United Nations ReliefWeb

[Stan]

Hello Marc, Tom and 120 !
What a day !

I like 120's approach. A shame, I gave up soon after retirement and now just spend my own time (no longer money) with programs here assisting foster homes (when USN ship visits are in port). It's far better and you see immediate results.

Tom brings up a rather embarrassing DC story. Also bake in the 70's we would routinely see food stamp owners at the local watering holes and restaurants. Trading in their food stamps for a drink or two and then promply drive off in their Beemers I don't think I ever understood that nor the system my taxes were paying for.

I always had the feeling that many charities, and a lot of social welfare programs, were designed to create jobs for social work graduates. I'm not sure about the US, but in Canada, it is really difficult to get ff the welfare programs - you are actually penalized if you try.

Marc, the US version of the Canadian social work for graduates is a trash truck driver You indeed are penalized if you jump the truck prematurely (it's called being run over by the Beemer driver in rush hour)

Regards, Stan

[Tom Odom]

The thing that struck me most about the Rwandans (the new government and new army) was their attitude toward assistance. I was married to a USAID officer for nearly 10 years. I worked drought relief and looked at security assistance in the Sudan. I was in the Sudanese Army as a student for 4 months and got a real feel for what the military thought and felt. At the conclusion, my classmates asked me, "when is the US goong to come run this country? And when are you going to head the effort?" Startling to hear that as a junior Captain, especially from Majors and Lieutenant Colonels; it also indicated that ever present Arab/Muslim fatalism that translates Inshallah as the American S$%# Happens without the smiley face.

The Egyptians and the Israelis each had their own spin on assistance. The Egyptians with their background of assistance from the USSR/Warsaw Pact seemed to concentrate getting the best toys for whatever and--especially in the non-military arena--getting a PhD (or 3) in the process. Israel is essentially get us the check--early if possible and certainly never late; the local and government reaction when the few times the US has said, "enough" on a money-pit project is amusing and disturbing to watch. I saw Israeli Aircraft Industries bus workers down to stage a protest at the US Embassy when we shut off funding to the Lavi fighter project. If the US check does get there late, the embassy gets a written protest.

And then there are the Zairians/Congolese. two words describe it: steal or break. Steal whatever comes in and break it as soon as possible. Demand more. Start the most fanciful projects possible--and never complete them as they are cash cows to be bled not milked. Stan has years on the ground wtaching this. In writing two books before I went there as DATT, I was well aware of this dynamic.

In contrast, Rwanda when I was there and according to folks who have followed me broke this mold/pattern. They are hper-sensitive to the colonial and post-colonial models of dependency often attached to donor programs. In my case, they looked to build capacity in their leaders and the people and sustainment in the military. And they will do so in charge of their own fates. It was amusing to watch when then VP Kagame ordered all the NGOs to take down their vehicle flags and forced them to register. Prior to the war Rwanda had one of the largest assortments of NGOs in Africa; in the post-genocide, you weren't a real NGO unless you had been to Rwanda. Many were shocked and dismayed when the new Rwandan government actually proved it was determined to govern, set its own goals, and then actually evaluate its progress in meeting those goals.

I hope they continue.

Best

Tom