Intercontentintal Network for Peace and Solidarity

Intercontinental Network por Pax y Solidarite

Network Intercontinentale pour Paix et Solidarité

Intercontintental Network for Peace and Solidarity


Second Meeting

2nd Intercontinental Network for Peace and Solidarity
Coordinators Meeting
Ecole de la Paix, Grenoble - May 31st and June 1st, 2003

For the second time since its creation in March 2001, the Intercontinental Network for Peace and Solidarity, Colombia - Democratic Republic of Congo - Tibet, has organized a two-day seminar in Grenoble, with participation of NGO coordinators and associations members of the Network ( Asamblea Permanente de la Sociedad Civil por la Paz (APSCP) for Colombia, Association des Cadres Pénitentiaires du Congo (ACPC), Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD), Aide àEnfance Tibétaine (AET) and Ecole de la Paix for France ).

In accordance to one of the objectives of the charter written originally, the coordinators had to meet in order to take stock of the realized actions for two years in the frame of the Network and to analyse prospectives for the next two years (see Network birth and objectives).

Laurent Kantu, Jacques Lebatard, Richard Pétris, Jocelyne Doguet, Tsering Deckyi Ratutsang, Chantal Truc, Ugyen Tsewang, Adrian Atkinson and Margarita Pacheco-Montes.

1. Who was participating?

Margarita Pacheco-Montes, Columbian university professor living in Switzerland, was representing Inés de Brill, former director of the Colombian Confederation of the NGO, and membership of the Asamblea Permanente de la Sociedad Civil por la Paz (APSCP) in Colombia and presently one of its representatives in Europe. Both of them created with Adrian Atkinson (British university professor) the NGO New Synergies in Development.

Laurent Kantu

Laurent Kantu, coordinator in the Network for Association des Cadres Pénitentiaires du Congo.

Laurent Kantu, graduate in criminology and penitential science, is president of the Association des Cadres Pénitentiaires du Congo (ACPC) and collaborates with COSI (Congo Solidarité Information). He is a political refugee in France.

Ugyen Tsewang

Ugyen Tsewang, coordinator in the Network for Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy.

Ugyen Tsewang is in charge of information at the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy. He is a graduate in economics. He joined the TCHRD in April 2001. He works in Dharamsala in India.

Chantal Truc and Jocelyne Doguet were representing respectively Aide Enfance Tibetaine and Ecole de la Paix.

Tsering Deckyi Ratutsang

Tsering Deckyi Ratutsang.

Tsering Deckyi Ratutsang, invited to the seminar, is in charge of public relations in the NGO Tibetan Women's Association settled at Dharamsala. She currently lives in India.

Inés de Brill

Inés de Brill, coordinator in the Network for Asamblea Permanente de la Sociedad Civil por la Paz.

 
Jocelyne Doguet

Jocelyne Doguet, coordinator in the Network for Ecole de la Paix.

 

2. The Seminar 1st day – Rainwater, human rights and peace culture

The 31st May was dedicated to give an update on the current situation of the three countries represented in the Network. The coordinators presented the recent actions taken by their own NGO and associations. In this context, Margarita Pacheco-Montes and Adrian Atkinson introduced the characteristics of their two associations: New Synergies in Development created with Inés de Brill and International Alliance. This presentation has been capital in the frame of the seminar since it led to setting up projects regarding the DR Congo and Tibet directly.

Actually, Margarita and Adrian have shared with us their incentive thinking about their international project regarding the rainwater harvesting by the underprivileged classes.

Which connection is there between rainwater, human rights and peace culture?

Observing the important changes of the situation in Colombia since the election of the President Uribe, Margarita has concluded that it is for the moment impossible, and even dangerous, to set up actions in the field regarding the violation of human rights or similar projects.

Now, how continue to work in the field to help the populations in danger without taking the risk to run reprisals? Margarita and Adrian proposed to plan projects included into the environment and sustainable development, such the rainwater harvesting or a better water management in the underprivileged or oppressed countries.

This concept, disconcerting a priori, is however particularly relevant. A project regarding the access to water in such countries is nothing more nor less than an action aiming at gaining respect and dignity for people: Margarita and Adrian want to promote the access to water as a human right on the same level as the right for life, underlining that, for the 1st time on November 26th 2002, the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights has taken the initiative to include a general comment about the water as a human right: (General Comment No. 15: The Right to Water / Date adopted: 26 November 2002 / Document Number/Symbol: E/C.12/2002/11 / Organization: United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights / Twenty-ninth session / Geneva, 11-29 November 2002 / Agenda item 3 / ESCR database http://shr.aaas.org/thesaurus/instrument.php?insid=155)

"Water is a limited natural resource and a public good fundamental for life and health. The human right to water is indispensable for leading a life in human dignity. It is a prerequisite for the realization of other human rights. The Committee has been confronted continually with the widespread denial of the right to water in developing as well as developed countries. Over one billion persons lack access to a basic water supply, while several billion do not have access to adequate sanitation, which is the primary cause of water contamination and diseases linked to water. http://shr.aaas.org/thesaurus/ The continuing contamination, depletion and unequal distribution of water is exacerbating existing poverty. States parties have to adopt effective measures to realize, without discrimination, the right to water, as set out in this general comment."

Harvesting the rainwater thus becomes a clever solution, not only to solve the drinking water problem, but also a way for populations to gain control over their own local resources. "Act locally – Think globally": in this context, the famous motto finds its whole meaning because the question is to help the communities strengthen the social links between populations, the economic links between local enterprises, and to maintain these actions in the medium and long term, at last involving the local, regional and national political authorities.

The coordinators of the Network, Laurent and Ugyen, particularly agreed to this concept, seeing immediately the concrete application for their own country. The second part of the day was dedicated to think about precise projects for the DR Congo and Tibet.

Laurent underlined that rainwater harvesting should be deeply interesting for the carceral population from two prisons in Kinshasa area he knows very well because of the activities of an NGO he created in 1990. The estimated consequences are numerous and precious:

  • To improve the sanitary conditions, and thus hygiene, of prisoners and favour the downturn, indeed the gradual disappearance of infectious diseases raging in the jails.
  • To improve the access to water for the villages around the jails.
  • To particularly involve the juvenile delinquents in this project in order to give them the opportunity to follow a training likely to help them reintegrate the society after their release. Actually the young people should be able to organize trainings for the local populations, facilitating their own rehabilitation in the community (a water distribution network installed by religious communities has been destroyed completely during the conflicts in DRC).
  • To create close links with craftsmen who can intervene to make suitable containers (earthenware jar,
  • To involve the politic authorities in funding these actions an giving their support in the long term.

On another level, Margarita and Adrian added that in the international community, organizations such as UNESCO support cultural programs within the context of protection of ancestral traditions: why could not Laurent imagine to impulse survey teams in the village of DRC, by making an inventory of the different customs regarding rainwater harvesting or water management? In this operation, the question is not only to enrich the worldwide heritage, but also to constitute an interpeople expertise panel, able to give ideas and to be transferred elsewhere (knowledges and skills transfer).

As the WHO (World Health Organisation) also wants to promote the water quality standards, we can easily understand the interest of international organizations for the underprivileged populations looking for funds.

Ugyen, our Tibetan coordinator, has had a similar thinking. The situation is different: the majority of the Tibetans live in Tibet, victim of the Chinese colonisation (how act there?), the diaspora lives in exile in the world and particularly in India. For them this subject is a topical question as a water forum will take place at Dharamsala in November 2003. Ugyen and Deckyi wondered about the relevance of a such project presently: Tibet or India? In Tibet, to plan a concrete action is difficult at that time, but the conditions of the Tibetan population are so terrible than Ugyen thinks that it s urgent to have a reflection. People and resources associations have been listed quickly. A feasibility study for a water project is in hand. However Deckye has pointed out the hard situation of the Tibetan women in the Chinese jails in Tibet: right to wash two times per year, humiliation of the women in their feminine condition, lack of hygiene. This situation constitutes a real discrimination and a project promoting the access to the water as a prerequisite for the realization of other human rights could solve the situation subtly ...

Regarding the Tibetan communities in India, Ugyen has underlined the paradoxical situation in Dharamsala, suffering from lack of water between the monsoon periods. Such a project could afford a population education to the rainwater harvesting and its management, notably the preserving of the drinking water. Another interest could consist in encouraging the bringing together of the Indian and Tibetan communities sharing this training, a best understanding of each other and a better collaboration. Actually, the coexistence of the two communities is sometimes conflicting in Dharamsala as well as other places.

From Ugyen's point of view, in a larger perspective, to imagine a such project, now in exile, can provide a water awareness that can be transferred by the Tibetans in their own country when they are back.

New Synergies in Development and International Rainwater Harvesting Alliance, associations represented at the seminar by Margarita and Adrian, propose to relay these projects, putting technical experts, professionals in the field, at disposal and the support of these actions towards local, regional, and national political and economic instances. In connection with that, Margarita and Adrian have immediately given precise contacts names to Laurent, Ugyen and Deckyi: two Kenyan scientific experts as contact in Africa for Laurent and two Indian experts for Ugyen and Deckyi in India. It is effectively a question of liability strategy in matter of development policy.

How are this rainwater harvesting project and reflection linking to the ambitions of the Network and its specific object?

The Network is dedicated to support the populations of the three countries in the field and is included in the present scope of liabilities of the civil society, which is trying to organize differently so as to claim respect of human rights and of people within the respect of peace culture and non-violence. Let's remember that this Intercontinental Network for Peace and Solidarity aims at an horizontal solidarity that this project perfectly illustrates in its South to South dimension.

  • A project from Colombia adapted to a particular situation in DR Congo and in Tibet (or in the Tibetan population in exile), with the participation of scientific and technical experts in the countries themselves.
  • A sharing of knowledge and skills
  • An in-depth dialog, helping to better understand the countries and the intercontinental cultures.

==> A new step in the dynamics and synergy of the Network.

3. The Seminar 2nd day – Assessment and Network perspectives 2003-2005.

This day was dedicated for one part to the precise redefinition of the Network's specificities, and for the other part to define objectives for the two coming years.

A. Network specificity update

Following a debate on the last two years and on the opportunity to update the Charter written in March 2001, the coordinators have decided not to modify it, thinking that the basic principles and its ethical were still valid. On the other hand, it appears necessary to better define the keywords laying the foundations for the Network, in order to facilitate the recognition and the identification for outside partners.

What is specific to the Network?

  • It is not an association of people but a Network of NGOs. Its functioning and its existence does not depend on physical persons.
  • It is an intercontinental Network: it is setting up a new support synergy, with the specificity to offer a South ( South horizontality
  • The Network proposes to support the civil society from the three countries involved, respecting the human rights and the peace culture and non-violence. This double perspective, underlined by the coordinators as non-dissociable, constitutes an essential characteristic of the Network.

At the end of this reflection, the coordinators have updated the initial document titled The Network in Keywords

B. Perspectives for 2003-2005

Chantal Truc

Chantal Truc, coordinator in the Network for Aide Enfance Tibétaine.

Which actions are planned by the Network?

  • Laurent"s project «For a sustainable peace in DR Congo and in the Great Lakes region» (planned for Spring 2004 in Grenoble)
  • The projects regarding the access to drinking water in DR Congo and in the Tibetan community in India.
  • Construction of the Network website: Ugyen proposes to think about this quickly.
  • Participation of Laurent and Ugyen to the next Worldwide Social Forum at Mumbai in January 2004 (Margarita had given suggestions for an efficient and strategic participation to the forum).
  • Renewal of «A Month for Tibet» at the Ecole de la Paix in March 2004.
  • Organization of one-week information demonstration about the DRCongo in Grenoble (in connection with Laurent's project).
  • Continuation of the exchanges between the coordinators.

C. Videos projection

In order to facilitate a better understanding of the conflicts in the involved countries, Laurent, Ugyen and Margarita have presented an information video:

  • Red Flag on the Top of the World (Tibet)
  • Mobutu, roi du Zaïaut;re (RD Congo) [ Mobutu, king of Zaire (DR Congo) ]
  • Asomuca (Situation of the Colombian women)

Margarita has proposed a video from the Caribbean, San Andres Island, to illustrate a concrete case of rainwater harvesting project.

As a conclusion ...

Our Network is now two years old, and we have to note that it is making progresses; it enriches with new perspectives and strengthens though our mutual commitment. Each coordinator has expressed the will to carry on this intercontinental adventure for a new solidarity, South (South solidarity such as it was never so well demonstrated than through the project proposed by Margarita, and the perspective for Laurent and Ugyen to meet again at Mumbai in India in order to intervene for the first time during the next Worldwide Social Forum. Finally, all of us are convinced that the Intercontinental Network for Peace and Solidarity participates, on his own way, humble and modest, to the patient and decided construction for peace ... a sustainable one.

Grenoble, July 15th 2003.
Writing: Jocelyne & Philippe Doguet
Translation: Odile Szczyglowski & Chantal Truc

Web Sites

Participants to the seminar

Adrian Atkinson New Synergies in Development
Jocelyne Doguet Coordinator of Ecole de la Paix for the Network
Philippe Doguet Ecole de la Paix
Laurent Kantu Lumpungu Coordinator of Association des Cadres Pénitentiaires du Congo (ACPC) for the Network (R$eacute;publique Démocratique du Congo)
Margarita Pacheco-Montes - In place of Inés De Brill (coordinator of Asamblea Permanente de la Sociedad Civil por la Paz (APSCP) for the Network (Colombie) - New Synergies in Development
Richard Pétris Director of Ecole de la Paix
Chantal Truc Coordinator of Aide Enfance Tibétaine for the Network
Tsering Deckyi Ratutsang Tibetan Women's Association
Ugyen Tsewang Coordinator of Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) for the Network (Tibet)

Documents in appendix:

altavista babelfish  en francais 
 en espanõl 
 in chinese