[Imc-finance] Money from Ford Foundation? Lack of respect !!!

[red kitten]

Hi.
I didn't have time to read much about the "Ford Foundation finance affair" 
but i'm already pissed off.
Not because of that money or because of the decision of one or another IMC.

I'm pissed off because i read mails which show a TOTAL lack of RESPECT and 
CONFIDENCE.
Some people are always theer to talk about 'grassroot democracy', 'autonomy 
and decentralization', etc, but as soon as they don't agree with the 
decision made, this all become 'undemocratic'.

Such discussion have already happenned during the last Europe IMC Meeting 
(Jan. 2002 / Berlin), about finance and relationship with mainstream media 
and/or journalists. IMCs have different experiences and are working in 
different situations. Some talk to mainstream medias, other refuses, some 
accept to work with activists or political groups, others don't, some get 
money from funds other refuse it, etc... They choose their own way, because 
ONLY THEM can judge the situation, see what can be positive for them and 
what could endanger their practice.

Plenty of things i've heard in Berlin aswell as things i read on mails 
lately are PATERNALISTIC and AUTHORITARIAN. Weither you choose for autonomy 
and RESPECT it, or you choose for a DEMOCRATIC global structure that can 
decide everything.

chEErz

respect /// solidarity /// love2all [ ...and kill the bastards ]

/// r e d . k i t t e n ///


At 18:16 15-09-02 -0400, you wrote:
>I was just reading my mails, and i saw the e-mail from IMC-Argentina
>about the Ford Foundation donation(?). Initially i thought that this is
>still a rumour, but then i checked the imc-finance mails. And what do i
>get? Not only is this thing a rumour, it seems to be in a very mature
>stage, and if i understood well (in on of sacha's mail) the deadline is
>September 15th. Like, today????
>
>I don't want to cause a fight here, but this is UNACCEPTABLE. This is a
>matter of HUGE importance, and the individual imc's get to hear about
>it one day before it is settled? Why wasn't the issue put forward to
>imc-finance for translations and open discussion?
>
>Again, excuse me if i my tone is a bit angry, but i feel (i hope that i
>am wrong, honestly) that the management of the issue has been totally
>undemocratic and unparticipatory so far. Anyone could understand that a
>donation from a foundation like this is something that affects the core
>of what Indymedia is: it's strategy, it's whole nature... and therefore
>a network-wide discussion is nessecary before even getting close to
>accepting or not the money.
>
>The notion that some imc's are free to accept the money and some are
>free to reject it is totally false, since the money (as i understand)
>are supposed to be spent on NETWORK issues (organizing international
>meetings) and not the needs of a single, or a couple imc's. If the
>people involved proceed in accepting the money, whithout having a
>network-wide discussion first, we will have a very bad precedent for
>the democratic function of the network. And our relationships will be
>cast in doubt and disbelief..
>
>To the bootom line: NO DEADLINES for the issue until we get it
>straight. The vast majority of indymedia people throughout the globe
>haven't even heard of this thing, and the facts must be brought forward
>by the people who know them.
>
>So someone has to bring forward the historic of the proposal and the
>proposal itself in detail. Then we must have translations in as many
>languages as possible and a local discussion should occur in each imc.
>And only then should we start discussing approving or rejecting it.
>If this procedure does not take place, many imc's - imc athens
>included - will feel left out and alienated with the network.
>
>Speaking for myself, i am totally against receiving the money. But this
>is another issue, the first priority is to understand and make public
>what is really going on..
>
>In solidarity (and regrets if i have been too harsh)
>
>-- Ilias
>
>_______________________________________________
>Imc-finance mailing list
>Imc-finance@lists.indymedia.org
>http://lists.indymedia.org/mailman/listinfo
>Summary Page: 
>http://kropotkin.indymedia.org/moin/moin.cgi/FinanceWorkingGroupSummary