ASIAN SOCIAL FORUM REPORTS
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From:
To:
Sent:
Subject:
Ravi Narayan <chcravi_narayan@yahoo.co.in>
Community Health Cell <sochara@vsnl.com>
Wednesday, March 05, 7003 CHC11 PM
Rc: PHM Newsbrief - letter from Prom
Dear Gopi, Please send all the listed ASF reprts and Chander's compilations to Prem who
can make the necessary extracts. Toll him that the meetings in the USA so far are going
extremeeiy weii though they are very hectic We finished with the AID group at around
11.30pm last night. Trust si! s!so is well st CHC.
Thslms 2nd Rsvi
Comm unify H22!th Col! *$soch2r3@ysnl.com> wrote'.
-----Original Message —
From- Community Health Cell
Sent: Wednesday, March 05, 2003 CHC2 PM
Subject: Fw: For Gopi
I >-----Original Message-----I > From: hariprem
L| > Cc:
Io: ;
[ > Sent: Wednesday, March 05, 2003 CHC9 AM
> Subject: For Gopi
i>
I*
[> >
_ I > > Mv dear Gooi,
I > > I have been given the task of putting together the PHMm Newsbrief which
I > > will then be published from Dhaka by Qasem.
>>
I > > i was supposed to have received a report on ASF, Hyderabad from the
|> > Bangalore office for inclusion in the Newsbrief. So far I have not
I > received
! > > it. I don't know who is supposed to have done this . Will you check with
I > > Ravi, where ever he is at the moment, and tell me?
|> >
I > > Warm regards and thanks
l»> Greetings from Community Heaith Ceiii
1. x
I onan get in loucn win rxavi ano get oacK 10 you.
L..r.u
I' With regards,
I>
I > Gopi
l>
j From : Gopi
I To: Ravi
m /z
4
A tOTctofree'world, ui'poyyM-e' !
ENVIRONMENT & HEALTH: A PEOPLE'S CAMPAIGN
A Seminar at the Asian Social Forum, Hyderabad
Facilitated by: Community Health Cell, Bangalore
Co-Organisers: Greenpeace & CHESS (Community Health & Environment Skill Share)
Network
3rd January, 2003: 2.30 pm to 6.30 pm
2.30-2.40 p.m.
2.40-4.25 p.m.
4.30 - 5.45 p.m.
6.1b
6.30 p.m.
Session One______________________
Introduction to the Seminar, background and
■
Ravi Narayan ( CHC)
objectives
■
Sarojini Rengam (Malaysia)
Expert Panel - 1
■
Parasuraman (India/Thailand)
Chairperson: L.C. Jain (India)
Introduction of the Panel (5 min)___________________________________ ______________
Industrial estates/disasters:
1. Eloor-V. Jose
Testimonies (10-12 minutes each)
2. Doddaballapur - Shivanna
3. Cuddalore - Nizamuddin
Animated by visuals (2 min video)
4
Vellore - Gopal
5. Patancheru - Vimalamma
6. Bhopal - Champa Devi Shukla
7. Kodaikanal - Raj Mohammed
Comments by the Expert Panel followed by discussion (15 min)
Session Two
■
Qasem
Chowdhury
Expert Panel - 2
(Bangladesh)
Chairperson: Hasan Mansur (India)
•
Romy. Quijano (Philippines)
Introduction of the Panel ( 5 min)___________________________________ _____________
1. Jadugoda
Ghanshyam
Birulee (Uranium Mining)
2. Nellore Siddamma (Mica
Mining)
Testimonies (10-12 minutes each)
3. Angul - Lakhmidhar Sethi
(mining/ powerplants)
Animated by visuals (2 minutes)
4. Sukhinda
Bijay
Prusthi
(Stone Crushing)
5. Sukhinda - Sambhari Ho
(Chromite mining)
6. Warangal - Jagadeeshwar
(pesticides)
Comments by the Expert Panel followed by discussion (15 min)____
Evolving a collective statement of concern and I ■
Ananth (Green Peace)
collective action_________________________________________________
CHC is a voluntary health organisation and community health resource centre based in Bangalore. It is also
an advocacy group working closely with the governments and communities to Improve health care and
access to health care. CHC is involved in training individuals to become health workers so that communities
at the grassroots are empowered.
Greenpeace is an environmental NGO. In India the organisation works on the issues of Toxics, Genetic
Engineering and Renewable Energy. The organization campaigns, using non-violent creative action,
scientific research and education to influence governments and people to work towards a just, safer, cleaner
and greener future.
CHESS is a national collective of people, communities and groups working against toxic pollution created by
a range of unsafe and unsustainable activities (mining, industrial estates, waste dumping, pesticides.
tanneries, radiation etc.).
ENVIRONMENT AW HEALTH: A PEOPLE’S CAMPAIGN
A seminar in the Asian Social Forum. 3rd January 2002
Organised by Community Environment and Health Skill Share (CHESS) Network,
Community Health Cell (CHC) and Greenpeace India
A toywofree/ world/
1.
poaLble/ /
Eloor, Kerala (Industrial Pollution)
Eloor, situated bosldo rivor Poriyar in Kerala is seriously threatened by many hazardous industrial effluents
emerging from nearby factories. There are around 250 factories here, 125 of which are chemical factories.
Some of the more prominent ones are FACT, IRE, HIL, CMRL and TCC. The occupational health status of
most workers is a grave concern. Biotic communities in and around the river are imperiled, 'reflected in the
extinction of many plant, butterfly and fish species. The criminal practices of the companies in this largest
industrial area of Kerala are jeopardizing the sources of drinking water and food of the communities. For the
last 15 years, the struggle for a toxic-free existence has been on in the Eloor-Edayar belt. Local communities
have undertaken health studies as well as scientific sampling of water and soil to prove the crimes
perpetrated by the industries. Very recently, a River-Keeper has been introduced for Penyar. to patrol the
area and monitor pollution.
2.
Dodballapur, Karnataka (Industrial Pollution)
The town of Dodballapur and its adjoining villages in Karnataka, an hour's drive from Bangalore, have been
facing severe environmental problems, visibly so in their ground water, due to industrial pollution. This is the
result of illegal effluent pipelines and effluents being bored deep into the ground. Of the lot "GOGO Exports",
a company in the business of dye making takes credit or rather discredit for this. Drinking water near the
GOGO factory for a radius of almost 4 kilometres has been rendered non-consumable. Asthma, skin
problems and deformities are being reported from the area, linked to the contamination and there is an
urgent need for a proper health assessment. The area is part of the Mysore-Bangalore industrial corridor
that (ho government is carefully nurturing through many incentives and schemes.
3.
Vellore, Tamil Nadu (Pollution mainly from Tanneries)
Vellore district has about 300-odd tanneries located there and accounts for around 70% of the country's
leather production. Before 1996. there used to be 570 units in 5 towns within a stretch of eighty kilometers
along the river. These units would use 47 litres of water for every kilo of leather that they processed. In the
Palar river basin region, about 35,000-40,000 hectares of land turned fallow and the groundwater polluted.
In 1998, when the local campaign built up strong opposition and filed a case, there was a verdict to close
down those units without treatment plans. The Supreme Court set up the Xoss of ecology authority” to look
at the loss to the farmers and fix compensation. This authority, for the first time in the country, fixed
compensation farmer-wise as well as apportioned the liability between different units, at a total of 30 crores
of rupees. 8 crores of the compensation collected from the units is now being distributed amongst the
impacted. Meanwhile, the workers in the units face several health problems - skin diseases, asthma,
respiratory problems, cancer, infertility, TB etc., are reported. In fact, Vellore has a large specialized skin
hospital to treat mostly tannery workers.
4.
Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu (Industrial Pollution)
Cuddalore has been a hub of chemical industries ever since the State Industries Promotion Corporation
decided to promote chemical industries in Tamil Nadu. To date, there are around 50 chemical industries in
this sector alono. Multinational companies like Bayer. SPIC and others have been releasing their untreated
tilfluonlB Into Iho wnlor.bodies In Iho vicinity. The oco-loxlcily of these effluents is apparent in the number of
lish that got killed In Iho river when Iho oltluonts aro released. There have been no systomatic/scientific
studies taken up to assess the health Impacts or other impacts of this criminal polluting behaviour of the
companies.
5.
Patancheru, Andhra Pradesh (Industrial Pollution)
Around 400 industrial units are located in this industrial area just outside Hyderabad in Andhra Pradesh.
many of which are chemical units. It is common knowledge that most of the units do not treat their effluents
and either dump them openly or inject them into the ground. Studies have revealed very high levels of
mercury, arsenic, manganese, nickel etc. in the water and soil of the area. Around 30 villages in the vicinity
are affected, including fourteen small tanks (cheruvus). There has been a noticeable increase in incidence of
respiratory diseases, cancer, epilepsy, paraplegia and spontaneous abortions in women in the area. Arsenic
poisoning, reflected in hyperkeratosis and high prevalence of contact dermatitis is also reported. High
numbers of cattle deaths are also recorded in the area.
ENVIRONMENT AMD HEALTH: A PEOPLE’S CAMPAIGN
A seminar in the Asian Social Forum, 3rd January 2002
Organised by Community Environment and Health Skill Share (CHESS) Network,
Community Health Cell (CHC) and Greenpeace India
A tow>fr&e/ world/ vs-p&is-vble/1
Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh (Industrial Disaster)
6.
Bhopal is now the biggest symbol of industrial disasters and crimes in the world. While 8000 people got
killed during the terrible night between the 2nd and 3rd of December 1984 and the subsequent few days, the
death toll to date has been around 20,000 with several thousand more dying a slow painful death due to the
effects of the deadly gases that spewed out of the Union Carbide plant. There are an estimated 120,000
people still suffering from many ailments and illnesses, many of them rendered unfit for earning a livelihood
and for leading a normal healthy life. The children born to gas-exposed parents are also affected and
studies point out to their stunted growth and abnormalities. To make things worse, the Carbide-Dow facility
continues to poison the lives of around 20,000 people to this day, due to the toxic chemicals lying in the
factory premises and the consequent contaminated water and soil in the vicinity. Drinking water sources
have been contaminated in the area and survivors’ organizations had to struggle very hard for the
contamination issue to be even acknowledged by the government. The campaign efforts are focused on
getting Dow Chemical to take on its liabilities.
7.
Kodaikanal (Mercury poisoning)
Hindustan Lever Limited's (a 51% subsidiary of multinational Unilever) thermometer factory has been responsible for
shocking levels of contamination over the last 18 years in and around Kodaikanal in Tamil Nadu. Contamination levels
in the environs of the Shola forest, were measured at 600-800 times the permissible limits in the soil! The Company
initially however claimed that the loss of mercury to the environment was only 559 kg in all, which would not impact the
environment. Later reports from the company claimed 1000 kilos of mercury loss, while independent calculations
showed nearly 30 tonnes of mercury waste to have been dumped into the surrounds. The company's practice of
dumping mercury bearing waste glass has also been well-documented. Strong campaigns forced the closure of the
factory. HLL has been extremely callous with regard to their workers' health. The workers were exposed to
unacceptable mercury vapor levels and their health reports demonstrate this: persistent and visible problems such as
bleeding gums, skin patches, eye irritations etc. were not even noted in their medical records. Newborns have
congenital heart problems, it is being discovered. Kidney problems are also commonly reported.
8.
Jadugoda, Jharkhand (Uranium Mining)
Jadugoda in Jharkhand is experiencing a corporate crime that would have few other parallels in our time.
The main culprit that has irreparably damaged the communities and their environs in this area is the
Uranium Corporation of India. Jadugoda has India’s only productive uranium mines - three active mines,
and one newly opened in November this year. Displacement is a much-experienced phenomenon for the
people here. The communities here are exposed to radiation from the mines and waste which include known
carcinogenic agents. The company engages in such criminal practices as using radio-active waste for land
fills and building roads, as well as allowing innocent people to use it for construction purposes. The
Corporation has also built several tailing ponds to store the waste, some of which are already saturated. The
radio-active elements which are being left behind will continue to be active for tens of thousands of years
and affect all living forms in the area. Jadugoda is a great catastrophe waiting to be discovered and halted.
9.
Angul, Orissa (Mining, Thermal Power Plants)
Talcher-Angul is a major coal mining and industrial area of the country, situated in Orissa. There are thermal
power plants, aluminium companies, fertilizer companies and coal mines in the area - the dubious
distinction of the area is that it houses the biggest aluminium company - NALCO and the biggest power
plant in Asia: NTPC Talcher. Polluted water from the mines are pumped into nearby water bodies by many
of these companies including the River Brahmini, even as productive agricultural land is being rendered
useless by these same companies. More than 3000 acres of agricultural land has been diverted into
ashponds. Further, dust from the mines and fly ash from the NTPC plants pollute the air, causing lung and
respiratory diseases in the human population there (fibrosis, bronchitis and pneumonitis are reported).
NALCO is the latest culprit on the scene. The ashpond breach on December 31s' 2000, which affected more
than 29 villages in a 20-kilometre radius, is a clear illustration of the great hazard of the situation here.
10.
Sukhlnda, Orissa (Chromite Mining & Stone crushing)
The chromite ore mines in the Sukhinda valley exploit the largest deposit of precious chromium in Asia. The
mountains of red sand outside the Sukhinda chromium mines in Orissa - eleven of them in operation now are far from natural. It is laterite (overburden) left over after chromium has been extracted from it. The
ENVIRONMENT ANV HEALTH: A PEOPLE’S CAMPAIGN
A seminar in the Asian Social Forum, 3rd January 2002
Organised by Community Environment and Health Skill Share (CHESS) Network,
Community Health Cell (CHC) and Greenpeace India
A toyZofr&e/world/i/ypoaCble/I
overburden (of about 70 million tonnes of stockpiles) has become an environmental problem in the area with
chromium traces seeping Into the water-table and poisoning it. These mines are the deepest open cast
mines in India. I ho water released from these mines contains trivalent and hexavalent chromium and
pollutes ground water as well as River Damsala, which is the source of drinking water and irrigation for
nearly 55,000 people. Ensuing illnesses include skin diseases, liver and intestinal diseases Air pollution
further aggravates the problem and is responsible for many respiratory diseases found in the area. The
Sukhinda mines were earlier leased to TISCO (upto around 2000 hectares) and in the early 1990s when the
lease ended, the Central government split the lease amongst five players: the Tatas, the Mittals, the Jindals,
Facor and IMFA.
Operation of stone crushers and black granite quarries in Jajpur district created not only air, water and soil
pollution but also fierce sound pollution and induced vibrations. Diseases and deaths are rampant amongst
the workers of these units who are usually unorganized migrant workers from tribal districts like Keonjhar
and Mayurbhanj). There are nearly fifty villages which have been badly affected because of this activity1 of
500 crusher units and around 50 granite quarries. Usual diseases resulting from these crushers and quarries
are silicosis, asthma, skin diseases and TB. Further, livelihood sources are also affected. For instance.
around 10,000 acres of land has been affected. Dharmashala tehsil is particularly badly affected. The larger
companies engaged in this activity in the area are L & T, Gammon India, Agrawal Group, M.ahashakti Pvt.
Ltd. etc.
11.
Warangal, Andhra Pradesh (Pesticides)
Warangal district in the dryland region of Andhra Pradesh is emerging as one of the main cotton growing
areas in the country next to Guntur district. Last year, cotton was sown in an area estimated to be more than
250,000 acres. But the low productivity and economic returns has been the cause of distress, suicides and
deaths of farmers. Cotton is a crop that has become synonymous with pests and pesticides, which result in
high investments and high debts, with returns not matching the investments. Last season, over 600 metric
tons of pesticides were used In Warangal district, it is estimated. The adverse effects of chemical agriculture
on environment are well known. But the full impact of its effects on human health is being manifested in
recent years in Warangal. Pesticide exposure and spraying of pesticides has begun causing deaths and a
spate of illnesses amongst farmers and agricultural workers of the district. It is estimated that there could
have been more than 500 deaths in Warangal district and more than 1000 people seriously affected due to
pesticide exposure in just one cotton-growing season in 2001! This issue of deaths due to pesticide
exposure during handling and spraying has not caught the attention of the government or civil society yet
and needs to be tackled urgently.
12.
Nellore, Andhra Pradesh (Mica Mining)
There are eleven mica mines in the Sydapuram block of the district which employ around three to four
thousand people to this day, even though most mica mines are closing down with dwindled demand. The
working conditions are harsh: long hours, little pay and little benefits. In India, mica is mainly found in Andhra
Pradesh. White quartzite is also being quarried, mostly in an illegal manner, as there are some abandoned
quarries in the area. A number of communities are affected by these activities, with the women in the
community and women In the mines being particularly impacted. Many women are widowed with their
husbands having dlod of TB contracted during their work in the mines. Most of the affected people are from
dallt and tribal communities. They are usually temporary and migrant workers in these mines and therefore,
cannot avail of the medical facilities provided under the mica mine labour welfare act. Some of the common,
illnesses seen in the community in the recent past are asthma, tuberculosis, silicosis and a decrease in
eyesight. Further, the water sources are also contaminated including groundwater. Another source of
contamination are illegal stone quarries with their blasting leading to accidents in the area.
The '1000 Bhopals’ Jatha organised by Greenpeace India, starting from November 2002,
in its efforts to link up various toxic hotspots of the country, culminated in the
‘Environment and Health - A People's Campaign’ seminar at the Asian Social Forum,
Hyderabad. This bus tour connected communities with each other, and brought to the
fore the common issues of criminal behaviour of companies, nexus with the government
agencies, the apathy of the government to the distress and disaster imposed on the
communities as well as the spirit of struggle in the communities.
ENVIRONMENT AND HEALTH: A PEOPLE’S CAMPAIGN
A seminar in the Asian Social Forum, 3rd January 2002
Organised by Community Environment and Health Skill Share (CHESS) Network,
Community Health Cell (CHC) and Greenpeace India
reflections and Keview of Asian social t orum
t'rahiad-A
Five day Asian Social Forum was heir Nizam College grounds in
nyoerabad between 2n- and 7“: 2003.
As a te<a.m member from CIIC I had prepared to attend workshop on
Right to Health Care. Alter participating in the’plenary on 2n° afternoon I
participated in Right to health Care vctKshop on 3* afternoon. This
small group discussion and workshop organized by CEHAT, Mumbai was
ven' informative. Serious discussions and deliberations happened.
Variety of speakers from different parts of Asia imajoritv from different
parts of India' took ’’art in the delibera'*ous. On 3rd sessions was on
social, legal, constitutional framework for Right to Health Care while on
4--! session was on Opera rirmalizarinr* imd Finance matters related to
make right to health care a reality.
3rd January 2003;
2.30 to 6.30 pm
Dr. Abhay Shukla shared about the objectives of the workshop, which
were as follows- 1. To give direction to the campaign. 2. To outline
International CLTlu. lOCCll Scenario, 3. To u.eSCTiue and Outline Indian
constitution . Dr. Abhay Shukla als.o provided a overview of situation that
has led today that people have to campaign for their fundamental rights.
It is more than sufficiently proved that public health system has
weakened. Spiraling medical cost have made the facilities far reaching
from common man with quality’ of care provided is verv low in public
health system. It is estimated according to one studv that more than
25% of hospitalized families will fall below the poverty7 line’ over a period
of time.
Dr. Srinath Reddy opined that any changes in the economic sector (WTO)
will have effect on health sector as well, which is impeccable. It is very
important to note that human right component should be given equal
importance as much to economic factors. He tried out point out few
important factors which has given rise to a situation where people have
to struggle for their funda.rncn.LHi right. These lactors include, !• No
proper interaction between state and central governments, 2. Lack of
opportunity for the pcplc ano decentralization of supervisory functions,
3.
Absence oi ideal and quality7 health care model, 4. No regulation of
irrational medical practice.
" -
Nir. John Samuel, National Center ci Advocacy Studies called Rights as
toothless wonders" without the suuoort of law. peonie and monev. He
called upon for complete decentralization on Kerala model with more
powers to Panchavat system. He even told PRIs require statutory Dowers
lor effective implementation of right to health care.
Mr. Colin Gonsalves, ICHRL, New Delhi for ensuring everyone’s right to
health care, some of the important issues are — encouraging indigenous
meuicai system and making Ine saving mugs avails ule ior poor.
-vis. Sadhana Hall, from Global Realm Council shared about some
international experiences. She shared about three (Canada.South Africa
cu Costa Rican; models, which India coulo use as example in imporvmg
the pu blic health system. Some of the important points to be noted in
these models are , Catastrophe Insurance model from Canada, model of
motivation and security from South Africa &> decentralization and spread
out of Primary Health center from Ccsta Rica.
Dr. Nouman , Chairman .PHM. Bangladesh from shared about
Bangladesiii experiences of People’s health Movement and explained how
it was seen as a fundamental right issue to the peple.
4th January 2003
2.30 — 6.30 d.hi
Mr. Jean Drczc, Delhi School of economics tolci the group that very
important activity that can improve the chances of people to nght to
health care is to publish people’s voices in very authentic manner.
Economics of health is very important for both economist and health
professional, he told . He also called upon for various group to press
Government to allot budget of 3% for health. As NFHS shows 30%
decline in utilization of public health sendees effectivity and efficiency of
the system also needs to be questioned. Along with other issues that
needs attention are- 1. Urban - Rural divide, 2. Pressurising
Government for full capacity staffing at PHC level ,3. Issues related to
■Price control of essential drugs,
?vlr. Brian Lobo identified three important factors in ensuring right to
health care; right to information — proper redressal system — and
community7 practising of health system. He told the group that health is
'economic, social ano cultural issue.
Dr. Sudarshan shared about Karnataka’s experience on preparation of
report of Task Force and Karuna Trust's experience on implementing
Social Insurance project. Prime factor in Task Force activity was to see
that there is least discrimination. Right to participation and right to
monitor is vers7 important in successful implementation of the
recommendations of Task Force.
Dr. Ravi Duggal of CEHAT lamented that most of the entitlements in this
country have been llrrough policiesTJUtnot Lrirough -righisr-Goncept-vfPrimary Health Care has become very limited and it is right time to
expand concept of P H Care. Discrimination is very obvious towards rural
population and expenditure on health care is reducing. Another
important factor is utilization pattern. Very clearly it is shown it is better
in urban area. Another important factor is expenditure patterns. It is
very clear that Government is spending only 15% while the rest is coming
from other sources. Debt arising out oi health expenditure is also ven
common. Characteristics of Health expenditure should be understood in
deeper sense. In Public domain common characteristics are Rural/Urban
divide. Provision and Promise dichotomy and Plan and Non-plan
expenditure, in private domain common characteristics are only curative,
URReocsssrv
irrs-tionsl..
Basic care framework should be developed, he asserted. Some of
important measure he suggested were as follows: restructuring the
system, creating autonomous system, standardizing and regulation of
the system, properly structuring the finance mechanism etc. He further
explained about the various priorities to make right to health care a
reality. These includes constitutional and political reforms, Licensing and
regulation of medical profession , Integration of various types of system.
instituting pricing mechanism and continuing medical situation.
Financing the system is vein- important thing . He told that using already
existing system effectively is important. Innovations in financing
includes- using resources efficiently, decentralised financing, block
funding, generating additional resource, increase allocation in the
present budget, compulsory7 primary7 health care services and social
security measures.
On 5th morning along with few CHC members tvent around Nizam
grounds to purchase books for the library7 while in the afternoon
Workshop on strengthening People’s Health Movement was attended,
On 6th in the afternoon workshop on Alma Ata and primary health care
was attended. In the evening cultural programmes were attended and
watched street play on feudal' system in Telangana part of Andhra
Pradesh. .
.
Oh 7th morning we attended final plenary and little later went to place
where Gaddar was leading anti-ASF protest. He was of the opinion that
lot of the participants in the ASF are leading NGO getting money from
oppressive forces that needs opposition.
Overall impressions about the ASP:
# It was nice experience to meet of lor like minded people and get
understanding into variety of issues bothering common public.
# Many programmes offered variety of activities, but. it. was veiy difficult.
to choose between them.
e Too many programmes in near proximity disturbed serious discussions
being held in conference center.
# Discussions-were mostly on Globalization and particular political party
bashing , while discussion on privatization and double standard
secularism was conveniently left out.
# Though the programme was very well organized it could have been
better if little more planning had gone into it.
# Lot of innovative programmes were being organized outside conference
hall, but interaction with commoners outside the compound revealed
that little more publicity among common public was required.
# Media strategy in publicizing issues of ASF discussion was excellent as
most of the leading news paper covered lot of articles about ASF.
H Serious conferences and street theater could have been organized in
different venues so that both could have proceeded without much
disturbances.
^2)
Alma Atq Anniversary (78-2003)
Looking Back, Looking Ahead at the Asian Experience
Date: 61" January 2003
Time: 2.30 - 6.30 P.M
Asia Social Forum
(Facilitated!))’ CHC on behalf of JSA/PAM) (Co-sponsored by: CHAIACMAI)
This workshop had two parts. The first part termed 'Learning by Doing’ had presentation ol\>
case studies of known Community Health Programs, which chronologically were from the
three decades of 70s, 80s and 90s. The second part termed 'Practice to Policy' had
presentations from different Asian countries on policy related issues.
'Learning by Doing’ Presentation of case studies:
Dr.Mira Shiva and Dr.Ravi Narayan chaired this session. Mira in her introductory remarks
said that even as a young post graduate professional she had not heard of Alma Ala
Declaration' until her medicine professor brought it to her attention and ever since she has
keen committed to promoting primary health care. She introduced the various presenters who
(and their organizations) had done commendable work popularizing primary Health Care.
‘Arogya lyyakkam’ T.N.
Mrs Kalpana Balaji presented the 'Arogya lyyakkam’ experiences of the Tamil Nadu Science
Forum. This was an evolution from the people’s literacy movement and women’s movement,
at the point when government support was withdrawn.
This comprehensive health
programme with people’s participation is being implemented roughly in one thousand (1000)
villages spread over twenty one (21 )blocks of Tamil Nadu. The Programme had the following
objectives.
Focus on improving children’s nutrition (using weight measurement as an index of
change).
Making government health services responsive to people’s needs and demands.
Improving the cultural health practices
Pulling health on the agenda of Panehayali Raj Institutions (PRls)
The key intervention strategies included:
Intervening through the 'Village Health Worker’ who is a community representative and
whose orientation on health included a socio-political perspective of the family’s health
(world view)
Maintaining a register of every child, which records vital events, six monthly records of
weight and which, is 'understood and owned by the family’.
Maintaining a village level register of services provided by the public health services
(Primary Health Centers) which is placed in the 'Gram Sabha’ meetings for monitoring and
follow-up.
Promoting and mobilizing a broad-based organizational structure al the village level (which
includes the Panchayat member) for taking responsibility for health.
During this short period of implementation 'Arogya Iyyakam’ has advocated on issues such
as
Resumption of'Dai Training’ hy the PHCs
Public hearing on the abusive style of functioning of the public health functionaries,
Arogya Satlii’
DrAbhay Shukla of CEHAT shared their experiences of promoting 'Arogya Sathi’s in four
different locations in Maharasthra and Madhya Pradesh.
The objectives that guides these efforts included:
•
Developing strategies to make public health care an ‘entitlement’ for the people (as
opposed to the present notion that it is a set of services provided by this welfare stale)
•
Ensuring sustainability of community health process.
•
Developing innovative approaches to training of Arogya Salhis (illiterate Health
Workers)
•
The Strategies for implementing included:
•
Engaging mass organizations to take up health agendas (as NGO based health
programmes were not sustainable in the long run)
•
Promoting people based structures (village health committes and Jan Swaslhya
Samithis, which includes NGOs) for taking responsibility for health.
•
Developing pictorial training materials including for assessment of the trainees (even
if illiterate) and campaign materials that demystified health.
The Programme aimed to address issues relating to public sector in health, the private sector
in health, the heallh/ill health determinants as well as towards promoting people’s alternative
strategies for health. The public health sector was challenged to be accountable by monitoring
their services (village health calendar) and through specific issue based campaign. The
private sector was challenged to be rational and transparent in their services through
promoting awareness of the people on their exploitation and through signature campaign with
the private professionals. The 'determinants’ affecting health taken up for campaigning
included 'Anti Alcohol Campaign’ and 'Right to Food Campaign’.
Within a short period the programme has yielded results in the form of Arogya Sathis being ■
able to handle 60% health contingencies of the community and considerable savings of the 1
health expenditures of the people
Gonoshasthaya Kendra (GK) Bangladesh
Dr.Kasim Chowdhary presented on GK, which effort was initiated.in 1972, six years prior to
Alma Ata Declaration. The programme currently is involved in ten locations in Bangladesh.
covering population of seven lakhs.
The objectives of’the programme included:
•
I )eve)oping a model of primary health care
•
Promoting women’s rights
•
Promoting economic emancipation of people
•
Advocacy for people oriented policy changes.
The strategies includes:
A three- tier institutional approach to Primary Health Care (para- medic at the village level
covering a population of 4000, the sub-centre and the referral hospital)
Other sectoral interventions in the areas of poverty alleviation, environmental protection.
Gl< has taken up national level advocacy campaigns towards the development of Health
Policy and a Rational Drug Policy. The preventive services of GK are completely free,
whereas for the curative services fees are charged.
4.
DEENABANHU PROGRAMME-TAMILNADU
Dr.Hari John presented about this programme which drew its inspiration from the 'bare-foot
doctors’ of China and which was initiated prior to Alma Ata Declaration.
The Programme had three (3) district phases. The first phase (before 72) was focussed on
Community Health Cave delivery, through appropriately trained illiterate women workers
and reviving indigenous health practices. The second phase upto late 90s focussed on
community health and development through interventions in credit unions, revival of
indigeneous knowledge in the area of agro -eco-systems and other income generation
schemes. The third phase was linked to the struggles of the people for their livelihood righjs ,
and also focussed on 'social capital’ building.
Some of the outcomes of the Deenabandhu effort includes bringing down IMR from 125 to
50, enhanced role of community and local health workers in health provision, and promoting
people’s actions for their rights.
5.
Child in Needinstitute (CIN) West Bengal
Mr.Anup Das presented on the CINI experience. This programme is directly reaching four
(4) lakh population through institution based services and CINI are also involved through
their training role in the states of Orissa, Jharkhand and some in North-East.
The objectives of this programme includes:
•
•
Sustainable health and nutrition
Development of women and children in need
The operational strategies include:
•
•
Case management of individual patients
Behavioral change communication
Convergence and partnerships (at different levels and with diverse actors including
the government)
6.
RUHSA-TAMILNADU
Dr.Rajaratnam Abel presented on the RUHSA experience, which is a project of CMC
Vellore. The objectives the programme addressed itself included:
Improving the nutritional status of children and women
Control of communicable diseases
Bringing down chronic illnesses
Improving the economic status of families.
In its approach to implementation, RUHSA promoted a comprehensive approach, community
participation, enhancing people’s economic activities and had a positive bias for the poor,
who were organized into self-help groups. As a result RUHSA has been able to demonstrate
positive outcomes in all these above areas.
B).
The second part of the workshop focussed on health related policy issues especially in
the context of Globalization’ from different country experiences. Mr.Nooman from Bangla
Desh and Dr.Ravi Narayan chaired this session, whose brief summary is given below:
Dr.Prem John gave a brief overview of the primary health care challenges in poorer Asian
countries analyzing the variables, ‘health status of the poor’, ‘Access to meaningful health
services’, ‘Viable PI IM (People’s Haith Movement) existing or are possible in the future (the
one page analysis is attached).
ON A SCALE OF
0-10
MYANMAR
BHUTAN
Laos
INDONESIA
EASTTIMOR
VIETNAM
CAMBODIA
PHILIPPINES
INDIA
BANGALADESH
NEPAL
SRI LANKA
MALDIVES
PAKISTAN
CHINA
HE ALT
H
STATUS
OF THE
POORER
% OF
POPULA
T1ON
3
5
5
4
2_
8
4
5
4
4
3
6
7
7
WHERE
WORTH
WHILE
PHM
ISON
WHERE
OPPORTUN
ITIES
/PARTNERS
FOR PHM
5
4
4
3
8
3
0
0
0
4
_0___
2
5
J___
_5__________
1
.7.__ ___
1
5
4
4
2
7
7
6
6
7
7
6
7
0
3
1
8
9___
9
8
9
1
5
3
ACCESS
TO
MEAN
INGFUL
HEALTH
SERVICE
7
L.........
TAIWAN
S.KOREA_________
JAPAN
9
10
10
9
10
10
0
0
2
5
2________
4
Prof.Thessian from Sri Lanka said that ’Globalization’ started in Sri Lanka from 1977, and
that Sri Lanka had a fairly reasonable public health care services prior to that' There has been
a rapid deterioration after the'Civil War’ started.He highlighted thefollowingpolicy related
•
Legalising of’Private Practice’ by the public sector doctors has led Io a vested interest
in ill health.
•
The new model of economic development followed in Sri Lanka has increased
economic disparities.
•
Removal of price control in the Drug Policy is hiking up the prices of drugs.
There has been an emergence of new set of health issues, such as- chronic diseases, pesticide
poisoning, increased mental health problems and suicides.
Dr.Kasirh Chowdhary said that, Bangla Desh has no written health policy and that from the
90s, the government has been forced to implement ’Selective Primary Health Care’, lie
added that though health infrastructure is good, it is not functional. He highlighted the
following issues:
Fifty percent of the population has no access to health care
The new emphasis on ’center- based health care’ (which in effect removes the role of
community based health workers) is retrogressive.
The dilution of the progressive drug policy of Bangladesh has resulted in two sets of essential
drug lists, different for public and private sectors, which is irrational.
The Family Planning Program, which was functioning quite well, has ’platoued’ since 3
years.
Dr.Shyam Ashtckar spoke on the Community Health Worker (CHW) experience. The world
over the CHW experience according to him has been a failure except the ‘Bare- foot Doctor’
scheme of erstwhile China. In India the CHW program'has failed, though in smaller locales
there has been successful experiences. He opined that no standardized pattern o/’CHWs exists
and in each of the three variables of’Community’ ’Health’ and role of the ’Worker’ there is
great variation across different models.
Madhulika Bannerji spoke on 'Primary Health Care (PHC) and Traditional systems of
Medicine (JSM). She said integration of traditional system into PHC was complicated by the
existing relationship between modem system of medicine and the traditional systems, which
has worked against the TSM. TSM has been disabled by lack of public support, though the
’Textual Systems’ in TSM have managed to survive the market pressures.
She highlighted two issues:
The dominant religious political discourse presently holding sway, is also manipulating the
TSM, due to its relationship culturally.
The market forces are taking control of traditional knowledge and taking it away from
community’s control.
She felt PHC would find an ally in the fundamental research being done in the traditional
system.
Dr.Thelma spoke giving an overview of the Primary Health Care policy issues in India.
Though the country’s health policy '82, gave an impetus for the expansion and realization of
PHC, it id not materialize due to leadership failure and for want of effective pressure from the
ground to make it functional. She highlighted the following issues, which require attention
for Primary Health Care to be realized:
•
•
•
•
•
Adequate budget allocation
,
Transparency in functioning
Involvement of the community in all the areas (Planning, implementation.
monitoring)
Inter sectoral coordination
Addressing basic determinants of disease/health including industry induced
determinants (such as Tobacco, Alcohol and Mcdico-pharmacculical).
Mr.Nooman of Bangladesh the chairperson summed up the inputs on policy issues.
The last part of the workshop related to Alma Ata Anniversary plan of PHM.
Dr.Ravi Narayan the incoming Secretary of International PHM said that the two successful
elements of Primary Health Care policy had been the campaign against 'Baby Food’
■promotion and Essential Drugs promotion. The Essential Drugs policy has been diluted
(failed) and is an issue for sustained campaigning.
The International Steering Committee has decided on the following initiatives, which could
be taken up by the countries.
Review of PHC experiences at country/state/district levels.
To issue press statements in connection with every ‘National Day’ events
highlighting the PHM demands concerning those events.
Instituting awards 'People’s Health Awards’, to those who have made
Important contributions to advancing PHC.
Documentation of current success stories and problems in primary health care, including a
film 'Reviving the Dream’.
A web campaign of a million signatures.
Dr.Unnikrishnan spoke on the Web based campaign 'Health for All Now’ that meant to
collect a million signatures demanding adoption of 'Health for AH’. These would include
Nobel Laureates to simple grass- root workers. He requested that efforts be made‘to1
overcome the 'Digital Divide’ by printing out the campaign material by those having access
to internet and promoting among those who did not have access. The e-group address is
AVIV@NETNAM.VN
Information was given that the international health journal ‘Contact’ has brought out a special
issue on PHM after Dhaka and the national journal 'Health Action’ will be serializing the
deliberations of ASF Hyderabad, related to health. The workshop ended with thanking all the
participants and the rapporteurs Dr.Mani Kalliath and Dr.Joy Verghesc.
Action Towards a Tobacco Free World
A workshop at Asia Social Forum, Hyderabad
Date: 3rd January 2003
Time: 2:15 to 6:30 P.M.
Venue: Taj Mahal Hotel, Abids Road, Hyderabad '
Facilitated by:
Community Health Cell. Bangalore on behalf of Jan Swasthya Abhiyan / People's Health
Movement)
Partner Organizations
Consortium For Tobacco Free Karnataka
PATH-Canada, LIFE
A Report by Dr. Anant Bhan, Community Health Cell
The workshop began with registration of all participants. They were given files with
background material about the purpose of the workshop. Around 40 people participated in the
workshop.
The workshop began with an introduction to the purpose of conducting the w orkshop by Mr.
S.J. Chander from the Community Health Cell w'ho spoke about the global problem that
Tobacco had become and the targeting of Asia and developing countries by Tobacco MNCs
and hence the importance of a concerted effort to network for freedom from tobacco.
Dr. Ramesh S. Bilimagga. Radiation Oncologist and member. CFTFK (Consortium For
Tobacco Free Karnataka. Bangalore, chaired the first session. He welcomed all the
participants to the workshop and reiterated that tobacco was a major problem not just in India
but also across the world. He stressed that a small step by' everybody in the direction of a
tobacco free world would make a big difference. He then invited Dr. Thelma Narayan from
CHC to give an overview' of the problem.
Dr. Thelma explained that the workshop was being held under the platform of Jan Swasthya
Abhiyan (PHM) which was active in more than 92 countries ands was working towards
making the govts, and WHO and international bodies accountable to their commitment for
Health For All. She stressed that many coordinating and facilitating agencies had helped in
organizing the workshop and also enumerated the other events at ASF being facilitated by
CHC/JSA/PHM. She said that the workshop w'ould help us understand the tobacco issue
especially in regards to dealing with the tobacco industry'. It was needed to share our
solidarity in the ASF platform and to strategize and reflect. The effect of globalization on
public health needed to be studied in depth. Opium had been used in the past by Britain to
subjugate China and now' the western powers through the tobacco MNCs were using tobacco
to subjugate the Asian countries. The US was promoting the global consumption of tobacco
and there had been a sharp increase in tobacco usage in mam' areas: the issue of tobacco
4sPl^U
advertising was also an important issue. While tobacco use was reducing in the North
America and Western Europe, the tobacco market was being relocated with increasing use in
Asia and developing countries. Data from different Asian Countries was presented. The
dynamics and intricacies influencing the negotiations of the Frame Work Convention For
Tobacco Control (FCTC) led by the WHO (World Health Organization) needs to be more
transparent in order to evolve a useful instrument.
A Magic Show and a talking doll show followed this. The magician stressed on the ill effects
of tobacco and requested people to not let their lives go up in smoke and to avoid the bad
habits. It was well appreciated by the audience. He also wished everybody present a venhappy and tobacco free New Year.
Dr.Ramesh then invited Dr. Prakash C. Gupta, an epidemiologist and a public health
consultant from Mumbai having 36 years of research experience in the field of tobacco.
Dr.Prakash began by saying that tobacco is a public health problem even at the grassroots
level. Understanding the problem was not enough and something needed to be done about the
problem There were various organizations working in the field of tobacco control in India-a
loose coalition of which was the ICTC (the Indian Coalition for Tobacco Control). Each of
the organizations was free to pursue their own agenda but it was an interactive forum for all
participating organizations to pool their resources. He expressed hope that more organizations
would join the fold. He also mentioned that a death clock had been installed in Delhi that
would register the deaths being caused by tobacco usage in India.
After thanking Dr. Prakash, Dr. Ramesh introduced Mr. Sonam. a bureaucrat form the
Ministry of Health and Education in Bhutan. Mr. Sonam said that Bhutan had initiated
tobacco control regulations as early as 1729; the state religion (Buddhism) did not permit the
usage of tobacco. He cautioned that in their experience regulation alone was not enough and
there was he need to take undertake aggressive information dissemination and work for anti
tobacco legislation. The Hon'ble Minister of Health had ensured that the sale and
consumption of tobacco had been banned in public places. The effort had come through a
decentralized approach wherein 18 out of the 20 districts in the country had themselves taken
up the initiative to work for local tobacco control. He said that a dilemma that faced the govt.
was the continuing sale of tobacco in the duty free shops in the capital city. which could not
be stopped because of diplomatic problems- he invited suggestions from the participants on
how to deal with the problem. He said that one of the queens in Bhutan was committed to the
cause of tobacco control and had been appointed as a goodwill ambassador by the UNFPA
and she advocated the tobacco and health issues in various districts that she regularly visited.
Appreciating the people of Bhutan, Dr. Ramesh said that it was important to remember that
perseverance was the key.
Dr. Ramesh then called upon two members of the Bangladesh Anti Tobacco Alliance to
speak about efforts at tobacco control in their country1. One of them Mr. Ratan Deb said that
sometime ago though there were many groups working in the field not many were w orking
together ;only school level programs were being organized to raise awareness about the
harmful effects of tobacco and these also not very- effective as they w ere leading to rebellion
in many- cases. He felt that what w-ould work is strict enforcement, high taxes, controlling of
advertising, more elaborate warning in the packs. He said that BATA has little resources
compared to other groups and tobacco companies. BATA had filed a case in the Bangladeshi
courts and had managed to achieve a significant legal victory which led to decrease in the
rampant advertisement of tobacco companies and had also proved that British American
Tobacco Company's antismoking campaign was a sham. BATA has been closely working
with the Bangladeshi govt, and have been attempting to spread the message of harmful
effects of tobacco even in the regional languages. A law for stricter tobacco control is now
pending in the parliament. A second writ petition is now' pending in the courts under the
Right to Life campaign against the Imperial Tobacco company; the court has given a stay
order on all relevant advertisements for two months. Many organizations and facilities in
Bangladesh are now- tobacco free due to the efforts of BATA. He ended stressing that
working together was very important for tobacco control. Mr. Naveen Thomas expressed the
view' here that one major factor for the success of the campaign in Bhutan was the fact that
the political, religious and local leadership had come together to fight the problem and were
very much involved.
Dr Ramesh appreciated the efforts of BATA and raised the fact that the various govts, had a
dichotomous altitude towards tobacco wherein e.g. the Karnataka govt had an anti tobacco
cell in the Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, it also had a research wing in the Tobacco
Board to try to improve productivity and quality of tobacco crops. He said that in K’taka
• There were 8 million tobacco addicts.
• 6000 children under the age of 15 yrs of age and as mam' between the ages of 1524 enter the pool of tobacco users.
There w'as a need to publicize the tobacco issue among the lay public as they had the right to
information.
Mr Jaggaiah, a security guard from Hyderabad who used to smoke around 48-50 beedis a
day for over 40 years presented his medical problems directly related to his tobacco
addiction. He used to get cough, dyspnoea and chest pain; he had to undergo surgery
(pneumonectomy) for pathology arising from his tobacco usage; he said that he had now
stopped smoking and w'as proud to be free from tobacco.
Ms. Lalitamma from Karnataka, an ex-cultivator then shared her experience .She said that she
had been working in the tobacco fields for over 15 years; most of the workers used to be
employed as daily w'age w'orkers by the rich cultivators and had w'ork for only 3-4 months/yr.
The workers had very hectic work in the fields everyday and at the end of each day they w ere
so tired that they could not adopt any hygienic methods before consuming food or have a bath
before sleeping. They also used to use a lot of pesticides in the tobacco nurseries in their
homes and because of all this problems she felt that they used to inadvertently consume a lol
of pesticides. During the course of her work, she developed health problems and approached
a medical practitioner who advised admission - her treatment bills were in the range of about
Rs 30,000. She said that she had resolved to never do that kind of work again and was hoping
that other people also left that hazardous work.
Dr. Ramesh thanked all the speakers for giving an insight into the various issues related to
tobacco that were affecting their lives and w'ork. He then thanked the organizers for having
given him the opportunity to chair the session and handed over the stage to the next
chairperson. Ms. Devaki Jain.
Ms. Devaki then chaired the next session, w'hich w'as distribution of certificates and
mementoes of appreciation to
•
•
•
The people of Bhutan for having shown great collective resolve for (he fight against
tobacco. This was received by Mr.Sonam Thunsho. secretary, government of Bhutan
in charge of health education.
The members of BATA for their work for tobacco control in their country and for
dragging the guilty tobacco companies to court and make them accountable for their
unlawful practices. This was received by Mr.Ratan and Mr. Biplob
Dr. Prakash C. Gupta for his extensive work in research in the field of tobacco.
A short tea break was then announced which gave the opportunity for the audience to interact
with the speakers and also for them to view the exhibition of anti tobacco posters that had
been put up by Community Health Cell in the hall.
The tea break was followed by a panel discussion on various facets of the tobacco issue. The
discussion was chaired by Ms. Devaki Jain. She said that the amount of money the govt.
spent on treating diseases arising from the usage of tobacco was more than the money it
received through excise. Tobacco related deaths were more than the number of deaths caused
due to HIV. Malaria, and T.B. combined. There was a need for campaign mode activists; as
knowledge about the ill effects of tobacco did not deter people from harmful habits. Death
was a close phenomenon in India especially among the poor and hence morbidity and
mortality due to tobacco could not be used as an effective deterrent in that sector. There was a
need to work to change attitudes: also important was to fight the tobacco industry. which was
targeting the young by using unfair advertising means. There was a need to talk about it in the
background of globalization and macro-economic program. The relation between poverty in
India and the addiction to tobacco, alcohol and the susceptibility to HIV in poor communities
was well known and proven in studies such as one done by NIMHANS. Also, interestingly.
the govt, had included Tobacco in the Foods and Beverages list
Dr. Devaki then invited Dr. Prakash Gupta to give his presentation. Dr. Prakash’s
presentation had the following salient points:1.
There were only two causes of death that were increasing worldwide- HIV and
Tobacco.
2.
Death was an objectively measured event: Tobacco usage was the single most
preventable cause of death in the world.
3.
Current WHO estimates of tobacco attributable premature deaths are in the range
6/4.9 million/yr. This is expected to rise to 10 million / yr by the year 2030: already
in the 2011' century approx. 100 million people had died due to health problems related
to tobacco usage.
4.
India was the second largest producer and consumer of tobacco in the world: ICMR
estimate for the annual attributable mortality from tobacco was 8.00 000.
5.
Tobacco causes a lol of medical problems and addiction is a key issue because of the
nicotine content
6.
Children are the mot severely affected and unfortunately they are powerless to fight
against this evil.
7.
There were many misconceptions related to tobacco e.g. that it was not a high-risk
product and that tobacco users do not have any choice, once addicted.
8.
The truth was that more than half of chronic tobacco users would die of health
problems arising from that habit.
9.
Tobacco smoke had a lot of toxic chemicals and carcinogens and had an effect even
on passive smokers: hence there w'as a need for concerned people to fight for their
right for clean air.
10.
Tobacco and social justice w'as also an important issue- as its usage w as more among
the lower SE strata and the relative risks were also higher in this group: beedis.
commonly used by this group were more harmful than cigarettes: also unfortunately.
most of the interventions were aimed at the higher SE strata.
11.
The rising usage of tobacco among the women was alarming- one study had shown
that as many as 10% of college going women in Mumbai were using tobacco
Dr De^ aki then invited Dr. Srinath Reddy to present his views and experience as the
Indian govt, nominee and as a NGO health activist at the FCTC deliberations. FCTC was
an attempt by WHO to exercise its treaty making power for tobacco control. The critical
issues included stronger action required on the demand and supply sides. There w ere the
issues of trade and public health involved: most country representatives participating in
the deliberations w-ere advocating a total ban on all forms of advtg.- direct and indirect.
But there had been pressures from some quarters and in the ongoing round the talk was
around restriction of advtg: unfortunately the issue of surrogate advtg had not been
addressed. The WB and developed countries w'ere of the view that there was a continued
increasing demand for tobacco irrespective of control measures (more in the developing
countries and lesser in the developed ones). Global resources w'ere lacking for
implementation unless a global fund was set up. Also, cross border advertising continued
to be an issue and trade v/s public health w'as a battle that was still being fought out in the
FCTC. The recent draft of the FCTC w'as disappointing. It has been prepared for the
next round of negotiation in February 2003.
Ms. Devaki thanked Dr. Reddy and mentioned that the UN precincts and most eateries in
the developed countries are smoke free. She then invited Ms. Shobha John of PATH
Canada (Programme For Appropriate Technology for Health) based at Mumbai to make
a presentation. Shobha spoke about the poor being affected the most by tobacco usage
and she presented some data from her PATH studies which showed that the tobacco
consumption among the pavement dwellers was 82% and among the street children w as
76% - these people were spending less amount of money on food than tobacco. She also
raised the issue of misplaced targeting by activists w'ho were not addressing the tobacco
problem that was afflicting the poor SE strata and the need to reach out to that group. In
Bangladesh, a study had proven that many households were spending 18 times more on
tobacco than health. The tobacco issue w'as causing a loss to the country as the estimated
health costs w’ere in the range of Rs 6.5 billion w'hile the excise returns w'ere only Rs.4.5
billion: hence the economic loss to the nation was immense. Also the tobacco industries
were themselves promoting smuggling of their products and were using a lot of front
groups for surrogate advertisements. The industry’s argument that a lot of workers would
lose their job had to be viewed with scepticism because the companies as they were
getting mechanized w'ere laying off a lot of workers; also experience had shown that the
industry was actually quite exploitative: Ms. Devaki mentioned that some traders in
B'lore had been subletting the space outside their shops which was actual!) go\ t.
proper!) to vendors; she then invited Ms. Suvarna to share the findings of her slud) in
Shimoga in Karnataka.
Suvarna mentioned that she had been working in the area for the last 12 yeras and she had
noticed that tobacco cultivation had decreased by more than 50% - this had sparked an
interest to initiate the study. They had discovered that the cultivators were actually the
large farmers as the govt. Tobacco board regulations were that all tobacco cultivators
should a possess a minimum of at least 3-4 acres of land .Tobacco cultivation was labour
intensive It also required a lot of wood for curing which had led the farmers to steal wood
from the forests. Almost 80% of the forests had been depleted and now the local populace
had sometimes to walk a distance of 10 kms to collect firew'ood. Good quality wood was
required for curing w'herein temperatures were maintained at 90-120 degrees Fahrenheit
for 4 days. The alternative crops that some families had shifted to in the state were maize
etc.: they had noticed that the land became more fertile if tobacco cultivation was
decreased. As tobacco wras a very labour intensive work, the people used to be bus) from
morning to evening in their work, w'hich had affected families, as there was nobody to
look after children and the elderly. This has been shown in falling attendance in school for
the children of cultivators and agricultural laborers. The Sanghas and self-help groups
discussed this and decided to utilize the govt, programs. Supporting each other, the)
started animal husbandry and w'ere managing to get continues money inflow. In tobacco
cultivation, women w'ere the most affected - they had occupational problems, were made
to work hard and do menial jobs; there w'as gender insensitivity and the women were made
to do the most difficult and strenuous work. This had affected the lives of many women
and children adversely. Ms. Devaki appreciated the presentation and mentioned the need
for linked narratives to help with advocacy issues.
This was followed by a group discussion involving all participants that was chaired by
Dr. Srinath Redd)'. The main points that were highlighted in the discussion by various
participants were: •
Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) caused by tobacco usage needs to be studied and
publicized.
•
FCTC needs to advocate strong regulations- local and national.
•
Need to sensitize the politicians about the issue.
•
Need for effective political lobbying and policy level interventions.
•
Need to safeguard the interests of the involved people and to try to bring the larger
forces to come together.
•
Lesser emphasis to be laid on health and more on the fiscal and the environmental
aspects.
To try to attempt a linkage with the right to food campaign and the environmental
issues.
•
Promote the usage of the 73rd and the 74th amendments that promote local
governance.
•
Need for economists to study the long term effects of tobacco usage.
•
Promote the ban of tobacco consumption in public places as it gives the right to
people to protest tobacco usage.
•
Alternate employment strategies to be promoted.
•
Need to understand that there was no direct subsidy by the Govt, of India to the
tobacco industry but indirect subsidy.
•
Legislation against tobacco would be ineffective if people were not informed and
convinced about the reasons for legislation.
•
Need to approach and convince even the local and vernacular media to cover tobacco
related issues.
•
Need to convince the film producers and artists to not promote the usage of tobacco
in the movies/serials; this was especially relevant as the theme of the World No
Tobacco Day this year was ‘Free Films from the influence of Tobacco
•
The information about tobacco to be integrated into existing health programs and
through the educational system in school and colleges.
Mr. Niranjan from the People's Health Movement in Sri Lanka shared that the cost of
one cigarette in Sri Lanka was 7-8 rupees and that was an effective deterrent also: it was
discussed that Prof. Panchamukhi's study on Karnataka had proven that tobacco farmers
were ready to diversify into vegetable cultivation but the market support was not in
place. Whereas the tobacco industry was picking up its produce and taking it to the
market this support was not available for the farmers involved in vegetable farming to
transport their produce to the distant markets.
The group then discussed the statement to be issued by the workshop participants- certain
changes were suggested for incorporation in the statement before finalization and
distribution to the ASF organizers and the media The modified statement and the press
release are attached.
Dr. Srinath thanked the participants for their active participation in the group discussion.
A formal vote of thanks was proposed and the workshop ended.
Feedback of the participants at the workshop on
“Taking the peoples health movement forward.”
Vimal Bharthi BGVS secretary
In supel district, which has 180 panchayat, BGVS is working in 6 panchyats with 60 villages.
This district is affected by the Kosy river and most of the time the local people have no
access to health care. The condition of the govt health care system is very bad. There are
some times no medicines and at times there are no doctors. This creates all kinds of problems.
This is accentuated during monsoons when getting medicine is quite difficult. There is an
attempt to encourage people especially females to be informed about their health. There is lot
of difficulty in transporting serious patients because of lack of roads; this has resulted in
many avoidable deaths. BGVS has tried an experiment wherein a health center has been
made the model center and all the medicine being received from the govt are made available
at this place. SHGs have been encouraged and the women of their sanghas are educating the
wormen of their villages about their health. All of us BGVS members are trying to introduce
health work in our areas. We are trying to coordinate with govt agencies to help this work.the
govt officials have agreed to be a part this initiative. We are hoping to get encouragement and
guidance from all of you in our endavour.
Harischandra BGVS (Bihar)
Request
Bihar’s Saharsa districts there arel 1 blocks having 172 panchyats. Saharsa BGVShas bean
work in 6 panchayat areas in 60 villages with public cooperation. I am coordinating surveys
in these villages. BGVS is training 60 men and 60 women self help groups, self help groups
are encouraged to meet once in 15 days and open bank accounts. The members are being
encourgesd to get educated through the BGVS and this is where the ISA is slowly taking
shape. It is necessary as the people especially the women and children in these areas are quite
weak and sick.
Mr. Mandal
60 villages- a village has a male worker and a female worker; there are 6 ANC workers and
each ANC worker guides 10 villages’ workers. During the survey it was realized that the poor
families especially the harijns and members of SC communities suffer more from
malnutrition and women are forced to work the whole day and they have no lime for
themselves. Through training and awareness we are trying to change this. Women ( educated
ones) believe in superstition, we are trying to slowly remove this by organizing meeting and
visiting families - I call this work ISA. The people working at the village level - VHWs, in
panchyats, 2 panchyat ISA workers are regularly meeting and slowly our work is bearing
fruit
Feedback of Mr. Sowrimuthu animator in an slum in Banglore
First lime in our area women’s group, youth group and men’s group are formed and through
these groups sessions being held on health and social development. I support in running of
these groups. In order to tackle the health problems community meetings are held and out
association whole-heartedly support these activities.
850/chander/support to PHM/phmforward
Suggestion
PHM should unite all the urban slums works in Bangalore and take action at policy level to
improve their health.
Dr. Venkatesh LIFE -HRG
For strengthening
Dissemination of ideas
Support this initiative
Sharing of information
Linking with similar areas of interest
Coordinate/resist/ force attempt to suppress initiatives
For promotion
Interesting this PHM
Training in social work
Inputs on issues on health
Advocacy
Need for integration of vertical programmes with local issues
To cut down overheads and increase effectiveness.
Babul K Adhikari
PRSP and Health Network Bangladesh
•
•
•
•
Organize campaign meeting on PRSP health in union and thana level involving local
governments
Organize 10 district level workshops
Organize 3 district level workshops
Organize national workshop
Attend different meeting and campaign programme in PHM Bangladesh.
Continue coordination and supporting to PHM Bangladesh circle secretarial.
Attend national and international event of PHM
Suggestion
PHM Bangladesh circle should go for a legal status with loose structure and a broad
constitution.
Conceptual clarification, workshops for two days in 6 divisions and also in Dhaka as national
level.
•
•
•
Organize district circle within 2003
Define the relation, representation and role of Bangladesh circle in the regional and
global level. And also be clear the role of regional and global circle to national circle
- Bangladesh.
Introduce membership both for organization and individual with subscription.
850/chander/support to PHM/phmfbrward
2
A regular bulletin of PHM- Bangladesh circle along with website.
•
Suvarna
Spandana- Karnataka
Since 2000 have been participating the peoples health movement activities. My involvements
have been in the following areas:
1.
awareness on personal hygiene
2.
programmes on villages cleanliness and water management
3.
pulse polio programme
4.
awareness on prevention on bad habits
5.
eye camps
6.
training on women and health
7.
a study on tobacco
8.
directed street plays on HIV/IDS
Suggestion
•
•
Give more attention for health of the rural women
Awareness on ill effects on alcohol and tobacco, this must be pail of the school
syllabus.
Nagaraj
Sandeep Seva Nilaya- Nelamangala, Karnataka
Following programmes have been organized in the area of primary health;
•
•
Given awareness on first aid, personal hygiene, family planning, TB, leprosy and
HIV/AIDS. They have also conducted training at village level on thee issues.
Awareness on health issues have been done through pamphlets, video, and writing on
walls.
Suggestions
•
•
There should be committees at village level; inclusion of government officials is
necessary.
Make the health worker visit once a week the village and meet people.
Sumathi Nayar
Work done
Organised a workshop and worked on health, organised meetings in different villages,
participated PHA and raised awareness.
♦ Strengthening village health committees
♦ As beedi workers organization raised issues of tobacco and health
♦ Attended PHM meetings, monitoring health care in its health in corporate sector.
850/chander/support to PHM/phmforward
Suggestions
♦
Give PHM in Bangladesh a legal status and constitution needs to make clear plan.
♦ Define relationship between circles - all three levels bring out a regular bulletin, have
Website.
♦
Health melas have to be held in all villages, give classes on health and hygiene in al!
schools and colleges
♦
PHC must be implemented in all countries.
♦ Good trained health worker is crucial.
♦ Access to health is a right of the poor.
♦
Actions must go down to country level, must move from country to policy otherwise
change will not come.
♦
Set up mens group bring about change in womens issues too, to raise awareness on male
alcoholism in slums and raise health issues.
♦ Address addictions people- tobacco etc.
♦
Systems of dialogue between people and health providers.
♦
Translate critique of policy documents to reach people.
♦
Include peoples experiences in healthy policy discussions.
♦
Join PHM people and continue monitoring women’s health put pressure on uppa zilla
level.
Individual action
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
Worked at village level
Block level health enquiry and record of health status
Promoting self help groups for women
Undue focus of use of Condoms for AIDS bust be stopped.
Distributing PHC to other organizations and bringing out news letter on PHM and hold
meetings.
Suggestions
Wants to form more self help group of women.
Block level finances need to be collected to help develop a fund to care for
How t combine the reality of lack of basic care with supporting the PHM ideas
850/chander/support to PHM/phmforward
Self help groups for women is very empowerment tool
Policy level - address issues of “stunting” of population, keep checking height for age.
Niranjan Udumalagala
Individual level
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
Popularize the PHC
Provide information about PHM
Distribute sinhala version of PHC
Attended PHM meetings organised by Tamil Nadu Science Forum.
Study on phamiaceutical pricing in SA countries
Participated televison and radio discussion in PHM.
Pharmaceutical bank
At organizational level
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Participated PHA activities
Helped organizing 3 seminars, phamiaceutical and reasonable price for Sri Lanka
Preparation of country report on health for world summit on sustainable development.
PHA national level meeting in 2002
Publish local newsletter bimonthly.
S.J.Chander, Community Health Cell.
Programmes organised
♦ World Health Day rally
♦ Access to essential drugs workshop
♦ Seminar on “ reaching the Unreached” (the professionals and organizations other than
public health and community health)
♦ Students rally on tobacco
♦ Introduced PHM to voluntary agencies
Suggestions
Complete Peoples Health dialogue, get a picture of health situation, problems and needs
from peoples point of view and use the information for advocacy.
♦ Simplify and translate Critique of National Health policy, Pharmaceutical policy.
population policy etc and disseminate the issues of contention through voluntary
agencies.
♦ Organize protest rallies at state, national and international levels
♦ Encourage more peoples groups to communicate their concents to the concerned
authorities, use eg; like dear doctor letter.
♦ Document peoples experiences and concerns and present it to the international bodies
responsible it.
♦
850/chander/support to PHM/phmforward
Savarimuthu
Ambedkar Welfare Association, Sudamnagar, HAL, Bangalore
I am savarimuthu, vice president of Ambedkar Welfare Association, first time in our slum
adult men’s, women’s and youth are organised. Different health and development
programmes are going on with the help of CHC and Navajeevan . We are completely
involved and participate in community health approach to tackle alcohol which is recently
initiated in our area.
Suggestions
All the slum peoples organisation should be helped to come together to have join action in
the policy level for developing the health status of Bangalore slums.
Is PI-IM clear of its goal and duration?
Peoples health charter is exhaustive- can PHM achieve all that or should it be divided into
components with different teams leading each component.
In a movement to suceed work with media is essential, is it adequate?
What are the critical achievement that must /can be made in the short run for the PHM to
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
SHG movement for women as excellent sustainable medium for health care and
reducing poverty.
Successful cultural effort at malaria control among the tribals in Orrissa.
Have been able to withstand sustained pressure to promote indiscriminate use of
condoms in health care.
Advocate the use of structure measurement as a indication to measure improvement in
health and decrease in poverty- international level.
Concern at a new WHO policy on deliveries skilled attendant at delivery TTBAwith
adequate.
Fakhrul Ferdous
Coordinatro DCI, Bangladesh
What DCI has done after PHA 2000?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Actively participated in forming PHM circle Bangladesh
Attended circle meeting
Participated in Bangladesh Health Assembly
Discussed DCI participation in EC meeting
Observed breast feeding day
Organized community level discussion to raise health awareness
Organized feed back session for the staff members.
Observed mothers day
Health related household survey is being conducted
850/chander/support to PHM/phmforward
10.
Health awareness billboard demonstrated.
What DCI wants to do after ASF 2003?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Complete the household survey
Identifying health related needs of the people
Set up a health care service structure
GO-NGO linkages development
(GO-NGO -peoples participation) health strategy setting.
AFIA BILQUIS
Bangladesh
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
After PHM 2000 as member of DORP the health program is extended for more three
years
To PRSP expand the health programme 22 agenda have been fixed up in collaboration
with the villages.
On the basis of the 22 agenda a village book is proposed by the villages in
participatory process
Involve the school students, teachers, head masters, parents of the students and the
community in the movement.
Starting the progress with the socially disadvantaged women of Dhaka city.
My involvement in PHM
I involved with the divisional workshop of Chittagondg. National workshop of Dhaka.
1 was involved with PHM publication, since last three years three books and one
poster.
3.
As PHM BC secretariat is at DORP office, so I organized the meeting PPHM BC at
my organization.
4.
PHM BC and Global PHM with G8 linkages should be increased.
5.
PHM B should be more active.
1.
2.
ZILLUR RAHAMAN
UDDYOG
Bangladesh
Individual opinion
As a member worker I have been working for empowering the peoples in their health right
such as personal hygiene practice, preventive measure of diseases as a part of people's
development which start from myself and my family members through doing by sharing
other.
I am working with UDDYOG a non governmental development organization which is
engaged in the northern Bangladesh with the aboriginal people community and the very poor
communities.
850/chander/support to PHM/phmforward
The present activities of health and environment of UDDYOG
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Awareness raising on personal hygiene practice
Disease prevention
Nutrition- homestead gardening through homestead use planning.
Identification of village level health problems and planning by the village/ community
people
Linking with the Govt, health facilities.
Awareness rasing to the students and teachers and mobilization.
Screening of arsenic contamination tube wells and awaring villages on alternative
measures.
Promoting and exploring herbal trees.
Promotion of natural agricultural and fisheries
Participate the meetings of PHMB and work for expansion.
Recommendation
•
•
•
•
Training programme should undertake for increase rural health workers
Preventive health care
Campaign for reducing the depending of drugs should be increased
Natural agricultural and traditional agriculture should be expanded for secure the
human being.
F.FERDOUS
DCI, Bangladesh
I.
Local level
1.
Strengthening PHM - BCI activities
♦ Establish district circles
♦ Health assembly to be organized
♦ Dialogue with Govt, for policy planning.
2.
Regional level
a.
b.
c.
d.
Establishing linkage between organization and networks
Representation to Govt, from the secretariat
Translation of PHC and distribute
Publish PHC newsletter
International
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
Realization of PHC
Policy advocacy
Organize Assembly (Africa and Latin America)
Dialogue with WHO
Media linkage development
Translate and distribute of PHC
850/chander/support to PHM/phmforward
g.
Media exposition of charter
Vandana Prasad
I would have like to se great differentiation between what JSA will do and what PHA will do!
Just to add
1.
monitoring of both international bodies ( UNICEF,WHO,UNFPA etc) and
international covenants and declaration related to Health, feeding into country
campaign this kind of information.
2.
Organization structure should remain flexible and simple. Involve sustainable
funding.
3.
Involve from lsl meeting ( Zafrullah with Delhi groups) onwards brought in FORCES
network been part of NWG from the start contributed to the little booklet. Convened
.ISA Delhi and since closely associated except not currently with FORCES.
Suggestions
I Place should be suitable
2.
Some sustained health programme on the ground supported by the campaign.
3.
Advocacy issues should be closely linked if not emerging from the campaign closest
to the ground.
4.
Pace should be sustained ( should be also accountable, slowest, fastest)
5.
Organizational structures should be determined by the demands being placed upon the
campaign.
JAKIA BEGUM
Nari Pokko, Bangladesh
Focus
Health and reproductive health
Suggestion
•
Already advocated to ministry of health to increase health budget
•
When her neighbors asked why was she going to India to attend ASF. She replied she is
going to learn to work for improvement of people.
•
Most people have no idea about mental health
850/chander/support to PHM/phmforward
•
90% of the people do not know about the government health care facilities. When they
come to cities they fall ill when they go back to their village, they go to quakes who
only are available to them.
•
There is corruption,, in spite of paying money, people don’t get health service.
•
Government health programme must be made accountable and transparent. People need
awareness on these issues.
•
Government is committed for providing the health care for the people and the budget of
the hospital should be increased.
•
Private practice by the government medical officers must be stopped.
•
Primary health care must be improved not only in Bangladesh but in all poor countries.
•
1 will try to reach the health services to all people.
•
Make people aware about the health awareness scheme. She said she would reach
through training to Health workers and paramedical workers.
•
Organize health melas in every district
•
Awareness on govt, health service to school, college about their rights.
Shiria Rahaman
Nari Pooko, Bangladesh
We work for people through PHM.
We are reaching out to people by training health workers.
Make people aware of their health, we do it by campaign approach from one village to
another village
I participated in Agartala PHA in India.
Sonia Asfin
Naripokko, Bangladesh
Participated in PHA
Organized 12 workshops involving media doctors and women leaders and health workers.
Participated in different PHM meetings.
I have taken active role in uppazilla health committees.
Suggestion
There should be networking from national to local level.
There should be local monitoring cell to monitor the local health care facilities
Buli Durbar
850/chander/support to PHM/phniforward
10
Nari Pokko, Bangladesh
Through small group discussions, discussed various aspects of health.
Observed world breast-feeding day.
Discussed health issues with the health authorities through PHM.
Sahosan
Naripokko, Bangladesh
There should PHM office all over the world
PHM people should be in every district and thana level.
There should be a meeting every 2-3 months.
Should be a mass awareness in TV and radio about PHM.
Najuma Begum
Naripokko, Bangladesh
Conduct workshop on campaign and lobbying.
Improve services on emergency, gynecology and forensic medicine.
Rokia
PHM, Bangladesh
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Improve family planning services
Each village should have a health center.
We are training health workers
I am working for promoting immunization.
Health services should be made available at grass root level.
Organize many training programmes.
Every village there should be one health committee.
Health training should also be given at school level.
Establish network between all Asian countries
Najma Begum
Naripokko, Bangladesh
•
•
•
•
Our organization participated at district level workshops.
Networking of women’s organization promoted,
Conducted workshop at district, thana and local levels
Conducted training on human rights focusing on sex workers. Discussed women
health problems in the programme.
Suggestion
Make people aware about govt, health services.
850/chander/support to PHM/phmforward
Promote networking NGO for lobbying and advocacy
Collected information on health
Organized many workshops on health
Syria
GK. Bangladesh
Established PHCs
Started health insurance schemes
Started sub centers
Started referral systems
10 lakli people are covered
Doing school health programme
Making people aware about their nutrition
Working on women’s development
Will do in future
Identify poorest of the poor
Make efforts to reach the services at people’s doorstep
Organize regular health checkups for people about 60 years.
Expand health insurance scheme to each and every village and people should get treatment
with minimum expenditure.
Poor people should be made aware on nutrition.
Training of health workers
Additional training for health workers at hospitals
15 doctor training on miocardiology
work for general improvement of women
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Asia Social Forum- a Reflection
By Dr. Ananl Bhatt, CHC
The recently concluded Asian Social Forum held from January 2-7, 2003 was the first
attempt at the Asian regional level at unifying all forces that have faith in the surmise that
Another world is possible- another world that need not necessarily be dominated by
imperialists & where the third world would not be continuously subjugated in the name of
globalization.
To be able to work to bring together different organizations, networks, issues, people of
diverse nationalities, cultures and give them an opportunity to be able to an exchange of ideas
through conferences, seminars, workshops, open houses, cultural performances, movies and
plays was always going to be difficult but ASF managed to pull it off.
More than 14,000 delegates and a floating population of at least 6,000 more people had
ample opportunity to unite and find common ground even within the diverse fields and issues
that they were advocating. So there were burqa clad women from Hyderabad attending the
dalit events and relating to the feelings of suppression; there was the motherj Nora Cortinas)
from a Latin country(Argentina) whose son had been taken into custody and than never seen
again who saw the hands that wield power in Burma use rape as a means of suppression on
the hapless citizens; there were the health-wallas from the Peoples Health Movement trying
to remind everybody that this was the 25th anniversary of the Health For All call of WHO
which has been conveniently forgotten by the governments in favor of the selective health
care that the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund advocate& hence it was time
to demand healthcare as a fundamental right; there were those who could still not understand
why Gujarat could have exploded the way that it did; there were those who were dedicated to
the cause of protecting our indigenous plant varieties and traditional folk-systems; there were
also those who felt that they needed to attend because they wanted to prove that they had
done their quota of social work for the year & happily went back home in their latest
imported cars with soft drink cans in one hand and sleek mobile phones in the other.
Was there something achieved at the end of such a mammoth gathering- or was it a huge loss
of resources? I have now come to realize after talking to my senior colleagues that the whole
purpose of the meeting was just to be a platform- for everybody to be able to stand up and
have their say; there was no hierarchy and negligible security (though 1 guess the organizers
lament that after the Hussain outburst) and so you had the activist celebrities mingling with
the grassroots workers who were the real strength of the organizations. It was a great
opportunity for people to meet old friends and make new ones.
The outlets serving Hyderabad! food, the dances, the continues roll of drums in some part of
the sprawling Nizam College grounds, the jostling around at the stalls that sold all kind of
stuff from books, bags, handicrafts to short eats and ASF memorabilia just added to the
“ntela' feeling and believe me at the end of each day, i f you had not managed to gather
enough dust to have to necessarily drag your tired body to have a pre-snooze bath, you had
not entered into the true spirit of the ASF.
The mass of volunteers from all over Andhra who ran the whole show guiding delegates,
making sure that you did not get fleeced by the autos and stayed on the grounds in the
shamianas need to be appreciated. The efforts of NAZ foundation to provide safe drinking
water to the thirsty masses went along way in ensuring that ASF did not become a public
health nightmare that it so easily could have turned into.
From the opening plenary, when we began to the calls of the Telugu theme song ‘/1/I.S7/1
SOCEL PHORUM' to the closing plenary when many joined in the chorus of the song, it was
an experience that left of us enriched and convinced that Another World is Possible, Another
Asia is Possible.
For a young medical graduate like me who had come from a biomedical background and had
only attended medical conferences that were less of academic updates and more of marketing
juggernauts of ‘pharma’ companies who sponsor everything from the delegate registration
and travel to toilet paper in the rest rooms, ASF was a refreshing change. Il offered a chance
to remember a plethora of lost issues that the govt, and the media has conveniently forgotten.
There was at the end of the event a deeper understanding in all of us of how the
macroeconomic policies affect each and every comer of our country and continent. The
interaction and time spent with people from diverse nationalities learning about their lives
and the reasons for their convictions are memories that will last a lifetime. The discovery that
arises from almost all the events at ASF is that health is inextricably linked to all the topics
that were being debated whether it be poverty, women’s issues, malnutrition and the right to
food, dalit marginalization or the problems of the landless, the agony of those affected by
torture and communal disharmony. This is a learning process that cannot be conveyed
through textbooks, lectures or seminars in our ivory towers of medical education but has to be
explored through the sharing of experiences that ASF provided space for.
Sometimes, there was the feeling that the most of local populace of Hyderabad were not
aware of the ASF and hence were conspicuously absent; also the fact that most events spent
too much time on analysis and discussing much less of action was disappointing. There was
also a feeling of mistrust in some sections about the funding and the involvement of the
World Bank indirectly in the organization of ASF, which was unfortunately not clarified.
This led to some groups deciding to organize an ‘Alternative ASF’ in Hyderabad which was
purportedly free of the machinations of multinational funding agencies while others decided
to protest- one of the most visible being the one led but Gadar, the revolutionary poet form
Andhra. Their views have to be respected and thought upon, as there has to be room for
dissent in the ‘another world’ that we are seeking. But these were minor hurdles which 1
guess, are to be expected in an event of the magnitude of ASF.
ASF as a meeting point was a success- a success that need not be quantified and critically
reviewed too much in detail. Il has been an experience that has left its mark on all those who
participated in it. In this time of turmoil that the country is going through, I am sure we need
more social forums to experience the feeling of togetherness which all of us felt during the
ASF and while traveling to & fro to the events in trains and buses, singing, raising slogans
and exploring new ideologies, new languages and new cultures etc.
I am sure we’ll successfully organize World Social Forum in India next year as wc have all
learnt in ASF that national boundaries are not barriers to the basic problems that all of us face
and the indomitable courage that some of us exhibit in the face of these problems to be an
inspiration to mankind.
Dr. Anant Bhan
Community Health Cell,
367, Srinivasa Nilaya, Jakkasandra lsl Main,
Koramangala lsl Block, Bangalore-560 034
Phones:- 080-5531518/5525372
E-mail: drbhan@sify.com
Collective Statement Of Concern And Demands
11
OBQDQQ
.. . . the communities affected by toxic activities like industrial pollution and
waste dumping, mining, radiation, quarrying, pesticides, tanneries etc., based
on our experience of these unjust, unsafe, unsustainable and destructive
practices imposed on us by criminal corporations and governments
Recognize that these practices constitute and
result in a gross violation of basic human rights!
Know the fact that the health, livelihoods,
future generations and their right to life and
diversity of life forms in our areas have been
seriously endangered!
Have experienced that local, national and
international governance structures have
failed in their duty to’ anticipate, prevent and
remediate harm arising out of such practices
and substances therein!
Realize that our very right to survive is
immediately threatened with such practices
and substances, accelerated by processes of
globalization, liberalization and privatization
marked by reckless pursuit of profit by
corporations,
WE therefore demand that:
Effective, appropriate and immediate steps are taken to end
unsafe, unsustainable and ecologically destructive practices and
to ban substances which are hazardous to any forms of life
Government ceases to support and subsidise the manufacture
and use of toxic substances and instead promote, support and
subsidise community-driven safe alternatives and best
environment practices
Environment and Health worksho -statement/ 850/d540/chander/Peples health movemel/suport to PHM
Government ensures full and public disclosure of information,
studies and documentation on all such toxic substances and
practices
The precautionary principle forms the basis of all policy and
decision-making
Corporations engaged in criminal and unethical practices of
contaminating and endangering communities and their
environment accept their liabilities including criminal liabilities
and pay appropriate compensation and take up remediation
❖ Civil Society networks, NGOs, health
and development activists, people
oriented academics, researchers,
policy makers, media and all those
who
have
gathered
at
ASF,
Hyderabad, support our campaign
We demand'
...that all decision-making should be participatory involving peoples
organisation and communities affected by these decisions and
transparent and all development adopted should be sustainable keeping in
mind the physical, mental and social health of all those affected and
benefited by that development.
Environment and Health worksho -statement/ 850/d540/chander/Peples health movemet/suport to PHM
In addition, we demand the following things specifically:
*
•
*
*
*
0
•
•
•
*
that both workers directly affected by mining and the communities
who may not be directly engaged in any mining-related work be
provided access to medical care (on par with the corporate,
medical-care available to the employees)
that the nexus between the government and industry be broken
that moratoriums on new industry be declared unless some basic
criteria are fulfilled
that special courts be set up to dispense the cases related to
such pollution affected communities
uninformed and illiterate people's rights, especially right to know
and information have to be unheld
health surveys as benchmarks have to be taken up before any
project is initiated and full information should be disclosed on the
products, processes and materials used in the project beforehand
and known knowledge about the hazards of such substances and
processes put out proactively
similarly, enforcement of the requirement of a gramsabha
endorsement to projects before they are set up should be ensured
privatization of public goods should be stopped immediately
rehabilitation of workers, specially also on the economic front,
should be the responsibility of the liable corporation
international frameworks should be used and enforced in a better
fashion to ensure safe and sustainable practices and protect the
interests of local communities
Environment and Health worksho -statement/ 850/d540/chander/Peples health movemel/suporl to PHM
FEEDBACK OF COMMUNITY HEALTH CELL ON THE ASIAN SOCIAL FORUM
PREAMBLE
Community Health Cell is the functional unit of the society for Community Health
Awareness, Research and Action, Bangalore, Karnataka. CHC is an active constituent of the
Jana Swasthya Abhiyan - a national network of 18 networks that are evolving a People
Health Movement in India. From 1st January CHC also become the host of the international
secretariat of the Peoples Health Movement. CHC had decided to actively participate in ASF,
welcoming the spirit,process and objective of the WSF India process. We were not on the
organizing committee directly so our involvement and perceptions could be clarified as those
of an active General body member or participant. Over 140 participants nearly 1% of ASF
registered participants were facilitated by CHC bringing together countries India,
Bangladesh, Bhutan, Philippines, and Sri Lanka and backgrounds disciplines which included
development stalwarts, health activist, professionals, campaign groups, social activist, NGOs,
health and development workers, students and CHC team members. The age group ranged
from 20- 80. CHC brought 11 out of 17 of its own staff because we also saw this
intersectional dialogue opportunity as of great significant for staff enrichment and
development. In that sense ASF proved to be a very relevant opportunity for us to enhance
the socio-political- economic- cultural contextual analysis for our team members. On return
we had a debriefing session at CHC and the following strengths and weakness were identified
which we are sending as feedback to WSF India. These are based on contributions from
different staff members and associates.
INTRODUCTION
Platform for expression of diversity
(1)
It was an event of unity in diversity of voices expressing the concerns over the negative
implications of Globalization. It was the first attempt at the Asian regional level at unifying
all forces who believe that Another world is possible- Another world that need not
necessarily be dominated by imperialists & where the third world be continuously subjugated
in the name of globalization.
(2)
To be able to work to bring together different organizations, networks, issues, people of
diverse nationalities, cultures, and give them an opportunity to exchange ideas through
conferences, seminars, workshops, open houses, cultural performances, movies and plays was
always going to be difficult but WSF India managed it well.
(3)
It was nice experience to meet many like-minded people and get better understanding of
various points of views on different issues of concern to the movements and civil society.
Like all events there were lesions to learn definitely both positive and negative.
STRENGTHS
Presence of Dalits was felt stronger
540/e/chandei7 report/ Chs Asf feed.
1.
The over arrangements at the venue were good considering the magnitude of the event
plenary halls, market place, food and water arrangement and cultural space.
Presence of Dalit was stronger
2.
The presence of dalits was impressive, well organized confident and assertive. Very
encouraging part was that many Dalit NGO groups realized the seriousness of alcoholism
especially among Dalits and decided to plan some intervention initiatives in their ongoing
programmes
3.
Media coverage
Media strategy in publicizing issues of ASF discussion was excellent as most of the leading
newspaper covered lot of articles about ASF.
4.
Space for people’s health movement
The opportunity for PHM/JSA to share ideas and learn from other sections was significant.
There were the representative from the Peoples Health Movement form several states and
countries trying to remind everybody that this was the 25th anniversary of the Health For All
call of WHO which has been conveniently forgotten by the governments in favor of the
selective health care, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund advocate& hence
it was time to demand healthcare as a fundamental right. There were over 10 event that were
organized by them using the opportunity of this significant inter sectoral event.
WEAKNESSES
1.
Too many programs
Too many programmes offered variety of activities, but it was very difficult to choose
between them. The near proximity between the programs in some centers disturbed serious
discussions held in the conference center.
2.
Focus of the discussion
Discussions were mostly on Globalization and particular political party bashing, while
discussion on privatization and secularism was conveniently left out. Also the celebration of
alternative was not as strong as it should have been.
3.
Local not aware of the event
Sometimes, there was the feeling that the most of local populace of Hyderabad were not
aware of the ASF and hence were conspicuously absent.
4.
The fact that most events spent too much time on analysis and discussing much less of
action was disappointing.
5.
Lot of innovative programmes were being organized outside conference hall, but
interaction with commoners outside the compound revealed that little more publicity among
common public was required so that the larger unconverted public should be reached.
540/e/chander/ report/ Chs Asf feed.
6.
Though the programme was varied an interesting, it could have been belter if little more
planning had gone into it to coordinate events so that similar focus events could have been
clubbed together and more collectivity in efforts promoted which would have enhanced that
dialogue between groups..
7.
The discovery that arises from almost all the events at ASF is that health is inextricably
linked to all the topics that were being debated whether it be poverty, women’s issues,
malnutrition and the right to food, dalit marginalization or the problems of the landless, the
agony of those affected by torture and communal disharmony. This is a learning process that
cannot be conveyed through textbooks, lectures or seminars in our ivory towers of medical
education but has to be explored through the sharing of experiences that ASF provided space
for. While the presence of the People’s Health Movement was strong much more needs to be
done.
8.
It was not an event to conduct serious business. People were in a celebration mood. Instead
of announcing of so many seminars and workshop, there could have been more plenary to
share themes, perceptions, case studies and alternatives.
9.
There was also a feeling of mistrust in some sections about the funding and the
involvement of the World Bank indirectly in the organization of ASF, which was
unfortunately not clarified. This led to some groups deciding to organize an 'Alternative
ASF’ in Hyderabad which was purportedly free of the machinations of multinational funding
agencies while others decided to protest- one of the most visible being the one led but Gadar.
the revolutionary poet form Andhra. Their views have to be respected and thought upon, as
there has to be room for dissent in the ‘another world’ that we are seeking. But these were
minor hurdles which we guess, are to be expected in an event of the magnitude of ASF.
IN CONCLUSION,
10)
Serious conferences and street theater could have been organized in different venues so
that both could have proceeded without many disturbances.
11)
Some times we wondered whether we were trying to covert the converted through the
slogan shouting and demonstration in front of participants who were already aware of the
many issues.
12)
Planning of more plenary sessions with an opportunity for short presentations on various
issues of concern expressed by the various groups/ organization present would have helped
more people to know at least the keys issues on each of the broader problems that ASF was
trying to cover.
SHOULD WE HOST THE NEXT WSF?
We are sure it possible to successfully organize the World Social Forum in India next year as
we have ail learnt in ASF that national boundaries are not barriers to the basic problems that
all of us face and the indomitable courage that different groups have exhibited in the face of
these problems can be an inspiration to others.
540;e/chandei7 report/ Chs Asf feed.
Bui the planning and organizing must not only be much more inclusive but also balance anti
globalization and pro alternative development events and initiatives.
ASF as a meeting point was a success- a success that needs to be evaluated in a SWOT mode
looking at strengths and gains and also at weaknesses and missed opportunities. It has been
an experience that has left its mark on all those who participated in it. In this time of turmoil
that the country is going through, we are sure we need more social forums to experience the
feeling of togetherness which all of us felt during the ASF. While traveling to & fro to the
events in trains and buses, singing, raising slogans and exploring new ideologies, new
languages and new cultures. This was its greatest strength.
While offering this feedback we would also like to thank all the WSF- India for a job well
done. It can always have been better. So the feedback taken in that spirit will make WSF
2004 even better.
Compiled by S.J.Chander
Community Health Cell, Bangalore.
54O'e/chandei7 report/ Chs Asf feed.
ASF Sidelights
Statement issued by the participants of th<
W TRKSHOP ON ACTION TOWARDS A TOBACCO F!T1. ■
On 3™ January 2003
ASIAN SOCIAL FORUM, HYDERABAD, INDIA
FIGHT TOBACCO THE KILLER III
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ftwlu-,
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indudir.-; a .jarettes, btdrs, guthka, and chewed
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Social Forum issues thtt s<
upon Government, civil sucte-•
t0 Uke up urgent cho.
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>: the bigger1, kilters woridwide and
ban ulpdy among the poor Wng 4.9 million
P-. •• - i / yea: and reducing life t>> IS-/3
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' ibatxo causes cancer of the various . o
oto- >s diseases o* heart blood vessels, lungs
ano itoer organs leading to suffering disability
■ •
r!.:. jp. a . erst environmental impact using of ■
millions of tonnes of wood for curing tobacco, i ,
excessive use of pesticides and chemicals I
deputing soil fertiSty
Die .i. j.:.:o industry indulges m misinformation
tore ;;l:
aggressive
advertisement and I
spou iorship targeting children, youth and ; *
worren
Tobacco use perpetuates poverty at household 1
and irger levels
■
'
Ban all direct and rxhrec ■„ --rase
tobacco and its product' nr r.-jr-.u sc
of sports and cultural eve- • <
companies and aditiaied bodw
Ban the manufactu*-.- imt:
tobacco in any form sncem. inrs ..i.-•
vulnerable
Progressively reduce th:
tobacco utilizing ! :■■ ,
benefcia: crops
"•he ottacco industry results m an overall fisca; ;
b ■ is- of p'.rfirtv'v and cesi
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precnan' women, retardfog the growth of the
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pas- ve smoking
Work through focal gpvnt >v. .■«
bodies, focussing on wrxiwnid c t •$
Hold the tobacco companies '•=>i-writt
losses incurred and the adv-. ■ e ;
on individuals and families o <>□•.
is h-qhry nddicfive with ncobne being more |
addkivr than cocaine or heroin.
is ' : crniv freely available consumer product
•
On public policies :
right to healin
reduction
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Prevent the cutting jjw
denudaton of tor.“'.ii, ■
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increase progressive! r “ e !-■> rs a
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TOGETHER FOR TOABCCO CONTROL"1' TOGETIn '.
WORLD SOCIAL FORUM
CONFRONTING
EMPIRE
“We can turn the war on Iraq into a fishbowl of the U.S. government’s
excesses,” declared the writer Arundhati Roy in her address to the
Stadium Anti-War Rally at the III World Social Forum at Porto
Alegre, Brazil, on January 27,2003. Speaking in the company of Noam
Chomsky, she proposed various ways to “lay siege to empire... to
deprive it of oxygen... to shame it... to mock it.” This is die text of
Roy’s speech:
ARUNDHATI ROY
’VE been asked to speak about “How to
confront Empire?” It’s a huge question,
and I have no easy answers. .
When we speak of confronting “Em
pire,” we need to identify what “Empire”
means. Does it mean the U.S. government
(and its European satellites), the World
Bank, the International Monetary Fund,
the World Trade Organisation, and multi
national corporations? Or is it more than
that?
In many countries, Empire has sprout
ed other subsidiary heads, some dangerous
byproducts — nationalism, religious bigot
ry, fascism and, of course, terrorism. All
these march arm in arm with the project of
corporate globalisation.
Let me Ulustrate what I mean. India—
the world’s biggest democracy — is currendy at the forefront of the corporate
globalisation project. Its “market” of one
billion people is being prised open by the
WTO. Corporatisation and Privatisation
are being welcomed by the government
and die Indian elite.
It is not a coincidence that the Prime
Minister, the Home Minister, the Disin
vestment Minister — the men who signed
the deal with Enron in India, the men who
are selling the country’s infrastructure to
corporate multinationals, the men who
want to privatise water, electricity, oil, coal,
steel, health, education and telecommuni
cation — are all members or admirers of
the RSS. The RSS is a right wing, ultra
nationalist Hindu guild, which has openly
admired Hider and his methods.
The dismanding of democracy is pro
ceeding widi die speed and efficiency of a
Structural Adjustment Programme. While
the project of corporate globalisation rips
through people’s lives in India, massive
privatisation, and labour “reforms" are
pushing people off dieir land and out of
dieir jobs. Hundreds of impoverished
farmers are committing suicide by consum
ing pesticide. Repons of starvation deaths
are coming in from all over the country.
While the elite journeys to its imagi
nary destination somewhere near the top of
the world, the dispossessed are spiralling
downwards into crime and chaos.
This climate of frustration and national
disillusionment is the perfect breeding
ground, history teUs us, for fascism.
The two arms of the Indian govern
ment have evolved the perfect pincer ac
tion. While one arm is busy selling India
offin chunks, the other, to diven attention,
is orchestrating a howling, baying chonrs of
Hindu nationalism and religious fascism. It
is conducting nuclear tests, rewriting histo-
I
FRONTLINE, FEBRUARY 11. 2003
like Afghanistan. The port is linked to
Afghanistan by road. India will also
help build a road from the Iranian town
of Zaranj to connect it to a main trans
port artery that serves the major cities
of Afghanistan.
Prime Minister Atal Behari Vaj
payee told the media after the signing
of the Delhi Declaration that the “full
years that an Indian armed forces chief
had visited Iran. Joint India-Iranian na
val exercises are expected soon.
under the leadership of Ayatollah Ali '•
Khamenei, the country’s spiritual lead-
In his speech Khatami noted that
Islam, after it came to India, was en
riched by Indian mysticism and spiritu
alism. He urged Muslims to play a
constructive role to strengthen the
country. Religious conflict and intoler
ance would only streng
then the hands of the
“enemies inside”. Kha
tami paid tribute to In
dia’s pluralistic political
culture.
According to Indian
officials, the sensitive
Kashmir issue did not
come up during the bi
lateral discussions. The
government of Iran ha.<^B
on many occasions said^^
that it wants a peaceful
resolution of the con
flict in Kashmir. This
position was reiterated
during President Khata
mi’s recent visit to Pa
kistan. In a speech
during that visit Khata
mi had said that there
“must be a resolution of
the (Kashmir) issue in
line with the aspirations
of the people of Kash
mir. As a Muslim, as a
human being and as an
Iranian, the acute suf
fering of the people of
dear Kashmir are unfor
gettable for me and 1
sincerely hope, Go<^_
Iranian President Mohammed Khatami with Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee before the signing of
willing, that the Kasf^B
agreements in New Delhi on January 25.
miris
achieve
their
significance ” of the agreement will only to Khatami, the West had to create a
goals.” He also reminded his Pakistani
be clear after some time. President Kha
“new enemy” after the “collapse of audience that Islam was the strongest
tami said he welcomed the presence of Communism”. He said that powerful
link binding the people of Iran and
India in “the commercial and scientific countries like the U.S. needed “ene
Pakistan.
Khatami’s speech in Pakistan did
fields in Central Asia”. Both the leaders,
mies” so that huge amounts of money
however, emphasised that their cooper could be allocated to their defence bud
not go unnoticed in New Delhi. But
ation is not directed against any third gets. He pointed out that it was not
Indian officials are also aware that Teh
only the U.S. which has been subjected eran is also wary of the U.S. military
country. “Iran and India are situated in
a region that is quire susceptible to cri
to terrorist attacks. He reminded his presence in Pakistan and Central Asia.
sis, and that is why the regional coun audience that the Palestinian people Teheran knows that it could be next on
the hit list of the U.S. after Baghdad.
tries’ shared efforts are aimed at have been the target of terrorism since a
strengthening the foundations of peace
Israel, America’s closest ally in the re
long time.
and stability,” President Khatami said
Khatami, who was elected twice gion, has for long been arguing that
Iran constitutes a bigger threat than
at a banquet hosted in his honour at with a huge popular mandate, told his
audience that Islam and democracy are Iraq. Given the circumstances it is in,
Rashtrapati Bhavan.
not incompatible. A flawed democracy, Teheran, at this juncture, cannot be too
India and Iran also plan to consoli
date defence cooperation. India’s Chief he said, was preferable to an author choosy about its choice of friends. The
of the Naval Staff, Admiral Madhvenitarian dictatorship. In his country, same holds true for New Delhi, which
today has stronger strategic links with
Khatami is currently engaged in a polit
dra Singh, was in Iran prior to Khata
mi’s visit to India - the first time in five ical struggle with authoritarian clerics. Tel Aviv than with Teheran. ■
FRONTLINE. FEBRUARY 14. 2003
DDRESSING a meeting of Mus
lim intellectuals and clerics in New
Delhi, President Khatami said that the
West is using “psychological oper
ations” to demonise Islam. According
A
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At a rally that marked the beginning of
the World Social Forum on January 23.
(Inset) An activist with a photomontage
showing U.S. President George W. Bush
along with Adolf Hitler.
some twisted form of international euquette. It’s like leaving the “doggie door”
open for last minute “allies” or maybe the
United Nations to crawl through.
But for all intents and purposes, the
New War against Iraq has begun.
What can we do?
We can hone our memory, we can
learn from our history. We can continue to
build public opinion until it becomes a
| deafening roar. We can turn the war on
® Iraq into a fishbowl of the U.S. governo ment’s excesses. We can expose George
J | Bush and Tony Blair ■— and their allies —
I
*
own people. It won’t be long before the
majority of American people become our
allies. Only a few days ago in Washington,
a quarter of a million people marched
against the war on Iraq. Each month, die
protest is gathering momentum.
Before September 11, 2001 America
^^ad a secret history. Secret especially from
its own people. But now America’s secrets
are history, and its history is public knowl
edge. It’s street talk.
Today, we know that every argument
that is being used to escalate the war against
Iraq is a lie. The most ludicrous of them
being the U.S. government’s deep com
mitment to bring democracy to Iraq. Kill
ing people to save them from dictatorship
or ideological corruption is, of course, an
old U.S. government sport. Here in Latin
America, you know that better than most.
Nobody doubts that Saddam Hussein
is a ruthless dictator, a murderer (whose
worst excesses were supported by the gov
ernments of the United States and Great
Britain). There’s no doubt that Iraqis
would be better off without him.
But, then, the whole world would be
better off without a certain Mr. Bush. In
fact, he is far more dangerous than Saddam
Hussein. So, should we bomb Bush out of
the White House?
It’s more than clear that Bush is deter
mined to go to war against Iraq, regardless
of the facts — and regardless of interna
tional public opinion. In its recruitment
drive for allies, the United States is pre
pared to invent facts. The charade with
weapons inspectors is the U.S. govern
ment’s offensive, insulting concession to
for the cowardly baby killers, water poison
ers, and pusillanimous long-distance bom
bers that they are. We can re-invent civil
disobedience in a million different ways. In
other words, we can come up with a mil
lion ways of becoming a collective pain in
When George Bush says, “you’re ei
ther with us, or you are with the terrorists,”
we can say “No thank you.” We can let
him know that the people of the world do
not need to choose between a Malevolent
Mickey Mouse and the Mad Mullahs.
Our strategy should be not only to
confront empire, but to lay siege to it.
To deprive it of oxygen. To shame it.
To mock it. With our art, our music, our
literature, our stubbornness, our joy, our
brilliance, our sheer relendessness — and
our ability to tell our own stories. Stories
that are different from the ones we’re being
brainwashed to believe.
The corporate revolution will collapse
if we refuse to buy what they are selling —
their ideas, their version of history, their
wars, their weapons, their notion of
inevitability.
Remember this: We be many and they
be few. They need us more than we need
them. ■
FRONTLINE. FEBRUARY 14,2003
decisions and those who have to
suffer them.
Our fight, our goal, our vision
of Another World must be to
eliminate that distance.
So how do we resist
“Empire”?
The good news is drat we’re
not doing too badly. There have
been major victories. Here in La
tin America you have had so many
— in Bolivia, you have Cocha
bamba; in Peru, there was the up
rising in Arequipa; in Venezuela,
President Hugo Chavez is holding
on, despite the U.S. government’s
best efforts.
And die world’s gaze is on the
people of Argentina, who are try
ing to refashion a country from
the ashes of the havoc wrought bw
the IMF.
In India the movement
against corporate globalisation is
gathering momentum and is
poised to become the only real po
litical force to counter religious
(Facing page) A demonstration against the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) at the
fascism.
World Social Forum on January 26. (Above) Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez at the Forum.
As for corporate globalisa
ry books, burning churches, and demolish
ticking in our ancient land.
tion’s glittering ambassadors — Enron,
ing mosques. Censorship, surveillance, tire
All this to say diat it is a myth that the
Bechtel, WorldCom, Arthur Anderson —
free market breaks down national barriers.
suspension of civil liberties and human
where were they last year, and where are
rights, the definition of who is an Indian The free market does not dtreaten national
they now?
citizen and who is not, particularly with sovereignty, it undermines democracy.
And of course here in Brazil we must
regard to religious minorities, is becoming
As the disparity between the rich and
ask.. .who was the president last year, and
the poor grows, the fight to corner re who is it now?
common practice now.
Last March, in the state of Gujarat, two sources is intensifying. To push through
Still... many of us have dark moments
their “sweetheart deals,” to corporatise the of hopelessness and despair. We know that
thousand Muslims were butchered in a
state-sponsored pogrom. Muslim women
crops we grow, the water we drink, die air under the spreading canopy of the War
were specially targeted. They were stripped, we breathe, and the dreams we dream, cor Against Terrorism, the men in suits are
and gang-raped, before being burned alive. porate globalisation needs an international hard at work.
Arsonists burned and looted shops, homes, confederation of loyal, corrupt, authoritar
While bombs rain down on us, and^^
textiles mills and mosques. More than a ian governments in poorer countries to cruise missiles skid across the skies, wl^P
hundred and fifty thousand Muslims have push through unpopular reforms and quell
know that contracts are being signed, pat
been driven from their homes. The eco the mutinies.
ents are being registered, oil pipelines are
nomic base of the Muslim community has
Corporate Globalisation — or shall we being laid, natural resources are being plun
been devastated.
call it by its name? — Imperialism — needs dered, water is being privatised, and Ge
a press diat pretends to be free. It needs orge Bush is planning to go to war against
While Gujarat burned, the Indian
Iraq. Ifwe look at this conflict as a straight
Prime Minister was on MTV promoting courts diat pretend to dispense justice.
Meanwhile, the countries of the North forward eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation
his new poems. In January this year, the
between “Empire" and those of us who are
government that orchestrated the lulling harden their borders and stockpile weapons
was voted back into office with a comfort of mass destruction. After all they have to resisting it, it might seem that we are losing.
But there is another way of looking at
able majority. Nobody has been punished make sure that it’s only money, goods, pat
for the genocide. Narendra Modi, architect ents and services diat are globalised. Not it. We, all of us gathered here, have, each in
of die pogrom, proud member of the RSS,
the free movement of people. Not a respect our own way, laid siege to “Empire.” We
has embarked on his second term as the for human rights. Not international treaties
may not have stopped it in its tracks — yer
Chief Minister of Gujarat. If he were Sad on racial discrimination or chemical and — but we have stripped it down. We ha> -•
dam Hussein, of course each atrocity nuclear weapons or greenhouse gas emis made it drop its mask. We have force. I it
sions
or
climate
change,
or
—
god
forbid
into
die open. It now stands before i: on
would have been on CNN. But since he’s
not — and since the Indian “market” is — justice.
the world’s stage in all its brutish, iniqui
open to global investors — the massacre is
So this — all this — is “empire.” This tous nakedness.
loyal confederation, this obscene accumu
Empire may well go to war, but it’s out
not even an embarrassing inconvenience.
lation of power, this greatly increased dis
in the open now — too ugly to behold its
There are more than one hundred mil
tance between those who make the own reflection. Too ugly even to rally its
lion Muslims in India. A time bomb is
FRONTLINE. FEBRUARY 14. 2003
tjl
r^i b—
im.
Article on A$F
AH
Subject: Article on ASF
Date: Wed. 8 Jan 2003 18:39:26 +0530
From: "L.C. Jain" <lcjain@bgl.vsnl.net.in >
To: "Shanta Mohan Dr.” <shantham@nias.iisc.emei.in>,
"Peggy Anlrebus" <panlrobus@hotmail.com>,
"Sakiko Fukuda-Pan" <sakiko.fukuda-parr@undp.org>, "Ravi Narayan" <sochara@vsnl.com>,
"Mayank Gandhi" <modcllc@vsnl.nct>, "Aruna Roy" <aruna@sltil.univ.cmct.in>
Dear Friends,
Thought you may be interested in this report which will appear in EPW - this Saturday issue on
11th January.
Devaki
<
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The Empire Strikes Back.
2003
Devakijain
: a report on the Asian Social Forum, Hyderabad 2-7 Jan
Bangalore
Dcvaki Jain, Member of the South Commission
Brinda Karat,— of the AIDWA, in a TV interview on Sunday 5th Jan, said it is the
Empire we, gathered at the Asian Social Forum, are resisting The gathering of 14,000
persons in Hyderabad, of whom unusually almost half were Dalits and women, apart
from those who work with the rights of the most oppressed and excluded, could be seen
as a defining moment for the Empire to strike back, on many counts . As an expression
of the vitality of the new identities, like dalits, displaced persons, workers and their
ability to share a common space; an expression of the widespread understanding of the
international order, therefore the fact that information on the “big Picture “ has reached
the remote, - thus justifying or affirming the value of forums and networks which have
carried the message of where and how the increasing pressures on dignity and survival
are coming from ; a quest for alternatives to the current political and economic regimes
and the theories that back them up - and last but not the least of all- developing the mode
and skills to hold international or world conferences outside of the UN’s initiatative.
It could be said that the themes and the formation as well as the presentations at the
panels and workshops were not providing anything that could be called new knowledge,
as the agonizing over this over generalized programme called globalisation has not only
been on for some time, but its impact experience, hearings, theatre and naras are now
almost a catechism. The groups and expressions on the criminality of war, on the ugly
State and the uglier politicians that run it, and the voices on the TV and other media who
are the quoted on this package are also a known scenario. As an experience for those
who have been witness to these journeys and forums, therefore it was nothing especially
new.
Bin for those who were in it for the first time and given visibility and voice in large tents
holding 1000s of people , sprinkled with delegates from other countries, it was a
resounding moment of self empowerment, of celebrating their particular' experience,
whether as victims , or part of collectivities like Dalits or displaced persons.
A young man, who is part of the electoral reform and accountability campaign, located
in Bombay was so overwhelmed by the throbbing, procession and drums and loud
speaker filled Campus or fields of the Nizam College, and all so peaceful, no violence at
all, no garbage thrown all around like a political party congress, no hierarchies at all, no
cars , - just space space and space, and crowds crowds and crowds milling to gether,
finding their way around . He was so captivated with this marvel that he went back to ,
as he said, to feel that pulsating place again before he took the plane back to Bombay. He
was transformed for life, and realized that what he was doing was just a small comer,
compared to where other campaigns had reached .
Beginning as an off shoot of the World Social Forum, which also had a beginning as an
alternative to the World Economic Forum, with “globalisation,” and the Bretton Woods
Institutions as the whipping boys, the Asian Social Forum took a shape of its own.
expanding the space, almost encroaching on the primacy of space usually occupied by not
only government representatives but the ever present UN agencies and bilateral donors;
looking for potentials for funding and for their legitimacy as upholders of Human Rights,
and supporters of poverty removal efforts . There was also the shift in the character of
those present from NGO types usually engaged in “development” to People’s Movements
Also evident was the learning that had filtered in, from the earlier experience of
participating in the NGO Forums of the UN - for which naturally the UN system and the
Bilateral donors, have to be given Credit- from Durban for the Dalit groups, from the
People’s Health Assembly of the Health for All movement, from the various women’s
conferences for the women.
Whether it was Medha Patkar, of the NBA fame, or Thomas Kotcherry of the Fisher
peoples Struggles , or Aruna Roy of the MKSS, or---- and Ruth Manorama of the Dalit
struggles, or Thelma and Ravi Nar ayan struggling to argue for the primacy of health over
all other services, for the poor; or Jean Dreze for food, or Samy of the National Centre
for Labour, for protecting the dignity of work, they were not deterred by the falling sky.
The overpowering march of that great exterminator, the new political face of economic
power,- Bush and his allies. The impending war against Iraq, the overpowering of the UN
as an international arbiter and protector of the sovereignty of nations, the hot pursuit into
Pakistan, the incapacity of any other comity of nations to challenge this crushing march
of this monolith, the many domestic laws , in the USA as well as in all other countries,
promulgated as anti terrorist laws which violate human rights, the hate language, built
around religion which has given new pugnacity to domestic fundamentalist forces, mayhave been in their conciousness, but there was also a resolve to get on with their work on
the ground. At the ASF, they were recharging their batteries. Kocherry to defend the
fisher people on the island ...., Medha to work for a development mode which did not
displace, in other words against the large infrastructure projects and the style in which
they are pm on the ground, Aruna for accountability , and a host of persons for rebuilding
(he collective united Asian front - for women against war and violence of other kinds, for
Labour- in facing the international labour protocols, for Media, health, environment and
a host of other areas.
There were murmurings that the Forum was dominated by the “leftists” while there was
also the phenomenon of some left groups publicly dissociating themselves from the
Forum. The alliances like the NAPM, the NCL - apart from many others such as the
movement spearheaded by Vandana Shiva, bear shades of the Gandhian inspiration. As
has been commented upon by many in recent times, the progressives in the India of
today, are increasingly referring to Gandhi’s political and economic ideas and methods as
inspirational. So the alliances of left and Gandhi were not on a collision path or even
demeaning or demonizing each other as was wont some time ago. Yet the reference to
Gandhi had to be muted, as the Dalits would dissociate from the explicitly Gandhian
presence. Ideaiogicai premises, controversial Ikons , did not impede the “soul" of the
space , the sense of oneness of the gatherings.
To a criticism that all these alternatives, do not add up to a unity — mere celebration of
identities, in such diverse contexts and approaches, cannot provide the basis for a
challenge to the exterminator, an interesting reply by a feminist, who was once a member
of the CPML, was that it was good to be free of a unifying political theory'. Belonging to
such formal ideologies had been suffocating, as it quelled difference of opinion, debate
and transformation . Confusion was good, as it gave the space to form new alliances,
shape new formulations , design new approaches , and may be even new theories to
underpin all the alternatives . Unity can be forged, but notforced as was happening
before the diverse groups got a shared space to understand their differences and shape
their commonality.
Was there sufficient attention to the post Sept 11th reassembled world? Since some of
the language was from the old categories of capitalist, imperialist - the analysis also
came from the classical analysis which divided the global landscape on those lines . The
re configuration of the world powers , the new hegemony , where location and religion
superceded the ownership of capital, where political leaders were unselfconscious in
using the language of hate, where the sovereignty of nations was crumbling, and where
conservatism in political leadership was being supported by citizens, did not challenge
the intellectual speakers to re define globalisation. It was not moved from its simplistic
characteristics of privatization and liberalization - to its new face of militarisation, and
unipolarity. Not enough attention was paid to the design of a response - the importance
of a commity of sovreign, independent even in economic terms , nations who could
challenge inis new monolith . Thus ihe importance of building strong states, but with a
political leadership which was different from what was in existence . Politicians were
denigrated, but the strategy for political alternatives not developed. The potential within
the peoples movements for entering the campaigns for electoral reform, for strengthening
grassroots democracy, for releasing new energies into formal politics, through campaigns
to fill the elected bodies, with women, excluded groups, leaders of movements for social
justice- what Gandhi called constructive workers was not central to the Agenda as the
mood was anti State and therefore anti Politics .
Neither the Asian Social Forum nor the World Social Forum , nor the enormous street
confrontations, nor even the valiant successes of people’s movements on the ground, can
push back this new hegemony, the Bush power It needs the Sovreign states, it needs
configurations like the NAM of old. which had a political stance, which distanced itself
from the former colonizers. Thus the Need to rebuild the State, to address politics
1624 words
MUMBAI WSF 200-1
p/ 6) o - ((t B '•
Broadening of Anti-Liberalisation and
Anti-Communal Alliance the Media Ignored
KAMAL MITRA CHENOY
-L he fourth World Social Forum, the first outside
Similarly, there are alternative ways of combating
communalism, casteism, racism and
Brazil, ended on January 21 after six days of intensive
patriarchy,
discussions, rallies and cultural events. Extensively
militarism. Yet isn't the fact that such a range of
reported in the international media, less so in India,
issues are discussed by major intellectuals, leaders
what did this event really mean? Why did 100,000
of mass movements and activists, in audiences
people—including 15,000 from more than 100 countries
ranging from 50 to 50,000 unique?
Yet commentators in the media, who were not
—and an overwhelming number of urban and rural
poor, participate? They came because the failure of,
there but should have known better, condemned the
neo-liberal globalisation to provide equitable and
intellectuals who participated as "dishonest". This
sustainable development has become clear.
shows their arrogant disregard for democratic debate
There was a wide variety of views from various
and the responsibility of intellectuals to question
^fcfial movements—environmental, women's, Dalits',
received wisdom, no matter where it may emanate
mdigenous peoples', workers'—from various diverse
from. However, the media committed to the neo-
theoretical and political tendencies. This plurality
was the WSF's strength. It was an "open space" that
liberal orthodoxy chose to instead play up the
alleged rape by a South African judge of another
allowed contending opinions to be debated: from
South African delegate which occured in a five-star
liberal
hotel miles away from the WSF event The charge
those
like Joseph Stiglitz, who want
alternative
to
a
the “Washington consensus'
that
has since been withdrawn.
dominates the IMF-World Bank-OECD thinking, to
While all harassment of women must be condemned
more radical critics who want an anti-capitalist
—and the organisers of the WSF were quick to do
alternative like Samir Amin and Walden Bello.
so and rallied against violence on women the next
But critics—from commentators in the Indian
day—was this the major, not to speak of central,
media to the Maoists in the Mumbai Resistance—
ask: isn't this talk-shop a secular, foreign funded
feature of the WSF? Are more horrendous crimes
kumbh ntela? The overwhelming majority of Indians
persistence? Or was this a not-so-subtle attempt to
who attended came at their own cost, including lost
deride an unprecedented popular mobilisation, larger
income from the workdays they missed, with little
and more diverse than in Porto-Alegre, Brazil in
subsidy from their organisations. So did most middle
against women reported with the same alarcity and
2003?
What
about the discussion by feminist
class activists from India and abroad. The WSF
organisations, and noted intellectuals like Nawal al-
decided not to take funding from agencies like the
^^ord and Rockefeller Foundations and DFID. So the
Sadawi and Shirin Ebadi, the 2003 ■ Nobel Peace
media-promoted
image of elite, foreign-funded
intellectuals dominating the 'rented'
Prize winner,
which critiqued
patriarchy
and
suggested alternatives to counter it?
crowds in
Mumbai is a canard.
The range of views and discussions in the WSF
reflects the serious thinking among those for
alternative, pro-people models of globalisation. With
Four decades ago, emphasising the importance of
the media, Marshall McLuhan predicted that "the
regional, national and even local specificities there
medium is the message". Noam Chomsky, Edward
can be no one alternative model. For instance, socio
economic alternatives in West Bengal will differ
Herman and others have analysed how the media
from those in Assam and Jammu and Kashmir.
media, with honourable exceptions, chose to defend
"manufactures consent". Large parts of the Indian
neo-liberal- economic reforms
The author is a Professor at the School of International
Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. He
was on the Organising Committee of the WSF.
against the critics
massed in Mumbai. While it is prefectly legitimate
for press editorials and commentators to defend and
propagate mainstream-views, it is undemocratic of
February 7, 2004-
MAINSTREAM
the media to ignore and deride internationally
experience and will take this process forward.
This, ultimately, is a real, popular instance of
supported democratic alternatives.
The fact that the WSF Charter stresses openness,
"India shining" because this massive mobilisation
plurality and non-violence, in sharp contrast to its
marks both the broadening of the anti-liberalisation
ultra-Left critics, was virtually ignored by the media.
as well as anti-communal alliance. For the first time,
The Forum is unlikely to meet again in India, at least
political mass organisations, "social" movements,
for this generation. The question arises then, what
NGOs and intellectual activists have worked together
did this meet achieve for Asia and India? The WSF
International Council which met just after the event
was clear that the Mumbai event, because of its
respecting their differences but uniting on a common
platform with common goals. If it continues, as is
mobilisation, diversity and organisation, was a
milestone. Future meetings will build on this
a lot to look forward to in the future.
the intention, the people and the media, would have
®
(Courtesy: The Indian Express)
UTTARANCHAL ■
-
Hill Seats May Decrease
HARISH CHANDOLA
1 he Uttaranchal hills are going to be punished
region has grown considerably, that of its hill region
for keeping their population low, while the State's
increased only very slightly. That means that in the
plains areas are likely to be rewarded for unrestrained
delimitation, the plains constituencies and seats
growth, in the delimitation of the State's electoral
would increase and those of the hills decrease.
constituencies.
The State has five Lok Sabha constituencies and
When delimitation is completed, the hill region is
70 Assembly ones.
plains region will gain them, on the basis of
On examining the 2001 census figures, India's
likely to lose six seats in the Assembly and the
population.
southern States found that while their efforts to
An important social organisation of the State,
check the population growth had succeeded, that of
called Dhad, headed by the former Commissioner
the northern States had not and the number of
of the Garhwal region, S.S. Pangtey, has sent strong
people there had increased considerably. Based on
representations
the census figures, they were apprehensive that
against this move.
to the Delimitation Commission
seats of the northern States would increase in the
It says the number of seats in a Legislative
Lok Sabha and that of southern States decrease.
Assembly is fixed by Parliament, under clause (1)
of Article 170 of the Constitution, which is not part
They brought the matter to the notice of the Union
Government leaders, who then assured them that
of the process of delimitation and is thus beyond
the number of seats would remain fixed '• and
the purview of the Delimitation Commission. Its
unaltered until the first census after 2026.
guidelines, methodology and working paper are
therefore against the p rovisions of sub<lause (1) to
For the Uttaranchal State, however, the story is
turning out to be different. Though its total number
the third proviso of clause (3) of Article 170, and
of seats in the State Assembly would continue to
should therefore be cancelled.
remain 70, there would be an adjustment of its
There are other anomalies. Some Uttaranchal
constituencies or delimitation, based on the 2001
parliamentary constituencies in the plains have a
census figures, according to the detailed guidelines
smaller population than those in its hills. The ones
and methodology instructions and a working paper
in the hills are spread over vast areas of difficult
issued last year by the Delimitation Commission of
India. The guidelines, methodology and working
access, particularly along its northern and eastern
international borders. For instance, the densely
paper had been sent to the associate members of
populated plains constituency of Hardwar has a
the Commission from Uttaranchal who are Members
of Parliament and the State's Election Commissioner.
population of only 14,44,213 (2001 census), which
lives in an area of less than 2000 square kilometres,
In this State too while the population of its plains ’
while the constituency of Tehri has 17,31,870 people
MAINSTREAM »■ February 7, 2004
rK|O - lAB-
WORLD SOCIAL FORUM 2004
resisting when Bush
comes to shove
Meena Menon visited the World Social Forum and Mumbai Resistance, 2004,
and found varying viewpoints not just about issues raised,
but about the forums themselves
fTT^he incessant drumming and protests have stopped
“We don’t need a common front against terrorism, we
i and the thronging multitudes have left. By the time
JL this report appears in print, the enormous amounts
need a common front for social justice,’’ declares Samir
of dust generated at the banner strewn. sprawling NESCO
are facing a new imperialism which is different in character
Amin, neo Marxian thinker from Egypt. Amin says. “We
grounds in Goregaon east. Mumbai, would have settled
from the previous stages. The US cannot maintain its present
down. For many of the estimated 100.000 people who took
standard of living without money from the rest of the world.
part in the six-day event between 16 and 21 January 2004.
That is not market access, that's plunder. Military control is
the World Social Forum (WSF) will remain a vivid memory.
used to compensate for the deficiencies of the US economy
■f not a noisy and dusty one. of a dream that another world
and the US establishment has created the project of military
" possible.
control of the planet with 600 military7 bases. Another better
For some there will be the painful aspect of stinking or
no toilets, no water and poor camp arrangements. The shock
of colours and diverse protests made for a grand photo-op
world is possible - the precondition of this is the defeat of
the US plan of military control of the planet."
More than 80.000 people from 2.660 organisations in
for the hundreds of cameras but for many who did not know
132 countries registered for the WSF and 2.300 press persons
English, the WSF offered little room to understand the
were accredited from over 45 countries. Every day, from
proceedings. If its chaos that is required for the creation of a
morning till night, the main streets were clogged with one
new world, there was plenty of that and more at the WSF.
protest after another against trade policies, Bhopal,
“The American dream has created nightmares," screams
imperialism, war. corruption, deportation of migrant workers,
one poster. The WSF demands justice and survival and for
WTO. IMF, USA. labour conditions and you name it. “It's a
these reasons, we must consider ourselves to be at war,
crime to be poor in the era of globalisation,” says Roy. “In
declares the ever-popular Arundhati Roy. “It is not enough
the new era you don't need apartheid, you have the WTO.
to say jeetenge bhai jeetenge," says Roy, who called for
the World Bank and the IMF.” There was recognition that
choosing two US corporations who had benefited from post
what happens in one part of the world affects all of us. And
war reconstruction in Iraq and shutting them down. The WSF
the numerous signatures on the long white banners held by
has already been hailed as the world's second super power.
Tibetan monks, the number of supporters wearing Palestinian
But Palestinian leader Mustafa Barghouti says it is a better
scarves. and all kinds of support badges for other movements
super power as it gets its power not from weapons or from
^oney but from the people - “a power that can never be
gays, transsexuals, children, indigenous peoples, Dalits, the
overcome".
physically challenged, took to the streets with great gusto
T
was a testimony to that Trade unionists, feminists, lesbians.
wo land rights activists, Sarita and Mahesh, were brutally killed on 24 January 2004 in Gaya, Bihar. The
circumstances of this murder are still not very clear, but the basic facts seem to be the following. Sarita
and Mahesh had been working for several years in Shabdo village, w'here they were helping the local community
to achieve a sustainable and equitable use of land resources. Their tireless work, in an area where extreme
violence and oppression are rife, had been widely appreciated. However it antagonised the local land mafia,
partly because it involved reclaiming common land that had been encroached by powerful gangs. On the
fateful day, Sarita and Mahesh were stopped by heavily armed men as they were travelling on a motorcycle,
and shot at point blank range.
Close on heels of the murder of Satyendra Dubey, one fact appears to emerge - anyone who antagonises
vested interests is vulnerable to elimination. The silver lining is that courageous citizens continue to resist this
state of affairs and to work for the restoration of making democratic rights in Bihar.
' A national protest march from Patna to Sabdo, Gaya will be organised on 12 February 2004.
Contact apoor.anand@ rediffmail.com for details
HUMANSCAPE ■ FEBRUARY 20iM ■ 26
WORLD SOCIAL
making mobility somewhat impossible at the venue. Along
FORUM
2004
for justice.
the main road leading to the maidan, in front of a banner, a
The fourth WSF moved away from the place of its origin.
South Korean conducted a lone protest, announcing at
in Pono Alegre. Brazil, to India and as Boaventura Sousa
periodic intervals how migrant workers in thousands were
Santos, social theorist from the Centre for Social Studies.
being deponed from his country. Street plays took place at
Portugal put it. it was the first attempt to internationalise the
various comers and musicians and drummers added their
event. The WSF in Brazil drew participation from mostly
South America and Europe while here for the first time, a
voice too.
Protest banners were strewn all over - across lampposts.
plethora of movements from Asia and .Africa was there in
roads, over shops, on people themselves and everywhere
strength. As Karamat Ali from the Pakistan Social Forum
you looked, the word ’NO'
(PSF) says, it was time for the
was hard to miss. On trees.
WSF to shift to Asia and he
black cutouts were hung
demands that it be held in
symbolising women killed for
Asian cities for the next three
dowry and pamphlets linered
years. For Pakistan, it was their
the ground. Stalls teaching
first serious engagement in the
instant yoga, selling hand
World Social Forum, says Irfan
painted scarves. Palestinian
Mufti, nauonal convenor of the
posters, organic food, farming
PSF. Only 502 of the 1.200
techniques, terracotta tiles.
delegates who applied for visas
books and what not abounded
were allowed to come to India
and harsh anti-war cries
and Mufti alleges that this was
sometimes mingled with the
complete
discrimination.
softer sounds of Hare Ram.
People lived on the road, some
too. It was inexplicable though
of them had to put up with
why the An of Living group
appalling conditions in camps
and the Anand Margis had set
but no complaints came from
up stalls at the WSF.
the PSF delegation.
The language of protests
The hard to get "Chico"
was not just words, but theatre.
(Francisco Whitaker Ferreira)
art. film, demonstrations.
Whitaker from
Brazil, a
music, and even a drag queen
leading social activist and one
show! There were no limits on
of the founding figures of the
expression and dissent at one
World Social Forum, says.
level it seems, but the parallel
"We cannot continue to meet
conference across the road
only in Brazil. We feel another
called Mumbai Resistance
world is possible - it is not
(MR) 2004. felt there was
plenty to crib about the present
only necessary, it is urgent. We
can’t do this staying in Brazil
Stand tall, make a stand
and we need to exchange our experiences across the borders.
WSF and its charter of principles.
While the media in Mumbai paid little attention to the
The WSF is becoming more of a process than an event, and
WSF in general, the alleged rape of a WSF delegate (the
it is an open, horizontal space in which new initiatives are
case was later withdrawn by the woman) made it to the front
emerging. Our challenge is we need a permanent network
pages. On the concluding day of the Forum, one paper ran
four stories on the incident and only one on the WSF. While
to deepen our solidarity to build a new world.”
this case made it to the front pages, the story of X. an activist
“It is a unique social forum with the widest range of
from Shivpuri, Madhya Pradesh did not. She was given space
organisations that symbolise people’s power and we are not
during an evening meeting by Ms Roy to speak before a
only saying another world is possible, but we are denning
massive audience about her plight She was raped by an
official and the district collector, after being arrested for a
that new world and the people's right to an alternative
paradigm of development” Dalit organisations from India
crime she did not commit in December 1999. The high court
were very much part of the WSF and about 30.000 were
ruled that such educated people cannot commit rape, a
there in strength.
Medha Patkar of the Narmada Bachao Andolan feels.
sentiment later endorsed by the Supreme court. Her entire
In this large and confusing gathering there were many
family was harassed and tortured while the culprits have
who had overcome their personal grief to set up movements
escaped punishment. ‘'They destroyed me and my family
to keep the memory of their dear ones alive. Frail and pretty
socially, economically,” she said, appealing to the people
Nora Cortinas, 73, co-founded Madres De Plaza de Mayo,
HUMANSCAPE ■ FEBRUARY 2004 ■ 27
WORLD
SOCIAL
Argentina, in 1977. which is working to keep alive the
FORUM
2004
Celebrities like Madame Nguyen Thi Binh. vice-
memory of the over 30.000 missing men and women from
president of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, and Nobel
the repressive regime of the seventies. She feels each meeting
Peace Laureate Shirin Ebadi called for a world in which
of the WSF was strengthening the alliance of people’s
people were equal and which preserved human dignity and
movements. The benefits are political, cultural: but what is
of serious concern is the impact of globalisation on
human rights. Apart from war and imperialism, patriarchy
indigenous people, she adds. Nora’s 24-year-old son Carlos
nearly 150 events, all organised by diverse groups, on
Gustav was taken away by the military as he was a political
women's issues. Ch er 150 feminists from Africa. Asia. Latin
activist. 27 years ago. ’Till today the government has not
America, the Caribbean, Europe. North America, the Pacific
was one of the central themes of the WSF and there were
given me any answers about his
and India took pan in what is
whereabouts. I am proud of my
called the Feminist Dialogues.
son’s struggle and his honesty
for the first time, according to
and fight" she says.
Indian feminist Bina Srinivasan.
of Iraq.
"The whole process began seven
Palestine. Kashmir. Burma,
months ago involving eight
The
problems
Afghanistan. Tibet, to name a
women's networks from various
few. were brought home to
parts of the world, as we felt it
Mumbai. Iraq is the culmination
was important to make a clear
of both imperialism and neo-
feminist voice heard through the
■jberalism intoned Roy. and
"bdul Amir al Rikaby from
challenges ahead. It was an
Iraq’s National Democratic
opportunity we did not want to
Opposition spoke of many huge
miss
demonstrations that were taking
globalisation
place in the south of Iraq while
fundamentalism. We looked at
the WSF was in progress. "War
human rights in the context of
WSF and discuss some of the
in
the
context
of
and
is a political weapon against Iraq
fundamentalism as well as
- it was not an accident - it is
reproductive rights. Sexual
pan of a new hegemonic strategy
rights, and different sexualities
of the USA. Time is running out
draws a lot of viewpoints and
and occupation is destroying the
the issue is how to create
people of Iraq. The people of
alliances from the local to the
Iraq need to know you are here
global fields." she says.
for them." he appealed.
Sunila.
activist
from
The anti-apartheid wall
INFORM, a human rights
campaign in Palestine focuses
documentation centre in Sri
on the new ghettoisation of the
West Bank. “Israel is building
Lanka, says another world is not
Clear and present enemies
possible without interactive
eight metre high concrete wall around the West Bank
transnational feminist movements that continuously envision
villages, isolating houses and cutting off people fam their
and struggle for women's alternatives. The two big plenaries
lands. Two hundred bulldozers are working at the same time.
on dialogue between movements - among feminists, trade
It’s an occupation the world is silent about,” says Sharief
unionists. Dalit activists and gays and lesbians, and the one
Omar Khalid from Jayyous village on the West Bank. He
on sexuality was a major achievement in the WSF. she says.
points to his village on the map at the Palestine stall, and
shows us the dark line which is the wall snaking along the
cutting across organisations were put oh the table for the
settlements. “I can’t reach my 40-acre fields now where I
first time. The women’s movement did not, for instance,
grow citrus, olives, and loquats. The wall was begun a year
take up issues of manual scavenging even though it’s banned.
ago - there are gates for farmers to access their land but you
Due to the preoccupation with survival issues, sexual
need permits for that. They don’t give me a permit because
orientation was not such a major issue for Dalits, according
I say ’no’ to the wall. They issue permits to old women who
to Dalit activists. “Everybody agreed on working together
can't walk or young children. We need wings to fly over the
strategically and for the first time, we can take this forward
land. We don't know our future - the wall is a polite way of
because there is an understanding that there can be a dialogue
saying 'get out’. They don’t want us. We will starve without
between diverse people,” adds Sunila.
any work. I feel for the trees - they are my sons,” says the
60-year-old farmer who misses his land every minute.
In the dialogue between movements, a lot of issues
Mama Koite. president of the African women's
Development and Communications Network (FEMNET).
HUMANSCAPE ■ FEBRUARY 2004 ■ 28
WORLD SOCIAL FORUM
2004
Mali, says African women gave priority to different issues.
marginalisation and oppression of sections of people by
"It’s very difficult to talk of human rights when we don’t
virtue of birth. Dalit rights activist Martin Makwan says.
have basic education and we are continuing victims of
“We have to share a difficult dream - we want a world where
violence. An issue not discussed outside Africa is the question
manual scavenging and untouchability don’t exist We dream
of female genital mutilation, which must be addressed as a
of a world where caste and communal divisions are not there.
human rights issue. In Africa there is a very clear impact of
We have gathered here amid a sense of powerlessness. Even
globalisation - cuts in the labour market have affected many
today, many Dalits cannot use well w ater in villages of India.
women and even when they have higher education, there is
They continue to live as manual scavengers, surviving on
joblessness. Women are at the mercy of an informal and
waste food. They are forced to sell their small pieces of land
precarious labour market.” she explains.
as they cannot farm and their children drop out of school.
The International Council of the WSF has an
Even after death they are buried in separate cemeteries.There
overwhelming mass of males and only a handful of feminist
are 200 million Dalits in India and when will we change the
organisations, according to Gigj Francisco from Philippines,
caste system? Globalisation for Dalits means a full stop to
regional coordinator, Development Alternatives for Women
land reform, drastic reduction in social welfare measures
in a New Era (DAWN), south east Asia. “In the first WSF,
and becoming slaves to the rich.”
we felt the need to focus on the concept of social reproduction
The dialogue on sexuality - a first of sorts, had several
and then abortion
women
in
was not even an issue
prostitution. HIV
- it is an issue not
positive persons.
owned by men and
and organisations
was not seen as a
dealing
with
priority. Abortion is
gender
and
a taboo topic for
sexuality raising
many males - men
about
the simple yet
fundamental issue
poverty but not about
of their dignity and
can
talk
and on
acceptance. “Why
abortion, many of
do you hate us?
sexuality
them have moral
We
positions as funds for
citizens.”
said
WSF come from
speaker
after
many organisations
speaker. Among
linked
to
the
the
also
issues
discussed were the
Vatican." she feels.
More than 52 per
are
Many panels, much to discuss: Pakistani delegation at WSF
problems
of
participation at WSF came from women, says Gina Vargas
women
in
prostitution, and their increasing brutalisation at the hands
from Feminist Articulation Marcosur. Peru, and while the
of the law. apart from the stigma attached to HIV positive
cent
of
the
people. "They came to kill me with swords,” says Shabana.
women’s agenda was weak initially, it has grown over the
years. In any broad-based struggle, women’s sensibilities
a sex worker and activist from Nippani. When she went to
must be visible, she adds.
Caste and class oppression and rising fundamentalism
. file a police complaint, they told her she could not as she
was not a citizen (since she was a sex worker).
in the world as a whole, rounded off the WSF events. Sessions
“Don't judge us," said the brilliandy dressed transsexuals
discussed the commodification of women in the era of
who milled around the Forum, and daily protests were taken
globalisation, and sexuality of Muslim women, which was
out by women in prostitution, lesbians, gays, transsexuals
open only for women. The Asian Women’s Human Rights
Council organised a World Court of Women on US War
and bisexuals who came together under the Rainbow
coalition, demanding recognition of their rights as human
Crimes with detailed testimonials from affected women.
Latin American women who had lobbied for inclusion of a
• beings. Prima Donna, a drag queen song and dance show.
wider range of women's issues, and who had originated a
at the Forum.
campaign against fundamentalism, distributed masks and
was the culmination of the expression of different sexualities
Marieme Helie-Lucas, who has campaigned against
scarves with large red mouths - “the mouth against
fundamentalism in Algeria and now lives in Paris, said the
fundamentalism" at the WSF.
Caste was also a focus at the WSF with activists from
WSF invited people like Ahmed Ben Bella who were allying
Nigeria, Japan and other countries speaking about the
make it). It should draw a limit so that fundamentalists are
with fundamentalist groups in Algeria (Ben Bella did not
HUMANSCAPE n FEBRUARY 2004 ■ 29
WORLD SOCIAL FORUM
2004
not invited. ■‘Fundamentalism is by no means a religious
Coal mining, and other mining projects have serious
movement - they use religion to fit their political agenda
environmental consequences. At MR 2004. Joanna K Carino
and gain political power. Women are their targets and Algeria
from the Cordillera People's Alliance, Philippines, fighting
witnessed a femicide in the streets: women were killed for
mining, says, "It was important for people to make their
the only reason that they were women, veiled or unveiled. A
voices heard and build a wider unity because we are fighting
better world cannot happen under gender apartheid," she
a common enemy. We think of our struggles as separate, but
they are not." Many issues taken up here were similar to
adds.
While war and imperialism got priority, the issues of
Hindutva and the Gujarat riots raised by Roy and others
WSF with the same speakers in some cases. Devranjan
Sarangi who is fighting bauxite mining in Kasfiipur, Orissa.
were not as much in focus as they should have been, though
spoke of how non-govemment organisations were increasing
there were protests against fascism and Narendra Modi. As
due to liberalisation. While the gram panchayats opposed
Tanika Sarkar. Professor at the Centre for Historical Studies,
mining in Rayagada. their voices were not even heard.
Jawaharlal Nehru Universits'. New Delhi, says, “Unless the
Protestors were fired on but the judicial inquiry' into the
social movements weave in a sustained ideology of anti
firing, approved mining and did not condemn any one for
fascism into their pores. I don’t think they have a future in
the incident. Funding agencies were active in promoting
this country s soil - nothing can grow in the soil of fascism.
except hatred, except death." Teesta Setalvad, of
pro-mining projects, he adds.
Women were victims of poverty and food insecurity, and
the green revolution in
Communaiism
Combat, adds. "We
India
feust join issue on
countries
Tundamentalism in
Thailand has reduced
the sub-continent."
farmers to penury. In
And not a moment
Thailand, there was a
too soon.
demand to shift from
of
Issues
a
and
market
other
like
based
to
corporate control of
economy
natural resources and
community based one
corporate
crimes
and for communities
were also in focus.
to manage their own
Maude Barlow from
resources.
a
Ottawa. Canada, a
Chandramohan. a
writer and activist.
Dalit farmer from
attacked corporations
Karnataka,
for the theft of the
WSF meeting that the
world’s water.
State
In
China, small farms
are
closed
in
was
told
a
only
promoting company
Stiglitz makes his point
interests at the cost of
Northern parts so that water can be diverted to industries.
^Jlery eight seconds, a child dies in the world because of
poor fanners. In his village of Devdanampatta. 150 small
farmers owned small pieces of land and have cultivated them
dirty water and access to safe water is a big issue. However,
for 75 years. However, land records were lost due to caste
big corporations are looking at water - blue gold - as the
conflict and they had no legal status. Agitations of landless
most precious commodity in the world. Struggles against
people from Brazil and other countries were also in focus.
Coca-Cola in India and other parts of the world form a
In Bihar. Dalit who are allotted land by the State cannot
significant aspect of anti- globalisation movements. Big dams
access it due to the influence of landlords who still subject
and displacement continue to be major issue in India as well
them to slavery.
as other countries. Indigenous people were the w’orst affected
Globalisation and the increasing problem of people being
by large projects. “Our water is not for sale,” adds Barlow.
put out of farming was discussed by Via Campesina. a global
"Our world is not for sale" - a theme of many protests and
farmers group, and Jose Bove, of Confederation Paysanne.
banners in the WSF.
France, who demands that agriculture should be removed
It is not only water but all natural resources which are
from WTO. "The WTO is not for most farmers in this world
under increasing threat of privatisation. As Patkar puts it,
- it is only for the small minority who own tractors and
"A crisis of survival is before us in control over natural
animals. In two years since joining the WTO. China has
resources. We must take a clear position on every form of
foreign funding which in turn brings in displacement,
destruction and disparity.”
lost 100 million farmers and in the next five years more
than 300 million will be forced to leave farming. Where
will they go? The same situation could well apply to India,”
HUMANSCAPE ■ FEBRUARY 2004 ■ 30
WORLD
SOCIAL
he says. The battles against WTO which began in Seattle
FORUM
2004
which doubled as sleeping space for the participants. The
and continued in Cancun, must be'fought, feels Bove.
four-day MR 2004 programme focused on WTO. agriculture
Echoing Gandhi’s call for the British to Quit India 72 years
and imperialism, attack on democratic rights, role of working
ago. he said it is time for companies like Coca-Cola. Nesde
class in globalisation, globalisation and marginalisation of
or Monsanto to quit India now.
adivasis and Dalits, students and youth, and only one of its
While space seemed to be available to most people, for
the 500 disabled people who paid their own way to the WSF,
eleven sessions was focused on women. Shiva Sunder, one
of the members of the organising committee of the event.
the event turned out to be near-nightmare. Posters saying
“Why are YOU also ignoring disability’’ plastered
says, “There were three main reasons why we felt we could
everywhere, drew attention to their being ignored by India’s
imperialist globalisation is deliberately inadequate with
policy and decision-makers. At the WSF too. there were no
WSF. They consider the problem as the 1991 neo-liberalism
proper ramps or facilities for them and accessibility was a
policies. Another world is not possible by fighting these
major issue, according to Rama Chari, of the National
policies. You should go deep into ±e system which makes
Disability Network. On the opening day of the Forum, they
these policies. Globalisation is the response of imperialism
not be part of WSF. The construction of the problem of
held a silent candlelit
as a system - the
protest against this
system is the main
problem. "We wrote
cause, if not. your
the
to
WSF
fight is peripheral.
organisers for six
Forces in the WSF
months
are the CPI and CPM.
regarding
facilities
for
the
and West
Bengal
disabled but there
chief minister from
was no reph. There
CPM is saying that
are no special toilets.
globalisation is a
ramps are not there in
must The bulk of the
all places and it is
participation is from
difficult for them to
non-government
the
organisations. Who
move
around
venue
on
wheel
are
these
non-
chairs. W’e would like
government
to protest against
organisations? They
accept funding from
marginalising
disability in the social
sector but even here.
foreign aid agencies.
Women and globalisation: amid the slogans
For instance. ATTAC
in the W’SF. there is a total lack of accessibility for our people
- an alliance against globalisation, receives funding from
who have come here from 24 states of India.’’ It is quite
the French government, So we feel the agenda is deliberately
obvious that another world is some time away for the people
inadequate. It is saying struggle is not required but
who are handicapped not by their own physical and mental
negotiation.’’
abilities, but also by the inability of others to see their
problems and be sensitive to them.
“In 2001 we saw direct territorial annexure - the struggle
against imperialism is becoming passive while imperialism
The Rs 12.5 crore WSF. funded by 17 organisations
is becoming aggressive." He feels there are "irreconcilable
including Action Aid-UK. Altematives-Canada. Christian
contradictions offered by WSF. I don’t see any systemic
Aid-UK. Oxfam International. Heinrich Boll Foundation-
changes. WSF says it is an open forum but armed struggles
Germany. HIVOS, Swedish International Development
are excluded. Certain people are not allowed. There is a
Agency (SIDA), World Council of Churches, and others.
politics of selection. We cannot exclude armed struggles
had 1200 events. Rs nine crore was raised from these agencies
because it constitutes an important challenge to imperialism."
while Rs 1.5 crore was raised by charging for services and
However he adds that, “We are not an event, but a process.”
Does that sound familiar?
solidarity contributions. There is a budget deficit of Rs 1.5
crore now, says Minar Pimple of the India Organising
Moreno Pasquinelli of Anti-imperialist Camp. says. ‘The
Committee. While no funds were accepted from Ford
chief of international terrorism is Bush. The Iraqi resistance
Foundation, the entire funding process came in for criticism
is obliged to use bombs - can you fight the US with flowers’?"
by MR 2004 which raised its budget of Rs 20 lakhs mostly
he asks. “WSF needs to adopt a more radical position with
from people's contributions and was held on a much more
respect to Iraq resistance - we have sent 15 of our comrades
modest scale.
■ At MR 2004, seminars took place in tented enclosures
to fight in Iraq but now the voluntary forces are in a tragic
situation. The main problem for them is international
HUMANSCAPE ■ FEBRUARY 2004 ■ 31
WORLD
SOCIAL
FORUM
2004
political support. We have to remember the Iraqi resistance
are its friends and enemies. The struggle in South Africa
is fighting for all of us. We have chosen to fight on one front
against apartheid was armed and by the charter of principles
- Iraq - and we have to win the war in Iraq. Tire problem is
of WSF, many of those who took part cannot be here, he
that WSF cannot support the Iraq resistance openly.”
Darshan Pal, convenor, MR 2004, says there was a
says.
Globalisation has had a serious impact on developing
meeting in Thessaloniki in Greece in June, 2003, to discuss
countries with increasing privatisation of the social sectors.
an alternative to WSF. “Before the Asian Social Forum, no
Says Amin. "The South has to rid itself of the illusion that it
one was critical of the WSF but there too we had a parallel
will benefit from the global market. It is the termination of
meet and many of us felt that we should take this to a higher
the global market” Prof Joseph Stiglitz, Nobel economics
level. I feel non-govemment organisations, social democrats.
laureate and Professor of Economics and Finance at
funding agencies, etc. have an alternative concept of civil
Columbia University in New York, said the development
society. We feel it will diffuse the people’s movement and
institutionalise discontent. WSF is a safety valve - people
agenda should not only address economic development but
also reduction of poverty. The most important element was
come and discuss without any plan. We thought let’s have
job creation and there must be an explicit commitment to
some action - and
pace globalisation
on 20 March we
with job creation.
have called for
One of the most
protests on the
anniversary of the
Ji'S invasion of
of poverty is a
Iraq." WSF too
with respect to
given
economic, health.
has
important aspects
sense of insecurity.
a
similar call.
and
Pradip Prabhu
of
Kashtakari
dimensions. There
Sanghatana
connection
which works with
between
is
adivasis in Thane
district
social
a
clear
unemployment
of
and the level of
Maharashtra, and
who participated
'violence.
at MR 2004. says.
insecurity is bad
"If one looks at
for
the
overall
struggle
Social
economic
growth and social
Pakistanis rock for Another World: Junoon
dimensions have
configuration, who is there at WSF? Only the National
been under-emphasised so far. One cannot separate economic
Alliance for Peoples Movements, the rest are with us. We
issues from the broader social and political issues, he says,
in defensive struggles as we are protecting our lives and
"ignity from further erosion. The question is can we enhance
demanding an integrated approach. He feels that there is no
dignit?" It is different from getting material possessions.
in the roaring nineties. While globalisation has resulted in
Let us say we have space here. At the end of this do we have
a greater commitment for action and increasing clarity of
enormous problems in many countries, there is a need to
motivation? That is the issue.”
conflict and wars have an adverse effect on economic
While war and imperialism form one end of the agenda,
Trevor Ngwane. human rights activist from South Africa,
development and are an impediment to development, he
doubt that privatisation of social security has led to instability
reform it to increase security for developing countries. Civil
adds.
who took part in WSF. says "Many people still worry about
Others like Walden Bello from Philippines, Director of
what they will eat the next day. where they will sleep and
Focus on the Global South in Bangkok, feel that there is a
the struggle is not only the struggle of the oppressed, it is a
need to reinvent the market back into society’. "We need a
struggle against capitalism. Neo-liberalism has failed to meet
total revamp of the current economic institutions and the
the needs of the people and the government of hope of Nelson
Bretton Woods institutions have to go. There is a need to
Mandela has become the leader of oppression with massive
water and electricity cuts, unemployment and cuts in social
disempower such institutions, which have such a strong
expenditure. This is what capitalism has to offer in exchange
space and more pluralism - that's what we need in terms of
for apartheid." Declaring he is not a pacifist, he feels that
global governance. "
the WSF has to clarify its political stance and identify who
direction overdevelopment and make them ineffective. More
Anti-globalisation campaigner, writer, and columnist.
HUMANSCAPE ■ FEBRUARY 2004 ■ 32
WORLD SOCIAL
FORUM
2004
George Monbiot, said it
of taking it forward.
is difficult to revamp the
Nandira Shah, of the
Bretton
57-member
Woods
India
institutions, given their
Organising Committee.
Articles of Association.
feels the autonomous
but the Third world
countries have a source
women’s movement
has been able to form
of power and that is
alliances
and
raise
their debt. "They could
many women's issues
collectively default on
for the time. "We have
their debt - you don't
expanded the foci from
need weapons then."
globalisation to include
says Monbiot.
other issues of caste.
Issues of language
and
exclusion
fundamentalism.
and
patriarchy and that is
participation came up
for some discussion
the most important
Human nghts. everybody*$ rights
during the course of the
contribution by the
WSF. The innumerable smaller workshops offered more
WSF here to the whole
process. There is openness in all movements to look at other
scope for participation while the large meetings turned out
agendas and my hope is that we will continue it in a more
to be one-sided for the people except in a few cases. Dr
serious way and talk of multiple identities. WSF has taken
Nawal El Saddawi from Egypt celebrated writer and activist
the position that while we have open space, we can't have
made a point about power language - people who do not
political parties coming here." she says. If Digvijay Singh.
know English cannot come here. She questioned the concept
former chief minister of Madhya Pradesh was here, it was
of the Third world and tore apart colonialism which had
because it was an event organised by others, not the WSF.
plundered the so-called 'developing' countries. Monbiot too.
she clarifies.
has reservations about the WSF. While “he had the time of
“Regarding MR 2004. I feel even if it was a separate
his life." he says there were two social forums at Mumbai
event, groups across the board came together. If you give
(no. not MR 2004). "There is a social forum for intellectuals
any one political focus to this event many will be left out
and one for the working classes. Language has teen a barrier
What WSF allows is for people to come together and forge
as many people do not understand English. In the next WSF.
their own alliances. Instead of asking WSF to create space.
I would like to see a number of specific events designed to
it is up to the movements to take the space. No one ideology
bring the two communities together and it should be the
or point of view can dominate this process. If it takes one
Dalits and the indigenous people and other marginalised
political course, it will die. We are looking at diversities."
communities who should decide what to do."
she explains. “All movements have come to a point of
On the last day of events, at the session on neo-liberalism.
saturation where we need another level of politics - if this
war and the significance of WSF. the audience decided it
Forum provides that, it's a good thing." The real challenges
had had enough of listening and it was not a sponge for
for her. are ahead in terms of inter-movement dialogues, are
information. People demanded to be heard and they spoke
ahead.
about the lack of coverage in Mumbai and even in the L’K
However, there were some who were for a sharper
media, the need for the WSF to move to Africa, the
political focus. Dita Sari of the Indonesian National Front
importance of the Alternative media coverage and other
for Workers Struggles, says it was important to look at the
issues. Ironically, the Internet, which was invented as a
struggle and the movement in general. "To achieve
weapon of war by the Pentagon, has become a weapon of
alternatives, we need political power and the political agenda
peace and many people read about the WSF through that
medium. Leonard Schaefer, member of the Communist party
of the WSF is not clear - can we as social movements adopt
different tactics? “
from Italy, comments. "We must learn about communication
Sohi Jeon from the Coalition for the Korean People
- they are flying, while we are on die ground. Otherwise it
against WTO. says, “It is a time for us to assess where we
will
be
just
another
Woodstock.”
While the WSF does not
aim at coming up with future
plans, some of the discussion
did focus on the last four
years of the Forum and ways
go from here. There are
Leonard Schaefer, member of the Communist
party from Italy, comments, “We must learn
about communication — they are flying, while we
are on the ground. Otherwise it will be just
another Woodstock."
HUMANSCAPE ■ FEBRUARY 2004 ■ 33
100.000 people here but the
size does not matter, it is
where are we headed with all
these
meetings
discussions...
and
1 am not
saying WSF is useless, there
WORLD
SOCIAL
2004
FORUM
is a tendency to view it as an objective. WSF cannot be
policies. Michel Warschawski. working to bridge the gap
detached from the mass movements and it has to change in
between Palestinians and Israelis, says the WSF has been
order to accommodate the political and cultural
able to develop a new kind of campaign in the international
characteristics of that country."
crisis. It is a new concept of solidarity. However, there is a
She says. "1 notice few Indians in the rooms, I was told
strong demand for it not to be a place for discussion but be
they have a different way of political expression - to sing
action-oriented as well. Dr Vittoriq Agnoletto of the
and dance. The format of the WSF has to change to fit in the
International Council of the WSF and the Italian League for
diverse aspects of expression. I think of how would it be to
the fight against AIDS (LILA), says, "Mumbai is an
have a WSF in Korea - we are unfamiliar with the language
important change for the WSF and after this marvellous
of the WSF which is West-oriented. The quality has to change
but are we ready for these changes in die international arena?
event, we cannot go behind. The next focus must be in poor
countries. A lot of neo-liberal papers say we are dreamers
WSF is at a crossroads - we are in a crisis. If we want to
but I want to quote a Sandinista leader who said ‘We are
radicalise the movement, we have to think of the aims and
dreamers but we dream with our feet on the ground: we are
how we will take what we have learnt back to the people."
able to recognise our friends and enemies’."
Monbiot was for a parallel forum to the WSF. “While
While many felt coming to the WSF was an inspiration
it’s a wonderful Forum, no one here can pretend it’s a
and they gained strength from other movements, exposure
democratic forum. We do not
represent the people of the
world and the moral authority
hif the
WSF
is
limited.
Wonderful as it is we need a
directly elected global body a world Parliament, not a
world government but one
which can exercise moral
authority. There will be sense
of ownership and for that, we
need global democracy first."
he says. Monbiot advocates no
private funding for political
parties
or elections
and
scrapping of the whip. Is it
legal
to
bully
to movements and social
Dr Vittorio Agnoletto of the International
Council of the WSF and the Italian
League for the fight against AIDS
(LILA), says, “Mumbai is ah important
change for the WSF and after this
marvellous event, ice cannot go behind.
The next focus must be in poor countries.
A lot of neo-liberal papers say we are
dreamers but I want to quote a
Sandinista leader who said ‘We are
dreamers but we dream with our feet on
the ground; we are able to recognise our
friends and enemies’.”
elected
realities is not in itself an end.
The enemy is sometimes not
so obvious. And often, the
enemy is not far away but
within. There is "clear and
present danger" from rising
fundamentalism and rising
fascism too. If WSF gives
space to forge alliances these must be formed at the
local level as well. Besides,
this is a time India is said to
be "shining" and many do not
see the grime beneath the
glitter. One paper says that
this event was held ten years
representatives not to vote for their conscience, he asks.
too late as India has already arrived in the globalised world.
Laura Tavares, professor and researcher from the
"More of the world’s income-poor live in India than any
University of Rio de Janeiro, says. “We need an alternative
other country," according to a World Bank paper, May 2002.
centre of power away from the US and EU. Holding the
And disparities between the poor and the rich are increasing.
\VSF in Brazil had a big impact on people there and the
Jnain thing was that it was possible to put together different
To say that neo-liberal policies have nothing to do with these
perspectives. The impact on the countries that host the WSF
“developed" countries are facing unemployment, and
is great - we must put WSF in countries which need visibility.
outsourcing of business is becoming a controversy. These
India was showcased at this event and we must take it to
aspects need to be understood by more people and the media
Africa, for instance."
too has a responsible role to play in reporting realities and
disparities or poverty is to ignore the truth. Even the
Christophe Aguiton. from France, leader of the
not the opinions of an elite which believes in neo-liberal
movement against capitalist globalisation and ATTAC,
policies, and feels the WSF consists of Leftist “furies" or a
(Association pour la taxation des transactions financieres el
lunatic fringe.
1’aide aux citoyens). says. “While the World Economic
The challenge before us is to forge a sharper political
Forum which is also an open space, has all the tools they
response to the present day context of aggressive imperialism.
need - LMF. World Bank - we in the WSF don’t have these
but this has to be linked to local and national issues too.
tools." Simon Boshielo from the Congress of African Trade
Otherwise, as someone has already remarked, the WSF may
Unions feels the WSF is not a feel good association." We
well end up as a Woodstock of social movements.
need fresh air in the international system. We have to be
effective to make ourselves heard in Washington and it cannot
Mcena Menon is an independent writer and
be business as usual." he adds.
researcher based in Mumbai She can be
However, some feel the WSF is the answer to neo-liberal
HUMANSCAPE ■ FEBRUARY 2004 ■ 34
contacted at cats@boLnet.in
WORLD SOCIAL FORUM 2004
Which way to Another World?
Suruchi Yadav was at the World Social Forum, Mumbai
ibetan monks praying to the sweet tolling of bells
T
us one", such imbalance was allowed to exist? A former
next to boisterous protests demanding the liberation
member of the trade union in Nigeria, she had also been
of Iraq, singers from Tamil Nadu singing to the
moved by the problems women workers faced especially
beat of South African drummers while a Brazilian woman
with respect to environmental hazards. Doing her bit. she
waltzes with an adivasi from Madhya Pradesh. These are
had quit and gone back to school to educate herself and
some of the images that hit you at the World Social Forum
subsequently founded the WEP. She hoped to take back
2004 (WSF). held between 16 and 21 January 2004 in
the experiences at the WSF to her country and use them
Mumbai. United by the common experience of being
there in the move towards a civil society.
victims of vulgar globalisation and neo-liberalisation that
Reaffirming the degenerate impact of globalisation on
has left them poor, oppressed, and marginalised, they are
women was Jayati Ghosh, Professor of Economics at the
here to share their experiences and diversity, learn from
each other's differences and struggles, and to form new
Jawaharlal Nehru University, while speaking at a
alliances to reclaim the world from the hands of the
be expected when governments consciously "handed over
capitalist enemy. They are tired of listening to rhetoric:
basic rights and services as profit centres to the private
they want action and change. As former President KR
sector”, but denial of these rights to the less privileged
Narayanan put it. they want to bring about the "dawn of
and women being a minority were obviously worst hit
conference on Women and Globalisation. What else could
another world for which people have been fighting and
whether it was basic needs, employment, working
dreaming".
conditions or wages. For instance, even though women
The WSF. founded as a resistance to the capitalist
were the "backbone of the exports boom" of the eighties
powers try ing to control the world, was held annually in
and nineties, they were the "first to be displaced" when
Porto Alegre. Brazil from 2001. The success of a regional
forum held in Hyderabad last year and the existence of a
governments moved to subcontractors, who employed
multitude of movements and struggles in India, together
women having to migrate for work? Ghosh felt that there
with the Indian independence movement being one of the
was a very "thin line between voluntary migration and
first major blows to imperialism, made Mumbai the prefect
trafficking” as women had to resort to any and every means
choice.
to support their families. On a positive note, she did feel
For Santoshi Khati. spokesperson for Ekal Nari Shakti
these same women at cheaper rates. And what about
women were now strongly resisting and women’s
Sangathan. who had traveled
from her village in Rajasthan.
it was women's issues that
needed immediate attention.
She felt globalisation had led
to the situation of women
worsening; especially for
women labourers, who were
subject
to
unimaginable
atrocities. From the other side
of the globe, Priscilla Achakpa.
Executive Director of Women
Environmental Programme
(WEP). Abuja. Nigeria, was
drawn to the WSF by her
curiosity and urge to take back
experiences she gathered here.
to her country. Having traveled
the world, she was appalled at
the disparity between the west
and the rest of the world. How
was it that when "god created
The strength of nomen: Ekal Nari Shakti Sangathan. Rajasthan
HUMANSCAPE ■ FEBRUARY 2004 ■ 35
WORLD
SOCIAL FORUM
2004
US. were rich in “weapons", his people, he added were
movements were one of the most "progressive parts of
the movement against globalisation” and this was evident
from the fact that there were many more women occupying
rich in “dignity” and got their power “from the people".
He cited the example of the Indian independence
important public offices. Irene Khan, Secretary General
movement that in spite of the might of the British empire
oi Amnesty International, speaking at a conference "Wars
had succeeded in its goal and he hoped the same would
against Women. Women against Wars”, stated that
be repeated in Palestine.
women's wars were not just about “misery', but about
The antagonism towards the US especially because of
courage and commitment" from which the world should
its war policies loomed large at the forum. Joseph Gosner
learn.
from the US, lamented that the US had used the 11
With war being identified as a key tool the capitalists
September attacks as a cover for a lot of wrongful actions.
used to dominate and rule, the forum saw several seminars
Wars of "hunger and misery " are what Beverley Keene.
and protests against war. For Ngawang C Drakmargyapon.
economist and human rights activist termed L'S policies.
spokesperson for the Tibetan delegation, it was a peaceful
She added that the US was indulging in economic and
appeal to people to support the Tibetan cause against the
financial terrorism. For instance the US had infused
totalitarian Chinese domination of Tibet that had lasted
illegitimate debt into Latin America and the Caribbean
and
increased
presence
in
its
more
military
than
11
countries in the region. If any of
these countries tried to resist
financial bullying, they were
intimidated by the threat of
military action. Distressingly.
she noted that the US even
pressured these countries to
support and intervene in the wars
waged by it •
Booker
prize
winner.
Arundhati Roy mocked the so-
called "policing of the unruly-
world". the US indulged in. How
come the US chose to liberate
nations only when it stood to
derive
increased
economic
benefits from such action"? For
while the US had chosen to
invade Iraq and save it from
terrorism, it had interestingly not
“To the sweet tolling of bells...”: remember Tibet
bombed India which saw enough
Clover four decades. A victim of alien rule, his family had
terrorism. Perhaps, because as long as multi-nationals were
itself been forced to leave Tibet when he was only two.
given a free hand in India, it would not come under the
He had however continued his struggle from the outside
US net.
as he was against the "mass ethnic genocide" and "denial
The antagonism towards capitalist tactics and vested
of fundamental rights" in Tibet and feared that the alien
interests of multinational corporations was expressed not
invasion was a threat to the very survival of the identity of
just by prominent and knowledgeable dignitaries but
Tibetans.
"Prisons and ghettos” is what Mustafa Barghouti,
vehemently voiced even by the common man. Laxman
Singh, belonging to the Sampark Seva Sansthan from
spokesperson for the Palestinian National Initiative, said
Dhapua district in Madhya Pradesh lamented that new
the streets of his country had been transformed into. The
kinds of pesticides that large corporates had flooded rural
whole nation had been prevented from using roads and
areas with were polluting the atmosphere and were
streets for three years. Fifty-six women had been
environmental disasters. Moreover seeds that farmers used
compelled to give birth at check posts, 2,742 people had
earlier lasted over ten years and could be used several
been killed and 48.000 injured. Yet the Palestinian struggle
times over, but now the new varieties of seeds sold by
continued, a struggle he termed a “struggle for
large corporates could be used only once. This, he alleged.
independence and not a negotiation” and he urged people
was a devious strategy by them to increase their profits at
to extend their support. While the Israeli, funded by the
the cost of the farmers. He wanted to voice his protest but
HUMANSCAPE ■ FEBRUARY 2004 ■ 36
WORLD SOCIAL FORUM
2004
also to go back and tell his people that their cause had
any opposition and unfortunately this mentality existed
several supporters.
in all social strata including the working class.
The IMF and the World Bank came under severe fire
from all fronts. Laura Tavares, an expert from the
forum was also home to a rich and diverse cultural
University of Rio de Janeiro noted that a diagnosis of the
confluence with 550 different groups performing and 85
Between all the intense talk and demonstrations, the
proposals of the IMF and the World Bank showed that the
films, from 74 countries, being screened. An exhibition
policies were imbalanced and discriminatory and most
on the twin tragedies of the earthquake and the riots that
solutions for issues like poverty alleviation were
befell Gujarat drew a massive audience. Prominent artistes
emergency solutions, not permanent. In fact, the IMF had
like Anand Patwardhan, Habib Tanvir. Junoon. Shubha
even cut down on social expenditure.
Citing labour market reforms as key to the creation of
Mudgal, Indian Ocean and Gilberto Gil were at the forum.
a civil society at a conference on Labour and the World of
and reading sessions, all in some form echoing the message
Work. Indian Economist Prabhat Patnaik felt that
of the WSF. A youth forum also ran alongside the WSF.
Other performances included staging of plays, musicals
unemployment co-existed with
unutilised capacities and suboptimal utilisation of resources.
and better choices need to be
made. Trade unions could get
more active and increase the
activity levels and demand
levels in the world.
The forum also saw large
participation from children
voicing their demands. Little
Abhay from the Narmada
valley
was
a
picture
of
confidence as he asserted his
right to equal opportunity for
education and health at the
Child
Relief
ICR4WSF)
for
WSF
conference.
Supporting the movement for
children. Vittorio Agnoletto.
spokesperson for the Italian
Liga for the fight against AIDS
Delegates from Nepal
(LILA), and an activist against
merciless profit-making attitudes of pharmaceutical
Besides exploring the main issues of the WSF. it also
considered the issues of child rights, sustainable
companies that had medication for AIDS but did not make
development, health, education and employment.
pharmaceutical companies in Italy, spoke out against the
it freely available. He questioned how such profit making
So what was achieved at the end of the six days of the
could be allowed when there were 40 million HIV infected
WSF? Where does the movement stand? What, if any. is
people in the world with two million being children.
the way forward? While the initial days of the forum saw
“Religious fundamentalism and Sectarianism’’ were
also identified as a means to exclude, oppress and
vehement protests, identifying the “enemy” and its "tools".
the concluding sentiment was clearly for the need for
dominate. As Amaijeet Kaur, a committed activist put it,
immediate and urgent “action” to eliminate the enemy.
fanaticism was a “distractionary tool to extend exclusions
To charge in the direction of "another world", based on
and kill movements’’. The world faced a “threat of
“peoples’ rights to dignity, equality, employment, diversity
recolonisation” and markets taking control of lives.
and resources”.
V/hile the WSF makes no formal declaration, several
History, she said, was witness to the role of the corporate
sector in creating Hitler and the mass genocide that
followed. Pervez Hoodboy, professor of physics at Quaid-
powerful suggestions concerning the key issues were put
forth.
E-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan and Marieme
Abduk Amir Al Relaby believed it was “power of the
Helei Lucas from Algeria both shared Kaur’s sentiments
people” that was the key. A strong activist for the anti
and added that fascists were “glorifying and using as an
war movement, Jeremy Corbyn, Labour MP from Britain.
believed that “unity among the people and victims of
excuse a mythical past” to commit atrocities and eliminate
HUMANSCAPE d FEBRUARY 2004 h 37
WORLD
SOCIAL
FORUM
2004
globalisation" could bring about the desired changes.
“economic interests”, the need for “an alternate media is
Pakistani activist and recipient of the Magsaysay award,
Asma Jehangir, called for the US to be made accountable
frontline”. He said that a year ago a powerful “counter
power to media”, Media Watch, had been established
for its wars and removal of US bases from all over the
which was a network of international observatories,
world. The US should be made to sign a pact that it would
comprising eminent journalists, academics and users, who
not "unilaterally” go to war, she asserted. A “full-
would observe and “carefully monitor media action”.
stomached globalisation" is what she demanded. The
Mainstream media was severely castigated as being a
forum had released a lot of energy, she observed, and urged
“propaganda vehicle” for capitalist interests. Fernando
people to channel this energy and carry die message of
Martinez from Cuba noted that media power had in the
the forum to the grass roots for the movement to become
past led to the downfall of colonisation and the formation
stronger.
South African freedom fighter Dennis Brutus stated
of democracies but “imperialism had led to a stop and
reversal of this trend". Ruing that mainstream media aimed
tha: there was a plan for “a global action against war". On
at putting an end to diversity by controlling and concealing
20 March, marking the first anniversary of the US invasion
information and ideas including cultural domination.
Nikhil
Wagle.
editor
Mahanagar. a publication in
India, added that media driven
consumerism was leading to
“insensitivity
and
communalism" and if we
wanted “another world", then
we needed "another media"
too. He added that no social
order was eternal, and history-
had shown that media could
bring down even powerful
empires. He cited the example
■of a small radio station in
Hyderabad
that
was
committed to the cause of the
people and all successful
movements
initially
had
started out with humble
beginnings.
Joseph
Stiglitz
emphasised the role media
of Iraq, there would be marches against war across the
played in the failure of the Cancun talks, which is a major
world. Such resistance was now being recognised as threats
victory against the WTO. The media would send
toy the imperialist powers and this was evident from the
information back to governments quickly about trade deals
fact that when six million people had marched against
about to be struck and the respective governments would
war last year, the New York Times had been compelled to
jump into action by asking their representative trade
report that there were now “two superpowers” in the world:
ministers to re-negotiate. While sharply criticising the
the US and the "people in the street”. He added that on 22
World Bank and the IMF for policies that catered only to
to 25 April, when the World Bank and IMF were
a “single set of objectives”, Stiglitz claimed that
celebrating their 60“ anniversary, there would be a parallel
“economic policy cannot be delegated to the technocrats ”
resistance and a declaration that they were not needed
as it affects diverse segments. He advocated “growth
any longer. Shirin Ebadi felt that the remedy lay in “greater
shared by all”, together with job creation and labour market
respect for human rights". An integral part of the
reforms. On a less aggressive note, Indian film star Rahul
International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and
Bose, who was there to support women’s issues felt that
the International Criminal Court (ICC), she felt that more
major achievements were possible by appealing to
countries should be persuaded to ratify the ICC.
"people’s subconscious”.
The media emerged as a powerful tool for bringing
about change. Prominent French journalist and one of the
Suruchi Yadav is a freelance journalist based in
founding members of the WSF, Bernard Cassen, noted
Mumbai, She can be contacted at
that while media at present acted on behalf of vested
suruchi_yadav@hotmail.com
HUMANSCAPE ■ FEBRUARY 2004 ■ 38
r\K(O- iH.B
Pre-Sex selection Test:
a hidden femicide
World Social Forum, Mumbai
Monday, 19 January 2004
5 to 8 p.m.
Venue: B 31
Dear Friends,
V r e stand on the brink of an impending disaster, a disaster that
can be avoided if you and I can bring to the center stage of our
politics the value of the feminine- a value that now stands
devalued, denied and destroyed. The galloping advance of
medical science by way of amniocentesis, chronic villa biopsy,
sonography, ultrasound and imaging techniques is progressively.
spreading in its misuse to prevent the arrival of female babies.
What is now even more alarming is that it is now possible at the
pre-conception stage itself, to engineer the desired sex of the
unborn, which universally is in favour of the male.
Every successive census data has consistently shown a decline in
sex-ratios, the drop being very steep in the last decade, due to the
advent of ultra sound scanning.
Women are in cold stark
reality becoming an endangered species/gender;
a femicide that is invisible, incalculable, silent
Pre-Sex selection Test:
a hidden femicide
World Social Forum, Mumbai
Monday, 19 January 2004
5 to 8 p.m.
Venue: B 31
Introduction
Globalisation and Femicide
Dr. Vibhuti Patel, Member Secretary, Women Development Cell,
University of Mumbai, Mumbai
Techonologisation of medical practice
Dr. Puneet Bedi, Foetal Medicine expert, Apollo Hospital, New Delhi
Rising trends in Sex Decline
An overview by Dr. Sabu George, Girl Child activist
Science and female foeticide
Dr. Manu Kothari, KEM Hospital, Mumbai
Can Law Check the declining Sex Ratio
Sanjay Parikh, Eminent Lawyer, New Delhi
Ground Realities:
• An experience of A Sting on a practitioner of Sex Selection,
Vimochana, Bangalore, Karnataka
•
Declining Sex Ratios: Issues and Concerns By P.Phavalam,
•
Campaign Against Sex Selective Abortions, Tamil Nadu
Field realities, Dr. Narendra Gupta, Prayas, Rajasthan,
Let us Connect
Networking with other groups
Dance Drama on Female Foeticide by Vimochana, Forum for Women's Rights,
Bangalore, Karnataka
Jointly organised by Vimochana, Forum for Women’s Rights, Bangalore, Karnataka and
Campaign Against Sex Selective Abortions, Tamil Nadu
Supported by British High Commission
3
lemocratlsing the
International (fcder
How can we ensure that all those affected by
global forces can participate in an equal and
democratic manner in the global exchange, deci
sions and governance?
Governments have to provide means for more
democratic international community. This is de-
Constitutions shall thus not establish laws on com
mercial powers, like the draft EU constitution, but
on human rights and on people's power to vote
the persons who initiate legislation.
Draft EU constitution would be first such a con
stitution in the world, where all rights and powers
To be legitimate in a demo
cratic manner, global deci
sions must be based on
globally equal participa
tion and universal human
rights.
Marginalized voices of the
southern global majority
should be equally resourced
to make their concerns and
proposals on global issues
treated.
dared and searched for by several initiatives and
open dialogues, including a co-initiative of the Finn
ish and Tanzanian foreign ministries, the Helsinki
Process. It remains to be seen, whether and how
governments can advance global democracy and
rights of the marginalised majority.
To be legitimate in a democratic manner, glo
bal decisions must be based on globally equal par
ticipation and universal human rights. Marginalised
voices of the southern global majority should be
equally resourced to make their concerns and pro
of justice become subordinate to economic pow
ers. It is often assumed that modern democracy
and democratic constitutions derive from European
traditions of law and culture. The new EU draft
would ironically commercialise constitution and jus
tice into technical Instruments for market aims and
for increasing bureaucracy of "liberalisation".
If this new EU-model of a "constitution" be
comes globalised all over the world, the whole con
stitutional principle of democracy and justice, which
is independed from money and commercial pow
ers, will collapse.
posals on global issues treated. These proposals
should be realised as far as they advance global
equality and democracy.
Law, democracy and justice need to be based
universally on fundamental rights and constitutional
powers, independent from commercial interests.
Contents
Democratising the international order
Democracy and knowledge
Water must be available to everyone
Friends of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakain
Who should decide about our environment?
Interview with Uma Shankari
Global Greens
What Would Gandhi Say if He Came to
the WSF Today?
Interview with Rajni Bakshi
Self-organised programmes at WSF
Indigenous peoples’ rights and survival
Interview with Heidi Karjalainen
Social dimension on a rise
Interview with Usha Titikshu
Towards equality
Economic democracy
From democracy to sampoom swaraj
- page 1
- page 2
- page 2
- page 2
- page 3
- page 3
- page 3
- page 4
- page 4
- page 5 to 8
- page 9
- page 9
- page 10
- page 10
- page 10
- page 11
- page 12
Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam
will organise a workshop
in WSF in order to
advance the notion of
comprehensive democ
racy and to build affilia
tions around the VK
initiative. Various dimen
sions, such as political,
social, cultural and
economic democracy, are to be advanced
simultaneously.
A Coalition for Compre
hensive Democracy - The
Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam
Initiative
17.1. at 5 PM to 8 PM, B 68
Related events
> NAFTA & FTAA the Global North Meets Global
South, 17.1., 9 A.M. to 12 Noon, Hall 2
> What after Unilateralism?, 17.1., 9 A.M. to 12
Noon, D 119
> Fora Democratic, Fair, Responsible International
Governance, 17.1., 1 P.M. to 4 P.M., A2
> Democracy and Constitutions - a North-South
Dialogue on the Constitutional Processes (of the EU,
India, Africa etc.), 17.1. at 5 P.M- 8 P.M., B 67
> People to People Dialogue on Multilateralism and
Democracy Globally, 20.1., 1 P-M. to 4 P.M., B 30
> Socialist Responsibility for deepening Democ
racy Globally, 20.1., 5 P.M. to 8 P.M., Hall 5
y_____
Editoral Collective
Nagesh Hatkar
Ville-Veikko Hitvela
Tuuli Hirvilammi
Ville Holmberg
Vagish K Jha
Marko Kangas
Anil Mishra
Suresh Nautiyal
Johanna Nuorteva
Jarna Pasanen
Vijay Pratap
Ritu Priya
Karolina Roiha
Maria Svanstrom
Usha Titikshu
Marko Ulvila
Published by
Vasudhaiva
Kutumbakam
(for limited circulation only)
Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam is
an idea aspiring to redefine
democracy from a mode of
governance to a way of life.
For more information,
please contact:
Vasudhaiva
Kutumbakam
Lokayan
13 Alipur Road
Delhi - 110054, India
E-mail:
msudhaivakutumbakam@vsnl.net
Democracy Forum Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam
Pengertie 3, 37800 Toijala,
Finland
E-mail: vk-finland@kaapcli.fi
Another A
world is
possible!
Let us build
it together”
EQUITY AND JUSTICE
Democracy and
knowledge
The basis of human ad
vancement is in the free
exchange of information.
The cumulative nature of
knowledge has been pos
sible due to insitutions that
have encouraged sharing of
information and storing it in
public domain. In the mod
ern times universities and
libraries are some of prime
examples of this.
The idustrial era, and the
last decades of globalisation
in particular, has introduced
a regime of intellectual
property that is reversing
this nature of free knowl
edge. This has to be resisted
and new regimes of free
exchange and depositoy
developed.
Related
events
> Dialogues on Knowl
edge in Society
17.1.1PM to 4PM, D
129.
> Freedom Matters Free Software Founda
tion, 18.1. 1 PM to 4
PM, 0140.
> On Democratisation
of Inforamtion with a
Focus on Libraries,
19.1. 9 am to 12 noon,
D126
> Transformative
Education in the
Process of Global
Democratisation, 19.1.
1 PM to 4 PM, A7.
> Free Software Freedom - Libertad,
20.1. 9 am 12 noon, D
128.
Water must be avail
able to everyone
water. Today there is a
presented by the government
of India to link the country's
global water crisis because of
rivers without considering its
technological explosion and
consequences. The proposal
economic interests, which try
to attach a price to water and
is supposed to cause irre
Our life depends on
make it a commodity. Bur
the value and the price of
versible damage on the
environment, and social
conflicts that will emerge due
water are two very different
to massive displacement.
things. Free water must be
Water policies must become
available to everyone. One
based on the principles of
example of the present water
problem is rhe gigantic idea
Water is a human right.
equity and sustainability.
Related events
> Water in the Era of Globalisation, 18.1. 1 PM to 4 PM,
D133.
> Water for livelihood: Linking People, Not Rivers,
18.1. 5 PM to 8 PM, A4.
> Linking Rivers, Dividing People, 20.1. 9 AM to 12
noon, B65
> The Round Table Session on Conversations on the
Philosophies of Water, 20.1. 9 AM to 12 noon, B 65
> Exhibition on Water 18-20.1 at Keshav Gore Smarak
Trust, Aarey Road, Goregaon West
ECOLOGICAL DEMOCRACY
Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam
Who should
“We need more
exchange
decide about
our environment? of ideas”
Uma Shankari doesn't call
Most of the people living
on Earth want to have clean
air to breath and clean water
to drink and to swim in..They
herself an environmental ac
tivist. “I am just active”, she
The Kyoto process shows
Who should decide how
much of the natural resources
how difficult it is to decide on
can be used each year and by
whom? Who should decide
a global level who should re
duce their use of fossile fuels.
do not want their for
If only a certain amount
of greenhouse gases can
be produced without
ests and farmlands to
be polluted by pesti-
harming
the
climate,
says with a smile. Shankari
has done her Ph.D. in sociol
ogy at the University of Delhi.
Now she is a farmer in a vil
lage 50 km from Tirupathi in
Andhra Pradesh in the south
eastern part of India.
She
works with the local farmers'
organisations and land re
radioactive waste. And
shouldn't that amount be
equally divided on a per
ergy that does not
cause global climate
capita basis?
. Tire discourse of the
form movements. Her main
focus has been on agriculture
and water problems. She is also associated with the
West and among west
ernized organisations in
National Alliance of People's Movement (NAPM).
changes.
However, a very
complex web of eco
nomic and political
situation were most
people
with
theii
lifestyles
and
con
Mil
sumption' habits are
destroying their own
environment. There
fore we cannot save the envi
ronment without tackling the
what parr of die nature to be
protected and how? Should en
vironmental decision-making
the South is often very
alienating for the major
ity of the rural people.
What is the situation of the green movement in
India?
This discourse may re
In the beginning of the 80s there was a positive attitude and
sult in programmes and
measures neither under
a lot of hope and promise for a change to the better. But the
stood nor owned by
them. In the long run,
such programmes can
backfire. A better approach is
to concentrate on people's
movement has not kept up the momentum. There has been
too much fragmentation and a set back as many radical
environmentalists have been co-opted and NGO-ised, and
the organisation becomes more important than getting our
act together and doing things together. There are thousands
of small environmental groups all over India, but their po
issues of democracy’ and equal
ity. Ecological democracy is an
important dimension of de
mocracy, and a prerequisite for
control over natural resources,
and integrate the various en
litical role is marginal.
be done on local, national _pr
global level? Does everyone
have the right to consume as
vironmental and
What is the attitude of the political parties on
environmental questions?
sustainable human societies.
much as they like?
approach.
conserva
tions! concerns in such an
There is no green party’ in India, but all the big parties claim
to take responsibility’ for the environment. But this cannot
GLOBAL GREENS
Global Greens is the inter
be seen in their actions. Their development paradigm
challenges of green politics
national network of Green based on this Charter, and
movements and parties. In discuss the future of the in
April 2001,800 people from ternational green movement.
more than 70 countries
gathered in the Australian www.global.greens.org.au/charter.htm
capital Canberra for Global
Global Environmental
Greens 2001. This confer
Citizens Manifestos,
ence agreed on the Charter
17.1.1 pm to 4 pm, B67.
of the Global Greens. This
workshop will debate the
emphasising economic growth is directly harming the envi
ronment. But there has been some individuals in different
parties doing a good job for rhe environment.
What do you consider to be the worst environmental
problems in India?
Deforestation is considered a serious problem by most
people here, but little has been done to stop it. The water
situation is another difficult problem. 80% of the water here
is used for agriculture, but in an unsustainable way. The
government policy favors the use of water intensive crops,
although there are many better alternatives. The bore well
technology which is just twenty years old has. already, cre
ated a serious ground water crisis, simply because it allows
us to extract more water than can be recharged. The pollution of the water by pesticides and fertilisers is alarming. In
the big cities the water is polluted by the industry and house
hold waste. The air is also very polluted in most big cities.
Related Events
> Trees for Survival, 17.1. 9 am to 12 noon, A20
Agrarian Struggles: People Before Profit, 17.1. 5 pm to 8
pm, B 49.
What is your message to the environmentalists in
the North?
We need more understanding and exchange of ideas- But
traveling around the world and producing new reports
> People's Transport Policy in the Era of Globalisation.
18.1.9 AM to 12 Noon, A 15
doesn't alone help the environment. Our work must been
based on strong local actions on the grass root level.
_______ ___ ____________ Vma Shankari is a sociologist and
Peasant Survival in Globalising World, 19.1. 1 pm to 4
pm, D133.
> Development Induced Displacement:
and Strategies, 20.1. 2 pm to 5 pm, Hall 1.
■__________ ./hrwtv from Andhra Pradesh.
Perspectives
BOOK OF TREES
-
a Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam Perspective
by Risto Isomaki and Maneka Gandhi
Majority of the people use
sustainable transport means,
such as bicycles.
Initiatives for Renewable Energy Technology, 20.1.
5 pm to 8 pm, DI 16.
Available from the Other India Bookstore.
THINKING GANDHI
4
interview: RAJNIBAKSHI
“Gandhiji’s ideas and
example remain the
guiding influence”
How do you see Gandhi's heritage
in relation to the so called global civil
society?
Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam
______
What Would Gandhi
Say if He Came to
the WSF Today?
attacks
could be against the WTO's
rule of small areas like villages,
the fight for decentralising
succesfully resist rhe invading
Firstly, the term Gandhi's heritage' cov
power is still accurate. Would
ers a vast area, from ethics to wisdom on
Gandhi's way of localisation be
obedience and ndn-cooperation, like the Indians did to
TRIPS Agreement, according to
which for example different
species of seeds or medication
material issues. In the context of WSF,
most dramatically to mind springs
Gandhiji's firm insistence that the struggle
for justice and dignity was not a conflict
between nations or races but between different perspectives on
the purpose of human civilisation. The fact that WSF has emerged
confirms the feeling many of us have that Gandhiji was ahead
of his time and it is the 21st century that might be 'Gandhi's
Century'.
For Gandhiji the departure of British rulers was not the core
Gandhi's thoughts on self
instead
of
suicide
forces by nonviolent civil dis
At the moment for example the WTO
or the World Bank are making many
of the biggest decisions concerning
the development of the South often
without listening to the voices of the
countries involved
can be patented.
Now, when many of the
seeds are patented, farmers be
come dependant on the mul
tinational companies selling
the seeds and the farming be
comes impossible for many
small farms. Also the high
prices, for example on the
AIDS medication, are caused
by rhe patents of the medicine.
Thus many of the Southern
objective of India's struggle for freedom. True "Swaraj', Self
Rule, would come from a rejection of all those technologies and
need for the medication are not
political structures which centralise power, deny active partici
pation to ordinary citizens and thus disempower millions of
able to buy them. Are the rights
of the companies more impor
people.
tant than the humane suffer
What are the contributions of Gandhi in India today?
ing of millions of people? What
This is a tough question. The common impression is that
if people just continued using
Gandhiji's perspective has been brutally crushed in every as
pect of life. It can be seen in the nature of industry, in the
painful deterioration of Hindu-Muslim relations, or in the failure
of the affluent classes to move towards simpler and more sus
tainable lifestyles. And yet Gandhiji's ideas and example remain
the traditional ways of farm-
the guiding influence for thousands of activists in India and
across the world.
The primary’ reason for this is that you can disagree passion
ately with Gandhiji on specific issues or some particular deci
sions he made, but you cannot help being inspired by his em
phasis on always giving more importance to the means of our
action over the ends. We lean on his example because he lived
recently and he was made of ordinary clay like the rest of us
but he managed to live out this truth with a dazzling passion.
The most blessed among us travel with sheer joy the same path
in everyday life.
Rajni Bakshi is a Mumhai-ba.ted journalisl and. wrilrr.Sht is author of 'Paf>u
Kuli: Journeys in Pedisrorery of Gandhi”; Penguin India, 1998.
GANDHI'S ALTERNATIVE
Another world is possible, but what would it look
like according to Gandhi? He challenged conven
tional wisdom, broke through traditional categories
of thoughts, and opened new philosphical and prac
tical possibilities. Alternative world views are de
bated by politicians, philosophers and activists.
a tool for increasing democ
racy’ and equality among na
tions and people? If instead of
liberalising trade, the amount
of tariffs would be progressive
so that it would cost more to
import goods from countries
Engagement with Gandhi:
An Alternative World View
18.1. at 5 PM to 8 PM, Hall 5
Related event
far a way, would it help na
tional states or smaller units
to be more self sufficient? At
gain independence from the
British empire? Would Gandhi
ing? What if the countries of
the same time the decisions
would be made closer to the
be the one encouraging people
patents of medicines and pro
take part in decision-making
to stop the World Trade
Organisation, World Bank or
duce them with a lower price
on the issues which effect their
the
own lives. At the moment for
are strong enough to change
Fund by non-violent civil disobedience?
the system!
of the biggest decisions con
Gandhi marched for the
right to local salt production in
cerning the development of
his famous Dandi March and
the South often without listen
ing to the voices of the coun
encouraged people to be dis
obedient and start making their
Today's Dandi
March could be
against the WTO's
TRIPS Agreement
people so that every’ one could
example the WTO or the
World Bank are making many
> Gandhi's ideas involve political, ethical, philosophical
and spiritual dimensions. All of these form a whole. In the
workshop, among others, is discussed Gandhi's methodology
of non-violence as a political strategy as well as his vision for
tries involved.
a new social and political order:
Gandhi in Our Times, 19.1. 1 PM to 4 PM, Dili-
__
Would Gandhi be the one encourag
ing people to stop the World Trade
Organisation, World Bank or the In
ternational Monetary Fund by non
violent civil disobedience?
Could the people of Iraq
International
Monetary
own salt by vaporising the sea
way. Today's Dandi March
the South would break the
for them selves? The people
Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam
5
SELF - ORGANISED PROGRAMMES
SATURDAY 17th JANUARY!
________________
9 AM-12 Noon
Hall 2
NAFTA &FTAA- the
Global North meets
Global South
Havier Coria, Benedicto Martinez, Njoki Njehu, Fred
Azcarate, Gustavo Godas, Tom Goldtooth, Gerome
Cott
Socialism of the Future
Bhai Vaidya, Harsh Mander, Aruna Roy, Sunlti, M.P.
Parmeswaran, Chico Whitaker, Pradip Giri, Keshav
Jadhav, Vinod Prasad Singh, Geetha, Folke Sundeman,
Subhash Ware, GabrielDietreich, Shekar Singh
A4
Sunder Lal Bahuguna, Rajendra Dhasmana, Mr.Mburu,
Rajendra Gupta, Bhuvan Pathak
A 20
Perspectives on Alliances
of Communists, Greens,
Feminists and other
movement groups for
comprehensive
democracy
Pannalal Surana, Luis Ayala, Ulka Mahajan, Chittaroopa '
Palit, Khurshid Anwar, Shaheed Kamal, Satu Hassi, Mukul
Sharma, Yrjo Hakanen, Anil Bhattarai, Vandna Mishra, Ali
Anwar, Sathyamala, Amarjeet Kaur, W.R. Vardarajam
D 129
(100)
Strategies Toward Global
Democratization - What
after Unilateralism?
George Monbiot, Asthriesslav Rocuts, Jill Timms, Candido
Grzybowski, Heikki Patomaki, D.L. Sheth
D 119
(100x
Trees for Survival
Grassroots Global Justice (GGJ)
(4000)
(1000)
Socialist Front, Lok Shakti Abhiyan,
Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, yusuf
Meherally Centre, Rashtra Seva Dal, S
M Joshi Socialist Foundation
(100)
Ped Panchayat, Coalition for
Environment and Development, South
Asian Dialogues on Ecological
Democracy
Rashtra Seva Dal, S M Joshi
Foundation, Yusuf Meherally Centre
NIGD, Network Institute for Global
Democratization, IBASE, Centre for the
Studies of Developing Studies (CSDS),
UNESCO Chair on Civil Society of the
Polytechnic University Catalunya
1 PM-4 PM
For a Democratic, Fair, •
Responsible, International
Governance
Antonio Guterres, Luis Ayala, V.P. H.D. Devegowda,
Enrique Baron, Eliodi Rupo, Cristoph Zopal, Bernard
Soulage, Kader Arif, Erkki Tuomioja, Jakaya Kikwete,
Vidya Chauhan, Nitin Desai
,
A2
Dialogues on Knowledge
in Society
Avinash Jha, Krishna Gandhi, Tenzin Rigzin, Ananya
Vajpeyi, Sunil Sahasrabudhey, Krishnarajulu Naidu, Jinan
K.B., Amit Basole
D129
Global Environmental
Citizens Manifestos
Shekhar Singh, Wolfgang Sacu ■, B.K. Roy Burman, Satu
Hassi, Marko Ulvila, Mukul Sharma, Ilina Sen, Gini
Shrivastav, Bhuvan Pathak, Suiesh Nautiyal, Cathrine
Greze
B 67
Ecofriendly and Equity
Arrangement in Water
Management
Pannalal Surana, Popatrao Pawai
Recasting the Discourse
on AIDS: Lessons for
Public Health from
Africa/Brazil/lndia
Robert Shell, Anandi Yuvaraj, C. Sathyamala, Roehelle /
Ruchira Gupta, Anchita Ghatak, Vijay Thakur, Anand
Zachariah, CORE team
-Agrarian Struggles:
People over Profit
Devinder Sharma, Vijay Javanhia, Hilkka Pietila, Sarath
Fernando, Rafael Alegria
B49
Democracy and
Constitutions - a NorthSouth Dialogue on the
Constitutional Processes
(of India, European Union,
Africa etc.)
Erkki Tuomioja, Digvijaya Singh, Rajendra Sachchar, Vijay
Pradhan, Pravin Wagh, Abdul Kadir A’Shareef, Thomas
Wallgren, Ville-Veikko Hirvela, Anil Mishra, Harsh Mander
B67
A Coalition for
Comprehensive
Democracy - the
Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam
Initiative
Satu Hassi, Prabhash Joshi, DL Sheth, Thomas Wallgren,
Ville-Veikko Hirvela, Outi Hakkarainen, Mirja Ryynanen,
Dev Dutt, Aruna Roy, Suresh Nautiyal, Vagish Jha, Ritu
Priya
B 68
ihare
Socialist Front, Socialist International
(1000)
(100)
(100)
A16
(100)
A 20
(100)
Indigen Research Foundation,
Lokavidya Samvad
Democracy Forum Vasudhaiva
Kutumbakam, HBF India, South Asian
Dialogues on Ecological Democracy
Rashtra Seva Dal, Socialist Womens
Council, Chatra Bharati Students Wing,
All India Socialist Teachers Forum
Swasthya Panchayat-Lokayan, Apne
Aap, Women Worldwide, Coalition for
Environment and Development,
ActionAid. India
5 PM-8 PM
(100)
(100)
(100)
National Alliance of Peoples
Movements, MST, La Via Campasina,
Monlar, • Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam
HMKS
Democracy Forum Vasudhaiva
Kutumbakam, Lokayan
Democracy Forum Vasudhaiva
Kutumbakam
SELF - ORGANISED PROGRAMMES
6
Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam
SUNDAY 18th JANUARY
9 AM-12 Noon
The Politics of the WSF’s
“Open Space": prospects and
limitations of the struggle
against the Empire
Immanuel Wallerstein, Chico Whitaker, Virginia Vargas, Meena
Menon, Anibal Quijano, Jai Sen, Teivo Teivainen, Thomas
Ponmah
(1000)
B61
(100)
Rajendra Ravi
A 15
(100)
Democracy in the Himalayan
RegionJncluding the Excluded
NIGD, Network Institute for Global
Democratization, Paulo Freire
Institute, Focus on the Global South,
Flora Tristan
Child Labour And Social
Securtiy Among Unorganized
Sector Workers
Peoples Transport Policy in the
Era of Globalisation
A2
Vijay Pratap, Hari Roka, Rajendra Dhasmana, Shekhar Pathak,
Arun Joshi, Deepak Bhatt, B.B. Pandey, Bhupen Singh,
Ravindra Garia , P.C. Tiwari
A 20
(100)
National Campaign Committee For
Unorganized Sector Workers (NCCUSW), Campaign For Child Labour
[Gael)
Lokayan, Coalition for Environment
and Development, South Asian
Dialogues on Ecological Democracy,
Delhi, TRIPP-IIT, Delhi, Jan Parivahan
Panchayat, Delhi
South Asia Study Centre, Uttarakhand
Chaupal, Himalayan Peoples Forum,
All India Nepalese Free Students
Union ANNFSU
1 PM-4 PM
Cooperatives as a collective
bargaining strategy
B32
New Trade Union Initiative
(200)
Democracy and Human
Security in South Asia
B51
(100)
Water in the Era of
Globalisation
Care of elderly in rural
societies of the third world
Nirmal Sen Gupta, Vaidyanathan, Satish Chandra, Medha
Patkar, Bhiksham Gujja, Peter Boshard, Rajendra Singh,
Anupam Mishra, Deepak Mipani
Manisha Jha, Habibullah Ansari
D 133
LOKNITl-A pogramme of the Centre
for the Study of Developing Societies
(CSDS), LOKAYAN, Vasudhaiva
Kutumbakam, Heinrich Boll
Foundation
(100)
South Asian Dialogues on Ecological
Democracy, Coalition for Development
and Environment, Himalayan Peoples
Forum, South Asia Study Centre
B53
Swasthya Panchayat
(100)
How To Deal With Lack Of
Money In Small Communities
B60
Alliance 21 Workshop on Social
Money
(100)
Resisting State and
Interpersonal Violence Against
Women of Color
Kaaryn Gustafson, Women of Color Resource Center; Julia
Sudbury Critical Resistance, Ethnic Studies Mills College;
Margo Okazawa-Rey, Mills College Women's Leadership
Institute, Simmi Gandhi, Incite!; Andrea Smith (Cherokee),
C 105
INCITE, Women of color against
violence
(100)
Incite!, Michigan Uni
Freedom Matters!
0140
Richard Matthew Stallman
Free Software Foundation of India
(400)
5 PM - 8 PM
Engagement with Gandhi:
An Alternative World View
Digviiav Singh, Ashish Nandy, Chico Whitaker, Sunil
Sahasrabudhe, Nirmala Deshpandey, Sudhir Chandra,
Thomas Wallg en, Pradip Giri, Sayeeda Hamid, Wolfgang
SaclTs Vijay Pratap (initiator of the debate), Anil Mishra
Hall 5
(4000)
Cultural Choices and Global
Futures, Lok Shakti Abhiyan
(moderator)
Water for Livelihood: Linking
People, Not Rivers
Medha Patkar Ramaswamy Iyer, Peter Bosshard, A
Vaidyanathan Sudhirendar Sharma, Rajendra Singh, Bittu
Sehgal? Danesh Mishra, Shafqat Munir, NimrialSengupta,
Bhiksham Gujja, Sudhir Vombatkere, & others
JP Foundation for Asian
Democracy, Vasudhaiva
Kutumbakam, Committee for
A4
(1000)
National Alliance of Peoples
Movement, Narmada Bachao
Andolan, International Rivers Network,
Bangla Praxis
Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam
SELF - ORGANISED PROGRAMMES
MONDAY 19th JANUARY
7
Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam
SELF - ORGANISED PROGRAMMES
8
TUESDAY 20th JANUARY
9 AM-12 Noon
Survival of indigenous
people / adivasi globally
The Quest for Participatory
Democracy
Ram Dayal Munda, Heidi Karjalainen, Vasavi, Dayamani Baria, Indu
Netam, Kaluram Dhondhare, Vahru Sonwane, Gameji Vasawa, Rose
Kerkatta, C K Janu, Minimon 'Lalu, Nirmala Putul, Bitia Murmu, Gunjuli
Nayak, Sivarama Krishna, Pradeep Prabhu, Ashok Chaudhry,
Harishankar Mhale, Sukhdeo Babu Uaike, Sanjeev Barua
Luis Ayala, Partho Mukherjee, D.L Sheth, Manoranjan Mohanty, Ramesh
Dixit, Geetha, Ashok Bharti, Anand Kumar, Aruna Roy, Moema, D P
Tripathy
D.L. Sheth, Thomas Wallgren, Medha Patkar, Nikhil Dey, Suniti, Surekha
Dialogue on Participatory
Democracy and Civil Society Dalwi, Aditya Nigam, Hari Roka, Anil Bhattarai, Mohammad Tehsin, Anand
Movements
Kumar, Kumar Saptrishi, Rizwan Qaiser, Prabhat Kumar, Rajendra Ravi,
Lalit Batra
Survival of Peasants
Globally
Linking Rivers, Dividing
People
Hall 3
(4000)
B31
Rajendra Prasad Academy/ Institute for
Democracy and Sustainable Development
(200)
B60
(100)
Vijay Javandhlah, G.K. Chaddha, Subhas Lomte, Naresh Sirohi, Sumit
Chopra, Gopal Iyer, Sunilam, Suman Sahai, representatives of Via
Campasina and Farmers Organisations
B61
Medha Patkar, Peter Boshard, Ramaswamy Iyer, A Vaidyanathan, Sudhir
Vombatkere, Sudhirendar Sharma, Dinesh Mishra, A Latha, Pandurang
Hegde, Convenors: Uma Shankari, Gopal Krishna, and Suresh Nautiyal
B65
US hegemony in South Asia: Vijay Pratap, Rajendra Dhasmana, Hari Roka, Shekhar Pathak, P.C. Tiwari
Quest for South Asian
Solidarity
Friends of the Earth Finland, NAPM,
Abhiyan, Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam,
Ramanika Foundation, Agragamee,
Shoshit Jan Andolan, Coalition for
Environment and Development,
Rupantar, Astha, Judav, LAMP
(100)
(100)
D 133
(100)
The Civil Society, Globalisation and
Comprehensive Democracy Dialogues
(CSGCDD), Books for Change - Hindi,
Third World Forum
South Asian Dialogues on Ecological
Democracy, CSGCDD, Committee for
Cultural Choices and Global Futures
The Ecological Foundation, Forum for
Ecological Democracy, Working Group on
Ecological Democracy
Himalayan Peoples Forum, South Asia
Study Centre, AINFSU, Uttarakhand
Chaupal, Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam
Questioning Prevailing
Onkar Mittal, Anant Phadke, C. Sathyamala, team of Researchers from
Paradigms in Public Health: JNU, Outi Hakkareinen, Atal B.Sharma, Krishna Soman, Ritu Priya, chair
Putting People Centre-Stage Deodhar
B53
Free Software - Freedom Libertad
D128
(100)
Hipatia
C93
(100)
Jubilee USA
Hall 1
National Alliance of Peoples
Movements, Narmada Bachao Andolan,
MAB, MN&P, Focus on Global South,
Forum for Forest People and Forest
Worker, Lokayan
Richard Stallman, Juan Carlos Gentile, Nuria del Rio, Vicente Ruiz, Free
Software Foundation India, G. Nagarjuna
U.S. Hosting the G8 and
IMF/WB 6(FAnniv. In 2004
(100)
Swasthya Panchayat, GASPP, Centre of
Social Medicine and Community Health
1 PM-4 PM
Development Induced
Displacement:
Perspectives and
Strategies 2 PM - 5 PM
Medha Patkar, Trevor Ngnana, Girish Patel,Smitu Kothari, Ashok
Chaudhari
WSF Roundtable for
Maude Barlow, Canada - Virginia Vargas, - Sara Longwe, Zambia - Gita
Dialogue and Controversy: Sen, India - Marco Aurelio Garcia - Professor Muchkund Dubey - Paul
Challenging Unilateralism Nyrup Rasmussen
and UN Reform
(8000)
Hall 4
(4000)
People to People Dialogue
on Multilateralism and
Democracy Globally
S.P. Shukla, Jakaya Kikwete, Muchkund Dubey, Baren Ray, D.L. Sheth,
Ville Luukka'nen, Marko Ulvila, Suman Sharma, Mahendra Sharma, Mirja
B 30
Ryynanen
(200)
Globlization, Mass Media
and Culture
Nikhil Wagle Rajendra Dhasmana, P.C. Tiwari, C.P. Jha, Anil Mishra,
Shekhar Pathak, Suresh Nautiyal, Ravindra Garia, Rajesh K Jha
D 129
(100)
IBASE, ONU dei Populi, UBUNTU, FIM
Canada, DAWN Brazil, NIGD
The Civil Society, Globalisation and
Comprehensive Democracy Dialogues
(CSGCDD)
South Asia Study Centre, Himalayan
Peoples Forum, AINFSU, Uttrakhand
Chaupal
5 PM-8 PM
Socialist Responsibility for Antonio Guterres, Sadanand Varde, Pannalai Surana, Enrique Baron,
Deepening Democracy
Thomas Wallgren’, Luis Ayala, Arun Kumar, Sanjeev Sane, Atal B.
Global|y
Sharma, Manimala, Anil Bhattarai
Hall 5
(4000)
Socialist Front, Janata Weekly, Naya
Sangharsh, Lok Shakti Abhiyan,
Rashtra Seva Dal
Victoria Corpuz, Joan Carling, Ram Dayal Munda, Pradeep Prabhu, CK
janu, Sanjay Basu Mullfok
D 134
(400)
National Alliance of Peoples Movements
Narmada Bachao Andoland
Solidarity with Palestine:
Rania Masri, Institute for Southern Studies; Cecille Surasky, Jewish Voices
United grassroots resistance for Peace, and Nirsin El Amin, Grassroots International
in the United States to Israeli
Occupation
B 34
Institute for Southern Studies
Indigenous Peoples Identity
and Their Rights
Initiatives for renewable
energy Technology
Marko Ulvila, Sudhirendra Sharma, Karun, Ashok Rao
(200)
rinm6
(ioo)
Coalition for Environment and
Development
9
CULTURAL DEMOCRACY
Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam
Indigenous
“We need
neopies' rights co-operation
to make a
and survival difference”
and its natural resources be
long to them culturally, socio
One of the many indigenous groups having
representatives at the WSF is the Sami people from
economically, ethically, spiri
Northern Europe. The Sami live in the northernmost
areas of Finland, Sweden, Norway and Russia and
tually and by their right to po
litical self-determination. They
need to have sovereignty in
decision-making over the use,
management and conservation
of resources, which are nec
placed from their territories.
Due to globalised exploitation,
their traditions and natural re
sources are taken away in the
name of development. This
results in a fast degradation of
part more actively. The next year
she was asked to join the board
the
indig
voices and aspirations is a chal
lenge. These, if articulated po
litically, will contribute to the
struggle for the survival of this
planet, equitable social order
and sustainable development.
Indigenous people have the
right to the conservation of the
environment of their lands and
erature, etc. and endanger the
rights.
very identity and survival of
tual and material relationship
the Adivasis. Simultaneously
with the lands and resources
ratified international ILO Con
vention, states are responsible
with the Adivasi identity, the
and their responsibilities to
symbiotic way of life, the art
future generations. Indigenous
indigenous
of plural co-existence and the
peoples' collective right to the
^/land and its resources, which
culture of shared celebration
are threatened.
There is a need to discover
and analyse not only the
threats to the indigenous
people, but also their strengths,
people constitute still about 4
percent of the world popula
tion and have been the trust
ees of about half the natural
and cultural resources. Their
survival is an essential concern
ensuring
are needed for their livelihoods
and subsistence. Human rights
require that a people shall not
be deprived of its own means
of subsistence. However indig
involved in Suoma Sami Nuorat (Sami Youth
organisation in Finland) since four years. She took
informed consent is necessary
prior to the approval of any
use of their lands or means of
quality of life and human
for
Sami language, is 22 years old and has been actively
part in her first SSN meeting during her last year in
subsistence.
Constructing
information technology does
not allow a process of genu
ine engagement of indigenous
people on equal footing. The
forces of globalisation go far
beyond and threaten to eradi
cate the cultural diversity and
plural world-view, music, lit
reindeer herding.
Heidi Karjalainen, Asllat Juovssa Rauha Heidi in
essary means for their life. In
digenous people's free and
enous vision with authentic
Millions of indigenous
people are increasingly dis
their traditional livelihood consists of fishing and
high-school and became enthusiastic about taking -
and her interest in more active
Sami politics increased. "Since
then I've gone deeper and deeper
into the activities of SSN and am
now the chairperson of the
board", Heidi says.
She has also participated in
planning a project with the
Parakuiyo Masai community in
Tanzania and took part in the UN Permanent Forum
on Indigenous Issues at the UN headquarters in NY
last spring.
to uphold their distinctive spiri
for the survival of our planet
rights and contributions to the
earth as living mother nature.
enous people's means of sub
world. Their life and the way
Understanding the Adivasi way
sistence are widely negated by
their means of subsistence are
of life, their world-view, live
commercial interests.
The consumerist expansion
their “own”, provide the world
lihood engagements, cultural
ah elucidation on how the ba
contexts and meaning systems
and Trade-Related Intellectual
sis of our universal human
operating within them, will
Property Rights under WTO
rights to land and natural re
provide vital clues in the mak
are framed to poach upon the
sources is much wider than
ing of an alternative vision for
traditional knowledge systems
and cultural rights. The new
commercial ownership. The
the survival of our planet.
land indigenous people live in
How do you see the international co-operation of
Adivasi people today?
I see working together as being very important. In a world
that is getting smaller" all the time, it's necessary to create
co-operation opportunities. In today's world it's
impossible to isolate oneself and in some aspects I see co
operation as unavoidable: when you're on your own the
chances to make a difference are smaller. The power of
working together can for example be seen in the UN
Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and other similar
events.
What are your expectations from your visit to the
WSF in Mumbai?
It's hard to point out anything specific. For us in the Sami
Youth organisation in Finland it's obviously' important to
gain experience and knowledge about acting on the
international level. As the land of our people is divided
between four states we already act on an international
level in some aspects. In addition I find it interesting to
see how the WSF works. I expect it to be quite different
from the events I've been to, as there are also many other
Survival of Indigenous
Peoples Globally
20.1. 9 am to 12 noon, Hall 3
This large debate on the survival
of Adivasi Globally will contain in
digenous speakers around the World.
The World Social Forum in India is
a good forum to consider indigenous
issues as India has the world's larg-
est population of indigenous people
or “Adivasis”. Thousands of Adivasirepresentatives are participating in
the WSF, where more than 60 semi
nars and work-shops discuss the in
digenous issues.
issues present than those related to Adivasi people. I'm
also looking forward to meeting other young people.
Heidi Karjalainen is chairperson of the board of Sami
Youth
organisation in Finland.
Related events
> Indigenous People and-their Land Rights, 18.1., iPM to 4PM
^Indigenous Peoples Identity and their Rights, 20.1. 5 pm to 8
> Tribal Women and Rights over the Natural Resources n,
9AM to 12Noon, D114
Les- 17-b
Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam
SOCIALISM AND DEMOCRACY
-10
interview: USHA TITIKSHU
SOCIALDIMENSION “People and
energy are our
ONARISE
strengths”
The idea to ensure human
dignity globally means that
more attention should be paid
to people instead of profit. The
neo-liberal hegemony has
caused social problems like
rights of all human beings.
On the age of globalisation
we are facing a serious crisis
That is why there's an urgent
in democratic decision-mak
ing, which means that econo
need for self-rule.
People have to assert then
mies have been liberalised and
power and strengthen the pos
deregulated against the will of
sibilities to make decisions
Usha, 31, is a central commity member of Civic Soli
darity For Peace in Nepal. By profession she is a
freelance photo journalist and has photographed es
pecially themes related to social injustice. She is involved
in dialogue process.
What are the weaknesses
and strengths of social move
ments in South Asia?
In South Asia there are many
social problems so we need to
have real grassroot, peoples vol
unteer networking. Nowadays one
problem is that NGO's are paying
big money for their workers and
many of them are too corporate.
We need peoples organisations
that don't work for money and link with political parties.
Our strength is that we have people and energy. Those
people want to build a beautiful network for justice, non
violent movement, equality and progress. There are different
ways people are fighting against globalisation and
militarisation, but sometimes the challenge is to understand
people from different regions with their own problems. There
is a need to deeply understand and learn from each others,
because how could we build the international solidarity’ against
globalisation and militarisation without understanding?
The ideals of equality have been totally rejected by neo-liberal forces.
poverty, alienation, unemploy
the majority of the citizens.
when our own welfare and re
How do you see the. WSF contributing the movement
building in the region?
ment, and inequity. Present
global forces are worst hitting
These harmful decisions are
made to serve the benefit of
sources are in question. The new
rise of the socialist values is needed
meeting people, I've met only few who have known some
farmers, fishermen, indigenous
small global elite without tak
in the times of total, rejection of the
people, women and otherwise
already discriminated classes.
ing into consideration the
moral aspects and universal
ideals of equality arid fraternity by
neo-liberal forces.
Since a month I've been1 in Mumbai, travelling around and
thing about the WSF, so die impact might not be that big. But
of course the meetings around the WSF are gathering people
together from different parts, give .chances, to meet good people
and get new friends. The WSF is not just a way to build a
network but more like an open ground, which is also needed
for better understanding. It also provide.a possibility to see
Towards equality
local problems on international level. Challenge in the WSF
is the big question: Another world is possible, but for what?
How is it
possible, that
sion and
loneliness
people are living
on the streets?
How can small
which hope
going to be part
children be forced
of Indian
fully are not
to make their living
by begging in the
middle of a traffic jam?
What are the forces
It raises many
I > DIGNITY TO ALL
S
the democratisation,
questions while walking
in Mumbai as a citizen of
one answer is to change
Finland the gap between
our own lifestyle. The
growth has its limits so we
the rich is not that big. For
can't afford having as
Nordic welfare state. In
us basic income is a right
affluent a society as we now
written in the Constitution
have in Finland. It is our
responsibility to rethink the
and according the UN human
rights it should concern
distributed like this is never
going to bring fruits to
everyone. Social dimension,
Experiencing Indian
family ties and emotions are
under threath of consumer
ism. In Finnish consumption
again that present neo-liberal
unsustainable. The growth
A conference of dignified; racially, socially and other-
g wise discriminated communities is organised.
Special
| interest will be on the globalisation and it's impact on
I poorer sections of rhe society. The goal of the conference
is to evolve a common programme and a live network of
I these communities.
!
World Dignity Forum, 19.1. at 2 PM to 5 PM, Hall 1
> FUTURESOCIALISM
!
I
Discussions about socialism together with eminent
socialist leaders:
'
Socialism of the Future, 17.1. at 9 PM to 12 PM, A4
|
;.i
For a Democratic, Fair, Responsible, International
Governance 17.1. at 1 PM to 4 PM, A2
values of western lifestyle
atmosphere shows us once
economic expansion is
Related Events
lifestyle in the
future.
So how to
redistribute welfare
more equally? In
addition to work for
behind all this?
everyone. So how is it
possible that it's still just a
dream?
Using other words, where is the beautiful garden? Many flow
ers are there already. All should be there, but through which
way?
society we already have
social problems like exclu-
and avoid consuming those
goods produced in unfair
circumstances and in too
large quantities.
Welfare is possible for all
if we are satisfied with what
we really need.
Socialist Responsibility for Deepening Democracy
Globally 20.1 at 5 PM to 8 PM, Hall 5
'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam
11
ECONOMIC DEMOCRACY
Economic democracy,
a political instrument
Economic democracy is about
strengthening the position of the
PUBLIC
HEALTH CARE
weakest. This could be done by
empowering the poorest of society
It is necessary to de
velop complementary
money systems to
democratise economy
There is ferment in health service sys
tems across the world. Challenges of high
costs on one hand, and health sector re
forms with declining public expenditures
and health systems’ capacity on the other
and develop systems which
are reopening old and new paths for health
protect the needs and rights of
them.
It is necessary to develop
complementary money systems to
services development. At the same time the
negative impact of economic policy
changes on health status has generated a
growing recognition of the need for effec
democratise economy. Commu
tive health systems.
The threat of privatisation of public
nity-based exchange systems
encourage self-reliance and
support local production. By using
local currency people who are in
need of national currency are still
services is right behind the corner all
around the world. Privatising the public
health care could have serious impact on
the health status of different countries.
able to fulfill their needs. The
local markets are more based on
actual demand, not on the aim of
multinational companies to make
profit by’ selling useless goods.
Concretely alternatives to 'hard
Economic democ
racy refers also
to the use of
money as a political instrument.
currency' mean different kinds of
self-help groups who have set up
community currency systems, loan
groups, savings clubs, producer/
consumer cooperatives etc. Eco
nomic democracy refers also to rhe
use of money as a political instru
ment. One example of changing
the world by using money is
boycotting.
AIDS is one of the public health crisis
affecting the whole world, but with greatly
varying degrees of severity. The epidemic
is so serious in many countries that it is
bound to influence the public health dis
course and future services development.
The epidemic has followed a different
course in different societies in diverse con
Concretely alternatives to 'hard currency'
mean different kinds of self-help groups
who have set up community currency sys
tems, loan groups, savings clubs, producer/
consumer cooperatives etc.
texts and evoked diverse responses.
The HIV epidemic provides its lessons
on how such conditions have come about,
including their exploitation by the neo-colonial processes, adoption of the north-led
models of development, and the impact
of globalisation. How have these affected
womens lives and gender issues in various
segments of the population?
In many of the African countries a
public health care system had been built
by the 1970s. Is the break down of this
systems over the 1980s, greatly caused by
the structural adjustment programs, one
of the significant factors in limiting the ca
pacity' of the system to respond to the epi
demic?
Related events
> Recasting the Discourse on AIDS:
Lessons for Public Health from Africa,
Brazil, and India, 17.1. at 1 PM to 4 PM
A20
> Questioning Prevailing Paradigms
>n Pubhc Health, 20.1. at 9 AM to 12
<®
BACK PAGE
Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam
From Democracy to
Sampoorn Swaraj
Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam
is an idea aspiring to redefine
perspective to channelize all
society in dialogues at local,
democracy from a mode of
institutions towards ever
expanding and deepening
regional and international
level on a number of crucial
governance to a way of life.
democratisation.
issues:
For Vasudhaiva
Kutumbakam socio-cultural
daridranarayan, the ‘last
The age old concept
vasudhaiva kutumbakam,
meaning the whole world is
♦ Empowerment of the
one family, can provide a ■
basis for a dialogue on the
person’ (Economic Democ
racy),
future directions of societies.
♦ Ecological regeneration
and people’s control over
Dominant science, social
and economic processes, and
polity tend to fragment life,
natural resources (Ecological
Democracy),
issues and people’s ways of
♦ Ensuring human dignity
(Social Democracy),
looking at them. Democracy
♦ Strengthening plural co
existence (Cultural Democ
has come to mean merely
‘representative’ political
structures. But there is
another perspective of
diversity is a source ofstrength. The basic premise
racy),
democracy. It is an idea
of this world-view is that no
sect, religion, ideological
structures and institutions
(Political Democracy)
about relationships being
♦ Deepening of democratic
based on equality, mutuality
and respect in individual
group, class, socio-political
♦ Evolving gender relations
formation, the state, or
interaction between family
church can claim a mo
based on mutuality, equality
and respect (Gender Democ
members, communities,
human beings and the rest of
nopoly over truth. Each
nature, between genders, in
the market and the nation
capture only some aspects of
racy)
one’s truth’ is able to
the Truth, depending upon
state, and between peoples
across the nations. The
challenge for all of us is to
the vantage point, and not
build politics around this
wants to engage the civil
‘the Truth' as a whole.
Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam
STALLS
A-HALL
Harit Chaupal — Green Corner
Coalition for Environment and
Development
Hind Mazdoor Sabha
Lokayan
National Alliance of People’s
Movement
Narmada Bachao Andolan
Socialist Front_________
Eklavya Pratisthan
Yusuf Meherally Centre
Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam
Shanti Van
B-HALL
ActionAid
Other India Bookstore
Centre for the Study of
Developing Societies
Mines, Minerals & People
Rainbow Publishers
Free Software Foundation
C-SECTION
International Federation of
Terre des Hommes
Terre des Hommes (Germany)
E-SECTION
NACDOR
The WSF Venue
A 6-7
A8
A 17
A 57-59
A 67
A 69
A 91_______
A 92
A 93
A 94
A 95
B 268-282
B 332
B 375
B 355-356
B378
B 412-413
C 152
C 153
E 132-133
Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam:
From Democracy to
Sampoorn Swaraj
(http://
www.dcmokratiafoorumi.fi/vkbookleLhtmf)
| Another
I worldts
possible!
■ Letusbuild
Mtogaftrf
Don’t forget to visit
MUMBAI RESISTANCE 2004
On the other side of Western Express Highway is
taking place the parallel happening of WSF. MR
2004 from 171' to 2011' of January has the same
issues like WSF but the methods they believe dif
ferentiate. More info www.mumbairesistance.oig
food sovereignty .Venues :
On 18th : Satyam Park, Shreyas Colony, near Aarey
Road Check Naka, Goregaon (app. 1 km from WSF
Grounds).
On 19th :
Leela’s Banquet Hall, Opp Hotel Jay
Prakash, near Rly. Stn., Goregaon (E).
LAND RIGHTS MELA
A fOur-day (18th to 21st January) mela on land,
tribal and peasants 15 min north of the WSF site
behind Thakur Complex, Kandivli East. Panels,
dicussions, musical celebration and experience
sharing. Future strategies for a global campaign
on land rights. Cultural presentations. For details
contact Ekta Parishad at their stall.
DHARAVI
To experience some impacts of presents politics
and situation in India it might be interesting to visit
Dharavi, also called as biggest slum in Asia. Just
take the train to Mahim Railway Station and head
to the east, www.indiatogether.org/opinions/
ddsouza/dharavi.htm. If you don’t have enough
time for Dharavi, it’s worth to walk just 100 meters
to north from Nesco Grounds and visit a smaller
slum.
INTERNATIONA!. VIA CAMPESINA SPACE
The international farmers movement Via
Campesina arranges on the 18h and I?11 of Janu
ary an independent space for discussions and de
bates on agricultural issues. Themes include peas
ant rights, land reform, struggle against GMOs and
MALABAR HILLS
A trip to Malabar hills, the wealthiest and poshest
area of Mumbai is home of Mumbai’s ‘nouveau
riche’. Take train to the Charni Rd Train Station
and walk along the coast to west.
^0- I q 6.
WSF
DrammBtea Trefeffl [Sers*!
Dear Friends,
WSF is holding its fourth annual meet at Mumbai. With its slogan "Another world
is possible", the WSF has succeeded in projecting itself to be the centre of Anti
Globalization movements. The pomp and glitter created by its huge money power,
the participation of intellectual celebrities and the international dignitaries along
with well-executed media hype, naturally draws the attention of the masses. In the
coming days media will blare the loud 'anti-imperialist' proclamations of the WSF
speakers, leading people to believe WSF to be a congregation of anti-imperialist
forces. Is it true?
The truth is a resounding NO. WSF is not a vanguard of anti-imperialist forces, but
a Trojan horse of Imperialism, cunningly designed and launched for the express
purpose ofsabotaging anti-imperialist struggles.
In the last decade when anti-globalization demonstrations rocked the European,
Latin American and South East Asian countries and also the U.S., when the number
of people participating in such demonstrations swelled to millions, when their
screams against capitalism got louder, and finally when the high priests of the
Empires were forced to search for safer hide-outs to conduct their deliberations the
idea called WSF was bom.
WSF is not a new formation altogether. It's only a reincarnation of voluntary
organizations (now called NGOs or Civil Society Organizations) begot by the
imperialists 40 years ago. The massive students' demonstrations and the
widespread anti-imperialist movements of the sixties and the ignominious defeat of
America in Vietnam, shattered the credibility of Imperialist Global System and the
public opinion swayed in favour of Communism. Unable to quell the people's
movement from above, the imperialists resorted to the strategy of penetrating and
contaminating the grassroots, through large-scale recruitment of the educated
middle class in Non Governmental Organizations.
The mission of NGOs is to divide the people on the line of identities, promote
careerism, economism and apoliticism amongst the masses^while indulging in
radical phrase mongering. 70% of the World Bank aided projects are routecftlifdugh
NGOs, and they serve as the power centers of Imperialists, studded in the grass root
to monitor the project ofRecolonisation.
More than 10 Lakh NGOs are functioning in India, and they receive around
Rs.5000 Crores annually from the imperialist funding agencies. Though the NGOs
are segregated and seem mutually independent of others, they are coordinated and
directed by a centralised imperialist think tank. Thus NGOs are strategic weapons
of the imperialists to be used against Communism, and tactical tools to implement
the Globalization from below.
Their sphere of nefarious activity encompasses a wide spectrum including
economics, politics and culture of a country. Neither the'honesty' of the individuals
who work in the NGOs, nor the immediate succour provided by them to the poor
can justify Ithis treasomNGOs are political mercenaries of Imperialism, and these
mercenaries form the backbone ofthe WSF.
—
SPJdJL
The Second important constituent of the WSF are the pseudo communists i.c. the
CPI, CPI(M) and various shades of Socialist parties. They cry hoarse against
Globalization, when they are out of power; in power they behave as servile slaves
of the World Bank and IMF and implement their diktats. From Lula of Brazil to
Buddhadeb of India, they have proved this in practice. Red is their banner, but it is
soaked and drenched in bourgeois politics.
Opportunistic electoral alliances to share the spoils of the state machinery and
betrayal of the working class for holding on to their leadership in trade unions,
remains to be their 'revolutionary' politics. Their anti-globalization 'tirade' is just a
ruse to assuage the sentiments of the masses.
The Economism of the pseudo communists and the identity politics of the NGOs
belong to the same genre. No wonder that the CPI(M) has seamlessly coalesced
with NGOs in the WSF, conveniently forgetting their own outcry against these
imperialist stooges in the past.
The active role of CPI, CPI(M) and other pseudo communists and the presence of
Anarchists, and Trotskyites lend the much needed credibility to the WSF. Thus an
imperialist Trojan horse is portrayed as a red coalition!
The next important partner in this coalition is the church. The church, which has a
tradition of serving as a henchman to the Empire during the colonial era, also plays
an important role in the WSF. It organises the people under its control and offers
them at the altar of Imperialism.
This is what the WSF is! This is the combination that pretends to be anti
imperialist. Radically sounding slogans like “Abolish World Bank and IMP",
"Scrap WTO " etc. are raised from the 'space' called WSF. But those words are mere
sounds and they do not bear any practical significance. The 'practice' of WSF is
confined to debates; endless debates and empty sloganeering to dissipate the anger
of the people ravaged by Imperialism!
Even a political novice can understand that 'Globalization' is a euphemism for
blatant imperialist aggression. Hence, an alternative that does not demand the
destruction of Imperialism, or stops short of overturning the capitalist social
system, betrays itself to be hollow. The cry for a solution to this crisis is destined to
be a cry for Socialism and Communism.
Armed aggression and oppression can be repulsed only with an armed retaliation.
Centralised apparatus of the enemy can be smashed only with a Centralised Party
Organisation; a Revolutionary Communist Party Organistaion.
But the WSF is a crowd of incongruent forces. It's a Trojan Horse of Imperialism.
We call upon the people to boycott WSF!
We call upon you to join the Revolutionary movement!
People s Art and Literary Association
New Democratic Labour Front
_________
Tamilnadu
____
R.Srinivasan, No.4, Fifth Street, Jagannathapuram, Chetpet, Chennai - 600031
Ph: 044 - 2836 0344. E-mail: puthiyakalacharam@hotmail.com
To Contact at Mumbai : 98928-38646
WORLD
SOCIAL
FORUM
(WSF)
stablished in 1 >85, aims to study contemporary social, political and
Institute for Social Science (1SS), Nev
economic issues and problems, it takes an interdisciplinary perspective and makes its findings and recommendations available to
.
.
Mahila Milan (MM),
mb
;rS/Civi| society organizations and concerned citizens.
.
n informal
dia
deration of women's collectives from pavement and slum settlement. It is a
network of women’s collectives from rhe communities, which are affiliated to- National Slum Development Federation (NSDF). The
network assists women's collectives to get recognition and support from thesettlements, and trains them to undertake activities'-and
skills needed tor them to become central in the community's decision-making process.
National Slum Dwellers Federation (NSDF), Mumbai, India started in the mid 1970s by the slum leaders from several cities who
wished to participate in all policy discussions affecting the poor. It works in partnership with SPARC and the Mahila Milan. It
organizes and mobilizes the social and political environment, which would create conditions for the poor to negotiate with resource
providing institutions.
Slum and Shack Dwellers International (SDI) is a network oi community-based federations in urban poor settlements (and their
partner NCOs) in 1 ’ countries in Asia and Africa.
Society for Promotion of Area Resource Center (SPARC), Mumbai, India, founded in 1984, aims to facilitate the development of
environments- the phy sical and social space- and to support the capacity building processes and institutions of poor people. It trains,
educates, advocates and lobbies to set up this process. SPARC along with NSDF and Mahila Milan have brought the shack dwellers
lice. The three organizations refer to themselves collectively as the Alliance, combining ■
-.••••.
the knowledge and skills of professionals and community members to help poor illiterate women to secure land for their homes.
Voluntary Network of India (VANI), New Delhi, India, is a platform for safeguarding and highlighting voluntarism and voluntary
action in India.
Logo-Link Programme '
work of practioners from civil society organizations, research institutions and governments
in
..
working to deepen democracy through greater citizen participation in local governance. It encourages learning from field based
innovations and expressions of democracy which contribute to social justice.
CIVICUS, World Citizen Alliance for Citizen Participation, Washington DC, USA, is dedicated to strengthening citizen action
and civil society throughout the world.
Commonwealth Foundation, London, UK, is an intergovcrrrmental organization of the commonwealth. Il aims to strengthen the
ability oi citizens and civil society organizations to work together and with government and private sector towards the achievement
of fundamental commonwealth values especially those, relating to good governance, people centred sustainable development and
poverty eradication.
Development Research Center for Citizenship, Participation & Accountability (DRC) is a research network coordinated in
Bangladesh by Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS), in Brazil by Centro Brasilefio de Analise e Planejamento
(CEBRAP) m htdr.t by Society rci P.;rli<;i>>„l<,n Research ill Asia (PRIA). in Mexico hv Instihrto rki ln„ociio.->i-ione< stnrialesof the
txico (HS-UNAM), in Nigeria by Theatre for Development Centre of Ahmadu Bello
;ion,
ilizenship that will help make rights real and inclusive for the pom.
'
Forum International de Montreal (FIM), Canada, is global alliance of individuals and organizations with the
Hauser Center for No-Profit Organisations, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA, is an interdm i( w .
-eloping curriculum, fostering mutual learning between academics
nee the
Programme Design
Theme-11 Global and Local Spaces: Civil Society Dynamics under Globalization
Date: 20 January 2004.
9.00 A.M-9.30 A.M
Opening Plenary
Introducing the Theme: Rajesh Tandon, President, PRIA (Society for Participatory Research In
Asia), New Delhi, India
Session I Globalization and Civil Society
Chair: L. David Brown, Associate Director for International Programme, Hauser Center for No-Profit Organisations. Harvard
University, USA
9.30 A.M-11.00 A.M
11.00 A.M-11.30 P.M
Panel Presentation
o
John Clark, Project Director, Panel of Eminent Persons on UN-Civil Society Relations,
United Nations
®
Mario Lovie, Director, Montreal International Forum (FIM), Montreal, Canada
•
Ranjita Mohanty, Research & Academic Linkage Programme, PRIA (Society for
Participatory Research In Asia), New Delhi, India
Discussion/Question& Answer session
Comments by the chair
Tea/Coffee Break
Session 11 Global and Local civil society: Conflict and Co-operation
Chair: Kaustuv Kanti Bandopadhyaya, Programme Manager, Civil Society Building Programme, PRIA (Society for
Participatory Research In Asia), New Delhi, India
Panel Presentation
11.30 A.M-1.00 P.M
®
A. Jochin, President, National Slum Development Federation (NSDF), Mumbai, India
®
Carlos Cortez, Development Research Centre for Citizenship, Participation &
Accountability (DRC) Mexico
®
Lynn Muthoni, CEO, Africa Women's Development and Communication Network
(FEMNET)
Discussion/Question & Answer session
Comments by the chair
Lunch Break
1.00 P.M-2.00 P.M
Session III Futures we are In: Strategies for Coalition Building
Chair: Michel Chaurette, CECI, Montreal Quebec, Canada
Panel Presentation
2.00 P.M-4.00 P.M
o
Salil Shetty, MDGs Campaign Director UNDP, New York, USA
•
Jagadananda, Member Secretary, Centre for Youth &Social Development (CYSD),
Bhubaneshwar, Orissa, India
•
Helen Dalton, Chief Programme Officer, Commonwealth Foundation, London, UK
Discussion/QuestionA Answer session
Comments by the chair
Tea/Coffee Break
4.00 P.M-4.30 P.M
Highlights of the Day
4.30 P.M -5.00 P.M
•
Ashok Singh, Director, Sahbhagi Shikshan Sansthan, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
•
Shailendra Dwivedi, Programme Coordinator, Haryana PRIA, India.
WORLD SOCIAL FORUM (WSF)
Programme Design
Theme-1 Globalization and Decentralization: Opportunities and Challenges for Local Governance
Date: 19 January 2004.
9.00 A.M-9.30 A.M
Opening Plenary
Introducing the Theme: Rajesh Tandon, President, PRIA (Society for Participatory Research
In Asia), New Delhi, India
Session I Globalization and Local Governance
Chair: John Gaventa, Fellow, Participation, Institute of Development Studies (IDS), Sussex, UK and Director, Logo- Link
Programme
9.30 A.M-11.00 A.M
Panel Presentation/Discussion
o Zander Navarro, Political Sociologist, Institute of Development Studies, Participation
Group (IDS), Sussex. UK
Sheela Patel, Director, Society for Promotion of Area Resource Centre (SPARC),
Mumbai, India
a Mark Robinson, Fellow, Governance, Institute of Development Studies (IDS), Sussex. UK
Discussion/Question& Answer session
Comments by the chair
Tea/Coffee Break
a
11.00 A.M-11.30 P.M
Session II Positive Action to Promote Local Governance: Ideas & Experiences
Chair: Dr. George Mathew, Director, Institute of Social Sciences, New Delhi, India
Panel Presentation/Discussion
11.30 A.M-1.00 P.M
•
Jose Carlos Vaz, Board Member, Instituto de Estudios Formaco e Assessoria em
Politicas Socias (POLIS), Saolo Paulo, Brazil: Logo link Programme
•
Jane Nabunnya, Programme Coordinator, Development Network of Indigenous
Voluntary Association (DENIVA), Kampala Uganda: Logo link Programme
•
Ashok Kadam, Director, Parivartan, Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, India
1.00 P.M-2.00 P.M
Discussion/Question& Answer session
Comments by the chair
Lunch Break
Session III Strategies for Alliance Building
Chair: Kumi Naidoo, Secretary General, CIVICUS: World Citizen Alliance for Citizen Participation, Washington DC, USA
Panel Presentation/Discussion
2.00 P.M-4.00 P.M
®
Luis Marcelo Renjel, Grupo National de Trabajo para la Participacion (GNTP),
Bolivia: Logo link Programme
®
Joel Rocamora, Executive Director, Institute for Popular Democracy (IPD), Manila,
Philippines: Logo link Programme
•
Satinder Singh Sahni, Programme Director, Donor & Government Linkage
Programme, PRIA (Society for Participatory Research In Asia), New Delhi, India
Discussion/Question& Answer session
Comments by the chair
4.00 P.M
Departure for WSF Venue
Session IV
Chair: Rajesh Tandon, President, PRIA (Society for Participatory Research In Asia), New Delhi, India
5.00 P.M-8.00 P.M
Panel
•
Jane Nabunnya, Programme Coordinator, Development Network of Indigenous
Voluntary Association (DENIVA), Kampala Uganda: Logo link Programme
•
A. Jochin, President, National Slum Development Federation (NSDF), Mumbai, India
Joel Rocamora, Executive Director, Institute for Popular Democracy (IPD), Manila,
Philippines: Logo link Programme
«
Mandakini Pant, Respondent Commentator, Research & Academic Linkage Programme,
PRIA, India
•
Discussion
•
Closing comments by the Chair
I
•
Background note prepared by
PR!A for the international workshop on
^Globadzadoia ■'
LocabzadoirG
Reflection on Past, Living in Present,
Strategies for Future
convened by
•
PRIA
and
partners at
z z Soda! Foriam (WSF)f
Mumbai during January 19-20, 2004
CONTEXT
Civil society has historically acted to strengthen democratic values of equity, social justice and local development.
Individual and collective initiatives for common public good initiatives since early times have been driven by an ideological
and spiritual commitment to social reform and change. Development NGOs began to be noticed in different countries
around the 1970s, for their alternative development paradigm, which implied local level development. This was in
contrast to the prevailing national agenda, which tried to establish uniform national priorities through a series of top-
down development interventions by national governments.
The most dynamic characteristic of the alternative development paradigm was its participatory nature. This paradigm
believed that development cannot be delivered from outside; that people can develop themselves; their own involvement,
knowledge and contribution is an essential foundation for any sustainable development. People's own participation can
be enabled through local knowledge and local resources, and enhanced through a series of interventions leading to their
collective empowerment. This approach relied substantially on
conscientization and collective mobilization of the
marginalized themselves. Non-formal education, community organizing and leadership building were the kinds of
interventions that this alternative development approach of NGOs signified.
This contrasted from the mainstream
development paradigm, which focused on growth in GNP and macro-economic development. People's participation in
the 1970s was not on the agenda of most governments or international agencies.
Alternative development paradigm, therefore, was an alternative to the practice of the state. In many parts of the developing
world, large scale development projects were resulting in displacement of indigenous people, rural poor, urban slum
dwellers from their land, livelihood and community. Civil Society Organisations began to critique such development
projects on the basis of who benefits and who bears the cost of such projects.
led to what began to be called a 'rights approach' to development.
It is this critique, which then subsequently
These human rights were larger than civic and
political rights and included right to a decent livelihood, right to life and right to life with dignity.
After two decades of consistent practice of such alternative development efforts by the voluntary sector throughout the
world, a number of significant outcomes could be noticed in the practice and discourse of development by the mid
1990s. Civil Society gained high degree of visibility in almost all the countries of the world. Their roles and contributions
began to be noticed. Their presence, their experience and their point-of-view began to be heard by the developmentalists,
nationally and internationally.
National governments began to take stock of the development NGOs in their own
countries. A large number of intermediary development NGOs came up in different countries of the world. International
NGOs began to operate in many more countries of the world. The nature of NGOs also began to develop a broader
range of internal differentiation - from service delivery to welfare to emergency operations, to policy advocacy, to
networking, research and capability building.
Such NGOs also gained enormous access during this period. They began to be invited to be part of the various official
government committees at the provincial and national levels. They began to be invited to for of the United Nations
System and the Bretton-Woods Institutions. They gained access to the highest level of development decision-making in
the UN and multi-lateral system as well as the national policy-making institutions.
United Nations Conferences in the
1980s and 1990s presented unique opportunities for NGOs to influence policy formulations and development debates.
As a result, by mid 1990s, many principles, approaches, methodologies and projects earlier carried out as micro experiments
by such NGOs became formally a part of "mainstream" development planning and programming nationally and
internationally.
Since the fall of Berlin wall, a neo-liberal economic regime has been universally imposed on all developing countries.
The economic imperatives when translated in political terms implied: (1) withdrawal of state from the social sector such
as health, education, (2) freedom of markets from all constraints, and (3) civil society to organize their own social and
economic reproduction instead of dependence on the state. Reform induced economic policies attacked the very concept
of welfare state. For instance, in the beginning of the 1990's, Indian government explicitly recognized the role of markets
in supplementing the state efforts in the area of development stating that education, health care and food security could
no longer be left entirely to the state. The marginalized citizens (viz poor, women, tribals and dalits) are more in
disadvantageous position. Recent spate of suicides among cotton farmers and weavers, feminization of labour, the
international trade in children tells the painful story of the emerging impact of such policies in India.
Civil society organisations have had to face up to this challenge.
Decline in international aid, particularly for small,
innovative, experimental projects in southern countries is widely effecting such CSOs; presence to undertake service
and project delivery in a narrow sub-contractor mode from government departments and international agencies are
significantly reducing the autonomy and voluntary spirit of CSOs. Political space for independent and critical voice of
civil society, particularly if it challenges exisiting neo-liberal paradigm, is being increasingly restricted at local and
national levels.
The growth of civil society in the international domain, in recent years, has been phenomenal. CSOs are working
together across national frontiers tackling local problems globally and shaping global policies. The intensive and visible
anti-globalization protests that began from Seattle in the US following WTO conference in November 1999 have created
a new kind of protest space, a transnational public sphere, The civil society component of transnational public sphere
has provided the stage for global civil society alliances.
Globalized world has provided the setting and modern communications have provided the opportunities. Modern
information and communication technology (ICT), cheap telecommunications, air travel and increased use of English as
the language of international communications have provided opportunities for intensive civil society action. 'Think
locally and globally and act locally and globally' is the current mantra.
DILEMMAS
Things are, however, not as simple and straight as they seem. Stakeholders from the local sphere are often not heard. The
'voices' of global civil society are invariably heard through the 'mouths' of 'northern' civil society actors who are based
in and operate from the Northern country locations. The reality of globalization and its impact on the lives of ordinary
citizens is different, and is experienced and perceived differently from such 'locations'. Even when 'southern' individuals
operate from these 'northern locations', that 'northern' reality influences their perceptions. Mass- based southern CSOs
are usually concerned with local or national issues; it is generally the more intellectual, city-based donor funded CSOs
in the south who engage in global civil society networks. Some 'southern' civil society actors are global citizens and
operate in global fora with ease. Within a national context, such civil society actors are many a times distant from, and
disconnected from, local citizen aspirations and actions. A related dilemma in global civil society multisectoral alliances
is the problematical questions: whose voices are heard in global fora? What types of issues and analysis those voices
articulate? Are there any mechanisms by which global discourse carried out in such global fora is feedback to, or
systematically shared with, local and national civil society actors?
How do processes of citizen engagement with
governance at local and national levels connect and interface with processes of citizen engagement at global governance?
Does sharing platform for protest naturally imply convergence of interests? These are not merely questions of representation,
legitimacy and accountability (important and critical as they are). These are also questions of differences and conflicts (in
views, beliefs and capacities) of different layers of civil society locally, nationally and globally.
The divide between civil society actors at local, national and international levels is accentuated by unequal access to
information and knowledge. Cyber savvy global activists are influential because they speak the language that can command
attention and applause. But whatever happens to ordinary people or civil society organizations in the local sphere that
do not know the relevant language for significant impact in the international politics; do not have access to computers to
wage their battles; are not in a position to participate in acts of resistance at the annual meetings of the international
financial institutions? Whose agenda, therefore, gets priority in global governance? Global CSOs often have excellent
speakers; are generally regarded as experts by the media and others who shape public opinion. But their legitimacy has
been challenged within civil society. For instance, trade unions have charged them with just speaking for themselves and
with promoting elite and northern concerns at the expense of world's workers. Mass based organizations have charged
them as not being the legitimate spokesperson for the exploited. Who decides who has the right to speak? It is increasingly
common to hear southern voices in the international forum but they are usually handpicked and financed by their
northern partners. Southern groups assisted and financed by their Northern partners usually get to speak in the international
platforms.
The 'reality' of globalization is partly a product of modern media. Its global reach to billions of homes creates a common
image of global events worldwide.
Global civil society is likewise "projected" through this global media.
Citizen
actions against corruption in European and North American parliaments are relayed persistently - similar actions in
Zimbabwe and Bangladesh do not get noticed. Global media is located in the North, controlled by a few in the North,
and presents a global view of citizen engagement as seen from those locations in the North. Thus 'dramatic' protests
receive global projection, not silent struggles.
Does global civil society mostly imply protest actions against global
institutions (like World Bank, International Monitory Fund and World Trade Organization)? Is global media creating the
contemporary public knowledge and wisdom about global civil society?
While structured forms of citizens' engagement with multilateral institutions of United Nations System have been
developed, there is a gap in engaging other actors which shape and influence global decision-making. How does civil
society in local spheres engage with international actors, in particular for-profit, private sector actors who shape and
influence global decision-making?
Since forces of globalization are highlighting contradictions among global and local business interests, what are the
consequences of global civil society collaborating with global business? And local civil society collaborating with local
business? What happens to collaboration if local civil society challenges global business to follow global standards in its
labour and environment policies? What are the constraints in collaboration when profit making motives of business
(particularly in the short-term) conflict with social development m
iyes of civil society? How does civil society handle
both conflict and collaboration with for-profit private sector?
KEY QUESTIONS
Therefore, the key questions for consideration are how do processes and forces of globalization undermine or restrict the
sphere of civil society organizations at the local, national and global levels? What are the ways in which local and
national civil society' interests cooperate with or come in conflict with, international civil society actors? The critical issue
before us is how to connect ordinary citizens to global regimes? The challenge in the present context is to enable people
to engage with the new context from a position of strength. We are particularly referring to the deprived sections of
society------ women, indigenous people, dalits. A position of strength implies information, understanding, collective
voice and sustained influence. How can local/national/international civil society actors work together to promote the
concerns of the poor and marginalized people? What specific strategies for building alliances should take place so that
the voices of the ordinary citizens are not lost?
<3*
PRIA
42, Tughlakabad Institutional Area, New Delhi - 110062, Tel.: 011-2995 6908, 2606 0931-32-33
Fax: 011-29955183, E-mail: info@pria.org Web: wvvw.pria.org
Globalization and Localization
Reflections on Past, Living in Present, Strategies for Future
Relations across people, communities, societies and nations have been seriously affected by the phenomenon of globalization as it
evolved over the past 15 years (since the fail of Berlin wall). International organizations, new and old, like WTO and WB/IMF. are
increasingly encouraging neo-iiberal economic policies in many countries in the third world. Standard solutions are being imposed
without any consideration for local, national or regional variations and priorities. These change processes are managed in ways that have
expanded inequities. Gaps in wealth, power and opportunities are widening in ways that are both unethical and dangerous.
As globalization has surged forward, local governments have experienced erosion of institutional authority and mandate in relation to control
over physical and natural resources within theirjurisdiction.
Therefore, the key questions for consideration are how do processes and forces of globalization undermine, or restrict the sphere of
legitimate authority of local governance institutions? Arc these forces significantly more impactful in restricting the arena of decision
making for public good by local bodies or do they impact nation-states and local institutions equally?
how can uc increase the autonomous, independent and yet, engaged* voice of local governance institutions in the context ofglobalization?
Are there ways in which elected representatives of local bodies have elaborated ivlth civil society to broaden their sphere of action and their
collective assertion to negotiate new priorities and deals for local bodies and their peoples?
Over the past fifteen years, new ways of expressing citizens' voices have jamaaa^i in the global arena. Global civil society' has become
visible and even impactful. Several questions have emerged in this regard: Does global civil society have local roots and accountability?
Whose voices are heard on global fora? Does local citizens’ aspirations and priorities form the. agenda at global spheres? In what ways
•'northern* civil society support, or indeed undermine, local indigenous 'southern* civil society? How can ordinary citizens in the south
influence global institution In the north?
PRIA is a civil society organisation, undertaking J
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poor, weak, marginalised and excluded section!
participation in the processes of their governance. It strives for a
through a people centered approach, focusing on ‘Citizens’- ‘tl
"awareness and empowerment' and ‘their democratic rights'.
It recognises the value of people’s knowh '
awareness of people’s rights and promotes experi
strategic approach of creating knowledge, t—
education and policy advocacy and intervenes a. ....
reach out locally, nationally and globally.
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environmental and occupational health, facilitating a networl
promoting citizen lc-J
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PRIA Pax; 011-20Q55183, E-mail: info@pria.org Web: tvu>tv.pria.org .
SOLIDARITY/
PEOPLE’S ECONOMY
World Social Forum IV
January 16 to 21 2004,
Mumbai, INDIA
Fair Trade for an equitable economic order (seminar)
Mr S.N Menon, Special Secretary, Department of Industry & Commerce, Government of India
Prof. Ranjan Mitter of IIMC
Ms.Frangoise Michalon of Artisans du Monde
Mr.Mike Muchilawa/ Mr.Rudi Dalwai - FTO Mark/Global March
Ms.Safia Minney (The Next Best Thing)
Discovery of Solidarity Economy / People Economy reality in Asia (seminar)
Mr. Duarte Bareto (FEDINA , India)
Society of women in action for total empowerment (Swate) ;
>r. John Samuel (Action Aid) ;
Ms. Ashwini Kulkani (Vachan - Voluntary Association for Community health and Nurture) ;
Pilor (Pakistan Institute for Labour Education and Research) ;
Mr. Laurent Fraisse (PSES - Pole de socio-economie solidaire / MES - Mouvement pour I'economie
solidaire) ;
Ms. Carine Guidicelli (GESQ - Groupe d'economie solidaire du Quebec) ;
Mr. Lenivaldo Marques da Silva Lima (FBES - Foro Brasileno de la Economia Solidaria) ;
Innovative practices and Self management (seminar)
Mr Marcos Arruda (PACS, Red Brasilena de Economia Solidaria), moderator
Mr. Humberto Ortiz (GRESP, Red Peruana de Economia Solidaria)
Ms. Carine Guidicelli (Quebec RIPESS)
Mr. Wim Polman (UN-FAO Regional Office for Asia & Pacific, Thailand)
Ms. Idalina Maria Mello (RBSES, Brazil)
Sarah Daraban (Organisation: Reseau des Femmes de Mano River Union,Guinea)
Social Responsibility of SMEs for Development of Peoples Economy (seminar)
Mr. Ben Quinones (Asian Coalition, Philippines), moderator
Mr. Joao Sucupira (IBASE, Brazil)
Mr. Ed de Guzman (QCD Ventures Co., Philippines),
Mr. Wim Polman (UN-FAO Regional Office for Asia & Pacific, Thailand)
Mr. Michael Gidney (Traidcraft, U.K)
Ms. Girish Kowle (IRFT, India)
Economic Public Policies, Relation between State and Society (seminar)
Mr. Humberto Ortiz (Grupo Red de Economia Solidaria del Peru (GRESP)), moderator
Mr. Abdou Sallam Fall, Afrique (RIPESS, Senegal)
Ms. Heloisa Primavera, Latin America (Argentina-Brazil)
Mr. Randy Eldrige (Rural Coalition (Mexico, US))
Mr. Laurent Fraisse (CRIDA, France)
Social Money & Solidarity Socio-Economy (seminar)
Mr. Arup Rahee (LOKOJ, Bangladesh)
Dr. Apichai Puntasen (Rural and Social Management Institute, Thailand)
Mr. Stephen DeMeulenaere (Strohalm Foundation for Integrated Economics, Indonesia)
Mr. Yasuyuki Hirota (Japan)
Mr. Luis Lopezllera (Economia Solidaria, Mexico)
J
Towards a world wide social finance system I circuit (seminar)
V.Satyamurtil (All India Association For Micro Enterprise Development)
Mr. Ben Quinones or Mr. Sunimal Fernando
Mr Titus de Sa Dhan
Mr. Henri Rouille d'Orfeuil (Finansol, France)
Mr. Frans de Clerck (Triodos Bank et Inaise)
Mr. Lars Pehrson (Merkur bank et Inaise)
Mr. Giovanni Acquati (Mag 2 Finance et Inaise)
Ms. Heloisa Primavera (WSSE (Alliance21) Social Money workshop, Argentina)
TOWARDS PEOPLE’S ECONOMY: REALITIES AND STRATEGIES FROM LOCAL TO GLOBAL (PANEL^
Ms. Carolina Reintjes (REAS, Spain), moderator
Ms. Altagracia Villareal (Colacion Rural, Mexico, US)
Mr. Marcos Arruda (PACS, RBSES, Brazil)
Ms. Rabia Abdelkrim-Chikh (FAMES, Senegal)
Mr. Giorgio dal Fiume (Ctm Altromercato, Italy)
Mr. John Samuel (Action Aid, India)
Mr. Benjamin Quinones (CEO, Asian Coalition for SME Development, Philippines/Malaysia)
Reports and Synthesis on Solidarity Economy events (seminar)
Mr. Randy Eldrige (Coalicion Rural, Mexico, US), moderator
Ms. Nedda Angulo (Gresp, Perou)
one speaker by ES topic
Related events of Solidarity/People’s Economy at the WSF IV, January 16 to 21 2004,
Mumbai India
Topic: Solidarity Economy
DATE
TITLE
ORGANISATION
FORMAT
TIME
VENUE
SPEAKERS
17
Deepening
democracy
KERALA SASTHRA
SAHITHYA
PARISHATH
Panel
5 to 8
P.M.
Hall 5
Carolina Reintjes, REAS, Spain; speakers on
Participatory Economy, Self-management,
participatory budget, and People's and Solidarity
Economy
19
How to
Redistribute
Wealth and
Power Globally?'
CIDSE
International
Cooperation for
Development and
Solidarity
Panel
1 to 5
P.M.
Hall 5
Duncan MacLaren, Secretary General Caritas
Internationalis; Jack Jones Zulu, Jubilee Zambia;
Vandana Shiva, Director Research Foundation for Sci
ence, Technology and Ecology; Maria Teresa Diokno
Pascual, Foundation for a Sustainable Society; Eveline
Herfkens, UN Secretary General’s Executive Coordi
nator for the MDG campaign; Javier Iguiniz, Econo
mist at the Catholic University in Lima, Peru; Oded
Grajew, President of the "Instituto Ethos"; Facilitator:
Jean-Marie Fardeau, President of CIDSE.
BUILDING
BRIDGES
BETWEEN
SUCCESSFUL
INITIATIVES
WSSW (Alliance
21) Workshop on
Integrated
Development
Projects
Work
shop
1 to 4
P.M.
B48
kk
17
Fair Trade Makes
for Choices
Fair Trade Forum India
Panel
5 to 8
P.M.
C92
17
Privatisation,
Liberalisation
and Impact on
the
Disadvantaged Loss of Economic
sovereignty
under
Globalisation.
Federation of
Consumer
Organisations Tamil Nadu &
Pondicherry
(FEDCOT)
seminar
9 to 12
B33
17
Promoting
Organic
Navdanya Trust
work
shop
1 to 4
pm
A13
Mr. Pipo Lemaud (IFOAM-Argentina), Ms. Prabha
Mahale (IFOAM-India), Dr. Ranjith de Silva
(IFOAM-Sri Lanka), Mr. Bernward Geier (IFOAMGermany), Dr. Vandana Shiva (Navdanya
Organic Movement, India), Dr. Colin Hines (UK),
Mr. Claudio Martini (President of the Region of
Tuscany, Italy), Mr. Tito Barbini (Regional Minister
for Agriculture, Italy), Mr. Will Allen (IFG, USA),
Mr. Ram Kalaspurkar (Vidharba Organic Farmers
Association, India), Mr. G. Nammalwar
(Tamilnadu Organic Farmers Association, India)
and Others.
18
Fair Trade and
Food Sovereignty
Fase Nacional,
Brazil
seminar
5 to 8
P.M.
D140
Dr. Vandana Shiva (Navdanya / Research
Foundation for Science, Technology & Ecology);
Ibrahima Koulibaly from the ROPPA (West African
Farmers Network), Anne-Frangoise Taisne
(Federation Artisans du Monde), Rosemary
Gomes (Fase/FACES do BRASIL/RBSES), Maria
Eunice Wolf (Fetrafsul/ADS-CUT/FBES)
18
Can Free Trade be
Fair Trade
Fair Trade Forum India
work
shop
1 to 4
pm
C92
Chair: Laila Tayabji, Panelists: Jared Ogonyo
(Kenya),Moon Sharma (Tara),K. Panchakshram,
Sipa,Anand or Samar of Oxfam GB, New Delhi
k 20
Topic: Fair Trade and ethical consumption
•
Chair: Safia Minney, speakers: Arun Raste, IRFT,
Roopa Mehta, Sasha, Girish Sohoni (BAIF)
5 to 8
P.M.
D132
reunion
5 to 8
P.M.
D131
work
shop
9 to 12
A21
9 to 12
D119
work
shop
5 to 8
P.M.
D140
Ctm altromercato
course
9 to 12
D118
Strategies and
Campaigning on
Trade and TNCs
Our World is Not
for Sale
work
shop
19
Thickening the
Fair Trade
Student
Movement
United Students
for Fair Trade
work
shop
Ito 4
P.M.
B45
20
Producing and
distributing
more added
value for the
producers in Fair
Trade channels
WSSE (Alllance21)
Fair Trade
Workshop - La
Chaire Economie
et Humanisme.
work
shop
9 to 12
C79
Moderator: Arun Raste, Jared Ogonyo, KEFAT
(Fair Trade, Kenya), Maria Eunice Wolf (ADSRBSES, Brazil), Safia Minney (Global Tree)
20
Fair Trade and
local
development
Chaire Economie
et Humanisme RIPESS - Fair
Trade Workshop
work
shop
9 to 12
A20
Moderator: Aurellen Atidegla (Benin), Karlen
M'Bengue (RIPESS, Senegal)
20
Fair Trade in
Cancun: social
movements for
an international
social equality
Roba dell Altro
Mondo
seminar
5 to 8
P.M.
D113
Monica Di Sisto (ROBA) and Rene Audet (Chaire
Economie et Humanisme - Unlverslte du Quebec)
18
How micro-ecoalternative like
the Fair Trade
movement can
build concrete
proposition in
the
alterglobalisation
movement ?
Magasins du
monde-OXFAM
seminar
18
Commerce
equitable
Village Artisanal
19
Campaigning for
fair trade
regulations at
international
and regional
levels
Fair Trade
Workshop Federation
Artisans du Monde
- Chaire Economic
et Humanisme
19
BUILDING
SOCIAL
STANDARDS FOR
FAIR TRADERS
IFAT LATIN
AMERICA
19
Comercio Etico e
Solidario e
Territorialidade
FASE NACIONAL
19
Fair Trade and
social economy:
strategy and
criteria to
strengthen the
economical
growth, effect
and public
opinion
19
Moderator: Rene Audet, speakers: Fabienne
Kervarec (Artisans du Monde, France),Deborah
Lucchetti, (Roba dell Altro Mondo, Italy)
u
o
20
Seminar:
Trading Outside
Capital Across
National
Boundaries
IFAT
seminar
9 to 12
20
The spirit of
social
threefolding in
global fair trade
Ulmer Weltladen
(World Shop Ulm)
workshop
1 to 4
pm
20
Fair trade in
tourism
EED TOURISM
WATCH
seminar
1 to 4
pm
17
LAND RIGHTS
and FOOD
SOVEREIGNITY
International
Federation of Rural
Adult Catholic
Movements
seminar
5 to 8
P.M.
B35
Carolina Reintjes, REAS, Spain; speakers on
Participatory Economy, Self-management,
participatory budget, and People's and
Solidarity Economy
17
Agriculture beyond Cancun
Regional
Government of
Tuscany
seminar
1 to 4
pm
A6
Mr. Claudio Martini (The President, Region of
Tuscany, Italy), Mr. Tito Barbini (Regional Minister for
Agriculture, Region of Tuscany, Italy), Mr. Chiara
Boni (Regional Minister for Communication and
Information, Region of Tuscany, Italy), Dr. Vandana
Shiva (RFSTE, India), Dr. Edward Goldsmith (Editor
Ecologist, London), Dr. Bernward Geier (IFOAM,
Germany), Dr. Jerry Mander (International Forum on
Globalisation, USA), Dr. Colin Hines (Member IFG,
UK), Ms. Debi Barker (Ex Director- IFG, USA) and
Others
17
Roundtable on
Alternative Food
Systems :
Workers,
Farmers,
Consumers, do
we have any
common
interests ?
Focus on the Global
South
w o r kshop
Ito 4
pm
A19
19
Food Security
and Food
Sovereignty
KUDUMBAM-LIESA
Network
display
19
GLOBALISATION
IMPENDING
DANGERS:
FOOD SECURITY
IN SOUTH EAST
ASIA
AFFSO (ACTION
FOR FOOD SECU
RITY -ORISSA
seminar
9 to 12
B62
19
Peoples Food
Sovereignty
Asia Pacific
Research Network
seminar
1 to 4
pm
D137
20
Another Food
Security System
is Possible
Forum for
biotechnology and
Food Security
seminar
1 to 4
pm
B40
Topic: Agriculture/Land Rights
5
B36
Topic: Solidarity Finance
17
Quelles solutions
pour le
financement du
developpement ?
CRID
seminar
9 to 12
DUO
Carolina Reintjes, REAS, Spain; speakers on
Participatory Economy, Self-management,
participatory budget, and People's and
Solidarity Economy.
18
Social and
solidarity
finance around
the world,
exchange of
experiences.
Towards a world
wide social
finance system
INAISE,
International
Association of
Investors in the
Social Economy
wo rkshop
1 to 4
pm
D109
V.SATYAMURTI (C.E.O ALL INDIA ASSOCIATION
FOR MICRO ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT)
Ben Quinones or Sunimal Fernando (a confirmer)
Mr Titus de Sa Dhan (a confirmer)
Henri Bouille d’Orfeuil
Frans de Clerck (Triodos bank et Inaise)
Lars Pehrson (Merkur bank et Inaise) a confirmer
Giovanni Acquati (Mag 2 Finance et Inaise)
Heloisa Primavera (a confirmer)
18
Future of
microcredit
TAMILNADU
SCIENCE FORUM
seminar
1 to 4
pm
C93
19
Les finances
solidaires
peuvent-elles
generer des
richesses
pouvant porter
un
developpement
socialement
equitable?
Intercontinental
network of the
promotion of
social/solidarity
economy (Ripess)
w o rk shop
5 to 8
pm
C81
18
Accountability
abd
Transparancy in
Multilateral
Institutions
Centre for
Community
Economics and
Development
Consultants Society
(Cecoedecon)
seminar
9 to 12
A 10
18
Beyond good
intentions,
strategies for
corporate
accountability
Corporate
Accountability
Caucus
debate
Ito 4
P.M.
hall2
19
Can internal
accountability
mechanisms of
IFIs give justice
to local affected
communities?
Bank Information
Center
seminar
1 to 4
pm
D 122
19
Multi nationals
accountability
and industrial
democracy
New Trade Union
Initiative
work
shop
Ito 4
pm
A 17
Topic: Social responsibility
U)
Topic: Women and Economy
17
UNDERSTANDING
FEMINIST
ECONOMICS AND
ITS LINKS TO
WOMENS
CRITIQUE OF
ECONOMIC
LIBERALIZATION
International Gen
der and Trade Net
work.
seminar
1 to 4
P.M.
A23
18
Diverse
Alternatives for
Global Changes
Latin American
Information Agency
-ALAI- and other
networks
panel
9 to 12
Hall3
18
Globalisation
and gender:
privatisation of
public goods and
social services
WIDE-Network
Women in
Development
Europe
seminar
9 to 12
D131
19
Grassroot
Democracy by
women in
Governance
Resource &
Support Centre for
Development MRA
work
shop
9 to 12
C86
19
Alternativas de
paz frente al
ALCA, la
privatization del
agua y sus
efectos sobre
mujeres ninas y
ninos en zonas
rurales.
Mesa de Trabajo
Mujeres Y
Economia
work
shop
9 to 12
D133
19
Reseau
international
femmes et
economie
solidaire : les
avancees
Les Penelopes
work
shop
5 to 8
pm
D119
19
Women and
Food Security
and Women and
Agriculture
Diverse Women for
Diversity
seminar
9 to 12
A17
Dr. Jean Grossholtz (USA), Dr. Maria Mies (Germany),
Dr. Ana De Ita (Mexico), Dr. Ursula Oswald Spring
(Mexico), Dr. Christine von Weizsacker (Germany),
Dr. Vandana Shiva (India), Dr. Mira Shiva (India).
Ms. Hilkka Pietila (Finland), Ms. Ingrid Spiller (HBF,
Germany), Ms. Bhanwar Dhabai, Ms. Amarjeet Kaur,
Ms. Brinda Karat, Ms. Carolyn Mugar (Farm Aid),
Ms. Debi Barker and Others
20
Women,
actresses of
social change
CCFD COMITE
CATHOLIQUE
CONTRE LA FAIM
ET POUR LE
DEVELOPPEMENT
seminar
5 to 8
pm
B35
Eglantina Gjermeni (Women’s center, Albanie),
Dominique Jacquemin-Mangin (ACGF, France),
Mariana Buceanu (association rom de Roumanie :
Romani criss), Cristina SAMY (SWATE, Inde), Olga
Lucia RAMIREZ (Vamos MUJERES, Colombie),
Noemie (INDESO Mujer, Argentine),Nedda Angulo
(GRESP, Peru),Claude MORMONT (ENTRAIDE et
FRATERNITE , Belgique), Isabelle Guerin
20
Educagao
Popular, Socio
Economia
Solidaria e
Genero
Uniao Brasileira de
Educagao e Ensino
work
shop
1 to 4
C87
7
Topic: Social Money
HOW TO DEAL
WITH LACK OF
MONEY IN
SMALL
COMMUNITIES
WSSE (Alliance 21)
Workshop on Social
Money
workshop
1 to 4
P.M.
B60
HOW TO TAKE
THE BEST FROM
EVERYONE
WSSE (Alliance 21)
Workshop on Collective Intelligence
workshop
Ito 4
P.M.
B65
ECOLOGICAL
DEBT, EXTERNAL
DEBT and TRADE
OILWATCH , JADES
WSSE (Alllance21)
workhsop
Topic: Social Money
seminar
9 to 12
B70
Vinod Ralna, Asia Pacific Movement on Debt
and Development - India, Thabo Madihlaba Environmental Justice Networking Forum South Africa, Pantoro Tri Kuswardono - JATAM
- Indonesia, Miguel Palacin - CONACAMI Peru,Cecilia Ch£rrez - Accion Ecoldgica Ecuador, Joan Martinez Alier - Universidad
Autonoma de Barcelona, Lldy Nacpil - Jubilee
South, Ms. Lapapan Supamanta - The
General Secretary of Int'l Engaged Buddhists,
Martin Khor - Third World Network,Eric
Toussaint - CADTM, Belgium,Radja Siregar Whall, Indonesia,Demba Dembele - Senegal
\ 8
Alliance 21 Solidarity Socio-Economy Workgroup (WSSE, International)
Asian Coalition for Social Responsibility of Small and Medium Enterprises (South East Asia, International)
Associazione Botteghe del Mondo (Italia)
Astha Sangsthan (Rajastan, India)
Artisans du Monde (France)
Centre for Cooperative Research in Social Sciences (CCRSS, Maharashtra, India)
Coalition Rural/Rural Coalition (Mexico and US of America)
Collectif associatif des Finances Solidaires (FINANSOL, France)
CTM, Altromercato (Italy)
Dinamica de Taller Permanente sobre a economia dos setores populates urbanos da America Latina e o desenvolvimento (Several
countries in Latin America and Europe)
Eco Friends (Kanpur, India)
Ekta Parishad (India)
Fair Trade Forum India
Feminist Gift Economy Network (Canada)
Forum des Femmes africaines pour une Economie solidaire (FAMES, Senegal)
Freres des Hommes (International)
Groupe d'economie solidaire du Quebec (GESQ, Quebec, Canada)
Grupo Red de Economia Solidaria de Peru (GRESP, Peru)
Indian Resource for Fair Trade (IRFT, Maharashtra, India)
Iniciativas de Economia Altemativa y Solidaria (IDEAS, Espana)
Initiative in Research and Education for Development in Asia (INASIA, South and South East Asia)
Institute para el Comercio Equitativo y el Consumo Responsable (ICECOR, Argentina)
International Fair Trade Association (IFAT, International)
International Resources for Fairer Trade (India, no official confirmation yet)
International Association of Investors in the Social Economy (INAISE, International)
Maestn'a en Economia Social (Institute del Conurbano, Argentina)
Mekong Institute (Thailand)
Mouvement pour une Economie Solidaire (MES, France)
News, European Federation of Shops of the World (International)
National Centre for Advocacy Services (Maharashtra, India)
Observatorio de la Economia Social (Argentina)
Pipal Tree (Karnataka, India)
Plateforme Frangaise pour un Engagement Citoyen dans I'Economie (PFECE, France)
Rede Brasileira de Socioeconomia Solidaria (RBSES, Brazil)
Red Chilena de Economia Solidaria (RCES, Chili)
Red de Redes de Economia Alternativa Solidaria (REAS, Spain)
Red de Trueque Solidario (RTS, Argentina)
Reseau intercontinental de promotion de I'economie sociale solidaire (RIPESS, International)
Rete di Lilliput (Italy)
Red de Utiles Financieros Alternatives y Solidarios (RUFAS, Spain)
Resource and Support Centre for Development (RSCD, Maharashtra, India)
Thai Action on Globalization (Thailand)
Ventures and Entrepreneurship Development Centre in the Orient (VEDCOR, Philippines)
Vietnam Peace and Development Foundation (VPDF, Vietnam)
Voluntary Association for Community Health and Nurture (VACHAN, Maharashtra, India)
Xarxa de Economia solidaria, (XARXA, Catalunya, Spain)
OF SOLIDARITY AND PEOPLE'S ECONOMY NETWORKS, WSF INDIA,
Action Aid Asia (Asia, International)
K3
SOLIDARITY/PEOPLE'S ECONOMY
AT THE WSF IV , JANUARY 16 TO 21 2004, MUMBAI, IN D IA
WHO ARE WE ?
47 networks that, in continuity with the WSF in Porto Alegre, 2002 and 2003, and of the Latin-American,
African and European Social Forums, took the initiative of setting up a coordination with a number of goals:
o gathering together Solidarity Economy (SE) networks international, national and sector-based - from
all over the world;
o providing information on alternative economic practices and raising their profile;
o exchanging and putting together proposals for a different world;opening discussions with the
various elements of the alternative-globalisation movement.
WHAT IS SOLIDARITY/PEOPLE'S ECONOMY ?
As an answer to neoliberal globalization we need transformation and constructive alternatives in the
social, economical, political and cultural context. Solidarity and People's Economy is an answer to the challenge
to provide an alternative globalization with local and global realities and strategies for the socioeconomical
context.
Solidarity-based Economy (denominated People's Economy in Asia) designates all production, distribution
and consumption activities that contribute to the democratization of the economy based on citizens' commitments
both at a local and global level. It is not a sector of the economy, but a transversal approach that includes
initiatives in all sectors of the economy.
Solidarity-based Economy is a strong tool of empowerment, social and economical change that starts
from the initiatives of responsible citizens who want to keep control of the way they are producing, consuming!
saving, investing, exchanging. It is a model of comrhunity-based and locally-based People's Economy.
Solidarity-based Economy should not be a simple instrument to achieve a fairer framework for economic
activity but should be instead the subject and main agent of a social, economic, political and cultural
transformation."
WHAT DO WE PROPOSE DURING THE WORLD SOCIAL FORUM IN MUMBAI ?
The international networking is coordinating' a complete space of Solidarity and People's Economy,
coordinating the following Panel/Debate and Seminars.
- isB.
Dear All,
Only organisations/groups of organisations/platforms who propose to hold self-organised events at ISF 2006
should fill in the form below. A self-organised event entails that its proposers will be in charge of defining the
format and the content of the event, contacting and inviting potential speakers, arranging and hiring the
necessary equipment beyond the minimum provided. For the conferences and panels, the equipment will be
mikes and speakers, and also translation. For seminars, it will be mikes and speakers. The ISF Organising
Committee will provide the venue for the event, and will publicise it on the World Social Forum web site and in
the printed programme, providing the event is duly registered by October 15, 2006. Please send in duly filled
Iforms to the WSF India Office - 14/187 LGF Shivalik Road, Malviya Nagar, New Delhi 110017. Ph:
26674123,26683910.
Each registered event corresponds to one three-hour slot. Events that will ran over one such slot must be
registered again, for as many slots as required. For example, if your event is to run for 4-6 hours, you will have
to register for two slots; if it is to run for over 6-8 hours, the registration will have to be for three slots.
If you are registering an event for more than one slot, please entitle the event as having parts, using the format
<Event Name: Part 1>, <Event Name: Part 2>, <Event Name: Part 3>... etc. Thus, if your event will run for 4-6
hours, you will have to register for two slots, where the fist slot will be entitled <Event Name: Part 1>, and the
second, <Event Name: Part 2>.
Each organisation may propose at most four (04) one slot events. This means that if your events will be of a
two-slot duration, you will be able to self-organise a maximum of two events. Early registration is
recommended. Registration will close on October 15, 2006
After the event is confirmed by the Program Committee (by 15th October), the registration fee for the activity
would have to be paid. The payment would be Etemand Draft payable in Delhi or local Delhi cheque favouring
''World Social Forum - India' to the WSF India Office, 14/ 187 LGF Malviya Nagar, Shivalik Road New Delhi.
The last date for receiving Event Registration payment is October 31st, 2006 .
----------------- r
. Conferences/Panels'
. Conferences/Panels
Seminar
Seminar
Workshop
|......................... Spaces jFT
1,000
500
200
75
35
4
6
15
20
50
"/Total Stlvites ]
40
60
150
200
500
Note: For the Conferences and panels, it was decided by the India Working Committee that 50% of the
activities would be for movements (including the ISF organised activities). These would be decided jointly by'
the Mobilisation and Program Group after the registrations.
On Behalf Of Programme Group
World Social Forum India
50,000
20,000
2,000
1,000
500
ACTIVITY REGISTRATION FORM
* MANDATORY FIELDS (Forms will not be accepted if you do not fill the mandatory fields)
5.
Telephone*
6.
Tele Fax
:
7.
Organisation e-mail*
:
8.
Organisation URL/website
:
9.
Language in which you
■want to receive information
(International code-local code-number)
1_________ 1__________________________ 1
“CH
(International code-local code-number)
10.
11.
Is your organisation
in
accordance
With
the World
Social
Forum
Charter of principal?*
Brief description of
your organisation
(If necessary attach extra sheet)
Hindi I
Yes
I
O
English I
NO
I
O
Other
SECTION -2
1.
Main ongoing projects or activities of the :
Organisation.
(If necessary attach extra sheet)
2.
Which WSF or Continental social forum
(or Surrounding place) your orgnisation
Participated in.
:
(Please select from table-])
3.
Other Social forums (describe)
4.
Does your organisation participate in
International networks or
other
organizations? Which one?
:
(If necessary attach extra sheet)
5.
Type of Organisation
(Please select from table-2) •
(Any Three)
During previous consultations many organisation
used the field ’’Other”. It is recommended to try to
pick from the list instead. Multiple selections are
possible - and add a complementary comment please use “other” only if you do not find a
reasonable match in the list.)
6.
If you wish, explain briefly your
selection (s) above
(If necessary attach extra sheet)
7.
Broad field of activity
(Select from table-3)
(Any Four)
(“Broad field of activity” can be: who is in the
Organisation, what is the target public of the
organisation and /or what are the concerns of the
organisation - the objective here is not to answer a
survey aiming at creating a worldwide categorization
of organizations - it is to give indication to other
organizations for a quick and efficient search
function on this website aiding interconnection.
8.
Comments on your selections if you wish :
9.
Scale of Organisation :Global I
1 Continental
|
Regional
|
Rational
Event Details
Event Type*
(Please select from table-4)
If you wish, leave a comment on the relevant:
of the above proposed list.
(If necessary attach extra sheet)
Event Suggested Title*
(If necessary attach extra sheet)
4.
. Aim of the Event*
(If necessary attach extra sheet)
5.
The ISF is committed to upholding and
promoting diversity with equality at
all levels. How will your
activity
contribute to realizing this goal,
both in terms of its subject matter as
well as its speakers/participants?
(If you need more space attach sheet)
6.
Confirmed speakers (If there are) names and the topics they will speak on.
EVENT CONTENT DESCRIPTION
Theme
1.
(Select from table -5)
2.
Keywords
(Select from table -6)
Please select any number of keywords that describe the thematic focus/foci of your event from the
(drop down) list below. The initial list here is the list of keywords used in the past for WSF events.
You may also add up to two keywords to the list. The additions will be periodically examined to
check for duplication, and if really new, will be added to the indicative drop down list. Please note
you will not be able to add to this list if you have not chosen a theme.
Help Organisations find partners, and suggest way in which events/activities may be coordinated
/combined.
-
3.
1
4.
Facilitate the allocation of events of a similar/related nature in a singly neighborhood, wherever
possible.
New Keywords
:
Brief activity outline / description
:
(If necessary attach extra sheet)
5.
Existing Partner (s)
:
If you have more than one partner organisation,.
Please enter with multiple name with Comma(,)
Separate.
6.
Would you like to add
future partners
7.
Future Partner (s)
:
Yes
No G
if you have more than one partner organisation,. Please
enter with Multiple Name with Comma(,) separate.
WISH LIST ABOUT LOGISTICAL ORGANISATION
The Information you provide here will guide the Organising Committee in planning the venue
space. Although all efforts will be made to respect the wish list you give here, the final allocation of
venue (s), dates, times, and other resources will be constrained by the availability, feasibility, and
logistical/infrastructure.
Expected Public
:
35
Preferred date
:
2nd Day
3.
For
Cultural :
activities, describe
special needs if
that would
be
required
4.
Do you need
Interpretation/
Translation
Services
51
Which languages
are spoken by
speakers?
75
n
3rd Day [
200 |
|
|
4th Day
|
iooo|
500
a
5th Day|
|
»
zvvi rono Alegre
WSF 2002 Porto Alegre
WSF 2003 Porto Alegre
WSF 2004 Mumbai
WSF 2005 Porto Alegre
Americas SF 2004 - Quito
Asian SF 2003 Hyderabad
African SF 2001 - Bamako
African SF 2003 - Addis Abeba
African SF 2004 - Lusaka
European SF 2002 Florence
European SF 2003 Paris, St Denis, Bobigny (Seine-SaintDenis)
European SF 2004 London
Mediterranean SF 2005 Barcelona_______________________
——-------------------------- ---------------------------Alliance
Association
Autonomous space connected to a Social
Forum Base
Community
Campaign
Coalition
Collective or Affinity group
Community group
Pan-Amazon SF 2002 - BelAOm
Pan-Amazon SF 2003 - BelA©m
Pan-Amazon SF 2004 Ciudad
Guayana
Pan-Amazon SF 2005 - Manaus
Thematic forum in Argentina 2002
Thematic forum in Palestina 2002
Thematic forum in Colombia 2004
Organization Type Table No-2
Cooperative
Federation
Foundation
Grassroots
Media, independent media
Minga
Movement Network
NGO
Organisation
Other convergence place
Professional group
Research or documentation group
Social centre or squat
Social forum committee (local,
regional, etc.)
Solidarity or social economy actor
Union
Workshop
Board Field Of Activity Table No-3
Advocacy
Agriculture, food, food sovereignty
Aids
Alternative models
Animal rights
Anti-corporate power
Antifascism
Castes
Charity
Children rights
Class struggle
Common goods
Communication.
Community organizing and local
development
Conflict resolution
Cooperation development, North/South
relation
Cross thematic movement networking
Culture, Art
. Cultural and linguistic diversity
Democracy and politics
Disarmament
Ecology and sustainability
Economy
Education
Energy
Entertainment_______ ____ _______ .
Equality
Cross border traders
Farmers, peasants
Gay and lesbian rights
Gender
Genetic modified organism
Global governance. International
organisation
Health
Hip-hop
Homeless
Housing
Human and civil rights
Feminism
Feminist economy
Financial institutions
Immigrants rights
Indigenous
Informal sector
Intellectual property, creative commons
International solidarity
Labour
Land, land reform
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender
Media and publication
Migration and antiracism
Minorities rights
Non violent action
Pastoralists
Peace
Precariousness and unemployment
Public services
Religiosity and spirituality
Religious sectarianism
Research
Sexual orientation
Sexual exploitation
Slum dwellers
Social exclusion and poverty
Social rights
Students
Sustainable development
Unemployed
Trade
Trafficking
Territory
Violence against women
War
Water
Women
Workers
Youth
Other
Activity type Table No -4
Celeoration
Conference/seminar/workshop/mpeting/panel
discussion
Cultural/art istic event
Declaration
March/demonstration
Research
Testimony
Other
Themes and Sub-Theme Table No-5
I.
Democracy, Secularism. Multiculturalism» International Trade Negotiations
» Corporate Social Responsibility
and Dignity
» Alternative Economic Spaces
» Alternative visions, practical experiments
» War on Terror: US Militarist Agenda
and struggles for inclusive, plural and
and Resistances
radical democracy
»
Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Palestine
» Autonomy, separation, reconciliation,
» Global Disarmament and Nuclear
toleration.
» Just and Democratic Governance
» Human Rights, Constitution and Law
» Indian Diaspora
» Visions for a new State and Civil Society,
with reference to religious intolerance and
majoritarian tendencies
» Visions fora new State and Civil Society,
with reference to.gender and the 'double'
exclusion of women
» Visions for a new State and Civil Society,
with reference to non- citizens, migrants
and refugees
» Cultural imperialism and shaping
subordinate identities
» Globalisation and cultural resistance
» Fundamentalism and Sexual Identities
2.
From Caracas to Nairobi via India
» The Politics of International Aid
» Hunger and Poverty
» Racism and Exclusion
» Battling AIDS
» ‘Community’ vs. women
» Building Alternative Futures
» Indian Diaspora
3.
Casteism, Racism, Exclusion and
Discrimination
» Exclusion, discrimination based on caste,
class, race, gender, ethnicity, religion,
sexuality, ability/disability
» Social Security and Social Opportunity
» Affirmative Actions in Public and Private
Sectors
» Labour Market Discrimination
» Deprivation, Domination, Displacement,
Descent-based occupations
» Social Inclusion, Social Justice and
Inclusiveness
» Politics, Movements, Struggles on Social
Justice '
» Displacement and Forced Migration
» Caste and Communalism
4.
New-Liberal Globalisation, Militarism
and Hegemony
» Corporate Globalisation, Free Trade and
Debt
» Globalisation of Finance and Trade
» Transnational Corporations, Corporate
Control and Self-reliance
» Trade or Justice
» Human Security
» World Economy, WTO, World Bank and
IMF
» India in the new World Order
» Multinational Companies
8.
Social Sector
» Right to Food, health and education
» Right to Shelter
» GATS. WTO and Service Sector
» Employment, Work and Security
» Privatisation of Health and Education
Weapons
» Imperialist War and Control of
» Social Security
» Urbanisation, Development and
Resources
» UN, International Law and War
» Zones of Conflicts, Border Areas and
Peace in South Asia
» Internal Conflicts
» State Terrorism: Civil and Political
Rights
» Self Determination and Nationalities
Well-being
» Reproduction, Health and Sexual
Rights
» HIV and AIDS
» Child Rights
» States and Social Sector
9.
Young India
» Young Visions
» Vision of a new India through the
5.
Theories and Practices of Sustainable lens of children
» Globalisation and its impact on
Development
» Livelihood Rights: Biodiversity and
children and youth
Livelihood; Land, Water and
» Youth, Work and Employment
» Youth and Student Movements
Livelihood; Energy and
» Livelihood; Urban Livelihood
» Youth: Rights, Respect,
» Poverty and Wealth; Atmospheric
Responsibilities
Commons, Community Rights on
» Children and Youth for Peace
Genetic Knowledge
» Media and Culture - the vision for
» Community Rights on Resources,
Children and Youth
Environmental Rights, Right to
10.
Women’s Era
information
» Women, Caste, Class
» Market, Trade and Environment
» Women Work, Labour and
» Environment, Industry, Labour
Globalisation
» Environmental Movements
» Sexuality, Obscenity, Community
» Alternative Technologies
» Women, War, Terror and Violence
» Risks and Disasters
» Gender, Power, Equations
6.
Worlds of Work and Labour
» Women Social Spaces
» Work, Labour and Employment
» Contribution of Feminism
» Globalisation. Liberalisation and
» Patriarchy
Labour
» Trafficking
» Dynamics of Labour Movements
» Women and Communalism
» New Industries, New Labour
» Nation, Law and Women’s Rights
» Informal and Small Sector Labour
» Reproductive Health and Women’s
» Law & Labour
Lives
» Social Security and Well Being
» Women’s Movements and
».Technology and its Impact
Organisations
» The Problems of Agriculture and
11.
Developing Alternatives
Rural Labour
» Alternatives to Corporate
» Footloose Labour: Issues, Rights and
Globalisation
Struggles of Migrant Labour
» Decorporatisation and
7.
Media and Culture
Decentralisation
» Cultural expressions as tools of
» Just and Sustainable Trade and
imperialist globalisation and counter
Financial Systems
culture challenging the status quo
» Deepening Democracy
» Globalisation and the media.
» Economic Democracy
» Media and alternative visions of
» Principles for Sustainable Societies
another world
» Development for Dignity
» Sponsorship and Censorship
» Social Movements, Mass
» Alternate media
Organisations and Alternatives
» Media as an instrument of exclusion
» Ideologies and Alternatives
and a space for democratic struggle
» Resistance Movements
(social audit of old and new media,
» Forms of Movements
changing content and form, stateowned media vs. public broadcasting)
Advocacy
'
Affirmation, caste/class
Affirmation, ethnicity
Affirmation, gender,
Affirmation, sexual orientation,
Africa
Agriculture, access to means
Agriculture, crisis of
Agriculture, policies/practices of
Alternatives: Building Another World
Alternatives: Caste/Class
Alternatives: Children
Alternatives: Development
Alternatives: Disabilities
Alternatives: Economic Policies
Alternatives: Education
Alternatives: Gender/Sexuality
Alternatives: Health
Alternatives: International Politics
Alternatives: Law and Justice
Alternatives: Pluralism
Alternatives: Social Justice
Animal rights
Anti-corporate power
Armed insurgencies
Art
Art and social transformation
Art, policies/practices of
Art, universal access to.
Arts: performing or visual
Asia, Asian people
Biodiversity
Biodiversity, protection of
Capitalism
Capitalism, actions against
Caste
Casteism and religious fundamentalism
Casteism, elimination of
Casteism, practices of
Charity
Child rights
Citizen control
Citizen control, on governance
Citizen control, on information
Citizen control, on research
Citizenship, building of
Citizenship, participation in
Citizenship, rights of
Citizenship, world
Civicand political rights
Civil serv.ants
Class struggle
Coloniaiism/Neo-Colonialism
Colonialism/Neo-Colonialism, actions
against
Common goods
Communication
Communication, democratisation of
Community and local development
Community, organisation of
Conflict, resolution of
Consumption, responsible practices of
Corporate power, actions against
______Keywords Table No-6
Farmers/peasants, exploitation of
Political violence, repression
Farmers/peasants, impoverishment of
Politics and democracy initiatives in
Fascism, actions against
Popular education
Fascism, manifestations of
Poverty and Social exclusion
Fascism, safeguards against
Practices for change, development of
Feminism
Professionals
Feminism afrd social movements
Public policies
Financial institutions
Public policies, promotion of
Financial institutions, reform of
Public policies, promotion of welfare
Fisher folk,
Public policies, promotion of
Fisher folk, challenges and problems
affirmative
Food and food sovereignty
Public policies, promotion of
Food production, development of
distributive
Forest
Public services
Fundamentalism
Public services, privatisation of
Fundamentalism and majoritarianism
Public services, protection and
Fundamentalism, struggle against
development of
Gay and lesbian rights
Racism
Gender
Racism, action against
Gender, issues for social change
Refugees, displaced
Global governance, international
Religiosity and spirituality
Religiosity vs.
organisation
Fundamental ism/Communal ism
Globalisation
Religious sectarianism
Governance
Religious sectarianism, struggles
Governance, global
against
Governance, reforms in
Repression, struggles against
Health
Responsibility, building of
Health, policies/practices in '
Rights Human and civil rights
Health, universal access to
development - fight for
HIV+/AIDS
Science and Technology
Homeless
Science and technology, access to
Housing
Science and technology, control of
Housing, universal access to
Science and technology, ‘
Housing, policies/practices in
policies/practices of
Human Rights, civil/politicai
Self development of groups and
Human Rights, persons with special
individuals
needs/disabled
Self organisation - efforts at
Human Rights, protection of
Self organisation - support to
Human Rights,
Self-determination
social/cultural/economic
Self-determination, support to
Human Rights, violations of
Sexual exploitation
Identity, politics of
Sexual exploitation, struggle against
Identity, radical potential of
. Sexual orientation
Identity, social construction of
Sexual orientation, tolerance of
Identity, subordination of
Slum dwellers
Immigrants, rights of
Social change, tools/methods for
Immigration, policies on
Social justice, laws/policies of
Indigenous peoples
Social justice,'policies/practices of
Indigenous peoples, rights of
Social justice, struggles for
Industries, closure of
Social researchers
Industry, trends in
Social security
Informal sector
Social security, policies/practices of
Informal sector
Socialism
Information Technology,
Socialism, building of
democratisation of
Society
Information Technology, free software
Society, building of civil
movements
Society, strengthening of
Information Technology, new
Solidarity economics
developments In
»
Solidarity practices, development of
Intelleciunl property, democratization
of information
Intellectual property, creative commons
International Institutions
State
State, democratisation of
State, democratisation of
Corruption
Corruption of state institutions
Corruption, actions against
Credit, microcredit/social
Cultural exception
Culture, building of
Culture, development of
Culture, expressions of
Culture, protection of
Dams
Dams and Barrages related struggles
Dams, barrages and
Dams, displacement and
Dams, environmental cost of
Debt
Debt, cancellation of
Decentralisation and Devolution
Democracy
Democracy and politics
Democracy,
direct/participative/representative
Development, economic policies/ practices
Development, goals of
Development, popular participation in
Development, social costs of
Development, sustainable practices of
Devolution and decentralization
Disarmament
Disarmament, arms control and
Displacement
Diversity, building/preservation of
Diversity, Cultural and linguistic
Drugs, prevention and social control of
Drugs, traffic in
Ecology, sustainable practices of
Economy
Economy, control over dominant forms of
Economy, democratisation of
Economy, gender budgeting of
Education
Education, actions for universal access to
Education, policies/ practices of
Education, popular
Education, progressive values in
Emerging alternatives'to Globalisation
Empire/Imperialism
Empire/Imperialism, the fight against
Empowerment
Energy
Energy, policies/ practices of
Energy, universal access to
Entertainment
Environment
Environment, climate change and
Environment, ecology and
Environment, forests and
Environment, global/national policies of
Environment, globalisation and
Environment, habitat issues in
Environment, livelihood issues in
Environment, technology and
Equality
Equality, building of
Ethics_______________________
International institutions, reforms in
International Law
International Law, progress in
International relations
International solidarity
Journalism
Justice
Justice, environmental
Justice, fiscal
Justice, international
Justice, social
Knowledge, access to
Knowledge, democratisation of
Knowledge, production of
Labour
Labour, bonded
Labour, child
Labour, cross border movement of
Labour, democratisation of work for
Labour, exploitation of
Labour, policies/practices in
Labour, right to/protection of
Land, policies/practices in
Land, reform of/rights to
Land, universal access to
Latin America
Latin America, actions for social
transformation
Latin America, political changes in
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender
Liberation
Liberation, struggles for
Media and democratization
Media, electronic
Media, independence of
Media, independence of
Media, print
Middle East
Migrants, rights of
Migration and racism
Migration, causes of
M il itarisat ion/demi 1 itarisation
Minorities
Minority rights
Movements, grassroots
Natural Resources
Natural Resources, privatisation of
Networks
NGOs
Non violent action
North/South Cooperation,
North/South Cooperation,
democratization and dialogue on
Nuclear Energy
Nuclear Energy, control of
Nuclear Weapons
Nuclear Weapons, control of
Participation, democracy
Participation, development of
Participation, governance
Participation, political
Participation, social
Pastoralists
Patents
State, developmentalist
State, minimal
State, reform of
State, repression by
State, violence of
Students
Students, education of
Students, political participation of
Students, struggles of
Technologies, alternative
Technologies, new
Technologies, rural
Terrorism
Terrorism and sectarian violence.
Terrorism and war
Terrorism, struggle agqinst
Tourism
Tourism and communities
Tourism and development
Tourism, responsible policies of
Trade
Trade, agreements of
Trade, control of
Trade, development of fair
Trade, international
Trade, politics of
Trade, regional/ national
Trade, unfair practices of
Traders, cross border
Trading blocks
Trafficking
Trafficking, control of
Transgenics
Transgenics, control/ethics of
Tribal
Unemployment
Unions
United States of America
United States of America, imperialism
°f
United Slates of America, nuclear
policies of
United States of America, trade
practices of
University, access to democratization
Violence
Violence, politics of
Violence, social
War
War, struggle against
Waste, recycling of
Waste, toxic
'Vater
Water distribution, policies/practices in
of
Water distribution, privatization of
Water, distribution of
Women
Women, actions against patriarchy
Women, double burden of
Women, patriarchal violence against
Women, sexual harassment of
Women, violence against
Workers, domestic
Europe
Europe, Europeans
Europe, imperialism of
Europe, trade practices of
Family
Patents regulation
Patriachy
Patriachy struggle against
Peace
Peace, building of
Peoples with particular needs
Policies, neoliberal
Political Parties
Workers, home-based
Workers, migration of
Workers, organizations of
Workers, private sector
Workers, public sector
Workers, retrenchment of
Workers, rights of
Workers, struggles of
Workers, training of
Workers, unorganized sector
Youth
Youth, culture of
Youth, political participation of
Youth, struggles of
Youth, unemployed
WORLD SOCIAL FORUM, INDIA
14/187 Lower Ground Floor,
Malviya Nagar, New Delhi -110017
Telfax:+91-11-26674123
Email: wsfmdia@vsnl.net
website: www.wsfindia.org
Printed at:
PROGRESSIVE PRINTERS
A-21, Jhilmil Industrial Area, G.T. Road,
Shahdara, Delhi - 110095
Phone : 22582847
WORLD SOCIAL FORUM, India
Dated: 8th September 2006
Appeal for Corpus Contribution
Dear Friend,
14/187, Lower Ground Floor,
Malviya Nagar, New Delhi - 110 017
Telfax: +91-11-26674123
Email: wsfmdia@vsnl.net
website: winy. wsfindia. org
You are aware that the India Social Forum is being organised in Delhi this year, on
November 9-13, 2006. The ISF is to go beyond a purely India-specific scope to also
embrace Asian and African solidarities, particularly in light of the forthcoming WSF in
Nairobi in January 2007 and the need to strengthen the WSF process in Asia.
The India Working Committee has discussed and put in place a set of principles for
raising the necessary financial resources for organising this event and in general for the
WSF process in India. Briefly, the thrust in on maximizing internal resource generation
and reducing dependence on external funding agencies including limiting the funding
obtained form any single source. Towards this end, as far as the ISF is concerned, the
IWC is preparing recommendations for event registration, delegate fees, raising funds
from Indian public sector entities and solidarity contributions.
In This connection, the contribution that could be made by Organisations/Movements who
consider themselves integral parts of the WSF process in India was reviewed. It was
found that, only a few "founding” Organisations had contributed Rs. 5000/- each in
response to an appeal way back in 2002 prior to the Asian Social Forum in Hyderabad.
Today there are over 200 Organisations in the India General council and more than 2500
organisations/Movements who are closely associated with the WSF process in India. A
Corpus formed by contributions by these organisations, on either a one-time basis or an
annual basis, would go a long way towards the goal of building a self-reliant WSF process
in India.
We appeal to all IWC/IGC member Organisations to as well as to all other Organisations
and Movements to kindly express their renewed commitment to the WSF process in India
by making a Corpus Contribution to WSF India. National Organisations/networks are
requested to contribute Rs. 5000/- and local organisations + grassroots movements may
kindly contribute Rs. 1000/-. Contributions may be made by cheque or Demand Draft
payable in Delhi favouring “World Social Forum India”.
All contributing Organisations are requested to ensure that funds are remitted to WSFIndia from Rupee accounts and not from FCRA Accounts.
Looking forward to a prompt response, and thanking you in anticipation,
In solidarity
Dr. Raghunandan
Facilitator, Finance Group
GLOBALIZATION AND LOCALIZATION:
SPHERES OF GOVERNANCE?
_____________________________________________
pcejO - /<-/ B-
Background note prepared by
PRIA for the international workshop on
"Globalization and Localization"
Reflection on Past, Living in Present,
Strategies for Future
convened by
PRIA
and
partners at
WoM Sodai Fortum (WSF),
Mumbai during January 19 - 20, 2004
CONTEXT
Relations across people, communities, societies and nations have been seriously affected by the phenomenon of
globalization as it evolved over the past 15 years (since the fall of Berlin wall). International relations across countries
have been undergoing significant restructuring after the second World War. Several categories of world had begun
during the 'cold war' period - First, Second, Third.
The United Nations system incubated new formations - G 7
(now G 8), G77 and more recently G 20(or 22?). NATO as a transatlantic military alliance and non-aligned move
ment (comprising largely of newly liberated countries of the "third world") emerged in the 60's and 70's as strong
transnational associations. In the decades of the 70's and 80's, growth of Multinational Corporations (MNCs) fuelled
economic development, not only in Europe and North America, but also in the Far East (Japan, South Korea, etc.).
Numerous treaties of the UN system (human rights, literacy, gender justice, habitat, sustainable development, social
development, reproductive health etc.) in the 1980's and 90's became binding policies for national governments. In
the same period, structural adjustment loans from the World Bank (and regional development banks) and IMF further
shaped and determined economic and social policies in the "recipient" countries of the South. Massive expansion of
IT and telecommunications technologies supported increased global capital flows in the 1990's. Policies and rules of
World Trade Organisation (WTO) facilitated the expansion of global trade to unprecedented levels and integration of
global markets to an accelerated pace in the last 15 years.
It has been argued that the forces of, and trends in, globalization have resulted in several significant implications on
the functioning of governing institutions at the national level:
a)
Forces of globalization have been shaping national policies in the spheres of economic development and
trade. Not only policies and conditionalities imposed through such formal mechanisms like WTO and WB/
IMF determine national policies, but also informal arrangements like the World Economic Forum (Davos)
have significant influence over economic and monetary policies of national governments.
b)
Regional trading blocks and arrangements (ASEAN, APEC, NAFTA, EU, MERCOSUR, SADC, and now even
SAARC (?)) have begun to further determine priorities and policies of national decision-makers.
c)
National governments, even elected parliaments, have on many occasions not been able to fully know of,|
debate and decide upon the terms of various global agreements. Few parliaments know of terms of struc
tural adjustment . ..or Country Assistance Strategy (CAS) of the WB/IMF; few political parties discuss texts of
emerging treaties from the UN System (be they on xenophobia & racism, human rights or environment or
gender).
d)
Social development issues and policies on access to basic education, health care and drinking water etc.
have been significantly influenced in most developing countries as a consequence of these forces of global
ization. Standard solutions are being imposed through standard institutional designs - one size fits all? without consideration for local, national or regional variations and priorities. G8 (an informal club of the
leaders of the richest countries in the World today) is defining development agenda for Africa, called NEPAD?
e)
Present forces of globalization have been led from the top - globalization of the elites across countries has
created immense gulf and distance across families and communities within countries as well. The recent
advertising & media campaign of Government of India projects "India Shining", without reference to nearly
350 million Indians still living in abject poverty, illiteracy and ignorance.
Policies of liberalization and
privatization of government control and ownership over productive natural, physical and financial resources
have been so far practiced from the point of view of large national and trans-national industry and trade
interests, not from the point of view of a tribal "self-employed" family living in forest areas. Such subaltern
communities have become losers in globalization, mere spectators from far.
EMERGING DYNAMICS
If globalization undermines the authority of nation-states, what happens to local bodies? National government’s
decisions related to use of natural resources, policies related to industrialization and agriculture, import and export
are dictated through the forces of globalization. How does it affect the constitutional mandate of local bodies over
decisions in local arena? In nearly 100 countries of the world, the period of intense globalization since 1990s has also
witnessed a parallel phenomenon of growing mandates for decentralized governance. In many developing countries,
devolution of powers and resources from national authorities has been constitutionally mandated over the past de
cade. In that context, local governance structures have also emerged as electorally mandated democratic forms of
governance at local levels in rural and urban areas.
It has also been argued that the sphere of governance in public decision making at the local level is the first and most
critical sphere. Control over local resources, physical and natural, under the jurisdiction of these local bodies has to
be first and foremost exercised by institutions of local self-governance. Therefore, in this argument, forces of global
ization need to negotiate and deal with democratically elected institutions of local governance at the local level. As
a result, the voice of democracy has to be dealt with by forces of globalization, including multinational corporations.
In the absence of local governance, local level officials, in a hierarchically controlled bureaucracy from the center of
the nation-state, are "persuaded” to take decisions without any reference to local aspirations and voices.
Numerous examples can be quoted to demonstrate how locally elected governing institutions have resisted and,
infact, altered decisions taken at higher levels about the use of local resources in the interest of global players. In this,
local governance institutions are important stakeholders and negotiators in use of resources for public good.
In addition, citizen engagement and participation in structures of local governance in many countries has been the
breeding ground for democratic politics. Citizen participation in local level decision-making builds processes and
structures of participatory governance; these experiences of citizen engagement result in formation of a demand for
concerted citizen engagement in institutions of national governance as well. Thus, practice of local governance, from
the point-of-view of citizen participation, and not merely as an electoral legitimation, creates opportunities and
spaces for significant learning and mobilization around issues of democratic governance. Many instances of grassroots
democracy, bottom-up micro planning, social audit, budget monitoring, negotiating conflicting interests around use
of limited resources, can be drawn from the experiences of local governance, which have then become the bases for
broader mobilization at macro levels.
QUESTIONS?
Therefore, the key questions for consideration are how do processes and forces of globalization undermine or restrict
th.e.jphere of legitimate authority of local governance institutions? Are these forces significantly more impactful in
restricting the arena of decision making for public good by local bodies or do they impact nation-states and local
institutions equally?
In the womb of globalization and its associated forces and institutions, are there new opportunities for enhancement
of local governing bodies, from the point-of-view of citizen participation and local priorities? Are there new ways in
which local governing institutions express their priorities and share their innovations more widely and globally, than
otherwise was possible within the 'restricted' domain of nation-state? What positive actions to promote local gover
nance in the face of forces and structures of globalization exist? What can be learnt from them? How can we increase
the autonomous, independent and yet, engaged, voice of local governance institutions in the context of globaliza
tion? Democratic governance of global institutions is a far more crucial and urgent agenda for humanity today.
What specific strategies for building alliances across local governing institutions have worked? Are there ways in
which elected representatives of local bodies have collaborated with civil society to broaden their sphere of action
and their collective assertion to negotiate new priorities and deals for local bodies and their peoples? Do access to
new information and communication technologies enable local bodies to access ideas, information, capacities and
resources in a manner that have advanced their immediate specific local priorities? Do collaborative multistakeholder
approaches work in strengthening voice of local governance in a period of rapid and widespread globalization? Do
local bodies collectively assert pressures to resist 'unilateral' globalization by, and for, the elites? Do they open up
forces of globalization to multifarious voices of citizens and their aspirations?
It is. important to recognize in this discourse of the World Social Forum in Mumbai Oanuary 2004) that Port Allegre in
Brazil is a local governing body. The institutions of local governance in Port Allegre had advanced considerably from
the perspective of citizen participation over the last decade, before it invited, hosted and so successfully organized
World Social Forum. It is important to acknowledge that the birth of World Social Forum was "midwifed" by an
institution of local self-governance, built on the spirit and practice of citizen participation.
PRIA
42, Tughlakabad Institutional Area, New Delhi - 110062, Tel.: 011-2995 6908, 2606 0931-32-33
Fax: 011-29955183, E-mail: info@pria.org Web: www.pria.org
INDIA'S NATIONAL MAGAZINE
from the publishers of THE HINDU
Jan. 31,
2003
Rs. 15
Asian
'ANC
\ ''WftiksW'.
\ ■
liM
Aijaz Ahmad: U.S. War Designs Against Iraq
Vol. 20 o No. 2 ♦ January 18-31, 2003 o ISSN 0970-1710
Frontline
The Oil and Natural Gas Corporation, India’s
most valuable and profit-making corporate today,
is set to invest further in high-technology explora
tion and production - and beyond............. 89
Cover Story
Asian Social Forum: Globalising resistance 4
A fighter from Argentina
6
Strategies for the battle
9
Interview: Samir Amin
12
Another Europe is possible:
by Amiya Kumar Bagchi
16
Iraq
U.S. design and global complicity:
by Aijaz Ahmad
18
Sri Lanka
No farewell to arms
Zones of difference: by D.B.S. Jeyaraj
23
26
Science & Technology
A policy and many hurdles
29
Defence
he nuclear button
new Army chief
K
Politics
A secular veneer to Hindutva
Congress(I) groping in rhe dark
32
34
37
39
The States
Bihar: ‘encounter’ deaths and protests 41
Hindutva and Tamil Nadu politics
42
Kerala: Rivers for sale
46
West Bengal: Power tariff and
a stand-off
48
Gilani: End of a witch-hunt
123
Nagaland: Promise of peace
126
World Affairs
A Korean crisis
50
Indo-U.S. deal and the ICC:
by Usha Ramanathan
The human clone debate
Issues of ethics:
by Dr. Abraham Verghese
’
Jamali’s survival strategy
A transition in Kenya
Fiji’s treason trial:
by Shubha Singh
Britain’s emerging Far Right:
by Glyn Ford
The unravelling of Arroyo:
by Walden Bello
52
55
56
57
59
61
63
102
104
Labour Issues
A conference of State
government employees
110
Economic Perspectives
India’s dollar glut:
by C.P. Chandrasekhar
111
Taxation Policy
The Kelkar proposals
121
Events
A meeting of the Indian diaspora
Partisan citizenship
127
130
64
Art
A SAHMAT show:
by Suneet Chopra
67
Reports
Unicef report on children
77
Review Article
An expose of Bush:
by A.G. Noorani
80
Institutions
Chennai Museum’s 151st anniversary:
by N. Harinarayana
83
Genetic Resources
A deal blocked in Chhattisgarh
The Raipur collection
86
88
Special Feature: ONGC
Resource-rich and resourceful
Interview: Subir Raha,
Chairman, ONGC
The global player
A lucrative basin in Andhra Pradesh
Successes in Cauveiy basin
91
94
98
Columns
Bhaskar Ghose:
To save classical performing arts
71
Harsh Mander:
Bonded servitude in Orissa
106
Jayanti S. Ravi:
A role model in Gujarat
108
K. Natwar Singh:
Remembering Gandhi
109
Jayati Ghosh: Global economic gloom 113
R.K. Raghavan: Reforming criminal
justice systems
114
Prafiil Bidwai:
Nuclear South Asia
116
Books 73 -The English Language 79 Letters 119 - Update 133
connection with the /Vian Social Forum: photograph
Printed and Published by S. RANGARAJAN on behalf of KASTURI & SONS LTD., at the National Press, Kasturi Buildings, 859 & 860, Anna Salai, Chennai-600 002. Editor. N. RAM.
' All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in pan without written permission is prohibited.
e-mail: frontline@thehindu.co.in Web site: http://www.flonnet.com and http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline
■
COVER STORY
GLOBALISING RESISTANCE
The Asian Social Forum held in Hyderabad, conceived as part of the international consultations going
on for the past two years under the umbrella of the World Social Forum, provides a unified platform
for diverse groups trying to mobilise people's power to turn back the tide of imperialist globalisation. #
SUKUMAR MURALIDHARAN
in Hyderabad
OR individuals and groups working in
relative isolation, fighting against over
whelming and unseen forces girdling the
globe and eroding the autonomy of com
munities and nations, the city of Hydera
bad provided a much needed tonic in the
first week ofJanuary. Globalisation has for
long been characterised as an irresistible
force that only the primitive or the fool
hardy would choose to oppose. Often con
fined in isolated pockets, the groups
holding out against this authoritarian logic
faced severe odds and frequent setbacks.
In Hyderabad between January 2 and
7, several of these groups came together to
forge a unified platform for resistance that
F
could both end their relative isolation and
lend greater strength to their individual
struggles.
The first session of the Asian Social
Forum (ASF) was by every criterion a sig
nificant moment in the mobilisation of
people’s power to turn back the tide of
globalisation. Whatever the reckoning,
whether by the scale of the assembly, the
range of issues considered, or the scope of
the dialogue, the ASF was a momentous
gathering. Conceived as a part of the in
ternational consultations that have been
going on for the past two years under the
umbrella of the World Social Forum, the
ASF could now become an annual event,
and each successive gathering could be a
progressive milestone towards establishing
a true politics of alternatives.
Early in the 1990s, developing coun
tries - termed the “global South” in the
official discourse of the time - were just
beginning to awaken to the catastrophe
that had visited them subdy and surrepti
tiously over the preceding decade. It be
came almost the common sense
understanding then, that the 1980s had
been the “lost decade”, which had enor
mously set back all aspirations for a better
life among the poor and the disadvantaged.
Most countries then suffered a crush
ing burden of external debt and a fiscal
crisis that effectively crippled the possibil
ities of fair governance. To fulfil the basic
promise of these countries’ struggle for po
litical autonomy - that of meeting basic
human needs and providing for an im
provement in standards of living - it
FRONTLINE, JANUARY 31. 2003
seemed that they needed to chart an entire
ly new course. Ironically though, most of
these countries were stampeded into a new
phase of integration with the global econo
my that was, with a few cosmetic changes,
merely more of the same.
The new consensus was forged on the
partly coercive logic that there was really
no alternative to a closer integration of the
global economy under the stewardship of
the United States. The rapid eclipse of the
socialist model that the Soviet Union em
bodied seemed to lend new strength to this
logic. As the decade wore on, the resistance
began to crystallise around a number of
platforms. Traditional political parties of
the Ixft, momentarily disoriented by die
Soviet collapse, soon managed to reorga
nise and mount a challenge, even if in
narrow p< ;
. A potent new force was
added in
: ;e of the decade in the
form of
, social movements, each
advocai' ■ i specific cause, but often
impclk., I.
driving realities to seek
broader . :
, with odier, often very
disparate. g'-.-.'p:.
Future gen. ..ations would undoubted-
(Left) At the inaugural of the Asian
Social Forum in Hyderabad on January 2,
a representative group of Intellectuals
and activists on a common platform.
(Below) A street play Is on at the Nizam
College grounds, the main venue.
ly spend fruitful hours studying the ety
mology of the word “globalisation”. On
current reckoning, the provenance of the
term is unclear. It is agreed that it became
common currency during the 1990s, orig
inating particularly in the practice of eco
nomic policy.
When the first major shakeout of the
1990s occurred with the crises in Russia
and various Latin American countries,
“globalisadon” was not yet a term to con
jure with. But by the time of the Asian
economic meltdown of 1997, the Western
powers and the institutions that worked
under their command had become aedve
proselytisers in the cause of globalisadon.
The term, representing a process suppos
edly rich with possibilities of social and
economic advancement, now became an
inescapable part of the ideological tutelage
that the developing countries were sub
jected to.
If the resistance until then had been
sporadic and relatively unorganised, the
following years witnessed a rapid change in
fortunes. It was convenient in the initial
years for the champions of globalisation to
maintain a facade of liberalism. Voices of
dissent, as articulated notably by non-party
social movements - variously termed civil
society organisations or non-governmental
organisations (NGOs) - came to be ac
cepted as a part of the discourse on glob
alisation as the 1990s wore on. During the
tenure of the Clinton administration in the
U.S., an active effort was made to embrace
this element ofdissent, at least at the rheto
rical level. This enterprise proceeded on
the lofty pretence that the critique of glob
alisation was founded on little else than the
fear of uncertainty'. In this rather patronis
ing reading, the coalescence of forces
against globalisation was the consequence
of a failure of communication. Once the
authentic picture was provided and appre
ciated, the resistance would simply melt
away.
This pretence was decisively punctured
by the events on the streets of Seatde in
December 1999. In flagrant disregard of
the widespread apprehensions that had
been aroused by the Umguay Round of
global trade negotiations, the Clinton ad
ministration had embarked on die project
of commencing a new round at Seattle.
The venue had been chosen with the spe
cific purpose of showcasing the rich prom
ise of the digital age and urging the general
acknowledgment of the need for new and
appropriate trade rules for the new age.
The ferocity of the street demonstrations
shattered the complacence of die negotia
tors who had gathered with seemingly
nothing to do but son out a few residual
disagreements before launching a new
trade round.
All subsequent conclaves of the mis
sionaries of globalisadon became venues of
bitter contention - Washington and
Prague in 2000, Davos, Quebec, Gothen
burg and Genoa in 2001. And from the
chaotic and often conflicting play ofspecial
interest groups in Seatde, the anti-glob
alisation protests gradually began to ac
quire a coherent and clear political core.
Concurrendy, there was under way an
effort to organise the voices of dissent
against globalisation on a common plat
form. The initiative began in continental
Europe, with a small nucleus of social ac
tivists and scholars banding together to ad
vocate the cause of a tax on speculative
financial transactions that held the markets
of several developing countries in their
thrall, invariably with destabilising effects.
BASE in the global South was imper
ative, since the resistance was princi
pally expected to emanate from the regions
that most intimately felt the ravages of
globalisation. With a rich diversity ofsocial
movements and a bewildering complexity
of problems, Brazil seemed a natural choice
as a venue for instituting a regular event
that would serve as a platform for pooling
experiences and learning from one anoth
er. Porto Alegre in the south of the country
seemed an appropriate choice of venue for
A
several reasons. Porto Alegre is the capital
of the Rio Grande province, which had
witnessed several significant movements of
resistance to neo-liberal globalisation. And
Porto Alegre itself had won worldwide no
tice with its experiments in democratic
municipal budgeting, which seemed to
embody new principles of participation
and transparency that other units of ad
ministration could conceivably emulate.
The Porto Alegre gathering was con
ceived as a frontal challenge to the ortho
doxy of neo-liberalism, which then seemed
best represented by the annual conclave of
corporate and political leaders at rhe Swiss
ski resort of Davos. Though a feature of
the annual social calendar for top butin.es,
executives since the 1970s. die World Fee
nomi. Forum at I
e >
:1.
thesta
fa citatid
.con.-n.’c ■•'•.s-.iom
only i.i ■. decade or
re
ceived
the spirit .: •w-s'. . cAlegre
. the t. • . . •
.. •!
Forum, tc tdiect
rather than die cor...,
The location obviou ]y
ted io a
large extent which groups would have
most access to the WSF platform. After the
two Porto Alegre gatherings, in 2001 and
2002, the international committee over
seeing the organisational aspects began to
urge the dispersal of the effort to other
corners. India was considered an appropri
ate venue for a future gadrering both be
cause of its size and its relatively
well-established democratic traditions and
in recognition of the fact that it had man
aged to take the debate on alternatives to
globalisation to a fairly high plane.
HE ASF in Hyderabad was conceived
as a way station towards India hosting
the WSF at some early future date. It was
convened in full conformity with the WSF
principle of “offering space for free dis
course, debate, interaction and discovery,
of inviting the participation of a rich di
versity of mass organisations, peoples’
movements, citizens’ bodies and groups to
join in the process of mutual learning, in
formed debate and participatory formula
tion of alternative models with the worth
and viability to address the challenges of
development with justice”.
From die time the delegates began ar
riving in Hyderabad, ASF hosts were ex
pecting a deluge of participants and
possible organisational chaos. These expec
tations were in large measure fulfilled,
though disruptions of the first day were
T
A view of the rally on the concluding
day, January 7.
V. SR1DHAR
USTAVO CARLOS, an Argen
tine youth, “disappeared” on May
15, 1977 when Argentina was under
the iron grip of a brutal military re
gime, which snuffed out the lives of
more than 30,000 youth. Twenty-five
years later, his mother, Nora Cortinas,
remains in the fight for the ideals for
which her son sacrificed his life. Seven
ty years old, she is a popular icon of
resistance in not only her country but
across the world, at various protest
gatherings that mark the globalisation
of resistance to neo-liberalism. Wear
ing her trademark white scarf with her
son’s name embroidered on it, she is a
•egular participant at not only the
■ . id Social Forum (WSF), but als^
regional and national social fo^|
G
■-css the world. She spoke at several
.'■esuons of the Asian Social Forum
( ■ ST) and in each of them she said that
she “saw her son in each of the persons
gathered there, as a reminder of her lost
son”.
On April 30, 1977, some of the
mothers of the missing youth decided
to gather at rhe Plaza de Mayo (May
Plaza), opposite the presidential palace
in Buenos Aires. This gave shape to the
Madres de la Plaza Mayo (Mothers of
May Plaza) movement, as an expres
sion of solidarity among those who had
lost their beloved ones. The idea of go-
A mother and a movement
ing to the Plaza de Mayo came from one
of the mothers who went knocking on
the doors of the powerful, in search of
their missing children, during the years
of military dictatorship in Argentina.
Exasperated at getting no information
from the corridors of power about the
whereabouts of their children, the moth
ers decided to meet at the Plaza: hence
the name of die organisation.
Although most of die mothers never
their -hi',dre:i again, the movement
con-blued. Even today members
I . :
. ■
■ sday eve. ■
: net
‘
: r,-.ion ofsoliamong ‘ . mo
but also an
-.ssion
st :■
.: repression
.vnere i,-,
«>rl<
Being tor..: ■ he ■ :ne mothers
■ ■. 'ace die re; ' ... < n
■■ rulers. No; Cortinas s . .
. >
ig on the
made us
■ -h aware. The
.
step was to come to grips with die
:eaJ'tv of why our children were taken
away. Bur gradually we began to under
stand the neo-liberal agenda, which were
dictated by the countries of the North.”
She said that though the economically
powerful countries dictated these pol
icies, the levers of power in the country
were operated by the local elites, includ
ing the top layer of the clergy. “We
mothers understood our own children
better - after their death. Our everyday
struggle, in search of our children, made
us understand the struggles of our own
children and what they sacrificed their
lives for.” She said that this realisation
widened their understanding of oppres
sion - in all its dimensions - from the
economic to the political
and social.
Although popular up
surge forced the ouster of
the military regime, the
successive governments in
Argentina did not punish
the
j;-:;- rulers who
. ■ " the atrocities
people. In
■ ■■ lortinas says
• M-liberal poli■' by the mil■
. continue to
I - • .
.! :>v successive
ei' ii ii; gov-' nments. A Nora Cortinas.
substantial part of the
debt incurred by Argentina during the
years of military rule was “polished off”
by the rulers. But the civilian govern
ments continue the same World BankInternational Monetary Fund policies
and the conditionalities that were a part
of the package that came with such
debts. “The military dictatorship,” said
Nora Cortinas, “has been replaced by an
economic dictatorship. ”
The balance sheet of the Argentine
version of neo-Iiberalism presents a stark
picture. Seventy per cent of the urban
population in Argentina - which has a
high degree of urbanisation - lives in
poverty. The economy contracted dra
matically in 2002, by as much as 16 per
cent in the first quarter. Unemployment
is at about 30 per cent and wages in real
terms fell by 20 per cent
| in 2002. Virtually all in15 dustries and services — the
> railways, the airlines, the
oil industry, telecom and
even water supply - have
been privatised. Nora
Cortinas said that the ab
sence of even a rudimen
tary form of social
security in the country
had led to widespread
hunger and homelessness.
She said that the state had
“given up any role for it
self in the realms of public
health and education”.
“Everything except the air we breathe in
Argentina has been gifted away to pri
vate interests,” Nora Cortinas said.
Nora Cortinas is a social psycholo
gist. She holds a chair in the Economics
Department at the University of Buenos
Aires. The subject she teaches is the rela
tionship between economic power and
human rights. ■
rapidly overcome to bring the events back
on track. The final reckoning showed that
about 20,000 delegates had registered to
participate in the ASF, of which 789 were
from overseas. No fewer than 840 orga
nisations were represented at rhe event,
which had apart from 10 conferences struc
tured around broad rhemes and an equal
number of panel discussions, no fewer than
160 seminars and 164 workshops.
The subjects discussed in Hyderabad
ranged over a vast canvas - from the global
peace and security environment to environ
mental concerns, the rights of traditional
communities, the problems of marginal and
excluded groups, the rise of identity politics,
the global disarmament dialogue, alterna
tive energy sources, the deepening of de
mocracy, and the politics of natural
resources.
Yet with all these diverse subjects being
discussed, the common themes were rela
tively easy to identify. There was virtually
unanimous consensus that the globalisation
that was being advocated and pursued
by the world powers, and espe
cially by the U.S., was little else
than the new manifestation of
imperialism. The imperialist
project had been pursued for
over a decade through the subde
coercion of finance capital and
the markets. But the crisis of the
Pax Americana was now evident
in the increasingly overt re
course to the force of arms to
sustain the coercive global order.
At a number of its confer
ences, panel discussions and
seminars, the ASF put itself
firmly on the side of the belea
guered people of Palestine and
Iraq. Ir deprecated the new sa
lience of nuclear weapons in the From a performance by the Praja Natya Mandali,
military doctrines of the U.S., a cultural group.
after a brief period when they
macy in the globalisation paradigm,
seemed to be a receding menace.
though the “warfare state” does have. An
WSF principles - which the ASF ad
hered scrupulously to - do not call for any other focus of the deliberations was the
kind of agreed final statement representing rising prevalence of civil strife in societies
the entirety of deliberations. But the neces caught up in the currents of globalisation.
sity of non-violent struggle was underlined The incidence of wars as conventionally
by so many of the speakers and participants
understood - conflicts between states as to make it virtually a representative pos had diminished. But levels of social vio
ture of the forum. Speakers from Japan and lence had spiralled upwards, mosdy in the
the Ph’dippines spoke about the growing form of conflicts within states.
strength of movements that favour the
At the global level, the war was being
eviction of the U.S. military presence in the waged for the privatisation of the “com
countries of East and South-East Asia.
mons”, understood as the public spaces
They also underlined that the task of com that afford entidements to all, notionally
bating the aggressive new posture of impe on an equal basis, though more often in a
rialism would be enormously facilitated if fashion that reflects prevalent patterns of
countries were to exercise their sovereignty social stratification. Globalisation had over
and check the use of their territory by U.S.
the last 10 years dramatically heightened
forces.
levels of inequality within these societies,
Other speakers pointed out that de
veloping countries’ sovereignty would be
more illusory than real as long as they
remained in thrall to their dollar-denominated debts. “Don’t owe, won’t
pay,” was a common refrain at the ASF,
with several of the delegates insisting
that the debt incurred by developing
countries had been more than repaid
and was only being sustained at immen
sely bloated levels by the sleight-of-hand
of Western governments and financial
institutions.
Delegates from Japan shed the pre
vailing taboos over the use of the word,
by characterising the current drive for
global dominance by the U.S. as “fas
cist” in its scope and methods. Neo-liberal globalisation does not in theory
endorse the sustenance of a strong state.
But if the state is to play a role support
ive of capitalism, then it is allowed to
assume powers to the appropriate de A march against the communal pogrom
gree. The “welfare state” has no legiti In Gujarat.
with dominant groups manag
ing to increase their privileged
access to resources while partly
ceding control to global corpo
rate entities.
The ASF, again showing re
markable unanimity, affirmed
the right of marginalised and ex
cluded communities to an equal
share of the resources that they
have been traditionally depend
ent on. It considered various
forms and variants of institu
tional arrangements that could
secure these communities their
rightful share in resources. It
heard the testimonies of com
munities that have seen liveli
hoods crumble under the
onslaught of neo-liberal eco
nomic policies. And it resolv<jJ|
that the only credible response to the si™
uation would be to restore the autonomy
of individuals and communities that had
been eroded by globalisation.
ERHAPS the most significant feature
of the ASF was its open and participa
tory character. Not all the groups that
chose to participate came convinced of the
utility of the gathering. But they all invar
iably left with positive perceptions and
with the resolve to make the gathering a
more significant forum for evolving practi
cal political strategies. The future of the
ASF still remains indeterminate. A decision
is expected by March on the venue that
will host next year’s gathering, as also on
India’s prospects of hosting the WSF.
These two fora would in future be pro
pelled in the main by the enthusiasm of
its diverse participants.
Uniquely for an event of this seal™
the central organisation wields little fi
nancial clout in mounting it. Each orga
nisation brings its own resources and
pays its way, including for each seminar
or workshop that it may put up. This
should allay the concerns of some that
the WSF - as also the ASF - has been
overly dependent on semi-official donor
agencies in the West, which could pull
the plug on it if it becomes too strident a
challenge to Western dominance. But
there is no question that each individual
organisation that brings its talents to the
WSF platform may have its own tics of
dependence ro Western donor agencies.
But the foremost priority for these
groups today is not to contemplate a
danger that is yet to manifest itself, but
ro use the available space and rime to
push the frontiers of the global debate
on alternatives.
P
FRONTLINE, JANUARY 31, 2003
V
COVER STORY
Strategies for the battle
The Asian Social Forum analyses the nature of neo-liberal economic policies, highlights their adverse
impact on people, and suggests alternative paradigms of economic progress and development.
V. SRIDHAR
in Hyderabad
T the end of the Asian Social Forum,
a journalist, worrying over the peg
for his next story, asked: “What have
Medha Patkar and Sitaram Yechury in
common, to come together on a single
platform? What can these discordant
j/oices achieve?” But if he had followed
sessions more closely, he would have
noticed that this was precisely what key
speakers at the numerous sessions at the
forum saw as offering hope. They
stressed that the onslaught of neo-liberal
globalisation, associated with a set of
identifiable economic and social policies,
provided a focal point for unity among
diverse communities, nations and peo
ples across the world, because of their
shared sense of suffering. This unity
among seemingly discordant voices and
unrelated elements was, in feet, seen as
something that offered hope, in the fight
to reverse neo-liberal policies. Indeed, the
feast of plurality of viewpoints on offer at
the forum - perhaps unprecedented on
an Indian platform of mass organisations
since Independence - was a key highlight
of the event.
Trade unions, organisations reprenting peasants, Dalit and tribal peoples,
Icial advocacy groups and non-govern
mental organisations (NGOs), all en
gaged in mobilising people on a range of
causes, spoke in one voice at the forum,
urging the dismanding of an unequal so
cial and economic system.
Three elements of the plurality ofdis
sent against neo-liberalism stood out at
the ASF. First, there was a convergence of
views that the standard set of policies as
sociated with neo-liberalism, applied uni
formly on a world scale, had affected the
popular base of organisations espousing a
variety of causes. Second, there was una
nimity among these organisations that
they were ranged against a common ene
my. Third, there was consensus that an
alliance of organisations was a necessity
because the neo-liberal onslaught raised
problems that had many dimensions.
There was the realisation that the paths
A
of mobilisation pursued by these orga
nisations intersected on several issues be
cause of the multi-dimensional nature of
the problems. It was felt that on several
major issues, the policies worked in ways
that affected the target communities and
societies of these organisations so funda
mentally that a successful reversal of neoliberalism demanded an alliance of orga
nisations.
For instance, in his address at the
opening plenary at the ASF, Prabhat Patnaik, Professor of Economics at Jawahar
lal Nehru Uniyersity, New Delhi,
referred to the paradox of “hunger stalk
ing the land” even as the government
held 60 million tonnes of foodgrains rot
ting in government godowns. Addressing
a session later, economist Jean Dreze,
who is closely involved with the national
campaign for the right to food, related
the food security issue to the functioning
f
FRONTLINE, JANUARY 31, 2003
The noose of debt, a tableau highlighting
the fact that hundreds of farmers were
driven to suicide by the neo-liberal
policies pursued by the Andhra Pradesh
government.
of India as a democracy. Articulating the
possibility of building a popular move
ment, Dreze said, “The fight for basic
rights, such as those for food, is a step
forward in die path against neo-liberalism.” Still later, health activists and doc
tors gathered under the All India People’s
Science Network (AIPSN), an umbrella
group with a wide-ranging agenda for ac
tivism in diverse fields, related the Indian
food security situation to the growing
evidence of malnutrition in India. Specif
ically, they pointed to the fact that the
evidence on growing malnutrition
among the adult population - India al
ready has very high levels of malnutrition
among children - indicated the possibil
ity of a dangerous situation developing in
the immediate future. They pointed out
that the problem was systemic and not
one that was drought- or water-shortagespecific in the country.
In his address, Patnaik outlined the
key elements of what constituted neoliberal policies. Setting the background
in which such policies have become the
standard equipment of governments
across developing countries, he pointed
out that the “globalisation of finance”
had laid the basis for such policies.
“Globalised finance,” he said, “does not
want an active state", one which was a
“welfare providing entity”. Instead, the
state took measures that resulted in the
contraction of national economies, par
ticularly focussing on undermining wel
fare measures and reducing development
expenditures, he said.
The issue of debt and its relationship
to development figured prominently at
the ASF. Neo-liberal policies, closely as
sociated with the Structural Adjustment
Programme (SAP) of the International
Monetary Fund (IMF) and backed by its
sister institution, the World Bank, were
perceived as being basically deflationary
in nature. The growing debt burden of
developing countries was seen as a key
instrument of “enslavement” of the
countries of the South. The policies,
aimed at protecting the interests of lend
ers in the North, result in the contraction
of the economies of the borrowing coun-
tries. The main policy instrument used to
achieve this was the reduction of public
expenditures of governments, it was
noted. They resulted in cuts in subsidies
for the marginalised and the poor, which
essentially reflected the abrogation by the
state of established and constitutionally
guaranteed social contracts. On the trade
front, elements of the SAP include the
increasing export-orientation of national
economies, the dismanding of tariff bar
riers to imports, the linking of the local
currency to the international markets and
the privatisation of nationally owned as
sets. In India these policies have resulted
in a severe contraction of public expendi
tures - which got halved in the liber
alisation era - and, therefore, in
widespread unemployment, and a fall in
the incomes of a large segment of the
population. It is this that is reflected in
the mounting foodgrain stocks in the
hands of the government and the stagna
tion in industrial production, reflected by
widespread industrial sickness.
YPICALLY, neo-liberal policies re
quire that countries maintain a high
interest rate - in real terms, that is, net
ting out the effect of inflation - so that
the currency is maintained at high levels.
Although countries may be able to attract
investments in the short term, the inflows
also increase the value of the local cur
rency, making exports cosdier. This, in
turn, exerts pressure on the balance of
payments accounts of nations following
such policies. Other elements of the
“package” include a squeeze on public
investments of any kind, whether on ac
count ofwelfare measures or owing to the
government’s role as an economic agent.
The issue of what constitutes glob
alisation - or what constitutes the ele
ments of the world economy and the way
it is linked - was discussed at several ses
sions of the ASF. However, there was a
remarkable degree of unanimity among
organisations that debunked the general
ly accepted, and simplistic, notions of
globalisation. The dominant account of
globalisation presents it as a new phe
nomenon in which countries and mar
kets are linked, almost inevitably; that
nations have no choice in the matter of
linking with the rest of the world, partic
ularly because of the growing importance
of trade among nations; that modern
technologies, particularly those in the
realm of communications and informa
tion, have reduced the world to a “global
village”; and, that if only governments
follow “reasonable policies” that are at
tractive to foreign investors, particularly
in a situation in which capital is mobile,
they could be on the road to economic
development.
However, these notions of globalisa
tion were repeatedly spiked at the ASF.
For one, though it is true that interna
tional trade, as a proportion of the size of
the economies of the industrialised West,
has increased, they are only as large as
they were about a century earlier. Seen in
the background of a longer historical
time-frame, therefore, the current march
of globalisation appears decidedly less
spectacular. And, as far as the claims
about the massive transfers of investment
are concerned, they are even less impres
proach that countries are being asked to
adopt in order to attract foreign inves
tors. Indeed, this also explains why the
movements ranged against such policies
have come together on a global scale,
billed as the “globalisation of resistance”.
The dominance of finance capital re
quires that finance be not only allowed to
enter and leave national economies at will
but that their interests be protected by
suitable policy measures. The growing
pressures on national governments to
privatise state companies engaged in pro
ductive activity, or operating in sectors
that have a crucial impact on the well
being of large sections of people, has led
T
A tribal group at the ASF. Such groups added to the diversity of the gathering.
sive. For instance, even in the United
States, foreign direct investment (FDI)
accounts for a small proportion of the
economy. Moreover, as has been pointed
out many times over, substantial propor
tion of FDI invariably goes not to finance
tangible production but for mergers and
acquisitions.
A more reasoned approach to under
standing globalisation contends that
though globalisation has always been a
key feature of capitalism, globalisation in
the current epoch is not merely more of
the same of what has already happened in
history. It suggests that the fundamental
ly new characteristics of what is new are
to be found not in the way trade or pro
duction is organised on a world scale, but
in the clout that international finance has
come to wield over the international economiesystem. The roots of the neo-liber
al policies are thus to be found in the new
elements associated with finance capital
that govern the global economic system.
This also explains the one-size-fits-all ap
not only to massive scandals because state
assets have been sold to private compa
nies at throwaway prices, but also the ex
clusion of large sections of the poor wh^
were serviced by these companies. Und^
increasing pressure from finance capital,
governments in developing countries are
being asked to sell not only companies
engaged in industrial activity but also
utilities such as water and electricity.
The issue of privatisation figured
prominently at the ASF. Activists from
across the world highlighted the preda
tory nature of privatisation, that is, the
handing over of state-run enterprises to
private companies at throwaway prices.
The more disturbing aspect of the issue,
the sale of rights over natural resources
such as water, was also highlighted. Vi
nod Raina, associated with the AIPSN,
referred to the looming crisis in the short
age of water, particularly in developing
countries. He pointed out that the supply
of water, which is generally a part of
“municipal services”, is in danger of be-
FRONTLINE, JANUARY 31, 2003
ing sold to private companies. Happen
ing in the context of the “finite availabil
ity of sources of water”, the privatisation
of water is already threatening social un
rest across the world.
Oscar Olivera, a machinist in a shoe
factory in Bolivia and a hero of a success
ful movement that reversed the privatisa
tion of water services in Cochabamba, a
province in Bolivia, livened audiences at
several sessions during the ASF. Both
Raina and Olivera stressed that the initial
move towards privatisation did not draw
popular resistance because the state-run
institutions had lost their moorings in
the communities they served. Privatisa
tion, they pointed our, could not be re
versed unless these institutions were
made accountable to the people they
served. Only genuine participatory de
mocracy, which will ensure the cornmu®ity’s control of these institutions, can be
the “real alternative”, according to them.
Kjeld Jakobsen, from CUT (Central
United Workers), Brazil, said that priv
atisation in Brazil started in 1990, soon
after a civilian government was elected.
The context for privatisation was set in
1986 when Brazil renegotiated its exter
nal debts, planned under the stewardship
of the IMF and the World Bank. In suc
cessive waves of privatisation, state assets
in the telecom, electricity, water supply,
railroads, ports and several other sectors,
• were sold to private interests, many of
them owned by overseas investors. Ja
kobsen also pointed out that the scale of
privatisation had been so great that about
half of the FDI that flowed into Brazil
was used to buy state-owned assets. In
response to the groundswell of hope ex
pressed at the ASF about the transforma
tional possibilities in Brazil after the
Section of Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of
the Workers’ Party (P.T.) as the coun
try’s President, Jakobsen said that the
new Left government would be “under
pressure” to protect the interests of the
large masses of the working people who
had elected it.
A striking feature of the debate at the
ASF on alternatives to neo-liberal glob
alisation was the perception that there
can be no real change unless the policy
regime that tied countries as unequal
partners to the global economic system
was snapped. The widespread acceptance
of the suggestion that the countries of the
South “delink” from such a system,
would have appeared “far too radical”
some years ago, indicating the distance
the “anti-globalisation ” movement has
travelled in the last few years. Patnaik
pointed out that an alternative to the pre
FRONTLINE, JANUARY 31, 2003
sent system was “not only possible, but
necessary, for our very social survival”.
There was consensus on the view that
any alternative must first bridle the flows
of capital into countries. Trade regimes
must also be regulated so that they do not
cause “deindustrialisation ”. There must
also be a step-up in public expenditures,
which could be used to create jobs, and
incomes and promote the welfare of large
sections of the people. However, the tax
structure must also be altered significant
ly so that resources can be mobilised for
financing these expenditures. Patnaik re
ferred to the fact that the tax-GDP (gross
domestic product) ratio in India had de
meant breaking out of the dutches of
imperialism, represented by the U.S.-led
“triad” (its other members are countries
of Western Europe and Japan).
Speaking at a session on alternatives
to globalisation, Amin said that though
the fight had a global dimension, the are
na in which popular forces had to contest
neo-liberalism was within the confines of
the nation-state. However, he pointed
out that popular forces had to form alli
ances with others on the global stage be
cause the “solidarity" among the nations
of the South had the potential to lay the
basis for an alternative means of econom
ic inter-dependence among nations, one
which had the capability to offer genuine
| mutual benefit to the nations of the
| world.
HE irony in the ASF and the Con
federation of Indian Industry (CII)
holding their meetings in Hyderabad at
the same time could not have been stark
er. One was a meeting of about 25,000
delegates. Of course, the Indian compo
nent was predominant, but more than
750 foreign delegates from 42 countries,
covering all the continents, were present.
More than 760 organisations - some of
them platforms for as many as 60 to 70
organisations - participated in the ASF.
Coming from all over the world, men,
women and even children, dressed in viv
id colours, met at over 140 seminars,
conferences and workshops spread over
six days. They also sang and danced dur
ing the festival that held Hyderabad
T
Oscar Olivera, who led a Bolivian
struggle against the privatisation of
water resources.
dined dramatically during the era of lib
eralisation; he pointed out that the
Indian state would have mobilised at
least Rs.30,000 crores more if it had re
frained from offering tax sops, which ba
sically went in favour of the rich.
The alternatives on offer at the ASF
were nor in the nature of quick fixes to
the problems that globalisation posed.
Speaking at the opening plenary, emi
nent political economist Samir Amin
pointed out that “social progress and eco
nomic development are synonymous”
(see interview). But this, he said, hinged
crucially on the regulation of markers.
He said that bringing markets under so
cial control was a prerequisite for a genu
ine alternative. However, refusing to
accept autarky as an alternative to the
current dominant vision of globalisation,
Amin said that countries must negotiate
their inter-dependence with the rest of
the world. This, he said, necessarily
agogThe “other” world gathered in the
comfort of five-star hotels, for the Part
nership Summit, where foreign investors,
heads of governments and captains of In
dian industry heaped praises on Andhra
Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu
Naidu for having implemented the very
neo-liberal policies that the ASF was pro
testing against. The feet that hundreds of
farmers in the State had committed sui
cide precisely as a result of the neo-liberal
policies, gave concrete shape to what the
ASF was up against.
Former President K.R. Narayanan,
freed from the tight protocols that he was
earlier circumscribed by, appealed to the
State government to release about 300
delegates who had picketed the venue of
the CII event. He said: “Those who have
been arrested represented people from all
over the world who were engaged in the
fight for human rights.” Waving enthusi
astically to the crowd, he said: “It is exhil
arating to see such a massive gathering of
people.” E
■
COVER STORY
For struggles, global and national
Interview with Samir Amin, political economist and director, Third World Forum.
The antecedents of the World Social Fo
rum (WSF) can be traced to January 2000
when a small group of about 50 activists,
representing trade unions, intellectuals,
peasant organisations and other social
groups, gathered in Davos. Samir Amin,
an intellectual who is regarded as one of
the foremost thinkers on the changing dy
namics of capitalism, was among those
assembled at the “Anti-Davos in Davos”.
Since then he has been actively associated
with not only the WSF but also the
regional forums that have evolved as a
challenge to imperialist globalisation.
He is director, Third World Forum
(TWF), located in Dakar (Senegal)
and Cairo and in Belgium, a network
of social scientists and intellectuals
from developing countries. Amin has
also played a key role in the forma
tion of die World Forum for Alterna
tives, which was launched in 1997.
The WFA aims to service the needs
of social movements that are engaged
in challenging the dominant dis
course on globalisation. It is also in
volved in die search for alternatives
by developing the tools for “the glob
alisation of resistance and struggles”.
Amin’s seminal work, Accumu
lation on a World Scale, first brought
to the attention of the English-speak
ing world in 1970, came as a whiff of
fresh air to the nascent field of devel
opment economics because it chal
lenged the then-ruling orthodoxy
propounded by the American eco
nomic historian W.W. Rostow in
1960. Rostow had argued that the eco
nomically backward countries could be
on the road to development if there was
infusion of capital, in the form of foreign
investment or aid. Amin first propounded
the concepts of “centres” and “peripher
ies”, linking the issue of development to
the nature of capitalism and imperialism.
He turned the ruling orthodoxy on its
head by pointing out that the problem of
underdevelopment was itself a result of
the nature and dynamics of capitalism on
a global scale.
He spoke to V. Sridhar in Hydera
bad, where he participated in the Asian
Social Forum (ASF). He spoke about the
changes in the nature of imperialism and
globalisation and its consequences for the
countries of the South. Articulating an
alternative vision for the peoples and
countries of the South, he pointed out
that the plurality of visions against glob
alisation is a positive feature in the search
for social change. He argued that any al
ternative system must allow each country
and society to negotiate the terms on
which it engages with the rest of the
world. Excerpts from the interview:
mostly national-based, or, in many cases,
local-based. Most of them deal with a sin
gle issue or with a single dimension of the
problem, without articulating it into an
overall alternative political project.
This is the result of recent history.
Social organisations that emerged after
the Second World War gradually reached
their historical limits. I am not only re
ferring to the Soviet pattern of the al
ternative, but also what has happened and
5 is happening in China, and the ero^
| sion of the social democratic pattei^|
»in the developed capitalistic West. I
also refer to the erosion of the variety
of what I call the ‘national populist’
alternatives in the South...
► You mean those such as the Nasserite and Nehruvite types...
Yes. As a result of these devel
opments we have moved into a peri
od characterised by fragmentation.
There will be no alternative to the
present powerful system, neo-liberal
globalisation or imperialist globalisa
tion, which is a new phase of imperi
alism, unless these movements come
together to articulate an overall al
ternative. You cannot fight on a sin
gle front. Even if you are successfill
on that front, the success will be lim
ited, fragile and vulnerable because
things are inter-related and because,
in the final analysis, we need an ove«
all alternative in all its dimension®
► What is the significance of the WSFASF and the regional fora that have
emerged in the lastfewyears as a challenge
to imperialist globalisation?
I consider these events important. I
do not mean that there are no problems
with them. There are many, and growing,
social movements around the world.
They are very different in nature, strug
gling either on social fronts, for the de
fence of labour and of the rights of the
popular classes, or on political fronts for
basic political rights. There are the femi
nist movements, ecological movements
and many more. What is characteristic of
the present time is that these movements
are fragmented, in the sense that they are
The alternative vision obviously has
to have an economic dimension. But
the political, social, and cultural di
mensions will also have to be addressed.
The WSF is not an organisation with
a common political platform for devising
strategies. But it is also not a forum that is
open to everybody. It has a charter to
which participating organisations must
adhere. They must make it clear that they
are opposed to neo-liberalism, not neces
sarily to capitalism. They must also be
opposed to militarisation of globalisation
- not necessarily imperialism, which
means much more.
I think that it is a duty of all people,
who think they should articulate an al
ternative, to participate, and not to boy
cott... I saw some people calling for a
boycott of the ASF. They are wrong and
FRONTLINE. JANUARY 31. 2003
is how Bandung happened in 1955.
The common front did yield results.
It created a space for these countries to
achieve several decades of relatively high
rates of economic growth. There was in
dustrialisation and also gigantic efforts in
education and in other fields. In political
terms, it enabled these countries to trans
gress ethnic, local and national chauvin
unions, peasant organisations, organisa isms. The alliance among nations was
tions of professionals, feminist move based on politics, depending heavily on
ments, ecological movements and many the countries’ position against imperial
other social groups. We have to respect ism. That explains why someone like
diversity of concepts and views. Different Nasser in Egypt was an ally of India, and
not Pakistan. It was because India had an
points of view also need to be articulated
anti-imperialist position, unlike Pakistan.
at different levels - at the national level,
but also at the global level, because glob The fact that Pakistan was predominantly
alisation is a reality. Imperialism has been Muslim, like in Egypt, was not of any
a reality for a long time (laughs).
importance.
During the last 20 to 30 years, the
► You have said that a unified move
ment ofthe peoples ofthe South is a pre visions that came out of socialism, wheth
requisite for change in the present er of the Russian or the Chinese kind, and
situation. What is the role ofthe peoples of out of the more radical of the national
liberation movements, reached their his
the North in this?
I am an internationalist. I am a Marx torical limits.
► Were these countries also not bargain
ist, socialist, internationalist and a universalisr. I am not a chauvinist, certainly ing between the two camps- imperialism,
on the one hand, and with socialism, on
nor a Third Worldist. The world is one,
but a very unequal one. Capitalist devel
the other?
opment, which has shaped the modern
Sure, that is true. The Soviet Union
world, has done it on the basis of growing could provide ideas - good in some cases,
but bad in many cases - and, in some
inequality among nations, and within
them as well. For the last five centuries cases, good armaments (laughs) to these
there have been countries at the centre countries, which acted as a check against
imperialism. It was not possible for the
and, there have been countries that have
been at the periphery. Thus, one of the U.S. to act like a gangster as it does today,
major elements of the global system is its when it can unilaterally decide to bomb
imperialist dimension. Imperialism is syn
any country in the world.
But owing to the erosion of the lead
onymous with growing polarisation
among nations. It is based on the rational
erships’ support bases, these countries en
ity of capitalist profitability. The aware tered a vacuum, resulting in regression on
all fronts. Afro-Asian solidarity was also
ness of popular forces in the South, which
eroded. This has opened the way for other
k at the periphery of the global system, is
a fundamental prerequisite for any patterns of pseudo-solidarities, which are
change.
very reactionary, based on ethnic or pseu
After the Second World War there do-ethnic chauvinisms or, on religious
was a gigantic movement of the peoples of fundamentalism. Let me put it polemical
ly:. If the majority of the Indian people
Asia and Africa for national liberation.
They had one target: independence. This accept Hindutva, if the majority ofpeople
was correct, because it was the first step.
in the ‘Muslim’ countries accept the non
But the forces that united around this sense of political Islam, there will be no
demand represented different classes. In change on the world scale if these are not
transgressed by another vision of human
countries such as China, Vietnam, and
Cuba, .the leadership was with the radical solidarity.
► How were the limits in these countries
Left. But in countries like India the lead
ership was with the middle classes during reached?
the fight against British imperialism. In
There was some room for develop
Africa and in the Arab countries, a variety ment because colonialism resulted in low
of forces led the movement. The lead levels of industrialisation in a few coun
ership in these countries understood that tries, and none at all in many others. So,
there was room for industrialisation after
they not only needed to support one an
other but also build a common front after national liberation. But as they moved
along, it became costlier, in terms of cost
independence, based on their common
demands vis-a-vis the global system. That of investment and technology. These
Sectarian. There might be a number of
NGOs [non-governmental organisa
tions], about which I personally have
doubts. Some may be corrupt and may
also be manipulated by imperialism.
Okay, but that is life. We must realise that
such organisations do not represent a ma
jor force. The major forces are the pop
ular organisations such as the trade
FRONTLINE, JANUARY 31. 2003
countries also inherited social systems
with very low levels of education, which
offered enormous room for upward mo
bility for people, through education. As
long as the children of the popular classes
(the lower middle class and the peasantry)
could move up through education - and
this happened in a huge scale in India,
Egypt and many other countries - the
system benefited from legitimacy. Even if
they were not democratic, they were seen
as delivering something. Countries that
had high rates of economic growth, ac
companied by not-increasing levels of in
equality (I do not mean socially just), and
those that offered upward mobility for
large sections of society, enjoyed credibil
ity and legitimacy. Some of these coun
tries were semi-democratic, like India.
Others, like Nasserite Egypt, were not
democratic at all. But they were equally
legitimate and credible because they de
livered. Once the system reached a point
where it could not progress within the
same logic and on the same basis, the
political system became more corrupt and
lost legitimacy. This created a vacuum,
which reactionary forces started to occu
py► How do you characterise the current
phase ofglobalisation, in contrast toprevi
ous ones in history?
Globalisation and imperialism are
nothing new. The history of capitalism
since the very beginning has been the his
tory of imperialist expansion. And, the
system was always global. The contention
of some people that globalisation is some
thing new is laughable. After all, what was
the colonisation of India, if not global
isation? The building of the Americas
since the 16th century was globalisation.
The slave trade, which played a crucial
role in the building of the Americas, was
globalisation. Later, colonialism was glob
alisation. And globalisation has always
been imperialist globalisation. It has never
been achieved by peaceful and equal ne
gotiations between peoples. Thar is histo
ry. But we would be wrong if we think
that it is the same old story. We cannot
develop an efficient counter-strategy if we
do not focus on what is new.
The dominant discourse, the Rightist
one, says: “Well, change is always for the
better and happens spontaneously.
Change is always painful, but it is only
transitional. The market, that is, capital
ism, will by itself solve the problem in the
long run (when everybody is dead).” That
is not even ideology. It is propaganda. But
this is what is repeated daily by the poli
ticians, written everyday in the newspa
pers, shown daily on television and even
presented as There Is No Alternative
(TINA).
We have to look at what is new in a
different way. How can the popular forces
reorganise to reduce the damage associ
ated with global capitalist expansion?
What can they do to impose their own
agenda in the short run, to create the con
ditions for an alternative? The alternative,
in my opinion, has a name. It is socialism.
It had the same name in the past and will
remain the same in the future too. But the
way we imagine socialism will not be the
same as our fathers imagined it to be.
► You said that the nature ofimperial
ism today is differentfrom that ofthe past.
Has it anything to do with the way glob
alisation is different today?
Yes. Imperialism had always been
characterised by rivalry among the major
powers. The Spanish and the Portuguese,
against the Dutch in the 17th century; the
British against the French later; and, the
German-Japanese against the others, still
later. Rivalry among the imperialist na
tions had been a major feature. It was on
this basis that Lenin - correctly at the
time before the First World War thought the system must lead to a revolu
tion because it will lead to war, which the
proletariat, being the victims of the war,
will revolt against. History proved Lenin
right. There was a revolution. Whatever
happened afterwards is another stoty, but
there was a revolution.
After the Second World War, the
U.S. and Japan became allies, Japan in a
subaltern position. The U.S. and Western
capitalist Europe came together after the
Marshall Plan and the formation of the
North AdanticTreaty Organisation (NA
TO). In geographical terms, the world
capitalist system includes the U.S. and its
outer province, Canada; capitalist Eu
rope, at that time limited by the Iron Cur
tain, now a little further east; and, Japan.
At that time (after the Second World
War), we had an explanation, an easy one,
but one which was only pardy true. The
imperialist powers put an end to their ri
valry because they had a common enemy,
the Soviet Union. They paid more atten
tion to their common interests rather than
the rivalry among themselves.
Since then, however, though the So
viet Union disappeared, these countries
have nor become rivals again. This is re
flected in the economic management of
the global system - the functioning of the
G-7, a group of the most powerful na
tions, the World Bank, the International
Monetaty Fund and the WTO [World
Trade Organisation]. These are not global
organisations; these are organisations of
the Global North - of the capitalist cen
tre. We also do not see any major differ
ences among these countries within these
organisations. We ought to ask ourselves a
number of questions. First, why are we in
this situation? Second, does this mean
there are no contradictions among these
countries? Third, if there are contradic
tions, in what ways are they different from
contradictions of the earlier period, in
which imperialist countries were in rival
ry? Fourth, how do the contradictions re
late to North-South relations?
I am suggesting - as I said at the WSF
in Porto Allegre, at the Egyptian Social
Forum in Cairo, and at the ASF - that
capitalism has entered a new phase, of a
higher level of centralisation of capital.
This has laid the basis for the solidarity of
capitalist interests ar the global level. Dur
ing Lenin’s time, before the First World
War, and continuing till about 30 to 40
years ago (I shall not put a date to it),
monopoly capital needed a large market
that could be accessed as an empire. A
capitalist centre or metropolis with a
number of colonies or areas of interests
was thus the norm. That was the basis on
which rivalries among the imperialist
powers existed - on the sharing or re
shaping of colonies and the control of the
global system. Now it is being said - not
only by us, but by the bosses of big busi
ness - that in order to be efficient, trans
national corporations (TNC) need to
access markets on a global scale. They
cannot be successful even if they enjoy
overwhelming market shares of even the
big regional markets such as the European
Union or in North America or other parts
of the global market. Therefore, the globe
is the terrain on which competition
among them is fought out.
But these monopolies also need a
global system to operate. The change in
the nature of imperialism does not negate
the importance of changes in the proc
esses of labour and other dimensions,
which need to be taken into account so
that the popular classes can reinvent effi
cient forms of organisations. But in order
to be efficient at the global political level,
and in North-South relations, we have to
take into account the basic fact that impe
rialism now operates collectively as a triad,
represented by the U.S,, the E.U. and Ja
pan.
Does this mean that there are no con
tradictions among these powers? I say
there are. We can see them developing,
but the nature of die contradictions is dif
ferent. Basically, there is no common
state. And, capitalism cannot operate
without a state. The claim that capitalism
is ruled by markets, without a state, is
complete nonsense. There is no single
state, even confederal, of the North. Even
Europe with its Union is built on national
states, which in many cases have deep his
torical roots. Therefore, how is the politi
cal dimension of collective imperialism to
be run! That is an unsolved question.
► You have said that there is a tendency
for the “centres ofgravity" ofcountries to
fall outside the domain of nation states.
What does this mean for the peoples of
these nations, in terms ofa search for an
alternative? And, how does such a system
operate and what are the contradictions in
such a system?
I would like to think I am right, with
out appearing to be arrogant. But yes, the
centre of gravity has moved from inside
nations to somewhere else. This has hap
pened to all the nations - to the U.S., tifl
European nations, and to the big an^
small nations of die Third World. This
change is related to the size of dominant
capital, which is global in scale. Since
these are major decision makers, they can
not be submitted to a national logic. That
creates problems. The issue was discussed
at the European Social Forum, in Flo
rence. Many people felt that a new Eu
rope should be built. They said that a
political Europe was needed, not necessar
ily with a unified state because, for histor
ical reasons, there are nations with a long
history of a common language and cul
ture. Some suggested a kind of confeder
ation. The point is that such a Europe
cannot be based only on a common mar
ker; it also has to have a common political
reality. Another Europe, like another
Asia, is possible. This new Europe ought
to be based on a social compromise be^
tween capital (because we cannot imaging
the end of capital immediately) and la
bour and other popular classes. But I also
believe we cannot achieve this other Eu
rope without changing its relationship to
the South. Europe cannot change if it
continues to be a partner in the collective
imperialist system.
Regionalisation will enable the coun
tries of the South to strengthen their ca
pacities vis-a-vis the global system. This
can be based on, for instance, history and
culture, as in Latin America. The coun
tries of Latin America have a lot in com
mon. Two closely related languages,
Spanish and Portuguese, link these coun
tries together. The other common factor
is a common enemy for over two centu
ries - the U.S. I do not think Islam can
provide the basis for such regionalisation.
But the Arab countries, with a common
language, could be the basis for unity
FRONTLINE, JANUARY 31. 2003
ataong nations. There has never been a
history of these countries being unified by
a single state, except in the imagination of
the nationalists. But this alliance among
countries must be based on politics, not
merely common market.
Even the larger countries face the
menace of imperialism. The Americans
do not like large countries. China and
India are too big. We need to recognise
that there are differences within coun
tries. Let me address frankly the case of
India. There are different nationalities,
languages and groups, apart from the fact
that there are Hindus and Muslims. The
way the power system is dealing with this
diversity even in India - which is certainly
not among the worst in the world (it is at
least a semi-democracy) - there are prob
lems such as the rise of commu
nism.
What is theposition ofthe na
tion-state in this search for the
alternative?
The need for a common
front does not negate the crucial
importance of the nation-state.
For a long time in the future, we
will need the nation-state. Mar
kets have to be regulated. But
markets cannot be regulated at
the global level or even at the re
gional level if they are not first
regulated at the national level.
You have to fight on two fronts. I am
of the opinion that the crucial front is the
one at the national level. Nothing will
change from above. Things will change
only when the balance of political forces
within countries creates the possibilities
for changes at the regional and even at
lobal levels. Change has to Stan from
^side countries. That is why the nation
state is so important.
► What are the elements ofan alterna
tive to neo-liberal globalisation?
I shall summarise the principles that
could possibly govern another kind of
global system. The first is the logic of the
transition to socialism. This will combine
the criterion of capitalism, that is, effi
ciency as measured by profitability; and,
the criterion of social justice. Although
the term social justice is very elastic, cer
tain elements can be defined in concrete
terms. I am sure any Indian citizen from
the popular classes can tell you what he/
she means by social justice. It would nec
essarily mean jobs, reasonable and decent
wages, schools for his/her children and
decent health care. That is social justice,
not socialism. These are not going to be
produced by the market, but these will be
imposed on die market by a social policy
V
i
FRONTLINE, JANUARY 31. 2003
of the state. Thiskindof system associates
capitalistic criteria with social criteria,
which will be in conflict. But the system
recognises that they are conflicting and
therefore must be managed without al
lowing the market to dominate society
unilaterally. It also recognises the feet that
the free play of markets creates problems
for society. Therefore, society will solve
the problem through the exercise of polit
ical power. If such a system obtains in
several countries, then we can create the
conditions for regional arrangements
among them, and of changes in the global
system.
The second condition that is needed
for substantial change is genuine democ
racy. Social change in the past — whether
of the Soviet or Maoist type or of the
tem. How can such a system be run? It
can be done only when states are dis
empowered completely; and, within
states, if the popular classes (the victims)
are disempowered by the negation of
their class identity. Moreover, the system
can be run politically if the South is com
pletely divided, with nations and nation
alities hating one another. Religious
fundamentalism and ethnic fundamen
talism - they are similar - are perfect in
struments for ruling the political system.
This is the reason why they are supported
- ideologically, politically, even financial
ly - by imperialism. The U.S. has always
supported Islamic fundamentalism. It has
always supported the Saudi Arabian re
gime, just as it has always supported Pa
kistan and the Taliban. It continues to
support such regimes even today,
though they are now compelled
to do this in a covert manner. In
Europe it uses ethnic movements
“You have to fight
to achieve its goals, as in Yugosla
on two fronts. 1 am
of the opinion that
the crucial front is
the one at the
national level.”
national populist types in the Third
World - had very lirde democracy or no
democracy at all. But whatever their
achievements, very little was left to the
initiative of the popular classes. They
were controlled and directed in many
ways, with varying degrees of the nega
tion of democracy. The fact that the peo
ple want progress but that they also want
liberty is also progress from the earlier
situation. We cannot have a remake of
the Soviet Union or a remake of Nehru’s
India. There are no remakes in history.
Democracy in the dominant discourse is
based on delinking it from the issue of
social jusdee. That does not work, be
cause if democracy does not result in so
cial progress, people no longer find it
credible. The main reason for the move
backwards towards religious fundamen
talism, ethnic solidarities and so on is the
failure of democracy.
► What is the role ofreligious and ethnic
movements in the context of neo-liberalism and the search for an alternative?
Imperialism and cultural fundamen
talism go together. Market fundamental
ism needs religious fundamentalism.
Why is this so? Market fundamentalism
says: Subvert the state and leave it to the
market at the global level to run the sys
via.
► Can you tell us the ethos in
which you grew up to be an
intellectual?
I am a Marxist and have al
ways been a part of the commu
nist movement. That is not a
secret. As a child, during the Sec
ond World War, I was enthused
by the Soviet resistance against Nazi Ger
many. In those days, Egyptian society was
highly politicised; even 13-14 year-old
youth were quite politicised. While in ele
mentary school, only about 20 per cent of
those in my age group were non-political.
The rest were distributed equally in two
camps, communists and nationalists. The
nationalists used to say that the main ene
my of the Egyptian people was Britain;
but the communists said that capitalism,
operating through Britain, was the ene
my. Egyptian society is not as politicised
now. Many of my contemporaries were
or are communists. I came from a rela
tively privileged family. I came from a
family of the intellectual bourgeoisie, a
family of doctors. My father belonged to
the Waqf party, very much like the Con
gress parry here. My mother owed alle
giance to the radical socialists, the
Jacobins, in France. Incidentally, my
great great-grandfather was among the
first republicans in Egypt, in the 1860s.
As a student in Paris, between 1947
and 1956,1 was associated with organisa
tions of students from Third World
countries. This created a strong link with
many youth who later became leaders of
national Left movements in Africa and
West Asia. ■
I
COVER STORY
Another Europe is possible
The European Social Forum held in Florence turned out to be an impressive congregation of groups
ranging from political parties to non-governmental organisations in search of an alternative social and
political order for Europe.
AMIYA KUMAR BAGCHI
N Firenze (Florence), Italy, a number of
organisations, political panics (mostly of
the Left), non-governmental organisations,
mass organisations involved in education,
trade unions and individuals protesting
against die way the world is being directed
by vested interests organised the European
Social Forum with the major banner pro
claiming ‘Un altra Europa e possibile: An
other Europe is possible’. All the
participants had to register and take the
general oath of the social forum, which
included the commitment to use only non
violent means of protest and each one had
to be certified by some organisation as a
genuine participant in the search for an
alternative social and political order. The
registration process began on November 6
and went on till November 9 when die
formal deliberations of the forum ended.
The main seminars and conferences were
held on November 7 and 8. The biggest
demonstration that any city has seen so far
against the United States’ preparations for
the invasion of Iraq was held on November
10.
I was invited by two of the participa
ting organisations - Associazione Culturale
Punto Rosso and Forum Mondialle delle
Alternative - to give a talk at a seminar
entided ‘The world is not a map: the move
ment and the war’. The seminars were held
mainly in a huge pavilion, called Fortezza
A march taken out by peace activists on November 9 as part of the European
da Basso, with several halls capable of ac
Social Forum held In Florence from November 6 to 10.
commodating between 2,000 and 5,000
persons and others with room for several
When I turned up at the entrance gate November 8, the number would have dou
bled. The vast majority of the participants
hundred persons at a time. But as the num of Fortezza da Basso, I was told firmly that
I, like all the other participants in the Fo were women and men below the age of 40.
ber of participants was far higher than an
ticipated, meetings had to be organised at rum, must acquire a badge of accreditation I talked to lorry drivers from England,
the Palace of Congresses, and other loca before I was let in. Given the obvious dis schoolteachers from Italy and workers from
tions in the city. The forum was made up pleasure of the Berlusconi government for France. There was an atmosphere of carni
primarily of European participants but the kind of movement the Forum repre val on the grounds outside the seminar
there was also a scattering of participants sented, it was necessary to prevent the infil halls. People burst into impromptu songs,
tration ofagents provocateurs. I went to the coined slogans and formed dancing groups.
from West Asia, North Africa and Latin
America. There were only a handful of In Palace of Affairs and acquired a badge. The In the evenings there were cultural events
dian participants, including some delegates enthusiasm about the Forum was evident all over the town. Concerts and street plays
from the swelling numbers of registered were held in open piazzas. Performances
charged with organising the Asian Social
Forum in Hyderabad, and representatives participants: on November 6, 6,000 per were made by major theatre groups in halls.
of the Indian chapter of the Fourth sons registered, by November 7 the num Films from all over the world were
International.
ber had gone up to 18,000, and by screened, and a play by Dario Fo, directed
I
k
FRONTLINE, JANUARY 31, 2003
bj’the great writer himself, was staged.
Other events were too numerous to be de
tailed here.
Inside the seminar halls, people sat or
stood, and listened with rapt attention to
serious discussions on the social and politi
cal issues troubling various parts of the
world. The official brochure listed 143
seminars; there were several dozen work
shops and more than a score campaigns
listed in the brochure. There were addition
al workshops, campaigns and even semi
nars, which were announced after the
brochure was distributed. The subjects of
the seminars ranged from human rights
and their abuses in Europe and elsewhere,
the problems of the Mediterranean region,
the attempted colonisation and genocide of
Palestinians, globalisation and hunger, con
sumerism and people’s livelihood, regional
^ud global environmental destruction, re^Jtance against war-mongering, the vio
lence of the Hindu Right and die rights of
trade unions, to North-South relations.
In the panel of which I was a member,
there were some charismatic leaders of the
past and the present. Georgio Riollo of
Punto Rosso coordinated the proceedings,
and Samir Amin of the World Forum for
Alternatives, in his opening speech, laid out
the main agenda of discussion. According
to him, neo-liberal capitalism has reached a
heightened phase of militarisation. With
the current state ofwar prevailing under the
auspices of the U.S. and its allies or clients
such as Israel, and the totally unreasonable
and aggressive stance adopted by the U.S.
and Britain towards Iraq, the world is in a
situation that is as serious as in 1932, on the
eve of Hider’s accession to power.
A HMED BEN BELLA, the legendary
hero of the Algerian struggle for inde
pendence, and the first President of inde
pendent Algeria - still physically upright at
the age of 86 - denounced strongly the
criminal waste of resources in war, when
the only defensible goal before humanity
was to feed and nurture everybody in order
to sustain their development into well-edu
cated, free and healthy human beings. He
also said that his experience taught him that
there is no such thing as a holy war, or a just
war.
Edmilson Rodrigues from Brazil point
ed to the extensive usurpation of the Brazi
lian people’s resources by multinational
corporations under the neo-liberal regime
reigning in that country until now. In the
name of fighting terrorism in Colombia
under Plan Colombia, he pointed out, the
U.S. government was trying to impose an
army of occupation not only on Colombia
bur on the surrounding countries, includ
FRONTLINE, JANUARY 31, 2003
ing Venezuela, Bolivia and Ecuador, be
cause the people of all those countries were
trying to break the shackles of neo-colonialism. The alternative, Plan Amazonico,
promoted by organisations linked to the
Workers Party led by the victorious Presi
dent of Brazil Ignacio Luiz Lula da Silva is a
programme to restore the land rights to the
landless peasants and the indigenous peo
ples of Brazil.
The hall in which the seminar was
held, Sala Ghiaia (the Yellow Hall), was
packed with the listeners, a large number of
whom were sitting on the floor or standing
around the seats; I was told that there were
about 4,000 persons present in the hall.
Carlos Tablada, a Cuban diplomat,
spoke of the depredation caused by multi
national corporations, backed by their cli
ent governments, upon the inherited
resources and livelihoods of the people of
the Third World. The audience stood up
and cheered Ben Bella, Rodrigues, and
most others following them.
Mustafa Berghouti, of the National As
sociation of Palestinians, spoke of the ter
rible atrocities committed by the Israeli
occupation army on Palestinians as they
took over more and more land from Pal
estinians in order to create an even larger
number of illegal Jewish settlements. Al
ready 2,000 persons out of a total Palesti
nian population of 3.3 million in the
Israel-occupied Palestinian territory have
been killed over the past two years. Most
Palestinians experience 24-hour curfews for
days together, when they cannot go out of
their houses for work, in case of medical
emergencies or for procuring essential com
modities. In the town of Nablus, there was
a curfew for 135 days. Intifada was the
Palestinians’ struggle against the Israeli at
tempt to subject Palestinians to a perma
nent system of colonisation, apartheid and
eventual expulsion from their homeland.
Ali’ Ekber Uguz, leader of the Kurdish Par
ty in Turkey, spoke of the right of the Kur
dish people to be treated as full participants
in the political process in the countries be
tween which they are now distributed.
Giovanni Berlinguer, a doctor and the
son of Enrico Berlinguer, who was the Sec
retary of the Italian Communist Party after
Togliatti, spoke on the numerous ways in
which children are victimised by war. They
face premature death, or are forced phys
ically or through sheer hunger to work far
more cheaply than adults; they can also be
turned into brave soldiers because children
do not develop the sense of self-protection
that adults learn through experience. Raffaeie Salinari, president of Terre des
Hommes, talked about the utterly criminal
waste of resources and misuse of science
when 30 million people in Sub-Saharan
Africa alone die every year of hunger. Yet
the rich countries spend hundreds of bil
lions of dollars on preparing weapons of
mass destruction. Manlio Dinucci, a writer,
warned about the continuing danger from
nuclear arms, whether they are stockpiled
or used for a final military solution by the
U.S. or other nuclear powers.
Giulierto Chiesa, an eminent Italian
writer and journalist, spoke eloquendy
about the dubious role played by most of
the established media in keeping people in
ignorance and misleading them by manip
ulation and selective suppression of news.
Ordinary people did not even know the
terrible fate that their so-called leaders are
preparing for them through the pursuit of
armed neo-liberalism.
In my brief presentation, I touched on
the motives for the U.S. government’s ea
gerness to start a war against Iraq and
against countries it dubs as forming the axis
of evil, even though it possesses a far larger
arsenal ofweapons of mass destraction than
any government has ever had access to, and
even though it has systematically perpetrat
ed terrorism against the associates or mere
neighbours ofanybody it regards as an ene
my. Two of these motives are stricdy eco
nomic: to allow the multinational arms
manufacturers and their agents to make
more profits, and to monopolise the huge
oil resources of Central and West Asia. The
third motive is political, namely, to distract
the attention of ordinary citizens from the
impoverishment and loss of human dignity
that they have been subjected to under the
neo-liberal dispensation.
There is a dreadful precedent for what
George W. Bush and his cronies may be
contemplating. It is people like them
among their ancestors who killed native
Americans and grabbed the wealth of the
resource-rich U.S. Why not mete out the
same fate to the Arabs who are sitting on
huge reserves of oil that Bush’s backers
want to take over? Newspaper reports of the
mobilisation of a large army for crushing
Iraq lend credibility to such a monstrous
fear.
I had to come away before November
10 and therefore could not take parr in the
anti-war demonstration in Firenze on that
day. According to reports of the news agen
cies, between 400,000 and 500, 000 dem
onstrators marched in the biggest, wholly
peaceful, demonstration against war and
neo-liberalism that Europe has ever
witnessed. ■
Jmrjw Kumar Bagehi is RBI Pwfissor of
Economics at the Centre for Studies in Social
Sciences, Kolkata.
U.S. design and global
complicity
The war-mongering vis-a-vis Iraq is only part of the United States' larger global design for the
21 st century - to attain unchallenged supremacy of the world.
AIJAZ AHMAD
ITH 1,20,000 troops of the Unit
ed States already stationed in the
Gulf region, reservists being called up
across the country, and the U.S. gripped
by war hysteria, all the way from its lead
ers to its media networks to die over
whelming majority of the population, it
now seems beyond doubt that the fullscale invasion — and possible occupation
- of Iraq by the U.S. shall come sooner
rather than later, even though the United
Nations-appointed inspectors, who are
doing die U.S. bidding, have so far failed
to produce any evidence of Iraq’s having
in its possession or having the capacity to
produce any weapons of mass destruc
tion, be they nuclear or biological or
chemical weapons. The U.S. seems de
termined to proceed with its plans, how
ever, regardless of any evidence proving
W
or disproving its claims, while it is also
likely that some sort of evidence may well
be manufactured in the foreseeable fu
ture; for all the current posture of impar
tiality, Hans Blix, the chief U.N.
inspector, is deeply committed to the im
perial agenda. In any case, the invasion
shall come because it is part of a much
larger, inflexible global design which we
shall detail below. Before proceeding
with that wider analysis, though, it is
important to recall some salient features
of the situation as it has prevailed in the
immediate past.
In an article that was published some
months ago (“In the shadow of perma
nent war”, Frontline, October 11, 2002)
I had pointed out that the Anglo-Amer
ican bombardment of Iraq had lasted
longer than the U.S. war on Vietnam,
indeed longer than the combined dura
tion of the two World Wars. This began
with rhe Gulf war of 1991 which, in
very important sense, has never endetW
It was then, some 12 years ago, that
George W. Bush Senior, the father of
the current U.S. President, first deter
mined that the overthrow of Saddam
Hussein and the achievement of full
mastery over Iraq was a key objective,
and the U.S. has never swerved away
from that objective. The only reason
why the full-scale invasion, which is
now impending, did not come sooner is
that while the objective of overthrowing
Saddam and defeating the Iraqi Army
could be achieved very quickly, thanks
to the overwhelming U.S. military supe
riority, the U.S. has never been quite
sure what would follow that victory and
has therefore toyed with various more or
less dubious scenarios while its unremit
ting war-mongering has held a nation of
22 million suffering people to ransom.
FRONTLINE, JANUARY 31, 2003
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