A Proposal of Forming Tanzania Social Forum (TSF)
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"Another Tanzania is Possible"
Background
Efforts of Tanzania to prevail over poverty, disease and illit-
eracy have, since independence, remained the focus of national
planning strategies and development goals. Tanzania's choice of
socialism, and latter, of forced capitalism, as a public devel-
opment policy strategy, all seem to have proved futile. Under-
development scourges whose such causes and effects have remained
externally as colonial legacy and the prevailing North-South in-
stitutional and structural set up; and internally as attitudes
and low hardware, organoware and software productive capacities,
have propelled the far-reaching reversal thrust against endeav-
ors to eradicating poverty and lessening of vulnerability.
Indeed, never have the World Bank and, or the International
Monetary Fund (IMF) sponsored and led fiscal and monetary (mac-
roeconomic) policies, of Structural Adjustment Programmes
(SAPs), in their originality, down the road to the hybrid, Pov-
erty Reduction Strategy Programmes (PRSPs); and finally global-
isation, seem to be helping Tanzania solve her development and
poverty problems, now and, or in the future.
Tanzanians need to do, and they must act now to attain best
practices in governance and democracy; provision of education
and health services; clean and safe water; human security in-
cluding food security; high employment levels and the affordable
external debt burden, to mention only a few social, political
and economic performance indicators. BUT, as scourges of poverty
are not Tanzania phenomenal exclusive, but again, the symbolic
nature of all highly indebted poor countries, apparently the
least developed countries, it is imperative therefore, for Tan-
zania to be cognizant of this fact and tie her efforts with
those of counterparts worldwide.
Hence launching of Tanzania Social Forum (TSF) will be continua-
tion of the Africa Social Forum(ASF) and Southern Africa Social
Forum (SASF) that take place annually since Bamako, Mali (2002)
and Lusaka, Zambia (2003) respectively. The ASF is a prelude to
the World Social Forum (WSF) that was now an annual event that
deliberately organised to coincide with the World Economic Fo-
rum. The World Economic Forum is a gathering of rich nations and
powerful corporations from the North whom makes key decisions on
global policies. The timing of WSF is meant to signify civil so-
ciety voices opposing the high level profit motivated delibera-
tions at the expenses of poor countries and their citizens.
Following the Africa Social Forum Bamako meeting - participants
resolved to establish sub-regional and national fora as a way of
ensuring that anti-globalisation; anti-capitalist and anti-neo-
liberal voices are raised by the people affected by the corpo-
rate dominated globalisation process.
Organizational Structure
The Tanzanian Social Forum will be a stakeholder's process or-
ganized by a coalition/network of organizations, individual or-
ganizations, mass movements and individuals that subscribe to
the principles and ideals of the Southern Africa, Africa and
World Social Fora and are opposed to globalization, capitalism,
and neo-liberal policies that advance market forces at the ex-
pense of human life and the environment. There will be a Steer-
ing Committee (SC) that will be charged with the responsibili-
ties of making all decisions and oversee the running of the fo-
rum.
The Tanzania Social Forum is an open meeting place reflecting
thinking, democratic debates of ideas, formulation proposals,
free exchange of experience and inter-linking effective action,
by groups and movements of civil society that are opposed to
neo-liberalism, domination of the world capital and any form of
imperialism, and are committed to building a planetary society
directed towards fruitful and peaceful relationships among hu-
mankind and between it and the earth.
The forum seeks to:
* Provide Tanzania with a platform for social activity to
strengthen popular and participating democracy;
* Critically challenge the impoverishment, gender inequality and
discrimination, high levels of corruption, social insecurity,
violence, unconstitutional governance, HIV pandemic- (alterna-
tive approaches);
* Build a national solidarity network around issues of social,
political and economic justice;
* Create a coalition that will guarantee effective participation
in the annual Tanzania Social Forum process, Southern Africa So-
cial Forum, Africa Social Forum and the World Social Forum.
Thematic Focus
The Tanzania National Social Forum thematic focus will include
Democracy, Gender, Labor, Debt, Youth, Trade, Arts and Culture,
Information and Communication Technologies, Peace and Security,
HVI/AIDS, Land Reform, Environment, Agriculture and Food Secu-
rity, Governance, etc.
Participation
Participation at the Tanzania Social Forum will be open to or-
ganisations, social movements and individuals that subscribe to
the ideals and principles of the Tanzania Social Forum Chanter
adopted from the Africa and World Social Forum Charter of prin-
ciples and values. Participation will be informed by organisa-
tions, social movements and individuals' opinions about issues
arising from their experiences with local environments. Activi-
ties through which organisations, movements and individuals can
air their views will include inter alia seminars, workshops,
marches, testimonies, concerts, speeches, researches, debates,
teach-ins, performances, exhibitions, conferences etc.
Participating organizations, social movements and individuals
fund their participation to the Social Forum. The participation
fee will be set by the Steering Committee each year and will be
disseminated to all organizations that may want to participate.
Secretariat
CSOs which where represented at the World Social Forum 2004 and
any other will be responsible for organizing the TSF and will
form the secretariat, building and improving on the NGO forum
organized by TANGO on an annual basis since 2002 and the Gender
Festival organized by FEMACT biannually.
Contact of TSF is
TANGO
PO Box 31147
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Tel./Fax: +255-22-276-2208
mailto:tango@africaonline.co.tz