rrizzo@bbncca.ARPA (Ron Rizzo) (02/14/86)
The Winter 1986 Oxfam America News, a newsletter, contains an article by OA executive director John Hummock, "Aiding Peasant Production in Ethiopia," a report on his visits to Oxfam projects in northern Shoa & Hararge provinces, & part of a "Special Report: Recovery in Africa" which also includes brief mention of Oxfam grants to Mozambique and Angola. (Is Mali Marxist? There are 2 longer articles on it about dam repairs & assisting nomadic herders.) Though "the focus of Oxfam America's program in Ethiopia has gradually shifted from emergency relief toward longer-term, drought-recovery assistance" requiring increasing coordination with the Dergue regime, no mention is made of the murderous Dergue resettlement programs in northern Ethiopia alleged in a Rocky Mountain News article (1/31/86) posted to the net by David Olson (1/31/86). Yet there are odd echoes in what Hummock writes: a Fatima who found work as a cook at a feeding center still yearns to return to her village; the following quote may refer to more than just famine: "Much of Oxfam America's work in Ethiopia has focused on assisting farmers who HAVE managed to stay on their land"; he visits Ererguda producers' cooperative, begun by the Dergue two years ago with prisoners "serving time for petty offenses. They wanted to return to work the land, so when they were released, the government set aside for them an unused part of an old estate that had been expropriated after the 1974 revolution." From an initial 115 families, "by early last year....most had left, and they were down to 26." It was then "Oxfam began working in the area." Hummock found 36 families. By itself it sounds innocent enough: the famine's driven the starving from their blasted farms. The regime does what it can to repair the damage. Though Oxfam America appears to be gradually increasing its ties to the regime. But from what we know of the Dergue, its brutality, its murderous manipulation of famine relief, & with allegations now that relief may be killing more than it saves by luring northerners into un- healthy transit camps in order to destroy the social base of rebels, OA's breezy descriptions are less than candid, and may cover up de facto complicity with some Dergue policies. Regards, Ron Rizzo
orb@whuts.UUCP (SEVENER) (02/17/86)
I find Ron Rizzo's attacks on Oxfam America's work in countries
which he doesn't like peculiar and irrelevant. As I understand
it Oxfam America tries to promote long-term development
projects in numerous countries around the world irrespective
of their political orientation. They also try to promote
development that will leave the power and control in the
people's hands who are doing the work, and not simply promotion
of plantation style production for export which enriches
the wealthy and leaves the peasants with nothing.
I see absolutely nothing wrong with this anymore than I
oppose various Church's missions to Third World countries.
Such Church missions in regimes such as Chile generally take
no stand against the repressive government under which they
are trying to improve the poor's life. So?
I do not believe in God and I am not religious but that doesn't
mean that I do not appreciate the good work that many Churches
do in trying to feed, clothe and house the hungry.
Their work in this area is good - I do not have to agree with
their attempts at conversion or expect them to take a stand
on every political issue I deem important for me to support their
work in helping the poor.
The same goes for Oxfam America. They are trying to help people
feed themselves and wean them from dependence on government handouts.
Oxfam America does not have to oppose every government I don't
like to be genuinely helping people who suffer under those governments.
Nor does the fact that Oxfam America is trying to help the people
suffering under such governments mean that it is in any way
responsible for that government. If there were *not* groups like
Oxfam America trying to help the people when governments will not,
if there were not the Churches in our own country trying to feed
and clothe the homeless when our government will not, then
what would happen to these people?
I am glad that *somebody* is trying to help them and I will support
such efforts whether such organizations take a stand on every
issue I am concerned about or not.
tim sevener whuxn!orb