Thursday, January 25, 2007

"Another World Is Possible"... but for whom?

Sokari at Black Looks blog offers her impressions of the World Social Forum in Kenya which she is attending. She is disappointed with the WSF's lack of women's perspectives and interests.

She notes that some attendees protested about the cost of food, the cost of entry, the corporate sponsorship of CellNet and Kenya Air. Food is expensive and entry at 450shillings [more than US$6] for low income and unemployed is prohibitive - there should at least be some means tested entry charges or grass roots groups get in free. This seems eminently reasonable considering the whole purpose of the WSF!

In another entry, she reports that many attendees have had stuff stolen, which is sadly in line with the general international perception of Nairobi but otherwise, Sokari seems to like the city. She reports that Coca-Cola had been banned from the event but some people had smuggled it in and were selling it. She expressed frustration at the haphazard internet connection.

In her most recent piece, she notes how organizers tried to deny a lesbian activist from Uganda a chance to speak before the WSF. And how when the courageous activist finally was able to make her remarks, she was roundly jeered by the audience and many shouted obscenities at her.

"Another World Is Possible" was the slogan of the WSF. Are gays and lesbians excluded from that world?

1 Comments:

At 9:39 PM, Blogger X said...

This is why I don't even waste my time in going to that forum, not to mention the money most of the people usually spends to go there every year. Another world is possible for those who understand how the system works & work with it, trying to change it gradually from the inside, not by promising utopian things like the forum does to then dissapoint you.
I really like your blog, good luck!
Greetings from London!

 

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