Voice of the Rural World

Finally,…..new edition of fimarc VOICE OF THE RURAL WORLD, and here is some thought’s of the Secretary General , Daisy Herman and Ehab Abraam from Egypt.

Good Governance

Considering the current political affairs around the world, the elections that took place in the Democratic Republic of Congo not so long ago, the elections in preparation in France, in the United States, it seems especially important to study these concepts and to know how they work in order to really make our voices heard. For us, peasants and rural people, who sometimes have problems in making our voices heard or to understand the complexity of the decision making process, we have to continue the analysis efforts. The recent failure of the WTO negotiations is a significant example of the complexity of the political world and the decisions made, or not made in this case, with all the elements related to the decision that has to be made. Actually, the negotiations clearly underline what is at stake, what can be negotiated, what can be discussed. For us, it is essential to go back to the basic principles, to what should prevail over the decisions, i.e. human dignity. In the case of the WTO negotiations, we see « scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours » negotiations, discussions, compromises… When do they take our interests into account? Who is going to defend them? How can we make our voice heard? Our campaign for food sovereignty and for the sovereignty of countries is currently fundamental.

We have the duty to develop consultation mechanisms for the people, to go back to people’s essential needs and to organize our ideas to turn them into political proposals that defend the interests of the weakest. Let’s not delude ourselves, the proposals of the G20, for instance with regards to the WTO, do not support the small and medium peasantry but follow the emerging countries theory, the same theory used by the neoliberal and capitalist system that oppresses us. Our utopia of a more brotherly world is not unrealistic. It must help us to live, to mobilize for this project to be a success because we cannot expect much from the world’s leaders.We have to take care of our future, to believe that things can change to have a happy life on this planet.

Daisy Herman, Secretary General

Egypt Good governance is the result of a democracy that is correctly understood, implemented and I would like to focus on good governance in the framework of development… our mission. Our mission is carried out at the local level in rural societies.The latter have the right to decide theiabraham.jpgr needs, which they express through the local leader.

The methodology consists in starting from realities, defining the needs, deciding what is possible and in seeing what can be achieved. Only then we can do something on the basis of what the local populations have identified in terms of needs and we do that in different steps (determination, analysis, awareness rising, decision) aiming at make sure that there is a true practice of democracy for those people to be able to govern themselves. Good governance also involves fighting corruption, not losing time in developing unrealistic projects and working always in a transparent manner. Concretely speaking, it means rising awareness about what we really need, the needs of our society, giving people a chance to express their needs for the sake of common good… and it also means fighting against those who only defend their own interests.

Nobody is free from control or judgment… We must all be ready to be accountable for what we do during our mission. There is good governance when all people can listen to others, think of others’ needs before their own, living and practicing democracy, not a blind and theoretical one but based on family and in our community…

Ehab Abraam