Academics urged to side with the poor

Academics urged to side with the poor

Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Thai delegates at the Asian People's Dialogue 2 here said on
Tuesday that poor people need to involve academics in their
struggle to gain their rights from the government.

"Poor people here should make an alliance with all parties,
especially academics to ensure that their voice is heard by the
government," said Sangwien Nuchtien, a community leader of a slum
in Bangkok, Thailand in an interview with The Jakarta Post.

Sangwien revealed that many poor communities in Thailand
managed to claim their right to housing and access to electricity
and clean water after going through long and tiring negotiations
with the government, thanks to the support of various parties,
especially academics.

According to Sangwien, the academics help the poor communities
to analyze their problems and ensure that all community members
understand the problems well.

"They also help provide ideas and concrete solutions needed
for the improvement of the people's lives," said Sangwien.

"Only if the poor communities manage to invite academics as
well as other parties into their alliance, their voice can be
heard by the government," said Sangwien.

Meanwhile, Edi of the Urban Poor Consortium admitted that
academics' support from academics for the poor people's struggle
was limited. "Their participation in the people's movement is
mostly individual rather than institutional."

Wagiyah, 30, a resident of Blok Asin, Tegal Alur, North
Jakarta, said that academics often come to her kampong to help
solve the community's problems.

"We are thankful for their support. They have made us aware of
the government's policies and helped us not to be an easy target
of their ploys," said Wagiyah whose husband works as a worker at
a plant.

Meanwhile, a delegate from South Africa, Rosa Molokoane said a
strong alliance with academics and other parties in society would
be futile unless the poor community itself could raise money to
boost its bargaining power with the government.

"Savings are like an engine of a car. Without the engine, even
with a strong alliance (with other parties) the community will
not be able to mobilize itself," said Molokoane, adding that with
money in their pocket, people had the self esteem to negotiate
with the government.

Another Thai delegate representing people living alongside
railway lines in Bangkok, Pratin Wekawakayanon, remarked
that slum dwellers living alongside railway lines in Thailand
have managed to get a 30-year permit from the government to rent
land for 1,000 baht (US$23) per month per family thanks partly to
recommendations from academics.

Pratin contended the poor people must do their utmost to
change public opinion.

"It's the people who own the country, not the government. So,
it's time for the government to serve its real boss, the people,"
Pratin said.