Recently, a TFA supporting Foundation asked Janne for her perspectives on "the ethical issue of whether NGOs should provide services to relocated communities as a human rights imperative or whether by NGOs undertaking this they actually ‘legitimise’ relocation policies".

Here is Janne's insightful and typically interesting response....

Relocation Ethics:

In my past 33 years of working overseas - Philippines, Kenya and Cambodia - the one thing I have learned is to not fight the inevitable. Relocations in all third world countries are inevitable.  For many of these families, the situation is difficult. They are squatters on land that does not belong to them. The tragedy is that they have settled on land that is not theirs, often living on land for ten or more years without problem. The land is often sold amongst families to outsiders who also need a place to live. In this process, money is exchanged and receipts given. But not official government receipts – and therein lies the problem. There are no land titles.

In the Philippines, it was my first time to be confronted with this issue. Manila is overrun with squatters whose living conditions are less than desirable – yet it's home to these people. As the city developed, squatters were often moved off land. When a number of our families were told of eviction – their initial despair was terrible to witness. What to do? Well, I suggested we go and see where the families were to be relocated. It was, at that time, outside the city limits and felt very far away from all that they knew. After much discussion, we decided to make this a new home. We went to the Government and asked for paved roads, water, electricity, school, a medical clinic, etc. The Government agreed but said people had to pay for services like water installation, electricity, etc. It seemed daunting, but the families saved for these things. We talked about starting businesses to service the community – things like small shops for food, clothes, bicycle repairs etc. When it came right down to it – there was a small business for almost all the families – these were chosen carefully so that the micro economics worked. It was tough, but within 3 years it was a viable and healthy community. Since that time, the city has expanded and they now own valuable land.

For me, it’s our ability to not give up hope and not to fall into despair when relocations happen. It will happen. And it hurts the families horribly. We have a choice: we can leave in despair, we can be angry and self righteous; we can tell governments what they can and cannot do, in our arrogance – but what good will that do? Nothing will change the relocations – we might postpone them but we can’t change the fact that they will be relocated.

What about the families who are relocated? Should we punish them further and so teach the government a lesson? I have learned that it teaches governments nothing for they are caught in phenomenal problems that are not so easily resolved. And if we ignore these families, what good will that do?

Life is very short – and I work with people who live with next to nothing. They are born into it and they die in it. Wherein is their dignity? It is my purpose in life to grant as much dignity and self worth as I am able. Relocated families – squatters – all who live in poverty need and deserve our help – because, it’s only by God’s grace that it is not you or I who are living in such circumstances.

For me, this is not a political issue – politics is about words. Relocation is not about ethics, it's about people whose lives are severely disrupted. For me, this is a people issue, a life issue – I can’t throw them away – I just can’t.

As a side note – if the Government of Australia decides that they want to build a road through your home – what choice do you have? You will relocate – they will give you some money – but usually far below what the property is worth. Who cares, besides you?

I probably haven’t said it very well.  I know that the more people are educated, the less chance of relocation in the future – education won’t happen unless the basic needs of people are met – unless there are schools to educate them in. I can’t change what happened – but I may be able to change what may happen in the future by giving people the dignity , the strength, the will and the education to stand up for themselves.