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IPPG Newsletters: July 1999
From the Editor's Desk |
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| Dr Jim Duff, coordinator |
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Dear IPPG supporters and friends,
Since the last newsletter, lots has happened. First of all, IPPG has been joined by two more country representatives in Canada (Elsie James) and East Coast USA (Ben Ayers). Welcome aboard! There has been a robust debate in France in the media about the exploitation of porters by the trekking industry. Dr Nicholas Peschanski (France representative) was able to jump on the bandwagon and push for reform.
Monika Schiefer (Germany representative) has produced the new logo for IPPG.
Various representatives have organized mail-outs, lectures, written articles and conducted interviews.
In Australia, donations are now tax-deductible, courtesy of AFAP (Australian Foundation for the People of the South Pacific and Asia).
We have also made IPPG known to various international "green" tourism organizations based in UK, and made some publicity during the Nomad Wilderness Travel Exhibition in Sydney earlier this year, where thousands of travelers came and most major trekking companies were represented.
There is definitely an increasing awareness of IPPG and I continue to get snippets of information from trekkers about the situation on the ground. Unfortunately, not all of it good.
Upcoming events are the press/conference in Kathmandu, on the 29th September, which we hope will once again raise this issue at a strategic time, just before the trekking season. IPPG recognizes that there are many ethical and conscientious trekking companies (some of whom support IPPG) out there. We see our role as educating "tea shop trekkers" and the exploitative trekking companies into raising their game. Our aim is an equitable and sustainable industry in keeping with the intentions of HMG Nepal. The key to improving matters in porters' safety and well being is by raising awareness in:
- Trekkers/tourists
- Travel agents (foreign and Nepali)
- Trek leaders (foreign and Nepali)
- Sirdars
- Porters themselves
- Government
There is an ongoing debate around whether IPPG should lobby for increased wages for porters. At this stage, my opinion is that it is not the role of IPPG to lobby for higher wages. However there is scope to press for a rate set by the government and to call for the abolition of the practice of sirdars taking a percentage from porters wages.
Meantime the most important task for IPPG is to get a recognized and accepted basic level of safety and health for all porters.
It is quite simple to be supporter of IPPG: spread the world, step in and complain about perceived injustices, ask your travel or trekking agent about their policy on porter safety.
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