Stephen Law, Exec. Director, EMG
Sunday morning 1st September was a particularly depressing morning.
It seemed as if the Summit negotiations were going nowhere. The time
and space for NGOs to make any input was fast running out. Inside Sandton,
South African NGOs were conspicuous by their absence. Rank amateurs
at high-level lobbyists though we were, a few of us decided that a last
minute appeal to our own Government delegation might just... might juuuuuuuust
make that tiny difference, add that miniscule increment on which the
outcomes of these mega-summits are built.
There were a 3 "hot" issues that morning
- The access problems facing NGOs -- the Convention Centre was simply
too small and UN security totally unsympathetic
- Some of the "logjam breaking techniques" that were (apparently)
being used inside the closed-door negotiating chambers were (reportedly)
excluding smaller but more progressive countries
- The growing focus on Type II partnerships.
Our argument was that it would be better that the talks fail completely
than South Africa as host try to engineer a half-baked compromise. This
was an 11th hour intervention. Heads of State and Heads of Government
(HOSs and HOGs respectively!) were to start arriving the following morning
and would want things effectively sewn up and ready to sign.
By 11pm on Sunday night, after much cell phone airtime, scrounging
of laptops, and patching into printer we finally delivered a handful
of copies of the following document to the South African government
delegation. We got a formal fax of acknowledgement a few days later,
but we're still not sure if it made any difference!
| We the undersigned South African organisation and networks had
hoped that the South African government, as WSSD host, would lead
the world towards sustainable development because of the unique
experience and skill in managing our complex and continues political
transformation. This has not happened.
On the eve of the arrival of the Heads of State to the WSSD,
we are alarmed by the process and substance of negotiations. In
particular.
- A small unrepresentative group of countries are meeting in
closed sessions. This is reminiscent of WTO "green room"
discussions, where a few, powerful countries aim to reach consensus
and break the solidarity of development countries and undermine
their concerns. By allowing this, South Africa's commitment
to global democracy is under question.
- Through various mechanism, the South African government has
excluded NGOs and civil society representatives from the Johannesburg
process. This is unacceptable, particularly given the fact that
there was ample time to plan. Limited access can only be understood
as a deliberate attempt to create competition, conflict and
division between civil society actors. It undermines the productive
and creative role that civil society played in the 1992 Rio
Summit and subsequent conventions. A dangerous precedent has
been set.
- We call on South Africa to stand firm in its demand for a
strong, Type 1 outcome. We reject moves by some countries and
constituencies to weaken the plan of implementation. A weak
agreement will show South Africa, as chair, as unable and unwilling
to steer the world towards sustainable development. In the absence
of a strong type 1 outcome, Type 2 " partnerships"
are totally unacceptable. We expect our government to stand
firm in:
- rejecting the primacy of the WTO over the UN and trade
over environment and development,
- rejecting attempts to erode what was agreed in Rio, in
particular the Precautionary and Common but Differentiated
Responsibility principles.
- promoting Human Rights - including the environmental
right - as articulated in our Constitution.
South Africa is chairing the WSSD because, as people, we defeated
apartheid. As government you are in danger of betraying this legacy.
The world has put its faith in us and we are in danger of feeling
them. South Africa does not want to be remembered as having presided
over the death of Rio. A "failed" negotiation is preferable
an unprincipled " success" . People of the world will
respect South Africa for taking this stand.
************************
SANGOCO, Wildlife & Environment Society of South Africa,
Masifundisi, Environmental Monitoring Group, South African Freeze
Alliance on Genetic Engineering, SA Green Revolutionary Council,
Groundwork, Bio Watch South Africa, Anti - Eviction Campaign,
South Africa Civil Society Water Caucus, Black Sash, Earth Life
Africa |
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