By Susan Mwape
The Southern Africa People’s Solidarity Network (SAPSN) of Zimbabwe convened a Peoples summit in Maseru, Lesotho. The summit running under the theme “reclaiming SADC for People’s Development” attracted over 400 people Lesotho and SADC member countries.
The people’s summit was convened to coincide with the SADC Heads of States summit. This is a clear indication that the SADC leadership community has not lived up to the aspirations of the sub- region. In line with the theme of the people’s summit, Lesotho had three SADC meetings running concurrently. Participants of the people’s summit felt they were in the right place to deliberate issues that had to do with SADC and among the major questions raised was that of knowing whose benefit SADC was of.
A representative of the Development of Peace Education (DPE) based Lesotho which helped organize the people’s summit in his opening remarks said SADC was being reclaimed because they want to change SADC to represent the people not the Leaders. He suggested that the recommendations and decisions being adopted represent the people and not the people representing SADC.
Participants of the summit felt they were made to believe things are ok but have realized there is a big problem. SADC should be the will of the people and not that of the ruling class. It was at the summit that it was noted that Leaders are just following what the G8 which should not be case SADC has to be reclaimed.
On the issue of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) attainability it was noted that it would be impossible for most SADC member states to attain and they challenged anyone who felt otherwise to come forward and explain how and why that is possible when we countries are still paying Debts. There was a general feeling that poverty in Africa has been designed and is perpetuated through the policies SADC governments are forced to take.
In solidarity representatives attending the people’s summit, expressed their disappointment at the misuse and abuse of the people for the benefit of the elite. They emphasized the need to reclaim SADC because it is not serving the interests of the poor, vulnerable children, women and the youths who have been pushed to the periphery of Socio-economic life, because unemployment is still high and yet decent jobs are need in the region.
There was a call to an immediate end to poverty and oppression and that SADC must not base its policies on neo-liberalism. Participants stressed that they had had enough of privatization, neo-liberalism, world bank, IMF, WTO, non-people centered SADC and corrupt leaders in SADC.
Some presenters likened SADC leaders to fish that rots in the head, they said that some of the leaders were committing suicide because the Europeans are breaking the resistance of Africans through Economic Partnership Agreements.
The Southern Africa People’s Solidarity Network (SAPSN) of Zimbabwe convened a Peoples summit in Maseru, Lesotho. The summit running under the theme “reclaiming SADC for People’s Development” attracted over 400 people Lesotho and SADC member countries.
The people’s summit was convened to coincide with the SADC Heads of States summit. This is a clear indication that the SADC leadership community has not lived up to the aspirations of the sub- region. In line with the theme of the people’s summit, Lesotho had three SADC meetings running concurrently. Participants of the people’s summit felt they were in the right place to deliberate issues that had to do with SADC and among the major questions raised was that of knowing whose benefit SADC was of.
A representative of the Development of Peace Education (DPE) based Lesotho which helped organize the people’s summit in his opening remarks said SADC was being reclaimed because they want to change SADC to represent the people not the Leaders. He suggested that the recommendations and decisions being adopted represent the people and not the people representing SADC.
Participants of the summit felt they were made to believe things are ok but have realized there is a big problem. SADC should be the will of the people and not that of the ruling class. It was at the summit that it was noted that Leaders are just following what the G8 which should not be case SADC has to be reclaimed.
On the issue of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) attainability it was noted that it would be impossible for most SADC member states to attain and they challenged anyone who felt otherwise to come forward and explain how and why that is possible when we countries are still paying Debts. There was a general feeling that poverty in Africa has been designed and is perpetuated through the policies SADC governments are forced to take.
In solidarity representatives attending the people’s summit, expressed their disappointment at the misuse and abuse of the people for the benefit of the elite. They emphasized the need to reclaim SADC because it is not serving the interests of the poor, vulnerable children, women and the youths who have been pushed to the periphery of Socio-economic life, because unemployment is still high and yet decent jobs are need in the region.
There was a call to an immediate end to poverty and oppression and that SADC must not base its policies on neo-liberalism. Participants stressed that they had had enough of privatization, neo-liberalism, world bank, IMF, WTO, non-people centered SADC and corrupt leaders in SADC.
Some presenters likened SADC leaders to fish that rots in the head, they said that some of the leaders were committing suicide because the Europeans are breaking the resistance of Africans through Economic Partnership Agreements.
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