Organization

Why are we organized?

Disorganized participation makes people behave like a confused mass and the final result of this participation is usually negative for the people. A football team where all eleven players do whatever they want will be definitely defeated. If the population wants to impede the construction of a dam, it has to be organized in order to achieve this objective. The organization structure of MAB seeks to bring together (join the oppressed); explain (clarify concepts); increase awareness (alert the people); and through our struggle achieve our objectives.

Who participates in MAB?

All families directly or indirectly affected or threatened by dams can participate in the Grassroots-Base Groups. In fact, this means organising all people that live in the affected communities and are willing to fight. Families possessing land in the community or that in some way depend on it, should also participate in the groups. Also, the participation of families that do not posses land in the communities but depend financially on them, is very important. These people like tenants, leaseholders, fishermen, sharecroppers, partners, rural landless workers have a place and an important role in the movement.

How are we organized?

All families-members of MAB in each area should be organized in base groups. This is what gives us force and solidifies the movement. In addition, the movement’s organisation needs to have a coordination at the local, state and national level.

What is Grassroots-Base Group?

Base Groups are the most essential units of the movement’s structure; they are the foundations and joining force of the people. They are the first instance that welcomes prospective members and the “sieves” that choose the people suitable for the movement. Base Groups bring together families of a certain community or neighbourhood which are already committed with the movement’s ideas and objectives. When a community or neighbourhood are big, they can have more than one Base Groups.