I have since just come across some extremely stunning video imagery taken by Michael Fletcher who is the twin brother of premier Australian landscape photographer, Christian Fletcher. while searching "Papua New Guinea" on Twitter.
HauteOC Traveller tweeted about an interview conducted with Michael Fletcher. Michael is a videographer himself however, his twin brother, Christian is one of Australia's premier photographers (he recently won 4 awards at the Australian Professional Photography Awards 2010).
My goodness but WOW! I remember why I'm proud to be Papua New Guinean again:)
PNG bans legal challenges against resources projects Posted Mon May 31, 2010 8:23pm AEST on ABC.net.au
Papua New Guinea's parliament has passed legislation effectively banning anyone from using the courts to stop resource projects.
Amendments to PNG's Environment Act mean approvals granted by the environment department's director cannot be challenged in court.
It means people worried about the environmental impact of a resource project can no longer mount a legal challenge to the approvals.
The changes follow complaints from the mining industry after landowners won a temporary injunction preventing a Chinese-owned nickel mine from dumping waste into the sea off Madang.
Environment minister Benny Allen says the extraordinary measures are in the national interest.
Lawyers say the amendments also mean people cannot seek compensation for environmental damage.
Got an emailed attachment in my inbox this morning - a signed petition/statement from a number of members of parliament in relation to the pending vote of no confidence against Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister, Sir Michael Somare.
It's worth a read.
Download the report here (right click, save target as):
"We are not going to have an election just to please Australia and New Zealand. That's not going to happen". - Frank Bainimarama
He's been called a dictator, a disgrace and a blot on democracy in the Pacific, but Fiji's interim Prime Minister, Frank Bainimarama, says he just wants to make his country a better place.
In a rare interview with Mark Davis he comes out fighting against his critics...on SBS's Dateline (on Sunday, August 1, 2009).
"...Anger and deadly violence in Iran escalate, despite tough warnings from the country's supreme leader. As the protests continue, what do reforminsts want exactly? What will become of their movement? And can they shake the foundations of the Islamic Revolution?"
Since yesterday, I've been busy working on a briefing analysis that I need to present to a group of highly opinionated I.R. students. I need to present an analysis on the bi-lateral cooperation between Australia and Indonesia as a result of the Bali attacks on October 12, 2002.
Whilst researching for this topic, I came across the following documentary, by Al Jazeera, in all its entirety conveniently available on YouTube.
Note that Indonesia is the most populous Muslim country in the world. Contrary to the beliefs and actions that are often referred to as "Islam radicalism", Islam is actually a a religion of tolerance and peace. Members of Jemaah Islamiah (JI) interpret the teachings of radical Islamist ideology as reaffirmed in such radical "boarding schools" (such as the one that Abu Bakar Bashir is the principal of) and are consequently encouraged to idolise posters of prominent jihad leaders such as Osama bin Laden (its true, watch the doc below). Such schools of teaching are actually breeding grounds for "terrorism" (a Western concept) however, the students of such schools are really "soldiers of war". I think that Indonesia needs to really take a firmer stand against such institutions as the curriculum that they have encourage these kids to see the world in a "us vs them" paradigm. Even though Indonesia is a developing democracy (after the fall of Suharto), all its citizens have the freedom to worship what ever religion they choose. However, like the anti-Semitic movement that dominated Germany's Nazi Party which eventually lead to WWII, this 'jihad' against non-Muslims (The West predominantly) is escalating as we speak.
In an earlier post, "Revolution and Civil Rights - Are they mutually exclusive" I concluded that a large segment of the protestors in the current Iranian crisis has resulted in international pressure mounting especially from the United States.
However, at the commencement of the G8 Summit this week in L'Aquila it has been argued by Russia that the violence in Xinjiana and in Iran are 'internal matters' and therefore should not be considered as a matter of discussion at the G8 summit. However, this has been opposed by US President Barack Obama, as well as the leaders of both France and Britain who want to increase international pressure against Tehran.
In a statement on Tuesday, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton declared "We would ask the world to join us in imposing even stricter sanctions on Iran to try to change the behaviour of the regime".
"the United States reserve(s) the right, and I as commander-in-chief reserve the right, to take whatever actions are necessary to protect the United States."
The perception of Iran as a perceived threat to the United States as a result of their nuclear weapons build-up is a highly complex issue. But I'm sure wondering whether the United States has really vital interests in Iran that are at stake? I mean, the perceived threats of North Korea's missile tests and now Iran? Are the current tensions on the streets of Tehran exercabating public perception of a possible intervention in Iran if other diplomatic channels fail? Educate me. Spowf.
There has been much debate (especially in my IR tutorial) regarding Ban Ki-Moon's performance so far into his five year tenure at Secretary-General of the United Nations.
Some have argued that he is trying to accomplish too much.
I think we can argue that he is trying to achieve too many things but we must also remember that this man is the Secretary of the United Nations. In his role, he doesn't have the 'privelege' to choose which issues he should choose to address and issues he can't put on the agenda and present it into a small, neat portfolio to the world. Unlike self-interested governments who focus predominantly on domestic national issues, the United Nations has a larger amount of transnational issues to raise public awareness about and help resolve. I think as the dominant international organisation, he is doing a great job by educating the global international community and reminding them of the plight of others around the world. If he failed to raise such issues through the media especially, as individuals, we may not be as educated and be as inquisitive into these issues if he completely failed to acknowledge them. Failing to acknowledge these issues, would undermine the strife and violations that are occuring and eventually we would even further marginalise the importance of these issues.
Put yourself in his shoes. What gives anyone the right to say that the genocide in Sudan is less important//more important than the economic global crisis for example. To argue one case against another, would create a lot of negative responses from all sides. As the lives of millions of people have been affected by both issues - the pool of poor and vulnerable people is just too large to not address.
It's just another day at the office for Ban Ki-Moon.
and to reiterate Ban Ki-Moon it can be either a "make it or break it year full of issues that aren't solved into a make it work year full of solutions."
In an interview on CNN's American Morning (June 22, 2009), John Roberts interviewed Hamid Dabashi, a professor of Iranian studies based at Colombia University. Dabashi stated that Iranian protestors want civil rights not a revolution.
Don’t listen to the “so-called” expert who says that this is not revolution being demanded. Listen instead to the voices on the ground in Tehran…the voices of those young brave men and women, the voices of those interviewed over the phone by cnn, like the young man pleading with the international community for support by vehemently pointing out that Ahmadenijad’s rule is now illegal and that a new “structure” of government is needed and that the structure of government with Ayatollahs has got to go; When we hear chants of “death to Khamenei ” [Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei], and when we hear others like the son of the former late Shah of Iran who says that he sees now the biggest threat to the current regime since 1979….when we listen to all of these people, the result is quite clear – the people of Iran want nothing less than a revolution, which ovbviously INCLUDES civil rights for its people. Yes, the current Iran constitution provides for civil rights for its citizens, but the current system of government in which there is a ’supreme leader’ is very loudly being opposed. So, please pay little attention to this ‘expert’ (Hamid Dabashi). The people of Iran very obviously are showing that they want nothing less than a revolution which includes a system of government by the people and for the people (and this includes civil rights)…..Revolution and Civil Rights are not mutually exclusive….Rene from Dallas.
Personally, I think that had President Ahmadenijad’s initially been smart enough to have predicted the possibility of riots on a large-scale such as this, and thus opted to have a re-election...the situation would never have exercabated. It would have been more 'democratic' to acknowledge the civil liberties of its citizens as opposed to suppressing their rights to freedom of speech by placing thousands of soldiers on the streets.
President Ahmadenijad seemingly undemocratic response therefore lives little faith in the majority of the Iranian population who now will opt for an overthrow of the current system of governance. What was initially an exercise of civil liberty through peaceful protests and gatherings (although highly emotive) has resulted now in a highly escalating situation that will inevitably either require a peaceful solution or international humanitarian intervention through the use of military force. Only God knows what'll happen then.
NOTE:
Despite his title, President Ahmadenijah does not hold the highest constitutional office in Iran. The highest constitutional office belogns to the Supreme Leader of Iran who is Ali Khamenei, also the commander in chief of the armed forces of Iran (as stipulated in Article 113 of the Constitution of Iran).
If you watched President Obama's speech in Cairo, you would note that he mentioned that he was going to Buchenwald after Cairo. At Buchenwald, President Obama not only had a tour of the infamous concentration camp which claimed to kill 50,000 Jews --he was joined by the German Chancellor as well as the 1986 Nobel Peace Prize leaureate, Elie Wisel.
If you recall, at President Obama's speech in Cairo, he consistently stressed the importance of fostering religious tolerance.
Sooooooooooo....
I've included a youtube video featuring almost an hour and a half worth of footage that was filmed of a presentation by Elie Wiesel to a 2000 person crowd in Chicago.
It's part of the The Arthur N. Rupe Distinguised Dialogue Series hosted by the Boston University.
It's a different speech to one that Elie Wiesel is used to giving - he is invited as part of this Series to talk about himself and as you will find out, quite humously does so. Quite a funny bloke.
Last week Tuesday, I attended a seminar presented by the U.S. Consul General , Judith Fergin titled "The U.S. - Australia relationship: Confronting global challenges together." During the speech, she noted that President Obama was delivering a historical keynote address in Cairo that same afternoon.
I didn't get a chance to watch it live and if you didn't get a chance to either, here it is.
Spowf
Note: subtitles are available, click the CC option on the selection above.
This is very interesting. Pretty much, we all know how technology has benefits and disadvantages. However, as I've just discovered (didn't know a thing about virtual world's before watching this vid), modern technology, in the case of virtual worlds, can both be a form of entertainment and fun as well as a medium to promote understanding between those who view Islam as a religion that breeds hate and violence (which is undoubtedly incorrect) to one of peace and tolerance.
Personally, I know I won't be creating an avatar of myself (if you have please let us know) so we can check it out and maybe (just maybe) be convinced to create a 3D impersonator of myself.
