What? Gunshot wounds don’t hurt! (Tess AC)

So this isn’t related to North Africa and also doesn’t have to do with my blogger. Andrew Heavens is dead to me. But posting has dwindled and the suburbs are dull this time of year (most times of year, really).

Many probably saw the front page of the NY Times, it had an article about labor in China, and violations of labor laws. It named a couple big companies: Wal-Mart, Dell, and Disney. The article stated that in this part of China, the minimum wage is 55 cents an hour – this is the minimum wage that violating companies aren’t even paying.

Here is what caught me, and often does with articles about injustices: I hear about absurd minimum wage violations so often that when it made the front page of the Times, I just to shook my head and tsked my tongue, as if an estranged Spears popped up, also pregnant.

Enter gunshot analogy.

Spreading as cocktail-conversation is a tidbit about people’s reactions to getting shot. They say that the most surprising thing about being shot is how much it hurt. Because getting shot is all over media, because little kids play with paintball guns, because 50 Cent survived 9 bullets, getting shot seems kind of normal, and definitely not painful.

This isn’t at all a new discovery, but it’s twisted that the more coverage a topic gets, the more unreal it becomes. 55 cents an hour. That’s horrendous-55 cents probably means something different there, the idea that companies can’t even fork up half a dollar an hour, when they should be grateful that they aren’t made to pay $8 (I think thats about minimum wage here) is embarrassing: they are saving so much money by going to Asia that it seems beyond a business choice to go below minimum wage -its cruel.

NY Times Article

Rejecting the violence (dasilva)

This wasn’t much of an opinion peace on Nouri’s part, but it still had great insight into the minds of our brothers and sisters out in the middle east and what they think about the violence out there. He is just relaying some information from a BBC peace on Algerian Reactions to the recent suicide bombings. Reactions have ranged from conspirtorial to anti-Islamist. People are blaming the bombings on the upcoming 2009 Algerian elections, calling it “Algerian economic policy” and asking if even Morroco is involved. One Algerian called life “impossible” and said that his “money buys much less than it used to. He said that while there is more security there is less freedom of speech and less social justice. One engineer, pro-bouteflika in contrast to the prior Algerian, says that “his country will never become like Afghanistan” that it will never be an “extremist Islamic country.” Everyone though has said that this violence is much different from the 1990’s bombings. I thought it was very eye-opening hearing about the harsh realities from Algerian citizens and I suggest you all follow the link for the BBC site to read on.

Algerians Mourn Those Killed in Bombings (Eve)

At least 37 people, mostly UN staff members, were killed in twin suicide bombings that took place at the UN offices and government buildings in Algeria on Tuesday. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon issued a statement that “This was an attack not only against the United Nations, not only against Algerians, but against humankind itself.”  Even though Ban also said that he plans on ensuring security for UN staffers around the world, there seem to be very few leads on the attackers, as Algerian officials already released two men they thought were involved in the planning, an do not seem to know where to turn next.  Even Israel’s ambassador was involved in the burial for the victims on Friday, despite the unfriendly relationship between the two countries, and issued a statement saying “I think that one of the most horrendous elements of terrorism, and which I’m not sure the Arab and Muslim world has fully awakened to, is the fact that not only are most terrorists Muslim, but the vast majority of victims are Muslim.”

Designer Dresses Look Ethiopian, Infuriate Ethiopia

Mathew Williamson, who according to this article is a “clothing designer to the stars”, recently unveiled a collection of dresses that includes two outfits based on traditional Ethiopian design. This caught the attention of the Ethiopian government, who has expressed a desire to keep Mr. Williamson’s hands off their cultural heritage. Ethiopia has claimed that the designer violated their intellectual property rights, and indeed, a representative from the Intellectual Property Office in Addis Ababa said for the article, “These are the dresses of our mothers and grandmothers. They symbolise our identity, faith and national pride. Nobody has the right to claim these designs as their own.” There is also a groundswell in Ethiopia regarding the actions of Williamson, and the article cites a Facebook group dedicated expresses outrage over the incident. Many Ethiopians suggest that Williamson donate some or all of his profits to Ethiopia and its dress-makers, and others suggest that he ought to use those of African descent or current citizenship to model these dresses. The Ethiopian government may be looking to get the support of Oxfam, a humanitarian organization that backed Ethiopia when it sued Starbucks for the right to trademark its coffee beans.

I feel like I must be missing something here: Why is a designer not allowed to appropriate symbols of national unity for the purposes of fashion? Look! The dresses Williamson designed are not nearly as symbolic as a flag, and while I realize that certain types of dress have extremely specific connotations, the simple fact that those dress are “the dresses of our mothers and grandmothers” means that Ethiopia could not possibly have any legal claim to those designs. Unless the exact specifications of Williamson’s dresses fit the exact specifications of every Ethiopian woman’s dress, which, considering the somewhat revealing nature of the dress and the bright blue shoe accessory, I doubt they do, Ethiopia does not seem to have much a claim to designs which a spokesperson for Williamson said draw on both Ethiopian and Pan-African themes. While I understand the desire to trademark an export like coffee beans, claims on popular clothing designs are not as tenable or, in my opinion, reasonable. It might sound cynical, but after the suggestion that some of the profits go to charity, it seems that this dispute might be a ploy to raise money. That money is especially necessary now, as the Ethiopia-Eritrea border conflict grows ever more dire. Assuming there is some motivation behind this dispute with designer besides the offended honor of the Ethiopian people, this story highlights the need for funds in Ethiopia, which, besides its conflict with Eritrea, is taking in Eritrean refugees and stationing troops in Somalia for the foreseeable future.

Iran: Less Scary Than We Thought (Sam C.)

The Bush administration has systematically slandered Iran over the last few years, turning the once ally into a member of the “Axis of Evil.” This week the Economist published an article discussing the sudden shift within the Intelligence community concerning Iran’s nuclear programs.

IT REPRESENTS a remarkable change of opinion. Just two years ago the consensus view of America’s 16 intelligence agencies was tough and unambiguous: Iran was “determined to develop nuclear weapons despite its international obligations and international pressure.”

Yet recently a new Intelligence report released on December 3rd has indicated that Iran has NOT tried to obtain nuclear weapons for many years. In fact that Iranian nuclear program has been halted since fall of 2003. Yet the more interesting thing, is why has there been such a sudden shift. The government is not citing it’s new evidence; however, analyst have been speculating since this news was released.

One analyst notes that the defection to the West of an Iranian general in 2007 may have produced better intelligence from inside Iran. The spies may also have concluded that earlier assessments were overly alarming, perhaps as a result of pressure from Mr Cheney, who may have sought an intelligence document to bolster any case for bombing Iran. Mr Bush’s administration has been accused of stretching official intelligence on Iraq’s arms capability in making the case for invasion of that country in 2003.

It has also been speculated this this sudden shift comes on the heals of China’s participation in United Nations Sanctions. It is becoming more and more clear that Iran seems to, at least according to the National Intelligence Estimate, that the sentiment in Iran is becoming more and more opposed to violence.

America has said that the number of explosively formed projectiles used against its troops in Iraq has declined markedly in recent months. America has stated that such sophisticated weapons are probably provided by Iran (a charge that Iran denies). Such a drop might indicate that Iran, despite its president’s bluster, is keen to avoid military confrontation.

None of this information suggests that Iran is no longer a threat. They still control 3000 ultra centrifuges that could be used to enrich uranium. Iran will continue to be a threat, but at least for now, they seem to be taking a less aggressive stance.

The issue that most perturbs me is the fact that President Bush seemed to ignore the new intelligence report, claiming that Iran was as much a threat as ever. I agree that Iran is still a threat, but to ignore reports that indicate a growing movement of lesser aggression. I think Bush refuses to acknowledge this because he sees that it shows that he was once again wrong, and may have altered intelligence reports to further his ambitions.

Somalia PM seeks dialogue with Islamists

Somalia’s new Prime Minister, Nur Hassan Hussein, who formed his new cabinet on Sunday has vowed to try and open a dialog with the Islamists in an attempt to end the violence that has killed an estimated 6,000 civilians this past year. Hussein Mohamed Mohamoud, a spokesman for the president, told the Associated Press, “The new prime minister will talk with Islamists and other opponents,”

Last December, Ethiopia sent its troops into Somalia to help remove the Council of Islamic Courts. Ever since, the Somali capital has been devastated by gun battles, grenade and mortar attacks as the Islamists wage an Iraqi-style war of resistence.

So far, several attempts at resolving the conflict yielded no results. Hussein, the former head of the Red Crescent Society relief agency, became Prime Minister last month with a promise to pursue the issues of security, reconciliation and humanitarian relief.

Unverified estimates by the Elman Human Rights group peg the death toll at 5,960 since January, this in a country where obtaining an accurate death toll is next to impossible. They also estimate 7,980 wounded and approximately 700,000 displaced. There is no documentation or corroboration from other groups to substantiate these claims. Several humanitarian groups have accused all parties of committing atrocities.

Somalia has not had an effective government since 1991, when warlords overthrew then dictator, Mohamed Siad Barre. After that there has been constant battling among these warlords.

A Message to Darfur from Dory: Just Keep Swimming… (Tess)

So, the International Crisis Group has issued a report on the Darfur peace talks, which have now been put on hold. Just to recap the process from a couple weeks ago until now:

Until this report was issued, media coverage seemed fairly limited (meaning I couldn’t find much recent information on the internet). The blogger I follow tried to get in the know, and was told three different things by three different rebel groups: one said they had made progress, in an almost unbelievably positive quote: “…we have all patched up our differences. We have decided to reunite under one banner. We will launch our own roadmap for peace in the next couple of days”.

A second prominent rebel group said people were beginning to give up and leave, and a third said that no one was going anywhere, and that the peace talks continue.

At this point, the peace talks were taking place in 4 different regions in order to incorporate as many rebel groups as possible, many of whom boycotted the original talks in Sirte, causing the peace talks to collapse there.

A second blog said that the rebel groups had asked for a 3-4 week break before they begin the second phase of talk- this first phase being transformed from peace talks to more of an “introduction” between rebel groups. While it seems to be dragging, the African Union Ambassador explained: “We don’t want to be constrained with [the] time-line. We want to give the movements the time that they require to do a good job, so that by the time [that] they come back, they will be ready for negotiations”.

On November 26th, the International Crisis Group’s report came out, titled “Darfur’s New Security Reality”. It incorporated both of these reports, holding that the groups needed more time to collaboratively create a platform, and put a hold on the talks to give everyone some time to think, but that the talks are definitely an integral part of reaching a solution to the Darfur crisis.

Its introduction was grim:

“The Darfur conflict has changed radically in the past year and not for the better. While there are many fewer deaths than during the high period of fighting in 2003-2004, it as mutated, the parties have splintered, and the confrontations have multiplied. Violence is again increasing, access for humanitarian agencies is decreasing, international peacekeeping is not yet effective and a political settlement remains far off. The strategy the African Union (AU)/UN mediation has been following cannot cope with this new reality and needs to be revised….

“The May 2006 Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) is a failure, too limited in scope and signatories. Those who signed – the government and a few rebel factions – have hurt the peace process. The ruling party in Khartoum, the National Congress Party (NCP), is pursuing destructive policies in Darfur, while at the same time resisting key provisions in the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) that ended the North-South war, thus triggering a crisis in that process.”

Working off of that, the ICG enumerates a whole bunch of recommendations… I could keep the quotes coming, but the whole intro is about as pithy as you can get while still including all of the information, so it might be easier just to check out the report (which you should do, it’s oddly satisfying to get an official report on something that seems endlessly ambiguous and evasive):

ICG Peace Talks Report

(click on the View Resource button at the bottom of the box)

By the way, I cheated on my blog, and used this guy’s as well: http://platform.blogs.com/passionofthepresent/2007/11/african-union-s.html

(Sorry Andrew Heavens, but you’re always away and there’s a thousand blogs out there who are more available… you can’t have expected it to go on like this…)

Tunisia: 9 Convicted on Terror Charges (Eve)

Nine men were convicted on terrorism charges last week, after six of the suspects were arrested when the Tunisian government intercepted a letter from a Tunisian man in Iraq warning the other men to leave Tunisia and travel to Algeria, where they would meet up with a group from al-Qaida on a train.  The author of the letter was killed in a suicide bomb attack in Iraq in 2005, but his brother (most likely the recipient of the letter, though the article did not say) was one of the convicted men.  After arresting these six men, the other three were arrested in Tunisia shortly after they had returned from Syria.  All nine were charged “with membership in a terrorist organization, inciting terrorist acts and raising funds for terrorism”.

Israel, Palestinians OK Negotiating Plan

After an abundance of coverage on national television, and a surprise appearance on a certain International Relations quiz, the first direct peace talks between Israel and Palestine in nearly seven years concluded the same way it began– with awkward handshakes and forced smiles. The one-day session, led by President Bush, featured 44 participating countries, all of which understand the importance of stabilizing the region. Although Bush has “held Mideast peacemaking at arms’ length for most of his nearly seven years in office,” he recently pledged to devote his effort during his time as president “to do all [he] can to help [Israel and Palestine] achieve this ambitious goal.”

In response to criticism urging the White House to do more in the region, Bush cites the Middle Eastern leaders readiness to pursue peace, the wider and unifying fight against extremism, and the global understanding of the importance of playing a proactive role in the international system as reasons why the time for U.S. intervention is now.

 

Negotiating teams will host the first session in the region on December 12, 2007. In addition, many of the 44 countries in attendance at the Annapolis based conference will gather again in Paris on December 17 to raise money for “the perpetually cash-strapped Palestinians.” The key with these conferences is to somehow find a way to deal with the most pressing issues facing these countries. The document released after the conference “skirts the fundamental differences that have led to the collapse of all previous peace efforts: the borders of a Palestinian state, the status of disputed Jerusalem and the rights of Palestinian refugees and their descendants.” An encouraging theme that emerged from the meetings was the universal recognition of the importance and necessity of peace. Unfortunately, all of the Palestinian President’s words were immediately rejected by Hamas, and Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum stated that President Abbas is “isolated and represents himself only.”

 

This early Hamas opposition shows that it will be an arduous road to peace, but the overall sentiment regarding this conference is positive, and the governments of Israel and Palestine seem ready to actively pursue peace. The U.S. plans to play the role of the overseer in this conflict, making sure that both countries stay in line and live up to the promises they will make in upcoming conferences. The U.S. has a lot at stake in this conflict, but President Bush is the one with the most to gain. With a chance to salvage his reputation, President Bush will be willing to do whatever it takes to end the conflict, and maybe we will finally see peace in the region, after six decades of 

Sudanese protesters demand death for teddy teacher–Max Willner

This article is about how hundreds of Sudanese Muslims took to the streets demanding the death of a British teacher who insulted Islam by naming a teddy bear Mohammad after the Prophet. The British teacher was sentenced to 15 days in jail and deportation from Sudan, yet all the protestors demanded a stricter punishment and even death. Gibbons, the British teacher, “was charged on Wednesday with insulting Islam, inciting hatred and showing contempt for religious beliefs.” The British embassy gave no clue to Gibbon’s whereabouts due to the violence surrounding the issue. While she is sentenced to fifteen days in prison, “the judge said she could leave once she had a compulsory exit visa.” This incident comes not at the best time for Sudan and British relations. However, Sudan has poor relationships also with the US and other European countries due to “disagreements over how to handle the conflict in Darfur.”

 

My reaction to this article is mixed. This surrounds a very touchy subject. I personally feel that this may be an overreaction, but I lack a true understanding, so I cannot really comment. To me, it seems as though the teacher did not mean to insult Islam nor had any intention to. I also feel that yelling for her death is a little bit extreme, but again, I lack a real understanding of the subject so my response is flawed. I do not believe this is a good thing for relations between states that are trying to resolve the Darfur issue, and I feel that the sooner this issue is done, the better, as it is clearly hurting relations between the two countries.