Major UK NGO's Criticise ESF Organising Process + SWP / SA

A coalition of 10 British NGOs including the major ones like Oxfam, Jubilee and Greenpeace have written a letter complaining about the UK European Social Forum organising process and saying it has been characterised by a lack of transparency and openness. Finaly this can officialy end the myth peddled by the authoritarian left that those who have been critical of the UK ESF process are simply wreckers, splitters or crazy anarchists who don't represent anyone!

While the NGOs don't mention them by name, they're criticising the SWP (Socialist Workers Party) and SA (Socialist Action) for dominating a meeting to decide speakers names through weight of numbers. This is a significant moment. Reports from the meeting also revealed what appeared to be willful miscounting of votes and other undemocractic behaviour. The letter has been published ahead of the european esf assembly meeting in brussels this coming weekend.

An open letter to the ESF process from British NGOs
===================================================

The UK ESF NGO group is a forum open to development, environment, human rights, civil liberties, international solidarity and peace campaign groups in the UK. It has acted both as an outreach tool for the UK ESF by engaging NGOs who may be new to the social forum process and as a space for NGOs to discuss issues of mutual concern and decide on their representation with the wider process. A wide range of NGOs and campaigning organisations have attended the meetings over the past few months representing collective membership of millions and a very broad section of those calling for progressive change in the UK.

On Thursday 27 August the UK ESF NGO group met to choose the speakers it would like to represent the sector in the plenary sessions as part of the UK quota. We were restrained and realistic in the names put forward, asking for only 4 speakers, of the 15 available slots, to convey the knowledge, skills and experience of the whole sector. This included just one environment NGO, one human rights group and two development campaigns. The decision was made by consensus and the NGOs were careful to put forward a list that was balanced in terms of gender and ethnicity. These were then proposed later that evening to a full meeting of the UK Programme Group.

In the end just two of these survived the UK selection process. The UK will now go to the Brussels Preparatory Assembly without a single representative of any development organisation in its quota of plenary speakers. Given that there will be plenary sessions focused on unfair trade rules, international debt and corporate globalisation we find it extraordinary that the leading organisations campaigning on these issues will not be represented in the UK's list. It will have a practical impact too. Next year's G8 will be a focus for the European movement, yet not one representative of the mobilisation from the UK is represented either.

The method chosen to select the UK quota did not include any deliberative element to ensure that all sections of the movement were represented and was entirely based on the number of votes secured. Numerous members of small political groups who had packed the room with their supporters dominated the voting for the UK quota. This falls well short of the charter of the World Social Forum to which we have all subscribed. We must now face the facts that our work and our members will be sorely under-represented by the UK ESF. This will do nothing to help broaden the movement in the UK and build confidence in the process among NGOs.

Many British NGOs are keen to get involved in the ESF but have found it difficult to do so because of the lack of transparency and openness in the UK process. The decision of the UK group will only make it more difficult for NGOs to participate in the way we wish.

We urge our European partners to ensure that the sections of the movement so lacking in the UK list will be compensated for in Brussels.

Yours,

ACTION AID INTERNATIONAL UK
ACTSA
FRIENDS OF THE EARTH
GREENPEACE
JUBILEE DEBT CAMPAIGN
OXFAM GB
TRADE JUSTICE MOVEMENT
TRAIDCRAFT
WAR ON WANT
WORLD DEVELOPMENT MOVEMENT

==========================

ESF LINKS:

"Official" closed (£40K!) ESF website:

http://www.fse-esf.org

Autonomous and Self Organised Spaces and Initiatives

http://www.altspaces.net

"Unofficial" open (£free) ESF website:

http://www.esf2004.net

Indymedia ESF Newswire:

http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/actions/2004/esf/

Reclaim Our Forum!

Comments

Hide the following 9 comments

Some thoughts

01.09.2004 10:10

Oh, the large corporate NGO's left out? Perhaps they should also be looking at their own structures in relationship to the 'grassroots' movement - which they aren't really part of. e.g relying on corporate fundraising companies chugging ( I am still concerned with Nestles' sponsorship involvment with Shelter for instance as an slightly different example...)

I doubt if they were part of this process they would bother to much about all the other little community /direct action groups that don't operate on their inflated budgets - is it about openess or the fact that they haven't been included. I think this is an important topic for debate. There are various issues including. Aid versus anti-consumerism. The consumption of goods in the west supporting the arms/raw goods cycle. Influence in high places and compromise. Guilt Action fundraising versus geniuine community action and raising awareness rather than passive guilt reduction. i.e. a DIY culture as opposed to an administrative consumer culture. I would like to see this debated ( and acted upon as debate in itself is pointless without... ) outside of Ally Pally and the offical bullshit process.

Still, there are the alternative spaces, the Beyond the ESF, Creative Forum and other stuff going on.

No hierarchies, openess, no vanguardism, and critical self-awareness. We are a loong way off still and there is a chance to do something about this with alt spaces. So, groups that don't like the offical process to get involved an do something outside/ alongside that is positive.

Perhaps that is why I admire the PGA!!

mark r pen

some thoughts on some thoughts

01.09.2004 12:41

well, yes I agree with the criticisms of NGO's - I personally have had frustrating experiences with Greenpeace recently. However, the NGOs criticism of ESF process, strengthens the view that the ESF is a european socialist forum - little more than a pan european socialist grouping - and about as radical as you'd get the european parliament. whether the fringe events will make up for this is questionable - the whole point/ethos of the forum was that it was supposed be more inclusive than your trad. political party, whereas, it seems to be a facsimile of a early 80's labour party conference, with some lip service to environmental issues.

Also, the media coverage that the forum will get will know doubt focus on the 'split' between SWP/Globalise Resistance/Socialist Alliance types (though 'split' is perhaps the wrong word given that we were never together in the first place) and horizontals, and now it seems NGO's. I guess I'm not the only one who finds it an extremly depressing prospect to be at a fringe meeting of a fringe forum. I wish I had something positive to suggest about this process, but I don't - it seemed to be corrupted from the start.

chris

Some thoughts on some thoughts on some thoughts

01.09.2004 14:14

The 80's throwbacks are an endangered species, whose natural habitat has disappeared. Unfortunatley, they have tried to adapt to the ESF, but it wont sustain them.

The ESF looks like being a flop this year, and everyone who has been involved knows who is to blame. Perhaps the process can start again next year, or the year after. Or another process can take over, which will have its roots in the fringe.

And yes, the professional Liberals in the press will have a field day because they will use 'the failure of the lefty' to justify their own neoliberal position. However, not before long, they'll be eating their words because a radicalistion is taking place.

Yes and No - Good and Bad - Babies and Bathwater

01.09.2004 16:22

To be honest the critical media coverage will prob be about the budget expenditure of the GLA, trying to paint it as a return to the mad bad days of red ken and the loony left. It would be progress if the more liberal coverage entered into some constructive criticism about the social forums. The faults are not just in the UK process but also with the entire european formulation and process.

The event won't be a washout however. Sure, it will be a lot smaller than previous ESF's, we're looking at 20,000 participants, and really only two days of full discussions, but there's still a whole lot of good content.

Thousands of people will still come and be amazed at the variety of politics, debates and ideas, though most of them will be oblivious to the actual process behind it.

There are some good advancements however. This year there is a strong cultural element which people fought for - something like 150+ proposals for events from theatre, to peotry, art and music have been recieved.

At the european level the mess the SWP / SA / GLA have made has at least kick started the discussion to create some coherancy and continuity from one esf to another, with the creation of ongoing groups to deal with process, practicalities and web technologies proposed and under construction.

The other effects that are positive is that people are discussing at a level not seen in my experience in this country - whether it's about the SWP or about their own campaign - it's the esf that has been a catalyst. Alliances are being made and groups understanding each other more, and perhaps understanding more the need to create real alternatives to the SWP.

There's sure to be a whole lot more arguments over the forced merger of seminar proposals and downgrading of other to workshops (since there have been several hundred seminar proposals and these need to be reduced down to around a quarter). It's in no way an enviable task, however signs are that there will be some political motives behind the mergers - I heard that with regard to those proposed around the G8 mobilisation, all were grouped together under one category, while the Dissent proposal was put in another category).

Anyway the point here (and indeed the point behind most of the criticism) is that there is not a transparent or participatory process behind it. Those who are not in the SWP/SA/GLA groupings and who have worked towards the ESF over the last year have pages of positive proposals and suggestions for how to make the organising process and therefore the event more reflective of what it claims to represent. These should be given serious consideration by all.

The letter by the NGOs is just the tip of an iceberg representing many more groups who tried to get involved in the ESF at one point or another, which is a massive shame, but at least people are moving towards a common understanding.

Pete

congratulations to the NGOs

01.09.2004 21:32

Well, at least now nobody could say that it's an anarchist problem with the socialist parties and forefronts.
Hopefully this can be continued after eth ESF in the mobilisation against the G8; and the learned experiences not to be forgotten and forgiven again, so that people realise that the domination problem is inherent in the set up of particular, but not restricted to the socialist parties in Britain.
let's hope the socialist parties don't manage to monopolise the resistance against the G8!

---

I agree partly with the critisisms to the NGOs raised above, but would still support their work because aiming for a revolution in future should not restrict changing and improving the present, particularly if it changes lives for people in the present for the better.
Having a more fucked up society than we already have does not necessarily drive the peoples radicality forward.

oops

Perhaps, I am too theortical oops.

01.09.2004 22:07

Oops, surely the NGO's expertise would be employed even more post-revo, cleaning up after capitalism.

Yep, I agree

01.09.2004 22:14

I am wondering how much the alt spaces could accomodate. I understand this has to be fairly provisional in terms of how many spaces and getting people to organise with regard to them. The more people up for the alternative, the more can happen:)

While being aware of the negative aspects of the offical ESF perhaps more of those pissed off or bewildered by the SWP/GLA etc. process should be involving themselves at the grass roots and joinig in with the alt spaces to make this a success with tansparency and a none hierarchical approach to the process and also with a view to action and not just a talking shop!

There are quite a few events building up to October ( and beyond:) ) such as the monthly Creative Forum, local social forum stuff and the Beyond the ESF saturday nights for instance at various locations ( some not yet finalised ) such as the one this Saturday focussing on casualisation of Labour in North London ( sorry for the Londoncentric nature of this posting as I know other stuff is going on elsewhere though my knowledge of them is a bit sketchy !!) and others on No Borders, environment, G8 mobilsation etc.

Lets see more people being proactive and getting down to these and taking stuff on - organising workshops, actions, seminars, discussions. There's a lot of work to do!!!

I am glad more people and groups have spoken up about the process and let us get our shit together and start organising.

Annie Kissed

Annie your right

03.09.2004 21:58

theres no point simply slating the ESF, to my mind its a good opportunity to further cooperation and solidarity on a european level, but also to highlight specific campaigns, to find out what is happenning across the continent and to let them know what is happenning here.

Also the fact that people from diverse backgrounds such as Oxfam and the Wombles are sharing a meeting space to search for solutions is a good thing, and is one of the great achievements of the social forum movement.

For people interested in sorting out a fly by night ecotopian set-up to try and sort out a response to the seemingly suicidal tendencies of our species over fair trade chapatis and dhal, along with fairies, and a lively crashing place. get in touch. even better if you live in london and know a venue.

owain
mail e-mail: komputersrdumb@yahoo.com

Report in The Guardian 4/9/2004

04.09.2004 12:27

Here's a news report that was buried in page 13 of the Guardian - Sat, Sept 4.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,1297009,00.html