Vorbereitungen für Indien

Ungefähr ein Jahr ist es her, dass ich das letzte Mal ein Blog über eine Indien-Reise geschrieben habe. Inzwischen laufen die Vorbereitungen für eine neue Fahrt auf vollen Touren.

Die anstehende Reise wird zwei Zwecken dienen:

  1. Wir werden birmanische Exil-Journalisten dadurch unterstützen, dass wir zwei tschechische Journalisten (von Radio und Fernsehen) nach Indien bringen, die dort ein mehrtägiges Training anbieten werden. Zudem werden umgekehrt diese Journalisten Gelegenheit haben, mehr über die Lage der Exilburmesen dort zu erfahren.
  2. Wir werden zudem auch die Empfänger unserer Microgrants besuchen und sehen, was sie mit dem Geld gemacht haben, wo es Probleme gab und was ihnen an Ideen für das nächste Jahr gekommen ist. Das Ergebnis ihrer Arbeit wird u.a. darüber entscheiden, ob sie im nächsten Jahr gute Chancen auf weitere Unterstützungen haben können – falls wir die Mittel kriegen.

Wie zuvor werde ich versuchen, jeden Tag während der Reise zumindest eine kurze Mitteilung zu verfassen. Die gesammelten Aufzeichnungen werden hier gesammelt zu finden sein.

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Our new banners promoting responsible travel to Burma

Thanks to the help of Carolina from Juxta Design who donated her time and expertise, we now have professional banners for EcoBurma. The banners look awesome! It was exciting to see these four pieces develop, and I was glad that the cooperation with far-away San Francisco worked so smoothly.

If you own a website and think you can spare some space, please display our banners with the link to http://www.EcoBurma.com. I suggest the necessary code below, next to each image.

We also recommend taking a look at Carolina’s portfolio of design.

In the not so distant future, EcoBurma also plans to produce a flat banner.

<a href="http://www.ecoburma.com"><img src="http://www.ecoburma.com/advertising/travel-myanmar-240x400.jpg" alt="responsible travel to Burma/Myanmar" /></a> Responsible travel to Burma
<a href="http://www.ecoburma.com"><img src="http://www.ecoburma.com/advertising/travel-myanmar-300x250.jpg" alt="responsible travel to Burma/Myanmar" /></a>
<a href="http://www.ecoburma.com"><img src="http://www.ecoburma.com/advertising/travel-myanmar-250x250.jpg" alt="responsible travel to Burma/Myanmar" /></a> responsible travel to Burma
<a href="http://www.ecoburma.com"><img src="http://www.ecoburma.com/advertising/travel-myanmar-300x250-animated.gif" alt="responsible travel to Burma/Myanmar" /></a>

 

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Außenpolitik ohne Rückgrat

Was hat die deutsche Außenpolitik nur gegen Aung San Suu Kyi? Ist das ein Erbe der DDR, die eine Uniform jedem Dissidenten vorgezogen hat? Hat sich über Sprachlehrer und Akademiker ein gewisses Naserümpfen über ein für deutsches Befinden sehr ordnungsfremdes, emotionales und oft in sich inkonsistentes Verständnis von Demokratie bei birmanischen Aktivisten bis in die Ebenen der Diplomatie und Wirtschaftsstrategen forgetragen, wo es auf ein ohnehin schon nicht ganz einfaches Verhältnis zur Basisdemokratie getroffen sein mag?

Der Artikel “The Eye of the Storm” von Aung Zaw, dem Chefredakteur vom Irrawaddy, beschreibt es so vielsagend, dass ich es hier einfach (übersetzt) zitiere:

Zusätzlich zum Drängen auf internationale Unterstützung für Thein Sein und seine neue Regierung waren Einige in der internationalen Gemeinschaft bemüht, Suu Kyi in die Bedeutungslosigkeit zu drängen. Tatsächlich hat der deutsche Botschafter in Birma, Julius Georg Luy, monatelang versucht gehabt, Suu Kyi auf den selben Platz zu verweisen wie Vertreter kleiner demokratischer Parteien, denen Birmas Militärregime erlaubt hatte, in den vorgetäuschten Wahlen Parlamentssitze zu gewinnen, um ihnen so Legitimität zu verleihen.

Am 14. März hielten die europäischen Botschafter in Birma ein Treffen hinter geschlossenen Türen ab, um über ihre Positionen bezüglich der damals anstehenden Neubewertung der EU-Sanktionen zu diskutieren. Wie eine gut informierte Quelle verraten hat, hat sich der deutsche Botschafter dagegen ausgesprochen, Suu Kyi’s Namen in offiziellen EU-Verlautbarungen zu erwähnen.

 

Luy sei, so der Artikel, auch gegen ein gesondertes Treffen mit Suu Kyi – immerhin die unangefochtene Oppositionsführerin und Siegerin der letzten demokratischen Wahlen im Land – gewesen. Der Eindruck drängt sich folglich auf, dass hier die deutsche Diplomatie versucht, sich beim Regime durch besondere Stromlinienförmigkeit hervorzutun.

Es ging hier ganz eindeutig nicht darum, den Dialog jenseits von Suu Kyi zu erweitern oder einen naiven und kontraproduktiven Personenkult um ihre Person zu vermeiden – beides sehr legitime Ansinnen. Dem damaligen Diktator Than Shwe war sie ein Dorn im Auge, so dass nun einige, statt den Diktator zu bekämpfen, vielmehr versuchten, den Dorn zu beseitigen. Warum?

Vielleicht sind es ganz banale wirtschaftliche Interessen, es geht um Geld und den deutschen Komplex, den man seit dem Ende des Zweiten Weltkrieges mit seiner ökonomischen Superpotenz zu heilen versucht, mit Qualität Made in Germany und Export(ex)weltmeistertiteln. Wo immer in der Welt die Kolonialmächte verschwunden sind, dort kommt nun die Nation, die mit ihren Kolonien immer in der zweiten Liga hat spielen müssen. Vielleicht aber ist es auch ganz einfach nur eine Obrigkeitsethik, der zufolge jede Autorität ein Beleg von Erfolg ist und somit ihre Legitimität im Sinne des Leistungsdenkens automatisch in sich trägt. Und jede Junta und ihre demokratischen Fassaden erfüllen natürlich auch die Sehnsucht nach Ordnung und berechenbaren Zuständen.

Dies sind nur ein paar unverbindliche Erklärungsversuche, die mir einfallen, wenn ich die Motive für den Versuch, die Dissidentin politisch auszuschalten, zu verstehen versuche. Der Begriff “vorauseilende Gehorsamkeit” fällt mir ein – leider wohl noch immer ein peinliches Stück deutschen Kulturgutes. Wenn Birma eines Tages zur wirklichen Demokratie finden wird, dann wird man als Deutscher wohl nur sehr kleinlaut – oder mit dickem Portemonnaie – ins Land reisen können. Erwartungsgemäß eher mit dickem Portemonnaie.

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5th Anniversary of Burma Center Prague

Yesterday, we marked the 5th anniversary of the organization Burma Center Prague since its official registration at the municipal court in Prague with a special event. For me the work for Burma has started in 2004 at Amnesty International with a campaign for a Burmese prisoner of conscience who, fortunately, was released even before we could launch it. In 2005 we collected birthday wishes for Aung San Suu Kyi on the One World film festival in Prague. It was during that time that Sabe and I realized that we could not make a real impact and fulfill our idea of sustainable and continuous work for Burma if we continued merely as individuals.

The Burma Center Prague has taken shape in early 2006. But it took still a long way until we came here where we are today. I remember the days when we used only private computers for the office work (I realize that I’m still doing so now) in our living room where we also stored all kinds of materials for campaigns, exhibitions etc. It was only in 2009 when we managed to get funding that enabled us to rent an office and afford a full-time salary that, presently, is shared by 3 employees. (Better projects to come – stay tuned!)

I remember the times when grant-seeking efforts and administration took enormous investments both in terms of finance and time so that more than once we considered returning to regular employment and making our work for Burma a mere free time activity. The policies and moods of International grant-making institutions and a sociocultural and business environment that is often little welcoming to charitable activities continuously nourished thoughts about moving to other places or forms of operation. Then the arrival of Burmese resettlement refugees to the Czech Republic surprised us with a fait accompli and our work gained an additional dimension.

We could never have come that far without the help of volunteers, donors and friends who believed in our mission and our work. So I conclude this short retrospection with my sincerest thanks to them!

 

The event in images

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Support Burmese Grassroots through Microgrants

Finally we are able to launch the 2011 round of our microgrant program. Please check out the projects at microgrants.burma-center.org.

For a grassroots group run by Burmese refugees in Delhi or Mizoram, a few hundred dollars can mean the difference between dreaming of a needed project or launching it. These self-support groups are mostly the only ones who provide essential services to the refugees like health care, legal advisory or vocational training. And our program has proven last year that once started these activities can often continue from own sources, and many generations of refugees will benefit from the skills that were acquired.

During the Burma Center Prague team’s trip to India in July, we selected the best 13 projects of those submitted by Burmese refugee organizations. The projects cover activities in Delhi or in northeastern India, and project ideas came from the Burmese after they successfully attended our project management training.

This year again we have projects covering a wide range of issues, from the provision of healthcare, computer and Internet access, human rights training, and news publishing to running a women’s shelter. The activities will run until the end of December at the latest, which means we have sufficient time to obtain the necessary additional resources.

Please head over to our site at microgrants.burma-center.org and read through the project descriptions to choose the project you like the most. The minimum contribution is just 500 CZK (approx. €20 / US$29), and the total amount will go directly to the project. Burma Center Prague covers all other costs for running the project. Of course, you are welcome to support more than one project! Payment can be made easily by card or bank transfer.

Thank you for your ongoing support!

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India 2.0

This July, Sabe and I headed back to India to do some work with local Burmese regufee organizations there. During our microgrant pilot program in 2010, during which we gave microgrants to these grassroots organizations to run small projects, we noticed that many of the organizations’ members had few project management skills. So we decided, as part of our capacity-building activity in our India project, to offer free PM training to members of these organizations. Attending the training was also made a precondition to receiving a grant in this year’s microgrant program. The response to our call for applications was great, more than 50 people signed up.
And so we found ourselves sitting in Dubai airport from midnight to 4am, on a layover on our journey from Prague to Delhi. I have to say, the airport was a more happening place in the dead of night than most of Prague at midday. People were shopping, eating, walking around…only a few brave souls tried to sleep in the floor behind/underneath the benches. I had been hoping to catch a few winks but could not resign myself to lying on the floor (unfortunately, Dubai airport has removed its quiet lounge, probably in an effort to get people to shop more). So needless to say we were a bit tired upon arrival in Delhi, but as the training was starting the next day, we had to hit the ground running.
We checked in at our ‘stay home’ with Auntie Avinash and Uncle Chadha, a very hospitable and generous couple with whom we had stayed with last year. Five minutes in the door and we were already eating – aloo prata for breakfast. They would continue to feed us during our entire stay, though this year I stuck with cereal for breakfast in order to keep something of my normal diet. And on the advice of Czech friends, I “opened” and “closed” each day with a shot of Slivovice, to ward off the Delhi belly. And it worked!
We ran around to the local shops in Vikas Puri (West Delhi) to get supplies we needed for the training, and took a look at the room we would be doing the training in. About 45 square metres, 2 doors and no windows, 6 ceiling fans, and an average temperature of about 36 degrees Celsius. Upstairs in the building was the new location of the Yamuna health clinic, one of the projects we supported last year, run by Dr. Tint Swe. We stopped in to say a quick hello, not wanting to interrupt his work and make the wait longer for all the patients.
Our preparations continued through Saturday and Sunday morning – photocopying, printing, and so on. Getting to the venue on Sunday afternoon ended up being a bit of a challenge: it poured with rain all morning and a small lake grew in front of the entrance to the building and our training room. We had to walk all the way around a vacant lot, jump down from a low wall (with our arms full of supplies) and then with the help of our rainboots walk through the lake to the door.
Our first session was on networking, discussing common problems faced by the refugee community, and brainstorming project ideas. I wasn’t sure how the participants would do with some of our “TEFL-tastic” interactive activities, but they all jumped right in, it was great. In one of the tasks, the participants were asked to make a list of their needs as refugees in India. Many made long lists, but one group summed it up as “A bright future”. Simple and apt.
Over the next three days, we did seminars on applying for a grant/making a project proposal, preparing a budget and activity timeline, running a project, project reporting, and sustaining your work after your grant money has been used up. It was physically demanding, doing training for 8 hours a day for 20-some people in that hot, hot room, but the participants were patient and hardworking. They gave us good feedback after each session, though “more breaks” was a common comment! We did always get positive feedback on the food, as we had lunches (fish curry, biryani) made for us by two of last year’s microgrant recipients who do catering as a means of earning a livelihood and supporting a free medical clinic.
On Wednesday we started the training again with a second group of 25 people, including 3 from Mizoram and Manipur states on the Indian-Burmese border. It was interesting to hear how their experience is different from that of refugees living in Delhi. In the second session we had an extra participant – a dog who liked to lie on the floor in our room. On another day of heavy rain, a small flood started in the corner of the room near the electrical equipment but some careful rechanneling of water in the vacant lot outside the side door helped us avoid a near-dangerous situation! We finished off the entire training with a joint session on Saturday on the topic of resettlement. Based on our experience with the Burmese refugees that have been resettled in the Czech Republic, we tried to give participants a realistic view of what awaits them when they are resettled. But more importantly, we sought to tell them that resettlement isn’t the only answer (only 1% of all refugees in India are resettled every year) and that they should already be working now in India towards doing what they want to do, rather than just waiting for resettlement. After a delicious dinner we showed the film Moving to Mars about two Burmese families that move from a refugee camp in Thailand to Sheffield, UK. The electricity cut out of course during the film but luckily only for 5 minutes.
One funny lesson I learned about doing training in India: when we arrived, our local partner Burma Centre Delhi asked us if we had already prepared the design for the banner. We told them we weren’t planning to have a banner. They were shocked and explained “It’s not a real training session if you don’t have a banner”. So we got one, you can see it in all its glory in the photo gallery below.

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Microgrants 2011: Getting Ready for Relaunch

After the trip of two team members to India in July, we are now adapting the website for the new microgrants. While we still need some time to enter all the information, you can already check out the list of projects here. (Smaller editorial changes may occur here and there ;-) )

And, if you don’t know it yet: You can sign up for our special newsletter where we update you as soon as we relaunch the program and on the further development.

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Třetí předání obnosu veřejné sbírky

Dne 15. července 2011 předal náš tým, který se nacházel v indickém Dillí kvůli školení místních malých organizací a připravení programu mikrograntů, další částku z veřejné sbírky ve výši 5.833 US$ čjinské organizaci CHRO. Příjemce bude, jako v minulosti, zajišťovat distribuci potravinové pomoci v Barmě ve spolupráci s místními partnery uvnitř zemi. Příjemce při převzetí daru zastoupil vedoucí indické pobočky CHRO, pan Plato Van Rung Mang.

Budeme vás informovat jakmile budeme mít další informace o distribuci.

 

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