PHM-Exch> Hlth and HRs J. - Issue on Participation - A. Grover Special UN rapporteur on RTH (4)

[Claudio Schuftan]

From: Alison Katz katz.alison at gmail.com

 Just one quick reply to George and to Ronald

*George says that “flawed international architecture is not easily
remedied”. *I submit that it is actually very simple and that today, one of
our  priority debunking tasks is this one. To distinguish between what is
complex and what is *not wanted by the powerful. *There are a simple series
of macroeconomic changes which are not difficult to implement and which
would immediately halt and reverse the transfer of resources from South to
North. They are debt cancellation (and reparations), unfair trade, tax
havens, foreign direct investment, a whole series of measures relating to
IFIs ruled by the TNCs of the G8, of TNCs themselves. The amounts lost to
poor countries through these transfers dwarf the pitiful amounts offered
through international aid. I am convinced as are many that international
aid, which is pitiful by comparision, is part of this international
architecture. (this argument with rough figures can be found in a short
editorial for Social Medicine New Global Health a reversal of logic history
and principles, possibly January 2008).

 *Ronald says it is not either/or.* If the eventual aim is economic and
social justice (a fair international economic order), then international aid
is emphatically NOT the  way forward and particularly not from a human
rights perspective. Human rights are incompatible with “charity, or so
called international “aid”). In a fair world (achieved through simple but
radical measures as mentioned above), all countries will have a duty to
assist other countries in trouble - ie emergencies, disasters, humanitarian
assistance when needs arise. But international “development” aid, must not
be a structural element of the international architecture.  It MUST be seen
as something we are working to remove. In this perspective such aid, would
not be decreased or removed unless and until, the larger macroeconomic
reforms reversing the S to N transfers have been reversed. We are not
proposing to leave people in the lurch. Just to stop exploiting them. This
is important to remember to counter the argument that we cannot just stop
assistance tomorrow. Of course, but we CAN start the simple measures
tomorrow, the redistribution of resources would be very swift and massive.
This is why it is opposed of course.

 But let us stop saying how complex it is. It is not, it is not wanted by
those who decide. As social justice activists we must be clear about that.

 One of the best people on international aid is David Sogge who wrote an
excellent, comprehensive critique of development aid. (Zed books)  After
reading it, one really can have no doubts that it is an extension of foreign
policy and designed to maintain the current architecture.
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