numero 1 du vendredi 10 - Le Forum Social Africain

Un autre monde
est possible
Lundi 31 janvier 2005 - N° 5 - Quotidien du 5ème Forum Social Mondial - Porto Alegre
FSM 2007
Rejet
d’un forum
«labelisé
Sheraton»
PAGE 5
ÁFRICA E BRASIL
Uma
ponte é
possível
PAG. 3
FSA tenta
mobilizar
o mundo
para 2007
5e Forum Social Mondial
Porto Alegre, 26 - 31 janvier 2005
DIÁLOGO SOBRE O FSM EM ÁFRICA
FSA tenta mobilizar o mundo para 2007
Com dados – o relatório de
actividades desenvolvidas pelo
Fórum Social Africano de 2001 a
2005 -, Taoufik Ben Abdalah
mostrou aos participantes do
´Dialogos sobre o fórum 2007 em
África´, realizado ontem, 30, no
espaço B do território social
africano, que o processo de
construção do FSM já come-çou,
tem projectos e uma visão própria
para o evento. A Indía, o Brasil e a
Europa
aprovaram
esse
pensamento singular, apresentaram
sugestões e se disponibilizaram a
apoiar onde, como e quando o FSA
quiser.
“Estamos a trabalhar há
alguns anos para mostrar que
existimos e para melhorar a nossa
prestação nesse movimento
mundial. Em 2001 criamos esses
espaço deno-minado FSA, que
agrupa um número significativo de
movimentos de todas as regiões do
continente. Somos 54 países,
distribuidos por quatro regiões,
sendo que a demo-cracia é ainda
uma miragem em alguns desses
países, o que cria dificuldades aos
movi-mentos sociais , revela Ben
Abdalah, enumerando as
actividades do FSA de 2001 a 2004.
Bamako (2001), Addis Abeba
(2003), Lusaka (2004) e, pelo meio,
uma série de foras nacionais e
regionais, a par das participações
em Munbai e Porto Alegre. “As
actividades nacionais e regionais
foram de suma importância porque
permitiram-nos trazer mais
movimentos sociais para o FSA.
Os fora dos outros continentes dispostos a apoiar a organização em África
Em Lusaka, por exemplo, tínhamos
uma delegação com mais de 400
pessoas, temos vindo a assegurar
uma presença no Conselho Internacional, embora algumas vezes
tenha sido uma presença mais
política, inclusive foi a partir dali
que se iniciou a discussão para que
o FSM 2007 se realizasse em
África”, completa.
Uma dinámica que vêm
funcionando como fermento para
os movimentos sociais –
organizações, associações e
sindicatos – e que estimulou o
Conselho Internacional a discutir a
realização do próximo evento em
África e que este seja um espaço
aberto e com uma visão e
pensamento nativo. Sobre esse
particular Trevor Ngwane, África
do Sul, apelou à união do continente e a necessidade de se
construir um movimento social
forte. Já Boubacar Diop, do
Congad Senegal, lembrou que ´a
África é uma das principais vítimas
da acumulação de capital´,
fazendo directa ao pensamento de
Carl Marx.
Um contra-poder à mundializa
“A África enfrenta grandees
dificuldades políti-cas, económicas
e sociais. Mas é preciso lembrar
que ela não é pobre, foi
empobrecida através da
escravatura, do colonialismo, do
genocídio, da desumanização da
huma-nidade, etc, e exigir uma
reparação. É preciso questio-nar
a dívida externa do continente, a
ajuda ao desenvolvimento e o papel
C
Flamme d’Afrique-Flame of
Africa, um ano depois
Foi no Fórum Social Mundial de Mumbai, em Janeiro de 2004, que
este jornal foi lançado. O objectivo de Flamme d¢Afriaue-Flame of
Africa era dar mais visibilidade à participação africana nesses
encontros, facilitar a expressão e partilhar as ideias desenvolvidas
pelos africanos, seus valores e suas expectativas dentro do slogan
“um outro mundo é possível”.
Este quotidiano, que circula apenas por ocasião dos foras, faz aqui
a sua quarta experiência. Após Mumbai, o Chama da África
acompanhou o 1º Fórum Social social da África de Oeste realizado
em Conakry (Guiné) de 28 a 30 de Novembro 2004. Em Lusaka,
durante o 3º Fósum social africano, que decorreu entre 10 e 14 de
Dezembro, fez-se mais uma edição deste jornal. Este 5ª FSM é,
portanto, a quarta etapa de uma experiência que completa agora
um ano de existência.
A iniciativa de animar este jornal resulta de uma parceria entre
Enda Tiers-monde, Instituto Panos da África do Oeste e Mulheres
pela Mudança. Paralelamente ao acompanhamento da participação
africana nos FSM, traduz uma vontade de aumentar o trabalho dos
m ídias e as comunicações para reforçar os movimentos sociais
africanos, assegurando uma maior difusão das ideias e das
perspetivas que se vão surgindo. Os jornalistas que compõem a
redação do Flamme d’Afrique-Flame of Africa vêm de diferentes
países africanos. A par do jornal, eles fazem a cobertura do FSM
para melhor informar o público africano através de outros canais
(listas de difusão e jornais on line).
Rédaction française, lusophone et anglaise
Comité éditorial : Taoufik Ben Abdallah, Diana Senghor;
Thomas Deve ([email protected]) - Coordinateur : Tidiane
Kassé – Rédaction : Hippolyte Djiwan, Ousseini Issa , Vladimir Monteiro,
Souleymane Niang, Constança de Pina, Diana Mulilo, Glory Mushinge,
Console Tleane, Viriato Tamele - Montage : Noma Camara.
Contact : [email protected]
da sua diáspora no desenvolvimento da Europa”, sugere Buba,
para quem não existe nenhum outro
continente que pode contestar e
questionar o capitalismo liberal
como a África.
Apelos e constatações que, ao
que parece, tocaram a consciência
dos presentes e levaram a Indía a
se disponibilizar, de imediato, a
apoiar os africanos no processo de
construção do FSM 2007. Segundo
Nandita Shah, FSM da India, esta
é uma bonita ocasião para se
realizar este evento em África e
estão a espera apenas que o FSA
lhes diga como e onde querem o
seu apoio. “O desafio que colocamos é de buscar as linhas
comuns entre a África e a India.
Pensamos que, em Mumbai,
mudamos um pouco as linhas de
força que caracterizavam o FSM e
que em África pode-se avançar um
pouco mais. Estamos a aguar-dar
apenas que nos digam onde e como
querem que lhes ajudemos para
podermos estabelecer alianças.
Estamos ansiosos a aguardar o
FSM de 2007”.
António Martins, FSM Brasil,
indica, por sua vez, que a África
será um grande desafio e que a sua
escolha tem um sentido político
forte por ter sido a principal vítima
da globalização, mas também por
causa da dívida que o mundo tem
para o continente. “O FSM deve
cobrar essa dívida. Sabemos que
o continente enfrenta problemas
graves porque alguns países ainda
não enveredaram pela via da
democracia, há falta de liberdade
de imprensa e défices económicos
importantes por causa dos
programas violentos do FMI e do
BM. Penso que estes problemas
deviam ser debatidos em outros
fóras que antecedem o FSM e que
o protagonismo desse processo
fosse da África e do FSA.
Já Bernand Pinaud, FSM
Europa, foi buscar numa citação do
Times a força do FSM - o FSM é
um contra-poder à mundialização
do neo-liberalismo – para falar do
próximo fórum em África. “É
preciso que esse contra-poder, que
é o FSM, alargue o seu espaço
geográfico e que se transforme
numa organização popular. Lá na
África vamos encontrar muita
pobreza e outros problemas que
questio-namos aqui. Queremos
con-hecer os problemas e o seu
povo simples e feliz, a sua cultura.
Esperamos encontrar a economia
e uma dinámica social o mais forte
possível e discutir temas mundiais,
como a globalização, por exemplo,
do ponto de vista dos africanos”,
conclui Pinaud não sem antes
comprometer e im-plicar as
organizações euro-peias com o
FSM 2007 em África.
Constânça de PINA
AGENDA FSM 2007
Africanos e afo-brasileiros buscam consenso
A reparação é um elemento comum e deve
estar sempre presente nos discursos dos
governos e no seu relacionamento com as
instituições financeiras internacionais e com
as multinacionais. Este ponto de vista foi
defendido ontem, 30, no espaço Kilombo, por
todos os participantes do debate sobre as
trocas entre o Conselho Africano e o Comité
Afro-brasileiro: que agenda na perspectiva
do FSM 2007.
Emir Silva, do Movimento Negro Unido,
realçou na sua intervenção a importância de
vincar a questão da reparação, inclusive
através de acções juridicas internacionais,
para com os africanos. “A África do Sul
conseguiu, através da Comissão dos Direitos
Humanos
das
Nações
Unidas,
responsabilizar instituições financeiras
como o FMI que suportavam o aparthaid.
Na Ruanda, a ditadura é financiada por esses sistemas”, exemplificou Emir. Já Deisy
Benedito, do Fórum das Mulheres Negras do
Brasil, preferiu destacar algumas medidas
públicas que vêm sendo adoptadas e que
Lundi 31 janvier 2005 - n° 5 - PAGE 2
são direccionadas para os sectores
discriminados, essencialmente mulheres e
crianças.
Resultados animadores que levam os afrobrasileiros a defender a elaboração de uma
agenda de lutas que inclui, entre outros temas,
a questão da reparação e dos direitos
humanos. A África, segundo Taoufik Ben
Abdalah, também defende esta reparação
mas, propõe mais outros temas, com por
exemplo, o acesso aos medicamentos para o
tratamento do Sida – o Brasil se mostra
disponível para transmitir a tecnologia -,
educação, saúde, moradias, elaboração de
políticas falicitadoras para os afro-brasileiros
e busca de um relacionamento comercial mais
favoravel. “A África está a preparar o 2007
e é necessário desenvolver uma visão e uma
estratégia para nos mostrarmos solidários
e unidos durante o processo de construção
do FSM. Essa oportunidade vai nos permitir
atingir um determinado número de
objectivos comuns”, assegura Ben Abdalah.
C. PINA
5e Forum Social Mondial
Porto Alegre, 26 - 31 janvier 2005
CULTURA APROXIMA ÁFRICA E BRASIL
Uma ponte é possível
Os afro-brasileiros procuram cada vez mais aproximar-se das suas raízes
africanas, particularmente através da cultura num processo que também abrange
parte da população branca. A capoeira, oriunda do continente negro, e os
contactos culturais são algumas das vias escolhidas.
Desde a chegada ao poder
do presidente Luiz Lula da Silva
há pouco mais de dois anos, a
imprensa africana tem destacado a aproximação económica e os contactos políticos
entre o Brasil e a África subsaariana, materializados pelas
visitas do chefe de Estado e por
figuras importantes do seu
Governo como o ministro da
Cultura e cantor Gilberto Gil.
No entanto, a aproximação
ao continente negro pelos
brasileiros, particularmente os
negros que representam cerca
de 45% da população do país
começou há muito tempo
através da cultura e em particular daquelas cujas raízes se
estendem à África como a
capoeira. Ana Paula, de Bahia,
descobriu a capoeira ao militar
num movimento de cons-ciência negra. «Antes de ser uma
prática desportiva, a capoeira
é acima de tudo uma busca da
nossa história», explica.
São várias as versões sobre
a origem da capoeira, particularmente a Capoeira Angola, uma
expressão da tradição afrobrasileira que conjuga diferentes manifestações culturais
como a dança, a música, o jogo
e a espiritua-lidade, segundo o
Nzinga, um dos vários grupos
que se dedica ao ensinamento
desta arte. Alvo de medidas de
repressão de 1821 a 1930, a
capoeira conquistou progressivamente seu espaço graças a
mestres afro-brasileiros conceituados e é hoje praticado tanto
pelos negros como pelos
brancos.
«A capoeira salvou-me a
vida», conta um mestre
residente na Cidade de Deus,
favela violenta do Rio de
Janeiro imortalizada na tela pelo
cineasta Walter Salles. Já
Marcos, do estado de Espírito
Santo, mostra-se preocupado
com a forma como a capoeira
tem vindo a ser utilizado por
alguns praticantes. «A
capoeira é uma forma de
lembrar a mãe África. No
entanto, ela tomou um novo
caminho e é usado para briga
de rua», lamenta Marcos.
Sendo assim, o afro-brasileiro
propõe uma paragem para uma
reflexão sobre a situação actual
e defende os verdadeiros
mestres. «Onde há um bom
mestre há uma boa capoeira»,
conclui.
Além da história e da
descoberta das raízes africanas,
o grupo Nzinga, de São Paulo
procura através da capoeira
educar os seus praticantes,
nomeadamente no combate ao
racismo. «Estamos bastante
envolvidos na questão das
quotas para estudantes negros
nas universidades», indica
Gabriel, um dos brancos
integrantes do grupo.
A prática dessa manifestação cultural pelos brancos
divide os negros mas para o
grupo Nzinga, a questão não
deve ser colocada. «Quando,
eu branco, me aproprio a
capoeira, a capoeira também
apropria-se de mim, fazendo de
mim um agente para sua
continuidade», lança.
Já Gilson, praticante negro
de Bahia, a principal ameaça
sobre a capoeira prende-se com
o risco de regulamentação da
profissão. «Para ser mestre de
capoeira, é preciso ter um
diploma em educação física. Já
viu um negro terminar a
universidade e ir ensinar
capoeira», pergunta.
Vladimir MONTEIRO
Ministro Gilberto Gil: um afro-brasileiro no Governo
DIRCE CARRION - COORDENA O PROJECTO “OLHARES CRUZADOS”
«Há um desconhecimento entre povos irmãos»
A arquitecta está por detrás de um livro que reúne fotografias e cartas da
autoria de crianças de Cabinda (Angola), Maputo (Moçambique), Rio de Janeiro
e Porto Alegre (Brasil). A ideia é facultar o conhecimento entre povos unidos
pela língua mas separados pelo Atlântico.
Como nasceu o projecto
“Olhares Cruzados”?
O projecto foi desenvolvido
com base nas relações entre
crianças africanas e brasileiras,
através de uma troca de
fotografias e cartas. A ideia
começou com uma documentação em Cabinda, uma
província angolana onde se
vive uma situação bastante
difícil a nível dos direitos
humanos. A gente tentou levar
as crianças dessa província a
contar sua história às crianças
da favela do Morro de
Chacrinha, no Rio de Janeiro,
onde há também uma realidade
bastante dura. Trabalhamos
igualmente com Maputo e
Porto Alegre: no caso da capital
moçambicana, as crianças
moram num lixão enquanto que
na cidade gaúcha, são filhos de
catadores de papel que também
moram numa zona de lixão. A
nossa ideia era trabalhar com
crianças sujeitas a situações de
grande dificuldade e mostrar
não só o lado de opressão mas
também suas esperanças. A
outra ideia é desenvolver em
países africanos de língua
portuguesa (PALOP) um
contacto entre crianças. Há um
imenso desconhecimento entre
povos que são irmãos.
Qual é a próxima etapa
desse trabalho?
Queremos aproveitar a
Programme des activités menées par le Forum social africain
22-23 janvier : Reunion du Conseil du Forum
social africain
24-25 janvier : Participation africaine au
Conseil internacional du Fsm
28 janvier: Séminaire de restitution du Forum
social africain de Lusaka: “Résistances populaires et alternatives démocratiques au néolibéralisme”
12h-18h, Salle F 20
28 janvier : Tribunal des Femmes Africaines
15h-21h, Salle J 609
30 janvier : Dialogue sur le Forum Social
Mondial 2007 en Afrique
12h-15h, Salle B 202
Interactions avec les movements afro-brésiliens
Activités culturelles : Les Sakala Brothers
(Zambie) et les Gnawa (Maroc)
Stand du Fsa : Numéro 04, Espace thématique 01, Amphithéâtre Por do Sol - Avenue
Edvaldo Pereira Paiva
Contact : Hôtel Novotel - Tel: 51 33 27 92 92
– Cell 81 57 66 19
Les musiciens marocains ont
animé le Fsm.
Lundi 31 janvier 2005 - n° 5 - PAGE 3
riqueza da língua portuguesa
para estabelecer essa troca e
dar continuidade ao trabalho
nos PALOP (Angola, Cabo
Verde Guiné-Bissau, Moçambique e São tomé e Príncipe).
Conheço esses países todos e
constatei que existem particularidades muito grandes. A
nossa ideia é poder levar o
projecto a outras cidades,
outros países para um maior
enriquecimento e um testemunho da riqueza dessa língua.
Estou a frente de um projecto
chamado África-Brasil-África
que visa a documentação de
todos os países de onde vieram
os escravos para o Brasil.
Trabalhamos com a Secretaria
especial de políticas de
promoção da igualdade racial
para apoiar e buscar formas de
valorizar a contribuição dos
afro-descendentes porque na
verdade, tudo o que a gente
ouve falar da África no Brasil e
no mundo é a Sida, a fome e a
miséria. São sempre aspectos
negativos da África quando o
continente tem uma riqueza
imensa tanto cultural quanto
humana. A ideia é trazer isso e a
responsabilidade do Brasil é
muito grande. É um dever nosso
porque o Brasil foi construído
por africanos.
V. MONTEIRO
5e Forum Social Mondial
Porto Alegre, 26 - 31 janvier 2005
ECONOMIE SOCIALE ET SOLIDAIRE
Des innovations pour changer le monde
Jeunes au Cap Vert : dans les réseaux de solidarité on cherche des moyens de sortir de la crise.
Contribution
Batailles commerciales et conflits en Afrique
L’un des succès de la mondialisation, dit-on,
est le formidable développement des échanges commerciaux. La raison, selon le dogme néo-libéral, est
le marché. Plus un pays vendra, plus il y aura de la
croissance. Et pour un pays du Sud, il augmentera
ses moyens de lutte contre la pauvreté. Le marché
serait ainsi le bienfaiteur de l’humanité. Si la pauvreté existe, c’est parce que les pays concernés ne
sont pas ouverts à la concurrence, au libre échange,
dit-on. Supprimez vos barrières tarifaires et mille
écoles écloront, des centres de santé se multiplieront. La justice ne sera plus pour le riche, l’équité
ne sera plus un vœu pieux pour rêveur. La démocratie s’enracinera.
Par la grâce, la bénédiction et les
conditionnalités de la Banque mondiale, du Fmi, et
de l’Omc, l’Afrique s’y est mise. Bradage (pardon, privatisation) de tous les biens de la nation.
Les sous ne sont pas arrivés et la pauvreté s’est
élargie a d’autres citoyens.
Non satisfaits, les conseillers en croissance
économique par la concurrence ont pointé du doigt
l’habit qui protège tant soit peu, alors qu’il est
déjà transparent ; à savoir les taxes et impôts. A
défaut de les supprimer, les réduire fortement. Ainsi
dit, ainsi fait. La croissance n’est toujours pas là et
les capitaux non plus. Alors qu’ils ont des taux
douaniers les plus bas que ceux des pays du Nord,
il leur est demandé de les supprimer afin de permettre à la concurrence de s’épanouir. Tout simplement se faire harakiri. Le résultat est que l’Etat
n’est plus que l’ombre de lui-même en Afrique.
Après quoi, on chante que le continent n’est pas
apte au progrès, c’est à dire à la modernité.
Comme il est facile de se donner bonne conscience.
La réalité est tout autre. La bataille de plus
en plus acharnée entre les entreprises multilatérales, pour satisfaire toujours plus l’actionnaire et
concentrer plus de pouvoir dans les mains du management, se traduit d’abord par une réduction
drastique des coûts d’exploitation des ressources
(financières, humaines, etc.) et par l’accès facile
aux matières de base.
Le continent africain est la réserve mondiale
des matières premières : diamant, cobalt, cuivre,
manganèse, bauxite, coltran, etc. Sur 150 millions
dollars Us d’exportation en 2003, la part de ces
matières en représente la moitié, soit 75 milliards
de dollars américains. En y rajoutant les produits
agricoles, cette part des ressources naturelles représente les deux tiers.
Les capitaux des sociétés minières africaines
sont détenus à 90% par les échanges. Et selon les
pays, 50% à 80% des recettes en devises proviennent des ressources naturelles. D’où l’importance
de ce secteur pour le développement de ces pays.
La détérioration des termes de l’échange qui en
résulte serait le fait de la non amélioration de l’of-
fre. Alors qu’elles se font une guerre acharnée sur
leur marché domestique, les mêmes compagnies se
mettent ensemble dans des structures
capitalistiques communes pour gérer les ressources naturelles africaines, en maintenant un contrôle sur les prix et les conditions fiscales et sociales d’exploitation. C’est-à-dire un cartel, principe
combattu aux Etats Unis et par l’Union européenne.
Ou est le principe du marché ? Dans le secteur de
la bauxite, en dix ans, les prix ont chuté de 50
dollars la tonne à 25 dollars. Sur la même période,
celui de l’aluminium, qui est son dérivé, est passé
de 850 dollars la tonne à plus de 1850 dollars.
Naturellement, les Etats africains n’y gagnent rien.
Un pays comme la Guinée (première réserve mondiale) a vu ses recettes d’exploitation (principale
source) passées de 350 millions dollars à 80 millions de dollars.
Si les Etats se retrouvent sans sous, les populations qui se trouvent souvent dans ces zones
d’exploitation sont souvent très pauvres. C’est
ainsi que la non retombée d’avantages attendus de
ces mines, sur des territoires de certaines communautés, devient l’objet de contestations politiques
de la part de ces citoyens qui se sentent frustrés
dans la répartition des maigres ressources. D’où
des conflits violents, souvent entretenus par des
compagnies concurrentes. Ça a été le cas dans le
conflit sierra léonais ou des milliers de personnes
ont été tuées. Ces mésententes sociales sont occasionnées aussi par des sociétés évoluant dans des
secteurs différents. Il en a ainsi été en Angola de
1975 à 2002, avec une guerre qui a mis aux prises,
par Angolais interposés, les compagnies pétrolières (soutien des l’Etat) aux compagnies diamantaires (alliés des rebelles de l’Unita).
La fracture sociale occasionnée par les politiques d’ajustement structurel de la Banque mondiale et du Fmi, ainsi que la libéralisation commerciale imposée par l’Omc, ont détruit l’institution
sociale qu’est l’Etat, en Afrique. La rapacité de la
concurrence entre firmes multinationales au Nord,
à coup de capitaux et autres, se traduit en Afrique,
grâce à des instruments comme la dette, les
conditionnalités d’investissement, les différents
codes miniers, l’extraversion de l’économie, la
monétarisation des valeurs sociales, par la destruction des mécanismes autonomes de développement.
En tant que réserve mondiale des matières
premières, l’Afrique devient le champ de bataille
privilégié des compagnies qu’il faut arrêter non
pas par la bonne conscience de l’aide, ou par un
quelconque plan Marshall pour l’Afrique, mais en
changeant les rapports de force grâce à une plus
grande et meilleure implication des populations
dans le processus de développement national.
Bakary FOFANA
Directeur Cecide (Guinée)
Valoriser les liens de
solidarité et les diversités
culturelles dans les activités
économiques, faire en sorte que
l’économie soit au service de
l’être humain et non le
contraire, promouvoir la
création de la richesse et
l’équité dans l’accès aux
ressources. Devant la faillite
des politiques néolibérales,
avec leur cortège de pauvreté
et de misère dans les pays du
sud, le Réseau intercontinental
de promotion de l’économie
sociale et solidaire (Ripess)
propose ces alternatives pour
changer le monde. Hier, ce
réseau qui couvre les cinq
continents partageait sa vision
d’un autre monde. Un monde
où l’économie sociale et
solidaire englobe une multitude
d’innovations provenant de
l’intérieur des sociétés et
participant à générer des
emplois, ainsi qu’à développer
des capacités chez les
individus.
La notion d’économie sociale
et solidaire renvoie à une diversité d’acteurs tels que les mutuels de crédit épargne et les
mutuelles de santé, les petites
et moyennes entreprises et les
micro-entreprises formelles, les
groupes de producteurs ruraux
et les coopératives agricoles,
tout comme les syndicats et les
groupements et associations de
femmes. Elle comprend également les associations de ressortissants et de migrants, les groupes de presse et les radios communautaires, les Ong, etc. «Il
s’agit de changer de paradigmes de développement pour
asseoir les règles d’un développement de l’intérieur de nos
pays, à travers la promotion
d’un pluralisme économique»,
préconise le président du
Ripess, le Sénégalais Abdou
Salam Fall. Et de poursuivre :
«Nous œuvrons pour que
l’entreprenariat privé s’exprime fortement mais aussi
pour que l’économie publique
se développe, et qu’elle puisse
prendre en charge les investissements dans les secteurs où la
valeur ajoutée en terme purement de profits n’est pas nécessairement réalisée, de manière
à créer les conditions d’un accès équitable à un ensemble de
service».
A écouter aussi le Nigérien
Ibrahim Farmo, l’économie sociale et solidaire apparaît
comme un projet de société qui
va à l’encontre du capitalisme
et du socialisme, même si par
ailleurs son socle est cacheté
de socialisme. «Il s’agit d’une
alternative qui permet pour
nos pays africains d’évoluer
dans un monde où le partenariat sincère va s’instaurer entre le nord et le sud», précise
M. Farmo. Alternative qui, selon également la Guinéenne
Djakagbé Kaba, «est une vision
collective et sociale du développement qui place l’humain
avant toute autre considération. D’un continent à l’autre,
les populations de nos Etats
sont confrontées aux mêmes
problèmes engendrés par les
politiques néolibérales». Le
Ripess se présente ainsi comme
un instrument de négociation
internationale, qui vise en fait à
renforcer le pouvoir d’agir des
peuples, à travers la promotion
de l’économie sociale et solidaire. «Après ce rendez-vous de
Porto Alegre, le réseau a dans
son agenda, l’organisation de
la 3e rencontre internationale
sur la globalisation de la solidarité, prévue à Dakar, en novembre prochain», annonce
son président.
Ousseini ISSA
EMIGRATION ET SOLIDARITE INTERNATIONALE
Ces citoyens entre
deux mondes
Construction de classes, de
centres santé ou de routes, réalisation de forages, prise en
charge de l’impôt des collectivités… A travers de multiples
actions les Africains de la diaspora contribuent beaucoup au
développement socioéconomique de leur pays respectif.
Dans certaines régions du Mali
ou du Sénégal, l’essentiel des
infrastructures existantes ont
pu être réalisées grâce à l’appui des fils de la localité ayant
émigré en Occident. Ce constat
également est valable pour
l’Asie du sud est et les Caraïbes. Ces émigrés, regroupés en
organisations et associations,
ont tenu à prendre part à ce 5e
Forum social mondial de Porto
Alegre pour discuter et parta-
Lundi 31 janvier 2005 - n° 5 - PAGE 4
ger leurs expériences avec les
mouvements sociaux.
Mme Brice Monnou, Africaine d’origine vivant en
France, voit dans ce Forum social mondial «un espace
d’échanges, de partage. Une
occasion de dire à celui que tu
as en face, celui que tu vas rencontrer, ce que tu fais chez toi,
ce que tu sais faire, ce que tu
aimerais faire avec lui. Et
aujourd’hui, nous sommes venus pour rencontrer, pour partager avec le monde entier sur
ce que nous faisons». Mme
Monnou est vice-présidente du
Forum des organisations de
solidarité internationale issues
des migrations (Forim).
(Suite page 5)
5e Forum Social Mondial
Porto Alegre, 26 - 31 janvier 2005
Comentário
Manual do FSM
Un Forum social mondial au contact des populations en 2007, pour mieux vivre les réalités du continent ?
AFRIQUE 2007 EN PERSPECTIVE
Pas de Fsm «label Sheraton»
«En 2007, nous voulons
vivre un Forum social mondial
à l’image des peuples africains. Nous voulons vivre ensemble leurs difficultés. Nous
voulons rencontrer un peuple
africain festif. Nous ne voulons
par dormir dans les grands
hôtels comme le Sheraton.
Nous voulons dormir là où le
peuple africain est. Nous voulons rencontrer les mouvements paysans…» Bernard
Pinaud du Crid (France) exprime ainsi ses attentes par rapport au Forum social mondial
que l’Afrique accueille en 2007.
Une intervention faite dans le
cadre des «échanges sur le Forum social mondial en Afrique
2007 », organisé hier.
Loin d’être un débat entre
Africains, la rencontre était élargie aux autres Forums sociaux.
Ainsi, outre Taoufik Ben Abdallah, du Secrétariat Forum social
africain, de Boubacar Diop, président du Collectif des Ong africaines pour le développement
(Sénégal) et de Trevor
Ngwaane de Anti-Privatisation
Forum (Afrique du Sud), il y
avait Nandita Shah de l’Inde,
Antonio Martins du Secrétariat
international du Forum social
mondial, ou encore Bernard
Pinaud du Crid.
L’organisation du Forum
social mondial en Afrique en
2007 est une réalité. Le conseil
international du Fsm en a décidé ainsi depuis sa réunion des
24 et 25 janvier, en prélude à ce
rendez-vous de Porto Alegre.
Certes le pays qui doit l’abriter
n’est pas encore connu, mais
déjà, les acteurs de ce grand
rassemblement s’interrogent
sur les attentes du Fsm à nourrir en direction de l’Afrique. Au
niveau du Secrétariat Fsa les
travaux de définition de critères avancent, précise Taoufik
Ben Abdallah. «Certaines candidatures sont reçues et
d’autres sont en attente», confie-t-il. Faisant aussi savoir qu’à
l’instar du Brésil et de l’Inde qui
ont su marquer le Forum social
mondial, «l’Afrique doit donner une marque au Fsm 2007».
A ce propos, les grandes déci-
sions seront prises «de façon
assez large», poursuit M. Ben
Aballah, en indiquant qu’il est
envisagé déjà des rencontres et
des séminaires à organiser à
court terme à cet effet.
D’ores et déjà, Boubacar
Diop avance que l’Afrique doit
être le tombeau du capitalisme.
Pour lui, «le continent africain
a le plus payé pour l’expansion du capitalisme et par conséquent doit être sont point final». De la tenue du Forum social mondial en 2007, Trevor
Ngwaane attend «une Afrique
unie, une Afrique qui reconstruit les bases syndicales, une
Afrique qui renforce les bases
des mouvements sociaux pour
la paix, une Afrique qui remet
en cause l’idéologie capitaliste, une Afrique qui montre
au monde « qu’un autre
monde est possible et qu’un
autre système est possible».
Un certain enthousiasme
entoure déjà ce Fsm prévu en
Afrique. «De toutes les
décisions prises à Porto Alegre,
la confirmation du choix de
Les petits pas du Fsa
Les échanges sur le Forum social mondial 2007 en Afrique, organisés hier par le Forum
social africain, ont permis à Taoufik Ben Abdallah, du Secrétariat Fsa, de faire un petit bilan
sur le parcours de cette instance. Depuis 2001, souligne-t-il, celle-ci ne cesse d’améliorer sa
participation au sein du Fsm. Mais cette évolution se fait avec «beaucoup de difficultés»,
dans la mesure où l’élargissement du Fsa ne va pas aussi vite que souhaité. En effet, les
contextes de certains pays africains ne sont toujours pas favorables à la mobilisation d’organisations et de mouvements sociaux.
Taoufik Ben Abdallah a rappelé l’organisation des Forum social africain de Bamako en
2001, d’Addis-Abeba en 2003 et de Lusaka en 2004, ainsi que les forum sociaux régionaux,
dont celui que la Guinée a abrité en novembre 2004, pour le compte de l’Afrique de l’Ouest.
Autre acquis, le fait que «le comité de décision du Fsa s’est élargi et que les décisions sont
prises sur une base plus large». Au même moment, le Secrétariat a assuré sa présence au
sein du Conseil international. Toutes choses qui sont présentées comme des évolutions
positives.
H. DJIWAN
l’Afrique pour abriter le Forum
social mondial en Afrique en
2007 est la plus importante»,
s’exclame ainsi M. Antonio
Martins du Brésil. Pour lui, il y
a sens politique à voir dans
cette décision. Le Forum social
indien, qui en 2004 avait tenté
et réussi le pari de délocaliser
le forum de Porto Alegre, se dit
prêt à apporter sont expertise
aux Africains, «pourvu qu’ils
expriment leurs besoins»,
souligne Nandita Shah. Un
appui qui s’inscrit dans «la
construction d’une alliance
entre l’Afrique et l’Asie»
proposée par ce dernier.
Hippolyte DJIWAN
Com a vossa liçenca
gostaria de realçar o que foi
omitido pela revisão que foi
feita ao artigo da minha
autoria sobre o livro do
Boaventura Sousa santos
com o nome de Manual do
FSM.
Refirome parti-cularmente a analise feita as
criticas do Boaventura ao
Lula pelo facto de ter se
juntado a uma campanha
Chamada Global contra a
pobreza e ao ir ao Davos fiz
uma alusão ao facto de que a
campanha que o Lula lançou
não é da sua iniciativa, como
o Boa-ventura disse, mas sim
das organizações da
sociedade civil dos qua-tro
cantos do mundo que se
levantaram contra a pobreza
e esta campanha é uma
chamada
para
a
cumprimento das Metas de
desenvolvimento de Milénio
e que e o facto dela ter sido
lançado no FSM2005
constituí algo positivo que
devia se em vez de ser olhada
de uma forma negativa. O
autor do Manual ao criticar
este gesto do Lula junta-se
aos manifestante de rua que
também se apro-veitaram
desta iniciativa para
manifestar as sua posições,
por mais legítimas que elas
sejam deviam ter sido
situadas num momento
propício.
Referi-me também a uma
crítica ao facto de autor ter
dito que muitas das ideias do
froum social estão sendo
levadas pelo forum de Davos
e que só isto pode ser usado
por aqueles que participam
nos dois fora.
Viriato TAMELE
Ces citoyens entre deux mondes
(Suite de la page 4) Une
structure qui, selon elle, regroupe six cent organisations
de migrants originaires d’Afrique du Nord, d’Afrique au Sud
du Sahara, de l’Asie du Sud Est
et des Caraïbes. «Ces organisations travaillent, en France,
pour l’intégration de leurs
membres mais aussi pour le
développement des pays dont
sont originaires ces membres», souligne Mme Monnou.
Selon elle, les migrants ont
des problèmes qui dépassent
l’obtention des papiers leur
permettant un séjour légal sur
leur terres d’accueil. Mais malgré ces difficultés liées à l’insertion, auxquelles ils se trouvent confrontés, «ils travaillent à valoriser leur apport
dans le développement des
pays hôtes mais aussi dans
leurs pays d’origine». Pour
mieux capitaliser cela, «le
Forim essaie de mobiliser, de
réunir autour d’une plate-forme tous les migrants en France
pour créer une mutualisation
Lundi 31 janvier 2005 - n° 5 - PAGE 5
des forces. A partir de là, nous
essayons de créer un partenariat solide avec les Ong du
Nord mais aussi du Sud, en
tant qu’originaires des pays du
Sud», souligne-t-elle.
Et de poursuivre : «Avec les
Ong du sud nous avons des
projets. Il existe des Ong originaires de plusieurs pays africains, qui non seulement envoient de l’argent pour la réalisation d’infrastructures sociales, mais qui développent
aussi d’autres formes de partenariat comme, par exemple,
le renforcement des capacités
des acteurs de la société civile
du sud». Pour la vice-présidente
du Forim , c’est, entre autres, le
souci de valoriser ce genre de
contact qui motive la présence
des émigrés à de Porto Alegre.
«Nous voulons montrer quand
même que nous ne sommes pas
en France pour croiser les
bras, mais que les émigrés contribuent aux efforts de développement de leur pays», conclut Monnou.
Ousseini ISSA
5e Forum Social Mondial
Porto Alegre, 26 - 31 janvier 2005
Let the African Women’s Court benefit
the testifiers, not us, the literati
By Console Tleane
DENEMODJIE SEI Faimartini sits quietly, her eyes down. Her
mind should be far away. Her face is partly covered by her hand,
which she supports with the armchair.
It has taken some waiting before we could finally sit down for
this interview; about thirty minutes in all. Finally, we sit down to
get done with it. The focus? The African Women’s Court.
“The aim of the Court is to construct alternatives from the
experiences dominated by neoliberal paradigms. We would like to
showcase how people, women, have been able to overcome, and
are engaged in daily struggles against the excesses of
neoliberalism,” says Wahu Kaare, from Kenya, one of the main
architects of the Court.
“This is an innovative way of dismantling the classical method
of talking politics. It is a move away from talk and presentations
by experts like myself. It is non-hierarchical,” adds Rabia
Abdelkrim Chikh, from Senegal.
The design of the Court is such that testimonies are received
from women who are faced with some of the most challenging
difficulties in their daily lives. Faimartini is one such person.
She comes from Chad where, together with other women, and
the broader communities within which she lives, are engaged in
daily struggles against oil companies that have turned their lives
miserable.
She relates the harrowing experiences that women have to go
through. The World Bank, together with oil companies, with the
direct complicity of the government, are involved in some of the
most destructive practices in some of the villages that produce
oil.
For instance, the oil production processes have given rise to
the destruction of the environment and the outbreak of diseases
that never used to afflict some of the inhabitants of the villages
and settlements where the pipelines have been constructed. The
oil pipes are build over water supplies thus contaminating both
the drinking (for humans) and water for animals.
“We are surrounded by oil pipelines. We are virtually
imprisoned. They do not care about the well-being of our people.
Men from our communities have been displaced, forced to go
and work outside their residential areas. Young girls are forced
into lives of prostitution,” said Faimartine.
Another interviewee, whose identity cannot be disclosed to
protect her, related how, in one case, violence was used to ‘cow’
a community into submission when there was a resistance against
some of the practices from the oil companies.
“A Mafia gang was hired to terrorise us. They burnt two
hundred homesteads, killed ten people and badly injured about
forty-eight others. This was after the community resisted eviction.
This shows just how brutal these people (the oil companies) can
be,” said the interviewee.
Despite the brutality unleashed on the communities there was
fierce resistance to the move to evict the community, leading to
the temporary creation of a “liberated zone” where authorities
could not enter.
In Algeria the interplay of fundamentalist religion and
neoliberalism presents a unique and painful scenario for the
women. Coming from a proud history of a gallant liberation
struggle that produced iconic heroes like Frantz Fanon and one
of the first experiments of a socialist order in Africa, Algeria has
since the early 1990s slipped into an anarchic state of unofficial
rule by religious fundamentalists.
Ziana Khedidja paints a disturbing picture of the turn of events
in her country. In 1988 the government succumbed to pressures
from international finance institutions (IMF and World Bank)
and started introducing neoliberal measures. Almost at the same
time the fundametalist movement emerged to campaign against
the liberal reforms brought under neoliberalism.
“Immediately when we saw all that, the women’s movement
raised alarm against the dangers of religious fundamentalism,
which were not only threatening women but the entire democratic
fabric of the society,” said Khedidja.
“For instance, a woman’s house was burnt down because she
was divorced. After the burning of the house they started
harassing other women. University women students were
harassed, women were raped and later rejected by the society.”
A startling revelation about the emergence of fundamentalism
in Algeria is that at the same time that its proponents were
committing these atrocities they were supported by the USA,
Britain and Germany. These three capitals of capitalist rule were
supporting the emergence of fundamentalism because it was
(fundamentalism) supportive of neoliberalism, and opposed to
struggles aimed at defending the gains of the liberation struggle
and “socialist” rule.
There can be no doubt that the African Women’s Court is an
important initiative by the ASF; one that must be carried forward
with all the vigour that it deserves. Yet, there are a number of
challenges that must be addressed to make it more meaningful.
History has inspiring examples of tribunals initiated by activists
that led to significant gains. One such is Bertrand Russell and
Ralph Schoenman’s International Tribunal on US Crimes in IndoChina. The Tribunal partly led partly to the US’s shaming by the
world and its embarrassing withdrawal from Vietnam. Will the
African Women’s Court have similar or even better achievements?
It is important that the Court does not simply become one
where poor African women come, relate their stories, break down,
and there is no measurable political gain from the exercise.
Everything must be done to avoid turning the Court into an
exercise to fulfil the academic quests of us the educated elite,
who will record the proceedings, write articles, books, and do
nothing tangible with the testimonies; and with the women whose
testimonies we shall have used.
The future
lies with
the youth
From page 7
who are only interested in
extracting maximum profit from
the working class.
It is therefore encouraging and
heartening to see thousands of
young people taking time-off to
share their experiences, struggles
and hopes with other young
people from all corners of the
world. Attending some of the
sessions organised within the
youth camp has been most
heartening experience.
The three key issues that have
dominated the sessions have
centred around demanding free
education, work for young
people, and campaigning against
drug abuse among young people.
Other sessions touched on how
the media portray young people.
The message was clear in all
sessions; young people want to
inherit a world that is secured. A
world that is free of exploitation.
A world that respects the
humanity of all people,
irrespective of their colour, creed
or class.
One can only wish that for this
young people the WSF is not
simply an adventure. While
some philosophers have
correctly opined that “young
people can only initiate
revolutions but cannot sustain
them”, it also true that some of
the enduring revolutions or
defining moments in history
were as a direct result of the
initiatives taken by young
people.
The late 1960s French student
revolution and the South African
1976 student uprising are two
remarkable examples. Talking
about the 1976 experience, it is
now perhaps time that the ASF
seriously reflected on the youth
component of its participation.
While there were a few African
participants at the Youth Camp
the number is far from
satisfactory.
More can be done. More must
be done.
Forum getting popular and bigger, but facing serious challenges
By Salma Maoulidi
WHILE the WSF has not lost its
spirit of activism and optimism for
the possibility of creating another
world, it is experiencing a number
of problems, which have a negative
impact on the participants.
Translation-related technical
difficulties were the first indication
that all was not well prompting an
emergency
meeting
of
coordinators.
Hitches first emerged with
translation equipment.
A number of translation booths
became a beehive of activities as
technicians battled with radio
frequencies. Availability of the
Babel translators complicated
matters especially in some
meetings where Portuguese was
the dominant language forcing a
number of English and French
speaking participants to abandon
workshops in frustration.
Elsewhere the reverse was the
case.
“I wanted to follow the human
rights workshop but it was only
in Spanish and Portuguese”, says
Akbarat from Eritrea. “I could not
understand what was being said.
Police confront black protestors
There was no translation, so I left”.
Sara Longwe from Zambia
concurs, “We lost many
participants at the African Court
for women because there was no
translation. For our power-point
screen presentation, the activities
were disrupted because too much
light, and so one could not see the
images on the screens”.
Nikki from New Zealand
recounts the same experience.
“Can you imagine, I went to
three different workshops and left
all of them in frustration as there
was no translation though the
programme indicated that there
would be English translation”.
The African Flame found that
the unavailability of translators
was related to unavailability of
translation equipment and also
that the schedules given to the
volunteer translators did not tally
with the actual programme.
Some translators had to sit next
and whisper to participants or do
a consecutive translation, which
resulted in sessions taking longer
than originally scheduled. In other
instances, cancellation or
rescheduling of activities caused
problems.
Heat and humidity took its toll
on many participants in the
workshops.
“The tents are extremely hot”,
says Esther from Tanzania, “You
can’t concentrate in this heat. It is
too uncomfortable”.
In one session on education,
participants were sponging
themselves with water meant to
quench their thirst or rubbing their
feet with ice to cool off. Other
participants resorted to their airconditioned hotel rooms or went
to the Rio Grande river to cool off.
Security was a major issue
depending on one was staying.
Shamilla from South Africa said,
“Our hotel manager warns us to be
careful as a number of guests report
being robbed”.
Many have lost money but it is
not clear if travel documents have
also been snatched from them.
Lundi 31 janvier 2005 - n° 5 - PAGE 6
Extreme caution is advised while
handling money and after visiting
a Cambio or money exchange
point.
But perhaps one of the most
troubling reports available to the
African Flame is that involving
sexual violence and abuse,
mostly at the youth camps.
Sources from the organizing
committee and women activists
reveal there are allegations of
over 80 sexual harassment cases
at the youth camp mostly at the
showers and toilets. Thus far
three reports of rapes have been
received.
The laxity in security in the
youth Camp as well as in other
areas of the Forum is associated
with the rise of sexual crimes as
well as petty crimes in the
country.
Those who have participated
in previous forums feel that
security has been lax this year.
With the forum getting more
popular and bigger, serious
challenges will be faced but these
need to be anticipated in order
to avoid dampening the spirits
of those that feel aggrieved and
other activists who dream and
fight for a better world!
5e Forum Social Mondial
Porto Alegre, 26 - 31 janvier 2005
Africa in eyes of the children
By Glory Mushinge
A COLLECTION of over 500
photos, depicting issues that
affect the Africans and AfroBrazilians way of life is on
display at one of the World
Social Forum (WSF) cultural
diversity buildings.
These are the respective
works of three female artists
sharing the same platform to
present the untold stories of
some of the very marginalized
people especially children,
about the harsh realities that
have been presented by acts of
selfishness from the well placed
in society.
Issues such as those of
unsuccessful asylum seeking,
premature deaths, internal and
external displacements as well
as light moments amidst such
difficulties have all been
encompassed in the exhibition,
which is taking place in the A6
reference of Space C, Art and
Creation area. Amongst the
collection is that of Diece
Carrion, a young Brazilian lady
who is currently coordinating
a children’s project involving
Portuguese-speaking countries
in Africa, such as Angola and
Mozambique and Brazil.
The project, which has been
titled ‘A meeting of Eyes’ and
involves children from these
countries, is aimed at promoting
understanding between them
(the children) through photos
and letter writing. Chosen with
the help of local communities
and associations and after a
short introduction to the
country and towns to which
photographs and letters would
be sent, the children were
taught the basics of
photography and were
encouraged to exchange letters.
The photos and letters are
related in terms of history and
language but separated by the
Atlantic. It is from this sameexchanged material where
Carrion derived her exhibition,
to showcase the situations that
were being experienced in these
countries, through images.
According to Carrion, these
children live similar lives while
preserving their differences
“We show here, a small sample
of the work the children
produced
and
their
photographic studies of
Cabaña & Rio de Janeiro, &
Maputo & Porto Alleger,” she
says. The photo ‘s that have
been mounted range from
family mourning scenarios,
adult street life of ganja
smoking and some fond
scenarios of optimistic children
in the face of hunger and other
difficulties. Also part of the
exhibition which was launched
on January 27, are such themes
as ‘Where the Trees are a
Desert’, showing people
affected by displacement as a
result of native forest
destruction to tree forest
development, where mega
corporations continue planting
millions of hectares of
eucalyptus monoculture largely
for exporters.
The result is environmental
degradation and shortage of
accommodation and here; we
see photos of Afro-Brazilians
with weary lines on their
foreheads and looks of despair.
Similar to the Afro-Brazilian
experience, the South African
and Kenyan displacement
experiences are also told in
Marie Angie´s exhibition,
another artist exhibiting her
work in the same space.
In this particular exhibition
we, see blown up literature
highlighting refugee issues in
these countries. Most striking
are
such
themes
as
‘Displacement
in
Johannesburg’ and ‘Kakuma´
´Kakuma is about a refugee
camping Kenya which is a
temporary permanent shelter
for over 80, 000 people, with 40
per cent being children born in
exile and Have never seen what
they have been taught to call
their home land According to
the artist, these people live in
Kenya but are homeless in a
land where they are not allowed
to work, farm, or keep livestock.
More than the shortage
of food and harshness of
climate is boredom, such that it
drives them into depression
and effaces smiles from
mother’s lips and the
impossibilities of imagining a
better
future.
The
‘Displacement
in
Johannesburg’ exhibition, is
about
the children that found
themselves seeking asylum in
South Africa from their home
countries, such as Congo,
Burundi, and Angola, between
the ages of 5 and15. These are
the very kids that made the
exhibition material in a project
that took about 9 weeks.
Some of these children lived
in a refugee shelter, while others
lived with their families or
stepfamilies in overcrowded
flats. Home had become, for
most of them, a complicated
concept where a traumatic past
and an unfriendly present are
mixed.
The artist, Marie met with
these kids while working as a
volunteer at a clinic in
Johannesburg and established
a network of contacts by means
of which she collected
statements, organised a
creative workshop with
children, and worked with
Congolese and south African
artists to create two sad
installations, ‘The Shadow
House’& ‘The Zozo’. In the
words of Marie, Between the
sorrow of looking back and an
immense desire to get adopted
to this new country, there is
only one altitude: “Home is
where your family is, where you
feel safe.”
IMF/WBank blamed for failures in public service delivery
By Salma Maoulidi
MANY countries will not meet
their
Millennium
Development Goals target on
gender parity in education by
2015 argues David Archer of
ActionAid UK in his
presentation at the Education
and Citizenship for the Right
to Quality Public Services for
ALL workshop held at the
World Social forum,
yesterday.
He further observed that
the education sector is facing
many dilemmas and funding
from all sectors is in decline
to the extent that it is clear
that in a few years time, there
will be no adequate finance
for either early Education
Development and Care or
Adult Education.
Higher education is
increasingly inaccessible to
the majority with the removal
of government subsidies
while primary education in
most countries is in a
deplorable state.
“Many of us have been
directing our advocacy at the
Ministry of Education or of
Finance against what we see
to be a continued threat to the
right to education. However,
we need to exert similar if not
more pressure on the IMF
Defending their right to public services
since it is their conditionalities the lack of maintenance and
requiring a low inflation rate continuity.
that limits government’s ability
Babacar Diop from Senegal
to address some of the serious and actively involved in adult
shortfalls in the education education networks in Africa
sector such as overcrowding in spoke about low salaries for
classrooms,” explained David teachers and how this affects
their overall performance.
Archer.
He also underscored the
Some governments refuse aid
because accepting it ran the risk impact HIV/AIDS has had on
of running above the prescribed the professionals engaged in
teaching.
inflation rate. For countries
In the aftermath of Tsunami,
under HIPC and other economic Asia faces serious challenges.
recovery programmes this has
“Much progress had been
implications including loosing made in the region in education
their credit worthiness.
but about 160,000 people died
The sector also suffers from in Aceh Province alone. Over a
quarter million people died in
Indonesia, India, Malaysia and
Thailand. Twenty-four nongovernmental organizations
working on education were
wiped out while 42 activists
working in the sector lost their
lives in the Tsunami. In view of
such devastation what
happens to education or other
social services?” asks Jared
Joseph from ASPBAE, a Pan
Asia Network for Adult
Education.
Elisabeth Ramos from the
National Campaign for the Right
to Education Brazil emphasized
that, “It is important for social
movements to fight for the right
to quality education as it has
the potential to address historic
inequalities on the basis of
colour or class and opening up
opportunities to previously
marginalized groups”.
Jared Joseph stressed the
importance to globalize local
action by linking advocacy
agendas on the right to
adequate and quality social
services to global debates and
campaigns so as to bring on
board more people. Particular
effort also needs to be put on
the IMF and WB as well as G 7
governments to change their
policies in areas where they
impact negatively on the very
survival of men and women.
Lundi 31 janvier 2005 - n° 5 - PAGE 7
The future
lies with
the youth
By Console Tleane
YOU could easily mistaken it for
a refugee camp. No, it is not a
transit camp for the displaced
peoples of Darfur, running away
from the marauding gangs of the
Sudanese government.
This is the temporary abode for
young people coming from all
corners (or is it?) of the world.
And their aim? To share their
experiences, and lives, if all for a
week, in an alternative setting.
The youth camp sprawls along
the main road traversing the
grounds occupied by the WSF.
Small tents are pitched alongside
each other, hundreds, if not
thousands, of them.
A walk though the camp gives
one a sense of the actual
alternative lifestyle that these you
people are living. Again, if only
for a week. Smoke bellows from
the small fires lit to prepare food.
Some can be seen catching a nap
on the dry lawns. Didn’t this
young people sleep the previous
night? What were they doing?
Let’s leave that!
But it is arguably shower time
that has attracted the attention of
many people. Just take a look at
passers-by and you will
immediately be struck by the awe
and at times fascination on the
eyes of the onlookers.
Shower time is open, alternative
if you like. The showers are in an
open space. No gender
differentiation. Both men and
women, or should we say boys
and girls, shower together. See,
there are no inhibitions here. Of
course not that they shower
completely nude, except for an
odd fellow that I saw.
But what does the experience
of the youth camp tell us, except
our own unpronounced and
suppressed envy at this
expression of freedom?
In one previous issue of the
African Flame we reported about
the fact that the WSF has become
a money-spinner. At least these
young people have not given the
hotels and taxi drivers the extra
cash that they wanted. Only
airlines can claim to have benefited
from these young people. Just
imagine the anger and frustration
that will be expressed by hotel
owners and taxi drivers if all
participants at WSF meetings
were to opt for alternative camps
like the Youth Camp. Surely, the
enthusiasm from cities to host the
WSF will be thrown out of the
window.
The second, and perhaps most
important thing about the Youth
Camp is the sheer interest of
young people in politics. There
can be no doubt that with those
who populate the Youth Camp
there are those who are simply
undergoing the normal growth
stage and therefore are simply
experimenting; for them sleeping
in tents is an adventure. These
would mainly be rich, spoilt kids
mainly from the Northern
countries. Doesn’t sound
politically correct does it?
Yet, there are thousands of
young people who are going
against the grain and stereotype
of young people who are
completely disinterested in
politics. These days young
people are deliberately fed a diet
of pop culture (minus politics)
with the covert aim of
depoliticising them.
This is done deliberately so
because youth is a stage where
people possess the most radical
potential because of the nonrelation with the means of
production, either as workers
(and therefore compelled at times
to protect their work) or as bosses
See page 8
AFRICA IS
NOT FOR
SALE!
Another World
is Possible
31th Monday, January 2005 - Number 5 - World Social Forum, Porto Alegre (Brasilia)
Making Africa possible
to host the WSF
By Salma Maoulidi and Diana
Mulilo
AFRICA reiterated its
readiness to host the World
Social Forum (WSF) in 2007 and
has acknowledged that it will
take a lot of planning and
serious mobilization of many
actors that are not yet on board
in the African Social Forum
(ASF) processes to develop a
critical mass that will see event
bringing together all diverse
players in Africa.
Further it was noted that
while the hosting of WSF in
Africa will change the character
of the social forum, it was
anticipated that the Forum
would equally impact Africa.
A dialogue series held
yesterday saw representatives
from the India, Brazil, Europe
and International Organizing
Committee of the World social
forum expressing solidarity and
thanking Africa for having their
processes.
The representative from the
Europe said they were very
delighted by the African spirit
that is now permeating the
Forum, expressed by more
visibility of the African people.
For Africa, 2007 is an
opportunity for the continent
to strengthen its links with
other movements and inclusion
of all countries involved.
According to a representative
from Niger, “This rare
opportunity should be a time
to build and strengthen social
movements in Africa, since our
movements
are
still
developing”.
Dealing with diversity of the
continent was a key concern
expressed by many participants
in the dialogue.
A representative from South
Africa urged the organizers to
develop a process of inclusion
so that at the end of the day, all
in Africa can own the product.
Solange from Mali pointed
out that women and youth were
not well represented in the
African process and challenged
all present to address the issue
urgently.
Many women present who
cautioned
that
the
marginalisation would be even
worse especially if women
identified themselves as
feminists echoed this.
Representatives of Trade
Unions publicly expressed their
willingness to work with
organizations and movements
currently organizing the ASF.
They lamented their absence
and encouraged mobilization
processes that target them
directly as a movement.
In this respect, the inclusion
and presence of diverse
movements from Trade Unions,
NGOs, women’s groups and
youths creates strong alliances
that can best fight the struggles
for freedom and human rights
in the continent.
Njoki from Kenya a member
of the International Committee
cautioned against prevailing
fears on the implications of the
Social Forum coming to Africa.
She reminded the dialogue
meeting that, “We can give new
meaning to the forum if we
brought in new diverse ideas
and issues. A good example is
gender equality”.
Taoufik Ben Abdallah a
member of the ASF Secretariat
noted all these concerns and
called on all concerned to
develop meaningful solidarity
if 2007 is to meet expectations
and standards already set by
India and Brazil.
“People to people solidarity
is the key to building people’s
Forum.”
“Solidarity is an instrument
that should be used to meet our
objectives. The WSF can help
us realize ourselves as political
beings. It is an opportunity we
cannot afford to miss. Attitudes
need to change in order to have
a consolidated vision and
togetherness when we consider
contributions from various
parts of the African countries
when we host the World Social
Forum.
Morocco to host regional World Social Forum in 2006
By Thomas Deve
MOROCCAN-BASED ASF
council member Mohammed
Said has confirmed that the
bungling associated with his
country’s bid to host a
continental component of
WSF in 2006 has been cleared
and the continent will rally
behind them to bring the
Forum expansion process to
Africa.
This means that Moroccan
delegates attending the
World Social Forum will go
home a jubilant lot because
their bid to host the regional
world social forum proposed
in the International Council
for 2006 has been favourably
reviewed by the African
Social Forum.
The process was not a
smooth one but served to
confirm that while the Forum
is conceptualised as an open
space, it still had to deal with
the diverse articulations and
was expected at the end of the
day to develop working
methodologies that will project
a coordinated voice and
visions.
Morocco’s bid for the 2006
had been submitted directly to
WSF International Council and
took a long time to be discussed
by the African Social Forum
whose council is working very
hard to unify processes and
voices in Africa.
Those who opposed the bid
attacked the Brazilian-based
members of the IC and accused
them of manipulating decision
processes before Africans had
exhausted their own processes.
It was further highlighted
that the Moroccans had
submitted a document that
seemed to ignore the fact that
they were primarily an African
county.
This position did not go
down
with
some
representatives from Morocco
who stormed out of one ASF
council meeting but were later
brought back to iron out the
emerging differences in an
environment where they were
assured that Africa wanted its
processes to carry an African
branding and not highlight the
nation state at the expense of
the Pan African project all
movements were galvanising
to build.
Tensions had been exposed
in the Lusaka African Social
Forum that was held in
December 2004 where
participants made allegations
that the Moroccans were
fronting interests of those
pushing for a hurried decision
on IC proposals on devolution
of WSF processes.
Anxiety had also arisen over
allegations that some South
African entities had told the
WSF International Council that
Africa was not ready to host
the social forum in Africa
despite the fact that sections
of Indian, Europe and Brazil
were rallying behind Africa if it
chose to host the World Social
Forum.
Members of the Brazilian and
Indian secretariats of WSF had
made their commitments in
public during the ASForganised seminars in India.
The European movements
especially in Italy had
communicated their willingness
to help in strengthening African
processes to the ASF
secretariat.
Meanwhile the dialogue on
WSF in Africa is expected to
trigger a lot of fireworks in the
continent’s Council processes
where some movements still feel
they are not adequately
represented and are anxious to
develop lock-in mechanisms
that will obligate the
secretariat to stick to
decisions made by the
Council thus giving the latter
little room to make alterations
on positions develop in the
Council without further wider
consultations.
In real terms, this means
reopening the dialogue on
ASF governance, a subject
that has always torn the
Council and exposed its
weaknesses when it comes to
process matter.
The ASF secretariat has
scheduled a council meeting
on the eve of the 31st January
at Novotel Hotel where Africa
is expected to review its 2005
Porto Alegre proceedings,
calls for action and probably
develop an action plan to
reinvigorate Commission set
up in Cairo in the course of
2004.