Comments on: What can NGOs do in a political downturn? Ideas from Central America

By: Lucy Stone Russell

Lucy Stone Russell — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 14:22:27 +0000

As another Oxfam CAMEXCA person (from 1980s up to hurricane Mitch) I find the discussion thought-provoking and wonder where it might lead.

Someone recommended to me these postings on International Alert about the very differing role of the business sectors in Guatemala and El Salvador during those countries’ peace processes. And I wonder if they’re any use in looking ‘out of the box’ at new potential alliances, (as ‘out of the box’ as your Honduran restauranteur in today’s blog). http://www.international-alert.org/sites/default/files/publications/17_section_2_El_Salvador.pdf
http://www.international-alert.org/sites/default/files/publications/18_section_2_Guatemala.pdf
I agree with Carlos, Oxfam should stay for the long term, we’ve learnt a lot from Central America/Mexico region if you look at OGB’s own history (1976 Guate earthquake onwards) and I’m sure there’s more to be shared.

By: Carlos S. Zepeda

Carlos S. Zepeda — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 10:19:24 +0000

Thanks for this reflection Duncan, I am always following your posts. Having been a former Political Advocacy Officer with Oxfam in CAMEXCA,and as a Salvadorean with Nicaraguan and Guatemalan roots, I can only say that I share a lot of these feelings, but I would be happier with a combination of your options 2 and 3, because they are more proactive and defying (not business as usual). “How change happens” in Central America is a question that can be partly responded by taking a close look at how power structures have changed through time in the region and which are still hegemonic. For example, corporations are still the dominant transnational regional power and have political influence over the States of the Isthmus and so on. Elites are still reproducing there the profound patterns of inequality and social exclusion of the eighties, but with different mechanisms, now they are more global/local, multidimensional and long term…(For instance, see the ongoing work of Benedicte Bull on the subject http://www.sum.uio.no/english/people/aca/bbull/index.html ) which leads me to the following thought: development organizations such as Oxfam that believe in change “from poverty to power” have to have long term ethical commitments towards their partners. They cannot flee to other places just like the markets in the stock exchange.Doing so gives a bad message for partners and discredits development organizations. Furthermore,utopias need coalitions with a broad set of actors, old and new. Societies in Central America are evolving and new powerful actors are in play (and this obviously includes churches). Ethical and creative sources of fund come easier and are better legitimized when broad coalitions target common societal objetives with solidarity in many dimensions including economics. Can you imagine what a broad coalition against structural violence in Central America would look like? Or on advocating for implementing the Human Right to Water for all in the region? It would be at the very least multiscalar and multi-actor and this should include dev. NGOs such as Oxfam. Giving voice to the voiceless for positive change to occur implies direct work with the youth movement (including the socially excluded gangs or “maras”, migrants, religious communities, etc. A barters network (of ideas, inspiration, solidarity) with progressive social movements in Europe is also something key.
Constructing utopia means constructing positive change with broad coalitions, long term and defying negative power structures. Thanks for sparking thoughts on this otherwise forgotten and neglected region!

By: Chris Carrigan

Chris Carrigan — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 09:25:24 +0000

It feels to me that the problem occurs when we assume that the enemy is passive- Liberty is always unfinished business. Which would suggest that the answer is a combination of 2,3, and 4. Digging in for the long term, taking opportunities to advance when they occur and tenaciously defending the ground once we have taken it.