[fse-esf] Veterans on ESF: Good politics, bad organisation

[Tord Bj ö rk]

Translation of a contribution to the assessment of ESF-5 made in Swedish by
Tord Björk.
 
 
Good politics, bad organisation
 
I had the pleasure to speak with many veterans on their view of ESF in
Malmö. As I myself never been to ESF earlier it was of interest to me to
know what they thought. Contrary to many predictions ESF in the Nordic
countries was not an organizational success nor a political backlash or
deradicalisation. Many of the most critical voices regarded it as the
politcally best ESF so far.
 
What have impressed especially is the broad scope of issues, that the
debates were getting deeper into the questions and that the panels were not
so big which made it possible for the audience to partcipate in the debate.
Nicola from Focus South stressed that the Nordic moderators were good at
listening to the modd among the audinece and get it involved.
 
Asbjörn Wahl From Action for the Welfare State in Norway said that the trade
union participation was a lot bigger than at earlier ESF, something he was
proud of. This was also the case for the envrionmental movement, peasant
movement and indigenous movement. In general it was completly or more than
full at smaller seminars and workshops on climate, research on social
movements, development critique, indigenous people and many other issues.
 
Christoph Aguiton, veteran in European popular movement cooperation an
active in organising marches against unemployment, WSF and ESF had talked to
many other veterans in Malmö. He stated that many people visiting ESF for
the first time by natural reasons are positive while veterans that has been
partcipating many times can be a lot more critical. His judgement is that
2/3 of the veterans looked upon the political result of ESF in Malmö as
psotive or very positive. 1/3 had a negative opinion. This is mainly people
working with traditional issues as the public sector and labour issues were
they felt that not one single person from the Nordic countries came to
important assemblies and seminars which during a long period have been the
core of the ESF process and were there was great hope to now get Nordic
sister organisations on board.
 
Pierre Georges who was an inspirator behind the open space and closing
session was surprised about that so few turned up at the Assembly of Social
Movements. He sees of course the idea of an open space and closing session
as a good idea but as the situation was with so little interest for the ASM
and the lack of a critical mass to make the closing session a good
experience had it not been functioning well to only go on as if nothing had
happened.
 
The environmental movement could be happy about a comment among those that
saw a need in organising a complete alternative to ESF with so called
radical assemblies. Fria Tidningen writes about this initiative "- Action
network is a radical alternative to the ordinary ESF and is more radical, a
possibility for radical voices to be heard, says David Endre. In the
ordinary ESF it is a bit more, without sounding bitter, a bit more
mediocre". What we have heard is that a certain wonder was spreading around
when the discussions on climate at ESF were more radical than those at the
alternative ESF.
 
Everyone saw the demonstration as very good and a height. The solution of
the problem of what should be the main slogan for the demonstration became
somewhat of an anticlimax. Into the very last minute people from the
continent persisted in that there should be a main banner were Europe should
be included. (The offcial paarole of the demoinsrtation was Poere to the
peope ­ No to capitalism and environmental destruction. Added when
translating this text.) When the demonstration finally started there were no
main banner at all. The banner was there but noone wanted to carry it. One
wished instead to carry the union flags. That may say something about the
lack of responsibility for the common goal but that the demonstration was so
appreciated by som many also says soemthing. Not the least did the Dalit
women from India keep the spirit high singing political songs in hindi right
in front of the black block.
 
The organisational problems were obvious and nothing we discussed so myúch
in detail as the political assessemnt. Veterans in the process have a
tendency to have great understaning for practical problems which follos from
organising an ESF. Pierre Georges pointed at that if the Nordic countries
not had taken the responsibility there would have been no ESF at all.
 
Mirek Prokes, veteran from Czech republic was content. It was the broadest
partcipation from CE countries so far with movements from at least 14
countries present. From Albania activists travelled three days by bus to
come to here. All dlegations from CEE countries were pleased when finally
their return travel was secured. The exception was the Hungarian Social
Forum Coordination Committee who had been troubled by some practical
problems. 
 
Christoph Aguiton was obviously pleased. He went as far as stating that ESF
in Malmö was the most unified manifestation of different European social
movements during all his 38 years as activist, yes it was necessary to go
back to the 19th century to be able to experience something similar.
 
Tord Björk
 
 
This was written in Swedish and sent on the NOC list 22.9. It was published
on a blogg by Anders Svensson. It caused some reactions. There seems to be
still different rumours about the main demo banner, but so far noone have in
written protested against the version above.
 
Kenneth Haar from Attac Denmark refered to the seemingly ²bitterness² he
found in the statement by Aguiton which he also saw reflected in a statement
by an Italian trade unionist in the ASM complaining about no Nordic
attendance in the final plenary on labour on Saturday morning. Haar
explains why there was no Nordic interest by the fact that at the same time
as this plenary on labour took place there was the last and conclusive
seminar on the Laval and other EU cases of highest importance to the Nordic
trade union representatives.  He continous: ²The organisers of these
seminars has done a whole lot to get Southern European involvement but
succeded only partially.² That few or noone from Nordic trade unions
participated in the preparation for main Call of action from ASM, Haar
believes ²is due to the lack of transparency which signifies ASM ­ few
understand the process, and where shall they get to now more? Not in the
program ­ by logical reasons. The result is a final statement that in its
political priorities is very French. / This should be stated, as the Nordic
trade union movement this time really have been good at using ESF this time.
The bitter tone, which can be read from Aguitons contribution is therefore
totally lost and totally preposterous.²
 
Asbjörn Wahl made a short comment on the Nordic list stating the reason
being the simulatanous timing of the two activities. He also says that he
made NOC aware of the problem of the unfortunate clash but without reaction.

Aktivism.info states in their coming report on ESF as a fact that actually
at least one Nordic trade union representative was present at a labour
activity when continental trade unionists asked for Nordic comments. The
Nordic trade unionists choosed then to leave discretly the room.


 
Tord Björk

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