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.