Al Syari

19 reflection: sharing the dream

20 review: globalisation

18

4

insight: towards a new world

8 A diary of hopeBárbara Ortiz

9 Power relations

10 We are creditors, not debtors

11 The right to communicate

12 Another world is possible

action

13 Development or devastationHaiti urgently needs international support

14 Finding a balanceEnvironmental education in Honduras

viewpoint

15 The democratic wayPapuan people’s understanding of democracy

16 The humanisation of lifeCommunities that live and learn together

8

Clarification: The photo illustrating the ‘reflection’column in the last Interact (summer 2004) was from Viede Jésus Mafa, a collection of 61 African picturesillustrating scenes from the New Testament. Seewww.jesusmafa.com for more details.

4 interact Autumn 2004

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UNDER A HOT, INTENSE JUNE SUN,we arrived at the barelyaccessible and extremely

poor hillside being farmed by theLos Patios community in themunicipality of San Agustín inUsulután, eastern El Salvador.

Our group was 14 women and24 men of eight differentnationalities, united by a commoninterest: to get to know theagroecology work of CIIR/ICDpartner COMUS (UnitedCommunities of Usulután). Thework is part of a project fundedby CIIR and the Big Lottery Fundaiming to reduce environmentalvulnerability in Honduras,Nicaragua and El Salvador.

Los Patios has a history markedby war and the unjust distributionof resources, like most poorcommunities in El Salvador.Community leader Don Carlos toldus of the difficulties with landownership and access to water thatthe people have faced for years.Through their tenacity and supportfrom COMUS they have avoidedbeing thrown out by the formerlandowner, and they are trying toimprove the water situation.

Raising awarenessAfter a reception in the church ofSan Agustín we went to anagroecological plot where webombarded the man in charge ofthe plot, Alejandro Turcios, and

Marta Alicia, a Salvadoreanagronomist, with questions.Alejandro responded from hiswealth of practical experience anddeep enthusiasm for organicagriculture. Many members of thegroup share his belief that organicagriculture is the right option forpeasants – and they are trying, athome in their communities inHonduras and Nicaragua, tochange harmful practices inheritedfrom the green revolution ofchemical agriculture.

On leaving the plot, we visitedthe water sources. We went upand down the hillsides to find, atthe bottom of a ravine, anunprotected pool in which womenand children were washingclothes, the soap flowingdownriver. Saying ‘river’ does notimply abundance: it was a smallcurrent lost among the stones.The river is, however, called LaPozona to indicate that it isamong the biggest (La pozameans puddle, so la pozona canbe taken to mean ‘big puddle’),and we were told that the womencame from higher up the hillwhere water is even scarcer.

During the walk back I wasimpressed by a comment fromone of our Honduran colleagueswho said: ‘In Honduras we havewater in abundance. Let’s hopethat this situation helps us tovalue what we have.’

Tackling discriminationAfter enjoying a simple butdelicious lunch in the house ofone of the families of theCommunity Los Patios, wereturned to the church, where atheatre group from Jiquilisco,Santos, performed a play called

‘The river of death’. The playfitted in very well with our theme:environmental problems and theireffects on poor communities.River contamination could lead tomortal consequences incommunities, especially amongchildren, and caring for the riversis the responsibility of all thosewho live in the vicinity, such as themunicipal authorities and thoseresponsible for health andeducation.

The play also containedmessages about discriminationagainst women and young girls inrural areas – highlighting a keyarea for the CIIR/ICDenvironmental vulnerability projectitself. Some questions we askourselves are: Can we ensure thatcaring for the earth in harmonywith natural resources will alsoensure the elimination of everyform of violence anddiscrimination against women,children, the old and thedisabled? How can we guaranteethat other women will gain accessto technical knowledge, and tothe opportunity to manage theirown projects, communities andinstitutions?

I have seen the work ofCOMUS for more than a decade.During this time CIIR/ICD hasprovided COMUS withdevelopment workers with anenvironmental conscience tosupport its unstinting efforts toimprove the conditions of life forthese poor communities. Despitethe heat and sun, this was anunforgettable day for me: I amconvinced that the most effectiveway for us to make an impactwith our work is to have our feetalways firmly on the ground.

Carmen Medina is CIIR/ICD’scountry representative for ElSalvador.

Carmen Medina visits aproject in El Salvador that

is working for anenvironmentally

sustainable future

Laying theground work

Getting water – a scarce resourcein Los Patios.

Autumn 2004 interact 5

comment

THE UK IS A NATION where morepeople vote in Big Brotherthan in local or European

elections, and where CheGuevara’s image adorns t-shirtsworn by people who don’t evenknow his name. It is a nation lostin its own individualism, wherecommunity spirit is a relic ofbygone days and where peoplehave forgotten how to cometogether to fight for a commoncause. Or have they?

Perhaps the same discontentfuelling voter apathy is alsocausing many people to seekdifferent channels to express theirdesire for change. The growingBritish movement for global justiceis becoming ever more visible, asmuch in last year’s largest everanti-war demonstration as in the46 per cent increase in sales ofproducts with the ‘Fairtrade’mark.

In this context, the UK was theperfect choice to play host to the

Talks, debates and seminarscovered a breadth of topicsincluding climate change, gender,refugees and asylum seekers, theEU constitution, civil liberties andprivatisation. Cultural events ranalongside the talks and seminars,bringing together Kurdish fabricart, Brazilian samba bands, Greekperformance poetry and Frenchcomedy sketches into one vibrantprogramme.

One surprising oversight wasthe complete lack of provision ofethical food at the AlexandraPalace venue. Considering thatthe majority of people attendingwould favour organic, fairly tradedand/or vegetarian options,thousands were disappointed bythe diet of chips, bacon rolls andNescafé on offer from the cateringvans.

As expected, the weekend sawone or two skirmishes, with thebehaviour of a small minority ofdelegates grabbing the headlines.Yet behind the headlines, a newsense of solidarity was beingformed. At the close of the event,a spokesperson for the ESF said:‘These last three days have been atruly remarkable time. It hasrejuvenated those of us in the UKand those from around the worldthat, together, we have thestrength of argument and thepassion of purpose to make“another world possible”.’

However, some of thoseattending felt that the sheerbreadth of the issues tackled,from ‘sustainable fishing’ to‘campaigning against the deathpenalty in China and Uzbekistan’,made it extremely difficult tocommunicate any in-depthinformation. One teacher whotravelled down from Leeds toattend the forum said: ‘I’ve been abit disappointed, to be honest. Idon’t feel I’ve learned anything

The social forum movementcan draw on a groundswell ofenergy and commitment,writes Lucy Cathcart

new. The same old messages arebeing preached to the converted –we’re hearing the same slogansagain without the education weneed to move forward.’

Susan George, academic andglobalisation commentator, hadrecognised this danger in an articlepublished in The Guardian on theforum’s opening day: ‘At the ESF,as in every other social forum, weshould cease ritual, repetitivecomplaining about the ills of theworld and, rather, take the time toexamine power coldly, determineits strategic weaknesses anddecide, together, how to push ourneoliberal adversaries back until at

The desirefor change

interactnowSee the ‘insight’ section (page 8) for a view of the AmericasSocial Forum held in Quito, Ecuador, in July.

the discontent fuelling voter apathyis causing many people to seekdifferent channels to express theirdesire for change

the sheer energy generatedby bringing together 20,000

passionate people cannotfail to inspire and motivate

activists and onlookers alike

last they fall over the edge of thepolitical cliff.’

The third European SocialForum will have its critics and itsadvocates. Such a broad anddiverse event can hardly fail toattract both. But what is certainabout the forum is that the sheerenergy generated by bringingtogether 20,000 passionatepeople cannot fail to inspire andmotivate activists and onlookersalike towards that ‘other world’ ofjustice, peace and freedom for all.Everyone is agreed on thedestination – the challenge now isto agree on the route.

Lucy Cathcart is CIIR’s membershipcoordinator. Christine Allen’sagenda column will return in thenext issue of Interact.

third European Social Forum (ESF)in October. Twenty thousandpeople arrived in London fromover 60 countries and other partsof the UK, all believing that‘Another World is Possible’.

After some logistical difficulties,with lengthy registration queuesand hundreds left out in the rainoutside the official opening eventin Southwark Cathedral, London’sfirst ESF gradually found its feetand got into full swing. Over thecourse of the weekend 500 eventstook place with more than 250speakers participating.


news

Haiti plungesdeeper into crisis

VIOLENCE ERUPTED across storm-ravaged Haiti in Octoberkilling at least 45 people in

the capital city Port-au-Princealone in a series of fierce gun-battles and beheadings, writesFinola Robinson.

In the northern town ofGonaïves, violent attacks disruptedefforts to distribute emergencyrelief following the floods inSeptember. Aid workers reportedthat they were increasinglybecoming the target of attacks.

The country is still struggling todeal with the aftermath of therecent floods and mudslides.Thousands were left dead andmany more homeless when twodays of heavy rain sent torrentsdown the mountains in theArtibonite region, causing theLaquinte river to burst its banks.

The 200,000-strong city ofGonaïves was submerged: homeswere washed away, cars werecaught in the rising water and thetelephone service was cut off,making it difficult to communicatewith emergency personnel.Desperate residents climbed ontothe rooftops to escape thefloodwaters, only to findthemselves stranded with noavenue for escape.

Interim prime minister GerardLatortue called for internationalhelp and declared a state ofemergency. The crisis follows hardon the heels of severe flooding inMay which left an estimated 2,000dead, and a small earthquake thathit the country in June, disruptingemergency relief operations.

International action is nowurgently needed to help thecountry turn the tide after thisyear of crises and devastation.

Anuradha Vittachi speaking at thelaunch of CIIR’s new website.

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have one. ‘The ability of partnersto upload their own material is areally important concept – itchanges the ownership of thematerial that is out there,’ shesaid.

She spoke of the immensefrustration felt by people whocan’t speak for themselves aboutwhat really matters to them. Itwas this that inspired her to setup the One World network as a‘route around the damage of themass media’. She said the Internetoffers people a powerful tool topromote change, based on thebelief that ‘information that’s notfor transformation is just gossip’.

This view was echoed by TimLarge, deputy editor of ReutersAlertNet, who also spoke at thelaunch. He described howAlertNet uses an interactiveapproach to share informationand expertise and ‘bring theforgotten crises of the world tothe mainstream news agenda’.

almost certainly be a generalelection. Make Poverty Historyaims to make the most of theseopportunities to push the struggleagainst poverty and injustice tothe top of the internationalpolitical agenda.

The campaign aims to mobilisethe UK public to take action toinfluence government on anunprecedented scale, withtraditional letter-writingcampaigns running alongside newmedia campaigns using web-based technology and textmessaging. The key issues to betackled are debt, aid and tradejustice.

CIIR is a member of the MakePoverty History assembly and willkeep its members informed of themany ways to get involved in thisexciting initiative. For moreinformation, seewww.makepovertyhistory.org.

THE MAKE POVERTY HISTORY

CAMPAIGN was officiallylaunched in September, with

support from CIIR and a widevariety of other NGOs, includingcharities, faith groups andcampaign networks across the UKand internationally, writes LucyCathcart.

2005 looks set to be a crucialyear for the British government:the UK will hold the presidency ofboth the G8 and the EU, theInternational Commission forAfrica will report, and there will

CIIR HAS RELAUNCHED its newlook website with the aimof communicating our

messages more effectively andstrengthening our advocacy work.The website will also give aplatform for the voices of ourpartners and the communitiesthey work with by enablingpartner organisations to set uptheir own sites.

Speaking at the launch on 15October, Anuradha Vittachi, co-founder of the OneWorld Onlinenetwork, said that the Internethas the capacity to give a voice topeople who would otherwise not

Campaign seeks to make poverty history

CIIR launches revamped website

interactnowCIIR is joining with churches and faith-based organisationsas part of Make Poverty History to encourage the faithsector to endorse and participate in this unprecedentedmovement. We are planning an event in January, bringingtogether faith leaders, activists and politicians, to launch ayear of action. Put 29 January in your diary, and keep aneye on the CIIR website for more information!

CIIR has launched a postcard campaigncalling on the British government to opena long term bilateral aid programme inHaiti. See page 13 for more details.


news

Zimbabwe government movesto silence independent voices

DISABLED PEOPLE IN NAMIBIA wona landmark victory when anew disability bill was

passed in September, writes LucyCathcart.

The bill was introducedfollowing pressure from CIIR

THE ZIMBABWE GOVERNMENT isattempting to push througha controversial bill to restrict

the work of NGOs in the country,writes Finola Robinson.

The bill proposes that noforeign funding should be allowedfor political governance, humanrights and social justice work; thatforeign NGOs should effectivelybe banned from carrying out suchwork; and that all NGOs shouldbe registered with theZimbabwean government, failingwhich their staff may be arrestedand tried. It is believed the billwould cripple the ability ofZimbabwean NGOs to carry outtheir work.

In September, CIIR co-hosted ameeting to discuss the bill’s widerimplications on freedom and itsdirect impact on CIIR/ICD partners.The meeting was chaired by DrSteve Kibble, CIIR advocacycoordinator for Africa, and

Namibia passes new disability bill

attended by British andZimbabwean partners. Speakersincluded Janah Ncube, director ofthe Women in Politics Support Unit,and Brian Kagoro, chair of theCrisis Coalition which comprisesaround 400 NGOs in Zimbabwe.

Eileen Sawyer, executivedirector of the Zimbabwe HumanRights Group, told the meetingthat the bill is the latest in a seriesof moves by the government tosilence all independent voices andclose down all democratic spaces.The Public Order and Safety Act of2002 aimed to limit freedom ofassembly and the Access toInformation and Protection ofPrivacy Act of 2002 sought tolimit operations of the free press.The latter succeeded in shuttingdown the only independent dailynewspaper, The Daily News, andhas already had a devastatingimpact on freedom ofinformation.

According to the speakers at themeeting, many of the provisions ofthe bill run contrary not just to theZimbabwean constitution, but alsoto several regional and internationalrights conventions that RobertMugabe’s government signed up toin August this year, including theSouthern Africa DevelopmentCommunity (SADC) electoralprotocol. Ms Sawyer said that thisprovides SADC with a challenge,especially as South Africanpresident Thabo Mbeki has saidthat action should be taken againstnon-implementing SADCgovernments.

The participants agreed to takeimmediate action by writingletters of objection to the bill topresident Thabo Mbeki of SouthAfrica, president OlusegunObasanjo of Nigeria (chair of theAfrican Union andCommonwealth), and PaulBérenger, chair of SADC andPrime Minister of Mauritius.

The meeting was sponsored bythe Commonwealth Policy StudiesUnit and organised by CIIR andAction for Southern Africa.

The bill aims to improve the quality oflife for disabled people like this child inWindhoek.

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People vote fortrade justice

MORE THAN 6,000CAMPAIGNERS descendedupon Brighton on the

first day of the Labour Partyconference in September to speakout for trade justice at the UKlaunch of the ‘Vote for TradeJustice’ campaign, writes LucyCathcart.

Labour delegates watched ascampaigners in colourful costumesfrom all over the world marchedalong the Brighton seafront andassembled in front of theconference centre. After castingtheir ‘votes for trade justice’,protestors held a two-minutesilence to remember the millionswhose lives are destroyed bycurrent trade rules.

Over 60,000 people havealready cast their votes for tradejustice. The campaign will berunning throughout 2005 andaiming to get over one millionvotes.

partner, the National Federation ofPeople with Disabilities inNamibia. CIIR/ICD developmentworker Forward Mlotshwa workedclosely with the government onthe bill, which aims to improveaccess to services for thethousands of disabled people inthe country.

Outside the capital, Windhoek,infrastructure is not welldeveloped, and the result isprofound isolation for ruralcommunities. The new bill willestablish regional disability offices,which will greatly increase accessto essential services for peoplewith disabilities.

The bill will not only help thosein isolated rural areas, but alsothose in poorer areas ofWindhoek, such as Katutura,where thousands of people live inextremely poor housing withminimal sanitation and verylimited access to healthcare andeducation.

See the‘interact now’box on page 9for details ofhow to castyour vote.

Sunday 25 JulyThe views on the plane journey frommy hometown in Ecuador, Cuenca,to the country’s capital, Quito, aresimply stunning. The spectacularsnow-capped summit of Cotopaxivolcano makes me think that such abeautiful land deserves a betterdestiny.

I take a taxi to the forum’sopening ceremony in the colonialheart of Quito, but the traffic is soonat a standstill. I decide to walk andimmediately join some people fromCONAIE (the Confederation ofIndigenous Nationalities of Ecuador),a group that promotes indigenousrights. One of them tells me that thisforum is critical for Latin Americans:‘Since colonial times we have beenoppressed and exploited. Now is thetime for us to come together andcome up with our own alternativesand solutions, for the benefit of allour people.’

The atmosphere at Plaza SanFrancisco is one of fiesta: it’s full offlags and banners, proudly held upby participants who have travelled

to Ecuador from across thehemisphere. I watch a blessingceremony led by various shamansthat calls on ‘Father Pichincha’ (themagnificent volcano that overlooksQuito) to ensure a successful forumand to protect the people who areattending. As I watch the music anddancing on the main stage, I can’thelp feeling a buzz of excitementabout the week ahead.

Monday 26 JulyAfter an early breakfast, I go to aplenary session about PlanColombia/Plan Patriota. PlanColombia is a US policy with theobjective of eradicating cocaplantations and offering farmersalternative crop options, as partof the war againstcocaine anddrugs. One ofthe US’s principal



A diary of hope

Towards a new world

Over 10,000 people from 44 countries came together at the first Americas Social Forum to debate issueslike globalisation, trade, debt, the environment, gender and indigenous rights – and come up withalternatives based on the belief that ‘a different world is possible’. In this special report, CIIR/ICD staff,development workers and partners share their experiences at the forum held in Quito, Ecuador, in July,and voice their opinions and hopes for the future.

Showing their colours: marchers take to thestreets during the Americas Social Forum.

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Attending the AmericasSocial Forum was an

inspirational experience,writes CIIR/ICD

development workerBárbara Ortiz



methodologies as part of this policyis the fumigation of plantations withpesticides. During the plenary I amshocked to learn that these pesticidespoison the air and the water of allthe innocent people who happen tolive nearby; as a result more andmore people have been displacedfrom their homes across Colombiaand the border region of Ecuador.

Then I hear about Plan Patriota,the military element of PlanColombia which has installed USmilitary bases across the region incountries like Colombia, Ecuadorand Peru. These bases act as trainingcamps for national militia, andtherefore they increase internalrepression.

I leave the plenary feeling

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A ceremony using the sacred gift of fire to thank the Gods and ask for a successful meeting.

A woman with a ‘No FTAA’ flag at theforum’s march (ALCA = Área de LibreComercio de las Américas).

interactnowCIIR is a member of the Trade JusticeMovement, and Vote for Trade Justice is themovement’s current campaign. If youhaven’t voted for trade justice yet, go towww.tjm.org.uk and click on ‘take action’or text JUSTICE to 84118 (service providedby Christian Aid, charged at your operator’sstandard rate).

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DESPITE THE COLLAPSE of WorldTrade Organisation (WTO) talksin Cancun last year, the US

attempted to push forward with theimplementation of the Free Trade Areaof the Americas (FTAA) which wouldapply to all Latin American andCaribbean countries except Cuba.However, in Miami in November2003, the US suffered a setback at ameeting of trade ministers from acrossthe hemisphere, when Latin Americancountries came together to reject theFTAA as it stood, recognising that itwas likely to push marginalised peoplefurther into poverty.

The US has responded by pressingahead with extensive and rapidbilateral and regional bloc tradeagreements with a range of

countries, thereby fragmenting thecollective strength of Latin Americanstates. For example, the US has initiatednegotiations with Colombia, Peru andEcuador for an Andean agreement,while Central American governments areat the point of ratifying the CentralAmerican Free Trade Agreement(CAFTA).

Civil society in the region is thereforefighting a two-pronged battle – against the overarching FTAA as well as against the regional and bilateralagreements that are being negotiatedsimultaneously.

Angelique Orr is an advocacy consultantwho worked with CIIR/ICD in Ecuador onthe Americas Social Forum. Angelique isBritish.

Power relations

Nowhere are unbalanced power relations with the United States intrade negotiations more stark than in Latin America and the Caribbean,writes Angelique Orr.

despondent about the US’sintervention in the region,supposedly as part of the ‘war againstdrugs’ but in reality as a way ofexerting control. To cheer myself up,I decide to visit the Fair Trade fair. Iwander around the stalls and admirethe colourful jumpers, the detailedwork of the silver jewellery and thestraw hats. I start to think aboutwhat the future will hold for thesesmall producers, if the free tradeagreement between the US andAndean countries goes ahead…

Tuesday 27 July I wake up to glorious weather, whichgives me fresh optimism for the dayahead. I love Ecuador’s sunshine – tofeel its heat and positive energy. Itravel through heavy traffic to arriveat the university; when I enter the



When I leave, I meet up with agroup of friends and decide to winddown after a long day at one of theforum’s cultural events; wethoroughly enjoy watching LatinAmerican dance and theatre, beforeentering into a bit of caliente (hot)salsa ourselves…

Wednesday 28 JulyToday’s the big day – the AmericasSocial Forum march takes place thisafternoon and the organisers areexpecting lots of people to take part.I decide to wear trainers – you neverknow if you might have to run awayfrom a march like this: the police canbe brutal.

This morning I’m going to anevent about the free trade agreementbetween Andean countries and theUS – I think it will clear up lots ofdoubts I have about the issue. I’minspired by a north American speakerwho explains that: ‘A significant partof north American society does notsupport the Bush administration andlooks ahead to the forthcomingpresidential elections with hope anduncertainty.’ She goes on toemphasise the fact that it’s absolutelynecessary to build alliances betweensocial movements in the North andcivil society in the South. I totallyagree with her and reflect on the factthat CIIR/ICD is already buildingthese links through its skill-share andadvocacy work.

Before lunch I have some freetime, so I take the opportunity tovisit a traditional medicine festival,where I meet Josefina Lema, anindigenous community leader. Sheperforms a health-assessmentceremony on me, using a guinea pig(an animal that has a great deal ofspiritual value in Andean countries).

backgrounds. Representatives of theindigenous movement passionatelyemphasise that their population willbe hugely disadvantaged by anytrade agreement; they are mainlysmall farmers who will find itdifficult to compete with big agri-business. Indigenous peoples alsoface the threat of having theirancestral knowledge stolen fromthem through patenting laws. Itcould mean, for example, that itwould be illegal for communities touse a medicinal plant extract as theyhave done for thousands of years,because it will suddenly be ‘owned’by a transnational company.

What’s more, any trade agreementwill only apply to goods and capital,not to individuals. Unlike theEuropean Union, Latin Americansliving in a ‘free market’ will remainvictims of illegal immigrationnetworks if they want to make themost of the better opportunitiesoffered in another country.

‘We are creditors, not debtors’

If there was ever any doubt, the AmericasSocial Forum proves that the issue ofinternational debt has not gone away: itremains a huge problem for many LatinAmerican states, writes Nathalia Novillo.

CONSIDER THE CASE OF ECUADOR, which is forcedto commit 44 per cent of governmentexpenditure to debt servicing, to the huge

detriment of health care, education and all otherpublic services. Debt repayments are ‘priority’ – theymust be made every month, even though doctors

and teachers frequently have to wait for their overdue salaries. What’s more,since the 1970s Ecuador has paid back its debt six times over. The deep irony isthat Ecuador is ‘not poor enough’ to qualify for debt relief under the WorldBank’s programme.

At the forum, it was clear that international debt is an issue that civil societyin Latin America is really shouting about: bus loads of Jubileo 2000 Sur activistsarriving from across the region; the huge presence of the debt movement atthe forum’s march; a standing ovation for Sandra, a Brazilian activist making animpassioned contribution during a workshop – ‘We owe nothing to anybody.We are the creditors of a social, ecological and moral debt. Who is going topay us that back?’

But the forum was also a space for activists to come up with alternatives:one interesting suggestion is that civil society should take a case to theinternational courts in order to halt the repayment of this debt, on the groundsthat it is harmful to communities, it violates human rights and was loaned at anexcessive rate of interest.

Nathalia Novillo is CIIR/ICD’s project officer for Ecuador, based in the Quitooffice. Nathalia is from Ecuador.

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interactnowFollowing sustained pressure from theJubilee Debt Campaign (JDC), UK ChancellorGordon Brown announced in September thatthe UK will commit up to £100 million peryear to write off the UK’s share of debtsowed to the World Bank by the world’spoorest countries. He has also called for IMFgold to be revalued to enable debts owed tothe IMF to be fully written off. JDC is urgingpeople to continue campaigning to ensurethese promises are implemented: seewww.jubileedebtcampaign.org.uk for moreinformation and action suggestions.

packed lecture theatre the eventabout trade agreements has alreadystarted.

If anyone has any doubt aboutwhat exactly the Free Trade Area ofthe Americas (FTAA) is, the USSecretary of State Colin Powell canexplain: ‘Our objective with theFTAA is to guarantee control fornorth American businesses over aterritory which stretches from theArctic to the Antarctic, free access,over the entire hemisphere, withoutany difficulty or obstacle, for ourproducts, services, technology andcapital.’ If this is so, I ask myself,why would governments in theSouth enter into these negotiations?One of the event’s speakers explains:‘It’s important not to forget thatstrong links exist between thenational elite of various countriesand big business – they are allies.’

During the workshop there’s a richdebate, with contributions frompeople of many different



I chat with her about what the FTAAwould mean for women and she tellsme: ‘For us as women, particularlyindigenous women, it would be fatal.It would mean the loss of everythingwe have achieved after a great deal ofeffort and years of struggle.’

The hour of the march is upon usand people are gathering together

under the radiant sun in the Arbolitopark. The atmosphere is upbeat andcelebratory, with music and songs.Different organisations and socialmovements are grouping aroundtheir banners, while communityleaders start shouting slogans foreveryone to repeat. As the marchstarts, there are various groups –

women, indigenous peoples, gaysand lesbians, small-scale farmers – intotal there are 10,000 of us, in turnrepresenting millions of LatinAmerica’s citizens. At first I’m alone,but I soon meet up with friends fromQuito and Cuenca and I march withthem. After almost three hours ofshouting, walking and even dancing,we complete the loop and approachthe Arbolito once more.

It’s at that point that the teargasstarts. It’s the first time I’ve been inthis kind of situation and I admitthat I’m a little afraid. There’s a ladywith a baby next to me and I helpher to run away quickly – we reallydon’t know whether the police arereloading pellets of teargas behindus. The march ends in chaos eventhough it was totally peaceful andI’m confused about what happened.Over dinner, I meet with fellowdevelopment workers and they tellme that the authorities decided thatthe march was too close to the USembassy – for that reason alone theyused teargas. I feel emotionally andphysically exhausted – I’m in bedand fast asleep by 9.00pm.

The right to communicate

The Americas Social Forum offered animportant opportunity to broaden myknowledge and learn about themes that I don’ttackle in my day to day work, writes WauthierDebousies.

IWORK AS AN AGRO-ECONOMIST, but I was reallyinterested to find out more about the debate oncommunication rights – after all, it’s through the

internet, radio, newspapers and television that welearn about the world and are able to form our ownbeliefs and values.

As I attended various seminars, I grew to understand that if communicationstools like newspapers and the internet are run by business, they will necessarilypromote the consumerist ideology that big business requires. Their aim will beto make money and, for example, it’s rarely profitable to provide informationabout the world to a remote Amazonian community.

Participants in the forum suggested that communication should be a publicservice. At the end of the day, communication isn’t a product to sell, it’s aprocess that should be freely available to everybody.

Wauthier Debousies is a CIIR/ICD development worker with Servicios para elDesarrollo Alternativo (services for alternative development). Wauthier is fromBelgium.

interactnowCIIR partner Latin America Press strives tocommunicate independent news ondevelopment issues. For more informationand to subscribe online (in English orSpanish), see www.latinamericapress.org

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‘The Americas Social Forum was a crucial event for our partners,’ says CIIR/ICD country representative in Ecuador, Luis Camacho, writes Angelique Orr.

themes, and by offering financialassistance for travel and accommodationcosts. Benjamin Macas, from partnerFEPP Loja (Fondo Ecuatoriano PopulorumProgressio), an organisation that supportsrural development, attended theworkshop that CIIR/ICD organised in thetown of Loja in June, and as a resultdecided to attend the forum. ‘Beingthere was a completely fantasticexperience,’ he said. ‘When I got back toLoja I was able to do a radio interview totell the people of my province about theforum’s important conclusions. I alsowrote an article for La Hora, our local

paper. I am planning to organise moreactivities so that I can share theexperience of the forum with peoplein my community.’

Other CIIR/ICD partners were alsoinspired to spread the word about theforum. ‘When I got back home, Iwanted to call all my friends and tellthem about what’s going on,’ saidTeresa Loyola from the Paletillascommunity credit scheme group. ‘I’vefound out about concrete things thatI can do, that I wouldn’t otherwisehave known about.’ GumercindoVicente, a rural community leader,said: ‘It would be good to tell peopleabout these issues on the radio, sothat we can spread the word aboutwhat’s happening – the mainstreammedia hide these things.’

‘THE OPPORTUNITY for ourpartners to meet peoplefrom across the region who

are working in similar fields and toshare experiences has beeninvaluable. They have returned totheir communities with fresh ideasand they now feel part of animportant movement that stretchesacross the whole hemisphere.’

CIIR/ICD supported theparticipation of partner organisationsin the forum, for example byorganising workshops ahead of theforum to explain its purpose and



round table meetings that areplanned, in order to shareconclusions and next steps on eachof the forum’s major themes.

One of the most significantdecisions is that 12 October will be a‘day of action against tradeagreements’. I feel totally inspired: inthe face of mega-domination by theUS, it would be understandable forpeople to react with feelings ofhopelessness. Instead, civil society inLatin America is responding withmasses of positive energy andcoming up with fresh ideas andalternatives to stand up to thesuperpower.

At 4.30pm the closing ceremonybegins. The event is full of music,colour and a great deal of hope for abetter future. We are invited to singtogether as a way of illustrating oursolidarity with one another, ourhope for justice and our belief that‘Another America is possible’. I singas loudly as I can, as an expression ofhow privileged I feel to have takenpart in this event, met so manyamazing people and witnessed LatinAmerican society in the process ofbuilding their alternative America.

Bárbara Ortiz is a CIIR/ICD developmentworker with the organisation Mujer:Imágenes y Testimonios (Woman: Imagesand Testimonies) in Ecuador. Bárbara isfrom Spain.

interactnowFor more information on the Americas SocialForum visit www.forosocialamericas.org

Another world is possible, urgent and necessary

Alternatives DO exist – as showcased in thethousands of ideas and initiatives discussedduring the ASF’s workshops, writes IsabelleRobles.

THE ALTERNATIVES are also alive in the thousandsof comments and reflections about a neweconomic model. What’s needed then? The

political will to implement them and the socialstrength to demand them.

It’s important for organisations that are fightingfor alternatives to define clear aims and above all a

general objective or agreed starting point. This convergence represents the typeof society that we want to build.

As a result of the forum, we already have the principals that form the basisof this new economy and society. They are complementarity, equity, solidarity,diversity, tolerance. There’s also an agreement that the economy should workto the benefit of people; that development doesn’t necessarily imply economicgrowth; that there must be harmony between the economy and theenvironment; that society should be pluralist in nature and differences betweenpeople should be respected; and that the people should have collective power.

We want ‘a world that all worlds fit into’, including cultural worlds andpersonal worlds. Happiness is to feel that you’re doing well as a person, as agroup – living according to the way you feel. It’s not about ‘having more thanthe rest’. Max Neef, the Nobel Prize winner for alternative economics in 2003,says: ‘No economic interest can be placed above reverence for life.’

In the short term, we must not forget to seek solutions to the current reality.Nor must we forget that the changes we are hoping for are inside each one ofus, in each part of the world that we construct every day.

Isabelle Robles is a CIIR/ICD development worker with Fundación EcologicaMazan in Cuenca, Ecuador. Isabelle is from France.

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Blanca Chancoso, coordinator of the forum’ssecretariat, makes her point at the closingceremony.

Thursday 29 JulyToday begins with a meeting fordevelopment workers at theCIIR/ICD office, where we share ourimpressions of the forum over acoffee. We take some photos of theteam on the terrace and then eachone of us rushes off to our activitiesof the day.

I decide to attend a lecture on themilitarisation of Latin America by its‘northern neighbour’. The room isn’ttoo full and I find a good spot to sitdown. One of the north Americanspeakers underlines that US political,commercial and military interests inLatin America have become soheavily interlinked that they oftenbecome muddled.

I reflect on what I’ve learned overthe past few days in terms of the US’smultifaceted influence on the region– military control through PlanPatriota, control of business and

livelihoods through tradeagreements, heavy influence andbullying tactics over politicaldecisions. Even down to the fact thata peaceful march which ‘got tooclose to the US embassy’ meant thatI was showered with tear gas.

With this at the forefront of mymind, I go to see the Michael Moorefilm Fahrenheit 9/11. My friendFernando and I have to wait in a longqueue and eventually enter a packedcinema. I really enjoy the film and atthe end I enthusiastically take part inthe spontaneous standing ovation.

Friday 30 JulyToday’s the final day. I’m a bitdisappointed that this critical eventis finishing so soon especially havingmet so many people who share myvalues and belief in an alternativepath. I meet up with CIIR/ICDcolleagues to attend some of the

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13Autumn 2004 interact

to Haiti. We believe that in the longterm Britain should open a bilateralprogramme in Haiti, the poorest countryin the western Hemisphere, and one ofonly two low income countries in theregion. This would be in keeping withthe Department for InternationalDevelopment’s (DFID’s) stated aim ofplacing 90 per cent of its bilateral fundsin the 10 per cent lowest incomecountries. By doing this, DFID couldapply its internationally renownedexpertise in social development tosupport the construction of a more justsociety in Haiti.

Anne Street is CIIR’s advocacy coordinatorfor Latin America and the Caribbean.

rather than concentrating onenvironmental issues and the agriculturalsector from which over 60 per cent ofthe population derive their living. Duringthe second half of the 1990s only 0.2per cent of the US$560 million inforeign assistance to Haiti was allocatedto environmental protection.

Lack of investmentInvestment in agriculture has long beenneglected, with little money allocated forrural development or invested indeveloping irrigation systems, orproviding subsidies for small farmercredit; government technical assistance isvirtually nonexistent. Deforestation is alsoa major issue in Haiti, with all but twoper cent of the tree cover felled. Withouttrees to hold the topsoil, flooding causesserious erosion which not only decreasessoil fertility and the country’s ability toproduce sufficient crop yields to feed itspopulation, but also makes the countrymore vulnerable to the kind of flashfloods and mudslides which have causedso much devastation this year.

CIIR, along with other Britishagencies, has been spearheading acampaign to get the British governmentto commit more resources and support

Digging the ground on a hillside atVallue in Haiti.

Development or devastationHaiti urgently needs long term international support, writes Anne Street

HURRICANE JEANNE which devastatedparts of Haiti in September is thelatest in a series of disasters to

have hit the country in its 200thanniversary year.

In February the ousting of presidentJean-Bertrand Aristide heralded a periodof instability and repression. Gangwarfare compounded the precariouseconomic situation of the majority ofHaitians, 80 per cent of whom livebeneath the poverty line.

In May flooding in the south-eastbrought widespread devastation, withseveral villages washed away andthousands made homeless. Then inSeptember hurricane Jeanne destroyedHaiti’s second city Gonaïves, killing anestimated 3,066 people and leaving175,000 in need of food, water andelectricity.

Writing in early October, BenitoJasmine, from one of CIIR’s partnerorganisations in Haiti, expressed hisreaction to the situation in Gonaïves:

‘I saw things I never thought I wouldsee: I saw people dying with their eyesbegging for life, people looking withoutseeing, crying in pain. What I saw andheard has given me strength to carry onstruggling for this country, for mypeople, my heart. Thank you for sharingthe pain of my country. God bless you. Ihope that the people will help you topray for this poor country which can’twait a minute longer for help. Words failus now, and all we can say is that morethan ever Haiti needs help.’

Precarious existenceBehind these headline-catching events isa deeper and more fundamental crisis inHaiti, for which the internationalcommunity as well as the country’sruling elite must take responsibility.Devastating as the storms of 2004 havebeen, their impact has been made fargreater by the poverty and precariousexistence of many of Haiti’s poor.

Successive governments have donelittle to address the needs of the poor,proving unable or unwilling to put inplace policies that might break theseemingly endless cycle of violence,poverty and disaster. Meanwhile, foreignaid solutions have concentrated onprioritising the interests of internationaltrade and the nation’s tiny private sectorrather than sustainable livelihoods forthe poor majority.

The international community hasattempted to address such issues asgood governance, security and elections,

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action

interactnowSupport CIIR’s postcard campaign on Haiti.A postcard to DFID calling on the Britishgovernment to open a bilateral aidprogramme in Haiti is included with thisissue of Interact. Please support the peopleof Haiti by signing and sending this card. Ifyou can, please consider distributing cardsto local groups, churches, etc: more copiescan be obtained free of charge bycontacting CIIR.


action

Finding a balance

A proposed tourist development in Honduras is forcing people to raise their level of environmental awareness,

write Nelbin Bustamente and Ruth Escribano

municipal tourism unit and the municipalenvironmental unit have also becomeinvolved.

The initiative includes the selectiveseparation of rubbish, the sale of someresidues for recycling, the setting-up ofcollection points in each neighbourhood,and so on. It is hoped that the initiativemight be extended to the rest of thegarifuna communities of the Bay, and in anot too distant future to the city of Tela.

If this pilot experience – of workcoordinated among several localinstitutions and the local community(under the legend ‘Rubbish is worthmoney’) – goes on working as it hasdone, the community will become muchmore aware of the harmful effects of themismanagement of solid waste on theirhealth, the environment, their imageand the economy – and in general,much more environmentally aware.

It is through such initiatives that wecan hope to change the habits andmentalities of people in the South. Butwe also need to change the mentalitiesof people in the North. The financialcapital behind the Tela Bay touristproject will come from countries of theNorth which seem determined tointroduce a type of tourism that hasproved elsewhere to be unsustainable.

There is a long and arduous road forus to travel to persuade institutions inthe South and the North that suchalternatives as ecotourism, culturaltourism, or agrotourism will help usrediscover the lost balance with natureand the longed-for social equity.

Nelbin Bustamente is coordinator ofProlansate’s environmental educationprogramme. Ruth Escribano is a CIIR/ICDdevelopment worker at Prolansate.

participatory and equitable, reduces to aminimum the socio-environmentalimpact, and – ideally – can fit into thecategory of ecotourism.

The project developers must alsoaddress the questions and anxieties ofthe local population. One example ofhow to do this is the participatory andtraining processes being implementedunder Prolansate’s environmentaleducation programme, such as onecurrent initiative in Triunfo de la Cruz.

Building awarenessTriunfo de la Cruz, within the buffer zoneof the Punta Izopo national park, has aproblem with rubbish – not just therubbish piled up in the streets, beaches,the sea, the lakes, rivers and waste lands,but also the damage caused by badmanagement of rubbish which is buriedor burnt anywhere in the community.

Some people of energetic characterand personality like Damasia Ramírez,chairperson of the Damuri lagani ifey(Enemies of Rubbish Organisation), haveset about solving the problem. Theyasked for support from Prolansate’senvironmental education programme,and other local institutions such as the

YOU ONLY HAVE TO TAKE A WALK roundthe Tela Bay to become aware ofthe mixture and diversity of living

cultures on the north Caribbean coast ofHonduras – not just the people and theirway of life, but also the natural beautyand exuberant biodiversity.

Much of this can be seen in theprotected areas of the botanical gardenand research centre Lancetilla, and thetwo national parks, Jeannette Kawasand Punto Izopo, both managed by theProlansate foundation.

The potential of the area as a touristattraction was first mooted more thanthree decades ago. Now, plans fordeveloping the Tela Bay area as a touristproject, for so long on standby, arebeing revived.

The project includes the constructionof seven three-storey hotels, a residentialzone, another destined for a casino andbusiness centre, a marina, and a 27-holegolf course. The project area is withinthe buffer zone of the Jeannette Kawasnational park, specifically on anenvironmentally vulnerable wetland areabetween the sea and the Quemada lake.

Concern and uncertaintyThe area is poised between two garifuna(local indigenous peoples) communities,Tornabé and Miami, and the plans havearoused much anxiety, questioning,uncertainty – and hopes – in the localpopulation.

Although there have been somemeetings with the communities nearthe project, there is a lack of clear andtransparent information on the realintentions of Tela Bay TouristDevelopment, which is leading theproject.

There is also concern and uncertaintyabout the potential socio-environmentalconsequences. The Prolansatefoundation therefore faces a greatchallenge over the next months toensure that the Tela Bay project is truly A woman clearing rubbish from the beach front.


of all, for all community members areinvolved in the process of decision-taking and decision-making.

The fourth element is the value ofindependence. In the Mee culture, it isbelieved that everybody is gifted by theCreator with the capacity to think,reflect and judge. These gifts arecollectively referred to as the dimi(mind). Using these gifts, one can think,analyse and make judgements on thingsand events, and make personal decisionsindependently.

Imposing one’s will or interests uponothers is not accepted as it goes againstthe other person’s independence. Whileone may propose something, orchallenge another person to ponder anissue more deeply, the final decision willalways be a personal decision madeindependently.

Peaceful dialogueOther Papuan tribes share the sameconcept of democracy as the Meepeople. It is a concept, typical ofMelanesian cultures, grounded onrespect for human dignity, and thereforecontains the values of equality,egalitarianism, participation, dialogueand independence.

Democracy, for the Papuans, istherefore clearly not only the end of aprocess. It is also the way. A democraticsociety in Papua or in Indonesia can bedeveloped only through the democraticway.

Democratic society cannot be createdthrough military operations, intimidation,terror and other forms of oppression.Such attempted solutions to the Papuaissue attack the very dignity of humanbeings – which is why they will alwaysbe unacceptable to Papuans. For thePapuans, peaceful dialogue is thedemocratic way to settle problems andto create a democratic society.

In this light, it is clear why Papuans

The Indonesian governmentmust learn from the Papuan

people’s understanding ofdemocracy, writes Neles Tebay

viewpoint

ACRUCIAL STEP towards resolving thesituation in Papua would be forthe Indonesian government to

heed the Papuan people’s calls for apeaceful dialogue – and to understandthat these calls are based on a Papuanconcept of democracy that is embeddedin the people’s way of life.

One example of this concept ofdemocracy is that lived by the people ofthe Mee tribe in the central highlands ofPapua.

The core essence of democracy in theMee tribe is expressed by the phraseokaina mee, which literally means‘he/she is also a human being’. It impliesthat everybody, regardless of opinion,status, profession, gender, religion orcitizenship is considered to be a humanbeing, and therefore must be treated asa human being.

From this core grow fourfundamental elements of democracy.

Since all human beings share thesame human dignity, all are also equals.Equality, then, is the first element.

As human beings, everyone also actsin an egalitarian manner, which is thesecond element. One does not find inthe culture of the Mee equivalent termsto Mr or Mrs, as relationships amongpeople are characterised by the conceptof ani-aki or ‘I-you’, rather than ‘I-it’.

Social status, profession or gender donot determine one’s human dignity.People may have different roles in thecommunity, but this does not definetheir dignity as people. Nobody isconsidered to be higher than others interms of human dignity.

Involving the communityThe third element is the value ofparticipation. An activity involving allmembers of the community in a villageis decided not only by one person, or afew members of the community. It isand must be discussed by all membersof the community, including women andchildren.

The discussion of a commonplaceactivity or problem usually takes one ortwo days, for every opinion must betaken into consideration. Any decisiontaken by the community is the decision

have been so insistently calling upon thegovernment of Indonesia to engage in apeaceful dialogue, through themediation of a neutral, third party, tosettle the Papua issue in a democraticway and to establish a democraticsociety. These calls are grounded on thecultural concept of democracy. TheIndonesian government would do wellto recognise this, and move forward bywelcoming the Papuans’ calls forpeaceful dialogue.

Neles Tebay is a Papuan priest from thediocese of Jayapura in Papua. A versionof this article was first published in theJakarta Post on 10 August 2004.

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Participants in the Mushawara Papua Besar2000 (Great Papua Deliberation) at whichPapuans gathered to discuss the future oftheir people.

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interactnow

Fr Neles Tebay is working with CIIR inLondon until the end of the year, helping usraise awareness of the situation in Papua.He is available to speak at events ormeetings throughout the UK. For furtherinformation about CIIR in Papua and ourcurrent campaigns, please contact CathyScott on [email protected]. For moreinformation on hosting a talk with Fr Neles,please contact Lucy Cathcart on 020 72888601 or [email protected].

repeating them without knowing whatthey hide and are trying to impose.‘Development’, ‘quality of life’,‘sustainable’, ‘poverty’: concepts likethese can humiliate and undervaluecommunal wisdom. They are a westernfocus that attempts to give the samelabel to the thoughts and lives of allpeople.

The great irony is that this type ofcommunity work is exactly what isneeded: the humanisation of life, notthe globalisation and consumerism thatignores and wipes out the culture andhistory of indigenous peoples. Thesepeople illustrate that having self-esteemand the courage to continue living withdignity will surely be the key to survivingthis wave of supposed ‘development’.

I want to finish this article bydedicating it to the people of thecommunities that I have met and will goon working with through CEPCU; and tomy friends from the project Muyuyay(the seed that germinates) for giving methe right to use their words – thosepeople who from day to day quietly goon constructing a more human and justworld for their families, communitiesand countries.

Rocio Sotelo is a CIIR/ICD developmentworker.


viewpoint

Communities that live and learn together demonstrate a true respect for life, writes Rocio Sotelo

all of us know that this is a bad thingand we are all working to look after ourland.’

María Sandoval, president of thecommunity of Imbaburita, tells me: ‘It’simportant to get up early to persuadepeople that a union is possible and thatin that way – living without fighting,laughing with happiness – things arebetter.’

Mamá Francisca, secretary of thecommunity organisation of PuertoAlegre, adds: ‘In my opinion yourcommunity is like your own house – theplace where you live until you die. Wehave our own land and we are here.When there are problems we have tosolve them, and the solution bringshappiness again.’

As Sebastián Caiza, president of theInca Tocagón nursery, explains: ‘Ourcommunity is our own culture, our owntradition which we keep alive… I valuemy community and wherever I go Irepresent my community.’

Communal wisdomHearing these testimonies and seeingthese people taking part in the mingamakes me question the concept of‘development’ that fails to recognise thistype of effort and the value ofcommunities organising themselves toimprove their lives.

In our language, we often use termsor concepts that are fashionable,

‘EDUCATION STARTS when you’reborn and finishes when you die.’With these words in mind (from

José Martí, hero of Cuba’s independencestruggle), I invite you to leave behindtraditional views of what constitutes‘education’, and rediscover the everydaythoughts, reactions, feelings andexpressions that make us human beings.

I, the person writing this article, am ahuman being. I’m a teacher byprofession and I’m Peruvian. I work inEcuador at the Centro de EstudiosPluriculturales (CEPCU – the centre formulticultural studies). Every day I sharemy work with colleagues from differentbackgrounds – the indigenous culturesof Otavalo, mestizos (people ofEuropean descent) and individuals fromother Latin American countries.

As a development worker focusing onthe theme of environmental education, Ihave the opportunity to promote the‘human’ side of education. Often wewrongly believe that education onlytakes place in schools, universities or atwork. Living alongside individuals frommy local community I can clearly see thatpeople educate by example, fighting oneach day with the simple tools of a smileand hope for a better life in thecommunity. In these people I findrespect for dignity, communal living,solidarity – the very respect for life that Ilearned in theory at university.

Community lifeThis attitude is embodied in the minga –when, first thing in the morning, at fouror five o’clock, people go out togetherto take part in unpaid community workon the paramos (highland scrub-land).Small children, women carrying theirbabies on their backs, old peoplecarrying heavy trunks, men and womencarrying picks and hoes, all go outtogether to reforest and protect theparamos, which are an important watersource.

Don Cipriano, president of theregional water committee, says: ‘We getup early, before dawn. In doing so weare looking after our future children, ourmother earth. In the past, many yearsago, I used to burn the paramo – now

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A scene from the ‘paramos’: the Mojandalagoons near Otavalo.


country profile:

NAMIBIA IS THREE TIMES the size of theUnited Kingdom but has apopulation of only 1.9 million.

The population is diverse and includesnine indigenous ethnic communitieswith their own language and culture.The economy is dependent on a fewsectors, including mining, ranching,fishing and tourism.

HistoryNamibia has a long history of foreignrule. It was colonised by Germany in thelate 19th century. In 1904 Namibiasuffered the first genocide of the 20thcentury when more than 60 per cent ofthe Herero and Nama population werekilled.

The territory was seized by SouthAfrica in 1915 and an apartheid systemwas imposed. This revolved around thecreation of ‘homelands’, a system ofcontract labour, marginalisation of themajority of the population and thedenial of their human rights.

In 1966 the South West AfricaPeople’s Organisation (SWAPO) launchedan armed struggle for independence. In1971 the international Court of Justicedeclared South Africa’s continuedoccupation illegal. Namibia declaredindependence in 1990 after 25 years ofarmed struggle.

Politics and developmentSWAPO, with Sam Nujoma at its head,has governed since independence. Thereare a number of other political partiesbut SWAPO continues to dominateNamibian politics. The next elections aredue to be held in November 2004.

President Nujoma has encouraged

inter-racial reconciliation and thecountry’s white population have stayedand still play a major role in farming andother economic sectors.

Namibia is often classified as a lower-middle income country. However, thisdisguises gross inequalities: five per cent

country profile

Population 1,927,447GDP per capita $1,730

External debt $517 millionPopulation living below $1/day 35%

Maternal mortality 270/100,000 live birthsInfant mortality 55/1,000 live births

Under 5 child mortality 67/1,000 live birthsLiteracy rate male – 84%; female – 84%

NamibiaFacts and Figures

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Young San people outside the crafts shop run by CIIR/ICD partner the Omaheke San Trust.

of the population control most of thecountry’s resources, while the remaining95 per cent have incomes below theaverage for sub-Saharan Africa.

The level of HIV infection withinNamibia has increased rapidly over thepast six years and prevalence rates nowstand at 22.5 per cent. HIV/AIDSpresents a major challenge todevelopment in Namibia. PresidentNujoma has made the fight against thedisease a national priority.

CIIR/ICD in NamibiaCIIR/ICD has been working in Namibiasince the 1970s and currently has fourdevelopment workers in post. Areas ofwork include: capacity building with civilsociety organisations; support to projectsworking to strengthen the rights of theSan people; and HIV and AIDSprevention and response. Partnerorganisations include the NationalFederation of People with Disabilities inNamibia, the Working Group forIndigenous Minorities in Southern Africaand the Omaheke San Trust.

THE VIEW FROM THE VILLAGE OF JEBIN inthe mountainous Raymah region ofYemen is breathtaking. The eye

plunges thousands of feet to the valleybelow, while all around terraced hillsidesand mountain peaks surge upwards tothe sky. The whole landscape treads avertiginous line between earth and theheavens.

Suddenly, on the sheer cliff faceopposite, a movement catches the eye.Two tiny figures are picking their wayalong a path snaking perilously downinto the gorge below.

This was the path that children usedto tread every day, down to thewaterhole, then back up, laden withheavy cans of water for the villagers ofJebin to drink. It was the children’s task,so they did it, mashallah (leaving theirlives in the hands of Allah), even if everyyear one or two children would fall totheir deaths.

Abdulla Al Syari, CIIR/ICD’s countryrepresentative in Yemen, says simply: ‘Itwas tragic: children were dying for

water.’ So he decided to do somethingabout it. Working with the local districthealth council, he wrote a fundingproposal for a system to pump water upfrom the waterhole to a tank at theedge of the village. The project, initiatedand designed by a CIIR/ICD projectadministrator, Adnan Abdul Fatah, wassubsequently funded and built by theInternational Fund for AgriculturalDevelopment. As a result, children inJebin no longer have to die for water.

Home truths The story, one of many quietachievements of CIIR/ICD’s Yemenprogramme, illustrates perfectly the waythat Abdulla Al Syari works: he knowsthe country, he knows what needs to bedone, and he knows how to get it done.

Abdulla, who was appointed asCIIR/ICD country representative in 1996,is the first Yemeni to be in charge of theYemen programme. ‘The advantages arethat I know the language and theculture and the way of thinking at all

levels in this country,’ he says. He alsoknows the problems that the countryfaces: ‘The people are very good people,but the administration, red tape,inefficiency and nepotism is what’s badabout the whole system.’

A major focus of CIIR/ICD’sprogramme in Yemen is supporting thedevelopment of a primary health careservice through training health workers.The aim is to ensure that health servicesget to the people: but the trainingchanges the lives of the health workerstoo. Since the early 1990s, when Yemenwas internationally ostracised for itsstance on the Gulf War, the country hasfaced huge economic difficulties. Peopleappreciate that after training ‘they canwork and feed their families and livedecent lives’ – something brought hometo Abdulla when a former traineenamed their first son ICD, and theirsecond Abdulla Syari!

Promoting people’s rightsCIIR/ICD also focuses on promotingwomen’s rights – a gradual process in aconservative Islamic country like Yemen– and building up civil society. Yemenwas the first country in the Gulf area todemocratise, and the country is stillfeeling its way. ‘Yemen is moving in itsdevelopment approach towards morecivil society involvement. I believe Yemenwill democratise in the true sense, andthat Yemenis will be watchful of therights of people,’ says Abdulla.

‘The rights of people’ is very much awatchword for Abdulla, both in what hedoes and the way he does it. ‘I havelearned so much about myself in thisjob,’ he says. ‘I have learned how to bepatient and tolerate wider responses;I’ve learned that people do their bestwhen they know you are not pushingthem around.

‘This is also the culture of CIIR/ICDitself,’ says Abdulla. ‘The spirit that wemaintain, the friendship and trust inpeople and what they are capable ofdoing, produces better results.’

Alastair Whitson is CIIR’s senior editor.


interview

Insideknowledge

Abdulla Al Syari knows what needs to be done to promotedevelopment in Yemen, writes Alastair Whitson

Abdulla Al Syari looks out over the hills atJebin, Raymah.

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CIIR/ICD has been working in Yemensince 1974. Read more about CIIR/ICD’swork in Yemen in the next issue ofInteract (winter 04/05).

Salvation is only truly workedout from the position of thelowest in society


Sharing the dreamTo change the world, we must first see it from the perspective of the poorest people, writes Gerry Proctor

reflection

La Isabela, a ‘batey’ in Barahona in the Dominican Republic.

AFTER COMPLETING A WORKSHOP in thediocese of Barahona in thesouthwest of the Dominican

Republic, I was invited to accompanysome of the local people from Tamayoparish in their weekend evaluation andplanning meeting for their base ecclesialcommunities (communities where peoplegather to study the Bible and discuss itsimplications for their everyday lives). Tohelp me understand a little of theirsituation they took me to visit one of themany bateyes in the community. Theseare small villages in the sugar-caneplantations where the mostly Haitianmigrant worker populations live withtheir families.

I thought I had seen almosteverything there was to see among thepoor of Latin America, but this was theworst yet. Housing conditions wereatrocious with the exception of somenew properties recently constructedthrough the agency of Caritas – a smallglimmer of hope and concern amid themisery of these people’s lives. At theedge of the bateye a group of womenand children were bathing at the side ofthe road: covered in soapsuds, they weretrying to get clean at the end of anexceptionally hot August day. There wasalmost no water in this filthy ditch, just atiny trickle of dark stagnant liquid, theonly source of water for this communityof more than 100 people.

I felt physically sick and could notimagine having to live like this. Yet suchsituations are not uncommon in ourworld, where poverty is increasing at analarming rate. Once again I heard the cryrise within me, another world has got tobe possible.

In June of this year I was able tospend time in Porto Alegre, Brazil, thecity in which the World Social Forum(WSF) was born. Meeting with cityofficials and local activists I was struck bytheir vision and energy to make of thisunequal world a better place. The WSFprocess is awakening in every continentthe hope that together we can build asociety whose priority is theimprovement of the living conditions ofthe poorest members of the humanfamily.

Not content with getting the theoryright, the WSF is much more aboutentering into a process that will deliverthe alliances necessary if we are ever tocreate this new world. Catholic socialteaching gives us a framework in whichwe can work alongside all people of

goodwill who are striving to eliminatewar and poverty, corruption and disease,ignorance and oppression. I sense in theWSF the breath of the Spirit of Godmoving across the face of the earth. It isprofoundly energising.

That same Spirit continues toilluminate the church through the powerof the gospel message. At the start ofthe base ecclesial communities meetingin Tamayo the story of Zacheus wasread. One of the participants, a poorman who couldn’t read or write, amazedme by his insight when he said thatZacheus, being rich, and having gainedhis wealth through corruption,exploitation and oppression, was onanother level. Being up in the treesymbolised this, and Jesus was invitinghim to come down to the level where hewas, with the poor, exploited, andoppressed people and see the worldfrom their perspective. The result was animmediate change of attitude on thepart of Zacheus.

This insight surfaced again in thenearby parish of Galvan when we read

at Sunday Mass Luke’s gospel (14:7-14)of Jesus challenging the Pharisees tochoose the lowest place at banquets.Perhaps one of the strongest intuitionsin the gospel, still not properly graspedor understood in the church, is thatsalvation is only truly worked out from

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the last place, from the perspective ofthe least, from the position of the lowestin society. This is where Jesus is andwhere an awful lot of other people aregathering too, all sharing the dream thatanother world is possible.

Fr Gerry Proctor is a priest of theArchdiocese of Liverpool. He is workingas a member of the Marins Teamdelivering workshops on base ecclesialcommunities to many countries of LatinAmerica, the Caribbean and the UnitedStates.


review

Argentinian author have said? Argentina was considered by the IMF,

the World Bank and transnational capitalto be a showpiece for the blessings ofliberalisation, privatisation, deregulation– the gospel of globalised neoliberalcapitalism. The result, instead, was asociety of 60 per cent middle classtransformed into a society of 60 per centbelow the poverty line.

How can a ‘listening process’ beserious if it does not include listening tothe cries of the poor? Maybe the nextbook of the Capitalism Project of LICCcould be a worldwide debate within theecumenical process on alternatives toneoliberal globalisation. In August, thegeneral council of the World Alliance ofReformed Churches passed a ‘confessionof faith in the face of economic injusticeand ecological destruction’, formulatedin the style of the Barmen TheologicalDeclaration of 1934 against the supportof National Socialism. What aboutlistening to this voice, where the globalSouth could speak up clearly as a part ofthe body of Christ?

ISBN 0 28105 657 9, published by SPCK(Society for Promoting ChristianKnowledge, www.spckonline.com),£12.99 paperback.

Reviewed by Ulrich Duchrow, co-authorwith Franz J Hinkelammert of Propertyfor people, not for profit: Alternatives tothe global tyranny of capital, publishedby CIIR and Zed Books and availablefrom CIIR price £14.95.

the Capitalism Project of the LondonInstitute for Contemporary Christianity(LICC), convening Just Share whichorganises events in London’s financialquarters, and representing theArchbishop of Canterbury in the currentecumenical process on alternatives toeconomic globalisation. The volumeincludes contributions of first classwriters who bring their distinctperspectives as business leaders,academics, representatives of NGOs andtheologians.

However, as the authors do not relatetheir arguments directly to each other,because the articles are taken fromdifferent events and contexts, the bookitself does not fulfil its task of being partof a ‘listening process’. The twocontributions of the business leaderswith their positive view on globalisation,mitigated by some minor proposals forreform, stand simply in directcontradiction to nearly all othercontributions. Is this kind ofcontradiction really a question ofunderstanding and listening?

Another contributor, Michael Taylor,seems to have another perspective whenhe points to the self-interest behind thedifferent opinions and clearly states thatthe key issue is power. If this is true, the‘listening process’ would have needed abalance of power right from the firstpart of the book, in which an economistand two business leaders look at the‘contours and potential of globalisation’.But these are only the voices of winners.What would, for example, an

Globalization: Tame it or scrap it?by Greg Buckman

This book provides a soundunderstanding of the background to,development of and dangers inherentin the modern phenomenon ofeconomic globalisation.

By tracing the history of economicdevelopment, Greg Buckman arguesthat economic globalisation is neitherbeneficial nor inevitable. In its placehe offers a programme for reformbased on developing a commonground where fair trade andlocalisation strategies contribute tosustainable worldwide activity.

This common ground would

Globalization and the goodedited by Peter Heslam

In the introduction to Globalization andthe good, editor Peter Heslam outlinesthe purpose of the book: ‘I call forgreater understanding between thecommunities of business and of …NGOs … they do not generally takesufficient time and effort to listencarefully to one another…. The currentvolume is therefore a contribution to alistening process.’

Globalization and the good is acompilation of articles originating fromthe editor Peter Heslam’s role in directing

require wholesale debt reduction orcancellation, ‘cessation of IMF andWorld Bank structural adjustmentprogrammes’, reform or replacement ofthe World Trade Organisation, WorldBank and IMF, and curtailment of thepresent massive power of transnationalcorporations. It is a tall order, butBuckman makes a powerful case.

Was it not Adam Smith himself whosaid that ‘free trade could bringprosperity to all, provided that businesswas conducted with fairness andhonesty’? When will they ever learn?

ISBN 1 84277 381 X, published by ZedBooks, £9.99 paperback.

Reviewed by Canon John McNamara.

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