Acting Together for a Just World
Author/Origin: Robert Mtonga zambiaSPAMFLTER@SPATMFLTERicbl.org |
(Tuesday 18 May 2004 ) The landmine issue featured in the Civicus World Assembly, Gaborone, Botswana, 21 - 26 March. Campaigner, Robert Mtonga reports on his experience and the workshop he ran.
Introduction
The Civicus World Assembly, under the theme “Acting Together for a Just World, was convened in Gaborone, Botswana, from 21 –26 March 2004, bringing under one roof, civil society organisations, individual activists, personalities, celebrities, researchers, academics and social practitioners to deliberate, share and rub-off the energy of a myriad of activities that characterised this congregation. Nearly 900 persons attended, well over the expected 600, signifying the interest this forum generated, from well over 105 Countries and from all continents, gender, social backgrounds, political persuasions, colour, creeds, campaigns and religions.Organisation
The Civicus World Assembly was organised around diverse topics and themes in plenaries, workshops, performing arts, speeches, reflections and informal “networking” sessions. The subjects encapsulated in 70 Workshops and about 10 plenary session’s human rights and economic justice issues to globalisation, engaging the World Bank and multilateral institutions, civil society and the millennium development goals, regional Integration, to the role of civil society in Governance. Women, youth, disadvantaged groups, were allowed time to debate and fully heard at this forum.
Official Opening
The 5th Civicus World Assembly was officially opened by The Republican President of Botswana, Festus Mogae , who implored the gathering to address the many collective challenges that face humanity today with a view to seeking common understanding in order to inform the citizens opinion and decision making process in Africa and beyond. He called for greater tolerance and more unity of citizens of the world.Deliberations
The tone for the day was set by the Plenary Session organised around the thematic issues of each day with Day 1 (March 22) set aside for Agenda Setting and Dream Weaving, Regional Integration.The second day (March 23) broadly explored issues around civic justice, economic justice, and the World Bank and Civil Society-Re-thinking engagement.
Day 3 (March 24) focused on Political Justice, Social justice, globalisation and the Millennium Development Goals and Global Justice. The final Day (March 25) was set aside for synthesis of the proceedings of the Assembly focusing on Action Strategies for just world and the Role of Civil society in Governance.
Workshops
Each day’s workshops and exchanges were formatting to reflect the Day’s Theme and covered the subjects in depth and diversity.The ICBL, represented by Dr Robert E Mtonga, organised a workshop under the topic “ The Role of Civil Society Advocacy in the creation of International Law and Policy” Over 18 participants attended (just over the limit allowed-18!).
The workshop kicked off with preliminary introductions, them followed by a 9 Minutes Video “ from A dream to Reality” covering the history of the ICBL up to the receipt of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997.
This was followed by a Presentation by Zambian Campaigner, Dr Mtonga on the organisation of the ICBL, the Landmine campaign thematic groups, how the campaign was organised, the focus of the individual members in the thematic groups, the governance structure and the rallying point. The Role of the landmine Monitor was highlighted. The workshop heard that the ICBL had a clear and enduring agenda based a clear and well articulated need to Ban Landmines under an International Law-the Ottawa process or the Mine Ban Treaty.
The workshop further heard how over 1400 campaigns and individuals came together, working with progressive Governments, mobilised resources-both human and financial- to earn respectability and credibility, bringing into being, in a record time a major Convention into International Law in living memory.
The Nairobi Review conference was singularly highlighted as a time of looking back at what started as an utopian dream to the success that the Mine Ban Treaty has evolved into. Literature, and other information titbits on the ICBL as well as LM hard copies and CD-roms were distributed.
The presentation was followed by an animated discussion with many hailing the ICBL as a shining example of co-ordination, focus and unity in diversity.
Many participants were keenly interested in how the momentum was maintained given the difficulty of getting States Parties to ratify a treaty as important as the Mine Ban Treaty.
Closing Plenary
Madam Graca Machel, a founder member of Civicus Assembly and wife of Former South African President Nelson Madiba Mandela gave the closing speech on the 25th of March 2004. She spoke about the ownership of the civic agenda, and the need to form a broad based social movement, applying united efforts on a common platform.She cited the ICBL as an example of an organisation that, on the way to success, had a clear agenda, set by CSO, has a monitoring process, worked with Governments on this common agenda and connected all nations with or without landmines. She also alluded to Anti-nuclear weapons CSOs such as IPPNW who made Nuclear Weapons States enter the Non-Proliferation Treaty thus lessening the threat of nuclear war.
General Assessment
Many delegates at the end of it all felt that the 5th Civicus World Assembly was a success and well worth the effort and energies expended in the preparation and actual programmatic work. The informal networking sessions during dinner and other social activities were hailed having formed part of the success of the Assembly. Yes, the 5th World Assembly lived up to the theme of “Acting Together for a Just World.” For further information checkout:- http://www.civicusassembly.org/Reported By: Dr Robert E Mtonga, ICBL Representative at the Civicus World Assembly. Member - Zambian Campaign to Ban Landmines.
