Al Jazeera's Inside Story: What do Iran's reformists want?

"...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?"

Documentary: The battle between Moderate and Radical Islam

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.

Indonesia: Hearts and Minds (Part 1)



Indonesia: Hearts and Minds (Part 2)



Indonesia: Hearts and Minds (Part 3)

Educate me

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".

Clinton's statement reiterates similar sentiments made by President Barack Obama during his visit to Russia earlier this week in which he stated that the issue of Iran's capabilities need to be resolved through 'diplomatic means'. However, he also stressed something else important:

"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.

Related news articles:

Obama urges Iran to 'stop all violent and unjust actions'

Another day at the office for Ban Ki-Moon

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."

:)

Watch President's Obama's Speech, Cairo 2009

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.

Yes, we call it diplomacy, Minister!

Just for laughs: diplomacy explained artistically (and as some may argue...honestly)

Encouraging diplomacy through virtual worlds

Hey guys,

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.

Happy viewing,
Spowf

Irony at It's Best

Received a two-line email from Tama today:

90 people get the Swine Flu and everybody wants to wear a mask.

A million
people have AIDS and no one wants to wear a condom.

The School of St.Jude's, Tanzania

Guys this is sooo interesting...read about what this woman has done....i had my first Cultural and Ethics tutorial and we were examining the quote: "the unexamined life is not worth living" - Socrates (469-399 BC). And my tutor mentioned that when we start to analyse (maybe overanalyse) certain aspects of what our roles as individuals are when it comes to alleviating poverty, we can critically analyse ourselves and say that "yes, i do contribute to poverty". Then this morning I got my ticket for this seminar which will be held next tuesday and just read the background on the presenter, Gemma Sisia...read it:

PRESENTER: Gemma Sisia
In 2002 a young lady, Gemma Rice (now Gemma Sisia), from a sheep farm in Australia, opened a small school, St Judes School, in Northern Tanzania with the help of her family, friends and local Rotary Club. What started with only a handful of children and one teacher is now a thriving school of over 1000 children, 130 teachers and 200 staff.
Over 90% of the children at the school receive a totally free education as local and international sponsors individually cover the costs of not only the educational fees but also the uniform, stationery, transport, hot meal, snacks and drinks of each child. What makes this school even more special is the fact that this success comes about due to the group effort of thousands of ordinary people from all over the world coming together to do something quite extraordinary.

Visit: The School of Jude's website here.

Gemma'a two sons, Nathaniel 7, and Jacob 5, are sooooooo cute!

( Source: The School of St. Jude's site)

Featured documentary: India Reborn

Through their eyes: The Darfur Genocide

I've recently signed up to be a member of The Hub which is the world's first participatory site where individuals, groups, networks and organisations can bring their stories of human rights abuses and draw the attention of citizens worldwide. Members can upload videos, photos or make comment on posts. It's a great site - volunteers all over the world with acclaimed human rights advocacy organisations such as Amnesty International make frequent postings as well.

Well, so we all know that George Clooney didn't rock up to this year's 81st Annual Academy Awards...instead he was briefing U.S. President, Barack Obama and Vice President, Joe Biden on the ongoing conflict in Darfur, Sudan. This genocide has been going on for a few years now and the fact that someone of George Clooney's celebrity and association with the United Nation's (he is a U.N. Messenger of Peace) brings great publicity before this modern day genocide went off the radar. You would have thought that world would have taken a more firm stance in the aftermath of Rwanda.

The Sudanese government has time and again denied supporting the mass killings and atrocities that have been instigated by the Jajaweed Militia, however, witnesses continue to raise claims about Government helicopters being used in the assault against innocent civilians. To difuse the Government's rejection of any involvement, video below is a shocking testimony from four alleged perpetrators who have been involved in the Sudan crisis - one was a senior officer in the Sudan Army Force, one a high-ranking Janjaweed commander, another a Janjaweed footsoldier, and the last a Sudanese soldier. In this video you see the genocide through the eyes of these four men. They give very key details about who were financiers behind some of the attacks through to detailed accounts of some of the attacks. The stories of these four men make a direct link between the accounts of witnesses claims and their own experiences in the lies that the Sudanese government has been telling the world over and over again. Phil Cox, an independent film-maker who assisted in the production of this film states the importance of this footage as being "the first time that the people can see a Sudanese, Arabic-speaking, high-ranking commander saying that 'We did this.' It never happened before." In a nutshell, the testimonies of these four alleged perpetrators could be used against Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir and others if this case was to go the the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Watch the video here.

Related articles:

Group releases film allegging Darfur war crimes - International Herald Tribune
Shocking video testimony from Darfur perpetrators (Aegis Trust) - By Samir Padania, The Hub online

Winners and Losers: The 2009 Oscars

The red carpet has been rolled out and the excitment and tension has intensified.

In their respective categories, here is a short-list of who I think SHOULD win at todays' 81st Annual Academy Awards:

Best Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
Best Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger in Dark Knight. Unquestionably.
Best Actor: Mickey Rourke. It's a serious toss between the star of The Wrestler and Sean Penn's portrayal of California's first openly gay elected official, Harvey Milk in Milk. It's been noted that the Academy in history have always taken preferrence for actors who have played the characters of famous individuals, however, my bet is on Mickey Rourke. When one considers the similarities between Rourke's own personal life over the last decade and the character he plays, you must have nothing but pure admiration for the strength and bravery of this actor who in this raw and honest portrayal, reveals himself.
Best Adapted Screenplay - Simon Beaufoy (Slumdog Millionaire) It's either Best Picture or Best Adapted Screenplay for Slumdog. The film deserves to win both categories out of its ten nominations tally.
Best Actress - Kate Winslet. Although a few reviewers have suggested that Kate Winslet's portrayal in Revolutionary Road is the film that should be the film receiving the accolades for the actress' performance, it is most likely that her portrayal in The Reader is the film that will win this category.
Best Actress in a Supporting Role. Undecided between Viola Davis (Doubt) and Marisa Tomei (The Wrestler)
Best Art. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.

I will be updating my blog as the live ceremony progresses.

Anything could happen.

Do you know what it feels like for a girl...

It's funny just sitting here behind this computer screen and thinking of what title this post should be, but that moment of confusion was quickly cleared when Madonna's lyrics for her single 'Do you know what it feels like for a girl' quickly streamed through my head.

So I just received an email from a dear friend of mine, one whom I keep very close to my heart and also my unpaid, on-call, therapist who I will call Starfish (to prevent an abusive comment ensueing from her). But for those who are familiar with this blog, Starfish has managed to inspire me to publish this new post.

I found this recent email I received from Starfish just beautiful, in all its simplicity it really says a lot.

...we need to remember we are young, we are awkward, we are female. youth and
being female is possibly just two of the worst things. being young - means dumb,
unsure, little crazy , female - two minds, wants everything, picky, etc. damn.
when do we stop being young? or being female?
its hilarious what we do. i love it. i love being so imperfect and young. i look in the mirror at this face of mine, this pimply (haha) awkard look and i know one day i will look in the mirror and realise that this girl is gone because i will be a woman. i will not have this youth or that look in my eye that i do now. sometimes i think the
older, wiser starfish* is in me talking to me, looking at me in foresight and
telling me how lucky i am and i can honestly glimpse me, the 18 year old me who
has no fucken idea what shes doing and i am grateful that i am so aware that i
am who i am meant to be at this point in my life. one day, my hair won't be long
anymore and i wont wear as much make up and my skin will clear and my clothes
will be more conservative and simple, and i wont laugh as loudly, i wont drive
around in my little car tooting at hot boys, i wont be dancing in the bars at
clubs, i wont be flirting with older men, i wont be teasing young boys, i wont
be with my girls gossiping in cafes, one day i will lose all of this without
realising. it will all just go and something will come - a job, a family,
marriage, maybe deaths, maybe divorces, who knows, but right now - i am free of
responsibility and i can fuck around and not have to prove anything to anyone. i
dont have to be perfect, i dont have to be right, i can do whatever. we can do
that spowf. we are at our best, right now, this is us, so young, lets not grow
up yet man. lets just be a little crazy, a little childish, a little wild.
because we can.
i am just blessed by the people who enrich it and make me
that more deeper, that more wiser and all i think is that im so afraid i am
going to lose all this and not make the most of it and why the fuck do i make
such a big deal out of nothing? think about it. spowf, these guys, why waste
energy on that? i still have feelings for seaweed* and i am aware that he still
has feelings for me, but not now, i dont want to dwell on it or think about it,
i just wantt to get stoned with my girls and swim naked at the surf break and
drive out in my little car on the worst roads on this island. i want to sit on
facebook when im meant to be at work. i want to do everything fucken wrong. i
want to make mistakes so i can learn. i dont want to be sure of anything. i want
to just be a little dumb while i can, this is it. i want to kiss randoms and not
think 'ohh what will so and so think, does he like me, blah balh' who fucken
cares, argh.
this is our time to shine man, and i fucken intend to do that,
be it blind drunk or so stoned or high on life, whatever, i just dont care
anymore. im young and im going to have fun and be a girl.

"The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing. One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure of reality. "

- Albert Einstein

Note: This is my favourite quote.

Capitalism, globalisation and free trade: rhetoric versus reality

So I've decided to start an assignment right and its about bloody time too! I don't think I've spent so much time (honestly speaking) sitting in this chair and actually using my study desk which is usually filled with drink botttles, an alarm clock that doesn't work and the occuring sight of neglected food and cutlery that haven't quite made it to the kitchen yet.

So while researching for this assignment, I came around a very interesting quote that made me question everything from what are our roles as individuals in society to improve the lives of those less fortunate than ourselves to having that 'inescapable' subconcious which makes each and every one of us a global citizen.

Here's the quote:

[T]he emergence of capitalism represents a culture that is in many ways the
most successful that has ever been deployed in terms of accomodating large
numbers of individuals in relative and absolute comfort and luxury. It has
not been successful, however, in intergrating all in equal measure, and its
failure here remains one of its major problems. It has solved the problems
of feeding large numbers of people (although certainly not all), and it has
provided unprecedented advances in health and medicine (but, again, not for
all). It has promoted the development of amazingly complex technological
instruments and fostered a level of global communication without precedent.
It has united people in common pursuits as has no other culture. Yet it
remains to be seen when the balance sheet is tallied whether capitalism represents the epitome of "progresss" that some claim.

- Richard H. Robbins, Global Problems and the Culture of
Capitalism (Allyn and Bacon, 1999), p.11-12

The last time I checked, the CEO of that U.S. multinational company had just received a large salary raise...but at whose expense? How about the low-income earning wage earner in the developing country which the same multinaitonal company has a factory. Don't get me wrong, but globalisation too has good points. It's just a matter of whose side you're arguing from.

***

“We welcome the process of globalisation. It is inescapable and irreversible.…” However, “…if globalisation is to create real peace and stability across the world, it must be a process benefiting all. It must not allow the most economically and politically powerful countries to dominate and submerge the countries of the weaker and peripheral regions. It should not be allowed to drain the wealth of smaller countries towards the larger ones, or to increase inequality between richer and poorer regions.”

- Nelson Mandela

What do you think? Not just about capitalism but the bull and hypocrisy of free trade ideologies that are meant to ensure equal economic benefits for everyone? Leave a comment!

At war with the sea

A recent report on global warming warned that entire
cultures are at risk of being wiped out if nothing is done. There is still
a lot of debate about whether rising sea levels and rising temperatures are the
result of pollution or simply normal cycles of climate change. But there's one
group of people (a group of people too close to home) that doesn't need any
convincing about this. In the documentary 'That Sinking Feeling', Steve Marshall
visits a group of islands in the South Pacific that seem to be disappearing one
hut, one garden, one village at a time.

- World's Untold Stories

Global warming effects on Cateret Islands Part 1

Global warming effects on Cateret Islands Part 2

Make Poverty History images

A few months ago, I made a post about Siobhan getting selected as a ZeroSeven Ambassador. I also promised to get some pictures off her and post them up. Well here they are: The wait is finally over!

"Like slavery and apartheid, poverty is not natural"

MPH: Make Poverty History

It's Our Time

To Change

Make Poverty History!

Make Poverty History: Bon is a ZeroSeven Ambassador

Meet a good friend of mine, Siobhan (aka Bon)



She's cute isn't she?

She loves to play volleyball, is very opinionated (especially in Economics classes) but is also an active global citizen in the fight against poverty. She is an official ZeroSeven Ambassador - one of 500 Ambassadors from all over Australia who have been selected and trained in order to spread the Make Poverty History message and inspire those they meet to take action to end extreme poverty.

Every 3 seconds, a child dies from a preventable disease - watch this video.



Every single day, 30,000 children are dying as a result of extreme poverty.

07/07/07 (hint the reason why the road trip will end in Sydney on 07/07/07) marks the halfway point to achieving all 8 of the Millennium Development Goals by 2015, a plan to halve world poverty.

The MDGs were created in September 2000, amongst the largest gathering of world leaders, at the UN Head Quarters in New York and now the time has come to ensure we make those goals a reality.

The Millennium Development Goals :


Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger ;
Achieve Universal Primary Education ;
Promote Gender Equality ;
Reduce Child Mortality ;
Improve Maternal Health ;
Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria & Other Diseases ;
Environmental Sustainability ;
Develop a Global Partnership ;


Embracing this new era of global responsibility, the Australian Government has set an aspirational target* of contributing 0.7% of the country’s total wealth to Foreign Aid by 2015.

However, today the Australian government is running behind schedule with only 0.3% currently committed.

'If the Minister is as serious about increased aid as he is about effective aid then I think the two will combine to transform Australia’s role in the world of engagement with the poorest of the poor' ...Bono, U2 Frontman (on Treasurer Peter Costello).


The Government has pledged to increase aid by 2010. This effort however is only expected to lift Australia’s contribution to around 0.36% of the country's wealth. This is predicted to place Australia 19th out of the world’s 22 richest nations for our lack of generosity.

Siobhan will begin her journey to MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY on the MAKEPOVERTY HISTORY ZEROSEVEN Road Trip from 01/07/07 for one week and head down to Sydney. The Road Trip aims to make a call on the Australian government to take action to end extreme poverty by taking action to increase aid to 0.7% of budget by 2015. Along the route from Brisbane to Sydney, there will be a number of MAKEPOVERTY HISTORY events, including 6 MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY concerts. This will provide regional communities, as well as capital cities, with an amazing opportunity to become involved in what is the greatest youth movement of our time.On board and lending their support in various ways are the who’s who of Australian musicians including Missy Higgins, Evermore, Little Birdy, Dallas Crane, Blue King Brown, Antiskeptic, Borne, Bliss n Eso, Guy Sebastian, True Live, Custom Kings, Bias B, Jess Mc Avoy and Symbiosis among others.

Visit her myspace page here.

She's a great photographer so at the end of the trip, she should disperse with some great shots - some of which I will post in the nearby future.

Keep the great work up Bon!

Torture techniques: a question of human rights

Okay, fixed myself a bowl of salad (herb and garlic tuna, tomatoes, avocado, balsamic dressing..same old, same old) and decided to sit down and catch up on some current affairs by skim reading some newspapers. Exams are finally over so I guess reading newspapers and enjoying a salad you prepared yourself can be therapeutic at times.

The first article that grabbed my attention was Sally Neighbour's 'Asking the painful questions' in The Australian Inquirer (p.22).

The article gives an account of torture mechanisms and techniques that have developed over the past fifty years or so. Neighbour's article goes on to question why these torture mechanisms are still being used by the U.S. government despite being labelled as 'unreliabile' and thus, ineffective in the war against terror.

Have a look at this picture:

Most of you will probably associate it with the prisoner abuse claims that occurred at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq that caused much international controversy about two years ago. Most people who have heard only little or not much about torture techniques may at first see this picture only as a man or woman simply standing, arms stretched on what looks like a cardboard box - or even as a gimmick, something that kept the U.S. army personnel entertained in the middle of nowhere.

Upon closer examination, this photograph reveals a can full of worms, unearthing some of the most gruesome and inexcusable human rights violations that have occurred to date. Alfred McCoy, a historian at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and author of A Question of Torture: CIA Interrogation from the Cold War to the War on Terror (click here for more McCoy's' deconstruction of these images and CIA torture techniques) adds more to this picture by citing that this photo represents two CIA foundational techniques. Firstly, the hood on the detainee acts as a sensory disorientation and deprivation technique. Secondly, his arms stretched out are intended to inflict pain upon him/herself (ie self inflicted pain).

What truly shocks me is the possible legalisation of torture techniques that could allow people such as John Howard and George W. Bush to sign a warrant issued by a judge to authorise torture. Have a look at the picture of the prisoner in Abu Ghraib again. If this person was your father, mother, sister, brother, nephew or friend, would you let this happen to them?

In Neighbour's article, the argument of well-known Harvard academic and criminal lawyer, Alan Dershowitz is used to justify 'painless' torture mechanisms that could be used by governments such as the U.S. and Australia. Dershowitz who claims to not be a supporter of torture contravenes his personal belief and states that governments should be able to use torture as long as they are done so in an "accountable, transparent way." Notably, the U.S. does not have a clean slate in relation to matters dealing with accountability and transparency. For example, no one knew that the U.S. were using torture techniques on the detainees at Guantanamo Bay until one of its own, former chief lawyer for the US Navy, Alberto J. Mora blew the whistle on the use of such torture techniques. Think of the human rights abuse claims made by David Hicks against the U.S. government and the U.S government's failure to bear the onus of such claims.

After reading this, who would you believe...a man imprisoned for over five years without a formal charge or a government which claims itself to be democratic and a signatory to numerous United Nations' human rights conventions, yet exercises a form of modern tyranny.

Onto more pressing global issues...

I was just reading the United Nation's Development Program Report entitled 'Beyond Scarcity Power, Poverty and the Global Water Crisis?

The Report primarily focuses on the issue of the water crisis, the causes and the problems experienced by the poor. The main arguments being that water is not a scarce resource, however, the poor have been sysytametically disadvantaged due to political choices.

However, what really drew my attention and something that I think would start a great discussion relates to the following excerpt (see page 3):

In the world of the early 21st century national
security concerns loom large
on the international
agenda. Violent conflict, concerns
over terrorist
threats, the proliferation of nuclear
weapons and the growth of illicit
trade
in arms and drugs all pose acute challenges.
Against this backdrop
it is easy to lose sight
of some basic human security imperatives, including
those linked to water.

The 1.8 million
child deaths each year related to
unclean water
and poor sanitation dwarf the casualties associated
with
violent conflict. No act of terrorism
generates economic devastation on the
scale of
the crisis in water and sanitation. Yet the issue
barely
registers on the international agenda.

It would be interesting if people could get involved and share some ideas or thoughts.