Category Archives: The Politics of Dignity

The Politics of Dignity and the Politics of Poverty

John Holloway on the Politics of Dignity and the Politics of Poverty. This is the text and notes for a talk given in Nottingham.

Nottingham

How far is Latin America from Nottingham? It depends on how you measure it. You can measure it in terms of a politics of poverty or you can measure it in terms of a politics of dignity.

If we speak of a Pink Tide in the area, we must remember that Pink is not a primary colour, that what seems to be pink is in fact a blend of colours that combine and conflict. There is a central issue that runs through so-called pink tide in Latin America and the way that we understand it. This is the contrast between a politics of poverty and a politics of dignity.

By a politics of poverty I mean a politics that starts from the poverty of the great mass of the population and the desire to eliminate it. This has a very real basis. There is enormous poverty in the region. This is one of the most striking things when you first go there: the number of people selling things at the traffic lights or begging in the streets, the shanty towns, the poverty in the countryside. A very big part of the population live in poverty or extreme poverty. And beside that, the big houses and the big cars, the obvious social disparities between rich and poor.

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Freedom and Dignity comes before housing

http://www.khayelitshastruggles.com/2010/11/freedom-and-dignity-comes-before.html

Mzonke Poni, the Chairperson of ABM WC writes
Date: 16 November 2010

While housing demand in South Africa is very huge like any other developing countries in the world it is import to point it out that the freedom and dignity should be priories over the crisis of housing in order to address the issue appropriately.

Housing crisis and providing houses for the poor in South Africa has been politicised and used as tool to divide the poor and to gain political power in the expense of the poorest of the poor.

As long as poor people’s dignity and freedom is not respected and protected the housing crisis in South Africa will remain a huge challenge and crisis for the government.

While it is difficult to separate people from politics and it is also difficult to separate politics from the development, and it is this reason why the housing crisis will remain a crisis and it is this reason why freedom and dignity must come before housing.

If the poor can not defend their own dignity and freedom they will continue to be the victims of politicised development.

But should they (the poor) gain their freedom and dignity they will be respected, consulted properly, participate meaningfully in their own development, make informed choices and decisions.

While the delivery of housing for the poor needs proper planning, Environmental Impact Assessments, Well located Land, Skills and expects, good implementation, consultations, Resources and etc.

Freedom and Dignity needs those in power and the society in broader context to have a will to listen and understand the poor voices on the ground and allow the poor to be the masters and drivers of their own development and this will only take place and make sense once everyone accept the fact that poor people are human beings and they are able to think for themselves.

Testimony from Brother Filippo Mondini

Brother Mondini’s testimony was also published in the Mercury on 30 September 2009 as Abahlali baseMjondolo Is Not A Criminal Movement and, on the same day, in the Daily News as Government is persecuting Abahlali

Testimony from Brother Filippo Mondini

I spent 4 years working with Abahlali. It was a wonderful and deep experience. I had occasion of meeting wonderful people, courageous and committed comrades. I have never met criminals during our democratic meetings. On the contrary I met and listened to men and women which had the courage to say: enough!

These man and women showed to me the meaning of dignity. They are poor, they live in shacks, they have nothing, but they are rich in dignity.

Abahlali is a great gift to humanity. But it seems it’s a hard one to listen to because Abahlali is like a mirror of what we could be.

I spent 4 years working with Ababhlali and this is not the first time that they are under attack. We stood together during the Kennedy Six trial, we stood together during various demonstrations and marches. We have been beaten by police during a prayer, we marched together on Nyager when we said to him: “You have vandalized our humanity…”.

During my time in South Africa I have witnessed police repression, political violence and intimidations towards the movement. I spent most of my time working in a particular settlement where local ANC members threatened and oppressed people. In that context it was a very courageous act to participate to Abahlali meetings. Yes I witnessed violence, but it was always state violence. It was the state who sent armed police, it was the state and its councilor who intimidate people…

The attack of these days is another evidence that the state cannot hear the truth especially because now poor people are screaming this truth. Today, again and again, we understand that the state and its police is afraid of Abahlali. They are trying to destroy it but they only obtain the opposite effect.

I want to say thanks to all you comrades for your commitment, because you are making this world a better place to leave in. I want to give thanks especially to our leader S’bu Zikode. His commitment as Abahlali leader had been really costly for him. He is a wonderful person, gentle and good, always available to listen to everyone. He is not a criminal, he is an hero. Professional politicians should take example from him.

Let us stand together. The world knows that Abahlali is not a bunch of criminals but a prophetical movement who stands for the truth. The world is watching now…

Brother Filippo Mondini
(filomondi@gmail.com)

Comboni Missionary (Catholic Church) Italy, Castelvolturno