What constitute Civil Society Actors...
Recently, I have the opportunity to engage in a discussion among the local and national NGOs and community representatives who came together to discuss and prepare to engage in a government-led platform for consultative meeting. The content of the discussion was a vitally important to the treasured natural resources and consequential impacts on the livelihood of many million people who rely on this resource. What amazed me was the core question I raised in this headline: What constitutes civil society actors which lead me to subsequently reflect and reconsider.
The so-called "consultative" meeting is widely believed to be a 'mere' process to legitimize the government position on the controversial issue. Yet, the government body has invited civil society and community to join the 'meeting' to voice out their concerns and position. The discussion come down to whether 'we' - as the group put it - should participate or just be there to observe - a way to present their position not to accept the process as a legitimate one. However, during the discussion, some members of the community clearly said that if they would just be at the meeting as observer, what is the point that they travel so far to come and observe; they also points out that they have a number of grave concern about the potential impact of the dam to share with the government and concerned stakeholder. After a back-and-ford discussions with probe and push, the meeting participants decided that they would be participate and contribute their view and communities will be striving for space to raise their views.
While the end result is an interesting one, my reflection still remains as to how NGOs people, either national or local or event some international NGOs are playing gate keepers roles at some level. Should there be no push and probe and challenges to get the space for civil society, they would be pushing for being 'observer' status when these communities rep received an invite to be an active participants to bring their concerns and view to the table.
While we are saying that the government is not open and not giving space to people to express their view and concerns, sometime, we ourselves is perpetuating exactly the same things as to what we say we don't want the government to do.
From a citizen who have been engaging in similar process/space in development for over a decade. I am truly fed up with the language of development workers whose bottom line of their concerns is their own security, their own funding opportunity, and their own selves. Because it is too easy to be in a comfort zone...We need to listen to people who really know what they are talking about, really understand what space they need to say, and what real impact they themselves experiences. It is time to give them space they deserve and listen to what they have to say...because what they say matter to them and their livelihood. Only then, you can say you have done your job as development worker.
The so-called "consultative" meeting is widely believed to be a 'mere' process to legitimize the government position on the controversial issue. Yet, the government body has invited civil society and community to join the 'meeting' to voice out their concerns and position. The discussion come down to whether 'we' - as the group put it - should participate or just be there to observe - a way to present their position not to accept the process as a legitimate one. However, during the discussion, some members of the community clearly said that if they would just be at the meeting as observer, what is the point that they travel so far to come and observe; they also points out that they have a number of grave concern about the potential impact of the dam to share with the government and concerned stakeholder. After a back-and-ford discussions with probe and push, the meeting participants decided that they would be participate and contribute their view and communities will be striving for space to raise their views.
While the end result is an interesting one, my reflection still remains as to how NGOs people, either national or local or event some international NGOs are playing gate keepers roles at some level. Should there be no push and probe and challenges to get the space for civil society, they would be pushing for being 'observer' status when these communities rep received an invite to be an active participants to bring their concerns and view to the table.
While we are saying that the government is not open and not giving space to people to express their view and concerns, sometime, we ourselves is perpetuating exactly the same things as to what we say we don't want the government to do.
From a citizen who have been engaging in similar process/space in development for over a decade. I am truly fed up with the language of development workers whose bottom line of their concerns is their own security, their own funding opportunity, and their own selves. Because it is too easy to be in a comfort zone...We need to listen to people who really know what they are talking about, really understand what space they need to say, and what real impact they themselves experiences. It is time to give them space they deserve and listen to what they have to say...because what they say matter to them and their livelihood. Only then, you can say you have done your job as development worker.
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