Exposure

Exposure

Exposure leader and organizer: Mr. Soomboon Phan

WHAT IS AN EXPOSURE PROGRAM?

An exposure program is not a sight seeing event; it aims to expose the participants to the realities of the exposure sites. During exposure, we are not only invited to see but also to listen, dialogue, and experience & to use all our senses. It is not solely as a intellectual research exercise but rather a life experience process. It is important to taking part in the day-to-day activities of the exposure sites.

OBJECTIVE OF AN EXPOSURE PROGRAM

In order to help the participants to have deeper understanding on the different issues and concerns in this training program, the exposure program serves to draw participants from different realities (especially we are all from different countries of Asia Pacific) to common realities as a shared process of experiencing, studying, analysing, and reflecting on the those issues and concerns.

SUGGESTION DURING EXPOSURE:

Be open to different cultures & realities. Be sensitive to the feelings of the people. Remember, we go to experience their life and do not intend to:

- Impose our views, believes values and opinions on them

- Give charity to them

Debate, or challenge their values or life styles

Be friendly & try to listen and understand people in your exposure sites (their lifestyles, feeling. concerns, problems etc.)

Be prepared to have minimum convenience compared to your daily life styles.

Try to reflect on your experiences.

So, this exposure process is a process to see, to experience and to understand. Try to experience their uniqueness and culture, and this is also not a "charity" visitation.

Some questions that you can consistently asking yourselves:

1. What did you see? (Beyond the surface like how many people there, how many houses?)

2. What impressed you?

3. How did/do you feel?

Overall question:

1. What are the issues in the site?

2. How do those issues linked with each other?

3. What is your analysis of those issues in terms of globalisation, human rights, and people's governance, women and feminist perspective, and ecology and sustainable development?

Exposure I

The first Exposure Program was in Bangkok. Participants were divided into four groups that visited different NGOs in Bangkok and in the suburb of Bangkok.

1. Foundation for women

The Foundation started in 1984 as a women information center. The main issues advocated by the foundation are domestic violence on women, women migrant laborers and married women or children being forced into prostitution. The activities of the foundation includes, providing information thru a monthly newsletter, community educational and campaign program, organizing forum and printing of handbook. For urgent cases, they provide legal assistance, shelter homes and facilitate women and men dialogue in private, especially for the case of domestic violence.

Violence against women is a hidden but important issue in Thai society. NGO's and women volunteers are doing their best in using resources to help women. Yet it is still necessary to encourage more men and women to participate in the campaign.

2. Green Net

Green Net is an alternative marketing channel for selling organic products to educate customer. Green Net has 32 shops in Bangkok, with more than 1 million members and has networks in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Japan. Green Net is the first NGO working with the market. Their two major products are textile clothing, and organic food and medicine. At the beginning, Green Net considered how to empower more rural women to participate in community and join the Green Net Campaign. So, Green Net discovered that "local women wisdom" should be developed to create an "Equal Textile Project". The two principles are organic enterprise and material standard. They developed local wisdoms to be unique in marketing and provide "fair price" in the market and more profit for local people.

Our participants have many questions in this organization. They want to know how different is this model to the existing marketing practices and how the "women's wisdom" is applied to marketing. How Green Net can really promote alternative marketing or is it just another production outlet for women labour?

3. Alternative Energy Project for Sustainability (AEBS)

AEBS was formed in 1992 in response to Thai government's proposal for building the first nuclear plant in Southern Thailand. It is involve in policy reforms, people's campaigns and international solidarity network.

AEBS exposed that there is 50% surplus in the supply of electricity and the need for more electricity is simply out of the question. Like other progressive groups and individuals, AEBS affirms that there are environment- and people-friendly alternatives (like solar, wind, biomass, etc.). There is an alternative proposal against the government's model of nuclear power plant. There is a continuing pressure to privatize electricity in Thailand on the reason that the government management was not performing well. Investment and performance of the electrical projects in Thailand has brought more hardships to common people; access and cost of electricity has become a major issue since then.

It is already known that the biggest undeclared war of the third millennium will be on the area of control and use of natural resources, energy of all sorts and water bodies. We are deeply moved to learn that five environmental activists have been murdered over the last six months in the province of Bangkok.

4. Sa Klee Community

The Sa Klee community used to be a traditional agriculture community but has dramatically changed after factories moved in. The community is faced with social problems, rural vs urban issue, pollution from factory and lack of young people for farming, etc. However, they found out the strength of the community can reduce the problems. They have started group activities such as saving, organic farming, social issues education which help the group to build group unity and then strengthen the community.

Although there is a limit to the self-sufficiency of the activities, our participants learned how grassroots people can build group unity and help each other to face the social problems and social change.

5. Ban Kura Muslim community

The group stayed with the Ban Kura community and learned their struggle against the Construction of the Express Way in Thailand which threatened to take away their land and livelihood. They reclaimed their community right and finally won the case.

Modern society advocates individualism. It is totally against community existence. Ban Kura community is a living symbol that humans should live in solidarity within shared communitarian identity, responsibility and values.

6. Klong Dan Community

The village is fighting against the government's plans to build the largest waste water treatment plant in South East Asia next to the village. The plant would destroy their lives. They are a fishing community, and the waste water is not made completely clean, so would damage the fishes. For example, heavy metals are left in the water, which are ingested by the fishes, and then by the humans who will eat the fishes. We were taken by boat to the sea. There existed a huge variety of fishes and shells as the water is clean. The activists told that this would cease to exist if they build the waste water plant. And the livelihood of the fishing community that is living around the sea will be threatened.

Our participants are impressed by the local people's commitment to protect the fishing community and their insightful analysis of the environment and human impact of the government's projects. They are fighting against the government using legal and persuasive methods at the moment. But there is a lot of corruption in the government, they are considering to use other methods to negotiate with the government to suspend the plan.

7. Urban Poor community

This community is located near the Bangkok's garbage mountains. They make their livelihood through Bangkok's garbage. Over 4000 tons of garbage is dumped every day. At the moment, all of it goes to the landfill, but the community ensures about 20% is recycled. Things of value are sold to shops, and plastic, paper, metal, and glass are sold for recycling. The people who live in the communities are displaced from other parts of Thailand, and illegal immigrants from other neighboring countries, especially Burma and Cambodia. They moved there and bought the land when they are asked to move out from government. Each family must pay a few hundred Baht per month to pay for the community loan.

Our group is really inspired by the spirit of buying the land as a community asset, and they have contributed in a way that they are ensuring the garbage is recycled. Even if they live in an unsuitable place, they do not see the garbage as waste, rather, it is the resources that they can find their livelihood.

8. Mae Klong Communtiy

This community is located along Mae Klong river bank near Bangkok. This area was categorized by the government as green area due to the existence mangroves. However, mangrove forests in Thailand are nearly extinct because of the commercial shrimp farming, urban expansion and toxic water from factories. At the moment, Mae Klong local people are facing problems in their water supply since water are being directed to serve Bangkok people.

Our group stayed one night in this community and learned about the environmental problem they are facing. But the community has organized themselves for fight for community right.

9. Campaign for Alternative Industry network (CAIN)

This is the only organization that campaigns against pollution in Thailand. They have no specific target, but they monitor environmental and human impact of several areas. They are particularly campaigning against industrial hazards. Protection for factory workers is not good. Many people become ill and die from exposure to toxic chemicals and unsafe working environment. One project the NGO staff spoke about in some detail was the Thai-Malaysian Gas Pipeline. Although gas is promoted as clean energy, at the very least, Mercury is deposited into the water and will pollute the Thai gulf. Enforcement of environmental laws is the biggest problem - there is a lot of government corruption, though the laws are actually quite comprehensive.

Environmental and livelihood issues are complicated. For example, if campaign for waste separation / reduction then it will affect the lives of those whose livelihood depends on the garbage. But then, farmers who live near the garbage are finding that their soil and water are being contaminated by the waste. Thought difficult, however, it is important to develop a win-win solution.

10. Patients of Industrial Diseases

We visited Dr. Oraphan Methadilokkun's clinic who is an expert doctor in factory sickness. We met several patients who told us about their illness for being a worker in the factory. They are suffering from common industrial diseases such as residues of cotton fabric in lungs due to poor ventilation in the factory; sulfur poisoning released from an electrical generation plant. Their illness cannot get enough compensation from the factory as the factory usually denies their responsibility. It is very difficult to get a diagnosis for this sort of disease because only one doctor in Thailand is specialized in this area. There is a group formed by women who have been affected by factory work or pollution in the environment. This group, with Dr. Oraphan is lobbying to have laws charged and compensation given to workers who are suffered from industrial diseases.

The stories we listened were depressing stories of how workers have contributed their labour and sacrifice their health, but without compensation. This is a very negative impact of industrialization.

11. Labour Museum

The group visited the Labour Museum to learn the history of Thai labour movement. There is also a labour movement activist to introduce to the group the general labour condition now. There is changes from the past, such as people have to work harder than before to earn the same amount and many high paid workers were dismissed in the name of economic crisis. Dismissal of trade union leaders is common. Salary reduction has become very common and social security fund is continuously decreasing. "Flexible Employment Policy" was introduced during the economic crisis, that is work and wage not paid in terms of minimum daily wage but in terms of "pieces" or quantity. Workers are vulnerable and can be dismissed anytime.

Labor and environment is grossly exploited and ripped off under globalization. There is an increasing informal sector. Factories are mobile and can move to any places where they can exploit resources and labor.

Globalization is a big challenge to the labor movement. We should align with different sectors and link up globally.

12. Burma Issue

Burma Issue is working with ethnic minorities along Thai-Burma borders in order to strengthen the Burmese's capacity by ways of information dissemination and training. They also promote non-violence approach as a tool to end conflict resolution. Bangkok office is used for information center. Their services included news clippings, article on Burma issues both in Thai and English.

Our group learned about the Burma human rights situation, and how the Thai community is trying to support their neighboring country.

Reflection from Exposure I:

The exposure is centering around four themes: women, livelihood and development, human rights as well as environment. During the visit to NGOs and their work, we are exposed to their analysis of Thai society and the issues facing, their strategies and activities. We are pleased to be able to visit many NGOs and also able to stay overnight in the community. The exposure is short and we felt that there is a need to study in more details how the four themes actually are interconnected and also by reflecting the situation in Thailand, anlysising the situations in our home countries.

Exposure II

This is a five-day intensive exposure. Participants are divided into three groups and go to three different sites. Two groups among three needed to take more than 16 hours of bus from Chiangmai. The three main issues are self-reliance initiatives in Kud Chum, Movement against Pak Moon Dam and the Burmese refugee in Thai border.

Kud Chum Community

This is a community located near to Ubon Rachanthani Province. The issue here is the initiatives from the villagers for self-reliance. This community is becoming very famous because they tried to invent their own medium of exchange, Bia Kud Chum, to promote sustainable livelihood among villagers.

1. Nature Loving Club

We were introduced by the village leader the 18 years of history of the "Nature Loving Club". It covers 15 districts, 72 villages and more than 1000 families. The club's objective is to promote peaceful live and harmony with nature, by reflecting the Thai development policy in the last 40 years.

The first project is the build the windmill to thresh the rice after harvest. The villagers have been exploited by the rice merchants during harvest time by being reduced the price of rice. After the build the windmill, they were able to store up the rice and negotiate with outside merchants. Later, the windmill projects is supported by the government.

As the success of windmill, they have more financial resource to initiate other projects that are for the welfare of the community. The following diagram is a summary of all those different projects.

(explanatory note from Ren)

2. Bia Kud Chum

Money is a social invention, people can create money to foster community economy. Money is not an end but is only a tool to foster productive relations among people. The objective of issue their own money "Bia Kud Chum" is to increase self-reliance so as to lower the dependence on external markets. It is to reduce out flow of money (Thai Baht) and other resources. In order to

promote more local production and consumption, the Club enhance diversification of productions which meet the basic needs of the villagers and also improve the living standard of the villagers, in a more sustainable manner. In the process, they also try to revitalize indigenous knowledge and wisdom of production. But the major achievement is to create good relationships among people.

The "Bia Kud Chum" serves purely as a circulation medium among the villagers to exchange for goods and services. The drawback is shortly after the Bia Kud Chum currency system was launched, the Thai Bank official warned the system of violating the Thai's Currency Act and would pose a threat to national security. The Thai Bank brought the Bia Kud Chum to the court and the case is still pending. The villagers comment that if farmers want to be more self-reliance, it is illegal in Thai.

Reflections

It is a very interesting exposure! We found some new things like Community Currency. It will be an alternatives that worth exploring. Nature Loving Club is able to build more cooperative relationship among the villagers. The community mutual trust created is the base that helps the currency system work well.

We are also impressed by the farmers who organize themselves an alternative community. It is a good example for us to learn about urban and rural development. They are very much up-to-date with understanding of globalization. From the harmful effect of pesticide and chemical fertilizers to health, farmers are trying to rectify the farming practices to organic farming.

Self- reliance is a People's Movement. We learn the importance of production of life than commodity production. Though Community currency has its own loophole, but it is not money per se, it is a symbol of Trust and giving in the paper this essence.

The group still has many questions in mind, such as how is the women's hard work being appreciated?

What is the role /effect of religion in the community politics and invention of new economy? Where have all the rural youth gone? Who will replace the farmers when the youths stay in the cities / urban centers?

How do they resolve the conflicts among different interest groups, such as farmers with the NGOs, with banks and government and merchants outsiders? We were so inspired by this example and we felt that we could have more inspiration if communication was not a barrier.

Pak Moon Dam

The Exposure to Pak Moon Dam was consisted 8 of us. In a little over 24 hrs almost continuous driving with three detours and double backs when we got lost. But somehow managed to arrive exhausted and smelly around 3pm. We had lunch in the village meeting hut which was constructed such that there was view right over the dam. After eating and contemplating the dam from a distance we took our boat trip, we were put into two boats. The village had some footpaths and tar sealed areas, as it was a protest village, which had been constructed on top of the Pak Moon Dam car park. It had there for 3 years when we visited and had been rebuild in parts several times because it had been burnt/attacked by government troops or thugs paid by the electricity generating authority of Thailand.

Fishing had been a main livelihood prior to the dam being built. Due to the sever effect of the dam, many young people had left the village to make a living to work on rice farms or further away tin factories and in the cities, especially Bangkok.

The villagers were all protesters who had left their villages to come together as the Assembly of the poor as a permanent protest to the Dam. We visited the amazing island in the middle of the river, which had certain sacredness to the villager. Together with the villagers we sat on the water edge and ate and discussed with the locals and learnt what the island meant for the villagers.

The island now had many medicinal plants planted on as the one which had existed beside that island, which had been a herbal, medicinal sanctuary had been blown up in order to make the river deeper to increase the water held by the dam.

Assembly of the Poor (AOP) resisting Pak MoonDam.

The proposal for the construction of a hydroelectric dam in 1982 officially known as Pak Moon Dam by the government envisages to generate 135mw electrical power, irrigate 80,000 hectares of farmland and provide livelihood to farmers and fisher folks. The dam has been constructed in the naught of the Moon River around Ubon Ratchthani province of Thai-Lao border. Khong River, which receives Moon River downwards, carries sources and species of fishes from the lakes and seas in Vietnam and Cambodia. More than the magnetite of fishes, the river represents a rich conglomeration of water bodies and marine ecology from different ecosystems.

The Assembly of the Poor was formed by more than 200 dam-affected families. As a symbol of a unified community, protest, they have taken over a site facing the dam and have settled there. Organized protest against the project

that began in 1988 led the AOP further to Bangkok for 99 days protest in 1996. However, the government has been able to compensate only a handful of families. The dam has been the cause of destruction the rich ecosystem while making more than 4000 families miserable. It has submerged the rich archaeological remains, 16 islet and several islands. The submergence of Kaeng Sapue and other community forest has made more than 1000 herbs disappear. The movements of the displaced people has been further restricted by turning the community forest into " Kaengtana National Park". Mass scale migration to towns and urban areas had been the witnessing phenomena of the post-dam affected people. There were no young people in the AOP neither in the villages of Don Sam Ran, Nong Po, Wand Sa Band, Kon Moo etc. which the exposure team has visited.

The beautiful Moon River which stood as a mother to thousands of families have become the symbol of "destruction" and "death". People have been witnessing several ecological impacts such as pollution of water, extremely diminishing of fishes, parasites and blood related diseases, floods etc. This has also brought crimes, prostitution, AIDS and immorality among the community.

Ray of Hope: AOP continue to muster courage and march with hope. The construction authority has opened the spillway for four months on an experiment basis. People are trying to gain back small pieces of their previous life condition. Their three point demands made in 2002 still await EGAT's response.

1. Open up spill way

2. Restore all islet and island

3. Provide livelihood to all people along the river.

They are poor not because of anything but due to the losing of Nature which is their livelihood.

This is the song composed by the exposure team: Spirituality of Survival song

1. Village build on EGAT's parking lot, by displaced people who have lost the lot.

Small houses made of straw and bamboo don't fix it now, may have to build new when EGATS thugs paid for violence have burnt it down, to frighten you they took your land and flooded it your fishing life can no longer fit anywhere. (Chorus)

Chorus: Rain torture, thunderstorm, van torture, much too long, boat torture, getting wet. Peoples torture we'll never forget. Toilet torture, far too few. Losing Crystal and Bird, where are you? Unexpected getting lost, people's struggles we remember most. Miaw!(3)

2. For more than 10 years you struggle and fight, but who has the great might? You demand the governments attention .You need land, help and redemption for the pain and loss they have cause you, young people moving to the city, forgetting your struggles more the pity they are no more. (Chorus)

3. We have hope as Nature continues, to nurture, shelter and feed us. Yet we can't think of life in mid destruction caused by Pak moon Dam. But must encourage Assembly of the poor, you're the model of a new society for now and evermore. (Chorus)

Burmese Refugees in Thailand in Tak

The issue of this group is about Burmese refugees along Thai-Burma border.

1. Image Asia

The group first went to an NGO called Image Asia inside the Chiangmai city. Image Asia is a media organization helping Burmese issue is brought to the public's concern.

We watched a video concerning the forced labor issue in Burma. We learned that men and Women are forced to work for the government without pay. During their labor, many are physically abuse.If they refuse to work or absent from work, they will have to pay penalty. Military take people as porters to carry arms, rations or ask them to walk into minefields to set off mines. There are many Burmese fled to Thailand. There are 1.2 million migrant workers in Thailand and the vast majority from Burma.

NGOs in Thailand try to help Burmese to have access to hospitals in Thailand and produce materials on information about Thailand. There is an umbrella organization for women's group "Women exchange", a network of women from Burma. It works with sexual violence against women on construction sites.

2. MAP (Migrant Actions Program)

The second NGO we visited focusing on multi-media work, to document and campaign for Burmese refugees along the borders. Refugees come because of ethnic conflicts and military repression in Burma. Thai Central government never tried to find political solutions. Refugee village people are living in small huts and some refugee camps is already 20 years old. People are facing poverty, violence and uncertainty. It they leave the refugee camps, they would come as illegal migrants.

3. Karen Village at Mae Khang Kha village

We visited this village along the border which consisted of Christians and Buddhists. The main occupation is farming. The village has no electricity, but living conditions is acceptable. The villagers have been living there more than 300 years, but Thai government declared the area as National

Recreation Park without giving any compensation to the villagers. The villagers need to move out of National Park. The villagers are proving themselves to Thai government that they can stay and not ruin the forest. An NGO help and strengthen the village to make sure that they can live in the National Park area.

4. Development Center for Hill Tribes Children and Youth at Sob Moei Refugee Camp

We visited this center which is situated in the refugee camp, where 14,000 people are living there. 10 people per house, and houses are very close to each other. They have a health clinic and a primary school. Children can only be educated up to 10th grade because they cannot leave the camp. The refugees are trying to teach the young generation English so that they can find a better job in the future.

Refugees are not allowed to farm inside the camp, and they are not allowed to work inside the camp. They have to carry an identity card if they are allowed to go out. The NGOs tries to provide them with daily necessities, such as rice, cooking oil, yellow beans, charcoal, nets and blankets.

5. Refugee School

The Refugee School started in 1990, not all of the students are coming from refugee Camp, also has Karen-Thai students. Among 130 students, 50 are refugees. The school is funded by Church in Thailand and overseas. There are 10 Karen teachers and 5 foreign voluntary teachers.

6. Dr. Cynthia's Clinic

This is the only clinic for Burmese people to access health care. The Burmese are poor and are not afford to visit Thai's hospital and also because they cannot speak Thai. The clinic has five doctors: two Burmese, two foreigners and one local. There are 25 medical students who are Burmese (Karen) are being trained at the clinic. The clinic has a prosthetics. As many people in Burma lose their legs from land mines. People come from Burma to get artificial limbs made for them. Although they get free treatment, it costs much in bribes to get there. Currently there is only one person is working on prosthetics at the clinic. He hopes to train more workers to meet the needs.

Reflection:

The exposure program to the Thai-Burma border is one the most challenging and touching experience that we had in Thailand. The Burmese refugee camp, the Karen Village and then, Dr. Cynthia's Clinic... although it is a long list of places that we had visited, it is vivid that these places are closely linked together because it consisted of a same ethnic group.

We encountered a totally different way of life in the Karen Village, which taught us the real meaning of solidarity. The Karen Village is located within one of the National Park of Thailand and apparently the Karen people are totally dependent on nature and at the same time they also try their best to protect nature. Though this seems contradictory in it, we observed the most beautiful concept of solidarity between human beings and nature. Human beings are made to be in harmony with nature and we are to compliment each other. Here in this village, the people's struggle to balance ecology and economy is put at a higher risk by the nagging warnings given to them by the authorities to leave their homes and the village just because of the fact that it is located within a national park and the truth is, the village was already there even before the area was declared national park!

People living in the Thai-Burma Borders, the Refugee Camps and the patients in the clinic all have one thing in common-they are all displaced refugees and denied opportunity to live. Though the Refugee Camps are given supplies of food and clothing they are not allowed to move out of the Camp areas, they are not allowed to tilt or cultivate the land and they are not to have any kind of occupation. Although they are at times given education on a part time basis by social workers, who can offer them some of their times, but the question of survival is important than the education.

The patients in the Dr. Cynthia's Clinic are most happy in spite of the fact that the few tin-roof buildings spread within an acre of lands provided low medical facilities. The truth is the Clinic is for the ethnic refugees who are not allowed in the governmental or private hospitals or clinics elsewhere in the country, because they are refugees. Here aids come mostly from Australia and although, there's an ever-increasing pressures, politically and socially on the workers, services are rendered to the patients by real good Samaritans. Nevertheless, these patients could have had better hospitals with better facilities if only they were not refugees.

We cannot help but label these people as "the poor" not only because they are economically backward but because they are denied opportunities to lived life in all its fullness!