Han van Putten

Han van Putten was the father of HIC: as a coalition of people and institutions around the world, we are here not only because of our continuing collective actions but because of his inspiration, commitment and action, which helped bring that collective into being and sustained it over time. He is gone but we remember him and we shall follow the example he set us.

His vision emerged from a lifetime of work in international affairs, so that, in the early 1970s, he could see the way things were going and what needed to be done. From the cacophony of voices and the global confusion of what was to be done as it began to dawn on the world what a mess we were in – the environmental crisis and the poverty and global inequities becoming clear in cities and settlements around the world  – Han saw the need for an organization.

He saw that and then he did it.  With a preparedness to work together with others of a like mind, a flair for leadership and a willingness to act, he moved that agenda forwards with great consistency in a very turbulent environment. His vision then – and that of others with whom he moved the agenda forward – was the same then as it remained until his death last Sunday: that those in civil society around the world who want to improve the conditions in which people live in human settlements must act collectively. He saw it as a responsibility and not a drive for power.

So the first manifestation of HIC was a committee, set up during the 1972 Stockholm Environment Conference, and it was a formation mainly of committed individuals. But the commitment was to people-centered and sustainable development of human settlements, and that group knew it had to build and grow as an organization.  The next step was taken at the Human Settlements Conference in Vancouver In 1976, where Han coordinated the Habitat Forum in parallel to the main conference.

As Secretary General of the International Union of Local Authorities (IULA) Han had experience of institution-building and leadership, and undertook to host the young NGO’s secretariat in The Hague. On the occasion of HIC’s meeting at the first session of the UN Committee on Human Settlements (UN Habitat), at New York in April 1978, HIC elected him as its first President, from 1978 until 1982. That was when HIC became the Habitat International Council, and Han continued as an active member.

All of those of us who remember that era know it was not easy. For HIC to fulfil its vision, it had to constantly transform and evolve. I first met Han in the mid 1980s, as HIC was in the process of transforming from a council to a coalition, and of building its strength and its base in the global South. The seminar held by members in Limuru, Kenya, in 1987, was a turning point. As a result, at a special General Assembly in Berlin later that year HIC changed its constitution and its name to Habitat International Coalition, emerging as a federated organization.  With its first secretariat in the global South in Mexico City in 1988, HIC again elected Han as its President in 1989.

While strongly maintaining its voice and presence on the international scene, especially as an advocacy organization dedicated to the many causes emerging from the grassroots, HIC went through leadership, locational and structural changes. It kept the focus on issues, bringing Housing Rights and the campaign against forced mass evictions of slum dwellers and other vulnerable groups to the forefront.

The process that Han and others set in motion in 1972 is not over. It is scarcely even begun. Conditions for the more than one billion people living in slums without proper services – more than one in three of all urban dwellers – are appalling, and for many things are getting worse and not better. HIC is one of many agents dedicated to changing this situation for the better through building peoples’ organizations from the bottom up.  The struggle continues and it will continue for a long time, but thanks to Han, HIC is maintaining a consistent path.

In 2002 Han was named HIC Honorary President and in August 2003, he attended the Board Meeting in Wuppertal, Germany, supporting the start of the Coalition’s current new phase. On October 17th 2009, Ana Sugranyes, our current Secretary General based in Santiago, Chile visited him at his home in the Hague, together with Joseph Schechla, Coordinator of HIC’s Housing and Land Rights Network, based in Cairo, Egypt. Their mission was to award him the Certificate of our Wisdom Keepers.

It says:
“Habitat International Coalition (HIC) Board, convened at Barcelona in February 2008, bestowed the title of HIC WISDOM KEEPER on Han van Putten to signify that he is a keeper of valuable knowledge, resulting from his commitment to  HIC over time, of its evolution and the strive for people-centered and sustainable development of human settlements. The Board confers on the Wisdom Keepers the membership of HIC Academy and the privilege to enlighten HIC on making the cities, towns and villages of the world places to live in peace and dignity for all.”

Though Han passed away barely a week later, his knowledge and commitment to action remain an inspiration. What he began and continued to support throughout his life we and others remain committed to carrying on.  We are committed to achieving justice and human dignity for the more than one billion residents of slum and squatter settlements through people-centred organizations.

Davinder Lamba, President, Habitat International Coalition (HIC)
Nairobi, Kenya 27 October 2009

(english below)

Con gran pesar recibí la noticia de la muerte de Han Van Putten, amigo querido, compañero y guía de quienes compartimos, en alguna etapa de su vida fecunda, la construcción de la Coalición Internacional para el Hábitat y el desarrollo de sus actividades a lo largo de 33 años.

Fundador, primer Secretario General y más tarde Presidente de HIC, se mantuvo siempre atento al desarrollo de sus actividades. Por  su sólido compromiso con nuestra organización y las causas que defiende y promueve, fue reconocido por nuestro Consejo al nombrarlo, en  2002, Presidente Honorario Vitalicio y más recientemente al otorgarle el título de Guardián de la Sabiduría de HIC.

La integridad de Han y su coherencia, sabiduría y vasta experiencia fueron y seguirán siendo referentes imprescindibles del quehacer de la Coalición en su larga lucha por hacer efectivos los derechos de todos  a un lugar digno y seguro donde vivir.

Más allá de su trabajo y del papel fundamental que siempre cumplió en la promoción de nuestra Coalición quiero destacar su calidad humana, su profundo sentido democrático, su actitud siempre abierta, libre y solidaria, su hospitalidad y su amistad sincera. Siempre recibí de él consejo, apoyo y estímulo, y junto a la querida Anneke, su esposa y compañera de  vida, disfruté de la calidez de su hogar y de su plática siempre grata e inteligente.

Tuve el privilegio, en marzo 2007, de visitarles en su casa pocos días antes de la muerte de Anneke y atestiguar el amor, la entereza y la dignidad con la que ambos vivían esos momentos difíciles. Anneke preparó la cena que,  como siempre, disfrutamos acompañada de un buen vino y de una viva charla.

Visité a Han  por última vez en 2008 en su nuevo lugar de residencia. Hablamos sobre la marcha de HIC  ante los grandes cambios y graves tendencias que hoy, más que nunca, nos retan a seguir adelante. Seguramente estaba, en su soledad, ordenando sus cosas para cerrar serenamente la rica experiencia de su vida, pero aún así mostró mucho interés en lo que Lorena Zárate y yo comentamos sobre los procesos de HIC en América Latina. Sabemos por Ana Sugranyes y Joe Schechla, que lo visitaron recientemente, que mantuvo esa actitud hasta el final de sus días.

Nos lega así el testimonio de una vida plena y comprometida, que en HIC sabremos preservar como ejemplo y estímulo para llevar adelante el sueño que él supo concretar y alentar durante más de tres décadas.

Con un saludo solidario y afectuoso para sus hijos,

Enrique Ortiz Flores
Ex-Presidente de HIC

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With deep sorrow, I received the news of the death of Han van Putten: the dear friend, staunch colleague, and personal guide of those of us who shared with him –in some stage of his exceptionally productive life– the construction of Habitat International Coalition and the development of its activities over the past 33 years.

Founder, first General Secretary, and later, President of HIC, Han’s close attention to our Coalition and the development of its activities never wavered. In recognition of his solid commitment to HIC and the causes it defends and promotes, in 2002, Han van Putten was recognized by our Board with the title of Lifetime Honorary President, and more recently, with the title of Wisdom Keeper of HIC.

His integrity, coherence, wisdom, and vast experience, were and will continue to be essential references for the daily activity of our Coalition in its long struggle for the realization of the rights of all persons to a dignified and secure place in which to live.

But beyond his work and the fundamental role Han always fulfilled in the promotion of our Coalition, I would like to especially recall his human quality, his profound sense of democracy, his always open, free, and solidary attitude, and his sincere friendship. He was a constant source of advice, support and encouragement. On several occasions I had the distinct pleasure of being received in their home by Han and his dear wife and life companion, Anneke. The memories of the pleasant and intelligent conversation and warm hospitality I always enjoyed will be forever cherished.

In March 2007, I had the privilege to visit Han and Anneke in their home a few days before Anneke’s death. It was an honor to witness the love, fortitude, and dignity with which both Han and Anneke lived those difficult moments. Anneke graciously as always prepared the dinner that we enjoyed, together, of course, with a good bottle of wine and a lively discussion.

I visited Han for the last time in 2008 in his new residence. We talked about the work underway in HIC in response to the momentous changes and grave trends that currently challenge us more than ever to continue forward. No doubt Han was at the time, in his solitude, putting his things in order to serenely close the rich experience of his life. But even then, his interest remained keen to hear all the news Lorena Zárate and I shared with him about the HIC processes in Latin America. We know from Ana Sugranyes and Joe Schechla, who visited him recently that this interest continued to his final days.

The story of Han van Putten is a testimony of a full and committed life. In HIC, we will preserve his memory as an example and an inspiration, to continue to carry forward the dream he knew how to bring to life and nourish over the course of more than three decades.

We send our most heartfelt thoughts and condolences to his children,

Enrique Ortiz
Ex-President of HIC

Dear Family members of Han Van Putten and all his friends and colleagues:

It is with considerable grief–and some disbelief too, as I often wondered if he was indestructible, as he was always in peace with himself — that I respond to the news of Han’s passing away.

I have known him for years. We first met in Vancouver , in 1976, at Habitat-1.Have been his and his wife Anka’s guest in the Hague a few times.Have had an opportunity to listen to his words of wisdom and friendly advice when I followed him as President of HIC.Had many discussions on the issues and causes he championed.

He had many admirable qualities. Persistence , positivism and an undying optimism were the most remarkable.

I wish him peace in the other world and his family strength to live without a caring, sensitive and giving grand man.

Kirtee Shah
Asag
Ahmedabad, India
Ahmedabad

What terrible news! Yesterday, October the 25th, Han van Putten passed away.

Two weeks ago, Joe Schechla and HIC General Secretary, went to visit Han in his Arendsdorp apartment, Den Haag, to honour him with an award of our gratitude and recognition for all of the work he has given to the Habitat International Coalition (HIC) and for his life long struggles to improve housing conditions and achieve justice and human dignity for the poor in the world.

For all of you, children and grand-children of our beloved Han, we express to you with the greatest of affections, our most heartfelf condolences.

Han and his wife Anneke’s memory will remain with us for ever.

Ana Sugranyes, HIC General Secretary