Your War Is Your Sickness, And So It's Our Disease

As the major human rights, political, and economic issues in African come more and more to the forefront of international news, the amount of aid going out to these situations is ever increasing. While the sentiment and good will is there, sometimes patching a hole with money merely facilitates a vicious cycle of corruption, violence, and poverty.

Human nature is fueled by incentives and motivations. If organizations keep giving these troubled areas money and other temporary aid, it will merely gloss over a bigger issue and enable things to keep moving as they were before, perpetuating the system that clearly doesn't work. 

That being said, the Red Cross is launching a campaign for a better world, in which everyone can make a contribution towards alleviating another's suffering. The campaign, entitled "Our World, Your Move," operates on the idea that every simple action can make a difference. Although the concept of foreign aid is a tricky one, the idea of a global movement towards peace and harmony is refreshing and hopeful. Help comes in many ways, and the first step towards reducing and eliminating the suffering in the world from whatever cause is one person's working against one small bit of pain, suffering, or cruelty.

http://www.voanews.com/english/2009-05-08-voa6.cfm

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123758895999200083.html

What's Another War, When It's Not Your Children?

Violence and human rights violations run rampant throughout our modern world, exerted upon such unassuming people as the innocent children of Uganda, Sudan, and other hotspots countries. These children are being hurt, tortured, abducted, raped, forced to fight, and killed. For example,

"More cases of child trafficking and abuse are being reported in the northern Ugandan districts of Gulu, Kitgum and Pader, according to officials. The region is mainly inhabited by an internally displaced population recovering from over a decade of war."

In some cases of child theft or abduction, at the hand of witch doctors, circumcision and earring adornment are undesirable characteristics that parents instill in their children in an effort of protection. The fear of death and torture and the danger of that happening are real, everyday experiences for these poor impoverished people who have  no line of defense. They are weak in resources, weak in body, and becoming weaker in spirit.

We cannot sit idly by and let these atrocities pass, but we can not do all the rescuing either. These places of turmoil need to get up and stand on their feet, but we can help them get there. Especially in situations such as these children and their helplessness to the violent attacks places so wrongly on their innocent lives. 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sean-carasso/dare-to-dream---rally-to_b_190883.html

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=84143

Iranian for a weekend.

The Model UN simulation was a very interesting experience. Its not very often that you get to step into the shoes of a rash, religiously motivated nation and make decisions regarding nuclear weapons and assassination plots. 

What I found to be most enjoyable from this experience was the intricate action orders that we were able to come up with as a group. From references to esoteric Turkish terrorist groups to random celebrations of Iranian culture, we were anything but ordinary in our creative ploys. It was really fun to use all of our combined knowledge on Iran to create ridiculous yet plausible circumstances.

Looking back at the experience, although I felt thoroughly prepared within my own topic and reasonably informed on the other ministries, I wish that I had prepared better with general knowledge on the Middle East and the other countries present in the simulation. I had enough knowledge to get by, but more would have allowed me to be more well-versed in the sorts of relations we should work towards, etc.

The action that I was most proud of that my group organized was our last action order of the simulation, which was our attack on the US. It was so precisely planned out, we figured it out to a T. I feel like this action demonstrated a high level of team work as we brought together aspects of all of our ministries and expertise, applied it to the situation, and created a unique but plausible action.

One thing that I wish that we as Iran could have done is make more peace with other nations. I understand that we had to act as our country truly would, and Iran is not all that peaceful right now, but I think pacifism would have been an interesting take on a simulation like this.

You Don't Know The Cost We're Paying

Poverty is not the kind of problem that can be solved by just throwing money at it. So many people try to do that, and it seems like it would make sense. People don't have money, so you give it to them, and problem solved! This is not the case. Sustainability is the key. No, not in terms of "going green," but simply in terms of the people having the capacity to sustain their monetary increase. The solution to poverty is not simple, but it can be achieved. 

"Many remote areas in South Africa are still waiting to see experience the social development that has taken place in most cities since apartheid ended 15 years ago," reads this article about the poverty issue. Economic lacking takes its toll on other aspects of the nation, as is to be expected, in countries like South Africa.  This becomes a human rights atrocity, as people suffer left and right at the hand of poverty. No money can mean no food, clothing, shelter, these basic human needs simply not being met. 

Poverty needs to be ousted. Jobs need creating, money needs earning, and people's livelihoods need sustaining. Although "It’s looking harder for South Africa to cut the jobless rate to 14 percent by 2014 from 21.9 percent in the fourth quarter after the economy contracted in the last three months of 2008 for the first time in a decade, " the South African government has decided to maintain their goals for the reduction of unemployment. Economic stability is the backbone of stability of nation, rights, and simply people.

http://www.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne%2BNews/World/Story/A1Story20090417-135799.html

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601116&sid=abSVw9ma02as

Hold Me Now It's The Evil Liberator

"Zimbabwe has been a hotspot of political turmoil, what with the struggle over corruption in the government and the dire and terrible inflation that plagues the citizens of this southern African nation. This situation has been worsening over the course of the past decades, and it is time that steps be taken to remedy it.

Due to the oppression exerted on the Zimbabwean people by their corrupt "democracy," some have compared their situation with former president Robert Mugabe to that of the late Iraqi ruler Saddam Hussein. Westerners are claiming that, like with Iraq and Hussein, "the removal of one man from political office is going to create a super democracy that would make Zimbabwean poverty history." The government of Zimbabwe is embarking on a journey to revive the nation's economy, the international community must refrain from interfering in the political set-up of the country. As this article from a Zimbabwean paper says in its headline, "We're Our Own Liberators". 

"Now Zimbabweans are being helped by fellow Africans in liberating themselves from the chains of impoverishment by way of constructive solutions to their problems."

Zimbabwe needs to take steps on its own to fortify its political and economic structure in order to maintain any sort of recovery, but other nations are lending a hand in helping them out of their current deep hole.

In light of this poverty-stricken state, Zimbabwean journalist Sifelani Tsiko brings about the question "Is there a direct link between 'behavioural and cultural poverty', on the one hand, and economic poverty, on the other?"

Anthropologists and sociologists have grappled with this question for some time, but what it comes down to is the capacity and motivation for cultural development in a people and whether it is allowed to develop, which in the case of extreme poverty, it is often not. The Zimbabwean people have a lot on their plate, economically and culturally. Their rich culture risks withering away if the subsistence of the people is something that remains uncertain and precarious.

 

http://allafrica.com/stories/200904090093.html

http://allafrica.com/stories/200904141021.html

With all the food on this world there still be famine in this here nation

In the face of this worldwide economic downturn, there is one industry that is prospering rather than downsizing. Unfortunately, that industry is organized crime. The serious recession that is being felt within US borders is taking effect across the world, up to 50 million people potentially losing their jobs by the end of this year. As Michael Klare points out, 

"From Mexico to Africa, Russia to China, the pool of the desperate and the bribable is expanding exponentially, pointing to a sharp upturn in global crime. As illicit profits rise, so will violence in the turf wars among competing crime syndicates and in the desperate efforts by panicked governments to put a clamp on criminal activity." http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2009/04/07/crime_wave/print.html

Unfortunately, and ironically, as global trading and other aspects of economic globalization are breaking down, crime may be globalizing. From the increased criminal in Mexican drug cartels to piracy, the economic downturn is throwing everyone into a panic and causing people to have to resort to all kinds of methods to make, or at least come up with, money. Piracy in particular has been an issue, what with the Somalian pirates invading American ships.  While all that we see is the piracy and its effect on "us, what we don't realize is the motivation behind these crimes. This is not to say that we should justify piracy, but this, too, is a result of the global economy crash. Current daily life in Somalia is rife with "Warlords and militias terrorizing villages. No functioning government, courts or police. Drought and hunger afflicting half the country." 

The spike in piracy incidents recently is rooted in poverty and desperation. They must be stopped and the criminals prosecuted, but we also must take steps to eliminate the need for such actions. According to Dawn Elizabeth Blalock, a U.N. spokeswoman, attempts to alleviate poverty, which could reduce the need for Somalis to turn to crime, have fallen short. The U.N. World Food Program put out a $900 million appeal for aid to Somalia this year. http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2009-04-08-pirateinside_N.htm

http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2009/04/07/crime_wave/print.html

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2009-04-08-pirateinside_N.htm

We've got bombs, they've got barrels of gasoline..

Energy in Iran is a very powerful issue, largely because of the oil and natural gas reserves located in country. A member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), and among the world’s top three holders of these reserves, Iran is OPEC’s second-largest producer and exporter after Saudi Arabia, and is the fourth-largest exporter of crude oil globally after Saudi Arabia, Russia, and Norway (http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/cabs/Iran/Full.html.)

The domestic energy consumption in Iran is supplied halfway by natural gas power, the rest of their power coming primarily from oil. There are areas in Iran that continue to be explored for their potential natural fuel reserves. The second-largest producer for oil and fourth-largest for crude oil, Iran is a world leader in fossil fuels, these industries carrying Iran's economy.

The high level of production for these fuels within Iran not only means that the economy is extremely dependent and almost based on it, but also this is how Iran fuels the majority of their own energy needs as well. In terms of electricity, Iran is working with hydroelectricity technology as people begin to question Iran's ability to fill its own domestic energy needs.

US sanctions during the past two decades have led to the suffering of Iran's oil and gas sector suffers from under-investment.

Not only do these sanctions keep UA business from Iran, but it also scares some other nations away for fear of sanctions fron the US tat might harm them and their needs.

In Iran, petrol is heavily subsidized, consequently raising consumption levels and increasing the smuggling that goes on. Wasteful consumption in conjunction with refinery shortage has led to the import of petrol despite their production of the fuel. 

Iran holds a spot as a major contender for pipeline projects, has plans for the exploitation of Caspian Sea oil, is working on nuclear energy technology, and, according to the director of Iran's New Energies Organization, 0.2% of Iran's oil revenues - amounting to millions of dollars - is to be used to develop new energy sources.(http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4688984.stm)

(http://www.eia.doe.gov/cabs/Iran/Background.html)

(http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4688984.stm) 

(http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/country/country_energy_data.cfm?fips=IR)

Don't need your world control..

The country formerly known as Persia became Iran in 1935, and became an Islamic republic in 1979 following the overthrow and exile of the previous ruling monarch. The ultimate political authority rested in the power of the Supreme Leader, a learned religious scholar who reigned in the theocratic government established by conservative clerical forces.

In November of 1979, a group of Iranian students overtook the US embassy in Tehran (and held it for a little over a year), which was the beginning of the strained relationship between these two nations. Significant bloodshed occurred between Iran and Iraq in the '80s, a struggle that expanded to the Persian Gulf and US involvement in the latter part of the decade.

As a result of their actions in various regions and their nuclear armament, Iran has been identified as a state sponsor of terrorism. Following the realization of the popular dissatisfaction with the Iranian regime, their began a campaign for political reform which faltered with the repressive rule of conservative politicians and prevention of these efforts by said politicians.

The elections for Iran's elected government institutions in 2003 and 2004 found the conservatives back in power, electing Mahmud Ahmadi-Nejad as president in 2005.

Iran has been very stubborn as far as nuclear weaponry goes, having been encountered with several resolutions from the UN Security Council calling for the suspension of uranium enrichment and the compliance with certain related obligations and responsibilities.

Iran is currently involved in many disputes on the international playing field. With Afghanistan, Iran has qualms with the diverting of the Helmand River during drought. With Iraq, Iran argues the jurisdiction beyong the mouth of the Shatt al Arab in the Persian Gulf. With UAE, Iran is working to settle disputes over their occupation of Tunb Islands and Abu Musa Island. With regards to the Caspian Sea, Iran desires a five-way split of the oceanic territory. All in all, Iran is a quite the international squabbler. Their policies on international relations are based on eliminating outside forces and persuing diplomatic relations with developing and non-aligned countries. A member of the UN, Iran is diplomatic with all other member countries excepting Israel and the US.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ir.html

http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Iran/fact-int-iran.html

And if I had but one wish on which to stand, I'd see the weapons all leave this land..

The countries of Uganda, Sudan, Zimbabwe, and DR Congo have long been home to widespread violation of human rights, and its not getting any better. Although in the reports to Congress on human rights around the world had some highlights in Angola, Ghana, Zambia, etc, the glaring violence in these troubled regions makes it very difficult to appreciate these areas of improvement. 

The Congo has been a very volatile area as of late, the report detailing that:

"The conflict continued to fuel the worst humanitarian crisis in Africa, resulting in as many as 45,000 Congolese deaths each month, a total of more than one million internally displaced persons, and dozens of attacks on humanitarian workers by armed groups." http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/a

rticle/ALeqM5gqS1RKT0Jpu1Led3jW7Nx0qX0eCw

In Sudan, the genocide in Darfur continues to decimate the population as violent persists at the hand of government, militia, and tribal forces. The Zimbabwean people are still abused by and in a constant state of economic crisis as a result of Mugabe's government. Uganda, portions of which lie unfortunately between the unstable Sudan and DR Congo, continues to be plagued by the Lord's Resistance Army, led by rebel militant Joseph Kony. Ugandan rebels recently ambushed an army patrol in Central African Republic, setting off a string of conflicts reesulting in the deaths of several fighters. This violent instance brings about worry of similar LRA attacks in the region as they flee a "Ugandan-led multinational offensive against their hideouts in northern Democratic Republic of Congo"

 (http://www.reuters.com/article/homepageCrisis/idUSLP808389._CH_.2400)

Yesterday, the joint military operation between Rwanda and DR Congo against one of the most notorious rebel groups in the Great Lakes region (the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, or FDLR) officially came to an end (http://allafrica.com/stories/200902260190.html). According to the Rwanda Workforce Development Authority (WDA) Marketing & Communication Specialist,

"it is the nonviolent approach largely employed during the joint operation which convinced even the most hardliners in the rebel ranks to surrender and abandon the genocidal ideology which they seemed to have sworn to serve all their lives." http://allafrica.com/stories/200902260190.html

The ending of this operation so quickly, after only one month of activity, is a shame, considering the strides that this joint effort made in the direction of peace. Both nations really need to resume diplomatic relations in order to continue on this path.

These few regions alone cast a terrible shadow on Africa's reputation as far as human rights are concerned, and any progress seems to always be just a little bit too slow. There is such a necessity for alliances, treaties, and just general cooperation in order to pacify such a war-torn area.

http://allafrica.com/stories/200902260190.html

http://www.reuters.com/article/homepageCrisis/idUSLP808389._CH_.2400

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gqS1RKT0Jpu1Led3jW7Nx0qX0eCw

DRC: Your empire needs protecting

The Democratic Republic of Congo is the site of countless human rights violations and a staggering death rate. For more than a decade, bloody civil war has kept the DRC in a constant state of fear and unrest.

The turmoil and bloodshed from the Hutu-Tutsi conflict and genocide did not remain confined to the borders of Rwanda, but rather spilled into the Democratic Republic of Congo, which was then Zaire, as early as 1996. Hutu refugees banded together with Zaire's military forces, fighting against the Congolese Tutsi people who in turn joined forces and rebelled. This rebel force, called the Alliance des Forces Democratiques pour la Liberation du Congo-Zaire, or AFDL, was led by Laurent-Desire Kabila and aimed to oust the current president, Mobutu. Mobutu left the country in 1997, at which point Kabila put himself in the position of president and gave the country its current name. Warlord Jean-Pierre Bemba 's MLC, or Mouvement pour la Liberation du Congo, invaded in 1998 with support from both Rwanda and Uganda while Angola, Zimbabwe and Namibia sided with the DRC government. In 2001, Kabila was assasinated and succeeded by his son who quickly entered into peace talks. 

Despite the apparent resolution and the presence of UN peacekeepers, northeastern ethnic clashes rekindled the conflict. Another peace accord was drawn up, and by June of 2003 nearly all outside troops (save Rwanda) had been pulled from Congo. The first multi-party election since their 1960 independence was held in June of 2006, and a close contested election between Kabila and Bemba led to bloodshed and police control followed by a second election in October of the same year. The reign of the transitional government that had been in place came to a close with Kabila's December 2006 swearing in. 

The state of Congo remains so fragile that human rights violations and conflict are abundant. In October of 2008, a rebel uprising out of Rwanda led to a crisis situation for refugees. Joseph Kony's LRA of Uganda, the Ituri conflict, and trouble in northern Katanga all contribute to what has been deemed the world's deadliest conflict since World War II with a death toll of  5.4 million people.

"Today at the dawn of 2009, people in the Congo are still dying at a rate of an estimated 45,000 per month and already 2,700,000 people have died since 2004. This death toll is due to widespread disease and famine; reports indicate that almost half of the individuals killed are children under the age of 5. The aftermath of the war has truly gutted the country. This death rate has been prevalent since efforts at rebuilding the nation began in 2004."  Wikipedia

As the terrible attacks in this area continue to plague the Congolese people, it appears that the UN has been falling short of their peacekeeping duties. The issue of the terrible LRA violence is extremely prevalent, as the Human Rights Watch claims the abductions of at least 160 childre with reports of new attacks every week, and the UN has reported 140,000 civilians have been displaced by the violence. Congo boasts a population of over 58 million, and the number of peacekeepers in place by the UN is only enough for approximately one per 3,400. Needless to say, this is not enough. Civilians are dying at an obscenely fast rate and the peace efforts are simply not cutting it. The people of Congo are in dire need of help to save them from the violent insurgence at hand. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Republic_of_the_Congo#cite_note-18

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5h1OdCrpy4HFMvxUdd05e88M2AmKgD96E7K602

http://www.voanews.com/english/2009-02-16-voa39.cfm

A light at the end of a tunnel of poverty

The current situation in Zimbabwe can only be described as conflicted. President Robert Mugabe is the current leader of this crumbling nation, and has been in power since 1980.  His administration made a swift switch from supposed aims of peace, cooperation, and democracy to the authoritarian paranoia of late. Under Mugabe, there has been gross abuse of human rights and devastating economic decline. The level of inflation in Zimbabwe is to the point where something as simple as a loaf of bread will have increased so much in price from the time they picked it up off the shelf (if they were lucky enough to even find bread to purchase) to the time when they reached the register that they can no longer afford it.The hyperinflation has forced the vast majority of citizens below the poverty line. 80% of Zimbabweans make under 13 trillion Zim dollars a month, which might seem like an extremely high number until you realize that the current inflation level is approximated to be upwards of 231 billion percent, making this monthly equivalent a mere 41 American dol
lars.

On February 11, 2009, Zimbabwe began what one can only hope is an upwards path with the swearing in of new prime minister Morgan Tsvangirai. The terrible poverty of the people of Zimbabwe has led to high public appeal for the new prime minister, as his arrival in office seems to many to be an opportunity for economic and political reform. Upon his inauguration, Tsvangirai excited citizens by promising foreign currency pay for public servants such as doctors and teachers (although, potentially problematically, there was no mention of where this money would come from…).  Zimbabwe certainly has a long way to go in its recovery from incredible economic and political distress, and the former rivalry between now-coworkers Mugabe and Tsvangirai will undoubtedly cause some bumps along the way. Zimbabwe's situation really demands a revamped constitution, and the cooperation of these two officials is imperative to this or any other sort of successful reform.

Having experienced the terrible situation day to day for so long, Zimbabweans are desperate for any glimmer of hope or good news, and the ascension of Tsvangirai to his new office gave them just that, as he advocates cooperation despite political differences and promises a light at the end of their poverty-stricken tunnel.

Until the recent swearing-in of the new prime minister, Mugabe had successfully stifled his opposition. It will be very interesting to see how this “cooperation” between president and prime minister actually works, taking into account their individual political ideologies and especially their significant prior rivalry. For the good of the Zimbabwean people, one can only hope that Mugabe concedes to some of Tsvangirai’s ideas. Mugabe’s authority has been becoming more and more threatened as the economic circumstances continue to worsen and the citizens become more and more intolerant of the situation, so the incorporation of a second, and rather different, authority figure has so much promising potential for the rescuing of this poor devastated country.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/643737.stm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Zimbabwe

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/bb059564-f831-11dd-aae8-000077b07658.html