← Previous

Page 422 of 2211

Next →

1 ... 417 418 419 420 421 422 423 424 425 426 427 ... 2211

Sigge, where are you?! Please restaure a good level on this mess, with all your good old stories!

The previous sounds like part of the charter.

 

And how about a page "Alertvindalert"? with a link to Tvindalert. Sessions like "The last gossip", "Salsa Cult", "Tvindalert danish branch", "News from the Group"?

What about if we use Tvindalert tactics to spread a "truth" about Tvindalert?

Maybe we could start a debate in this statement:

I have "heard" that someone is investigating where Tvindalert is getting its money from and that it is claimed that they recieve support from people that have connections to the neo nazi movement.

Next could be that we get a journalist writing about it.

After that could we write: According to the independent paper of ?? (Whatever name) is there an private investigation in process to uncover Tvindalerts connection to right wing extremist groups.

Next would maybe be a statement from Tvindalert saying that they have no connection to the neo nazis and claim that it is "Tvind propaganda".

We could then maybe claim: Tvindalert have been in contact with a person, we do not wish to name, that has openly claimed that he think that foreigners in Denmark should be Danish or otherwies they can be kicked out. Some people, that we still wish to keep anonymous, say that the new "righ wing movement" in Europe is very closely related to what in Germany during the 30-40ties was call National Socialism=Nazism

Tvindalert can answer: We do not support that.

We could say. Oh no, one person listed here at the site and obviously a supporter of Tvindalert has, according to sources that wishes to be anonymous, been i frequent contact with people with extremist views and political agendas. Why do not Tvindalert admit their connection??? What are they hiding? We are fighting for a more transparent Tvindalert. Tvindalert is spreading propaganda to hide their real agenda.

This is off course a made up story and only an example on Tvindalert tactics.

 

 

This is a guestbook, but not the place for propaganda. We don't mind debate, but very long messages that are just propaganda will have to be deleted - there are plenty of DRH websites where you can find this.

 

Do you believe in the theory of conspiracy? Tvindalert is a branch of the secret danish police. Read with attention the names of people beyond the site, read with attention the reports of different danish newspapers, find out who was with the police when they broke in the property of members of TG. Ask where they live, what they make, where to find the dozens of thousand pound they need to link this page in Google and other search engines; donations? do they show their accounts, do they have a postal adress?...

The previous sounds like part of the charter.

Tvind alert express the power of democratisation of Internet. Everyone has a place and something to share with others. For us it is an important in one hand, an easy place to discover the history of a peculiar group - the teachers group - and in the other hand, the dicotomy of the western world: the good ones in one side and the bad ones in the other side. It is clear to understand - if you have a modern perspective of the world - that teachers group is a different reality of humana people to people. Teacher group has different model of development than humana people to people. The first points towards the realisation of the individual in a common perspective, the second points towards the realisation of the aspiration of comunities via the empowerment of individuals. It is what it is, and the tone xenofhobe of tvindalert contributions is also clear to the ones that study development. This doesn't take away the merit that tvindalert has - to make a chronology of an important reality in the world today: that development can be done by any person.

 

NB : there are at least two ships missing off your list, both were used by Red House School, one was based in the Caribbean and the other moored locally and used for teaching sailing to the students prior to their sailing in the Caribbean. The boat in England was in excellent condition and a beautiful boat, the one in the Caribbean I never saw as I moved from Red House to DRH Hornsjo shortly before my class went there.

Cheers

Chris

Hi Steen

If you still visit this site I was wondering were you at Red House when I was there, I seem to recollect that you were, but left when Winestead opened, though I could swear it was called White Haven when it first opened... long time ago.

Cheers

Chris

Hi All

What I find most interesting is the perception by the complaint letters is that the whole of the LG is run with the concept of ripping people off. Have any of you ever seen the break down on what happens when you donate one pound to any aid organization, of where that money actually goes and how much of it ever gets to the thing you think you are aiding? I'll have to dig it up, it makes for interesting reading and makes you think twice before giving to charity. What I liked about Tvind was the ideal that "anyone" can make a difference and volunteer, AND see exactly what happens to the clothes that are donated and so forth.

I was on the first Norwegian team to go to Zambia, working in Monze to build a tree nursery, our education in Norway was very much "self planned" and it worked very well, learning the history of Africa, Zambia, Tree agriculture, errosion effects and so on, even some of the local language which ended being more useful as entertainment in Zambia than for communication, our LG teacher Jostein was excellent, I learnt and owe him a lot. In Zambia will built what at that time was considered one of the best tree nurseries in Zambia, government officials from all over the country flocked to the opening ceremony to "take credit" and to our utter shock and my total pissed off horror they eventually gave all the credit to The Norwegian Aid Org NORAID and not UFF, having seen the NORAID nursery first hand all I can say was "glad they didn't have anything to do with our work".

Summary, while things do go wrong, Tvind/UFF/Humana etc all have a common goal to help people, sure they have ideals that I didn't agree with, their complete lack of respect for "personal belongings" really irritated me.

But for every negative thing I saw, or heard I can merrily counter with many more positive things, be it from a Small School, Efterskole, Travelling High School or DNS.

Cheers

Chris khunkwai@somtam.com

Nov 23rd 2001

Hello Sigge

Thanks for your straight forward and honest answer. Even though I don't agree with some of the things you say about TG do I now understand much better where you are coming from. Thanks I wish you the best!

Tomas

 

Hi! Did you red the bonga bonga story? Great staff, ahn?! It is true that the charter of this group is like this? There is any possibility of buying that book? Can any of you folks give me a tip where to find it? m74gardner@excite.uk

Date : Nov 22nd 2001

Hi All

Wow interesting site, I was a voluteer (not part of the LG/TG but as a pocket money paid volunteer)at Tvind, I started at Red House, was a student at DRH Hornsjo, spent a month at DNS, taught at DIE Tvind and was a student at DRH Tvind. During which time I travelled the world, saw and did some amazing things and made many many good friends...this was all back in 1988 through 1992... now a days I run a company in Thailand, which is funny becuase the day they finally kicked me out of Tvind Anna Laursen asked me not to go to Thailand when I told her I was going there, funny enough in 1995 when I enquired about going back to Tvind as a volunteer again I was accepted but eventually didn't go as my then girlfriend was against the idea...oh how life could have been very different.

I have read every story on this site from ex students and teachers and a lot of it has a lot of truth behind it, and I say this while saying in the same breath, DAMN I had a good time at Tvind, Maybe I didn't love every minute but it was one hell of a ride and an education available no where else on Earth, my work in Zambia was great, my bus trip to India and Bangladesh was amazing and the sports days were just awesome, yea I almost froze to death hitch hiking in Sweden, went insane selling post cards in Finland and found the budget for fund razing and school fees to be a tad vague (is that old nuclear bunker still in use).

Some of longest friends are ex Tvind buddies, one of whom is a total avid hater of Tvind and is a fan of this site.

All said an done, yes Tvind has some weird stuff going on so does Greenpeace.

Was I brain washed, no I was kicked out of Tvind, when I left Red House to go to DRH in Hornsjo one of my students (Maria) said "please don't even change", to which a LG teacher said "Of course he will", not quite the road that was planned out for me.

Tvind taught me many things (even danish and norwegian as a side effect), and for that I will always be very grateful. Would I go back..... would they let me might be a better question.

Cheers

Chris khunkwai@somtam.com

About why to write in this guest book

I dont use the word evil about anything. Not even TG. Many people that I know were in the Teachers Group were OK. Even though one didnt really get to know them. We seldom talked about ourselves or our families or life before. We were not in focus as individuals. The work was of overall importance.

I dont consider those TG-members I knew as stupid or non-intelligent. Not more or less than those I have met before and after TG. Even intelligent people can become members of a cult. It has nothing to do with intelligence. A cult is not introducing itself as a cult. I dont believe anybody would consciously start up a career as a sect-leader. Neither would there be so many students if the brochure would say: Hi, welcome to our cult. The projects in Africa need your contribution. We need all your time, money and your whole life. Forget about friends and family we will become your new family. Dont worry if you some day realize you have been a cult-member you are not less intelligent because of that. When can one be totally sure that the people you trust actually are worth the trust?

Do you think that I am fighting you? Actually I am not using so much time and energy to combat you. I just write in this guest book sometimes. Thats about it. I have a life to live you know. And why I am writing at all I have explained. I was not aware of being in a cult when I was in TG. I pushed that kind of thoughts away. (There were so much other things to do like morning cleaningJ). Manipulation and misuse of peoples goodwill is something that I am against. Thats why.

You say that you dont pray to a guru. Who has said you have to PRAY to a guru? I have never claimed that people are praying in such a pragmatic environment as the Teachers Group. My experience is the opposite: Religious people were questioned. My tactics is not to repeat Tvind is bad until it becomes a truth itself. (But I do remember that this is how we explained to each other why there always were those newspaper articles making our life difficult). I have no tactics at all. I just write what I think about things.

I need no justifications whatsoever. I am not unhappy with my years in TG now that I am out. Some fewer years would have been enough, though. I am not bitter I have also good memories. And I think that after some very troublesome years after TG when I had to let it sink in that I had been wrong, I have learnt a lot from the experience. (Even though it is not exactly what you would write about in your pamphlet either).

I dont get paid. Who would pay me to write in a guest book? I am very content with my life, I dont feel like writing here is filling much more space in my life than writing something else. TG is not THAT interesting. Yes, what I write is honestly what I think. But please, dont bother being sad on my behalf. It would be in vain, as I am happy with my life. And I dont think I am doing less good today than in the teachers group. Actually the opposite.

I agree with Lars who appreciated you taking part in the discussion.

Sigge

About why to write in this guest book

I dont use the word evil about anything. Not even TG. Many people that I know were in the Teachers Group were OK. Even though one didnt really get to know them. We seldom talked about ourselves or our families or life before. We were not in focus as individuals. The work was of overall importance.

I dont consider those TG-members I knew as stupid or non-intelligent. Not more or less than those I have met before and after TG. Even intelligent people can become members of a cult. It has nothing to do with intelligence. A cult is not introducing itself as a cult. I dont believe anybody would consciously start up a career as a sect-leader. Neither would there be so many students if the brochure would say: Hi, welcome to our cult. The projects in Africa need your contribution. We need all your time, money and your whole life. Forget about friends and family we will become your new family. Dont worry if you some day realize you have been a cult-member you are not less intelligent because of that. When can one be totally sure that the people you trust actually are worth the trust?

Do you think that I am fighting you? Actually I am not using so much time and energy to combat you. I just write in this guest book sometimes. Thats about it. I have a life to live you know. And why I am writing at all I have explained. I was not aware of being in a cult when I was in TG. I pushed that kind of thoughts away. (There were so much other things to do like morning cleaningJ). Manipulation and misuse of peoples goodwill is something that I am against. Thats why.

You say that you dont pray to a guru. Who has said you have to PRAY to a guru? I have never claimed that people are praying in such a pragmatic environment as the Teachers Group. My experience is the opposite: Religious people were questioned. My tactics is not to repeat Tvind is bad until it becomes a truth itself. (But I do remember that this is how we explained to each other why there always were those newspaper articles making our life difficult). I have no tactics at all. I just write what I think about things.

I need no justifications whatsoever. I am not unhappy with my years in TG now that I am out. Some fewer years would have been enough, though. I am not bitter I have also good memories. And I think that after some very troublesome years after TG when I had to let it sink in that I had been wrong, I have learnt a lot from the experience. (Even though it is not exactly what you would write about in your pamphlet either).

I dont get paid. Who would pay me to write in a guest book? I am very content with my life, I dont feel like writing here is filling much more space in my life than writing something else. TG is not THAT interesting. Yes, what I write is honestly what I think. But please, dont bother being sad on my behalf. It would be in vain, as I am happy with my life. And I dont think I am doing less good today than in the teachers group. Actually the opposite.

I agree with Lars who appreciated you taking part in the discussion.

Sigge

Tomas, what is the connection between Tvind and Humana? Was Humana founded by Tvind, or did Humana start Tvind?

The best evidence of the work done are the results. Check out www.humana.org

"If you're not careful the media will have you hating the people who are being oppressed, and loving the people who are doing the oppressing" -Malcolm X

I'am a member of TG. We got proff that we are doing good things. Unfortunably we got mugged by som unpleasent, nicely dressed, well educated assholes, with know sens of humor, who stole the evidence. Sorry!

Why do you say all these things about humana have you a little thing called "proof" to back these lies up with. Of course some people might have had a bad experience but thats only the small minority how about the majority who have a great time and get the most out of it these are the real people that humana is made of.

By MD

Hi Tomas, A couple quick points and then some questions (1) Yes Laszlo mentioned both lack of Internet access and sleeping on the floor. However, you are picking out two sentences out of several pages in which he reports lack of organization, lying, little training, a court investigation, etc. etc. etc. You're simply taking a cheap shot and ignoring the largely issue.

(2) I'm glad that you are participating in this forum so activily and promote it. It certainly makes for more interesting discussions.

Questions (1) Are you saying that Morgens Amdi Peterson is in no way associated with the Teacher's Group? Are you simply calling Steen's report a lie?

(2) Just out of curiosity Who owns the CCTG building? I assume that it is the Teacher's Group (or a corporate identity) but often this has been something that has not been admitted. I guessing that you see no reason not to say this.

Regards....Lars

To Sigge To All reading

What is life about? In my opinion is it to get most out of it now when we have the opportunity to live and a lot of choices for how we can live it.

Many people have had an extraordinay time being for example a Development Instructor in Africa, project leader in Humana a teacher at One World Volunteer Institute in Norway and so on. MANY people have been Development Instructors and many people has also joined the TG. Some people do it for shorter time and others do it for longer time. Many have enjoyed the time even though that they decided that 1,2,3 or more years was enough and started with something else. I have friends that joined the TG and after a while decided to stop. They do not say that the Development instructor program is a bad thing or that TG is a bad thing. They liked it, but wanted to do something different. Life is filled of choices.

I believe that the number of people that has joined the Development Instructor program is something like 5000? Right? Out of them some have quit. Why? I think it is for many reasons. Some because it was too hard, others have quit cause of other personal reasons, others have quit cause they didn't like the way it was set up or they didn't like their teacher etc etc. Out of the people that have quit do many not have anything "againts" for example the One World Volunteer Institute or TG, but is also some that thought it was "so bad and evil" that they have decided to "fight" it. The same counts for the ones that have joined and quit the TG.

Now, what I am wondering is why these "really unsatisfied people" have such an ambition to say that the people that liked the experiences and still do are actually stupid and haven't "understood"?? We are in their eyes both brainwashed, a cult and thiefs.

What is it that is driving you Sigge??

Here at Tvindalert do you read comments about that there is no transparency and that economy is a secret. That is certainly a big lie. Just take a visit to IICD:s website and you can see their economical results online. This from an account that yearly is audited by a Independent public Auditer. Here at Tvindalert you read the money raised for Humana is not used for the purpose. Also someting that certainly is a lie. Just visit www.humana.org and see how many projects there are. Here at Tvindalert can you read that it is a certain guru that decides everything and that for example me, I am a "loyale cultmember". I do not pray do a Guru and sacfrice myself for a higher aim. Furthe do I think that i am at least a bit intelligent. Maybe you people lying know that? Maybe you have chosen a "a tactic" to say Tvind, bad,Tvind, bad, Tvind, bad so many times so that people starts believing it?.

I can understand some of the stories for ex Lazaros about their time in South Africa. It gives me a clear picture and have a bit of truth in it. Even though he thought it was really bad that they only had internet for 2 hours a day and that they had to sleep on madrasses. I don't think that is bad at all!!!!! (It is more then I and others here at CCTG have had the last year.) But in one way does it clearly explain (among other things) that even if we claim that the development instructor program is something that everyone can participate in might it not be a program for everyone.

What I have more difficulties in understanding is that some persons uses lies to achieve what they want. And it is no limit to what they can write and lie about!!!

Maybe they wish to achive a justifcation for themselves? Maybe they have a empty space that they need to fill out? Maybe they get paid to do so by some that love to have a certain picture or make up a story? Maybe it is that they truly believe what they write? Something that makes me sad on their behalfs.....

Regardless. I think this Tvindalert site is an interesting phenomenom. A bit annoying at times but really interesting!!!! I really advice people coming by to read some of the stories and also some of the comments in this guestbook.

I certainly do not know if sitting and writing this is a total waste of time. I might be classified as "brainwashed" in the next posting? But I must admit. I like discussing!!!

Tomas CCTG

About what a discussion is... This is a guest book, and of course you don't have to feel pressed to answer my questions as you consider them stupid. Just to clarify something: A discussion doesn't necessarily mean that the other part automatically changes opinions. I haven't posted the things here to try to convince you in person that TG is bad. If you are running a school, you have probably been in TG a long time. I have no illusions of trying to "save" you from TG by provoking you on this site.

I believe that each one of us has got a responsibility of ones own life. It is up to each one to choose to get involved with TG. But what I think - and there you of course cannot think like that, you would be needed to take the consequenses of living on a lie - is that here people are not told the truth. I mean, you denied in your latest answer that there would be a one leader in TG.!!! It is a lie!

The whole thing is run by good people's eagerness to do good. They are used and put behind the light. As many of old TG-members are able to talk about, after a longer or shorter time passed. And I think that to fool people is a bad thing and there those getting involved know too little to be able to judge what they actually are involving themselves in.

Yes you ar right, you cannot change my mind. To see your defencive comments make me to see even more clearly how I thought about things myself before and what I have understood afterwards. It has been a long way. You are probably working a lot and beliveing a lot in what you do. Well, if it was that you guys are not trying to get so much more people "captured" I wouldn't mind. I understand that you do it 'cause you think it is the best thing in the world to be in TG. Exactly as Jehovas think about their group and Scientology-church about themselves. TG is a sect. Maybe you think it is a good thing. I just cannot agree on that.

Sigge

 

 

 

The previous sounds like part of the charter.

Small, small, so small, bonga bonga and his snails perhaps some personals, small, small, so small, bonga, bonga and his snails, its a cult, sigge or taliban? guru, gugu dada, small, small, so small, bonga, bonga and his snails... it is a man, it is a stone? people leaving, people coming, bonga, bonga and his snails, democracy, shopping center and big bellies, reason, moralisms and rice for the people, serious people, personnals people, would you like people for dinner? bonga, bonga and his snails tg gt mini maxi and his stones... i wanna muschrooms, diet, miami beach, and bonga bonga and its heroes!

It is my modest contribution for the endless discussion: it is the sun that evolves around us or the talibans playing around?

Bonga, bonga, you don't go anywhere, dear tvind alert, development is like a sea, powerfull, floading new light in your stone heart; you've loose the train, you were waiting and voila you are a crystal! Bonga, bonga, you've lost the smile, you've lost your soul, old, so old, so sad too... Never mind - the world is a supermarket; your's a small, very small one. Bonga, bonga, it is so good to see others dying in the excrements of a tedious life... tvind alert so sorry, you've lost the train of life!

The whole story is never told about anything, but a very significant part of the Tvind story is about manipulation, fraud, blackmail, decadence, power abuse and exploitation, the list goes on...

How does the previous poster explain how dozens of people, from all around the world, the vast majority of whom have never met each other, would be able to make up stories that are nearly identical? And why would we be wasting our time being involved with this website if we were not incensed about our experiences with Tvind?

ALERT ALERT!!!

This site is filled with lies. The postings, letters and articles DO NOT TELL THE WHOLE STORY!!!!

For more relevant information visit: www.humana.org or www.drh-movement.org

Hello Sigge.

Regarding your comments.

1. I dont see what it is I am supposed to leave "unsaid". If it is that TG has a hidden agenda and that TG is dictatorical runned by a mony making guru, cant i say it.I would be lying cause that is not how it is.

2. You asked for that we are honest about our connections to Humana People to people. I have never thought that was a secret or that we are disshonest, and have no problems tell you thats it.

3. Then tell the project leaders you are "critical" about and don't bother me about it. I have answered your question.

4. I deliberatly didn't not copy this from our pamphlet but since I wrote the pamphlet am I quite sure that some of the wording are the same. What is wrong with that? Call it propaganda or whatever you think. I am telling my opinion. You cannot dissmis my opinion by claiming it propaganda

5 You claim that TG (what also means that I am) do not like democracy. That is not the case. On the other hand do I also tell you that somethings cannot be democratic. That is how I look upon democracy. Parlamentary or not.

6. I talk about who ever I want as much as i want.

Regarding the row of more questions you have would I like to say. I like my board and have a good cooperation with them. I make an economical status once a month but do not have any report system. It is not a single person that has much more power then the other.

By the way Why do I have the obligation sitting being open here to your extraordiary stupid comments and assumptions? None.

So, Sigge. Maybe this discussion is very essential for you. Even though that I do not get the impression of that it is a discussion. You have a very clear and straight opinion about TG and I believe that you will stick to that one regardless of what I answer. on the other hand am I a part of TG and is that cause i like it. Many of the opions you have do i not nor have i never experienced. You say that the TG is bad cause this and that. I say it is not like this and that and I like it. So you are also not very likely to change my opinion about TG. (seems to be the discussion in a nutshell) We certainly do not agree but i still wish you the best.

Tomas

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I meant of course board of directors. Not border of directors...:)

Sigge

To Tomas who gave some examples of the openness of TG.

I appreciate your attempt to answer. Here are my comments on them:

"1. Maybe where you have been has there not been a honesty about TG. Everyone at CCTG did now about the TG before even starting and during their considerations if they will start or not. It is even a part of our name Campus California TG. I have never thought that it was a secret and usually tells quite some about TG when I hold information meetings and prep. weekends."

Comment: Where I was the existence of TG was not a secret itself. How would it otherwise be possible to get people to join? I think it is quite an interesting gimmick though, to use it in the name of the school, that's at least something new. Of course TG people talk about TG to the students more interesting is WHAT THEY LEAVE UNSAID!! (See your own answer to my question number 6).

"2. Campus California TG do have some very strong ties to Humana. We work at their projects, cooperate around the Development Instructor program and they even support us economically."

Comment: Better crosscheck if you can write this. Many European Humana-leaders deny all cooperation with Tvind at all when asked from the public. They dont even answer if they are members of the teachers group. So, obviously they are lying then. Why do they not have any connections with Tvind between schools and the cloths business in Europe but they have some very strong ties in the US??? Are you aware that this what you wrote could be used against them when theyre asked about this? But I am glad to hear that you are honest about this anyway.

"3. Yes. Thats how it usually is. I also prefare that if you are teacher at CCTG you join the TG."

M-hm. YOU prefere! You are presenting this as your own idea! Funny. But on what are you answering? I didnt ask whether a project leader in Africa has to be in TG or not as I know that such is the case. I am just critical that some European projectleaders are lying about this to their staff and to the press. (The issue was openness, remember?)

"4.I usually tell all participants here at CCTG that I think they should join TG. I love it and am quite sure that several of them also would love it. I think that the Development Instructor program is a good program. When the 14 months period is over for the participants do I feel that the aim with running that program is filled. They have experienced and done development work. They have been living, learning and working together. They have been in Africa etc etc. I think it is a great program that many people can get a lot out of doing and that supports development. Also, do I invite people to join the TG after they are finished and off course i wish that more people would join up. For example here at CCTG do we need many more people in the future. I would also invite people that do not want to join TG to continue working with CCTG"

Comment: Did you copy this from your agitation-pamphlet-I feel like I have heard this before. And? Somehow I feel like whatever is asked it is again another opportunity to push the propagandatalk-button and let the tape run some more. It is called one-way-communication.

"5. You have obvisouly not been on so many different places in TG and meet so many people. I do think that democracy is present best politcal system that exists. Even though that democrazy in places of the world can work "oppressive" against a minority of people. But that is not the same that I think that we should vote about all things here at CCTG. We certainly do not vote about what should be included in the education, if we should clean in the morning or not, if we should learn Portuguese or not, if a building action is part of the program or not. Neither do we vote about if the Teachers should do his/her teaching work or not. They better do it, otherwise can they not be teachers. Further do i also believe that it very important to come to an "agreement". When we have dissagrements do I certainly not think that the best way to sort it out is to vote. I think it is better to discuss and try to find a solution that everybody is happy for. Sometimes that works, other times not."

Comment: Your description about democracy is interesting. Also your assumption that what I mean with democracy is parliamentary democracy in all occasions, sort of. What on earth makes you believe that? Do you SERIOUSLY believe that people usually vote, lets say in a hospital whether they should do their work or not? Whether to stop the bleeding or not? Have you ever visited a school where the students vote whether they are following the program or not?

No, thats what I thought you just say that a bit ironically. Dont you? As to ridicule my question about democracy a bit. That is what I meant by what I wrote about the ironical way of tackling the question of democracy in TG. Then you even in a later posting admit this discussion being stupid!! I think it is not stupid at all, it is very essential!

I think that you underestimate me and the question raised when you start talking about morning cleaning at your school!!! I am talking about where decisions are coming from! Who are sitting on the border of directors?? Do they actually have any power? Arent they quite powerless? Arent they all in TG, by the way? Who directs them? How much power does Amdi have in deciding the program of the school? Or if not Amdi, then the consortium (if that still is there) Bodil and company. How much do you report to them? How often? In what way? Why not be open about that, as you have such an open attitude at your school. Naming it TG an everythingBy the waydo you remember the country, DDR? Deutsche Demokratische Republik. Did the name make the country more democratic? Well, maybe the people inside thought even it was.

"6. I certainly do not have a rule not talking about anyone in the TG. But it is many people i do not talk much about."

Comment: Well, if you dont have, why do you think all others have? Dont tell me it is not like this. You must know it as well as everybody else in TG, those who are in still and those who have quit. Instead of answering the question you start talking about many people you dont talk about! My question is about Mogens Amdi Petersen! If you want to see upon yourself as one of the progressive TG-members, then why not walk the whole way and BE open, not only pretend!!

I see no fair play when the big boss can hide himeself from consequenses of his corruption and you guys just keep protecting him and start talking about morning cleaning when some serious questions are asked!

Sigge

 

 

 

 

Tp the previsous posting.

You do certainly not know what you are talking about....

Why is it that pro-tvind folks seems to think, that you can only help to create a better world if you are a member of a worldwide organisation with activities in the thierd world? Many of the new members of TG er from the former sovjet republic. Why did they leave all their country men and women behind, knowing that there are serious problems to be dealt with? I belive they do it because they want out. So who is it the tvind organisation is helping?

What do you suggest I do to change it? I am no longer involved with IICD/HUMANA. I'm no longer involved with development work as I am unsure that it is "right." I'm not making it my lifes mission to bring down Humana if that is what you mean.

If you are/were "outraged," why aren't you actively doing something to change the situation?

To the last poster, I had many reasons for volunteering in Zimbabwe. Some of those reasons were about me, my own needs, mental and spiritual growth. I don't see that as egotistical. I have to do what is best for, yes, ME. Volunteer work, in my opinion, is not about forgetting yourself and devoting every last breath to "save" some lowly country from further desolotion. I do not see anything wrong with someone who's been priveleged their whole life throwing themselves into a different culture where people are not as lucky as you and I. I consider that brave, and I'm proud I did it. I am a changed, more compassionate person because of my stay in Africa. And hopefully a little less "westernminded" than the next guy. Humana and their corruption has nothing to do with it. It was just a tool to get where I felt I needed to be. You can call that "ego-centeredness" if you want to. I would not call it nothing other than listening to my heart and fallowing where my soul leads me.

I was shocked, outraged, and cried every night once the true nature of Humana came to light for me. Again I will say, soon it became clear that I was there to volunteer and make real human connections with the people of Zimbabwe. I didn't want to "develop" Zimbabwe, the people of Zimbabwe are beautiful bright humans who taught me much more than I could ever teach them. The money I had payed to be there and raised on the streets of Manhatten and Boston not delivered to the higher ups of Humana, it went directly to the functions of IICD. I saw the bank statements myself. Maybe TG people gave up their salaries but that did not concern me. It was irrelevent to me.

To leave and go home once I had already established relationships and a project seemed terribly selfish of me. People were depending on me to finish what I started. I was depending on myself to stick it out. As for my prep work, you should not make assumptions. Visit the mountain yourself and you will find the warm, old souls who reside there and the lives we learned and led. One more thing, you should also not assume that I am or was not outraged. I, of course was for a period of time. But its been a year and a half now and I have allowed the anger to slip into something more positive for myself. It is not healthy for me to stay angry at Humana. We are all on this planet and in this together.

I want to thank the last poster for their 2 cents. I have been struggling with the concepts of "doing good," "development work," and "service," in light of the activities of the Tvind organization... seeing the people on the bottom of the organization, the "volunteers," or the TG members, defending so carefully, or angrily, or thoughtfully (as you did), their work with IICD/Humana...I know that many of you take the work you do or have done, very seriously, and I respect that. And I know that you are very well meaning.

I see, to an extent, though, a certain degree of Western ego-centeredness in your statements about the motivations for your trip: so YOU could learn "to have respect for another culture," so YOU could learn how lucky YOU are to have been born into a comfortable life," so YOU could sacrifice, so YOU could remember the many faces who smiled at YOU," so YOU could experience adventure travel with a "purpose." Maybe you haven't been around enough to realize this is the thinking of Western privilige. The motives you stated were not "for the people of Zimbabwe."

I doubt that your preparation work "on the mountain" encouraged any examination of the "whys" of your trip -- the Tvind people have too much of a need to keep you there, to keep up the "front" that they are doing beneficial work, so they can keep those dollars coming in...Your dollars, and the dollars you raised, all going into Amdi Petersen's big pot. YOU were the front, my friend... I feel they were exploiting you.

I am not making little of the work you did do, the friendships you made, your kindness or good intentions. I just think they were misplaced and misused. Your volunteer work, and definitely the money you paid and raised, could have had a much more beneficial effect if they had gone toward the work of an agency which has enough of an interest in the well being of the people of Zimbabwe to put its money where its mouth is, and to fully support and back up its workers .

I find it disconcerting that you are not OUTRAGED with what you saw with regard to the lack of financial support you got from Humana.

 

My 2 cents. I am a former IICD/Zimbabwe volunteer. I want to say that I had wonderful experiences on "the mountain" as we called it, in North Western Massachusetts. Many of my teammates and I are still in contact. I can not speak for them but I will say that we were a bit shocked by the way DAPP/Humana is run in Zimbabwe. Our projects had very little money, and we were told to look elseware for the funding of our projects. It was frustrating. But in the long run only one member of my 11 member team left early and went home. We all knew why we were there. For the people of Zimbabwe. To learn to have respect for a foreign culture. To realize how lucky we are to live in places where education, food, and shelter are easy to come by. I will never forget the many faces that smiled at me day after day during my 6 month adventure in Africa. It was well worth it for me. I do not agree with the way Humana is run. I visited the Humana headquarters up in the hills of Zimbabwe and saw it many times as I walked to catch a bus. I saw with my own eyes just how much money they have. I felt the frustration of this realization and tried to come to terms with the fact that I couldn't get any money for my own project in the village where I worked. But I stuck it out because I was there for a reason, one that goes beyond the corruption, and I wouldn't trade my experience for anything.

Bonnie, I actually find your contention that I quit because that I "found too hard" insulting. I suspect that most people here do as well.

I stayed for the entire program, worked incredibly hard and tried to do my best. Blaming people who critique the TG as lazy or quitters is an old trick. Just because we disagree with the TG does not mean we don't work hard.

I just think that it is a shame (almost a crime) that all this hard work and good will that comes from people gets abused by the TG.

To the last poster.

CCTG has sent 1 team down to Africa. Yes we have had a team quitting. I answered her cause she asked for it and do not think it is a contradiction to answer on her questions and make it work out well here. I in somehow agree with you that it is a "stupid debate". The events here at CCTG do I discuss and consider daily and for sure it is a lot to improve!!!!. I agree that it is different running an institute in USA compared to Norway. Even though that people joining both in Norway and here in USA are of a variety of nationalities. I further think that americans think in many different ways. It is a lot of different kind of people here and very diverse.

I do not know about the particular situation in UK.

Tomas

NB. Where you in Norway? Do I know you?

Hi everyone, my name is Bonnie, im from NZ & am a participant at CCTG. im very saddened to read that some people feel they had a bad experience at these schools or projects, but it makes me wonder is this just your way of not feeling as though you have just given up ,to write these awful stories ,is it a way to make yourself feel better about quitting something that you found too hard, it is so easy to blame someone else. I have been involved in training & voluntering at CCTG for the last 5 months now & not only have i Had a good time, i have worked hard (as promised before you arrive) & I have met wonderful people who really want to make a difference in this world! I have seen people come & then leave as they decided it is not for them (all have left on good terms & still keep in contact) & i have seen a team train & leave for mozambique, well prepared & happy. We get reports of how they are doing every couple of weeks, they are certainly making a difference & having a nice time. I hope that anyone who reads this site does not let it put them off, if you are concerned phone one of the schools,ask what questions you need to, talk to the participants,ask for me if you want, this is a wonderful place full of caring & intelligent people from all around the world of all different ages, it is an experience of a life time!!!!, dont let small minded slander put you off!!!

 

 

 

 

 

I wonder why are the students leaving the schools from UK where 12 left how many more will follow and Tomas I heard that one of your teams quit how many teams have you sent to africa since CCTG started? Why don't you clean your own house up first than answering Sigge in a stupid debate about the TG.

I am a former TG/project leader and left on a good note so don't get involved with little discussion, for little minds discuss people, great minds discuss events. You are now in USA and not Norway where you were so think as an American and it may help you save some teams to do the good work in Africa.

I came to this site because I found a flyer at a Planet Aid bin that say they are a cult and directed me to this website. Why have you posted these fliers. I donate my clothes to Planet Aid but now I found this I am begining to reconsider. So there is Planet Aid in nearly every state on East Coast and GIAIA & USAGAIN in Atlanta and Chicago are they all connected or they are just all the teachers group as you said.

Thank you for this info i will show this to many more of my friends. Concerned USA person!

Hi my name is Tomas and I am working at CCTG in California. I would like to answer the questions written by a "former TG member? named Sigge? Anyway here are the answers:

1. Maybe where you have been has there not been a honesty about TG. Everyone at CCTG did now about the TG before even starting and during their considerations if they will start or not. It is even a part of our name Campus California TG. I have never thought that it was a secret and usually tells quite some about TG when I hold information meetings and prep. weekends.

2. Campus California TG do have some very strong ties to Humana. We work at their projects, cooperate around the Development Instructor program and they even support us economically.

3. Yes. Thats how it usually is. I also prefare that if you are teacher at CCTG you join the TG.

4. I usually tell all participants here at CCTG that I think they should join TG. I love it and am quite sure that several of them also would love it. I think that the Development Instructor program is a good program. When the 14 months period is over for the participants do I feel that the aim with running that program is filled. They have experienced and done development work. They have been living, learning and working together. They have been in Africa etc etc. I think it is a great program that many people can get a lot out of doing and that supports development. Also, do I invite people to join the TG after they are finished and off course i wish that more people would join up. For example here at CCTG do we need many more people in the future. I would also invite people that do not want to join TG to continue working with CCTG

5. You have obvisouly not been on so many different places in TG and meet so many people. I do think that democracy is present best politcal system that exists. Even though that democrazy in places of the world can work "oppressive" against a minority of people. But that is not the same that I think that we should vote about all things here at CCTG. We certainly do not vote about what should be included in the education, if we should clean in the morning or not, if we should learn Portuguese or not, if a building action is part of the program or not. Neither do we vote about if the Teachers should do his/her teaching work or not. They better do it, otherwise can they not be teachers. Further do i also believe that it very important to come to an "agreement". When we have dissagrements do I certainly not think that the best way to sort it out is to vote. I think it is better to discuss and try to find a solution that everybody is happy for. Sometimes that works, other times not.

6. I certainly do not have a rule not talking about anyone in the TG. But it is many people i do not talk much about.

Thats all for now

As a representant of the "evil" part of the mainstream world, as a former poster described everything outside TG, I would like to answer what kind of openness at least I look for:

1. Honesty about the existence of TG already from the beginning. At the introduction meeting. 2. Admittance of the correlation of the schools and the Humana-organisations (and no lies about that to journalists) 3. Same information to everybody concerning TG- for instance to tell employees that you have to be a member of TG to become a project leader in Africa. There has been so much confusion in different TG-institutions about what to say/not to say to those working for TG but not in TG. 4. To be open about the future-plans of the students and employees. From the very first moment. Those future-plans are of course to get more members to TG. 5. Stand up for the fact that TG do not like democracy. There is actually a quite ironic way of talking about democracy. 6. Drop the stupid rule of not talking about Amdi with eachother. (This is more important than you even might allow yourselfs to think you TG-folks. Have you ever thought of WHY it is like that? I would actually like an answer from you TG-people to that question!! Could you please tell me why you don't talk about Amdi? I mean, really!

Answers saying that you are busy working and saving the world and do not have time to talk about one single person in the common fellowship will not do. No, with an answer I mean OPEN answers. Not propaganda.

This is it for now, I might have other points to write down, but for now an answer to the question above will do. I might even change my mind about TG being a non-open institution if I'll receive a sincere answer.

Sigge the coward. (I am one of those many many people who "had not the courage to go the way all up to the end, together with us" whatever that means you former TG-freak who wrote that. Want to know something? I know more than you do. I have been where you are now. You know what? It was before I "took a stand" (=TG-language)to things.)

 

... do any of the old-timer TG escapees remember "Dr. Jerrell Bible (we always thought that was a fake name)," the "executive director" at International School Ake Pecha...a gaunt, supposedly Texan guy, with a broad Texan accent, exceedingly nervous, who smoked like a fiend and made his office in a little vestibule off the main house at Ake Pecha...his desk sat underneath a big, heavily decorated black velvet Mexican sombrero...? He's the guy I mentioned disappearing without a trace in the Ake Pecha story... Britta? Eric Newman? Do you guys remember him? What was his story? -- Marianna

All the institutes training Development Instructors get their accounts audited by an authorized auditor.

What more "openess" do you want??

To the last poster, Yes, many of the posting in this guestbook are based on people's personal experience with Tvind or the TG as are some of the stories. I would point out that this is also much of what gets posted on Tvind sites. Given that Tvind and the TG do not provide any objective assessment of their projects and regularly hide their finances there isn't much else to go on. However, there are also a number of investigative journalistic articles here. I guess you can call them lies simply because they critique Tvind but that seems to go against your argument.

I'm not sure what you are calling racism here. I haven't seen any.

Again this site is not about destroying anything but holding Tvind and the TG accountable and encouraging them to be more open. If the TG is doing great work, it should welcome regular audits and evaluations like all other non-governmental organisations. However, as many people have experienced, there are serious issues, problems and in some cases outright deception and fraud within the organization. By not even acknowledging these problems and attacking anyone who brings them up, Tvind is undermining the very work it has set out for itself.

 

What is rubbish on this site: Even though i didn't write the statement i would be happy to answer.

*The site lies *The site manipulates any critics of its self as "proTvind peoples opinion" and therefor, not realiable *The site goes against a group of people and try to convince everybody that they must be kind of a brainwashed bunch of people following a guru. *Logic does not lead the texts written. *Hate, dissapoinment lead the texts written *The site represents that Tvind is sooo baaaddd that it is justify to lie. *The site collects articles of "opinions" by a number of people and that are working for that these opinions should be regarded as truth. Even though they have been proven to be lies. *The site tells that the Travelling Folk high schools are cheating with money and that they are brainwashing people *The site says that the money Humana earns does not go to development work *That site do in my opinion not work to make an improvement. It mostly seems like it love to try to destroy. *The site is filled with racism *The site is irrational *It is allowed to complain about anything with Tvind and is then regarded as a general truth (in the name of free speech) while if someone tries to explain further about the case he/she is dissmissed as a TG member and that equals a liar that should not be listen to. *The site promotes a strategy of personally attacking some people. *The site looks like a place where divorced couples go on and complain about each others

It is just rediculus this site.

Many people in this world work for something that they believe is for the good. Others mostly talk about it Others again haven't even reached so far.. They more like to bitch about others not doing it as they think it should be done.

 

To the last poster:

I am certainly not against effective development work. But I would like to know how you measure the effectiveness of your "development work" in the third world. Do you have the breadth of knowledge and experience, and the depth of understanding of the cultures, the history and the political climate, and the close, RESPECTFUL commuication with the communities in the areas you are working, to know if you are really helping or ultimately hindering the progress of the peoples you are aspiring to serve? Are you doing what the communities you are working for TELL YOU need to be done, the things they want to have done (in other words, stepping back and allowing the people you are serving to be the empowering forces, you just help with the manpower), or are you just doing things you're assigned, that your leaders assume need to be done?

It is drilled into Tvind worker-bees to be extremely self-congratulatory. I don't see much basis for you to be congratulating yourselves.

I wonder what Tvind Alerters to for poor people in the 3rd world? Any concrete projects or are you just agains others doing something?

Please point out what it is on this site that you consider to be rubbish, and please explain why.

The way tvind alert operates in the first world, undermines the work of real informative and investigative homepages. Thats why tvindalert is rubbish.

The way tvind operates in the third world, undermines the work of real non-profit aid organisations. Thats why the tvind organisation is a problem.

 

Check out www.drh-movement.org

Go Tvind go!!!

To the last poster, Maybe you are somehow responsible for what happens in the teachers group. Maybe you truly believe in it. But your messages are incoherent and are garganised rubish. Maybe you have something interesting to say. But what you write I am afraid to say is giberish. I expect English is your second or third Language. I hape you continue to study the English Language until you are able to make yourself understood. Good luck with that... Anyway I believe you may have been studying the charter. This is not a good place to start if you want to Learn English As it isnt written very well. Best Wishes Comrade

To the last poster, I'm a bit confused. Are you talking about the members within the Teacher's Group? In terms of taking the brainwashing about the outside world being the enemy? Sounds like Tvind to me.

Reading your great new story about Amdi, it seems you feel in victory. Just, what the hell are you fighting for? Your own paranoia?

I see a lot of people here, not knowing in any way what they are talking about, but being loud and louder. O yes, I know these kind of people, you can find them everywhere. Not even (hu)man enough to think for themselves, to take an own stand, but only taking what they are told. ("take your dailly brainwash by the public media, choose the original, you won't feel lonely, your neighbour is doing the same ...") How easy. Swimming with the mainstream, not looking left or right, never doubting. And at the hand there is an enemy, the pure evil. Put all your fears and anger onto him, he will bear it. How great and wonderful it must feel, always to be right. Is there only space in this world for what you can understand? What a poor place it would be ... And even less you know about Africa and all the countries Tvind is working in. O yes, I know them, like fishes in a swarm, I give a shit.

What I don't really get, are those who have been with and inside Tvind. But my guess is, they just had not the courage to go the way all up to the end, together with us. And I also guess, they know this somewhere deep inside, and that's it, what makes them write all these bitter evil stupid crap, that is spread across these pages.

But what. I have better things to do. Just, sometimes it is already hard enough. On the other hand, what shall man expect from a world such cruel and cold and wrong like we are living in, when he is turning away and starts working towards his dreams. Anyway. You will not stop us. Life is lost without hope. I'm on my way, greetinx.

Dear All almost everyone who joins the school or the teachers group, does so witht he best of intentions. And really wants to achieve something. Then they are defrauded and normally left resentfull and bitter. Please try to take this terrible abuse of young people and turn it to something positive. I know that several people have left and gone on to try to start an organisation on a sound ethical foundation. People still need help, and many young people need direction and a challenge. If you would be interested in doing something similar but ethically please leave messages here......

To our friend in Ireland: Your statement that "there's something very rotten at the core of this organisation," zapped me right back to a quote from my friend Tom (my American colleague, and fellow "Ake Pechan" from the Tvind school in Virginia) -- he always said of the Tvind organization... "the fish is rotting at the head." I guess it's a Turkish saying...by a Turk with a certain amount of cop... :)

By the way, I'd like to hear your story, too.

Marianna

and what, at all, do you know about poverty?? and the old soviet republic? you just talk without knowing what you say!

Why are there so many students from the old soviet republic at the travelling highschools in Denmark? If they really want to save the world, why don't they start out in their own countries? I know that tvind for many students from these countries is a one way ticket out of povertry, and mybee this is why they try so hard to defend tvind/ humana.

Well, if this long text made you praise God, then it has done something good. Even if it was not meant in this way. But maybe your Halleluja is not from the heart? Are you a believer?

To you who wrote that long pompous text about your goodness in the battle against the bad bad world... To you I would like to say: Halleluja!

Sigge

Twelve people have left CICD in Hull, England:

(following message refers)

Hi michael i was a bit rushed the outher day so i really did not say much. Fom what i see on Tvindalert you have heard it many times before such as bullying,idol threats,demorolizing and taking advantage of inocent peopel.(THE LIST GOES ON) One question that i have is, why are they still allowed to opperate in this country or anywere else for that matter. I shall pass on your email to all my friends so they can give you there account of things. I would say a lot more but it would be quicker wrighting a novel, compared with all the lies and secrets of HUMANA THE PEOPLE WHO SCREW PEOPLE

Well, these very long messages DO have substance and are not just propaganda. They DO answer a lot of questions about how the whole organisation started and also what people are doing today. But it seems as can be plainly seen throughout the whole guestbook, that TA's don't take these facts as they are, but put them away as propaganda, lies or whatsoever, just to start with that boring litanei again, like "o, TG is so terrible, o, they are so dangerous, o, they can say what they want, I don't belive it anyway, o, help I got brainwashed...." By the way...commercial-break: "I wash my brain daily with AMDI-Ultra! Because AMDI-Ultra washes cell-deep and does not damage the tissue...AMDI-Ultra, for ALL COLORS. Now at your drug store around the corner." Come on, guys! This is ridiculuos.And Amdi doesn't even like golf....

To the person from Ireland - please get in touch with Tvind Alert by email. It would be interesting to hear more.

This is a guestbook, but not the place for propaganda. We don't mind debate, but very long messages that are just propaganda will have to be deleted - there are plenty of DRH websites where you can find this.

Denmark Report 14-09-01

 

Good Morning to you all ! I trust that you are all well. Greetings from Palapye and my apologies for not emailing for so long. Things have been kind of hectic but will try and update you on what's been happening here.

The Special Forces here in the East Division could now be said to be truly up and running and complete in numbers. We are now nine people strong and once again we have a very international composition. We are made up as follows - myself from Scotland, Sumedha from Sri Lanka, Alice from Hong Kong, Alfred from Zambia, Charles and Raphael from Malawi, and Mosadi, Kubuya and Sanane (ex field officers from Phikwe) all native Botswana. Alice is still in Phikwe and the rest of us are based in Palapye for Scal;ing Up. The international contigent are staying in one house and the local contigent are in the process of finding a house also. After having been on my own here for about a month, living out of an old hotel, it is good to have the support of a large team to cope with the workload. We all are getting on well so far and hopefully that will continue !

Right now we are in the middle of a two week training period for the first new area in and around the village of Serowe (population approx. 34,000). We interviewed about 80 people last week who had qualified to attend an information meeting and selected 52 to take part in the training. I think we have achieved a good standard in the interviewing trying to select older people (minimum age 23 ) with work experience and who have gained Cambridge Form 5 or the equivalent of GCE O level grade. We have several more mature people over forty who already show good leadership and guidance qualities. Many people also have volunteer or HIV/Aids experience, having worked for the Home Based Care programme here or Peer Education groups. I am optimistic for the future with this particular group of potential field officers. They have been very keen and eager during the first week of theory/knowledge based training, listening attentively and not making too ! much noise !

The training this week has covered different areas each day. The first day was all about Humana People to People and the TCM programme itself. Then day two covered all the tasks and responsibilities of being a field officer and what they would actually be doing in the field. Day three covered HIV/Aids and general health related issues with Nicole (coming up from Gaborone) doing the courses on health. Day four was all about existing programmes in the country where we invited guest speakers to come and present both government and non government programmes - Tebelopele for voluntary testing facilities and the District Health Team for STD's, Home Based Care and PMTCT, Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission. Today is about actions, planning and reporting and arrangements for next week. It has been a long hard week but hopefully worthwhile and productive.The candidates all wrote an evaluation of the course today so it will be interesting to ! hear their comments about their experiences during the week.

Tomorrow we all head north to Phikwe for a Troop meeting for the old and new field officers - the new recruits will be paired with an experienced field officer next week to learn all about the practical work in the field and what challenges they might face.

I cannot believe that I have been here for nearly 4 months now - time is passing so quickly. As my good friend Paul said to me, it has been an incredibly steep learning curve in so many ways. I think that I have learnt a lot about myself and other people - how they live their lives in a way that is totally different way from that which I know and have been lucky enough to lead. Have I enjoyed my time here ? My friend Kirsty asked me that after one of my previous reports because she felt I had not mentioned it anywhere. The simple answer is very much so as I enjoy meeting new people and learning new things all the time. At times I still have managed to get stressed out and annoyed with things not being totally the way I would want them but overall it is an amazing experience and one never to forget. We have had little or no time off but managed our first weekend away recently - the five of us who came here as a team went to the north of the! country to a camp in a wildlife reserve and then to the Sua Pans - a huge dried up salt lake. We spent the first night staying in bushmens huts and met with a traditional doctor in the local village. For the second night we drove through the reserve and onto the dried up salt lake and spent the night under the stars - sleeping out in the open on mattresses around a camp fire. Simply wonderful ! After we have completed setting up six new TCM areas in total around the country we have two weeks away from the areas. The first week is an investigation period where we are to study about the culture of Botswana and the link with the HIV/Aids epidemic. In the second week four of us are going travelling together around Botswana and trying to recharge our batteries !

We have just heard about the terrorist attack in the USA which sounds terrifying in its scale of devastation and loss of life. But I also have to say it seems so far away from what is happening here - very strange not to know exactly what is happening in the rest of the world however large it may or may not be.

I hope that whoever reads this is well and I look forward to hearing any news you may have.

 

 

With Love from Duncan

 

The humana clothes bins I see here in Ireland are making me increasingly anixous. Are they gaining a foothold here too? I experienced this organisation firsthand when I worked at one of their schools in Denmark nearly 10 years ago. I was berated for subcribing to a left wing international paper(um?) , suffered from sleep deprevation and was as the months dragged on increasing wary of the tvind operation. Anyone with a certain amount of cop on quickly realises that there is something rotten at the core of this organisation. Absolute power corrupting again. Tvind schools and organisations are NOT A HEALTHY PLACE TO BE for any young mind. Put at its very basic level this a money making engine for a few prevaliaged elite within the organisation in the guise of an humanitarian aid and development. These people really are not to be trusted with young minds. Im all in favour of alternative education, indeed I feel its vitally important to give children some choice as to the type of education they recieve but this is an alternative system that removes all chioce.

The DRH Movement - A Global School Network

 

 

in the Forefront of International Cooperation and Development

 

 

 

 

Globalization in a diverse world

We are daily confronted with the many aspects of globalization. Hardly anyone on the globe is left untouched by this development - for better or worse, be it the rural farmer in Zimbabwe, the high school student in Michigan or the manager of an international cooperation in London. Our lives as human beings on the planet are intertwined in a complex network that offers new challenges and holds many possibilities for humankind.

50 years ago the Universal Declaration of Human Right was signed. A status today, leaves us as human beings with much to be done in order to live out and practice its content. That is indeed a challenge facing humankind in this century. Actions to close the gap and create development will be on the human agenda for many years to come. Some might ask; "Is it worth while doing?" or limit their own share of the responsibility with an; "It is not my business".

This article is about a global school initiative that started more than 30 years ago and has answered both these statements loud and clear with a: "Yes, it is worth while starting" and "Yes, it is our business".

15 Traveling Folk High Schools in 4 continents work together as a movement in order to train ordinary people as Development Instructors who take part in development work in poor countries.

30 years of global activities

In 1970, the first Traveling Folk High School saw the light of day in Denmark, the homeland of the famous folk high school tradition. The school was initiated by a group of 8 teachers, who themselves had been traveling around the world throughout the sixties - a highly unusual behavior at the time.

During the first 10 years of existence, the school became a hit in Denmark and Scandinavia and thousands of young people attended courses with the purpose of traveling and getting to know our planet, meeting people, making friends and learning about their lives. More than 140 countries were visited and a distance traveled that equals that from the Earth to the Moon and back again over 100 times.

Teachers and students learnt extensively about the conditions of the many poor countries of the world. It was something of a personal revelation for most of them. Even if the television could and did show pictures of many new and unknown places in the world, they were not usual pictures. So the young travelers in, say Persia or India, in the seventies, were taken aback as almost every detail and no less the full picture came as a surprise, most often making a vast and not anticipated impression.

 

 

During the first 10 years every mode of travel was tried out - driving in old busses across Europe and Asia to India, sailing through Europe in small self-made river boats, flying to South America and hiking around, driving motorbikes across the USA, with dog sledges across the ice of Greenland, across the Soviet Union to China with the Trans-Siberian Railway, across the Sahara desert in 4-wheel drives, canoeing through the wilderness of Canada, tandem biking in the Caribbean, etc.

The classic travel took 9 months - 2 months preparations, 4 months traveling and 3 months information work. It took place in old busses rearranged for the purpose. They went from Denmark to India and back via the Middle East. Where they traveled, especially in far away countries, people were surprised. What did they come for? Only to ask and listen? To make friends and learn about life in other corners of the world? Bringing their house on the back like the snails, bringing musical instruments, always keen trying to understand, discuss, singing, meeting people and inviting them for tea? Indeed a stunning behavior!

 

 

The Traveling Folk High School developed its own pedagogical principles - here are some of them: "You must get close to what you want to learn about - the closer you get, the more you learn" - "Only Adam was alone in the world - the rest of us are here together" - "From one place you dont see far even with eyes on stalks - you must be mobile in order to learn much" - and "What you learn, you learn double by passing it on to others".

The sixties and seventies was a time were many people across the globe had started moving from a relatively local concept into a more global one. This was called forth in all developed countries by factors like economic growth, better education and the advent of the television. Many people in the rich part of the world discovered a reality - old but anyway not widely known and not at all in detail - of the vast inequalities between people all over the world. People began to realize that maybe this was also their business. The Traveling Folk High School did their share of adding puzzles to the picture.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The lessons learnt were simple:

The globe is inhabited by human beings pretty much the same - some poor, some rich - some black, some white - some Buddhists, some Muslims.... - but all with a wish to live a good life, in peace, to make a living, get educated, have a good health, to raise children, to enjoy and endure, to make a difference and to change things for the better.

Possibilities and conditions were, however very different. In some places there were enough or more than enough. In other places even small changes had overwhelming effects and regardless how hard people worked, they were not able fundamentally to change their basic living conditions.

The constant confrontation with a world where the distance between rich and poor is huge and rapidly growing in spite of a global increase in the level of wealth, piled up a sincere wish to take action and to become part of the solution to this unworthy situation.

 

 

From Traveling to Participating - Seeing the Need and Taking Action

It was therefore a natural development to change from traveling and studying the situation in the world to becoming an active force in changing matters for the better. So from 1980 and onward the school program changed from traveling to participating.

It started in small scale - like bringing vitamin tablets to the children in a village in India; or stuff all the warm overcoats that could fit into the boot of the bus to bring to poor people in Eastern Turkey where the winter could take temperatures down below 40 degrees Celsius. It was packing agricultural seeds, donated by the local supermarket, in the rucksack and bringing them to farmers in rural Bolivia.... All initiatives that came spontaneously from meeting people in need and knowing that you yourself had so much and with the possibility to get hold of more.

It developed into longer periods of 1-2 months of stopping over in one place to participate in building a school, a kindergarten, a small workshop, .... with money or materials raised and brought from home.

In 1977, what today is the International Humana People to People Movement, was founded by some of the teachers from the Traveling Folk High School in order to create a practical instrument for fighting against the conditions of poverty, disease and distress and working to implement a better way for people to live on the planet in the future.

 

 

The Traveling Folk High Schools, that in the meantime had grown in numbers, initiated a cooperation with Humana People to People and since 1980, the schools have been engaged in development work around the world. In a cooperation, the schools and Humana People to People offer a possibility for ordinary people to take part in development projects in Africa, Asia or Central America. Over the past 20 years thousands of people of all ages and nationalities have taken this opportunity.

Today, 15 Traveling Folk High Schools have joined in a global Movement working hand in hand to develop education programs and to offer an opportunity for people to take active part in creating development. There are 5 schools in Denmark, 1 in Norway, 1 in England, 3 in the USA - and in the process of starting up are 1 in China, 1 in India, 1 in South Africa and 1 in the Caribbean.

Humana People to People has gone global as well and consists of 26 country associations running a total of 150 projects - money earning projects as well as development projects, the majority of the latter being in Africa south of Sahara. The projects fall within different lines of work, such as schools, child aid projects, tree planting and environment projects, HOPE and TCE (Total Control of the Epidemic), which both are projects to fight HIV/AIDS, fundraising projects, or refugee and relief aid.

 

 

The projects aim at building peoples capacity and skills in being able, through their own efforts, to create a better living. More than million people are directly involved in the projects and many more benefit from them.

 

 

From Solidarity Workers to Development Instructors

Since the first Solidarity Workers - as they were initially called - came to rural areas in Africa, put up their camp and started to work along with the people, they have had a great significance. Alone their presence steered up matters in the communities. In the beginning, the peasants flocked to the building site, attracted by the rumors of these strange white people working. But very soon the Solidarity Workers were taken into the hearts of these poor peasants and have remained there ever since. Slowly the people realized that Solidarity Workers did not practice charity or expect any gratitude for their actions - but they simply wished to be regarded as ordinary fellow humans, who put their energy into creating development where it was lacking and expected them to do likewise. For natural reasons - for the sake of solidary humanism - and for the same reasons that they would expect help, had their own house been on fire.

Many things have changed over the past 20 years - in the world and consequently also in the program of the Traveling Folk High Schools. With the birth of the new millennium Solidarity Workers became Development Instructors, reflecting the accumulated knowledge and experiences in how to create development.

The students attend the program as part of a team but will prepare for each their individual job to carry out at the project as a Development Instructor. Each Development Instructor gets a job in the line of work carried out by the organization Humana People to People. The projects themselves are long term projects with a permanent staff of local and international project leaders. The Development Instructors are a perpetual input of new energy that is of great value in the development because each contribution is part of an organized and continuos activity.

Development is a phenomenon of many faces and many places. It cannot be patented and there is not handed out a recipe at the entrance. Each Development Instructor must generate the courage to take an active part in finding answers and in joining the forces of development in the slums of the cities and in the villages in the rural areas where it happens. In the world of reality.

Education Stands its Value in Reality

Educators world wide are familiar with the gap between school and reality. Studies have proved that the most effective learning takes place when they are an integrated part of the reality.

To integrate education and reality gives the advantage of maintaining a social structure and guidance, and of assisting the process of transforming and adapting the skills and knowledge acquired into useful tools. It supports each individual to dare facing this very reality, that often leaves human beings powerless because one cannot act according to what one knows. However skillful the teachers are, regardless what learning books a school might use - it can never substitute the world as a classroom.

 

 

The Traveling Folk High Schools have always practiced a pedagogy where the school and the reality of the world are integrated and inseparable parts influencing each other in a dialectic process. The preparation course for Development Instructors has e.g. changed on average one time each year since the beginning. Each time taking learning from the field of practice which it was preparing for.

Integrating education and reality hold great challenges. The curriculum changes as the world changes and is a lively element in the education. The paths to walk are not nicely prepared and laid out - it takes effort, creativity, cooperation and work to move ahead. The obstacles are not always pedagogically planned, but will arrive in their own speed and demand to be dealt with, also at inappropriate times.

In reality it matters to fellow human beings what you do and what you dont - this can be disturbing and regarded as a pressure, but it is exactly here the seed to make a difference is placed. It is here the education and reality bring progress and satisfaction.

A bouquet of magnificent beauty and quality

Development Instructors are people between 18 and 60 years of age from all walks of life. People who normally would never take the initiative to become friends or socialize, but because they are all attracted by the possibility of doing good, mixed with a healthy portion of adventure and lust to see the world, they meet and to much of their own surprise, also get along fine.

 

 

Being 20 students in a team, there are sure to be at least 10 different nationalities. The annual flow of Development Instructors - which is around 600 - represents over 40 nations in the world. From developed and developing countries alike. The staff of teachers at each school are likewise a mixture of nationalities - from all continents. The common language is English - slightly adjusted to a reality where speakers of Chinese, Danish, Shona, Portuguese, Hindi.... and many other languages first of all wish to understand one another.

 

 

The many nationalities are not an issue - (only when dealing with the many immigration papers needed in order to implement a global school program). In the daily life and work, national differences become a richness in the joint effort to learn more, to do more and to enjoy more.

Following the Danish folk high school tradition, anyone who wishes, can join the program. There are no entrance demands and no qualification papers in the end. The reality of the program speaks for itself. Anyone with the heart and will to make the effort is welcome. It is clear from the very beginning that this is not an invitation for an exotic and relaxing holiday - but a program where you have to work a lot - and the more you do, the more you get out of it.

 

 

Education is not something you get - but something you take!

Traveling Folk High Schools have for the past 6 years used a unique digital education system.

The whole content of the education is available to the students in the Schools Digital Library. The system is reflecting the basic philosophy of the schools: the student is at the center of the learning and the driving force in the learning process. Learning is both an individual and a collective affair. Education takes place with the point of departure in each individual and progresses in his/her speed and according to his/her talents, abilities and capacity. At the same time it enlightens the individual and promotes symbiotic cooperation.

 

 

The various elements - studies, courses and experiences release points when carried out and each student has a certain number of points to achieve during the course. This he/she will carefully plan, figure out and carry out.

This system releases much new energy - from the students because they have to be up on their toes and actively contribute to the program. From the teacher because he/she is no longer standing on the back of the student to teach and check, but can use his/her energy for instigating new developments, exciting courses and breathtaking experiences. While each student will care for his/her own individual progress in learning much in the subjects - the teacher can concentrate on opening new doors of knowledge, and building social and collective life and traditions.

It should be mentioned that this education system is worthless, unless there is plenty of quality content in the Schools Digital Library - the present database for Development Instructors comprises 2100 study tasks within 20 different subjects, around 500 courses and 200 life transforming experiences. The database is constantly renewed by both teachers and students.

Development Instructors - Pulling Together to Push Progress

Development Instructors are working hand in hand with local counterparts. They work mainly in southern Africa but also in Central America and India.

They take part in Child Aid Projects, where poor families are organized and educated in a three year program to improve basic living conditions.

They work in schools for street children and orphans as teachers and educators.

They work as organizers of tree planting programs and introducing environmental programs in rural schools.

They work with fundraising in the Partnership in Development program or by selling second hand clothes in order to earn money for new projects.

They work in the TCE (Total Control of the Epidemic) program in the struggle to take control of the horrible AIDS epidemic.

Each project is created in the meeting between the people in need and those who have something to contribute with. The foundation and purpose of each project is clear and easy for all to understand and relate to: - the desert is spreading, it must be stopped - the children have no school, lets make one - there are not enough teachers, lets educate some - AIDS is spreading in a furious pace, lets organize how to get it under control.... etc.

It sounds simple. And the art is to stay focused on this "very easy to understand" problem - to constantly pursue the goal - remove the obstacles on the way - attract more energy, ideas, creativity and funds in the pool to push progress. And what is very important - to have a rich life with satisfying results, good human relations, enjoyment and development, while doing so.

From taking part in the development work and getting close to the people at the projects, most Development Instructors get surprised of the size and urgency of taking action, and of the impact they themselves are able to make. They often return home with an almost desperate attitude of wanting to find the nearest mountain and shout to all the world to wake up and start doing something. There is no doubt that they are right in the sense that there is so much to do - and plenty of space and need for many more to take part.

 

 

Any Creation is of Collective Origin

The Traveling Folk High Schools teach the philosophy of Solidary Humanism. An important element here is how to understand life, being a human being.

One way is to understand life as a personal project, where the purpose is to make the best for yourself, no matter the cost. You can be well educated and know about the problems around you, but it is not your business. You might refer to your own shortcomings - what can I do? the problems are too big! I am no match! I have my own problems! etc. All of which is right according to the basic understanding of life being your private project.

Solidary Humanism understands life as a collective process, where human beings put our talents together in order to be able to achieve much higher levels of everything than we would be able to achieve as individuals. The Traveling Folk High Schools find that this process generates energy.

The problem is not all the poor people, but poverty itself. Poverty is not just a problem belonging to those who are poor, but a problem which humankind has and must pool all resources together to solve. There is no other way - poverty cannot be overcome without being defined as of joint concern.

Take AIDS - the epidemic has already claimed the lives of millions of people - left 12 million children orphaned and over 25 million people infected in Africa alone. The AIDS epidemic has already cut progress and development short by years and is a great threat to the future.

In the developed part of the world some are asking the question "Is it worth while doing?" - referring to years of development aid and no apparent change for the better. In the modern commercialized world things are measured in input-output. This is quite relevant, although the measure sticks must be carefully chosen when measuring development and progress in poor countries, where no one can even afford to think such a question.

It is not possible to get the disease under control unless each individual at risk or being infected and affected by HIV/AIDS takes charge themselves. Only the people can liberate themselves from this global threat through their attitudes and practice. At the same time, individuals are not able to take control of the disease without the active participation of the resourceful nations, institutions and people around the world.

It takes their collective effort to win the battle.

And the same applies vise versa - no matter how goodhearted or resourceful a nation or an institution is they cannot combat HIV/AIDS without the active participation of all the ordinary people. It takes their collective effort to win the battle.

There are many tasks world wide that cannot find a solution unless there is cooperation. 1 + 1 is much more than two. Meaning two forces pulling in the same direction do not only have the sum of the two. A totally new energy is generated, projecting back to the individuals. Life itself on the planet has used this symbiosis for billions of years to survive. Humankind must do likewise if we wish to survive.

In most countries there is conscription to a national army - voluntary or compulsory - in order to have a defense against threatening enemies. But who are the threatening enemies? When is poverty, illiteracy or AIDS declared as common enemies of humankind? What measure stick is used to determine matters? It can hardly be the number of people dying!

The Traveling Folk High Schools are an example of a global cooperation where many forces put their talents on top of each other in order to bend the course of history and get rid of some unworthy and inhuman conditions prevailing among us.

(DRH = in Danish - Den rejsende Hjskole = The Travelling Folk High School)

There are 15 DRH Schools

It seems to me that most people who join the TG are very insecure individuals that can only feel safe when others administer their money for them and tell them what to do.

In program intending sabotage :adrian

If you cannot discuss with someone who has got a different point of view, then don't! If you already have decided that you know how things are working, why bother asking other people who MIGHT have some more insight than you have? At least about this.

And I am tired of different people here on the site saying "sorry it didn't work out with you in TG"... As negativity of an ex-student, ex-Humanaer, ex-TG or whoever always would be because of the person himself who quit! As if people who are disappointed go to the newspapers because they feel they made a defeat and need blame somebody else than themselves. Come on! We are not stupid! There is no smoke without fire.

There are lots of things in my life that has not worked out as I would have wanted to. Some things I still might feel embarrassed about. But quitting TG does definitely not belong to those. And that's nothing to be sorry about...

 

Sigge

 

Well, that's points that cannot be discussed, since they are your personal opinions and feelings about how you felt in the TG, sorry that it didn't fit you.

But I question your statement that DNS is a mini TG, if you take the percentage of people joining the TG in DNS it's very few people joining. True that we do have common time and economym but the main purpose isn't to recruit to the TG, it's to educate good techers, then that the program is similar has nothing to do with recruiting to TG. If you want to join TG you can, noone demands it from you. DNS is a really good education, I'm not sure if you say that it's bad or what, I say it's the best education you can get anyway.

Jummo

"this what are you doing SLANDER !!! DO STH, DON'T WAISTE YOUR TIME AND MONEY FOR THIS SHIT GREETINGS WE WILL STILL GO ON MY PUPILS :O "

Actually, it kinda sounds like Amdi-speak to me, although I doubt that senile old bonehead would know how to make smileys...

Could anyone translate this into English for me? Thanx in advance:)

"this what are you doing SLANDER !!! DO STH, DON'T WAISTE YOUR TIME AND MONEY FOR THIS SHIT GREETINGS WE WILL STILL GO ON MY PUPILS :O "

Dear Jummo,

I agree in very much of what you write about the public school. It is (probably not only in Sweden) many times a retarded place where pupils get understimulated in many ways. Not enough funds, not enough teachers, not enough committed teachers... abuse in between children and youngsters. I don't know if I am that eager to put my children into the same public schools which I went through.

Yes, there are a lot of problems in the schools. This fact actually pushes the way for alternatives. Well, I think alternatives are a good thing. A bigger freedom to choose. Even for people who are not very well off.

In the beginning I was thinking like you...WOW what an atmosphere! I found buddies that also were against many unfair things in society. Both on local and global levels.

What I didn't realize actually until I left, after plenty of years in the TG, was that TG was not speking about freedom to choose either, but were very rigidly talking themselves warm about themselves! As an alternative TG is the only one when you are in TG. This thinking was growing in my head and was not like that in the beginning. In the end I didn't believe I could do anything as useful, I was not able to grow personally ouside TG. In a very suggestive way one gets to always relate to TG about everything.

DNS is a mini-TG, and the goal of the whole course is not to educate good teachers according to the broschure. The main goal is to bring up good and stabil TG-people. When you are ready with your DNS education, or maybe even before, it is not that a big step to even join TG, as you are used to common economy and time etc.

Keep your eyes open! I heard from people in the street and friends etc.. Well, I thought I did so. But there are a lot of unspoken rules and norms that are not discussed. Things are discussed in a certain way, and the fact that the people surrounding are nice, you make friends, you have done a lot of work and you really want this to be a good thing. You continue. Invest even more of yourself into this thing. I hope you won't be too old when you realize that it was a bubble, a dream, and everything wasn't as it looked like to be.

Sigge

 

 

Sigge

That Tvind is the only real soulution for troubled kids is something I haven't said. It's one solution, in many cases the best one, in other cases, not the best one.

From where I've got this idea is easy to tell, I was myself a very troubled kid when I went to school, in 7th grade I got thrown out of school and put in a company to work instead of going to school. Now several years later after I decided to go straight and get an education (industrial maintenace, engineering, robotics, pneumatics and hydrualics), I was looking for different alternatives, I wanted to become a teacher because the teachers I had in my public shool in Sweden was so bad, the whole system was so bad and that was what I was protesting against in school.. Anyway, after some searching I found DNS, and here I am. I see so many kids around here that are like I were in their age, the difference between them and me is that they have a supportive school, they don't have a school that puts them in a factory with the words "if you don't behave here's what you'll be spending your life doing", I've never heared a teacher here throw out a kid just because he points out that one of the facts the teacher says are wrong, I've never heared a teacher telling the whole school in the morning assembly that "that student isn't here, he's at the psychiatrist getting examed, because something must be wrong with his pscychology since he's so fucked up"

I can tell you many horror stories from my years in pubic school and I assure you, I didn't make them up.

What I see and experience here is teachers that are commited to help the kids, not so full of themselves so they blame the kids on all problems that occur instead of changing the methods they are using while *teaching*

Teacher group private economy I leave to someone else to discuss because I'm in DNS common economy, not TG common economy

Jummo

Its called the modern method

JOIN TVIND!!! :)

 

Who wouldn't want to travel the world in psycedelic old Danish school buses, educate the unwashed masses in the proper ideology, while giving away all your personal funds to an old Scandiwhovian multi-millionaire pervert living it up in Miami Beach?!

"On the platform of The Solidary Humanism in the line of fire. From man to mankind!!!!!"

(whatever the hell that means)

 

Wow!!! Surfing the web this afternoon, I decided to see what I might come up with if I entered "International School Ake Pecha' into Google.com. And lo and behold, here I landed, like Alice through the looking glass, once again, deja-vu. Astonishing... this group is still up to its old tricks? Still functioning in the US??? Still growing????? Cripes!!! This is really infuriating...

I am a former American employee of the International School Ake Pecha (circa 1984-85). I, along with another American teaching colleague hired at the same time -- both of us, I can say, were "liberal, but world-worn, fairly worldly-wise". Neither of us were the young starry-eyed revolutionary idealists our employers were used to dealing with.

My American colleague and I always wondered about the "holes" in the picture we were able to put together about ... Where all the money the Commonwealth of Virginia paid to house, feed, clothe and educate their students ("Our" children, American children, wards of the courts of Virginia), was going... Why the obsession with collecting donations: of books, of clothes, of food (some of which went to our students, some... who knows)... Why the shabby little cinder-block nursing home that served as school and dorm to our 26 students was never invested with adequate repair monies, leaving our kids to live in third-world conditions...Why so little actual care for our students, who were pretty much left to run wild by their burnt-out dorm captains (who were on call 24/7/30/365 -- sound familiar...?), most of whom were, frankly, too inexperienced, unskilled and immature to have been placed in the role of sole parent of up to 9 at least haywire, if not profoundly disturbed, pre-teens, teens and (violent)young adults.

We recognized the political bent, and had some sympathy for the idealism and the dedication of our Scandinavian peers, but there was something just really fishy about the whole thing from the top down. It was the money...It was the secretiveness (the main office was deemed out of bounds for my American colleague and I from the first week of our employment -- which made us just itch to get in there). It was the hostility toward us, when it became clear we were not interested in moving on campus or handing over our (grudgingly paid and always late) paychecks to the school. It was the wierdness and nervousness of the American "executive director," who eventually just disappeared without an explanation or a trace. It was the vehemence with which my students were "shooed" away from the Ake Pecha bus, freshly arrived from Massachusetts with a load of newly returned Danes (and what else, we always wondered?... on their way to Central America), to whom my students were simply extending a kindly welcome.

One of the things that rankles me to this day is that our kids could have benefitted greatly from the (generous) funds alloted monthly to the school for the care of each child -- these kids had already lost so much in their lives, and time was wasting for each one of them. It became very clear, very quickly to my American colleague and I that those dollars received by the school were not going provide services for our kids, but to feed somebody's pockets somewhere else in the world. We thought at the time -- I think we got the impression from our Scandinavian peers, who probably thought it themselves -- that they were scornfully sending "rich American dollars" to their schools in Zimbabwe, St. Johns, in the UK, Holland, (Thailand, I think?)... where it was needed so much more than it was needed by our students, who could do without, because, being American, they were, of course, so much "better off".

My American teaching colleague and I, within about three months being hired -- enough time to get the picture that the picture was not good -- with much deliberation, and with growing outrage, decided to go through channels to at least initiate an investigation of the school. The scarey thing about that process was that we didn't know who to contact who would listen to us... from what we could tell, the placement agencies had been ignoring all the problems, some of them MAJOR safety issues for the students that clearly indicated the school should have been closed (never mind the financial and political stuff). The clever Tvind people had made inroads -- and, for all we knew, had the full support of -- at least the Department of Mental Health and Retardation, Department of Social Services, Department of Education. (..There might have been another agency, too.. I remember five funding agencies.) The Department of Corrections had already ceased placing students there when it became clear to them that their students were at greater risk there than they might have been anywhere else -- I think they only had one student still placed there when the school was closed. My American colleague and I eventually met with the heads of the Departments of Mental Health/ Retardation, and Education. The gentleman from the Department of Education (Les Goode) was very concerned with what he heard, and it is my understanding that it was he who pushed for a thorough investigation.

The hearing was held in Richmond on May 21, 1985. Both my American colleague and I testified, along with social workers who had filed complaints or who had concerns, and some of our Scandinavian peers in their own "defense." The political and financial concerns were shied away from -- too embarrassing, probably, for the funding departments to approach -- in favor of the stacks of reports and complaints that had been on file with the separate agencies: security and safety infractions, neglect, students attacking other students, students being left behind a distance from the school when they became out of control. Separately, (tragically) these reports did not appear to amount to much, but combined the stack was impressively tall -- this was pointed out in the courtroom -- containing enough material to justify rescinding the school's license. After the hearing, we were thanked by one of the social workers (who had no doubt contributed to the pile of compliants, but had not for some reason been motivated to publicly question the depth of her personal pile). We were thanked for "having the courage to speak out."

When you go through something like this, you don't forget. We always wondered what the heck WAS going on at Ake Pecha. Several years after the school was closed my American colleague encountered a British teacher who worked for an American school in Denmark... The question was asked... "Say... have you ever heard of The People's Folk School... the school in Tvind?" The Brit visibly recoiled: "Why do you want to know?" "Because I had a bad experience working there, and I'm curious about how the school is thought of in Denmark." The Brit: "Oh, when people in Denmark hear of that school they cringe. They go making money off of everybody, starving their poor idealistic workers,working them to death, and the people on the top are driving around in Merceds and wearing Italian suits." Click! So it wasn't a Euro-communist/Maoist/revolutionary cell (whatever)...It was a scam, for the Commonwealth of Virginia, for our kids, even for our idealistic Scandinavian "peers." We were all "suckered."

And here on this website today I'm seeing confirmation of everything we'd pretty much put together without confirmation. Thanks! A long-standing mystery in the process of being solved.

I'll be certain to email this site to the woman who was our contact in the Virginia Attorney General's office, for her information...

One more thing that remains a mystery to me... in about November of 1984... something happened to the ship the Folk School was operating in the Atlantic -- My Scandinavian peers were on the phone to Denmark, walking through the halklway of my section, very upset. Everybody was speaking in Danish, hush-hush about it... I've always wondered, and was never able to find out... What happened to The Big Bear? Would somebody who's "out of the cult" be willing to share that story with me?

folkfreeatlast@angelfire.com

Can anyone tell me if that recent posting about ADEEC and the Maya Indians of Guatemala has anything remotely to do with Tvind/Planet Aid? Is ADEEC anything to do with Tvind? If not, it has to go. Michael

a lot of great informations about humana - www.humana.org :)

Sorry Jummo, I didn't realize you wanted me to answer your questions, as you answered them yourself. I don't know if it is because you want to know more or because you want to argue, but here you have my point of view:

Q: So you're saying that if you are a member of the TG you're not allowed to get a salary??

A: No, I am saying there is a common economy in TG. And the deal is to leave all salary you get and even all other things you own to TG. If you inherit money or land it goes to TG. Some 50 pounds you'll have for pocket money. Of course it is said that you can get as much as you want, but at the same tima you are supposed to live cheaply. If you are arguing for really a lot more than the others, there would be discussions. And nobody wants discussions about themselves... So before joining things are explained to you. It is not a surprise for the one involving oneself. Clothes you get from the Casablanca-factory, you dont have to worry about clothes, food or anything else private. Everything is common. But ALL is not explained. What happens with the part of the salary you give away? One can live with not having much, as long as you see the point of it. E.g.: There IS no money. But when there start to occur to you that some people in this hierarchical system live under totally different conditions than others (all are said to be comrades in the very same group, though), then I see no point no more.

Q: Don't I have the right to do with my private money as I please, as long as it doesn't break the law??

A: Of course you have! You can play bingo! Buy candy! You can buy cigarettes if you prefer, and let all your money burn away. And make Mr Marlboro-man richer. But the difference is, that there is a warning-text on the cigarette packages about what consequences you might have in your life if you smoke.

 

Q: Witchhunt, let Tvind do what they do best, development work and taking care of the young people in Denmark that the communes cannot handle. Where would these students go if Tvind was nonexistant??

A: Tvind is ONE alternative to troubled youth. And if the intentions of everyone in TG were as good as yours, there would be nothing more to say. Think of where you have heard all this about Tvind schools being the only real solution for the kids? Probably it was somebody IN the organisation claiming this.

Sigge

this what are you doing SLANDER !!! DO STH, DON'T WAISTE YOUR TIME AND MONEY FOR THIS SHIT GREETINGS WE WILL STILL GO ON MY PUPILS :O

VWhile the peace process in Guatemala continues to gather momentum and violence diminishes in the large cities, in the countryside Indian groups seeking to establish title to their communal lands still often encounter virulent opposition. Campaigns that use media slander instead of bullets, but nevertheless recall the intimidation of the 1980s, seem now the preferred approach.

The village of Tampur, in the Panzos Municipality of the northeastern department of Alta Verapaz, is the scene of one such incident. For several years now, the families of Tampur have been meeting in a full discussion process that has led to the communal building of a bridge and a school. This communal work strengthened in many of the families a deep sense of shared interest in their community, in the prosperity of their fields and forests and their future together as Kekchi Maya people with a common language, a common culture and, increasingly again, a common sense of spirituality and the future.

The elders of Tampur and the community-elected leadership have in recent years sought and achieved collaboration in projects with a Maya-based organization working in the region, ADEEC, which Indigenous people of Guatemala set up in the mid-1980s to seek assistance in community development efforts. Having had some acquaintance over the years with the work ADEEC (Association for Economic, Educational and Cultural Development), particularly in their partnership with the Tampur, I was surprised to read in Guatemala's national dailies about deadly conflicts occurring in that community. I had known of an intense land issue which the newly elected committee was addressing, but I was fully alarmed when a friend sent me clippings from one of the Guatemalan national newspapers that not only reported three dead, 16 wounded and houses burned, but actually named the leader of that village, Miguel Chun (don Meq), a man I have known over the years, as the perpetrator of the acts. Don Roderico Teni, director of ADEEC, and a noted speaker on cultural development, was also attacked for introducing an "agitating" NGO into the community.

Right: Mayan work group works collectively to achieve community development objectives. Photo: Courtesy of Jose Barreiro. Judging from the virulence and frequency of the media attacks, which began in October of last year, Teni surmised for me that a group of people who had been caught selling lands illegally were directing the campaign. They largely blamed the "foreign" NGO for the trouble, while also accusing and threatening the community leaders. "Radio Verapaz," the departmental radio station, broadcast the first report to that effect all over northern Guatemala in November. There followed immediately the report claiming the "three deaths, 16 wounded, burned houses, hundreds of refugees," that lent a dangerous tone to the shrillness of the attack while yet another radio report called for "security forces" to intervene.

Headlined articles with similar accusations began to appear next in national newspapers. ADEEC personnel and Tampur leaders were stunned to see the wildly accusatory articles that appeared in Prensa Libre (12/27/96) and Siglo XXI (12/28/96), the former reiterating the supposed three deaths and the latter announcing the arrest of four community leaders, including don Meq. An incident of miscommunication in November was mentioned, when the governor and the retired general (now a Deputy of the National Congress) were disarmed by local Tampur authorities when they were brought to the community by the ousted group under suspicious circumstances.

Suddenly, with the departmental governor, the deputy to the National Congress and the group from Tampur denouncing the "violent acts" committed in the village by the new "recalcitrant Indians," with Miguel Chun cited as "perpetrator" and Roderico Teni as "intellectual author," it appeared to the ADEEC team that their space to operate development projects and work directly with communities was closing. Severe danger lurked as for six weeks the press chorus blamed a "foreign NGO" for a community movement "that took the law into its own hands."

The journalists who filed these fabricated stories (no deaths were documented or even actually reported to police), Eduardo Sam Aldana and Ramiro Gonzalez, succeeded in throwing the community into alert and forcing don Meq and the professional staff of ADEEC, all dismayed by the magnitude of the lies and accusations, to respond as quickly and as forcefully as possible. Nevertheless, before it was over, numerous articles, some clearly libelous and likely paid for, had appeared in several national Guatemalan dailies. These painted the "indigenas" of Tampur as a violent and rebellious lot, prone to committing criminal acts that would require "the intervention of security forces."

Fortunately for ADEEC, don Meq and the families of Tampur, their moment of tension occurs in 1996-1997, as the national political climate of Guatemala shifts toward a peaceful resolution of conflicts. Their story, which I and many other international friends had witnessed over the years, already had a degree of exposure. And they have a tenacious and capable alliance of people who understand their work. Thus a stream of depositions, press releases and invitations to journalists, lawyers and judges, the governor and several national agencies went out to respond to the public charges, and a small community that has united to achieve a self-determined development reality was able to fight back in the public eye.

"Most everything in the stories was a planted calumny," Teni recounted. "In fact, we had worked for weeks to counsel peaceful and legal resolution to the conflicts over the land. The community leaders invited many groups and people to an open forum, where the reality of the case could be heard."

"We are peaceful, hard-working people of the land," don Meq's deposition read. "All we want is fair distribution and preservation of our communal lands."

As in all Indian communities in Guatemala, complaints of illegal land sales and growing cases of complete dispossession of community member families from their working lands, had created hardship and hostility in Tampur. When intense participatory discussion surfaced as the community worked together on the ADEEC-sponsored bridge and school building, it led to an open call by the families for more information and education on their legal rights. The elders and leaders of Tampur dusted off the community's legality and title, granted by an agency of the national government in the 1970s, defining Tampur as a Collective Agrarian Patrimony in the names of some 210 family heads. As the community became more exactingly aware how lands had been sold, and by whom, and as the group in power resisted, the community consensus called for large informational meetings.

The present political opening in Guatemala facilitates legal information to communities that seek it vigorously and soon Tampur had held full assemblies of all its membership, held elections on a new village committee, and in 1995, elected its new president (don Miguel Chun) and, with this new committee in place, called on the assistance of legal professionals to sort out twenty years of transactions that had reduced their lands.

The problem lined up like this: about 15 men representing as many families--the core group of descendants of a German immigrant in the largely Kekchi region--had moved into position within Tampur by the 1970s and appropriated the village committee and its power as a personal patrimony over the rest of the community. These few, who are clearly identifiable in the obvious ethnic reality of this Guatemalan Indian region, had exclusive access to Spanish language materials--as no one else in the village was literate enough in Spanish to read the documents-- and ingratiated itself to the repressive system--via connections with the now-disbanded military commissions and civil patrols and with some unscrupulous merchants in the nearby ladino trading center of la Tinta given to strong-arm methods.

As don Meq, an alert and well-respected village cacique (chief), who even now speaks only Kekchi (although he accompanies himself with a couple of Spanish speaking community members), began to press for a new measurement of the community lands and to re-enfranchise excluded member families to their proper planting and wood gathering areas, the group of fifteen (voted out of power unanimously by the other 200 families) responded with the virulence and aggression systematized in Guatemala over so many years. As cases of illegal land sales emerged in the documentation and testimony, the pervasive system of "violence as an option" resurfaced.

It began with the openly bought press misinformation and intimidation and went on to produce midnight phone calls to the ADEEC office threatening death to its director, don Roderico Teni. Teni, a Kekchi man with impressive professional accomplishments and a deeply rooted background in the traditional village culture, responded with well-reasoned letters to the media that described the work of ADEEC.

As threats and counterthreats escalated in the community, don Meq generally cooled the hotter heads, but as the individuals earlier ousted from office occasioned some beatings of people after a bout of drunkenness, the community prevailed on don Meq to close a family-run speak-easy where the incident occurred. Almost the whole community turned out. A litany of incidents, from the slashing of whole cornfields to the vandalism of tree nurseries, compounded the hostilities to the point that the accused families left Tampur and took refuge in the Catholic church in the nearby town of la Tinta. There, the local priest called for collections to feed "over 800 refugees," nearly 20 times the actual number, bringing some needed humor to the case.

 

Left: Foot bridge into Mayan community opened outside access but not encroachment. Photo: Courtesy of Jose Barreiro.

Finally, on February 19, nearly one thousand people of Tampur hosted 200 representatives of government agencies, the media, local tribunals, as well as the governor of the department, Dr. Jorge Mendez Castaeda. At the huge meeting, the community consensus became transparent, documentation revealed the facts, and with a generous offer to reincorporate the families who had left, closure to the public confusion in the case, first introduced by the corrupt reporting, finally resolved the issue.

For ADEEC personnel and for the leadership of Tampur, the stressful season of recrimination has given way to new vistas. Tampur is in a unique cultural and geographic situation that could provide a regional, maybe a national Guatemalan Indian model of sustainable community development. As in many Indian villages of the region, the overwhelming majority of the families still work together in communal "tareas," or tasks, agreed to by the elders and community leaders. The strong family networks are supported by an indigenous Maya agricultural spiritual system, the "Calendario," their cropping of corn and beans and other species, their many uses of medicinal plants and their general cultural predilection for harmonizing with nature--all are factors that have responded positively to the rural sustainable village development method undertaken by ADEEC.

Throughout the department of Alta Verapaz, in north-central Guatemala, the Kekchi-speaking Mayas number approximately 400,000 people in nearly one thousand village-communities. The municipality of Panzos is home to some 50,000 Kekchi, 95 percent of which are village-dwelling corn farming people. Comprised of some 215 families, or about 1,200 people, Tampur is a leading village. Located along the southern shore of the Polochic River, it is the base community in a network of some 30 remote villages that extend south to the Sierra de Minas mountain range, in a watershed that runs east to Lake Izabal and the Caribbean coast.

During the comprehensive, day-long meeting on February 19, human rights and legal investigators determined, upon reviewing all the evidence, that in fact there had been a misinformation campaign and that the process of electing a new village committee, the actions of don Meq as its president--including the analysis of land tenancy in the village--were completely in order and according to law.

"The activity was a success," reported "Radio Verapaz," in the words of a government representative about the unique assembly session the representatives witnessed in Tampur, where over one thousand neighbors (the overwhelming majority of the village) laid out food and flooring of fresh pine boughs in the village square for the visitors. "A number of the families returned, reconciliation was achieved in many cases, and the community is obviously happy with itself, in a tranquil atmosphere, working the land."

"ADEEC, like any NGO," said the governor to the radio reporter, "has the right to conduct and manifest its work, in any situation."

"People were able to see that even when the legal framework is in place nationally, the real system that still operates in these villages easily turns against Indians," director Teni said. "Right now, we are coming out of a dark tunnel. But there is light ahead, the sun is ahead. The people of Tampur have made themselves heard."

A small step, perhaps, in a small river village called Tampur, but in Guatemala, among Mayans at least, all hope endures.

 

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Jos Barreiro is associate director of extension, American Indian Program at Cornell University.

check this out www.darknet.dk/~avatar/hexan/taliban.swf

Down with corrupt Charities nd CULTs bob

Down with corrupt Charities nd CULTs bob

After alot of consideration after reading this site I'm going to write to my MP. Organisations like this give Charities a bad name

Sigge, why are you avoiding answering on my questions to you??

 

Jummo

Why do Tvindies have to have Amdi, why don't they just create smaller groups amongst themselves. Can they do this? Or is the Tvind leadership too powerful? And has total control over the money?

To Sigge

Sorry that you are unhappy with TG, but that doesn not make everyone else a liar....

Sigge, yes I am in TG I have posted my email here before: less_thanaw@yahoo.com You sound like you have left recently, thats what I am about to do. I just wanted to talk to you about it.... L.

Comments on previous...

You are telling the TG-way is not an efficient way of earning money. No, but you are right, an out of ordinary way it sure is. I am surprised that you dont think it is not smart too.

So you lived on water and bread? Well, I am sorry but isnt that a little bit to exaggerate? And now you are playing golf, laying on the beach, mountain climbing, going to concerts and theatre while starting up schools and projects and TV-channels pfiuubusy life indeed. Somehow I dont know if youve identified yourself that strongly with TG that you dont even see a difference with yourself and the whole groupI mean, did YOU start OWC up???? While eating bread only? And now things are so much better that you can play golf too? I am sorry, but I dont believe you have played much golf at all! Oh, you might mean the whole TG and not only yourself?? Well, some people in TG ARE obviously playing golf. But if it is a person that once upon a time had connections with the schools I am not so sure of. And if you would think twice youd realize this thing you are writing is not really even half a truth.

I like living a good life as well. And I agree that the values you mentioned are not so bad: Working with other people and doing something worthwhile. Materially good standards and not so much worries about that I dont think many people have in this part of the world. Whether you are outside or inside TG. Unless you insist on dieting on bread and water of course. Something that in my opinion also is characterizing a good life: Honesty. And sorry, my friend, there is not much of that neither in your posting nor in TG.

I have a suggestion...why don't you have a common meeting with your pals and suggest a year or two off and you'll find out what I mean.

Sigge

 

 

Regarding "recruiting"

I would love to "recruit" many more people! There is plenty to do and more people needed!. I like it very much and believe many others would do so as well.

I am happy to hear that you call Humana a recruiting machine. Great!!!! That shows that it is something quite good and out of the ordnary going on there!! An obviously not something where people get exploited. I do not want be exploited and I certainly not consider myself being it.

I have a great time and an ocean of good friends and opportunities to work for something that I enjoy.

TG is great for me and I think that Humana and The Travelling folk highschools are achieving something good.

If TG would not have anything in their heart except earning money why go through all the hard work it is to establish Humana, Travelling Folkhigh schools, to start TCE up, build a One World TV channel and so on.....

It is not the most efficient way to earn money in this world. Not a very smart "business" is it??

That then, after many years of hard work we also decide that we do not want to live on water and bread any longer is that bad?????

I would like to live a good life. A god life i consider being: *Doing something worthwhile *Work together with other people *Having a material good life as well where i do not need to worry about my basic material needs. And just like many other people in this world do I appreciate relaxing inbetween. Enjoy a beach and a nice surrounding, playing golf, running, walk a mountain, go to a concert, theatre etc etc.

But there is a general understanding at this website that doing good does not equal with living good. No, the only way you can do good is to live on water and bread? Or to give all your own earnings to others, for example volunteers that have a big urge to join a Development Instructor program. i have done that for many years, by working without a salary, and do not want to do it anylonger

What about the "poor volunteers having to pay" at the Travelling Folkhighschools, you might ask? Plus that they need to fundraise!! Outrageous you might think? I do not think so. I think it is a great opportunity to learn, work and experience together with other people. Why should they not pay and fundraise? The money fundraised at most of the Travelling Folkhigh schools goes to the running of the schools. Where should the money come from?? They have to be sustainable. Able to make their economy ad up and balance.

Regardless if someone that once upon a time, that really do not have any ties or control over an activity at a Travelling Folkhigh school, would have a golf membership or not.

If anyone want to join the programs at one of the Travelling Folkhigh schools they have to consider if that is program that they want to do or not. It is a choice they individually has to make. I believe that it is a great opportunity for many people. I enjoyed it, i know many others that did.

So therefore I STRONGLY ADVICE YOU TO SERISOULY CONSIDER TO JOIN UP!!!!!!

Thanks for giving me the opportunity to recruit here!

Check out the websites www.drh-movement.org and www.humana.org

NB. As a TG member do you not give your monthly salary away. you CHOSE to put it together with others. One alone cant do as much as many together. I have never felt like Sigge saying she gave her money away.

 

 

 

 

Just to let you know 11 peopel have walked out of hull due to the way things were run at the school (eg poor diet, bullying,demorolizing,no time to think,no heating,pushing you to work long hours,threatening behaviour,taking away choice and fredom of speach.) The point im trying to make they lie to peopel to sighn them up with no questions,then make there life a living hell and still getting away with it.This scool must stop praying on inocent peopel therefore must be stoped.

I just received this today. A chilling read, certainly thought provoking, and it would be good to find out more about John Pilger's claims.

 

Inevitable Ring to the Unimaginable

By John Pilger

 

 

If the attacks on America have their source in the Islamic world, who can really be surprised?

Two days earlier, eight people were killed in southern Iraq when British and American planes bombed civilian areas. To my knowledge, not a word appeared in the mainstream media in Britain.

An estimated 200,000 Iraqis, according to the Health Education Trust in London, died during and in the immediate aftermath of the slaughter known as the Gulf War.

This was never news that touched public consciousness in the west.

At least a million civilians, half of them children, have since died in Iraq as a result of a medieval embargo imposed by the United States and Britain.

In Pakistan and Afghanistan, the Mujadeen, which gave birth to the fanatical Taliban, was largely the creation of the CIA.

The terrorist training camps where Osama bin Laden, now "America's most wanted man", allegedly planned his attacks, were built with American money and backing.

In Palestine, the enduring illegal occupation by Israel would have collapsed long ago were it not for US backing.

Far from being the terrorists of the world, the Islamic peoples have been its victims - principally the victims of US fundamentalism, whose power, in all its forms, military, strategic and economic, is the greatest source of terrorism on earth.

This fact is censored from the Western media, whose "coverage" at best minimises the culpability of imperial powers. Richard Falk, professor of international relations at Princeton, put it this way: "Western foreign policy is presented almost exclusively through a self-righteous, one-way legal/moral screen (with) positive images of Western values and innocence portrayed as threatened, validating a campaign of unrestricted political violence."

That Tony Blair, whose government sells lethal weapons to Israel and has sprayed Iraq and Yugoslavia with cluster bombs and depleted uranium and was the greatest arms supplier to the genocidists in Indonesia, can be taken seriously when he now speaks about the "shame" of the "new evil of mass terrorism" says much about the censorship of our collective sense of how the world is managed.

One of Blair's favourite words - "fatuous" - comes to mind. Alas, it is no comfort to the families of thousands of ordinary Americans who have died so terribly that the perpetrators of their suffering may be the product of Western policies. Did the American establishment believe that it could bankroll and manipulate events in the Middle East without cost to itself, or rather its own innocent people?

The attacks on Tuesday come at the end of a long history of betrayal of the Islamic and Arab peoples: the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, the foundation of the state of Israel, four Arab-Israeli wars and 34 years of Israel's brutal occupation of an Arab nation: all, it seems, obliterated within hours by Tuesday's acts of awesome cruelty by those who say they represent the victims of the West's intervention in their homelands.

"America, which has never known modern war, now has her own terrible league table: perhaps as many as 20,000 victims."

 

As Robert Fisk points out, in the Middle East, people will grieve the loss of innocent life, but they will ask if the newspapers and television networks of the west ever devoted a fraction of the present coverage to the half-a-million dead children of Iraq, and the 17,500 civilians killed in Israel's 1982 invasion of Lebanon. The answer is no. There are deeper roots to the atrocities in the US, which made them almost inevitable.

It is not only the rage and grievance in the Middle East and south Asia. Since the end of the cold war, the US and its sidekicks, principally Britain, have exercised, flaunted, and abused their wealth and power while the divisions imposed on human beings by them and their agents have grown as never before.

An elite group of less than a billion people now take more than 80 per cent of the world's wealth.

In defence of this power and privilege, known by the euphemisms "free market" and "free trade", the injustices are legion: from the illegal blockade of Cuba, to the murderous arms trade, dominated by the US, to its trashing of basic environmental decencies, to the assault on fragile economies by institutions such as the World Trade Organisation that are little more than agents of the US Treasury and the European central banks, and the demands of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund in forcing the poorest nations to repay unrepayable debts; to a new US "Vietnam" in Colombia and the sabotage of peace talks between North and South Korea (in order to shore up North Korea's "rogue nation" status).

Western terror is part of the recent history of imperialism, a word that journalists dare not speak or write.

The expulsion of the population of Diego Darcia in the 1960s by the Wilson government received almost no press coverage.

 

Their homeland is now an American nuclear arms dump and base from which US bombers patrol the Middle East.

In Indonesia, in 1965/6, a million people were killed with the complicity of the US and British governments: the Americans supplying General Suharto with assassination lists, then ticking off names as people were killed.

"Getting British companies and the World Bank back in there was part of the deal", says Roland Challis, who was the BBC's south east Asia correspondent.

British behaviour in Malaya was no different from the American record in Vietnam, for which it proved inspirational: the withholding of food, villages turned into concentration camps and more than half a million people forcibly dispossessed.

In Vietnam, the dispossession, maiming and poisoning of an entire nation was apocalyptic, yet diminished in our memory by Hollywood movies and by what Edward Said rightly calls cultural imperialism.

In Operation Phoenix, in Vietnam, the CIA arranged the homicide of around 50,000 people. As official documents now reveal, this was the model for the terror in Chile that climaxed with the murder of the democratically elected leader Salvador Allende, and within 10 years, the crushing of Nicaragua.

All of it was lawless. The list is too long for this piece.

Now imperialism is being rehabilitated. American forces currently operate with impunity from bases in 50 countries.

"Full spectrum dominance" is Washington's clearly stated aim.

Read the documents of the US Space Command, which leaves us in no doubt.

In this country, the eager Blair government has embarked on four violent adventures, in pursuit of "British interests" (dressed up as "peacekeeping"), and which have little or no basis in international law: a record matched by no other British government for half a century.

What has this to do with this week's atrocities in America? If you travel among the impoverished majority of humanity, you understand that it has everything to do with it.

People are neither still, nor stupid. They see their independence compromised, their resources and land and the lives of their children taken away, and their accusing fingers increasingly point north: to the great enclaves of plunder and privilege. Inevitably, terror breeds terror and more fanaticism.

But how patient the oppressed have been.

It is only a few years ago that the Islamic fundamentalist groups, willing to blow themselves up in Israel and New York, were formed, and only after Israel and the US had rejected outright the hope of a Palestinian state, and justice for a people scarred by imperialism.

Their distant voices of rage are now heard; the daily horrors in faraway brutalised places have at last come home.

 

 

John Pilger is an award-winning journalist.

September 13, 2001

 

 

__________________________________________________

 

← Previous

Page 422 of 2211

Next →