[Peace-discuss] Fwd: [SRRTAC-L:7294] Fwd: [bank-boycott] Pakistani Peace Movement on World Bank, Afghanistan (fwd)

[Al Kagan]

>Delivered-To: akagan at alexia.lis.uiuc.edu
>Date: Wed, 12 Dec 2001 21:37:35 -0800 (PST)
>From: Gerardo Colmenar <colmenar at library.ucsb.edu>
>To: SRRT Action Council <srrtac-l at ala.org>
>Subject: [SRRTAC-L:7294] Fwd: [bank-boycott] Pakistani Peace 
>Movement on World Bank, Afghanistan
>  (fwd)
>Reply-To: srrtac-l at ala.org
>Sender: owner-srrtac-l at ala.org
>Status:  
>
>
>
>fyi
>
>gary
>
>>The following statement was released by the Citizen's Peace Coalition,
>>Labour Alliance and other Pakistani civil society groups on the occasion of
>>a conference organized by the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, and
>>United Nations Development Program on Afghanistan's reconstruction in late
>>November.
>>
>>+++++++++++++++++++++++++
>>
>>Islamabad, November 27-29, 2001
>>
>>The Pakistani peace movement and those who are struggling against the
>>negative effects of globalisation register their protest at the holding of
>>the above-mentioned conference to discuss the future of Afghanistan and the
>>Afghani people. Despite any claims made to the contrary, this meeting is
>>exclusive and unrepresentative, and reflects the lack of democratic
>>functioning and excessive influence of Northern countries in the
>>decision-making of the host institutions. In general, we are skeptical
>>about the future role of the international financial institutions (IFIs) in
>>Afghanistan, and demand a reevaluation of their policies in Pakistan.
>>
>>Our specific concerns are the following:
>>
>>1.      Reconstruction and development should be undertaken at a basic
>>level and no long-term decisions should be taken about Afghanistan's future
>>that imposes the will of foreign countries or international institutions:
>>Conferences such as the one taking place in Islamabad are clearly
>>unrepresentative and long-term decisions taken will be premature. It is
>>impossible to expect that most of those present at such conferences have
>>deep-rooted understanding about Afghan society and the realities of
>>Afghanistan today, after over two decades of conflict. Those who are
>>genuinely able to represent the hopes and aspirations of the Afghan people
>>will come to the fore through a political process that is not driven by
>>external forces, or those internal forces who have proven time and again
>>that they do not protect the interest of the Afghan people. Only once such
>>a political process is initiated and Afghan representatives are chosen can
>>decisions beyond basic relief and social reconstruction take place.
>>Democratisation of state and society is required in the long-run. This
>>means that conferences such as the one being held should involve
>>marginalized groups, including women.
>>
>>2.      Extremism and neo-liberal economic policies: One of the important
>>root causes of the recent explosion of religious extremism and violent
>>political conflicts is the unjust, monopolistic and undemocratic nature of
>>the global economy, which is closely linked to the neo-liberal policies of
>>IFIs. Pakistan is a perfect example of this relationship. An increase in
>>absolute poverty, rapidly decreasing government/state support for social
>>sector development, dwindling employment opportunities in the formal sector
>>due to privatization policies and corporatization of economy, a high burden
>>of foreign debt, etc. are some of the many outcomes of neo-liberal
>>policies. Structural adjustment programs and loan conditionalities from
>>multilateral institutions have created a policy environment that is
>>essentially anti-poor and inequality and injustice, dis-empowerment and
>>political unrest.
>>
>>3.      Economy of war and militarization: IFIs claim to be committed to
>>the reduction of poverty, economic growth and development. However, they
>>fail to admit and analyze the linkages between underdevelopment and
>>militarization and war. More than one hundred billion dollars were spent in
>>the Gulf war. This failure is deliberate and should not be disassociated
>  >from the growing convergence of the global security agenda and corporate
>>business interests. The influence of the petro-military-industrial complex
>>is the driving force behind the global decision-making system. The on-going
>>US military campaign in Afghanistan is a microcosm of this political
>>economy. Many experts believe that this military campaign is designed to
>>achieve monopoly over the huge but unexplored oil and gas reserves of land
>>locked Caspian region. IFIs do have links to corporations involved in the
>>manufacture and distribution of weapons.
>>
>>4.      Foreign debt: The balance of payments crises that have plagued much
>>of the South over the past couple of decades continue to get worse in
>>Pakistan. Hollow promises from Western countries that Pakistan's debt
>>problems will be addressed have gone unheeded. Debt rescheduling is not a
>>viable option as it will only result in problems resurfacing at a later
>>time. Meanwhile, the IFIs continue to "suggest" that Pakistan take out more
>>loans to pay back earlier ones. The situation will continue to spiral out
>>of proportion, and soon our 2-3 weeks of foreign reserves will also be
>>wiped out. Similarly, the World Bank has already started to mention that
>>Afghanistan is still $US23 million in arrears. A war torn country such as
>>Afghanistan will face massive reconstruction costs. If these costs are to
>>be borne through loans from the IFIs, the Afghani population in the future
>>will be paying off debt for generations to come. The overall development
>>paradigm propagated by IFIs also perpetuates debt as borrowing countries
>>are "encouraged" to hire foreign consultants and spend enormous amounts of
>>money on other overhead costs.
>>
>>5.      Privatization and Liberalisation: Privatisation and liberalization
>>have been trumpeted by the IFIs as the two main precepts of neo-liberalism.
>>The policies have resulted in a loss to food security of our smallholders
>>and subsistence farmers as a result of abolition of subsidies for basic
>>crops. They have also led to enormous problems for our small and
>>medium-sized enterprises in particular. And they have also led to a
>>decrease in real wages and an increase in unemployment. Finally,
>>privatization of state-owned enterprises has been preceded by a disruption
>>in provision of social services such as education and health. Examples
>>include Pakistan Railways, WAPDA, and PTCL.
>>
>>
>>We wish to make the following demands:
>>
>>a) Only a democratically elected future Afghan government has the right to
>>formulate long-term reconstruction and development policies. The
>>interventions of IFIs at present should be limited to immediate relief
>>activities, basic social reconstruction, monitoring of human rights
>>violations, etc. When an elected government is in place, IFIs can be
>>granted a forum to discuss their future involvement in Afghanistan's
>>reconstruction.
>>
>>b) IFIs should immediately start the process of analyzing the effects of
>>militarization and war on development. The role and influence of rich and
>>powerful countries in determining the agenda of IFIs should be challenged,
>>and the IFIs should be reformed to pursue the goals for which they were
>>originall intended. IFIs should stop any funding whatsoever that is
>>utilized for the purchase or manufacture of weapons.
>>
>>c) Likely future financing for energy development projects and oil and gas
>>pipelines may become another destabilizing factor in Afghanistan and
>>central Asia and IFIs should ensure that the interests of the people of
>>Afghanistan remain supreme in this regard.
>>
>>d) An immediate writing off of all foreign debt should take place in the
>>region, including any repayments incumbent on Afghanistan. The predominant
>>development paradigm should also be reevaluated.
>>
>>e) A thorough evaluation of current privitization/liberalisation policies
>>should take place and the rights of formal and informal sector workers,
>>small and landless farmers, fisherfolk communities, and other working-class
>>Pakistanis should be given priority.
>>
>>f) A system to increase the transparency and accountability of IFIs and
>  >simultaneously increase participation of concerned citizens in
>>decision-making on development issues should be devised.
>>
>
>>
>>++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>>Neil Watkins
>>World Bank Bonds Boycott
>>Center for Economic Justice
>>1830 Connecticut Ave., NW, 4th floor,
>>Washington, DC 20009
>>Tel: (202) 299-0020 / Fax: (202) 299-0021
>>Web: www.worldbankboycott.org
>>
>>To receive occasional updates on the World Bank Bonds boycott, join our
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>>Send blank e-mail to <bank-boycott-subscribe at yahoogroups.com>.
>>
>>
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-- 


Al Kagan
African Studies Bibliographer and Professor of Library Administration
Africana Unit, Room 328
University of Illinois Library
1408 W. Gregory Drive
Urbana, IL 61801, USA

tel. 217-333-6519
fax. 217-333-2214
e-mail. akagan at uiuc.edu