KEY HIGHLIHTS OF THE TRANS AFRICAN CARVAN OF HOPE

The motivation

The Trans African Climate Caravan of Hope was held as part of pan African mobilization that sought to galvanize the cross country stakeholder voices, with an ultimate aim of communicating the African story while making known the demands of Africa among its inhabitants and the rest of the world to not ony the Africna leaders but also the global ones. The Caravan was a huge mobilization and awareness creation opportunity for African civil society to highlight the challenges climate change poses to African’s efforts to extricate herself from poverty and attainment of Millennium Development Goals. The caravan travelled almost 10,000 Km covering 10 countries (Burindi, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Zmabia, Zimbabwe, Bostwana and South Africa). In addition Swaziland, Namibia and Mozambique joined as linking nodes. A total of 300 members of caravanites directly took part in the caravan with thousand more attending events at the peoples space and taking part in solidarity actions taht were orgnaised during the week of action in Durban. 42 of these were supported from Zambia with good geneder represenation of both women and youths.

The Highlights

The Caravan delivered peoples message to the various Heads of States in the repsective countries where it passed through and various political leaders also signed the peopels petions. A total of over 4 million signature were sollected and handed over to President Zuma in his capacity as not oinly a Head of state Republi of South Africa but also COP 17  Presidency.

In Zambia the Cravan received the highest political and governemnet solidarity led by the Minsiter of Local Government, Early Child Education and Environal protection who delivered teh solidraity message on behalf o the President of teh Republic of Zambia.  Some of the key persons that addressed the caravanites included; Her Excellency Mary Robinson, former Ireland president met who addressed the continental caravanites at University of Kwa Zulu Natal. Her Excellency was there as she put it, ‘ to listen to the caravanites and help them articulate their voices on the floor of negotiations.’ An actress from China Hai Qing who serves as an Oxfam ambassador and travels the world creating awareness on various development issues received submissions from the Cravanites and addressed them.

Outside the Howard dome at the University of Kwa Zulu Natal, caravnites shared their experiences from across Africa. Hai heard about women in Zambia through Mailesi Banda  a woman farmer who was part of the caravan. She told of how the rural woman suffers because of lack of access of modern facilities. She urged Hai, ‘to send the message to the right people in China that they needed to cut emissions.’ A woman from Lesotho also called Mama Anna had a requested Hai to let the leaders at the COP 17 know, ‘that the group knew they were talking on their behalf but could they ask us directly what we think since we can talk for ourselves.’

Now back to the hall where we are meeting. T-Boy a yough artists from Zambia communicated his message in song from his heart pointing out against the impacts of climate change.

Prof Patrick Bond, Director at Kwa Zulu Natal and also an economist acknowledged the  sacrifice and the caravanites had undertaken to take such a stressful trip on rugged terrain and enmvirain with many vulgars. He called on Cop 17 to bring tge global  temperature sise 1degrees. Failure to do this would render the COP by December 9th a conference of polluters

The once Bolivia Chief Negotiator addressed that Caravanites on  underlining the fact that ‘what was going to be discussed in Durban infact remains debt that shall be increased more than 40%. If this happens Africa will suffer more than 8degrees Celsius increase,’ he passionately said. He added, ‘We want to stop the ecocide. Over 350,000 people die because of causes of Climate Change. Imagine a world that increases with 4degrees Celsius and an Africa that increases with 8degrees Celsius. They are burning and selling Africa.’ He said that if Africa failed to fight in Durban the rest of the continent will be wondering what happened to us.

Joe of Action Aid Internationalalso addressed the Caravanites emphasissing on concerns pertaining to  ‘governments that may not do what they needed to do. 

For future actions

The ns African Caravan of Hope exposed a significant number of ordinary communities to tell their own stories as far as the challeneg of cliamte chnag eis concerned and has put in motion a process of developing a critical mass of ordinary citizens with increase dengangement with the Cop processe.

Despite the many challanges the Zambian caravanites faced during the route and actual enagngement  teh team made significant contribution to cause of one Aftrica one position and one mesage. The African voices were delievred up to Durbana nd byonmd. They also took part in various capscity biulding workshop as part of learning for the future. The caravanites departed for Zambia on the 4th December 2011 having been on a 15 days assigenment in support of climate jsutice.

The  space of civisl soiety in the negotaitions depsite being limited remains an imporatnt spacet of adding value to teh outcome of Cop by taking ito account the issues of teh people.