To: (Candidate) Member Organisations of the International Coalition of NGOs for a Just and Effective Policy on Drugs

Antwerpen, 6 August 1998

Dear friends,

Hoping you are all fine, I send you herewith an update on ENCOD's plans to organise a meeting in Barcelona, on 21 and 22 November 1998, in order to take forward the initiative which began with the formation of the Coalition in response to the UNGASS Session on Drugs in New York last June.

I would like to remind you that all those organisations that either have subscribed or will subscribe to the Manifesto for a Just and Effective Policy on Drugs (see hereafter) are considered members of this Coalition.

The main objective of the meeting in Barcelona is to deepen our understanding of the issues put forward in the Manifesto and try to identify concrete ways to bring them to the attention of policy makers, the general public etc.

As you probably know, several other coalitions or networks have been set up to denounce current drugs control policies and propose alternatives. Whereas our ICN-Coalition puts an emphasis on the need for a global approach linking the concerns of those affected by both the production and consumption of drugs in the 'South' as well as in the 'North', other coalitions may have come further in the analysis of other aspects of the drugs trade. It has been suggested that the various coalitions working towards drugs policy reform should seek to cooperate more in order to maximise their efforts.

On the 4th of August, Ken Bluestone (CIIR), Mike Jay (Drugs Policy Review Group), Danny Kushlick (Transform), Andria Mordaunt (John Mordaunt Trust) and Joep Oomen (ENCOD) met in London in an informal meeting to discuss the possibility of greater collaboration between networks and coalitions.

An obvious, yet fundamental conclusion of the meeting was that it is both necessary and positive to try to combine the efforts of drug activists, policy reformers, harm reduction experts, peasants growing drugs-linked crops, human rights activists, development workers, researchers, scientists, legal experts, politicians and other concerned citizens who wish to obtain significant changes in the way drugs are managed in our society.

It was also considered that in attempting to bring together such disparate groups, we should concentrate on co-operation rather than reaching consensus in the short term. Therefore, it would be useful, if, in the coming months, we could improve communications between coalitions and networks in order to work towards this goal.

The meeting in Barcelona is intended to be a first step in this direction.

We do not expect that all of the organisations who have signed the Manifesto will be able to attend, but hope that many will make an effort. We invite those that wish to come but lack the ressources to contact us before September 1st, in order to explore ways of supporting you, if possible.

We are also in the process of developing an electronic 'conference' on ENCOD's website in order to discuss policy proposals which could follow from the Manifesto. This discussion will be organised in English and Spanish, the result of which will be used in the preparations for the Barcelona meeting. In this way, those who cannot attend the meeting in person can still contribute to the proceedings.

As soon as this electronic conference is available, we will let you know.

Hoping to hear from you soon, I remain, on behalf of ENCOD,

Joep Oomen (thanks to Ken Bluestone)

Secretary

hbego@knoware.nl