Kort om Ibis og ændring af strategier v. Annelise Grindsted

Ibis er en dansk solidaritets- og bistandsorganisation, som har eksisteret siden 1966. Ibis var oprindeligt en del af World University Services men har været selvstændig siden 1983.

Målgruppe: Fattige og marginaliserede mænd og kvinder

Mål: At arbejde for at menneskerettighedsituationen bliver forbedret, dvs. ret og adgang til uddannelse, sundhed og andre basale behov, igennem kapacitetsopbygning (empowerment) af organisationer især civilsamfunds organisationer.

Områder: Ibis arbejder i to regioner i Latinamerika

Centralamerika: Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador og Guatemala

Sydamerika: Bolivia. Peru og Ecuador

Vision 2012:

Indsatsen frem mod år 2005 ligger inden for strategien frem mod 2012 og har 4 hovedområder:

1. Styrke civilsamfundet. Organisationsudvikling, så organisationerne kan klare sig også efter Ibis har trukket sig ud af området

2. Folkelig deltagelse i god regeringsførelse, decentralisering. Støtte til kommuner, civilsamfundsorganisationer og de fattige, så de bliver bevidste om deres behov.

3. Uddannelse i et forandringsperspektiv. Tosprogethed, interkulturelt samfund.

4. Globale strukturelle årsager til fattigdom. Hvordan bryder man ud af fattigdommen?

Alle projekter har tværgående elementer

1. Køn

2. HIV/AIDS

3. Miljø

4. Fortalervirksomhed (på to måder: ved at lave lobbyarbejde og ved at styrke organisationerne, så de lærer at klare sig selv)

Ibis’ rolle i Guatemala: Faciliterende rolle. Har ikke projekter, der laver serviceydelser med mindre det er nødvendigt, for at komme videre i processen.

Tidligere har Ibis været meget projektorienteret, nu har de projekter med forskellige samarbejdspartnere, fokuseret på ovenstående temaområder.

Ibis er Danidafinancieret. De arbejder derfor inden for Danidas udviklingsstrategier og rammeaftaler. Evalueres fra Danidas side. desuden har Ibis tæt kontakt til den danske ambassade i Nicaragua

Projekter i Guatemala:

15-20 projekter og 5 rådgivere.

Q: Hvordan arbejder Ibis sammen med UN?

Ibis samarbejder også med MINUGUA, men mener ikke det vil have nogen større effekt på Ibis’ projekter, når MINUGUA trækker sig ud af Guatemala.

Om fredsaftalerne og besvarelse af forskellige spørgsmål, v. Mario Silvestre.

Peace Accords:

General framework: The Peace Accords in Guatemala were an instrument to initiate structural changes They were the result of various dialogues between the Government and the civic society. Some of the suggestions that were included are concerned with changes with respect to the function of the military, recognition of the indigenous peoples, more participation by the population. In 1998, the first forum was held to confirm or reject constitutional reforms suggested in the Peace Accords. however, two weeks prior to the votation the Evangelical churches and some business people publicly recommended a “no”. This was probably the determining factor for the result of the votation.

Ever since then, many organisations have felt frustrated because the reforms could have made their work a lot easier.

The only thing that the new government has done concerning the Peace Accords is to agree with MINUGUA on a date for a new votation in 2004. meaning that by 2004, the new Government will have to begin talks about the Peace Accords anew.

There has been very little progress in the peace process, mainly due to the incapacity and unwillingness on behalf of the Government, and the incapacity on behalf of the civic society.

Q: What is vision for a multicultural Guatemala?

In Guatemala there are 4 ethnic groups: Garifuna, Xinka, Maya (22 linguistic communities) & Ladino.

Mayan people want to preserve a Mayan identity and culture and to keep respect between multicultural groups.

The Ladino population has mainly rejected the suggested constitutional changes because they fear that the Mayan community which size-wise is a majority will overtake them.

Society is very fragmented and what is needed is reconciliation. Democracy is much harder that most Guatemalans think.

The Peace Accords enforced an educational reform with the right of bilingual education for the Maya. Dialogues between civil society and Government on municipal and civil level have started with the purpose of seeing the agreements can be implemented, so e.g. the indigenous can get bilingual books.

Q: How to strengthen the organisations and civil society?

People are afraid. Reconciliation and democracy is still far away and people still flee Guatemala because they feel threatened and insecure.

Some efforts on behalf of civil society have been gathered to secure the fulfilment of the Peace Accords but problems such as drugs, money washing etc. make the work complicated.

Q: Is there any hope?

Organisations are calling for dialogue. And the new Archbishop has called together 40 sectors of society. They are discussing how to fulfill the Peace Accords but the problem is that almost all organised sectors are against each other.

Q: What about the international organisations?

They should stay here to watch/supervise the process. Ibis’ work to strengthen civil society is hard and takes a long time.