---------- Forwarded message ---------- ---------- From: [log in to unmask] Organization: Africa Policy Information Center Reply-To: [log in to unmask] (Stephen Price) Date: Tue, 27 Feb 2001 14:57:58 -0500 To: [log in to unmask] Subject: ADNA - DC area mtg minutes Feb 2001 Dear ADNA members, Following find the draft minutes of the Feb 2001 meeting of the DC area ADNA member organizations. Thanks to Stephen Price of the minutes committee for producing this draft. Regards, Vicki Ferguson ADNA Communications Facilitator ADVOCACY NETWORK FOR AFRICA Minutes of Meeting 6 Feb 2001 1) AFRICA TRADE POLICY WORKING GROUP Next ATPWG Meeting: Feb 15, 3:00 p.m., at Wash. Office on Africa (WOA). Efforts are ongoing on how to campaign for just trade relations in connection with grassroots perspectives from Africa. The Africa Grassroots Initiative of Africa Faith and Justice Network is one such effort. ADNA organizations should also consider signing on to the letter sponsored by the Third World Network (to be circulated in email by ADNA shortly). Also to be posted is the analysis of the Trade & Development Act of 2000 by the Community Trade and Development Trust of Zimbabwe. They have prescriptions on what advocates can do. In January the next stage of certification began for some countries under the AGOA / Trade and Developoment Act--a process that is gaining a lot of media attention in Africa, although not here. 2) AIDS AND HEALTH CARE WORKING GROUP Next AHCWG meeting: Feb 8, 10:00 a.m., at location TBA. An amendment on compulsory licensing and parallel imports for drugs failed in the last Congress. Clinton last May 20 signed an executive order making its provisions effective, but Bush is going to review all executive orders. AHCWG did a sign-on letter to Bush asking him to retain this executive order. Individual letters are needed—see www.woaafrica.org. Just coming into existence is a Global AIDS Alliance, to develop a global response to the crisis, especially in Africa. A January 20 GAA meeting was held. The goal is to push for the $4 billion / year for AIDS in Africa suggested by the UN, and authorization and approval of $2 billion for bilateral and multilateral U.S. efforts. The GAA will also support the Drop the Debt campaign and the re-use of debt funds for AIDS, along with Medicines for All—legislative action to ensure access to the lowest cost drugs for AIDS-related conditions. The GAA listserve has a sign-on regarding lawsuits by pharmaceutical companies against South Africa. Contact Leon Spencer or Heather Nolen for information on joining the GAA. Legislative strategies on AIDS for the next six months: Heather is contacting Congress members who worked on AIDS last Congress and who might plan more actions in the new Congress. Please contact Heather to help call these Members to express interest and get information. Pharmaceutical companies might be a target of advocacy. Brazil has had success making its locally- manufactured AIDS treatments available. Medecins sans Frontieres have campaigns regarding pharmaceuticals. Cong. Maxine Waters' legislation in the last Congress was commendable as proactive. The Appropriations for the Global AIDS and TB Relief Act of 2000 will be another point of advocacy this year. Colin Powell said AIDS is a national security threat. President Bush raised the AIDS issue with the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) recently, and seems to be backing away from his initial feeling that "Africa is not important." 3) LANDMINES CIP is actively making plans for the Landmines Week in Washington March 5-10. The Lutheran Church is also very involved. African campaigners, survivors, and researchers will be in DC that week. ADNA as a group may be asked to host an event with the CBC which will ask for more assistance for the issue. The US is a non-signatory to the Landmines Ban treaty but is the largest contributor to help victims. Lutherans are recruiting folks from every state to do lobbying. A guest from the LM campaign may speak at the next ADNA meeting March 6. On March 7 a meeting of Africa campaigners is planned, and ADNA may host this also. Goals of the campaign are to push the US to sign the Ban, and to get the US to assist African countries to implement the Treaty, assist victims, and do landmine awareness/education. Those able to help organize events or host people, contact CIP. 4) SUDAN Many people are now dubious about the IGAD peace process. Political maneuvering in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) left the SPLA as the only opposition party in the IGAD process. Bashir won the elections and it seems al-Turabi has lost influence; now Bashir may focus even more on his military efforts. Bombings of the South by Khartoum have increased to 152 in 2000. The Comboni Fathers, missionaries in Sudan, have issued a strong statement denouncing the war and even the way aid organizations are prolonging it. Sudanese Bishops criticized this statement as harsh on the Church also. The new Sudan Peace Act (S.5180) was introduced last week by Sen. Frist's office. The NDA, IGAD, and sanctions are all omitted from the Act; slavery language is toned down. The Act focuses on using the UN for diplomatic work. Last year when Appropriations approved money for Sudan, it was for the NDA. Now that the NDA has collapsed, the money is going to the SPLA. The Sudan Working Group meets next February 7 at Human Rights Watch The SWG will discuss whether to support this Act. There may be action alerts forthcoming. Rep. Frank Wolf visited Sudan and calls for a Special Envoy. He has been active on Sudan. On March 15 the Holocaust Museum will have a program on the Nuba Mountains conflicts in Sudan. 5) DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO Fr. Jean Bosco Bhala, Media Director of the Archdiocese of Bukavu, described the regional war in the DRC, where six countries are participating. Invaders protecting Rwanda are now some 1000 km from their border. Their true motivation seems to be minerals and other resources. The situation is catastrophic for human rights: Some 2 million are dead; women raped; AIDS from fighters, genocide, cultural loss. New President Joseph Kabila claims to want peace, but will need freedom to operate without foreign inteference. We need to pressure him on human rights, Lusaka Accords, and agreements that his father had signed. Rwanda is sending fighters into DRC posing as Interahamwe to be a pretext for Rwanda to remain involved. Uganda has less national interest in remaining in DRC, so perhaps they can be pushed to leave. The war has become a pretext for various forces operating without democracy in the DRC. Democratization should be advocated, therefore—then there will be no rebels. The proposal for peace is to send UN Peacekeepers to the borders of DRC/Rwanda/Uganda, and keep the Congolese dialogue going politically. Friends of DRC should continue to ask questions on human rights in DRC, demand the end of resource-theft, and keep dialogue going on democratization. 6) KENYA There is a proposal to unite the popular Constitutional Review process (sponsored by churches and mosques) with Parliamentary proposals. Kenyans are cautious on this. Violence is increasing as 2002 elections approach. The FBI investigation of Fr. John Kaiser's death was not complete on Decembe 15. FBI told family, fiends and Sen Wellstone on February 4 that they are doing what they can so far. The family feels the focus should be on the plight of all Kenyans' human rights. A Sixty Minutes segment on Kaiser will probably air on February 18. Kenyan human rights groups were not interviewed. This broadcast should be the occasion for letters or articles to explain why Kaiser was in trouble, what is going on in refugee camps, the likelihood of recurrence, etc. Perhaps the head of the Kenyan Human Rights Commission can help provide a statement for us to use. Contact Kathy McNeely to work on this media effort. 7) WEST AFRICA The West Africa Working Group met recently. Its goal: Come up with actions to support peace and the democratic transition in the region. The WAWG meets monthly, usually the day prior to ADNA. Next meeting: March 7 at Amnesty International, 600 Penn. Ave., S.E., time TBA. Contact Adotei Akwei. Duni described a 10-year program called "Honoring the African Child" which was launched in Banjul on January 26-29. Sponsors are World Bank, National Endowment for Democracy, UN African Needs Department, and others. Offices are in Banjul, and later in London, Brussels, NY, and elsewhere. Goals: Child protection, education, housing, while retaining family and cultural values. It draws from Art. 28 and 57 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. An Action Plan should be out for circulation by February 15. The next step is to register the program in West African countries, including a regional office in ECOWAS. 8) "AFRICA HUNGER TO HARVEST" CAMPAIGN Ray Almeida noted that Bread for the World and the Lutheran Church, with Catholics, Episcopalians, World Vision, and others, are beginning this new campaign. The goal is to get a clear commitment from Congress to demand that the President set the goal of cutting hunger in Africa in half, and devote new resources of $1billion to this. To generate letters, BFW has produced a video, church kit, etc.—contact BFW. A new poll by the Univesity of Maryland School of Public Affairs shows Americans want to give more foreign aid to end world hunger. On February 15-16 PBS will air a program, "Journey to Freedom" with Desmond Tutu and John Hope Franklin. 9) PREVIEW OF NEW CONGRESS/ADMINISTRATION Bill Jackson and Ray Almeida outlined some features of the incoming Congress & Administration: There is a surpising rapprochement between Sens. Helms and Biden. Helms says he wants to re-engage the Senate to help poor people and reform USAID; his staff met with World Vision and BFW. Most subCabinet people to be appointed will not be in place until March or April. Career staff remain. Jendi Frasier replaces Gayle Smith for Africa at National Security Council. Condoleezza Rice seems not to want a high public profile at NSC and appears to have instructed her staff to keep a low profile and operate more as a coordinating unit. At USAID the head may be either Andrew Natsios or David Beckman. Rosa Whitaker may stay on as Africa Trade Representative. Possible Assistant Secretary of State for Africa: Johnny Carson? Walter Kansteiner? Secretary Powell wants to appoint people from within Foreign Service; he also favors increasing foreign aid up to 20% and has mentioned increases for embassy security and poverty eradication. He has shown some interest in Sierra Leone and DRC. Clinton did reach out to NGO's but Republicans may be less inclined to do that. As new appointments are announced, ADNA should seek meetings with them right away. We need to meet with Rep. Wolf, who calls for bipartisan policy to Africa. The conservative members are increasing attention to Africa (e.g. Brownback's Sudan Democracy Act is being revived). Sen Bill Frist wants to stay on as Chair of the Africa Subcommittee; in the past he was not welcoming of us. Rep. Hyde (R-IL) is now on Chair of the House International Relations Committee. Ted Lantos (D-CA) is ranking minority leader, knows little about Africa but his staff is knowledgeable. Ed Royce (R-CA) remains chair of the Africa sub-cmte, with Payne as ranking minority member. The CBC remains somewhat problematic and the new chair has not confirmed a meeting time with ADNA yet. Rep. Payne is still a key player here as well, but does not have a staff person with Africa expertise. Overall increased attention to Africa will not necessarily be on issues we would support and is not likely to engage with diverse African NGOs and civil society representatives. To begin meetings with relevant offices, as representatives of ADNA, however, the message that we will carry into those meetings is yet to be agreed upon and that lead into the next part of the discussion on the policy priorities. 10) ADNA STRUCTURES & PROCESS: ADNA POLICY PRIORITIES The previously-planned organizational meeting was held January 24. It affirmed the process of working groups, multi-country updates (now produced by Phil Reed), etc. Notes of this meeting were also circulated to all ADNA member organizations. Suggested overall policy priorities for ADNA in appoaching decisionmakers requires further discussion. The draft that was distributed prior to the meeting provided the basis for the discussion and generated many new suggestions under each of the four themes of Peacebuilding; Economic Justice; Democratization and Human Rights; and Health. Further suggestions will be received by e-mail until Feb 13, at which time the drafting committee will schedule a meeting to produce another draft. However, in discussion there was a feeling that certain other issues that were omitted may actually have broader constituency in ADNA: E.g., Conflict diamonds, Landmines, Child Soldiers, and certain other conflict regions are equally important with those listed. Perhaps it is possible to have both these and the ones suggested by the committee. We also need to be able to engage constituents outside DC who are interested in these other issues (some of which are not Africa-specific but heavily relevant to Africa). These are not a comprehensive list, but collect together a number of central issues. It is key to choose issues correlated to legislation, which is essential for dealing with practical-minded Congressional staff. By including the issues we used to work on, we are not breaking new ground, but building on what we have already supported. Thus, there is a general feeling it is necessary to expand the suggested list. Concern was also expressed that a set of "priorities" by definition should be a short list, very concise and based on essential principles, rather than ranging over all issues of concern to all groups in more detailed manner. The initial goal was getting the vast majority of ADNA member groups to endorse a brief (2 page maximum) document which could speak in the name of ADNA on basic priorities for preliminary meetings with Congressional and Administration staff. Failing this, a draft document will be circulated to be signed onto by specific organizations, but would prohibit speaking in the name of the full ADNA network. Regarding detailed discussion of the draft circulated, those in attendance proposed the following edits: Peacebuilding changes to Peace and Security: 1) support African peace initiatives, 2) end sources of conflict, 3) support campaigns on specifics - landmines, child soldiers, conflict diamonds Economic Justice: Add Development assistance (budget/appropriations increases; architecture of the foreign aid bureaucracy; impoverishment of women and children). Democracy and Human Rights: Add good governance and corruption; aid civil society organizations in process of democracy building as was done in former Yugoslavia, drop the country focus on Nigeria and Kenya only. Health: Develop the text further. Suggestions received by e-mail or fax will also be incorporated and a further draft will be circulated once again for member review. 11) GUINEA/SIERRA LEONE REFUGEE SITUATION Xaverian Missionary Fr. Jim Tully outlined the situation of refugees in Guinea, where he has been working until a few weeks ago. Reps. Frank Wolf and Tony Hall visited refugees in Guinea, as well as personnel of Human Rights Watch, Medecins sans Frontieres- Netherlands, and Refugees International. All NGO's fled the area in September, and refugees are without services. Guinean rebels are not a unified force but are at least four groups. Tension is high as refugees are under attack both by rebels and by Guinean civilians who blame the refugees for the unrest. UNHCR has been inept in Guinea—it never gave identity cards to many refugees. Many do not receive their staple food and died fish, and UNHCR has simply stopped serving some areas. Many refugees are also imprisoned wrongly when they are accused by their enemies of being rebels. Three items are key: 1) The U.S. has a large financial stake in the area; Guinea has the largest USAID program in West Africa. The U.S. also has a military training agreement to train the Guinean army. So the U.S. could have influence on policy in Guinea, to urge the country to reinstate its policy of welcoming and protecting refugees. (2) The US provides 30% of UNHCR budget in West Africa. So it can urge UNHCR to change its ways of dealing with refugees. (3) The needs of Sierra Leonean refugees returned to Freetown by UNHCR must be met. They are returned to a country that is in ruins. UN says 40,000 refugees have come back, and they return at the rate of 350 per day. But there is no assistance to them as internally displaced persons in SL. The poverty breeds discontent and unrest. The Sierra Leone Government has no vision, and half the country is under rebel control. Assistance is needed to coordinate the 520 local and international NGO's trying to help. Fr. Tully's wish list for SL: (a) Forcible surrender of rebels to military; (b) a consensus government (it is too soon fo hold elections); (c ) address the costs of schooling in Freetown; (d) employ youths; (e) complete the major hydopower dam with international aid; (f) support an international trusteeship to control diamonds. 12) NEXT MEETING: 9:30-12:30, Tuesday, March 6, 2001, at the Mott House on Maryland Avenue, N.E. *** This message from the DC area ADNA meeting participants of Feb 2001 is distributed through the Advocacy Network for Africa (ADNA). Vicki Lynn Ferguson Advocacy Network for Africa Communications Facilitator c/o Africa Policy Information Center 110 Maryland Ave, NE #509 Washington, DC 20002 Ph: 202-546-7961 Fax: 202-546-1545 E-mail: [log in to unmask] Web: http://www.africapolicy.org/adna Our next meeting is Wednesday, Feb 28, Safeco Center, E Main and 23rd, Seattle 7:00 PM WSAN business meeting 8:00 PM Program: Sara Musa El Saeed, Rural Development/Gender Specialist / Sudan We usually meet the last Wednesday of the month. To post a message: [log in to unmask] To subscribe sending a blank message to [log in to unmask] To unsubscribe send a blank message to [log in to unmask] For complete information on the Washington State Africa Network visit: www.ibike.org/africamatters Your use of Yahoo! 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