[Imc-finance] IMC-Athens statement on Ford Foundation grant

[Ilias]

IMC Athens has concluded, after discussing the situation created in the 
past few days regarding the ford foundation grant, to the following 
statement:

We reply to the call of solidarity by Indymedia Argentina with the 
warmest and most comradely feelings. Inspired by the massive social 
struggle that takes place in Argentina and amazed by the hard and 
groundbreaking work the imc people are doing there - under extremely 
difficult circumstances- we extend our unanimous support and solidarity 
to imc-argentina, and above all to the Argentinian people. But also 
particularly, we support the imc-argentina thesis on the ford 
foundation issue.

We believe that the problem is two-fold: firstly the issue of either 
indymedia should receive money from ford foundation and secondly the 
procedure followed to achieve the grant. 

1. Starting from the latter: 

The way that this grant was pursued was al least problematic in our 
view, and raises a lot of questions about what and how can be 
autonomous in this network. We felt unpleasantly surprised to learn 
that a matter as important as this was brought into public indymedia 
knowledge just one day before the application deadline. And we also 
feel disempowered by the fact that the issue is still considered (by 
the people who worked on the fund) as a separate, autonomous decision, 
that will not include the whole imc network. 

We notice a lack of transparency and the undermining of the network-
wide processes in the way the issue was processed. We consider the 
matter of funding (in such large amounts) for projects involving almost 
the whole network very important: we believe that it should be 
addressed (as every other important global issue) by the respective 
network structures, in this occasion imc-finance. We don't agree with 
the definition of autonomy raised by imc-urbana. A project that affects 
every imc (both in a practical and political manner) and is processed 
by a group of inter-imc people cannot be totally autonomous, in our 
point of view. As in this case, the results will be growing disbelief, 
and weakening confidence and trust.

We recognize that there is a great difficulty in developing network 
decision-making structures and many of the them are not functioning 
well. We also admit that imc-athens has its own share of responsibility 
for that. But we see this debate as an opportunity for the global imc 
community to strengthen it's solidarity, communication and mutual 
understanding. And to revitalize the (difficult) process of creating 
and strengthening network wide structures and procedures. Imc-Athens 
will bring soon some proposals on that issues, including the funding of 
face-to-face meetings.

We also want to reconfirm our solidarity and confidence to the IMC 
people involved in the ford foundation project. We certainly do not 
doubt their intentions and we do recognize their great efforts and 
dedication to the global indymedia network - without these efforts the 
indymedia network would not be what it is today. And we extend our 
respect and admiration for that. We believe that the main reason for 
this breakdown in mutual understanding has been the poor global 
communication practises and structures. This issue should not divide 
us, it should be a warning sign that we must work much harder in that 
area. 

2. Accepting money from Ford Foundation

IMC-athens is very strongly against the reception of money by this 
Institution. We can familiarize with imc argentina: we might not have 
any historic with this foundation in Greece, but we also have been 
under military dictatorship (1967-1974), organized by the CIA and U.S. 
interests. Many of our parents have spent years in jails for opposing 
this dictatorship, some were tortured for weeks and some were killed 
during un uprising in 1973 -  this crime was funded and organized by 
U.S. interests, working in the same conspiratory way as in Argentina, 
even the State Department recognizes that. So we know what the 
Agrentinians are talking about..

On the other hand, we don't believe that a grant from an institution 
with ties to the multinational complex can be totally "innocent". 
Besides the issue of "defamation" that it will cause (in Greece the 
imcs' will be certainly discredited if indymedia accepts this funds), 
it creates a very bad precedent of dependence. At the beginning 
everything might seem easy and innocent but many movements, 
organizations and progressive structures have gone down that way. 
Besides that, we unanimously say in IMC-Athens that we do not want that 
money. We don't want our air tickets being paid with the direct product 
of global exploitation and injustice. We would rather not attend a 
meeting than use this money. We don't think that all money is dirty, 
but SOME IS.   

Solidarity, inspiration from social struggle and our will to change 
this world is what primarily "funds" our effort and commitment to the 
imc project. We do not regard fund raising as something unnecessary 
or "bad", but we do not consider it as such a priority for the network 
in order to make such controversial and hurried moves. In the way that 
we managed to create innovative and empowering ways for the exchange of 
information, we can also develop similar, participatory and grassroots 
ways to have access to this ugly but necessary thing that money is. 

In Solidarity to all
The IMC-Athens collective

-- Ilias