International Development Policies Harm Millions

Below is an email just in describing false claims made by donor countries, including UK and US, about their involvement and cover up of gross human rights violations in development schemes in Ethiopia:
 
We Need Your Help to Fight Forced Evictions and Human Rights Abuses in Ethiopia

Dear friends,

On July 17, the Oakland Institute exposed USAID and its UK equivalent DFID's role and responsibilities in the perpetuation of forced evictions and human rights abuses against indigenous communities in Ethiopia.

Our two reports as well as recorded interviews with affected communities on the ground strongly connected US and UK aid funds with the repression and human rights violations involved in relocating villagers for the development of agricultural plantations. With hard evidence and in-depth research, we showed that international development assistance is complicit with the implementation of violent and abusive so-called "development policy." Worse, we showed how once international pressure pushed USAID and DFID to do an investigation into allegations of rape, coercion, and other threats against primarily ethnic groups, the donors ignored their own findings.

We work hard to give a voice to those who cannot freely speak for themselves, and with these reports we succeeded in exposing the reality on the ground in spite of donor entities turning a blind eye.

Our goal is to put pressure on governments who--with our tax dollars--are making terrible decisions that are doing immense harm right now. Irrefutable evidence shows that USAID and DFID deny and hide the reality of large-scale abuses and also support the policy of the Ethiopian regime that destroys the lives and livelihoods of millions in the country. With this exposure, we accomplished what we set out to do.

<http://www.oaklandinstitute.org/in-the-news>

We took the stories of the people most harmed in the South Omo region of
Ethiopia and reached an audience of hundreds of thousands, building to perhaps millions, by getting coverage in the BBC, Christian Science Monitor, the Guardian, Bloomberg News, IPS News, and more.

Now we need to continue this work and to push even harder, with more
research, publications, and advocacy. Bulldozers are crushing homes and tearing up fields and it is urgent to stop them. We need your help for this and I hope we can count on you to support our work.

Our goal is to have a lasting impact in defense of voiceless people and of the natural resources they rely on for their survival. The Ethiopian government and its western supporters must respect the rights and dignity of the tribes of Lower Omo. Please give a donation of any amount to our Ethiopia campaign today.

Thank you.

Anuradha Mittal

Executive Director, Oakland Institute

P.S. We appreciate ALL donations but if you can give $35, $50, $100, $250, $1,000 or more, you will help us the most at this pressing time. Thank you!

Whilst we may applaud Oakland Institute's efforts to raise awareness of the general public to harm done by their respective governments and the steps the Institute takes to improve the conditions for many, socialists demand more and push to get rid of the root causes rather than to ameliorate them, to struggle to change the system to one which wouldn't require such interventions in the future. 
Why are there people who 'cannot speak freely'? Why must the goal be 'to put pressure on governments'? Why should foreign money be used in other countries, in indigenous areas to use 'bulldozers to crush homes and tear up fields'? Why must money be collected to be able to make a difference? 
The answer to these and many other questions is simply that the capitalist system is founded on a class system with pecuniary advantage built in for a small minority with the profit motive being the primary incentive. Governments serve the system not the people. Socialism's objective is a system organised by the people for the people - with a free voice and access for all to our common wealth.
JS