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Life Onboard |
LAST UPDATE
July 12, 2005
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| site design imagesparkle.com |
| September 27 , 2003 |
Mekong Watch NGO – Tamaki Ohashi |
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As Peace Boat sailed between Taiwan and Viet Nam, US-Japanese activist and NGO worker, Tamaki Ohashi contributed a series of thought-provoking lectures and workshops focusing on development in the Mekong region, as well as the little-understood situation of Burma/Myanmar.
As part of its drive to promote and strengthen links of peace across Asia, Peace Boat realize the importance of trying to raise awareness and understanding about the socio-political, economic and environmental situations of our regional neighbours, particularly the effects of Japanese policy.
Tamaki shared with her audience, the experience she gained while working for Japanese NGO "Mekong Watch", which combines research and advocacy to address and prevent the negative environmental and social impacts of development in the Mekong region. |
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| At the end of the Spider Web game, better understanding the interconnectedness of various aspects of "development" |
Frank in style, Tamaki gave an introduction to the reality of Official Development Assistance (ODA) and the way in which Japan, as the largest provider of ODA to the six countries in the Mekong region, has in practice had a detrimental impact, especially when considered from the perspective of the supposed recipients.
Despite the stated motives of providing funds to "developing" communities to promote peace and development in the international community, Tamaki illustrated the way in which the actual impact of Japan's role in "developing" its neighbours has brought about significant suffering and hardship to the very people the program is designed to help. One unmistakable case comes from the testimonies of Cambodian villagers interviewed by Mekong Watch. They revealed a litany of accounts of displacement, disruption and worsened living conditions as a result of mega-projects carried out under the altruistic name of Japanese ODA.
Explaining the not-so-attractive flipside to the usually heralded image of Japan as the generous giver of aid prompts not only Japanese people, but everyone, to re-think the way in which their taxes are being used, ostensibly for international development and cooperation. It also forces us to question what "development" means and question the assumption that aid is always a good thing. Tamaki helped participants realize that we, as members of the general public, can help make a difference. One concrete way is by requesting more information about how public money is spent, which will in turn demand a greater level of scrutiny where projects are being implemented. |
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| The affected Mekong region |
Tamaki introduced a group of 30 participants to an interactive learning game called "Spider's Web" to encourage a better understanding of the multi-faceted nature and consequences of development projects. While pairs of participants role-play a different actor or issue relating to the development project, such as "infrastructure", "media" or "local community", they begin to realize what divergent priorities and agendas exist and how difficult it is to reconcile their objectives, especially those of the powerful with those of the disempowered.
Players criss-crossed the room with their own ball of string, leaving behind them a multi-layered web of interconnectedness as they negotiated with one another about their respective interests. Besides creating a room full of animation and colour, this workshop was a creative and useful way to develop an appreciation of the complexities of development projects. It also confirmed the importance of proper consultation, especially with those people whose lives are supposed to be improved by the development project in the first place.
On the topic of Burma, Tamaki possesses an unswerving sense of dedication and concern for justice and human rights. Using her understanding of contemporary problems in Burma, which include the military government's blatant disregard for the rule of law, systemic human rights abuses, and ethnic conflict, Tamaki planted a seed of consciousness in the largely Japanese audience about the dire human security predicament in which the people in Burma have been placed. For those already aware of the Burmese people's plight, Tamaki's talk inspirational as a call to action.
Highlighting the consequences of the military's 41 years of repressive rule, alongside the struggle for democracy and the repeated detention of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her victimized party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), Tamaki made it clear that the situation of Burma needs to be given more attention by the international community, particularly the international media. Yet, a key obstruction to this taking place is the inability of the outside world to give adequate voice to those suffering inside Burma. While people from around the world are being beckoned by Myanmar Tourism campaigns to visit the `Land of Golden Pagodas`, journalists and potential critics are kept firmly out. For those who plan to go to Burma regardless of the confronting politics, Tamaki advised traveling independently and discreetly and providing support to people in Burma on a one-to-one level rather than choosing conventional methods (for example, package trips) which may end up lining the pockets of the military.
Connecting contemporary Japan to Burma through a stream of ODA (although it has recently ceased while Daw Suu Kyi is under house arrest), Tamaki emphasized her belief that displays of international cooperation are utilized by the military government as propaganda to create a sense of legitimacy. In this way, Tamaki points out that, in her opinion, unless Peace Boat is able to somehow establish genuine people-to-people exchange without the interference of the government, it is better to refrain from visiting Burma. |
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