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COMMONWEALTH: Civil Society Prepares for 'Civil War'
By Ukpong E. Ukpong
ABUJA, Dec 3 (IPS) - Civil society organisations are scheduled to hold talks
with Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon Wednesday, in the Nigerian
capital - Abuja.
The discussions form part of events at the Commonwealth People's Forum, a
civil society summit that it taking place alongside the bi-annual
Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).
McKinnon's meeting will include what is politely termed a listening
exercise, and an exchange of ideas with civil society groups. This exchange
may become vigorous: the groups are becoming increasingly impatient with
what they see as their marginalisation in the Commonwealth processes.
"There is a near revolt among civil society leaders," said a well-placed
source working closely with the Commonwealth Foundation. "Even the World
Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the World Trade Organisation have
better systems for representations by civil society."
The source noted that civil society groups were obliged to deal with the
Commonwealth Foundation. "That has meant that in effect we are formally cut
off from access to the political wings of the Commonwealth," he said.
The foundation, funded by Commonwealth, is meant to strengthen links
between civil society and member states, as well as between the states
themselves.
Discontent amongst non-governmental organisations (NGO's) is snowballing by
the day. "There is a huge gap between rhetoric and reality," says Ezra
Mbogori, a member of the Civil Society Advisory Board of the Commonwealth.
"The secretariat talks of a desire to help, but we haven't seen it yet. When
we really start talking about issues, they are nowhere to be seen. These
concerns need to be put to the offices of the Secretariat," he added.
That concern will be expressed in talks with McKinnon. "If delegates feel
frustrated and disappointed, then this cannot be just an exchange of
niceties," Mbogori said. "We have reached a point where we feel this
inherent politeness is not getting us anywhere."
He said civil society members need access to the heads of government "and a
development of mechanisms that generate greater accessibility to both the
Secretariat and the Foundation. After all, both organisations are funded by
taxpayers".
Mbogori works for MWENGO, a group active in eastern and southern Africa. The
Harare-based initiative focuses on lobbying governments on behalf of NGOs.
Silam Hassan, a trade union activist from Malaysia, says workers, the
government and business have come together to sort out issues. So similarly
must the Commonwealth Secretariat, the Foundation and civil society.
"We just don't have enough say in what goes on," she says. "We are working
with the people, and governments that take action in the name of the people
must listen to us." (END/2003)
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