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The forum attempted to make another world possible
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people from different walks of life. They dared to question the
economic and social policies of globalization. The protestors
lambasted both minor and major issues in the forum, which had almost
been neglected by the governments.
The
issues ranged from the apathy concerning the Bhopal Gas victims,
discrimination against Dalits to communal disharmonies. While
condemning economic gimmicks, the forum pooh-poohed the International
Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank, the World Trade Organization
(WTO) and the unequal distribution of money-its disorder and bad
impact on the masses. It is understood that a small elite group who
dominate the vast majority, chain humanity at large, and their
interests. In its foray into Asia for the first time, WSF provided a
forum to protest the worst imbroglio of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy; the
trauma is still imprinted in the minds of the Indians. Thousands died
due to a deadly gas leak from the Union Carbide factory. The company,
now owned by the Trans-National Dow, never bothered to provide any
compensation to the victims. At the WSF, Bhopal protested the
indifference towards the victims.
The
forum emerged as a rendezvous for the Dalits, tribal and other
oppressed groups, particularly women. To make “another world
possible”, the Dalits demanded housing as their fundamental rights.
To deepen the cultural impact of the global society minus
discrimination, girls sang against exploitation, and tribesmen marched
in their traditional costumes. The forum attempted to make another
world possible, and to reason that anti-globalization could never be
possible without condemning the unholy war on Iraq by the US. Mumbai,
being the site of the conference, prompted much to define the kinds of
war ever fought, or are to be fought, in today’s materialistic
world. The forum emerged as a platform for the representatives of the
peace movements, who shared ideas to compete against the hawkish
propaganda of terrorism instituted by George W Bush. The forum
cautioned the third world countries not to comply with US moves to
impose Neo-imperialism.
The
ruthless communal violence, growing threat of fascism and religious
sectarianism in India and beyond, and an initiative to forge the
secular front to challenge these threats, besieged the forum’s
agenda. Shirin Ebadi, the Nobel Laureate, unveiled the impact
of violence against religious minorities in Gujarat, and compared it
to the violence that killed Mahatma Gandhi. “The answer to
violence is not violence. The violence in Gujrat was an example of how
violent and cruel human beings could be to one another.”
The
event is worth remembering due to the presence of individuals who
contribute their ideas to the world arena. They included: Nobel
Laureate Joseph Stigletz, the US economist; Shirin Ebadi
of Iran (discussed above); French farmers’ leader, Jose Bove;
Canadian activist and author, Maude Barlow; Algerian freedom
fighter, Ahmed Ben Bella; Trevor Ngwane of South Africa;
author Arundhati Roy and activist Medha Patkar, both
from India; Marxist theoretician, Samir Amin; Asma Jahangir from
Pakistan; Nora Cortinas of the Mothers of the Plaza in
Argentina; Madam Nguyen Binh, Vice President of Vietnam;
British Left Wing Labor M.P, Jeremy Corbyn; United Nations
Rapporteur, Radhika Coomaraswamy; the Hibakusha and Peace
Boat from Japan; Palestinian freedom fighters and delegates from
the participating countries.
The
hiatus between the US and the third world countries, due to
imperialism, became a focal point, besides other intriguing issues of
civil society. Ms. Sarah Shannon, American health activist and
Executive Director of the Hesperian Foundation, proclaimed the facts
in direct conversation, “US is the leader of global, economic and
military imperialism, on the pretext of financial aid and countering
terrorism”. Another social activist, Dr. Jihad Marshal,
Director General of the Jerusalem-based community health organization,
Union of Palestinian Medical Relief Committee, voiced his thoughts
this way, “Despite efforts at militarizing the Arab-Jewish
problem by the US, both Israelis and Palestinians are realizing the
futility of violent means to solve the problem. The crisis in
Jerusalem needs logical reasoning by people from both communities and
an uninterrupted non-intervention from the US and its allies.
Intervention from the governments of developed nations and their
vested political interests in keeping the crisis alive is a major
hurdle in concluding peaceful dialogues’.
The
commitment to think of a better world is an “Achilles heel”
without the cross-cultural events. The beat of drummers from Kerala
and tribal dancers from Madhya Pradesh made their way to the fourth
Social Forum to interrupt the busy schedule and raise the problems of
civil society in a unique way. The primary motive of WSF, Mumbai, was
to focus on alternatives and exchange experiences, in order to
strengthen the alliance amongst social movements, unions and NGO’s. Jose
Bove focused on the anarchy of globalization in a unique
interpretation, “globalization is an economic decision for
transnational countries, who dictate with whom they will do business
and who can do business with them. This trend is very dangerous to the
developing countries.” George Monboit, British writer and
activist, meticulously elaborated the fact, “Institutions like
IMF and the World Bank are un-reformable. Their constitutions are
totally controlled by the Western World.”
The
number of such think tanks who bestow lofty ideas for change is
uncountable. WSF is a boon to many social forums; it has emerged as an
impetus for social activists, both local and continental. The Asian,
European, Latin American and Pakistani Social Forums, along with
people's movements in India, are the brainchild of the World Social
Forum and have the lions share in developing a scientific approach to
the thinking of an alternative society.
Unfortunately,
the forum concluded with some sadistic events. The alleged rape case
of a South African delegate by Sirajuddin Mohammed Ibrahim Desai,
a South African Judge and one of the delegates, brought the forum to
its knees. Repeated protests by the gays and lesbians to demand equal
rights, which are quite unnatural and unreasonable, left the forum at
loggerheads.
The
WSF has initiated a platform for debates, provided the socialists
unite themselves to fight the evils and think of an alternative
framework for society. A revolution cannot emerge in a day; neither
can the social forums. However, they can at least develop a scientific
disposition; create a wave to change the world in favour of people.
Defense of democratization and a secular public culture is waiting.
Alas! The world is not yet developing this trend. Wait and watch! The
second coming is not too far away.
Asif
Anwar Alig is associated with ETV networks. With a postgraduate
degree in journalism and mass communication from Aligarh Muslim
University, Aligarh, he has been writing for newspapers since 1999 and
working in the field of electronic media for the last three years.
