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TITLE: Message to the Government and the People of Our Country |
AUTHOR: Marie Shaba |
PUB: Tanzania Association of Non-Governmental Organisations (TANGO) |
DATE: February 28, 2001 |
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The political parties and certain individuals in the government think that they hold the destiny of this country in their hands and that the non-partisan citizens are passive recipients of their directives. A number of events have occurred in Tanzania that illustrate this ideology. We, as individual citizens and civil society organisations, are demanding respect, a voice and equal participation in shaping the destiny of our country. Friday, February 23 2001 at the meeting between top executives of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank and Heads of States of Sub-Saharan Africa, representatives from youth, human rights, gender and other civil society organisations conveyed a message to the leaders of the Bretton-Woods institutions. The message of the civil society organisations was that the policies and conditions set by the Bretton-Woods institutions are unfair and hurting the people. They are choking the life out of our health care facilities, shrinking our education system, systematically dispossessing us of our resources, and discriminating against our farmers and our manufacturers. The policy terms may look good on paper and produce some impressive economic indicators, however, we are suffering. We believe that the welfare of the people is more important than statistics. As the Bretton-Woods leaders and heads of states emerged from the Sheraton, a few concerned citizens displayed their banners and placards. They were immediately arrested, taken to the central police station and detained. When other concerned citizens, including the chairperson of the Tanzania Gender Networking Program (TGNP), went to bail her colleagues out of jail, she was also arrested, detained and assaulted by police! A journalist was also assaulted by police when attempting to read the placards. TANGO demands an explanation of these arrests: Why are the police paranoid and threatened when people express themselves? Who authorised this unconstitutional action by the police and what action will be taken against him or her? We also insist on an apology from the police for their oppressive, intimidating and unprovoked behaviour towards activists that were peacefully advocating in the interests of the people. The political climate in Tanzania today is tense and creating fear. Fear breeds hate and revenge, two potentially volatile and explosive emotions. The common citizens have great difficulty accessing their constitutional and lawful rights. When they try to exercise their rights, they are belittled, ignored and often abused. This environment is not conducive to peace, democracy, and progress. Real life examples of this process have already occurred in Kilosa between pastoralists and farmers over land rights and in Zanzibar when demonstrators clashed with the government. Further tension is currently brewing elsewhere between farmers and pastoralists because of unresolved land issues. How far will this go? How many more people will have to die senselessly? The civil society in Tanzania, unlike the political parties, are not interested in, nor do they seek power as an end. We seek justice and fairness, for if there is no justice there can be no peace. In a true democracy, the government cannot make itself accountable. It has to be made accountable by an informed, active and vibrant civil society. We are all actors in our own destiny and each of us - government, NGOs, community groups, the business sector, private citizens and the media - has a role to play in directing the future. The media is an especially powerful tool for shaping beliefs, influencing policy and guiding change. As such, TANGO calls upon the members of the media to work in partnership and cooperation with the civil society organizations in being the watchdogs of the government and ensuring that government serves the people in a transparent, open way. We do not suggest that we become enemies of the state, but rather that we act as custodians of peace and justice. We must act with integrity and courage, for it is better to have one brave enemy that can tell the truth than to have 20 hypocritical friends that can lead you to wrong decisions. We join all those who are calling upon the President to uphold the democratic principles of our country and form an independent commission of participants from the government, civil society, the business sector, and private citizens to:- * provide information that the masses need without fear or favour; * work together to resolve current tension, misunderstandings and mistrust; and * develop a common understanding of democracy, good governance and the rule of good law. We must take care not to allow those acting against the interests of the state to hide themselves and their actions by manipulating the existing political tensions and playing political parties off against one another. We all want the same things; a principled debt cancellation, sustainable development for our people, and a fair economic deal for Tanzania. For the love of our country, let's respect and celebrate our differences in a civilized way. END |