Press Report Europe WSF 2009 - OpenFSM!

Q&A: 'NGOs Are Part of the Problem With WSF-Pakistan' (IPS)
Zofeen Ebrahim interviews Irfan Mufti, GCAP Chief
Press Report Europe WSF 2009
KARACHI, Jan 29 (IPS) - As the ninth edition of the World Social Forum (WSF) opened in Belem, capital
of the north Brazilian state of Para, half way around the globe in Pakistan the movement seems to have
run out of steam.
Athe closing of WSF-2006 in this Pakistani port city, one of the four polycentric fora, noted writer and political
campaigner Tariq Ali predicted gloomily that the forum would "fail to bring about new social movements"
because he perceived non-governmental organisations (NGOs) taking people away from politics.
Irfan Mufti, a member of the Pakistan National Steering Committee and the co-convenor of the organising
committee of the WSF-Karachi (now the CEO of Global Call to Action Against Poverty), spoke with IPS
correspondent Zofeen Ebrahim, in an interview over Internet chat, on why the WSF was tottering in Pakistan.
IPS: What is happening with WSF in Pakistan?
Irfan Mufti: The problem is that it is being run by NGOs. This has ruined the spirit of the forum in Pakistan. It
was a conscious decision to initiate it through NGOs and gradually open it to others and hand it over to social
movements. However, I think the process has taken too long to achieve that objective.
IPS: Do you think it has become personality-driven or organisation-driven?
IM: In Pakistan, so far, it has been both personality and NGO-driven.
IPS: Why is it not being owned by civil society organisations and other groups?
IM: I think the ownership of the WSF at the global level is also a challenge. It is not only in Pakistan but
everywhere at the moment and this is an unfortunate reality. I think we need to be patient for it will take time.
Globalisation of civil society and movements is not a simple task.
IPS: Does it have to do with the sustaining it financially?
IM: I think money is not a big problem. There are several global partners of WSF that are willing to provide
support to such a process. Moreover, NGOs in Pakistan should also provide such support to an independent
body regardless.
I also know from my own experience that social movements and other political groups also contribute
immensely to voluntary force, logistics and many other key areas of the forum so there is no need to make it
dependent on NGO money.
IPS: How is the Indian chapter of WSF doing?
IM: It is doing well in India and is a very good example of an independent process run and supported by a
collective of political, social groups and movements.
IPS: If money is not the issue how should it be prised free from the clutches of the NGOs?
IM: It should be made independent with a self-governed body and an independent secretariat like Sao Paulo’s.
Setting up a new national committee and giving more representation to movements and political groupings,
setting up of an independent committee and a secretariat that should be governed by the national committee,
there should be a clear charter of action that should then lead the process in coming years.
We need to delink it with all those forces that are pro-corporation and make a clear pro-poor agenda. NGOs
should be kept outside the main process, a think tank needs to be developed that should provide guidance to its
policy actions.
IPS: Will this waning interest in WSF in different countries be taken up at Belem?
IM: To some extent, yes. Mainly whether the WSF process is a viable one to invest more energies; are reforms
needed, or make an altogether new beginning with a clear action agenda. There are many points of view within
WSF’s International Council that remain unresolved yet. For instance, the Brazilians are not listening to other
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