 
Letter to Prime Minister Paul Martin
The larger context of the tsunami
17 January 2005
To: Prime Minister Paul Martin
Re: The larger context of the tsunami: Respecting human rights,
cancelling debt, and supporting genuine development
17 January 2005
Rt. Hon. Paul Martin
Prime Minister of Canada
House of Commons
Ottawa, K1A 0A6
Dear Mr. Martin;
We are heartened by the generosity of Canadians who have donated
so much to assist the victims of the tsunami-earthquake disaster.
We commend the Canadian government’s commitment to match these
donations and provide substantial additional assistance.
We believe that this is a Kairos moment, that is, a time when God
challenges us to decisive action. We believe the devastation wrought
by the tsunami must be seen in a larger context, one that embraces
human rights and economic justice.
Respecting Human Rights
Most of the victims of these natural disasters were already living
in precarious conditions as subsistence farmers and fishers, in
armed conflict situations such as in Aceh and Sri Lanka, or under
military rule in Burma. Most of the victims were vulnerable because
of war, military repression and poverty.
In armed conflict situations or militarized areas, it is especially
important for aid delivery to be guided by the “Principles
and Good Practices of Humanitarian Donorship”, which Canada
has endorsed. These include: affirming the leading role of civilian
organizations in aid delivery and ensuring that international humanitarian,
human rights and refugee law is respected. This applies generally,
but particularly if military personnel and resources are used to
deliver relief assistance.
It is of grave concern to KAIROS that these important guiding principles
have not been followed in Aceh where the military is playing a leading
role in relief operations. This has compromised the effectiveness
and fairness of relief distribution and safe humanitarian access.
Given that thousands of people depend on relief assistance for their
survival, civilian oversight and monitoring are absolutely critical.
We have received reports of widespread misappropriation and inequitable
allocation of aid in Aceh. The military’s role in relief efforts
is even more problematic given the gross human rights violations
it has committed against the civilian population, and its ongoing
counter-insurgency operation. It is imperative that the military
cease its offensive during this time of humanitarian crisis when
people’s vulnerability is heightened due to the destruction
of infrastructure, mass displacement and death.
Alarming reports are also reaching us from our partners in Sri
Lanka. They report plans for: resettling people who have fished
for a living all their lives one kilometre away from the sea in
order to make room for the construction of beachfront tourist hotels;
that large fishing fleets will displace small fishers; and consolidation
of landholdings that will displace small farmers, denying them a
livelihood and forcing migration to urban areas.
Unconditional Debt Cancellation
We urge you once again to take leadership on the debt issue by championing
not just a short-term moratorium after which the unpaid debts will
again have to be serviced, but rather the actual cancellation of
afflicted countries’ bilateral and multilateral debts. Debt
cancellation must also take place outside the confines of the Paris
Club which requires countries to adhere to conditions laid down
by the International Monetary Fund. Indonesia has explicitly asked
that any debt moratorium or debt restructuring not involve a new
IMF program. The disastrous IMF program imposed on Indonesia (after
the 1997-98 Asian debt crisis) expired in 2003 and is widely seen
as responsible for seriously exacerbating poverty in Indonesia.
In light of this, we view the offer of US$1 billion of new loans
from the IMF with some alarm. Some countries in the region do not
currently have any loans outstanding from the IMF and need to maintain
their independence from its conditionality.
We strongly believe that Canada’s response must include initiatives
that address the root causes of insecurity, poverty and oppression.
In particular, we are concerned that survivors emerge from the crisis
with opportunities to take control of their own development. External
agents, such as the International Monetary Fund or the World Bank,
impose discredited models of “mal-development,” including
more deregulation, privatization and preferential treatment for
foreign corporations over small and medium local producers.
Supporting Genuine Development
Our partners have been working on small scale, environmentally sustainable
alternatives for more than ten years. These alternatives do not
need large infusions of international capital but instead depend
on peoples’ own initiatives and resources. If donor governments
favour large foreign or domestic investors over locally-designed
initiatives they will double the tragedy for already traumatized
populations.
Many Canadians hope this tragedy will spark a long-term generous
response. A long-term commitment by Canada requires that you finally
fulfill the promise to devote 0.7% of GNI as genuine development
assistance for overseas development.
KAIROS urges Canada immediately to suspend the requirement that
90% of Canadian food aid must be purchased in Canada. There are
ample stocks of food available in the region that could be delivered
more quickly to the victims than food shipped from Canada. We strongly
urge you to finance food purchases from locally available supplies.
We call on Canada and the international community to ensure that
humanitarian intervention does not exacerbate people’s vulnerability,
and that long-term efforts are undertaken to achieve sustainable
and equitable development, and a just and lasting peace.
Yours sincerely,
Mary Corkery
Executive Director
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