Berichte
Termin des WSF 2006 (Asiatischer Teil) verschoben
Offizielle Begründung für die Verlegung vom Januar 2006 auf voraussichtlich 24. bis 29.03.2006 (in englischer Sprache)
November 20, 2005
Subject: Shifting the Dates of WSF 2006 Karachi for 2 months.
Dear friends
A joint meeting of National Steering Committee (NSC) of Pakistan Social
Forum and Organizing Committee (OC) of WSF 2006 Karachi was held on
November 19, 2005 in Lahore. The meeting was attended by more than 100
members of both NSC and OC. The meeting took a comprehensive stock of
the level of preparations for WSF2006 Karachi. All the district and
provincial chapters, tasks groups and member organizations presented
reports on their preparations for the WSF2006. The members shown
general satisfaction on the progress in difficult circumstances and
conditions. A comprehensive report on the logistic arrangements in
Karachi was also given to the members. The meeting was informed that
the WSF Karachi secretariat is now functioning full time and all the
task groups are holding their regular meetings. A comprehensive review
of the progress by all the working groups was held in Karachi recently
that showed satisfactory progress in many areas. The meeting was also
informed that till November 15th about 238 events have been registered
for WSF Karachi and the number is increasing and as the deadline for
event registration has extended till November 30th so the numbers will
be much higher.
The meeting however noted the gaps in mobilization, fund raising and
voluntary contributions from members due to earth quake and engagements
of most of the volunteers, member organizations in the relief and
rehabilitation work in earth quake affected areas. The meeting was also
informed that the financial commitments from different donors (both
individual and organizations) in the pre-quake phase have also reduced
due to the fact that most of these funds are now being channeled to
relief and rehabilitation work.
The meeting also showed its deepest concerns on the wide scale
devastations mainly in Kashmir and NWFP areas due to recent earth quake
and resolved to continue its political, financial and moral support to
the survivors. While committing to continue its fullest support in all
forms and manifestation. The meeting also shown its deepest
apprehensions on the misuse of aid for disaster victims/survivors
primarily by the military regime. Roles of parliament, Kashmir and NWFP
governments are completely bypassed and the military has taken over the
entire relief and rehabilitation operations. It is also noted
that funds are being misused without any public or political
accountability and the situation will further aggravate in the future
as all rehabilitation work is being done without parliamentary approval
or public transparency. The meeting also confirmed its resolve to
critically watch and monitor the aid coming for the rehabilitation and
guard against the military take over of
the entire area and further militarizing the occupied land.
The meeting also reviewed the recommendations of various consultations
held in post-earth quake phase. All these meetings suggested PSF to
play active role in highlighting issues of aid transparency, state
accountability in disaster management and mitigation and other linked
issues and including these issues in the WSF program. These
consultations however suggested to shift the dates of the WSF Karachi
owing to the current involvement of its members in the relief and
rehabilitation work in earth quake affected areas and other factors
linked to funds, visa, mobilization and regional gaps in regional
consultations and planning.
The meeting after considering all the factors and level of preparations
for the WSF Karachi and recommendations of coordination committee of OC
of WSF Karachi concluded to shift the dates of WSF Karachi for atleast
two months. The new dates, however, will be announced after consulting
Asian Council and IC of WSF. The meeting also decided that the issue of
disaster and role of state, global forces, aid, trade and debt should
also form focus of our discussion these days. A two-day Pakistan Social
Forum will be organized on January 23-24, 2006 in Lahore to highlight
these issues. The forum will primarily be a Pakistan Forum but
international delegates will also be invited to show solidarity with
the survivors of earth quake. Lahore committee was asked to present a
comprehensive plan for Pakistan Forum January 2006. It was also
concluded that WSF Karachi should not be delayed for more than 2 months.
In the meantime the Organizing Secretariat of WSF will continue
dialogue with the Asian council and IC to announce new dates for the
Polycentric WSF2006 Karachi. The meeting decided that the venue of
WSF2006 will remain in Karachi and that the present committees,
subcommittees and secretariat will continue functioning for organizing
the event on new dates. Moreover the members resolved to continue their
current efforts of mobilization, event registration and other essential
debates to keep the current momentum intact and without any break or
gap. The members also showed their fullest commitment to the process of
WSF and its charter of principle.
The meeting also decided to form a task committee to help PSF
contribute in the current relief and rehabilitation work especially in
setting up new settlements with the assistance of member organizations
and other supporters. Following members volunteered to be in the task
committee:
- Sayeda Diep
- Nasreen Awan
- Teimur Rehman
- Khalid
- Saqib
- Mehar Safdar
- Tariq
- Mahwish Shaukat
The committee will give a comprehensive strategy for fund raising to
PSF and will help undertake the ideas discussed in the meeting.
Reported by:
Irfan Mufti
Secretary
Paksitan Social Forum
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