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UPDATE #8
Notes from Mega Conference Call
Tuesday, 21 November 2000A "mega" conference call was held with people
planning to attend the Americas PrepCom and NGO meeting in Santiago, Chile. Deborah Robinson was the moderator for the call and Wade Henderson, Gay McDougall, Deborah Robinson and Julie Howell Barros spoke.
What follows are just the informal notes taken by Deborah Robinson, but hopefully reflect the most important points made on the call. Wade Henderson, executive director of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights
welcomed everyone on the call and gave a little background on how the call came about. He introduced the four people speaking and then handed it over to Deborah Robinson. Deborah Robinson, executive director of
International Possibilities Unlimited and member of the US NGO Coordinating Committee, introduced Gay McDougall, executive director of the International Human Rights Law Group, who gave an update on the status of
documents for Chile, an analysis of the hot button issues and suggestions of how NGOs could be most effective. Documents That Will Come Out of Chile
There will be 3 documents that will come out of Chile:
1. An NGO Declaration and Program of Action (which is being drafted by the IDEAS Foundation).
2. A Declaration (by governments)
3. A Program of Action (by governments)
Informal negotiations have been taking place for the past week in Geneva on #2 and #3. Venezuela did the initial draft and only 20 of the 40 countries in the region were represented. There
are considerable problems with the language in the document. So much so, of the 300 paragraphs (a very long document) most are in brackets (meaning there is no consensus on the wording). Another
problem is that the 1st draft of the Program of Action had no mention of African descendents in the Americas!! One hundred thirty million people of African descent were overlooked. Another draft of the
document is being created by the Executive Committee, which includes Chile, Brazil, Canada, Barbados, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru and Guatemala. Canada is so displeased with the status of the draft, they may
withdraw from the Bureau. Gay strongly suggested that those who have contacts with any of these governments should stay in close contact with them and encourage them to include the most progressive/forceful
language possible. The drafts are changing daily!!! NGO Meeting – The Citizens Conference The 2-day NGO meeting will be organized in Identity Caucuses the first day and Thematic
Commissions the second day. Identity Caucuses Thematic Commissions Afro-descendant Peoples Gender, racism and discrimination
Indigenous Peoples Access to justice and enforceability of rights Migrants and Refugees Democracy, globalization and social, economic and cultural rights.
Displaced Peoples Communication, education and the Internet Other Ethnic Groups Land, environment and territory Related intolerance Civil freedoms and civil and political rights
Civil society networks and international cooperation Children, young people, older adults, racism and discrimination. As a note, the International Human Rights Law Group has
organized a 3-hour panel discussion on Race and Poverty on December 4th, from 8-11am. Americas PrepCom – Government Meeting The government meeting will be organized in two
parallel processes. There will be a running plenary where NGOs and governments will speak on the 5 themes. At the same time, there will be a Committee of the Whole/Drafting Group that will negotiate the
final wording of the Declaration and Program of Action. Hot Button Issues
1. Reparations 2. Poverty and Racism 3. Race and Gender
Gay noted that it would be important for people to be aware of tensions between Afro-Latinos and Indigenous populations in Latin America. She also noted that it is important for US NGOs to keep in
mind that there will be an imbalance between US NGOs and those from other countries in the region. NGOs from other countries in the region have expressed concern about that. She suggested that we spend most
of our time seeking others out in the region and pledging our solidarity with them. We should have less of a "frontal attack", and more of a collaborative spirit. Strategy for US NGOs
1. Contact all of the governments that you have relationship with concerning the draft Program of Action. 2. Develop a set of 10 principles to get into the final document. This
should include our issues and other people's issues. Make alliances with others in the region. 3. One of the most significant contributions of the PrepCom will be the recognition of the African
descendant population in the Americas. The Indigenous Peoples have been given some recognition in the past decade, but few people know of the struggles of the Afro-Latinos in the region. We need to build
strong alliances with the Afro-Latino movements.
Next, Deborah Robinson spoke about logistical issues related to the PrepCom Registration It is important that everyone registers for the NGO Meeting on the website www.confciudadana.cl
. Your organization must be registered first, and then individuals can register. Hotels IDEAS Foundation has negotiated special rates with a variety of hotels. This
information can also be found on their website. There is no ONE hotel where everyone is staying. You can see where people are staying by consulting the list of US participants on www.ngoworldconference.org.Credentials
Registration is for the NGO meeting. Accreditation allows an organization to attend UN and governmental meetings in preparation for the World Conference. After an organization receives its
accreditation, it must send a letter to Sandra Aragon in Geneva listing the individuals who should received credentials to attend the Americas PrepCom. This letter must be received in Geneva by 28 November.
Governmental Meeting There has been some confusion about a form to attend the governmental meeting. It was on the Spanish language version of the registration for the NGO meeting, but not
on the English version. After calling to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it was discovered that the form was only for government delegations. The only process for NGOs is the credential process through
Geneva. US Participant Form Since it is expected that 100 people from the US will attend the meetings in Chile, we thought it would be important to have a list of who will be attending, from
which NGO, the issues they plan to bring, whether they have organized a workshop or panel presentation and the hotel where they are staying. Deborah has sent out this form and it is important that we get the
responses as soon as possible. The list of those who returned their form by Saturday, 18 November are listed on the website www.ngoworldconference.org. A plea was made for everyone to return his or her form as soon as
possible. Another list of US participants will be available next week. Please note, this participation form (which was originally called a registration form), DOES NOT register you for the NGO meeting.
Please register for the NGO meeting on-line (see section above on registration).Briefing in Santiago The US NGO Coordination Committee will conduct a face-to-face briefing/orientation in
Santiago for US NGOs on Saturday, 2 December in the late afternoon or early evening. The briefing/orientation is especially targeted for those with limited experience with the United Nations and UN meetings.
The orientation will give background to the WCAR, how to effectively participate in both the NGO and governmental meeting, and have time for questions and answers. The location of the briefing/orientation is being
finalized and will be announced next week. Next, Julia Howell Barros gave some background on the social/political context of Chilean society and some practical information for travelers. Social Context of Chile
She mentioned that social class is the most important distinction in Chile. About 90% are of Spanish descent (those who colonized Chile), 5% are Europeans and 5% are Indigenous. Given
these demographics, Chileans are "fascinated with people who look different." Ninety percent of the population is Catholic. In fact, it is only Chile and Italy where divorce is illegal! It is a very
traditional culture and they have very traditional attitudes towards women. The population of Chile is 15 million and 5 million live in Santiago. They recently had their first ever American-style election
campaign and election after the dictatorship. Given the role of the United States in the overthrow of the Allende government, there is anti-American sentiment. What to Pack & What to Expect Women should wear skits; pants are not worn in social settings. You should not wear shorts, except at the beach (which is no where close to Santiago). There are three meals a day; breakfast is
continental style (so if you are used to a full breakfast, you should bring or get snacks), lunch is the main meal of the day and it is from 1-3pm, and dinner is light and late (9-11pm). There is no brewed coffee
in Chile, only instant. Saccharin is in pill form, not powder. The food is not spicy at all. There are a wide variety of fruits and vegetables – many that you don't have here. In terms of
climate, Santiago is much like Los Angeles in that it is warm during the day, but cools off considerably in the evening. Sexism and Racism Women in Chile do not go out alone, so women should
always be with at least another woman and it is better if women are with at least one man. There are deep-rooted attitudes about race in Chile. Although for some the term, "Negrita" which means "my little
black one" is viewed as a term of endearment, for others it is very offensive. The best selling candy bar in Chile is named Negrita. Questions and Answers for Speakers (Since I was
moderating and answering questions, I did not get all the questions and all the answers. Here are some of the Q & As. Q: How safe is the water and should you really eat the fruit? A: Wash the fruit with
bottled water and it is highly recommended that you stick to bottled water. Q: Could you say a little more about the Race and Poverty Roundtable and the conflict between Afro-Latinos and Indigenous peoples? A: The
Roundtable will be a free flowing discussion that will cover a number of topics including globalization, affirmative action, reparations, international financial institutions, land questions, race and gender, and look
at the issue of class, wealth and poverty. It will also be important to look at the definition of race and the extent that the focus is on darker skinned people in multi-racial societies vs. ethnic
conflicts. In terms of the Afro-Latino and Indigenous tensions, it is important just to have that in the back of your mind and be in a position to short-circuit any tensions between peoples and groups. It is
not to make this into something more than it is. Q: It would be very important to have 1) a permanent meeting place everyday where information can be dispensed, 2) overnight work on a newsletter that would chronicle
what is happening, the various positions being taken and why, an analysis of what has happened and suggestions for urgent action needed, etc. Are we going to have something like that in Chile? A: We are trying
to secure space for a daily briefing, but it most be remembered that space is limited. Gay McDougall agreed to supply whatever information she could to people on a daily basis. Beverly Baker-Kelly, the
person who asked the question, was asked if she would be willing to coordinate such an effort. It was also suggested that people who can should bring down notebook computers and portable printers, as this will
facilitate note taking and writing such a newsletter/document. Q: Are people locked into the Caucuses you signed up for? Should we translate papers before we get there or will there be translation available
there? A: It is not clear whether you will be locked into the Caucus you signed up for. It would be good if the US delegation had at least a few people in each Caucus and Commission. You must get all
documents translated before you go to Chile. The translators there will only be working on official documents. In addition, it probably would be best to bring down as many copies as you need because we don't
know how common duplication shops (like Kinkos) are there. Q: I am working on racial and ethnic disparities in health care. How can we most effectively work on that issue and make sure it is reflected in the
documents? A: It is important to consult the www.ngoworldconference.org
website because the responses to the US participation form are listed there. There are a number of people going to Chile with interests in disparities in health care. The first step is to link up with them. It should also be noted that the document that comes out of the Americas PrepCom serves a duel focus; it highlights issues here, but also feeds into the global preparatory phase. An important strategy is getting your issue highlighted and in the Americas document.
Comment: In response to the previous question, I suggest that the caller see what the Pan American Health Organization has done on this issue. On another point, African Americans have a delicate balance to
maintain. On the one hand, they cannot be seen as dominating the meeting, but should try to lead from behind. On the other hand, African Americans can play a significant role in terms of media
coverage. Therefore African Americans must walk a fine line. Finally, the tensions between Afro-Latinos and Indigenous Peoples should not be overplayed; there are similar tensions here. Since 1992,
Indigenous Peoples have had more attention at the United Nations and in international forums. Afro-Latinos have not had this exposure and there is some tension and feeling that now it is their moment. It
provides an important opportunity for coalition building. Q: Is it possible to get a copy of the government and NGO documents before the conference? A: Neither is for circulation. Realistically, you will get
the NGO document when you get to Chile. The government document is only being circulated through official UN channels. Comment: Makani Themba of Applied Research Center offered to help out in terms of producing
a newsletter/document. She also suggested that there be a session in Chile (and followed with sessions in the US), to talk about strategy and how to really forge a movement in the US. The briefings are
helpful, but we need time to really discuss the issues and develop a strategy for the next 9 months. Finally, she requested that the names of the people on the call be shared with everyone. The mega conference
call lasted one and a half hours. We thanked everyone for calling in. |
