The Concoction

Stop, smell the coffee and count the beans. You may crack the binary code in the process!

2009-06-10T20:02:00.002-04:00

Hopefully, this video will inspire all those who rush to "modernize", "develop", "solve" or "help". Old and different doesn't mean insignificant. It may be the foundation upon which the present is built. Feeling very philosophical.

Water day - "we're all in the same boat!" Are we now?

2009-03-22T14:31:00.003-04:00

Today is Water Day. I haven't blogged on the subject since 2006 and today I had a comment from Waterman under my 06 post "Happy Water Day 2009!!!" I get the message, Waterman, and I'm feeling the pressure to post something now.

In '06, the theme was Water and Cutlture. Since then we had Water Scarcity (2007) and Sanitary (2008) as the main focus. This year's theme for Water Day is "waters that cross borders and link us together". The fancy slogan on the official website, Whether we live upstream or downstream, we are all in the same boat."

Are we really?

My stance (since my last water day blog in '06) still remains and my questions are still not answered. Here is what I said back then and you be the judge if anything (except the themes) has changed.

March 22nd is World Water Day. This year’s theme for the 13th international Water Day observance is Water and Culture. UNESCO sounds upbeat about this because

The theme 'Water and Culture' of WWD 2006 draws attention to the fact that there are as many ways of viewing, using, and celebrating water as there are cultural traditions across the world. Sacred, water is at the heart of many religions and is used in different rites and ceremonies. Fascinating and ephemeral, water has been represented in art for centuries - in music, painting, writing, cinema - and it is an essential factor in many scientific endeavours as well.

This is all too well to make water sacred for a day and all that, but it is unfortunate that the most important world wide water culture is totally overlooked - the culture of fetching water. This is an unfortunate waste of opportunities to acknowledge the laborious and time consuming task that millions of women and girls are burdened with. From South Africa to Indonesia, it is a woman’s or a girl’s job to fetch water. Fetching water is one of the main reasons why girls cannot attend schools regularly. It is one of the reasons why a woman’s daily working hour somewhere in Africa is as long as 17 hours because she has to walk up to three hours a day to fetch water. http:James Workman tells us that

…fetching water is not something men do unless they are alone.” At which point the man has daily incentives to pay a lobola to purchase his daughter as his lover, wife, mother of his children and, of course, as his cook and water fetcher which is included in that bride price of up to ten cows (which chug 50 liters a day and compete with the women for water access).

Regrettably, such World Days come and go without really addressing some fundamental issues of the forgotten children of society. Global conferences also come and go with some position paper which really does not mean much. Big shots fly around the globe to participate in such events while the problems in the field remain unchallenged.

In 2002, for example, there was a conference on water and sustainable development in Africa – regional stakeholder’s conference on priority setting. Although there were ‘gender ambassadors’ representing two African countries in this conference in Accra, Ghana, the meeting did not consider water and gender issues important enough for sustainable development to give it a time slot in the main program. So what is a sustainable water program without gender issues?

Gender and Water Alliance was talking about “…a unified African voice and position on water based on a consensus of water ‘stakeholders’” in that meeting. I will bet anything that the millions of women who are too busy fetching water to organize and have their ‘consensus’ on water be heard are not included in the ‘stakeholders’ list. Then, who are the stakeholders? According to Gender and Water Alliance, they are “…under the guidance of the African Development Bank, representatives from more than 20 regional and international organizations dealing with water in Africa…. What a waste!
The Water Day was an initiative that grew out of the 1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro. It would be great if a new initiative grows out of the 2006 Water Day – World Toilet Day. If observing water day is not going to help women and girls in poor nations, at least start a new initiative that would. World Toilet Day.

The other reason for poor school attendance by girls is lack of toilets in schools. Especially for girls in their puberty, it is particularly challenging to go to a toilet-less school while they are menstruating. It is definitely not sexy for donor organizations to brag about building toilets instead of installing water pumps for example, but according to BBC’s calculation, “investments in sanitation can bring a 14-fold return.” This is not only for girls, but in general because “443 million schooldays are lost each year from diarrhoeal disease.”

It is sad that every time there is a global event such as the World Water Day, it is mostly men in suits who run the show and make the decisions. It would be wonderful to invite a woman from each poor continent to tell her real story, and ask the participants of the meeting ‘What the hell do you know about water problems and efficient use?”

Thanks for the subtle nudge, Waterman!!!

Ethiopian filmmaker kicks off Black History month in Canada

2009-02-03T08:28:00.006-05:00

Toronto is starting the Black History month of February with Haile Gerima's Teza - "a winner of the Best Screenplay and Special Jury Prize at the 65th Venice Film Festival last year...." Teza tells a story of an Ethiopian intellectual returning to his country after having lived in Germany, what awaits him back at home and the dilemma of staying or leaving.

Throughout his career, Haile Gerima has masterfully used the medium of film to tell stories of the African experience from a genuine perspective. His 1993 film Sankofa, which takes a powerful look at slavery from an African/African-American perspective, drew large audiences across the African Diaspora. (Photo credit: AfroToronto.com)

Read his interview here.

Who: Open to the Public and Admission is 15$ at the door. The event is open to the media.

What: TEZA screening

Where: Bloor Cinema 506 Bloor Street West
Toronto, ON M5S 1Y3, Canada
(416) 516-2331

When: Sun Feb 1st - 3:00 pm

Fri Feb 6th - 7:00 pm

Sat Feb 7th - 6:30pm & 9:30pm

Sun Feb 8th - 4:00pm

(Possibility that the screening will be extended until March 2009)

Palin's foreign affairs experience expanding by the day

2008-11-02T08:50:00.004-05:00

A Canadian comedian, pausing as the French president - Nicolas Sarkozy had an interesting chat with Sarah Palin. They talked about hunting ("killing two birds in one stone"), living next to foreigners, beauty and jealousy... You don't have to take my words - listen for yourself. You can read about it, too.

Discussing politics 101: Stick to issues & exercise freedom of speech

2008-11-01T07:04:00.005-04:00

With age comes a lot of baggage. The more baggage we lag along, the more likely we are to obscure issues. The video clip below is a brilliant reminder, to me, of how much of the political bickering sticks out in my head rather than the issues.

It's also a reminder that it's OK to have opposing political views and still be civil to each other. It surely is OK to talk about those opposing views. I'm in a way answering to people who told me "we don't talk politics in this country." A Democrat woman told me her Republican brother warned her not express her views at his dinner party "because all of his friends are Republicans."

CNN had a report on two college roommates - a McCain supporter African American and Obama supporter European American - and the title of the report was "Sleeping with the Enemy". Why? Why are they considered enemies?

So, here are two kids telling us "we can think and talk different, and still we can get along" - indirectly, that is.

US election: awash with information, still don't get the basics?

2008-10-24T19:15:00.008-04:00

Here is just a fascinating BBC report on race and the US election. I'm beyond the race issue in this election. Knowing what I know now, how still segregated US towns and schools are, I'm not that much surprised that race is still an issue in the election however sad and embarrassing it is. The only thing that puzzles me is how the "black" race is dominant when a person is bi-racial. Like in the case of Obama, why do we call him just black whereas he's really 50% white and 50% black? What happens to the white part in the race definition/calculation when it's mixed with black? Whatever the reason, I'm sure it's so petty it's not even worth pondering over.

My pressing issue in this case, and what I find absolutely incomprehensible is, how people manage to misinform themselves with all the bombardment of information about the election and the people who are running to be elected. Would you have thought that there would be people in the US, today, at this very moment, with all the information resources and technology, who can't pronounce "Obama" and say that he's not American? Alas, there are - in a town ironically called Uniontown, PA.

At a local restaurant a friendly waitress started chatting to us. The conversation turned to politics.She shrugged, she was not even sure when the election was to be held, she could not pronounce Mr Obama's name. "I like McCain because I can say his name, so I'll probably vote for McCain."

Fair enough. May be the Uniontown waitress expressed a really complex issue (of race, segregation, ignorance, intolerance, fear of the unknown i.e. "that one") in a simplistic and dumb way. I will surely be suspicious of a John Smith running for president in Ethiopia. But there is no way that I will leave the issue at that and say...

"He's from Africa or something. I don't even know where he's from. I know he grew up here, but he's not from here. I think American presidents should be from America."

BBC's Dumeetha Luthra commented on this with a simple "She was not well informed, but her views were clear." With all due respect, I disagree. With information left, right and center on the election and the nominees, all Dumeetha can say is "she was not well informed..."? Here is what I think. Ms. Waitress from Uniontown has the responsibility to educate herself with the tools available for her. I'll bet money that there are at least four TV sets in the restaurant where she works. Let's assume that she's very busy and she can't pay attention to TV while at work or all sets are on the sports channel. A simple google search with the words "where is Obama from" will do the trick. She doesn't even have to finish typing the whole thing before google makes an intelligent guess and give her options. Wikipedia has organized Obama's biography in a dumb/lazy-friendly way available in 89 languages (yes, I sat and counted them to make a point - it's Friday evening anyway).

What is sad and scary is that such irresponsible people, who are too careless and/or lazy to make an informed decision as a civilized member of this society, can have the power to decide on my future - shudder!!! The only thing Ms. Waitress is not "well informed" about is about her responsibilities as a citizen, which reminds me...

Before a person becomes a citizen of a new country, she has to take an exam on how well she knows the history, values and rules of that country. But citizenship acquired by birth is left unchecked. I think this should change. There has to be a basic test to make sure that people know something about the nominees - you flunk, you don't vote. One doesn't move up to the next grade if she flunks the final exams. This is simply because she lacks the basics which are the foundation to the next level, and ultimately, a position in society. So, why should people be given the power to hold one of the sacred positions in society, the right to vote, without sufficient knowledge of the basics? How about that for a Friday evening deep-thinking?

Beautiful - inside and out

2008-10-01T20:20:00.005-04:00

Here is a Time article on Ethiopian Supermodel Liya Kebede. She's really a superwoman - a mother of two, supermodel, WHO's goodwill ambassador, and now the founder of Lemlem (a high-end children clothing line hand-made in Ethiopia.)

Liya employs Ethiopian weavers who had been struggling due to slow demand for their products. Check out the clothes here and tell me if they are adorable or adorable. The knowledge that they also help villages of weavers back in Ethiopia - priceless!

Order some cute baby clothes from the comfort of your home/office. You'll be helping poor weavers all the way in Ethiopia.

Is this a joke?

2008-09-25T19:04:00.002-04:00

Is this what we are reduced to or is this a joke? Honestly, I don't know if this is meant to be serious.

What's the economic justification for capitalism to "bail out" companies but not people?

2008-09-24T08:44:00.003-04:00

Call it "bailout" or temporary socialism, excuse me I mean nationalization, all that boohaha about the government staying clear out of the works of the market is after all only boohaha when push comes to shove. I can't stop wondering how the US government is OK with scrambling to bail out AIG, and not the over 48 million of its uninsured citizens! Forget humanity, basic human rights and all that soft stuff. With an estimated 18,000 uninsured people dying in the US, shouldn't this be considered an economic crisis?

Wikipedia defines a bailout as...

Bailout in economics and finance is a term used to describe a situation where a bankrupt or nearly bankrupt entity, such as a corporation or a bank, is given a fresh injection of liquidity, in order to meet its short term obligations. Often bailouts are by governments, or by consortia of investors who demand control over the entity as the price for injecting funds.

Understandably, the Bush people are concerned about the ripple effect that AIG's failure will have on national and global economies. It may not be the same magnitude, but surely 49 million people have poor health and 18,000 of them dying every year must have a huge impact on US economy. A study shows that...

... the lost economic value to the U.S. each year is between $65 billion and $130 billion, not because of the cost of health services, but because of the poorer health outcome of those who are uninsured. Also, the impact on business can be directly correlated to an increase in price of products and threatens the competitiveness in the global marketplace.

My fear is that if policy makers do something about this crisis, it may blow up in their (well, our really) faces just like the financial institutions crisis in the US. How different is this really from Africa losing her work force from preventable diseases?

By the way, how ironic that an insurance company, which is supposed to protect companies from crisis, is the source of the crisis. Where were the regulators when AIG greedily cast its net into areas it has no business with? Well that was capitalism at its ugliest. Hopefully, all who bent out of shape to convince us that leaving the market alone (as if "the market" is this highly intelligent being that knows how to regulate itself to keep the best interest of us) have learnt a thing or two from this crisis. Now all of a sudden they are talking about regulating the market?

Still, I wonder why should my tax money go to bailout AIG? Do I even have a say in this - because I'd rather my tax money go towards the uninsured than AIG - or at the end of the day Bush has the power to veto it and never mind what I want. Some democracy! How about asking Castro of Cuba to give the Bush administration a crush course on central planning 101? Ouch!

Related links
The economics of the health insurance crisis
AIG bailout
Health care crisis in the US

Glad to have a plan B

2008-08-31T20:05:00.002-04:00

I'm already dreading political speeches if Obama/Biden don't make it to the White House. I'm glad to have found a plan B...

Shall we move on already?

2008-08-26T05:55:00.003-04:00

Back in June, I started writing a post about being happy to be in the US in these exciting election times. Alas, I never got round to finishing the post. But now watching the commentaries on CNN following the first day of the Democratic National Convention, I can't keep quiet anymore. It was a disappointing flop rather than the hight of the excitement - personally. It felt as if the people who spoke thus far and the commentators invited by CNN - particularly on Larry King Live - are from different planets.

I can't get over the fact that we still need confirmation that Obama "is like us." Most of the comments were unfortunately revolving around that comment - "he is like us." Even Michelle Obama had to repeatedly try to paint "an American picture" that he is like everybody else and is the quintessential American dream "despite his funny name..." We had several opportunities of finding out what Obama is like. His books and what he's been saying throughout the Presidential Campaign gave us enough material to figure out what he is. So what's the fuss now?

I was wondering why Michelle should spend anytime on all that insignificant stuff, but it was clear from the commentaries that even the "top political analysts" are still stuck in the fact that he has an uncommon name, he's educated, he is eloquent and his pigment categorizes him in the minority group. I wonder if Bill & Hilary Clinton were ever accused of being elitists.

When Michelle talks about a "new tide of hope" and mentioned Obama's commitment to the poor, working families, equal pay for women, improved health care for servicemen and women (INCLUDING MENTAL HEALTH CARE-she's already my heroin)..., Ben Stein whines about Michelle not mentioning the soldiers who are defending the country. Mr. Stein, stop obsessing about how to blast somebody and listen. Listen! And there is time for blasting, there is time for being funny and there is surely time to shut up. His and the other commentators' repeated message was that Michelle didn't say anything significant and that she just reiterated that she's a good wife, mother, sister and daughter.... Still the one uniform comment I heard was that people want to know if Obama "is like us". So, Michelle gave it to him - he may have a strange name but he's compassionate, dedicated, a loving father and husband.

When the Obamas talk serious, they are accused of being elitists. When they show how "normal" they are, then they get blasted as not saying anything ordinary. I know this is politics and the game has to be played in a nasty way. Still, I don't think it is the time to divert from the most important topics and waste my time with "is he like us?" "What is he like if you invite him for a BBQ?" To be honest, I don't care because I surely want a leader who is unlike me (because I know what a lousy world leader I'll make) and when am I ever going to have BBQ with Obama? Really?

And there is another issue that's really annoying me. Why do people want to know if Obama is likeable? Who cares? I don't want to like or dislike a leader. I want somebody who's going to make my, my kids, my community's, and the world's (may be this is pushing it) lives better. At least try. My feelings are so besides the issue.

One last blasting - Michelle talked about the feminist movement, the 88th anniversary of women's right to vote and glass-ceiling-busters like Hilary Clinton. All Leslie Sanchez, "political analyst", can think of is "why was Michelle wearing a cocktail dress?" Come on already! Let's move on already and focus at what's at stake:-

what the world should be and not be compliant to what it is now.
the rising poverty in the US and globally
the housing crisis
the crisis of public schools...

Why should the Obamas "dumb" themselves down or be forced to make themselves look ordinary despite their combined extra-ordinary achievements? This is an extraordinary opportunity to make a difference and an extraordinary leader is so much needed.

Tradition, beauty & fun - all in one doll

2008-08-26T04:40:00.005-04:00

EthiDolls is not a new company, but I just found out about it. I wish I did last year when the school of my daughters asked me if I could bring a non-Barbie black doll or a children's book on African heroins and princesses. I couldn't find a single book in my local book stores - a huge gap for black kids in the US. Now there is a company dedicated to fill this gap.

EthiDolls is a New York-based small company owned by two Ethiopian women - Salome Yilma (CEO) and Yeworkwuha Ephrem (VP). The company has come out with two dolls representing women leaders from Ethiopia and Ghana.

What the company stands for is quite impressive. Here are the things that the creators of Makeda - Queen of Sheba are promising:

	The First Educational, Fun & Collectible Black Dolls & Accessories
	Culturally Authentic Royal African Doll
	Storybook illustrated by an Ethiopian artist and Audio CD Narrative with Traditional Ethiopian Music
	Fair Trade: Fabric for Makeda’s Dress Hand Woven in Ethiopia.
	Classic Neck Tattoo and Gold Jewelry are an Adornment of Ethiopian Women Still Today.
	Experience Queen Makeda & King Solomon’s Extraordinary 3000 Year-Old Story

African immigrants supporting Obama

2008-07-07T22:29:00.004-04:00

Some adorable Ethio-American kids had been busy over the weekend in DC urging their parents to go out and vote for Obama. Washington Post has the whole story. Hopefully, Obama's foreign policy will help Africans, particularly it's farmers.

People of the Year

2008-06-30T20:12:00.006-04:00

I am not waiting until the end of the year for Time Magazine to come up with the most influential people of 2008. I've chosen mine already. In the "most politically responsible" category, my winners are Morgan Tsvangirai, Hillary Clinton and Raila Odinga.

Morgan Tsvangirai

It is really responsible of Morgan Tsvangirai to drop out of the presidential election. He could have easily took refuge somewhere and allow the terror to continue. He, instead, chose to quit to restore some soft of order in Zimbabwe. It was very considerate, politically and socially responsible to refuse to "no longer participate in this violent, illegitimate sham of an election process." Kudos, Mr. Tsvangirai!

Hillary Clinton

Hillary Clinton had her annoying moments during the presidential campaign. She was at times crossing a line with her, what we call in Ethiopia, "village bickering" against Obama. At other times, she even sounded like Bush when she explains about not talking to leaders of certain countries. She is too intelligent to say "you're either with us or against us", but she came pretty close. Still, she was gracious in the way she endorsed Obama. It takes a mature and committed politician to turn around on all she said and endorse her once opponent.

Raila Odinga

Personally, the way African leaders - African leaders, not Africans - handled Mugabe's outright terrorism against Morgan Tsvangirai and the people of Zimbabwe is something to be ashamed of. Amongst such spineless comments as "We believe the people of Zimbabwe have been denied their democratic rights," like the Sierra Leonean President - ya think? - and the utter silence of other leaders, it was Raila Odinga, the Kenyan Prime Minister, who said enough with the rubbish and urged the AU to suspend Mugabe. How brave and honest! The rest just allowed Mugabe to walk right into the AU summit, pause for pictures in the first raw, sat in the presentations about development and peace as if nothing happened.

Ethiopia preparing to feed the west

2008-05-27T07:19:00.004-04:00

This Reuter article talks about teff, the indigenous staple grain of Ethiopia, undergoing scrutny before it is made available world-wide. The UN is hashing out the details in Bonn (as I type)to figure out how to protect biodiversity. It's all exciting stuff for Ethiopia, but my worry is that does the UN have the power to really protect Ethiopian farmers' when some Western company cleverly modifies the genes of teff and come up with an alternative grain and ditch Ethiopian farmers. Perhaps they don't even have to waste time and money fiddling with genes - all they have to do is just change the name. Several examples are out there, I'm sure, like Chinese tea now famously known as Earl Gray English Tea:

Did you know? Earl Grey is named after Charles, the 2nd Earl Grey, who was given a special blend of tea by a Chinese Mandarin. As this began to run out, the Earl asked Richard Twining to match it for him. From then on the blend became known as "Earl Grey’s" tea.

What does all this entail for food prices in Ethiopia? Is Ethiopia ready to protect teff globally and distribute the benefits equitablly? Are the farmers going to see the benefit of all this big talk? If you know the answers, let me know.

Young children are phsically smaller than adults - a study reveals

2008-04-06T08:51:00.006-04:00

Well, that is my cynical come-back at a recent UN report, which the BBC reported under an uninspiring title "Women face bias worldwide - UN". No kidding? Of course women still face bias worldwide. Do we need a new report to still lament that "70% of the world's poor are women and they own just 1% of the world's titled land". I thought we established that half a century ago. Shouldn't we by now start looking at changing policies to improve the situation of women?

Image credit: US Women connect

While I'm still on a roll being cynical, let me ask what the UN has done for women lately through its agencies - UNIFEM and UN Division for he Advancement of Women? I am aware of all the awareness endeavours that the UN is making, but I still believe that we have to move towards
making some fundamental policies globally. Other human rights abuses cause an international out cry, get air time on television etc, but we are still talking about discrimination of women as if we just found out about it.

Fair trade getting fairer

2008-03-11T21:34:00.007-04:00

I think the press release below is exciting. It is exciting because this will take fair trade to a new level - about time, too; it will give African fashion designers access to global market; Western designers won't get away with fashion plagiarism. But most importantly, I hope it will open up the global market for other commodities produced in developing countries.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has won the best exhibit award at one of the apparel industry's largest trade shows. Fifteen companies receiving aid from USAID's three trade hubs in Africa showcased garments with unique fabrics, patterns and colors at the Feb. 12-15 event in Las Vegas known as MAGIC Marketplace.

Each trade hub - located in Southern Africa (Botswana), Western Africa (Ghana, Senegal), and East and Central Africa (Kenya) - helps entrepreneurs in the region develop professional businesses capable of competing in the global arena.

The hubs also promote economic development within Africa by training African business owners to operate companies prudently and profitably. Business management and marketing skills are also strengthened in the process. African manufacturers seeking American markets are supported by the trade hubs to exhibit their goods at international trade shows. The U.S. African Growth and Opportunity Act waives the duty for imports from Africa, further enabling African businesses to participate in formal economic trade.

The 15 companies, representing nine African countries, set up their displays inside the "Source Africa Pavilion," which was sponsored by USAID. Hundreds from the fashion industry attended MAGIC Marketplace each year hoping to attract the attention of buyers from the retail industry. Fulfilling USAID's humanitarian mandate, the African-designed goods are not only attracting buyers, but are also building economic momentum and putting Africa on the map as a viable supplier of apparel for American and international outlets.For more information about USAID and its other programs in Africa, visit www.usaid.gov.
.

Drugged up water

2008-03-10T20:24:00.010-04:00

If you are one of those people who think that Americans over-medicate, the following is going to be disturbing news. Drinking water in several states is contaminated by drugs. Personally, I'm less worried about my drinking water being contaminated by drugs including antibiotics, sex hormones and anti-convulsants and mood enhancers and quite grossed out by how....

People take pills. Their bodies absorb some of the medication, but the rest of it passes through and is flushed down the toilet. The wastewater is treated before it is discharged into reservoirs, rivers or lakes. Then, some of the water is cleansed again at drinking water treatment plants and piped to consumers. But most treatments do not remove all drug residue.

Scientists are - surprise, surprise - divided in their opinions whether the contaminated water is harmful to humans or not. But surely they are seeing effects on fish - like the males laying eggs. I'm wondering how all this is going to play out in epigenome since the environmental problems that our grandparents faced can affect our genes. Will doctors in the future be able to determine that somebody had grown up in S. California where the major pollutant in the drinking water is sex hormones?

"In an age when man has forgotten his origins and is blind to his most essential needs for survival, water along with other resources has become the victim of his indifference" Rachel Carson.

Ethiopia in US' Black History

2008-02-28T02:33:00.002-05:00

On Monday night, a bus full of New York Abyssinian Baptist Church members drove to Washington, D.C. to join the Ethiopian community to honor the church and its pastor, the Rev. Dr. Calvin Butts III. The event, which was hosted at the Ethiopian embassy, was also intended to celebrate Black History Month and to strengthen the historical and spiritual connections between the Ethiopian and African-American communities.

"During slavery, African Americans always looked at Ethiopia as a place that represented freedom, black culture, history and religion," said Princeton University professor Ephraim Isaac, who spoke at the event. "It inspired the fight against discrimination and religion. When slaves were told they were inferior, they were animals or subhuman, they would think of Ethiopia." Isaacs, who is also the founder of the African-American studies department at Harvard, quoted Langston Hughes' poem, "The Call of Ethiopia." The poem addressed the freedom of not only Ethiopia, but also the entire African continent. Sociology professor Alem Habtu of CUNY Queens College described how, as an international student from Ethiopia, he learned from African Americans during the civil rights movement. Habtu, along with some peers, took over the Ethiopian embassy in protest of issues concerning their country after hearing Stokely Carmichael and members of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) speak.

The guests included members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), and the ambassador of Ethiopia, Samuel Assefa. Robert Wallace, CEO of Birthgroup Technologies, said he plans to build orphanages for children whose parents died of AIDS/HIV. Gary Flowers, executive director and CEO of the Black Leadership Forum, addressed the need to get back to the root of black culture. "I am, because we are; and because we are, I am," Flowers said. "There is no individual advancement without group advancement."

The Embassy said the program is the first of many that will recognize the connection between the two cultures. The evening ended with the honoring of Butts, as he was presented with a piece of artwork by a famous Ethiopian painter. His long-term goal is to use the church's developmental corporation to build housing and educational facilities in Ethiopia. "We can not be chauvinistic about our connection to Ethiopia and cannot deny what needs to happen," said Butts.

Source: HilltopOnline, Howard University, Washington

The dirt on recession

2008-01-27T20:49:00.000-05:00

This is how financial news should be presented for the majority of us. Then it's crystal clear.

Part 2 is equally enlightening. Enjoy!

If only a hand shake could save the world!

2008-01-24T15:07:00.000-05:00

A gaping gap

2008-01-24T11:28:00.000-05:00

I'm struggling with the question of are the various media outlets reconcilable? Getting information online, on telie and from magazines feels like living in different worlds. I've given up hope on African news in the US - period! CNN's own admission in a PBS documentary that the depth and selection of topics of their news are totally different for European and American audiences - in depth analysis for Europeans and more like entertainment for Americans.

You read about 45,000 people dying each month in DRC online while the death of some young actor found dead in his NY apartment dominates the evening news on major news channels - even BBC world had to say something about it. Although I liked Heath Ledger in Brokeback Mountain and it's sad he died so young..., still I can't help wondering when 45,000 people dying each month would get the same attention?

Photo nicked from BBC online

A major mortality study released Tuesday by the International Rescue Committee revealed shocking information about the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Congo. The study, which is being reported by major media outlets around the world, found that conflict and humanitarian crisis in Congo have claimed the lives of 5.4 million people since 1998 and continue to leave as many as 45,000 dead each month - making it the world's deadliest crisis since World War II. (Source: IRC)

Is this really a matter of pure business sense - catering for the audience - or is it to do with the stark difference in the value of human life? The ratio 1:45,000 is not enough apparently.

Admiring the Ethiopian language

2007-10-19T07:01:00.000-04:00

I was telling an American colleague about "semina werk" literally "wax and gold" - the Ethiopian sophisticated idiom. Sem (wax) is the overt meaning and werk is the hidden meaning. I was telling her how people use semina werk to communicate their severe political views and criticism of social changes.

In the olden days, people used more complicated phrases which were really brain twisters. Mengistu's regime managed to replace that beautifully sophisticated way of speaking with overt insult against whatever was deemed imperialist. His regime was paranoid about religion, plucking eye brows and anything in between. Songs - oh those painful "revolutionary" songs - reflected this paranoia.

Now, poems like the one below reflect the high cost of living in Addis. I got this from a mass e-mail that's been floating around. I think it's brilliantly written. For non-Amharic readers, it's about the through-the-roof price of chili pepper, one of the main spices in Ethiopian cooking. The writer is having a quarrel with pepper and cursing it for being so expensive. My favourite part is where the writer breaks it down to chili pepper that it's not really it by itself: it's valuable only in combination with other spices (because Ethiopian chili is prepared elaborately by mixing the powder with other spices). The writer finishes off with praise for salt with something like As long as I have salt then I'll be alright. Brilliant.

Where is the fashion police?

2007-10-14T07:41:00.000-04:00

A London celebrity designer, Matthew Williamson, gets his inspiration from several traditionally ethnic designs. Fair enough. No harm in nicking a bead hear and a print there. But is it ethical/legal/fair to copy a country's traditional dress and claim as if its your creation? Or is this going to be the next patent right fight Ethiopia is going to go through after Starbucks coffee?

These unmistakably Ethiopian dresses are part of Matthew's Spring 2008 collection. Judging by the pictures, the entire collection is "ethnic" inspired. However these are the two only Ethiopian dresses which appear in their original design.

Being inspired is one thing, but shamelessly copying something is outright theft. Sorry. On a more serious note, if this trend continues, would it have an impact on the livelihood of hundreds of Ethiopians whose livelihood depends on making the Abesha kemis?

Handicraft is therefore considered to be one of the most important and widely spread occupations of most Ethiopians next to Agriculture. As part of the handicrafts heritage, Ethiopia has diverse traditional handloom products. This sub sector provides large-scale employment and is an important source of livelihood for a large number of people in urban and rural areas. Based on the data collected in Year 2002 by the Central Statistical Authority (CSA) on cottages and handicrafts, it was revealed that there were a total of 211,842 handloom/weaving textiles enterprises in the country in various forms of ownership though benefits accrued from this sub sector was much below than expected.

It will be nice if Matthew uses his fashion-weight to introduce the work of Ethiopian weavers and use their original product thereby boosting their meager income. Now that will be fair trade! (Thanks Selam)

Related links
Clothing in Africa
Ethiopian handloom products
History of Ethiopian clothing by Richard Pankhurst

Just when you think it's over...

2007-10-11T23:01:00.000-04:00

Here we go again!!!

e-bay to solve ethnic clush

2007-10-11T22:14:00.001-04:00

It is not just African countries that are are constantly neglected by the rest of the world. Belgian's are feeling that they are not getting the attention that they deserve with the growing Dutch-speaking Flamish versus French-speaking Walloons rift, which is threatening to break up the country.

So, what did a concerned Belgian do? Put Belgium up for auction on e-bay. What a clever marketing stunt. The offer for the tiny country reached $14 million before e-bay decided to take Belgium off the listing.

Nigerian scam going holy

2007-09-30T16:35:00.000-04:00

Somehow my e-mail address is one of the targets of the on-going Nigerian scam. I thought by now the scammers will be tired of this because EVERYBODY knows about it. But, no. They are going more sophisticated, don't get tired of it and now they are with the UN under the leadership of a Reverend! It's getting very amusing.

Here is what I received...

Attention: The Beneficiary,

SCAMMED VICTIM/ $3.5 million COMPENSATION-REF/PAYMENTS CODE: 06654

We are delegated from the United Nations to Bank of American to pay 100 Nigerian 419 scam victims $3.5 million each, you are listed and approved for this payments as one of the scammed victims, get back to us as soon as possible for the immediate payments of your $3.5 million compensations funds.

On this faithful recommendations, I want you to know that during the last UN meetings held at Abuja, Nigeria, it was alarmed so much by the rest of the world in the meetings on the lose of funds by various foreigners to the scams artists operating in syndicates all over the world today, in other to retain the good image of the country, the president of the Country is now paying 100 victims of this operators $3.5 million each, Due to the corrupt and inefficient banking systems in Nigeria, the payments are to be paid by Pacific Finance Company Plc under funding assistance by the Central Bank of Nigeria According to the number of applicants at hand ,80 beneficiaries has been paid, half of the victims are from the United States and Asia, we still have more 20 left to be paid the compensations of $3.5 million each only.

Your particulars was mentioned by one of the syndicates who was arrested in Imo State Nigeria as one of their victims of the operations, you are hereby warned not to communicate or duplicate this message to him [hopefully, he's not a reader of this blogsite] for any reason for whatsoever, the US secret service is already on trace of the criminal.[That explains the two buff guys in black outside my house] For more vital information, you will receive your compensations payments via a DRAFT PAYMENTS and not a WIRE TRANSFERS; I shall feed you with further modalities as soon as I hear from you.

Yours faithfully,
Rev.Father Anthony M. Ani,
De-facto Chief Compensation Officer,
United Nations Compensation Committee,
(United nations Anti-fraud Comm)

I'm enjoying these e-mails.

Whose tree is it anyway?

2007-09-20T21:11:00.001-04:00

It is tolerance month at the school of my children. My daughter's class has been studying tolerance in all its forms and shapes. We've been busy creating posters, collecting quotes and definitions. This afternoon when she came back with more tolerance homework, both of us were... well, intolerant saying "we get it. We have to be tolerant..."

In the aftermath of the Jena, Louisiana saga, now I understand why it's extremely important to draw the message of tolerance home. The earlier we start hammering the message, the better I believe. I am convinced because of this. Working in an anti-racism organization in Europe, I was shocked to learn that the EU didn't have a law protecting its citizens against discrimination based on racism until 2000. Article 13 (the anti-racism clause) was adopted in the EU discrimination law with much drama, lobbying and bickering. Organizations like mine were crossing the Atlantic to take lessons from "the Americans".

Now in the US, I learn that just having a law against discrimination is not enough. What happened in Jena, Louisiana is really the Katrina of race problems in the US. The DA of Louisiana doesn't see noose hanging by white kids to make a point against black kids is not a race issue. Whether the law is clear or not about the racist intentions of a bunch of white kids hanging nooses on a tree to intimidate a bunch of black kids shouldn't be the issue. The issue, as I see it, is that racial tension is barely under a very thin surface despite laws and political correctness in the US.

So, my two cents - educate, educate and educate.

"It is thus tolerance that is the source of peace, and intolerance that is the source of disorder and squabbling." -- Pierre Bayle

"The highest result of education is tolerance." -- Helen Keller

"Tolerance implies no lack of commitment to one's own beliefs. Rather it condemns the oppression or persecution of others." -- John F. Kennedy

Ultimately, America's answer to the intolerant man is diversity, the very diversity which our heritage of religious freedom has inspired. -- Robert F. Kennedy

"If civilization is to survive, we must cultivate the science of human relationships - the ability of all peoples, of all kinds, to live together, in the same world at peace." -- Franklin D.Roosevelt

I think that's enough.

Things that tickle me - names out of Ethiopia

2007-09-20T19:13:00.000-04:00

There is nothing as entertaining as the names that certain groups of people in Ethiopia get.

Diaspora: those from US, Europe, Australia - the West
Elfora: those from Gulf countries like Dubai, Kuwait ..... (ELFORA is an
Ethiopian company exporting chicken, beef, mutton to gulf countries.)
Balestra (leaf spring of a car) Ethiopians who
cling to the diaspora & elfora till their dollar runs out.

When I was in Ethiopia (zillion years ago it seems) AMCE was the name for
Eritreans who grew up in Ethiopia (AMCE was the only car assembly company in Ethiopia)

Just wondering who in the world comes up with such nick-names by itself is amusing.

Darfur on video

2007-09-19T19:52:00.000-04:00

Travis Fox, a video journalist has documented the heart-wrenching and worsening situation of Darfur refugees in Chad. Check out the panoramic pictures while you are at it.

The ten cannots

2007-09-19T08:31:00.000-04:00

I wonder if William J. H. Boetcker had a vision of current global political, social and economic cock up when he came up with The Ten Cannots in 1916. Don't you think the world would have been a better place if the following are parts of each countries policy?

You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.
You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
You cannot help little men by tearing down big men.
You cannot lift the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer.
You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.
You cannot establish sound security on borrowed money.
You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.
You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than you earn.
You cannot build character and courage by destroying men's initiative and independence.
And you cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they can and should do for themselves.

Abol buna - an alternative to Starbucks?

2007-09-17T06:33:00.000-04:00

Here is an Ethiopian-operated (plus a Walter) coffee company out of Maryland/Virginia.

They promise organic, eco-friendly, shade grown coffee and dedication to fair trade. Although the names of the type of coffee they carry are exactly the same as Starbuck's - Sidamo, Harar & Yirgachefe - they are already my favourite source for Ethiopian coffee.

(Thanks Selam!)

Happy Millennium!

2007-09-11T17:37:00.000-04:00

I don't know how I got caught totally unprepared for the Millenium!!! How many people get a chance to celebrate two Millenuims and how come I don't even have the traditional brand new flowery dress and a new pair of shoes?

Happy Ethiopian New Year and Millennium for those who stumble on my site and enjoy the following clip...

This is my absolute favourite song of the old Millennium although sipping tej with a straw looks a bit strange :-D How fun!

The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears

2007-09-08T09:18:00.001-04:00

Here is a new exciting book by an Ethiopian author, Dinaw Mengestu.

"Seventeen years ago, Sepha Stephanos fled the Ethiopian Revolution after witnessing soldiers beat his father to the point of certain death, selling off his parents' jewelry to pay for passage to the United States. Now he finds himself running a grocery store in a poor African-American neighborhood in Washington, D.C. His only companions are two fellow African immigrants who share his feelings of frustration with and bitter nostalgia for their home continent. He realizes that his life has turned out completely different and far more isolated from the one he had imagined for himself years ago. Soon Sepha's neighborhood begins to change. Hope comes in the form of new neighbors-Judith and Naomi, a white woman and her biracial daughter-who become his friends and remind him of what having a family is like for the first time in years. But when the neighborhood's newfound calm is disturbed by a series of racial incidents, Sepha may lose everything all over again. Told in a haunting and powerful first-person narration that casts the streets of Washington, D.C., and Addis Ababa through Sepha's eyes, "The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears" is a deeply affecting and unforgettable debut novel about what it means to lose a family and a country-and what it takes to create a new home."

This should be a good one and the reviews are promising. I'm planning to force my book club to do this book next by way of blackmailing - I do the reviews of each book and mainintain the blogsite so I should have a veto power of sorts....

I'm glad that recently books (at least those I read) are discussing how much people lose when they leave their homeland - whatever the reason may be, escaping brutal regimes, death, poverty or a combination of all of these. Such authors are exposing how overrated the comment "you're lucky that you left your country and you're here" is. People forget or they have no clue that immigrants trade whatever they are fleeing from at home with intense loneliness, a clush of values and cultures and the struggle to "fit in" often at a cost. The Kite Runner, A Thousand Splendid Suns and now this book address that misunderstood concept.

Music out of Nigeria

2007-09-03T13:18:00.000-04:00

Pammy at African Loft has a nice introductory interview with Nayo, a singer out of Nigeria. Nayo is already labelled as "soul queen". Watch the video below and you will know why.

Sparrow is her new song that's coming out. Nayo – Sparrow (snippet)

Nayo is performing at the Ethiopian Embassy in London for the millennium celebration. Just a reminder: only 8 days for another chance to party like it's 1999 (and I still have no plans!?)

My favourite writer in Africa

2007-09-02T21:24:00.000-04:00

Khaled Hosseini, the author of The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns was in Chad as a goodwill envoy for UNHCR.

Photo lifted from his website)

Here is a video diary of his trip. I'm very enthusiastic about this because judging from his books, particulary in A Thousand Splendid Suns, he is a special gift for depicting balance amidst doom and gloom. In the video clip he speaks about the resolve of people "particularly women" who became strong advocates of womens plight in Chad and Darfur. This is huge because normally we are bombarded by stories and images of victims as helpless beings desperately awaiting the help of others. I wondered before "Imagine where the world would be if our leaders and aid workers have such balanced view???" I'm wondering again, just imagine.

What would Adam Smith say?

2007-08-25T14:18:00.000-04:00

Hooray for CARE for taking a stand against a dubious US' food policy where NGOs such as CARE are required to sell US produced grains in poor countries to finance their development programs. According to this Time article, EU stopped this practice in the 90's and UN agencies don't allow NGOs to sell food.

It does not require a PhD in Economics or have Adam Smith advising us from the dead about the bad economic implications this policy has on the livelihood of farmers in those poor countries. It only makes perfect sense for American farmers (one of the strong lobby groups in the US) to twist Congress' arm to continue dumping their grain wherever it is profitable. I even understand Congress struggling with this issue because morally it's asked to choose between American and non-American farmers and economically it means losing the campaign "contribution" (aka as, elsewhere in the world, "bribe") it so enjoys from the farm lobby. What I don't understand is why nobody took this up with international agencies such us the World Trade Organization.

Obviously, putting out trade-related fire is WTO's main purpose in life. The US dumping its grains in the markets of poor countries, unfortunately, has not been a "dispute" as far as I understand. However, the fight over banana - EU (favouring African, Carribean, Pacific bananas) and Equador joined by the US "making bananas" over EU's exclusive taste has been keeping the WTO busy. Why wasn't the US food aid policy, which was obviously damaging to local farmers in poor countries organized in such a way that it was brought in front of the WTO?

Hat off for CARE for finally standing up to what's right and rejecting $45 million worth of food aid.

Related links
Agriculture lobby & US farm bill
CARE's story on NPR
Banana fight

Just Foreign Policy - get involved

2007-08-23T17:38:00.000-04:00

If online lobbying is your forte, you may want to check out the Just Foreign Policy website here. The organization is working on a multiple of issues ranging from the death toll in Iraq to human rights issues in Ethiopia.

Related links

Foreign Policy - portal to global politics, economy & ideas.
Foreign Policy in Focus - a think tank without walls.

Father of the village

2007-08-22T04:13:00.000-04:00

This is an inspiring story of a visionary farmer in Ethiopia. By all accounts (including the funky hat he wears), Zumra Nuru is way ahead of his time, religion and society.

He can't read or write, but Zumra Nuru created a society that would have made Karl Marx proud. The 60-year-old Ethiopian farmer founded and cochairs Awra Amba, a commune where men cook, women plow, and religion has no place.His inspiration came from his childhood: He was sent to the fields instead of to school and beaten for eating meat at his Christian neighbor's home.His mother had to work much more than his father." It made me sad," says Mr. Nuru. "When I asked my parents about it ... they acted as if I were foolish."

Read his fascinating story here.

Ethiopian Millennium

2007-07-20T19:29:00.000-04:00

Ethiopian Millennium successfully lobbied the Mayer's Office of African Affairs in DC to commemorate September 12, 2007 as Ethiopian Millennium Day. I wonder what Little Ethiopia in LA is thinking of doing?

The Ethiopian Millennium has been recognized by the African Union and United Nations as an African and worldwide celebration.

Celebrities such as Beyonce Knowles and Michael Jackson (not confirmed) are scheduled to perform in the capital, Addis Ababa. The Sheraton Hotel in Addis is paying Beyonce one million dollars and is covering the cost of her and her band's transportation. It's too bad it didn't occur to Ms. Knowles to say "Nah, don't worry about it. One million dollars is change for me. So how about I cover my own expenses and you send 16 thousand kids, especially those from the neighbouring slum-dwellers to school until they complete high school?" That would have been a nice Millennium present to the city.

Beyonce's official site doesn't have this piece of news. However, just in case the news is correct, it won't hurt to let Ms. Knowles know what one million dollars can do in Addis Ababa.

Trade against poverty

2007-07-20T12:20:00.000-04:00

Finally, "U.S. Trade Representative says trade is an effective anti-poverty weapon". Is it possible that China's huge involvement in Africa "inspired" this passion?

"We will not stop until every sub-Saharan African country and the continent's 700 million citizens are part of and benefiting" from expanded international trade, U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Susan Schwab told the Sixth Annual African Growth and Opportunity (AGOA) Forum in Accra July 18.

As we say in Ethiopia, "Yetim fichiw, bicha duketun amchiw" (grind the grain wherever, just bring back the flour". I don't care if the US is moving in the right direction because indirectly its competing with China, indirectly still fighting a sort of Cold War, indirectly.... Hopefully, the result is positive for Africa. Just interested in the flour to make cake and eat it too.

"The poorer, the more generous"

2007-07-15T20:19:00.000-04:00

Diaspora bickering at its best

2007-07-14T03:54:00.000-04:00

Don't you have somethings in your culture which are supposed to be the norm and you ask yourself is this really normal? Ethiopian style of "discussion" is like that for me. I am noticing more and more that it's not only politics that makes us want to pull each other's hair out. It can be music (who sounds as if somebody is squeezing his balls and who has a good message in the lyrics), comedy (who's funny and who makes you want to weep), why popcorn replaced kolo during coffee ceremony. Everything is a bloody battle field. Besides, is it my imagination or is it worse between a woman and a man doing the "discussion"?

I personally can't stand the "Tsk, anchi atawkim" (you don't know anything - although 'anything' is not uttered, you know it's there. Oh it's so there.) And the dismissive way in which it is said is blood-boiling (that may be directly translated from Amharic, but you get my drift). My husband just asked me to add the "uh, uh, uh, uh?" which according to him means "normally I ignore you, but now you may have said something interesting so start all over again." Thank God I don't go through this on regular basis, but the rare occasions I get involved in these nerve-wrecking Ethiopian verbal-showdowns, I am left wondering why can't we beg to differ without tempers flaring and instant animosity brewing?

Ethiopian farmers using mobile phones was the topic that caused this rant. I was trying to conduct a general conversation about ager bet, homeland, with an Ethiopian man I just met. I kept on telling myself "keep the topics general" because, as I said, I just met this guy. It's too bad, for a nation severely affected by climate, that we don't normally talk about the weather like the Brits do.

It shouldn't be this nerve-wrecking to meet your fellow country people while you live outside your country. It should be a time to enjoy speaking in your own language, reminisce about the good-old days when we afforded house-maids back at home, (oh, I can "discuss" for three hours on this topic) share funny stories about the first experience on escalators, with automatic glass doors, in those electric trains at airports without conductors suspended above the street, the variety of pet food in grocery stores - my favourite being salmon-flavoured wet cat food....

The gentleman with whom I am having an issue here was sitting opposite me on one of those huge American leather sofas, where you literally sink in instead of sit on. To avoid sinking, he was sitting on the edge of the sofa leaning against the arm rest for support. He's wearing a black shirt which is tight around the belly. The reshuffling on the sofa to avoid sinking together with the big belly pushing had unbuttoned two of the middle buttons on his shirt. While he's arguing his point how mobile phones are destroying the economy in Ethiopia, I couldn't help wondering at what point he would realize that his buttons were undone and he would be preoccupied with embarrassment and stop whining about farmers "making life hell for city people". No chance in you know where! I gave up wondering when he first scratched and then rubbed his belly (this was right after a huge Ethiopian meal) and continued to suggest that "the government should ration mobile phones so that farmers don't use them to mess with the price of grain".

I found the whole picture comical - a short stout guy slowly sinking in his gigantic American leather sofa with belly protruding out of his shirt deciding the fate of Ethiopian farmers - from America. That was until he threw the "Tsk, anchi atawkim" at me. Oh no he didn't! I spent three months in remote part of western Ethiopia conducting a research on how farmers view development. I sat in 250 mud huts talking to these farmers and learnt of their concerns about the challenges with agricultural policies, land ownership, access to market, infrastructure (the lack of it) while I was wired up from all the coffee I had to politely drink in each hut. I still have the interview cassettes and my notes if he wants proof. That should count for something. What does he mean I don't know anything?

Regime after regime, drought after drought and Starbucks after Starbucks, Ethiopian farmers always get the shortest end of the stick. Now they are using mobile phones to check prices in towns and are controlling distribution of their own products. Boo hoo for city people and welcome to capitalism (sorry Mom, I have to draw the line somewhere.)

I didn't hear my "learned" fellow Ethiopian complaining about the crop bandits, who obviously jack up grain prices by forcibly claiming their share of tax on the grains.

Lorries arrive from Ethiopia's south and west, which have food surpluses, and leave for the north and east of the country, which is often famished. Illegal traders run a lucrative extortion racket, their bully boys jumping on the lorries as they arrive, threatening the driver and earning themselves $1.50 on every $20 sack of grain. That margin and other market failings add up to 20% to the cost of every sack.

Even in countries where gangsters and extortion are less common, crop markets rarely work well. Information, crucial to efficient trading, is scanty. But, thanks in part to technology, things are improving. Mobile phones help farmers find out about price discrepancies from which they might benefit. In some cases better market information has encouraged farmers to diversify their crops.

I had to subtly ask the man what type of work he does. Trust me, he's far from joining the World Trade Organization and thank God for that. Imagine him as an advisor on trade in Africa.

Fortunately, there are people in Ethiopia who get the job done unlike my "learned" acquaintance and I, who are just engaged in diaspora bickering and feeling important about... wind, really.

Text messaging has already proved a huge hit in established mobile markets like Europe, where teenagers have used the technology to flood the airwaves with abbreviated gossip and chat. But Ethiopia's academics have already set out a much more substantial use for the standard: market and weather reports for the country's often drought-stricken farmers. "Mobile phones are very much cheaper than PCs," said Solomon. "We could get them out to every corner of the country, even to the farmers.

There you have it, my "learned" acquaintance. "Tsk, rasih atawkim" (you don't know yourself) right back at you.

Essay contest

2007-07-14T03:33:00.000-04:00

African Loft is organizing an essay contest on

* My Greatest Life Challenge
- An essay on your greatest life challenge or challenges

* My Best Adventure Story
- Present your best adventure story ever

* I’m Going to Rant!
- Just rant about an issue that bugs the living daylights out of you.

For details and prize info, go to their website. Have fun & good luck!

Unintentionally funny

2007-07-08T04:38:00.000-04:00

This Christian Science Monitor article about the US army and President Bush studying the Battle of Algiers to find answers for Iraq is really full of things that make you shake your head and laugh with disbelief.

Funny #1. Before you even start reading the article, the advertisement on the right jumps at you. It is an ad for grad studies in diplomacy. I know online ads are smartly designed to reflect the subject at hand and all that. But, this one is ironically funny. Think about it. The movie The Battle of Algiers is all about Algiers independence fight with the French from November 1954 - December 1962. The CSmonitor article is about the US army today studying this fifty some year old movie to learn a trick or two from the French on how to control insurgents in Iraq. Then the ad. The ad is about mastering the arts of diplomacy. It's big and bold, and it seems to scream out "Forget that ancient crap. Learn modern day diplomacy, stupid!!!" Brilliantly hilarious.

Funny #2. The headline reads "The US military – and President Bush – is studying the Algerian war for independence." The emphasis is mine, but that bit is funny. Imagine the raised intonation if this were spoken. It seems to say "Whaaat, the President is studying?"

Funny #3. The caption under the picture in the first page reads "1958: Though French troops ultimately withdrew from Algeria, many of their tactics were successful." The contradiction between "ultimately" and "successful" is funny. The French left because they were defeated.

Funny #4. Oh this one is good. "Here in Algeria, some of those who participated in that war find little use in the comparison. But the US military – and the American public – continues to study the 1954-62 Algerian war of independence for lessons on how to fight the insurgency in Iraq." All of it my own emphasis to show the funny-ness of the contradictions. Americans study Algerian's war of independence to be independent of Iraq? Because remember, the French "ultimately withdrew". So, what's the point of studying the old movie?

What is not funny is, apparently, what the film depicts.

The film opens with a scene in which "Paras" (French paratroopers) brutally torture an old Arab man. The information they get from him will lead them to the hide-out of Ali la Pointe, the last remaining leader (so they hope) of the FLN, the movement they are determined to crush. As they close in on the hide-out, the film retraces how the Algerian revolutionary movement began, showing us some of the routine indignities visited on Arabs by French colonials: a bunch of young French punks trip Ali just for the fun of seeing him take a fall. . . . As the Arabs begin to demand an independent Algerian state and terrorist cells begin to leave bombs in places frequented by the French (the race-track, bars, the Air France office) the colonists (many of them called pieds-noirs because they were born in Algeria) become more and more enraged, attacking even small Arab children trying to sell candy on the street.

All of this Pontecorvo's film portrays in unsparing detail. The head '"Para," called Philippe Mathieu but intended to be the actual General Jacques Massu, who commanded the elite 10th Para Division, offers a strong defense of his tactics, including torture: "The FLN wants to throw us out of Algeria. We want to stay. . . . We are soldiers. Our duty is to win." And, finally, "If your answer is 'yes' [that France should remain in Algeria], you must accept the consequences." The viewer is then treated to a montage of the consequences: ordinary people tortured with electric shock, nearly drowned, hung upside-down -- acts so crude and brutal that in the end they undermined the morale of the French military itself. Is this what the Pentagon wants to convey to its men and women in Iraq or to those who will lead them? That the end justifies the means? If so, they should recall that the use of torture in Algeria became one of the things that destroyed the French case for remaining there and it so disgusted the French public they ultimately acquiesced in giving up their colony.

Pontecorvo ends his film with the renewal of the FLN uprising in 1960, after two years of relative calm. "Go home," the French cops yell at crowds of Moslems thronging the streets. "What is it that you want?" And the voices shout back as one: "We want our freedom."

Oh, just take the hint from the Christian Science Monitor's ad section. Take that course in diplomacy and hope for the best.

My new baby

2007-07-07T11:44:00.000-04:00

Check out my new baby. Feedback on what a beauty she is [or not :(] is greatly appreciated.

Portugese-West African music

2007-07-06T10:53:00.000-04:00

Sara Tavares is single handedly changing the scope of this blog. Only once, when I was a baby-blogger, I talked about music. Now I'll start posting on music I like. I'm getting tired of my own whining about how corrupt, arrogant and stupid everybody is anyway.

NPR covered her story in this morning's Morning Edition. Sara Tavares is the 2007 winner of the World Music Awards.

Sara was born in Lisbon, although sadly her parents abandoned her there to pursue their dreams elsewhere, leaving her in the care of a Portuguese woman. Maybe that's why one of the strongest messages in her work is the importance of self esteem, both personally and on behalf of her own community of Africans born outside 'the Motherland'. Whatever it is, her sweet and swinging music radiates a positivity that effortlessly jumps the language barrier.

As my husband put it, "she is a female version of Ismael Lo", who is the "Bob Dylan of Africa". Personally, there is no comparison between the two because Mr. Dylan doesn't just cut it for me - vocally. She's more like a more convincing and authentic version of Sade.

NPR always has good recommendation of songs. Through them, I came to know Ray Lamontagne, Marc Broussard, Ben Harper, The Blind Boys of Alabama and others.

In the NPR interview, Sara talks about some fascinating issues like dealing with her personal issues via her songs, her journey in search of her roots, how she mixes the two cultures (Portugese and W. African) and other deeply philosophical stuff. One thing that made me think is her story about the resilience of oppressed cultures. She was talking about slaves not being allowed to drum, so they kept their tradition alive by keeping rhythm to their music by slapping their laps.

This really made me think about dictatorship. However brutal certain regimes get, there are certain things that they just can't get rid of. They can kill people for speaking up, but they can't kill opinions. They can kill women for loving the "wrong" person, but they can't kill love. They can ban people from travelling, but they will go even if it kills them. They can ban whatever, but people will find a way to get those things. I wonder what the world would be if enlightened artists are rulers??? Sorry, getting carried away with being philosophical.

Sara incorporates all that in her music (not the artists becoming rulers bit - that's just my fantacy). And, you should hear her beat-boxing, African style.

p.s. Please check the Groove section on the left. How cool is that? Now, as my punishment of child neglect, I have to watch Herbie (a talking VW - great!)

African Loft

2007-07-06T10:15:00.000-04:00

Just when I think that I'm getting good at the geeky aspect blogging, I discover a site that makes me go "Wow, how come I didn't know that?". African Loft is one of those sites. The "Care Taker" told me yesterday that "it's only 4 weeks old". It has everything that an exciting site has - serious stuff, round ups, discussion forum, music, videos, no annoying blinking stuff, neat layout. You name it, it's got it. Go check it out and see for yourself.

Well done African Loft crew. You make me proud. Mover over Blog Africa...

Replacing the old "North-South" lens

2007-07-05T05:41:00.001-04:00

The sad thing about development discourse is that it can be boring because hardly any new brain-shattering idea. Here is an idea that I think is excitingly fresh.

The idea is Jon Tinker's, he founder of EarthScan which later became Panos. He argues for replacing the old lens through which western countries see development.

The rich-country development lobby still wears 50-year-old eyeglasses. We still talk about 'the North' and 'the South', concepts rooted in the Third World and non-aligned analyses of the 1950s.

This 'Us-Them' lens promotes alienation. It reinforces the stereotype that 'the South' is a different planet, where people are accustomed to poverty and disease, and incapable of organising themselves. It implies lower standards for misery and human rights in 'the South'.

And this archaic mindset also encourages lazy, self-serving thinking among rich-world NGOs. We preach partnership, but use our 'partners' mainly to raise our own credibility and funding. We still parachute our 'experts' into 'the South', although many, perhaps most, 'Southern' NGOs are now more professional than ourselves.

Can Canadian NGOs honestly do 'capacity-building' in India, or 'training' in Senegal?

Maybe development education needs to focus on commonalities instead of differences - including seeing the marginalised and deprived in all our societies. (my own emphasis)

Panos Canada is experimenting with a program called AIDS in Two Cities
in Vancouver, Canada and Port au Prince, Haiti. What they are finding is how similar the issues around aids are in these two cities.

Perhaps, if new lenses were available, the level of poverty that Hurricane Katrina exposed in the southern states of the US wouldn't have been so shocking after all. Since coming to America, the biggest shocker to me is the level of poverty which is allowed and ignored in this country. I must have been disillusioned about western countries by The Netherlands, where the government (hugely supported by the people) bends backwards, almost breaking the system, to eliminate ghettos and segregation.

I did my share of musings, rantings and ravings and sheer disbelief about similarities between poverty in the US and African countries. But, I'm happy that somebody else has put it eloquently and is actually doing something about it. Therefore, my knew song is going to be "Gone be the old lens". I'm, by the way, nominating Jon Tinker to be the next UN Chief until the position of Global President opens up.

Vanity Fair on Africa

2007-07-03T08:18:00.001-04:00

I hate approaching cash registers at grocery stores for two main reasons: they display everything that my kids are not supposed to have – candies, mini chocolate bars, bubble gums and some red/purple/florescent green drink – at their eye level. They also display tabloid junk at my eye level. I often have a pretty hard time trying to convince an imaginary observer that I am above tabloid (I am and I live by a self-imposed no-crappy magazines ban) although at times I get caught trying to read at least the title from the corner of my eyes and don't even hear the cashier mumbling "Plastic or paper?"

When I saw Vanity Fair's cover with Bono and Queen Rania with a big "Africa" on it, I bought the magazine without feeling guilty. The cover of the magazine is "one of 20 historic covers…" Bono is the "special issue guest-editor" on the part that talks about Africa. Apparently, there are only three African faces on the 20 covers. I think that was clever because how many Vanity Fair loyalist would recognize African activists? It's a celebrity-crazed world, so use celebrities liberally. That's what I would say.

My issue is with the inability to listen by the likes of Bono. I'm pretty sure that inability stems from some sort of arrogance. I admire what Bono does for Africa, don't get me wrong. He didn't have to do it (although the publicity that comes with love for Africa is not hurting either.) But his recent pissy comments are alarming to me. "Try telling Chancellor Merkel that the Marshal plan was a load of crap." The Marshal Plan was great for Germany, it pulled the country out of the pits and rebuilding was a piece of cake for Germany because it was already a developed country. Rebuilding is surely much easier than building from scratch (in this case.) Need I say more?

For decades now, a Marshal-Plan-look-alike called development aid has been fiddled with in Africa and there is very little to show for it. The few victories cannot be ignored, but while we're bracing ourselves for the next big development-bang, there are several opportunities that pass Africa by. Like participating in the global economy through open and fair trade. Thus, my argument is, the Marshal Plan is more than crap in the African contest.

Back to arrogance and not listening. Coming from humble starts (a concert for Africa), Bono is now Z authority on African development and getting-a-shut-up-and just-listen-to-me attitude about it. He's beginning to sound like a dictator now. I hope he's not going to start fabricating evidence like Bush to win his argument - by whatever means necessary.

I have a suggestion. Bono should do an honorary degree in development studies. I'll personally lobby the schools to sponsor his studies and arrange long-distance lessons. Trust me, his development-empire will come tumbling down, and he will learn to listen. I'll even start him off with the process of looking for a school. Here goes.

This has shuttered my development-world (even after working in development in Ethiopia for 7 years and I thought I knew everything there was to know). Cool interior which goes well with Bono's cool shades. Highly recommend it!!!!

Harvard Center for Population & Development Studies

Institute of Development Studies

UCLA International Development Studies

Watson's Development Studies

Irony of the 21 century?

2007-07-01T01:21:00.000-04:00

There was an e-mail that was circulating about "You know you're living in the 21st century when..." Where are those annoying forwarded to death which you promptly delete when you need them? It would have been a nice opening for this post because it was talking about things like calling your home from your cell for somebody to open the garage door for you....

I had a similar experience last Sunday. Drove for an hour and a half to have lunch in a town in west coast of America, watched live Ethiopian television about Ory's presentation on the recent TED Conference. The story was more about Ory's Msalendo: Eye on Kenyan Parlament project. ETV reporting on a Kenyan blogger who's critical of her government while Ethiopian bloggers are blocked in Ethiopia? I don't get it!

Mind your language

2007-07-01T01:10:00.000-04:00

This is a real sign, posted in a real hotel, in a real town called Assosa, Ethiopia.

The Amharic version

Hmmm...

2007-07-01T01:08:00.000-04:00

I spoke too soon?

2007-06-08T15:02:00.000-04:00

I bragged about Africa having certain things together etc. when I heard about the documentary called The Boys of Baraka. It's a documentary about 20 inner city boys from Baltimore, Maryland who go all the way to Baraka Boarding School in Kenya to learn a thing or two about responsibility, self-respect, achievement etc over two years.

I watched the documentary a few minutes ago and I was left with a big "Huh?" The boys crossed the Atlantic to learn from white Americans about some life-changing virtues in a remote part of Kenya. It really didn't make sense to me to take them all the way to Africa and show them the ways to be socially responsible. Most of them changed their lives around and took education seriously and all after the Kenya trip. One finished high school with flying colours and joined a college. Still, I wonder what being in Africa contributed to their change. In the entire film, you don't see the kids interacting with Kenyans.

I totally agree with the whole idea of removing inner state kids from their violent neighbourhoods and disfunctional families to give a break in life to do kids stuff and focus on their education.

African-American boys have a very high chance of being incarcerated or killed before they reach adulthood. In Baltimore, one of the country's most poverty-stricken cities for inner-city residents, the Baraka School project was founded to break the cycle of violence through an innovative education program that literally removed young boys from low-performing public schools and unstable home environments.

Fair enough, but how about sending the kids to some remote village in Wyoming?

The movie starts with some kids playing gangster, victim & cop - a sad reflection of their reality in the hood. The next shot is in a school where kids are behaving wild while a teacher is trying to get their attention. Then comes Ms. Jackson, the recruiter for Barak School, talking about the program. Her style of grabbing the kids' attention and selling the school in Kenya was dubious. Her examples were "As young men in Baltimore, most of you have three choices before you turn 18- an orange jumpsuit with a nice bracelet around your arms (jail) or a nice black suit and a brown box (death) or a black gown, a nice cap and a diploma in your hand." Half way through her orientation talk, she asked how many of the kids have been suspended and a bunch of hands shot up in the air. Her response, "none of you are going to graduate from high school. That's why we have a program like the Baraka School...."

Nice, real nice! Ask any social worker involved with disadvantaged inner city kids and they'll tell you that lack of positive self-image (from all the negative crap around them) and role models are the main challenge. Then you have the likes of Ms. Jackson who starts unloading on the kids like that as if they are not aware of what life has in store for them. Richard for example, who's only 13, describes his neighbourhood as "[It] is all about drugs." He sees Baraka as a way out because all he wants to do is "get out of [his neighbourhood]".

You realize how desperate the situation in America's inner cities is when you hear people's opinions about the trip to Kenya. Richard's mother felt fortunate to have two of her sons accepted at Baraka School. When she was asked what if one of her boys was not accepted, her reply was "Don't make one a king and the other a killer!" Devon, 12, had a nice farewell at a community celebration. The man who was speaking about Devon was overly enthusiastic for "one of our own to go to Africa to learn". This is the USA. Kids shouldn't go to Africa to learn. Where did the system go wrong?

Montrey, 12, is hard-core inner city toughie. If somebody says something x-rated about his mama, he gonna say something nasty about his mother that "Jehova witness wouldn't believe that". He's been suspended 8 times in the same year, but he is going to be a "scientist, chemical scientist, chemologist." He's going to get his "masters, bachelors, I think you call it GhD or PhD, TLC and all that". At least, he is on the right track.

Once in Africa...
The main message of the Head Master was "deal with your problems appropriately. Do not resort to violence". Electricity is only a certain hours a day, no telie and vigorous physical exercise at the crack of dawn. The difference between the people who speak to the kids in Baltimore and at the Baraka school is that the people at the Baraka school try to instill in the kids that the sky is the limit for them. They constantly tell the kids that there is no reason why they shouldn't shouldn't be enrolled in ANY college in Baltimore. Now, that's a positive way of talking to kids.

After the Baraka school experience, the transformation within each child was obvious and impressive. But I still ask did being stuck in the bush with little electricity and no telie contributed to the postive change? Or is it because of the respect and gentle guidance they get from the staff of Baraka School? Perhaps the kids from Baltimore did interact with Kenyan kids, but you don't see that in the film.

Although their interaction with Kenyans was missing from the film, they obviously took a lesson or two from the locals. Devon was happy to be amongst people who look like him - black and poor. Montrey noticed how people don't talk loud "and they look unified." He also noticed how people make do with very little. What is fascinating is how all of them were bored out of their minds when they went home for the summer.

The kids benefited a lot from the program. You can tell from the emotions that poured out when the parents were informed that the program was suspended due to security issues. Most of the parents argued that the streets of Baltimore were more dangerous than the Baraka School. The kids were also depressed about going back to Baltimore.

My question remains, couldn't the same program be made available for the kids in Baltimore? In the US, one of the richest countries in the world, expense for education of children should not even be an excuse. Obviously, it's cheaper to build a boarding school in Kenya than in the US. But these are American children and America should help them get good education and a safe environment to grow up in.

What's a web-site?

2007-05-22T06:56:00.001-04:00

Picture this! Three men appear before a judge accused of inciting terrorism using the Internet. Words like "website", "web forum", "networking", "internet" are flying around in the court. The judge looks abscent minded. He is. He's struggling with these technical terms. He can't bare it any longer. He interrupts the prosecuter and blurts out...

The trouble is I don't understand the language. I don't really understand what a Web site is.

Very amusing!

Prosecutor stops prosecuting to give the judge a crash course on Basic Internet 101. At the end, the judge admits (I can just picture his irritated look) "I haven't quite grasp the concept". To make things more complicated, a computer expert was called upon as a witness. The judge told the prosecutor "Will you ask him to keep it simple, we've got to start from basics." I like the "we" part here. Who else doesn't know what a web site is? Imagine the drama and bickering if a female judge said this? I wonder why another judge who's less technologically-challenged was not assigned to this case.

What a way to go!

2007-05-09T22:10:00.000-04:00

Can death get cuter than this?

Junk-hunting in an SUV

2007-05-07T06:26:00.000-04:00

This has been brewing inside me since Saturday. Last Saturday was one of those annoying Saturdays because it was community garage sale day in my neighbourhood. Seven years ago, when I was new to the US, it was fascinating. But now garage sales are just darn annoying. For those who don't know what a garage/yard sale is, it's when you sale what you consider as junk by the drive way/at the front yard of your house. Anything goes - old & dirty sneakers with missing laces, puzzles with missing pieces in a beat up box, what was once a cute summer dress with obvious stains under the arms (eew), a painting of a landscape in pastel colours mounted on molding frame... You get the picture?

Garage sales are annoying on several grounds. On a personal level, I can't open the garage door for any reason because that's the generally accepted code that I'm participating in the sale. You blink and there are 5 people going through your stuff in your garage. People give you attitudes if you leave your garage open and send them away with "I'm not selling." We get a notice from the Home Owner's Association to close our garage doors if we don't want to participate. It's Saturday, there are a thousand and one reasons why I should open my garage door and it's a free country, darn it!

More annoying is that the kids get the urge to either ride their bikes or roller-blade when it's garage-sale day. Never fails. It's even life threatening for sober grown ups to walk on the side-walks let alone for uncoordinated children on wheels. Buyers are temporarily crazed by the idea of beating others to the next junk-selling spot that they temporarily forget the rules of driving in residential areas. But it is "unfair" to deny kids the occasional exercise especially when they volunteer to switch off the telie on Saturday morning.

The cars. I can never get over the cars that people decide to drive to garage sales. They are big, shiny and obviously expensive. I often ask myself, "Why do I want to buy somebody else's trash if I can afford a Lincon Navigator with leather interior and drop-down DVD player...?" Imagine driving a huge truck from your house to somebody else's house to buy their trash. You stop at every house in the neighbourhood preferably with your significant other or girlfriend keeping the engine running while you sift through junk.... Isn't it a disturbing picture?

Garage sale vs. "foodometer"

Last Friday, while listening to the public radio about "food mile" consciousness in the UK, I was admiring the genius who came up with the whole idea of "carbon footprints". Food mile is "the distance food travels from where it is grown to where it is ultimately purchased or consumed by the end user." The more distance food travels, the more CO2 in the environment, which is a sure way of contributing to further environmental deterioration. Brits, and also other Europeans-I learnt at a wedding from a German woman- are consciously picking food items that have traveled less. And, here we are in the US obliviously rummaging through junk chasing 50 cents bargains through neighbourhoods. I can't reconcile the two!

Well, junk-rummaging is portrayed as cutsie when a US legislator promotes herself, amongst other things, as a "...yard-sale rummager." I don't have anything against people making an honest earning from sells of their junk. It can even be argued that garage sale is a form of recycling therefore good for the environment... What I have an issue with is the gigantic cars used for it, the little summery skorts (short+skirt)the hands with impeccably manicured nails and dazzling bling bling.... Obviously, I haven't nailed the idea of "image" in the US (you won't be seen dead in a van looking like a "soccer mom", but you look like a million dollar and sift through somebody else's junk?) To make things worse, buyers sell their newly acquired junk during their own garage sale event (making a profit of 50 cents - $1, yeepee!) It's is just ridiculous. Besides, these cars park half on my grass. So I have earned the right to be mad.

I think therefore I blog (or the other way around)

2007-05-07T05:49:00.000-04:00

A big thank you for Yemi at Don't Eat My Buchela for honoring this site with the Thinking Blogger Award. Here are my five blogs that make me go hmmmm...

1. Bernos
2. Black Looks
3. Carpe Deim Ethiopia
4. Feministe
5. Kameelah Writes

Rules of the game

1. If you get tagged, write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think.

2. Link to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of this award.

3. Optional: Proudly display the "Thinking Blogger Award"

Starbucks vs. Ethiopia

2007-05-03T21:21:00.000-04:00

The issue: Starbucks refused to give Ethiopia the intellictual property names - Harar, Sidamo and Yirgachefe (all names of places in Ethiopia)

The real issue: if Ethiopia has control over the trade mark, it can control distribution of the coffee in question. Control over distribution = greater economic benefit. So it really boils down to money.

The cool aspect: Technology is allowing us to be right in the middle of the debate. We can even see the Ethiopian government's attorney explaining certain issues and terminologies. Viva technology, even lawyers have disembarked their high horses, which is hugely out of character in most cases.

This is an indication of the importance of people's voices. If that didn't matter, a senior attorney and a senior VP of a company wouldn't have bothered to post their arguments on Youtube. OXFAM also used Youtube to galvanize some 90,000 people to push Starbucks in becoming socially responsible. That takes me to my other point...

If you've been boycotting Starbucks coffee since this whole fiasco started and you're about ready to kill for some Ethiopian coffee, hang in there. I found Ethiopian coffee distributed by Liquid Planet in a whole food type of store. Their motto, at least on the packet, is "farmers first". Well, I am going to use their coffee until the Starbucks-Ethiopia issue is resolved. I must admit that it has been tough to deal with the Starbucks withdrawal. I'm exctatic that I found an alternative.

Current status of the matter: Vague from both Starbucks' and Ethiopian sides. Starbucks says "Ethiopia is recognized as the historic birthplace of coffee and the source of some of the finest coffee in the world. We’re extremely excited to continue to deepen our relationship with the Government of Ethiopia," Vague! And tell us something we don't know. Ethiopia on the other hand says it is "committed to work in partnership with all international specialty coffee companies and distributors of its fine coffees." Vague! I have a question... What?

If this goes in Ethiopias favour, it means $100,000 a year. I hope the poor Ethiopian coffee farmers get what they deserve!!!

We are the world II coming to Africa and the USA

2007-04-25T22:24:00.000-04:00

Back in 1985, Quincy Jones conducted and produced We are the World to raise funds for Ethiopian famine victims. Tonight's American Idol fund raiser for the poor in Africa and the US can easily be part two of that song.

I'm glad that American Idol has focused on both Africa and the US. I'm also glad that the program didn't gloss over poverty in the US and just pretended that it is the problem of Katrina victims.

I still get fascinated by how people here in the US are so conditioned to seeing poverty in Africa on telie, and how the fact that the fund raiser is also for poor kids in the US completely escape them. I wonder how people (in the US) would perceive the dignified images that the program portraid - despite tears, sick people dying on their bed and crowded health centers, there were also images of kids in neat uniforms singing and smiling, a woman with HIV infection laughing...

During the day, my neighbour, inspired by the clips she saw of tonight's program, was encouraging me to adopt a child from Africa because she was "sick to her stomach of seeing the poor African kids on television". I asked her what she thought of poor kids in the US, and I don't even remember what she answered me. In any case, I suggested that she should also adopt a child from down town (considering that she is terrified of flying and it will be only a half hour drive to zip down to the most impoverished part of our city.)

Even my dentist was lecturing me about poverty in Africa. It was difficult to lecture her back about poverty in the US - which I believe is totally unexplainable - because she had stretched my mouth in all directions and stuck those nasty poking/sucking/splashing/air puffing tools in my mouth. I still managed to sneak in the info about 1 in 3 kids in the US go hungry in between the poking and the splashing. Look at the variety of food that even pets have in grocery stores, and 1 in 3 kids go hungry??? In comparison to poor African kids, poor American kids have a lot more. But compare them to kids in other affluent countries, and the picture becomes grimmer.

I truly wonder if this is an ego problem or Americans are conditioned to associate poor kids on television with only Africans. I wonder how many people realize that Katrina merely exposed the fine line between mere survival and extereme poverty in the US. It's getting frustrating to be asked "how come Africa is still poor after 'We are the word'?" Well, in a similar twisted way that more and more people in the US are getting poorer.

Idol Gives Back

This season, I was getting very frustrated with American idol because it's the fifth season, the excitment (even for my kids) is wearing off and there was Sanjaya or whoever was behind him spoiling it. The "Idol gives back" idea - especially the Elvis Presely-Celine Dion duet (which was so cleaverly done that it was almost spooky) was a nice & meaningful change.

Waiting for the world to change for the better is proving to be slightly silly. So, if several lives can be saved with a mosquito nets for less than $10, go for it. If you can send 80 kids to school with the school-in-a-box for $183, just do it. I don't think it really matters who's poor where. Quincy Jones' 1985 advise (to the participating artists of We are the world) still holds true to all of us - "check your egos at the door".

God's eye-view over Darfur's genocide

2007-04-19T22:08:00.000-04:00

Google Earth and the US Holocaust Memorial Museum shading new (geeky) light on the crisis in Darfur. You can see 1,600 burnt villages in 3D satellite images. Take a look here. You can down load Google earth, see what you can do to stop the genocide in Darfur and learn more about the situation here.

Cursors of societal malfunctions

2007-04-18T11:24:00.000-04:00

My condolences to the families of the victims of the Virginia Tech shooting, to the students who lost friends and their sense of safety at what was supposed to be home away from home, to the staff who are going to be burdened by helplessness and possibly the guilt of not protecting their students. It's a bloody mess - literally and figuratively.

Inevitably, such tragedies bring bigger social issues to the spotlight. In the same way that Imus' racial and sexist comment opened the door for criticism of Hip Hop's (some, as the industry people would like us to differentiate) female-demeaning culture, the Virginia Tech massacre is opening up doors for various issues. From what I have read so far, heated online debates about violence against women, gun control, immigration and racial profiling are going on.

Jill at Feministe RIGHTFULLY connected some dots about female students being easier targets in past school shootings, pointed at the "theme of misogyny" and caused a mixture of reactions.

To me, whether Cho's crazy actions were triggered by one or several girls is besides the issue here. What's interesting is to see where people stand with regards to issues surrounding violence against women (VAW). The 262 comments on Feministe's post alone are worth reading because they reveal extreme view points on VAW. I belong to the camp which brings VAW discussion at every opportunity. My reasoning is that while 1:3 women is abused in her life time in one form or the other, discussing and arguing about VAW as often as possible is necessary. Several decades after the feminism movement we are still debating whether a woman who has been a victim of violence carries any responsibility for the crime committed against her. Insensitive, ignorant and loaded language such as(via Feministe)"This is the face of the teenage student who may have sparked the biggest gun massacre in US history", calls for commenting/correcting/bashing. It is dangerously misleading and falls in the category of "she got raped because she was asking for it" type of stupidity.

Jefferson of Neither Blue nor Red is discussing gun control in his post What’s wrong with the NRA and suggests some points that Congress should consider. I don't necessarily agree with Jefferson's suggestion that non-US citizens should not be allowed to own a gun. Considering the fact that previous school shootings were committed by American citizens, this argument won't achieve much. Guns should not be easily available for purchase like hot donuts. Period.

It is unfortunate that we still need Bowling-for-Columbine for some sort of progress towards gun control in America. While writing this post, my daughter interrupted me with that hurried excitement that only a young child has and said to me "Mommy isn't it awesome that in America people can change the law if they don’t like it?" Well, today is not a good day to answer that question. I didn’t want to kill her excitement with "Well, 67% of Americans want tighter gun control, but because NRA has politicians in its pocket, it doesn’t matter what the majority wants." I just gave her an unconvincing "Yeah". It is my sincere hope that something positive will come out of this madness and terrible tragedy. I also hope that the debate that re-started is not going to wear off and we resort to sending our kids to school in stab-proof hoodies and bullet-proof vests.

Further reading
Inside Cho's troubled mind
Earlier signs of trouble
Church leaders for tighter gun control

Corruption within the World Bank: Build a glass house & throw brinks in it. Why won’t you?

2007-04-11T18:36:00.000-04:00

This is good. A mixture of Clinton-Lewinsky and Cheney-Halliburt-Iraq good. World Bank's chief, Paul Wolfowitz' girlfriend (OK, everybody is referring to her as a "female friend" and I don't know the difference – so I use the terms interchangeably) got transferred from World Bank (to avoid conflict of interest – a "female friend" working under her "male friend" type of conflict that the bank doesn't allow) to State Departmnet when Wolfowitz became the boss of the Bank in 2005. So far so good. However, she got huge promotion with a huge raise and remains on WB's payroll. Now that's pure corruption! She earns more than Condi Rice apparently. Experts say that it was a big jump in raise and the position she holds was not opened for others… Corruption 101.

As if the allegations are not serious and damaging, as if he is not in trouble with board members, as if it is highly hypocritical of the bank to lecture poor nations about good governanc..., what Paul Wolfowitz worries about right now is who possibly leaked this to Fox News? Who cares? The question is what's is going to be done about it?

The irony of it all
Exactly a year ago, Mr. Wolfowitz had this to say about corruption…

Corruption not only undermines the ability of governments to function properly, it also stifles the growth of the private sector. We hear it from investors, domestic and foreign, investors who worry that where corruption is rampant, contracts are unenforceable, competition is skewed, and the costs of doing business becomes stifling. When investors see that, they take their money somewhere else.
– Paul Wolfowitz, World Bank President, Jakarta, Indonesia, April 11, 2006

Unfortunately, that has come back to bite him. Investors (some 185 nations) are furious and things are not looking good for the Bank and Mr. Wolfowitz himself.

The implications
Although I know that corruption in Africa is real bad affecting entire nations’ economic development, it always feels bad when others (such as Mr. Wolfowitz) have this hollier-than-thou approach when they lecture poor nations about cleaning house while there are skeletons in their own closets.

If the Bank remained just a financial institution and didn't become a self-appointed governance and policy maker on behalf of poor and corrupt nations, then all this might not have had teeth to bite. But, the Bank was actively twisting the arms of nations to change their policies if they want approval to borrow money. The bank tweaked and "…rewritten India's trade policy, fiscal policies, labor laws, health care regulations, environmental regulations, procurement rules and foreign exchange laws."

Insult to injury
As if that's not enough headache for the bank, there is a campaign (50 yeas is enough)to be launched on Friday the 13th of April (can't be good news for the bank), led by the likes of Danny Glover and prominent American and European NGOs, to bring the Bank to trial for its lousy economic and environmental policies that devastated lives in poor nations. Now they can add sleazy corruption to the list of sins. What perfect timing for the campaign to shake the Bank more while it's already shaky with this Wolfowitz-Shaha Riza scandal!

Lesson for all
For everybody's sake, I hope that the Government Accountability Project, angry board members, and even corrupt nations themselves will push enough for some serious measures to be taken against this crime. It is going to be a green light for all those corrupt governments (who steal from the poor, the sick, the most vulnerable, the illiterate...) if Mr. Wolfowitz comes out of this with a mere slap on the hand. How's the Bank ever going to preach about corruption in Africa if it doesn't clean its own mess seriously?

Interesting links

Leaked document on WB’s staff association’s response
Wolfowitz’ response

Rally for Darfur

2007-04-04T11:07:00.000-04:00

Date: April 5, 2007

Location: Lawyer’s Mall, Annapolis, MD

Event time: 9:30am

Description: This Darfur rally will feature Senator Benjamin L. Cardin and Maryland Senator Verna Jones, Chair of the Maryland Legislative Black Caucus.Senator Cardin has called for galvanizing U.S. support for additional funding for the African Union/UN Peacekeeping forces in Darfur and serves on the Senate Subcommittee on Africa that will be reviewing sanctions against the government of Sudan. Maryland State Senator Verna Jones, Chair of the Maryland Legislative Black Caucus, has worked for passage of a measure in the Maryland General Assembly that would restrict the investment of state funds in companies or entities that do business with the Sudanese government.

Contact: Mark Clack @ Mark_Clack@cardin.senate.gov

More on Darfur
Campaign to stop genocide in Darfur
Latest news about Darfur

How far does citizen journalism go?

2007-04-04T09:36:00.000-04:00

Welcome, dear listeners, to the newest program of the series, Interactive Radio for Justice.... In this program, we receive questions about justice from the population.

This is the beginning of a radio program in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The full story here.

(photo: Personal Democracy Forum)

It is encouraging to see that good old radio is being interactively used to give people voice in rural Africa. Congolese victims of war are at last having their say.

With all the current "citizen journalism" hype, good work, half baked work, lousy work… over the internet, I wonder what "citizen journalism" using the internet means to those who don't have access to basic necessities let alone something fancy like the internet. This is of course considering the fact that those people are the majority and "citizen journalism" still refers to the global minority. It is a start, wonderful changes are happening because of citizen journalism, big companies are shaking in their boots... Still, it excludes the majority of global citizens.

According to FAO "rural and community radio in Africa currently reach a far wider audience than the Internet or television." Well, that doesn't require rocket science to figure out.

Listen to the challenges of rural radio broadcasting and how those challenges are met with basic technology to inform people about food security, livestock, water and other issues.

It will be truly remarkable if some geek somewhere figures out a way to use podcasting and blogging the other way round. Upload rural voices from radios on the internet. Now that will be true citizen journalism.

Relevant links

Grassroots, local language climate reporting
Community journalism in Africa
Community journalism and development

Resume of a slave

2007-03-28T18:51:00.000-04:00

This is fascinating stuff.

If international aid is your thing…

2007-03-23T15:36:00.000-04:00

Poverty.com has a web page from where you can print a letter to the president/prime minister of the western country of your choice to urge them meet the goal of donating 0.7% of their national income to poor countries.

Hats off to Norway, Sweden, Luxembourg, Netherlands and Denmark for already reaching their goal!

One for the road

2007-03-21T14:02:00.000-04:00

Take a book to Ethiopia every time you go there. A simply brilliant idea. This is one of those ideas that make you say, "Darn! How come nobody thought of it before?"

We, Ethiopians, take a lot of stuff from and to Ethiopia when we travel in and out of the country. Dina at CoffeeChilliSun has a witty post about it for those who don't know the complex phenomena of shipping for free Ethiopian-style.

Imagine if each of us take a book for charity! Well, now it is possible and there is no excuse. Here (in Amharic) is the detail.

The main idea...

Every year hundred of thousands of Ethiopians arrive at Bole Airport. If every person brings in a book, hundred of thousands books will be available in the country. Take a book for donation when you go to Ethiopia. If you are not travelling to Ethiopia in the near future, ask somebody you know to take your donated book. If possible, donate high school or collage books. If not, send novels. Starting on March 1, 2007 there will be a container at Bole Airport. After you drop the book in the container, then go greet your relatives (it really says that!) You can even donate the book to your old school. We just urge you to take a book for a student in Ethiopia.

Help Ethiopia read!

Related links

Ethiopia Reads
Lighthouse Mission
Book Aid International

A web conference on preventing violence against women

2007-03-17T10:20:00.000-04:00

Date: Thursday, March 29, 2007 2:00-3:30 pm EST (11:00 am – 12:30 pm PST)

Presenters: Larry Cohen, Rachel Davis, Greta Tubbesing Prevention Institute.

Host: David Lee, Prevention Connection

Details & background
Following recent school shootings in which girls were specifically targeted, the primary response was to call for school safety generally without attention to the gender of the victims or the implications. In the wake of announcements for OJ Simpson’s book on how he would have committed murder, there was an outcry and plans were scrapped. But did we miss an opportunity to bring attention to the need for prevention? Working from two background readings in reaction to these events, this web conference will examine how we can be better prepared to advance a prevention frame through the media in light of public events in violence against women and girls. We will share input and recommendations from the recent Prevention Connection web dialogue on this issue ("Where's the Prevention Frame?" held on January 23, 2007) and explore further what an effective prevention frame might look like and how we can advance it.

Space will be limited to the first 450 registrants

Registration: at www.PreventConnect.org

Cost: Free

For more information:
Visit www.PreventConnect.org

Contact:
David S. Lee, MPH, Prevention Connection Manager
david@calcasa.org
888-922-5227 x309; 916-446-8802 (TTY)

What is a Web Conference?
A web conference is an opportunity to attend an on-line workshop by calling on your phone and watching a presentation from your computer screen using only your regular internet connection. Web conferences feature opportunity to participate on-line answering polls and sending messages. If for some reason you are unable to join on your computer, you can print out slides of presentations and listen along on the phone. Contact Prevention Connection for more information about how to use this technology. At this time, the web conference services works only with WIndows based machines. Contact us at info@preventconnect.org for information on how MacIntosh users can participate.

What is a Web Dialogue?
A Web Dialogue is a small interactive on-line workshop to explore principles of prevention. Each Web Dialogue is limited in size and to participants whom had attended a previous Prevention Connection session.

Prevention Connection is a national project of the California Coalition Against Sexual Assault and is sponsored by U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The views and information provided in the listserv and web conferences do not necessarily represent the official views of the U.S. government, CDC, or CALCASA.

Real Time Captioning Available. Indicate in your registration if you be using real time captioning or any other assistive technology to access this web conference.

In my daughter's eyes

2007-03-09T11:46:00.000-05:00

Every year at International Women's Day, I feel a sting of guilt if I don't say something about the plight of women... being a woman and all. This year I convinced myself that other people are doing something concrete therefore I didn't have to give it lip (blog) service. That's until my 9 year old daughter asked me to edit her article on Famous Women.

The article is about Mary Anning, a British fossil collector and paleontologist. My daughter picked her because, like Mary, my daughter "is going to be a paleontologists" and because she liked Mary's "guts to stand up for what she believed in." I was really touched. So, here is a dedication for my daughters wishing them all the strength in the world to stand up against the .... that society may throw at them for being girls.

Here is the article in all it's glory...

Have you ever thought of becoming a fossil hunter? Mary Anning did. She was born in 1799. She looked for fossils in Lyme Regis, England near a cliff. Mary's father taught her how to find and take out fossils. Mary Anning was known to be strange because in the 1800's most people thought girls shouldn't learn about fossils. They didn't think girls should learn about science at all.

When Mary was eleven, her father was hurt. He fell down a cliff on the way to a near by town. He was already sick at that time. In October, he died. It was the biggest obstacle in the Annings life.

After he died, the Annings needed money badly. They haven't found any large fossils for almost a year. In 1811, Joseph, Mary's brother, found a skull. It had a long snout like a crocodile and sharp teeth.

About a year later, Mary found the rest of the fossil. She sold it to a group of men. It was a complete fossil that lived in the sea! The men donated it to a museum. In those days, the museum didn't give credit to the people that found the fossil. They gave credit to the people who gave it to the museum. The men were on the museums record, the Annings were not.

When Mary was twenty four years old, she found another fossil that lived in the sea. It had a long snout with sharp teeth. Instead of legs, it had four flat paddles. It was called a plesiosaur.

Soon, many people wanted to meet Mary Anning. She enjoyed teaching people about the fossils she loved. Scientists sent Mary Anning books about fossils. She compared what she read with the fossils she found.

Mary Anning was never afraid to speak her mind. If a scientist put a dinosaur bone in the wrong place, she will speak up. She was never afraid to disagree if she knew she was right.

Every day, Mary went out looking for fossils. In 1828, she found a belemnite. They lived in the sea. Like a squid, they could squirt clouds of ink. Later that year, she found another important fossil. It was called a pterosaur. Pterosaur was a reptile with wings. Mary found the first pterosaur in England. When people saw the dinosaur bone, they were amazed. Had it really been alive?

One day on 1829, Mary was collecting fossils when a tide was coming in fast. She was so busy that she didn't notice it. Mary and her helper had to run to safety. They made it just in time. The danger was worth it. Mary had found another plesiosaur. It was even better than the first.

On December of 1829, Mary found a strange fossil. It had teeth that were hooked. The body had flaps, like wings. The flaps reminded Mary of a sting ray. Scientists agreed with her. Others thought it was a reptile or a bird. A couple years later, they found out that it really was a fish. It was a chimaera.

Mary died in 1847 from breast cancer. Mary Anning didn’t get much credit for the work she did. It is important to learn about her because her fossils helped people learn about life in the sea over two hundred years ago. She is also a good role model for girls and women today. She taught us that we have to speak up for our rights and what we believe in.

Is that the best conclusion or what? I'm proud. I'm darn proud!!!!

Trip of a life time

2007-03-07T13:25:00.000-05:00

Really, how many people get a chance to celebrate a millennium twice? And better still make a road trip from Europe/USA to Ethiopia to celebrate a second millennium and bring a message of hope, peace…?

Amen Ethiopia has organized a road trip for Ethiopians and those born abroad from Ethiopian parents. The main purpose of the trip is "to promote solidarity and unity amongst Ethiopians." The journey starts from the Peace Palace in The Hague and ends up in Addis Ababa via these exciting places. There is a lot of information on Amen Ethiopia's website. Good luck and happy Ethiopian Millennium!

Weapon of mass destruction: keep out of the reach of children

2007-02-08T12:25:00.000-05:00

This Reuters' article talks about France leading a "global push to protect child soldiers". Apparently, this is the first time that "states are solemnly committing themselves to applying and respecting the principles of the struggle against the recruitment and use of children in armed conflict," according to the French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy.

Fair enough! But what's the point of foaming at the mouth without addressing the issue of arms trade mainly originating from countries such as France?

Small arms, particularly the ubiquitous AK47, are the real weapons of mass destruction in the 21st century. They are responsible for more deaths than any other, especially in Africa. AK-47s are too cheap and too available in places like the Horn of Africa (Sudan, Somalia, Eritrea and Ethiopia), the pastoralist areas of East Africa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the oil-rich Delta Region of Nigeria. Something must be done to control the supply of small arms whose lucrative source is primarily the five permanent members of the Security Council, the networks of arms brokers who get them to the trouble spots of Africa, and the poverty and unemployment that provide willing hands to use them.(Source)

If this is the case, then what is France doing about "pushing" the EU to put in place tighter regulations on arms brokers, the “middle (boogie) man", to stop the lethal trade that’s maiming African’s? Wouldn’t it make (humanitarian) sense for the EU to regulate arms trade with the same fervor as it does, say, bananas?

Cases of dodgy arms trades are galore. Just here, one can find a list of suppliers to African countries. And here you read the implications of corruption cover up by leaders like Tony Blair on Africa. The easily and cheaply available small arms in the hands of warlords and unruly governments are the culprits for the mess in Africa. Add a deadly lack of international arms regulations to the mess, and you have a hopeless case at hand.

The United Nations and the nation-states into which the world is currently organized, he warns, are systemically incapable of stopping the warlord rule and growing chaos in Africa -- a political state of affairs not seen since the 17th century. Regulating arms brokers -- or "middlemen" -- is key to stemming these wars, Peleman says, and will be one of the main challenges in controlling the global movement of small arms for the foreseeable future. (Source)

So, here is a homework for France if it really wants to help African children from raising arms instead of going to school and being kids. Control the arms from your side and you can easily slash the number of child soldiers in Africa. Meanwhile, Amnesty International, OXFAM et al should keep the pressure on African leaders.

If France cannot pull this off or does not have the political will, then they might as well stick a warning on each AK47, like a bottle of medicine, reading KEEP OUT OF THE REACH OF CHILDREN and hope for the best. I'm sure somebody somewhere is going to fight this small sacrifice. Just look at what anti-gun lobbyist in the US are up against to only have something as sensible as putting child-locks on guns.

Related links

Arms Fairs
Campaign Against Arms Trade
Oxfam’s briefing paper
Amnesty International challenging African nations to be serious about arms trade treaty
International Action Network on Small Arms
UN Institute for Disarmament Research. This sounds like one of those teethless UN institutions with a fancy name.

The first worldwide Ethiopian television service comin' up...

2007-02-02T07:07:00.000-05:00

The launch date of Ethiopian Television Network – a worldwide news and entertainment broadcasting service – "is around the corner." Their aims are:

Committed to excellence in independent news reporting, educational programs and entertainment broadcasting.

ETN News Room- driven to create independent media and professional reporting will bring you critical news on what is happening in and around Ethiopia.

ETN Informational Programs- offer never before released, art, history and cultural programs revealing what Ethiopia was, what it is and what it may be in the future.

Our programs are designed to mirror Ethiopia's over 3000 years of contribution to the modern world in art, tradition, music, science – a true zeitgeist of our times.
ETN Entertainment- offers a mosaic of traditional and modern artistic expressions of music, drama, and visual arts…reengaging artists from the past and connecting them to their successors and of course, you, our viewers.

ETN's collection of music videos represent all genres of artistic periods.

I hope they will succeed and provide us with truly independent and BALANCED news about Ethiopia. It will be nice, for a change, to read a news item or analysis about Ethiopia and get the good with the bad - not just the ugly.

You can contact them and show some support at:

ETHIOPIAN TELEVISION NETWORK
614-A South Pickett Street,
Alexandria, VA 22304

Tel 703.348.4887
Toll free 866.217.4567
FAX 703 751 2222
info@ouretn.com

From genocide to scraping dealth penalty - now that's civilized!

2007-01-19T12:14:00.000-05:00

Rwanda is preparing to "scrap death penalty". As expected, proponents of capital punishment are arguing that "…it serves as a strong deterrent" of crime therefore it should be kept in place.

Well, take notes from the US, I would say. Since capital punishment was reinstated in 1977 the number of people executed has been on the increase and prison cells are still jam packed. So where is the justification for capital punishment as a “strong deterrent" against crime? Or is the United Executioners Union lobbying hard to expand their "business".

Between 1977 and 1982, the years immediately following the reinstatement of the death penalty, there were a total of two executions. In 2004, there were 59 executions. An overwhelming number of these executions were carried out by lethal injection. On December 2, 2005, Kenneth Lee Boyd became the 1,000th person to be executed since 1977.

How a "civilized" nation allows itself to regress to such barbarism in recent history is beyond me. I guess the answer lies with what the public wants and how committed it is to stop such things.

Although the public still favors capital punishment, support has slipped and the number of executions and new death sentences is trending down.(source)

"Although the public still favors capital punishment…" There's a clue there.

The hypocrisy in trying to make capital punishment as humane as possible is equally sickening. Lethal injection is the most preferred method of… well killing. Still, what comes before it, the preping and so on should be as painful for the person going through the last minute generosity – fresh cloths, favourite food, visitors, spiritual advisors… the works.

I am wondering if there is a reason for making a killing machine look like a Disney attraction. Unless it was quite arbitrary choice of color, there has to be some thought that went into decorating this thing.

Let's divert and analyse the colour green (source)

Green was a sacred color to the Egyptians representing the hope and joy of Spring.
Green is a sacred color to Muslims.
Japanese Emperor Hirohito's birthday is celebrated as "Green Day" because he loved to garden.

Furthermore…

It is said that green is the most restful color for the human eye.
Some claim that green has great healing power. It can soothe pain.
Suicides dropped 34% when London's Blackfriar Bridge was painted

Just imagine the boss who ordered the paint job…. Was s/he thinking that green has a calming effect? On the other hand, green is the universally accepted color for exit signs. So there is perhaps a subtle symbolism there.

I will stop here before I completely lose my point… which is capital punishment is not an effective crime deterrent and way to go Rwanda! It must take people a lot to be willing to move forward given their recent history of genocide.
Another interesting fact about lethal injection is…

The outcome of these cases may address several emerging issues concerning lethal injection, including how much pain it causes and what role medical professionals should play in ending the lives of prisoners.

So what’s the law about euthanasia and abortion in the US again?

Relevant links

Amnesty International’s facts & figures on capital punishment

European Union’s stance on Capital Punishment

Anti-death penalty group’s blog

An alternative to development?

2007-01-19T08:51:00.000-05:00

Now, that sounds like a good alternative to decades old let's-dish out-charity-feel good about ourselves-and-hope-for-the-best approach to development.

Citigroup, CDC launch Africa Fund

17 January 2007

US banking giant Citigroup and UK government-backed CDC Group have
together committed US$200-million to Citigroup's first dedicated
African private equity fund, the CVCI Africa Fund.

CDC Group will commit an initial $100-million to the fund, with
Citigroup Venture Capital International (CVCI) - which will manage the
fund - matching CDC's investments dollar for dollar.

"The fund will provide growth capital to larger companies across
Africa and will invest alongside CVCI's managed emerging market
private equity funds," CDC said in a statement on Monday.

CDC is a British government-owned fund of funds with assets of
£1.6-billion that targets businesses in poorer countries, with an
emphasis on Africa and South Asia.

According to CDC, its commitment to the CVCI Africa Fund will bring
its total investments in Africa to over $830-million since 2004.

Investors eye Africa
The move comes as companies across Africa attract increasing attention
from both local and international private equity investors.

The African Venture Capital Association said recently that it expected
a dramatic increase in the amount of private equity capital invested
on the continent since 2004, when deals worth more than $1.3-billion
were done.

Sunil Nair, CVCI's MD for Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and
Africa, said the new fund would "seek to capitalise on the growth of
African economies, evidenced by high GDP growth.

"The investment environment is increasingly attractive given rising
political and macroeconomic stability, growing disposable income and
economic reform which will particularly benefit sectors such as
mining, oil and gas, financial services, infrastructure,
transportation and consumer goods," Nair said in the CDC statement.

"We believe that Africa is a high potential market where we can
generate attractive returns," said CVCI head Dipak Rastogi.

Individual amounts of between $20-million and $60-million would be
invested in companies in both sub-Saharan and North Africa, CDC said.

CDC chief executive Richard Laing said investment areas would include
infrastructure, natural resources, energy, telecommunications and
general manufacturing.

Private equity activity in SA
The boom in private equity activity worldwide has been mirrored lately
in South Africa, where a number of large corporations - among them
Shoprite, Edcon, Alexander Forbes, Consol Glass and Primedia - have
attracted bids from private equity players.

And according to Business Report, the governments of Ghana, Nigeria
and South Africa have intervened to help develop the private equity
asset class.

"The South African government has established the National Empowerment
Fund, which is targeting the black SME sector with investments from
R100 000 to R50-million," Business Report noted.

SouthAfrica.info reporter

Five things - about me?

2007-01-11T23:37:00.000-05:00

I admit, I can be so slow sometimes. I read Sokari's post on 5 things, read my blogsite's name mentioned at the end and two days later it hit me. Oh my gosh, I was tagged. So here are five things about me.

1. I can be sloooow.

2. I collect tea pots - which come with a matching cup as a base for the pot. Those. A brother of a friend, who crushed my New Year's party commented that my kitchen "looks like Starbucks" with all the tea pots. Now I'm going around asking, "Does this look too much like a Starbucks shop?"

3. I had more cultural shock coming from Europe to America than from Ethiopia to Europe. Go figure.

4. I draw and paint when depressed.

5. The coolest thing I ever owned was my first car - a bright red, 1957 Opel Record. You can make 5 Kias and a scooter from the metal of that car. I had to use two hands and the left shoulder to even open the door.

Now the fun part of tagging. Let's here it from Meskel Square, Swamp Cottage, Jewels in the Jungle, Weichegud and Pernille

Three cents is "...more than an insult"

2007-01-05T04:06:00.000-05:00

If an adoption blog could post on the row between Starbucks and Ethiopia, I felt that I could bring back this old-ish issue. I'm catching up with blogging at the same time. Old or not, the issue remains that Ethiopian coffee farmers get 3 cents per Starbucks cup(according to OXFAM), and they are losing $88 million a year by not owning the IP right on the coffee names "Harar", "Sidamo" and "Yirgachefe".

"Starbucks is all about community and inspiration, and everything in that movie [Akeelah and the Bees] seemed aligned with that — it has that human connection," Denson said. "It doesn't have to be a family film, but it does have to be socially relevant."

When Starbucks executives describe the goal of the company's cultural extensions, they invariably lean on the word discovery. "Customers say one of the reasons they come is because they can discover new things — a new coffee from Rwanda, a new food item. So extending that sense of discovery into entertainment is very natural for us. That's all part of the Starbucks experience," said Anne Saunders, senior vice president of global brand strategy and communications.

It is a shame and I'm sure a missed business opportunity for Starbucks that it is not as zealously connected to real people (like Ethiopian coffee farmers) as they are to movies and books.

Related links

What's in a name?
Intellectual Properties of poor nations
Dissecting the Starbucks vs Ethiopian government IP row
OXFAM's campaign
More Ethiopian coffee, biodiversity, terrorism claims...you name it, it's here

Happy Holidays

2006-12-24T16:53:00.000-05:00

Have a wonderful Christmas and a blessed New Year. I know I've been in a funk for a couple of months, but I'm sure I will be out of it in the New Year.

A word of appreciation to Andrew Heavens of Meskel Square and Sokari of Black Looks for being so supportive during my misery. Special thanks to Andrew for meeting me in Addis in short notice and was gracious to sit on one of those uncomfortable dinky stools listening to my whining. Actually, I was meaning to follow that up with a post about mourning and blogging (how I felt that it was my God given right to write Andrew and Wonqette of Weichegud Et!) It was, however, too fresh in my mind and just the thought of blogging about my loss was tiring.

I am all geared up to survive the holidays, put kids back to school and start blogging – so help me God.

I should have used Pankhurst

2006-11-22T13:41:00.001-05:00

In 1995, I researched the possibilities of making traditional organizations like edir (burial associations) and equb (the cool rotating-credit-without-interest system) partners of development organizations. I examined the organizational structures of the traditional organizations in one region in Northern Ethiopia and selected NGOs working in the country. Surprisingly, the traditional organizations are democratic with the members on top of the organizational chart and the CEO all the way down. NGOs have the opposite – never mind the "we-are-governed-by-our-contributors" marketing line. My recommendation to the organization that sponsored the research was "you're damn fool if you don't make traditional organizations your development partners, especially in the program design stage". Well, not exactly in those words.

My argument then and still today is this. It's a shame that the first Western or Western-like local NGOs totally missed an opportunity to use these traditional organizations and the wealth of local knowledge they had. Imagine the amount of money, time, energy that would have been saved if this local knowledge was used instead of sending foreign “experts”. The face of relief and development would have been different today.
It's good to hear now that edirs are now being considered as key players for the living too. At this juncture I have to say – I told you!

However, I disagree with the following claim of Ethioblog that…

Until recently, the burial societies were focused solely on providing for a member's funeral, and in much of Ethiopia that is still the case. However, a number of them, shocked by the mounting toll of AIDS on their membership, started looking at what they could do to tackle the problem.

According to my 11 year old findings (rubbing it in further and enjoying it, too), these traditional organizations were doing what NGOs are now doing in Ethiopia before Derg. They built roads, schools, bridges and renovated schools etc. Of course, such high level organization is a threat to paranoid dictators and the pursuit of basic necessities can cross into political territory. For this reason, the Derg systematically reduced edirs to their original purpose – just take care of the dead. Therefore, I would say that they have come a full circle now by tackling HIV/AIDS.

Now the test for the current government is going to be what they are going to do when edirs get more organized and start challenging policies and go into other areas linked to HIV/AIDS policies. Time will tell us that for sure.

Meanwhile, I try to do something about the regret I feel right now about not asking Mr. Pankhurst himself who is the authority on Ethiopia to endorse my research paper. Only then, would have people taken my research seriously. He said this about edirs…

"Ethiopia is a very top down society," said Addis Ababa University's Dr Alula Pankhurst, a social anthropologist who has researched the role and history of edirs. "So, if you take as your premise that something as devastating as HIV/AIDS [and poverty, The Concoction sneaked in] has to be tackled at the grassroots level, then the edir is the only answer."

Related links

Edir & Equb: the earliest NGOs in Ethiopia

Advocating for expansion of Edir & Equb

Diaspora using home grown talents

Edir in Denmark

Using edir & equb for politics
Assimilation of voluntary organizations into political organizations

I should have used Pankhurst

2006-11-22T13:41:00.000-05:00

Until recently, the burial societies were focused solely on providing for a member's funeral, and in much of Ethiopia that is still the case. However, a number of them, shocked by the mounting toll of AIDS on their membership, started looking at what they could do to tackle the problem.

"Ethiopia is a very top down society," said Addis Ababa University's Dr Alula Pankhurst, a social anthropologist who has researched the role and history of edirs. "So, if you take as your premise that something as devastating as HIV/AIDS [and poverty, The Concoction sneaked in] has to be tackled at the grassroots level, then the edir is the only answer."

Morbidly useful tips

2006-11-03T13:30:00.000-05:00

Be'ene yederese ayidresibachihu (may what happened to me not happen to you)! But should it happen, hopefully what I went through would help you somehow.

I just returned from Ethiopia after burying my young brother, who used to live in the US. His death was so sudden that my sister and I didn't even know what hit us when we embarked on the gruesome procedure of dealing with the proper authorities to have my brother's body examined, moved to a funeral home, have a memorial service in the US and transport him to Ethiopia… It required pausing emotions for practical purposes several times per day, and the physical and mental toll of that is more than I can bear to discuss here.

Anyway, here is what I learnt and I want you to learn in case… Forget the be'seme Ab, ayadirs (in the name of the Father, God forbid…) bit and try to be practical. It can happen, and I wish I knew all this before it happened.

- The police deals with only close family – parents, siblings, uncles, aunts and grandparents.
- If such close family members are not present, please use your imagination so that the deceased is sent off with dignity. You can be a sister, brother, auntie or uncle temporarily.
- If you're handling the situation until a close family member arrives, make sure you take the following information from the police: address of the morgue where the body is going to be sent and a case number (Oh, how I hated this part – using a number to identify my brother…).
- What the medical examiner would be able to tell you right away is if the death was caused by violence, drug or medicine overdose. The specifics of a natural cause take (I don't know it is state specific) 30-90 loooong days. You know how folks in Ethiopia first ask "Min hono ne'w?" (what happened to him? I learnt that saying that it's a natural death, but the details are not yet known is opening up a chance for some speculation which can be hurtful to loved ones. So go with "libun ne’w" (it was his heart) especially if the person has never been sick in his life.
- While dealing with officials, make sure one person follows the case.

From discovering the body to funeral

Trust me, one week felt like eternity although everybody told us how lucky we were to make it to Ethiopia in a week (considering we lost a day because it was a public holiday and there was a weekend in the middle…) What happened was that the police transported my brother's body to the medical examiners office, they performed the autopsy, put him in a morgue until a funeral home started the process.

Selecting a funeral home was what drove us almost crazy. Before we knew it, three processes with three funeral homes were separately started and it spun our head before we decided to start a fourth one and run with it. My advise to you, if you're going to Ethiopia for the funeral, pause your sorrow until then and be on top of the gruesome process in the US. When you take a break to mourn, you're forcing others to take over and before you know it you have to deal with several people for just one thing…

No mystery behind funeral homes

What messed us up was not knowing the details of funeral homes’ operations and the different types. Just from my conversation with a bunch of funeral homes we learnt that there are mainly two types. Those who just deal with official documents, embalming, dressing, casketing the deceased, hold/arrange memorial & funeral services. The other type adds shipping the deceased anywhere in the world. Make sure you ask if they handle shipping themselves or if they have a company they work with. Big difference in the process and price.

People who recommended funeral homes to us all used the first type therefore they had to deal with a shipping company. They specifically told us to go to Ato XYZ, "who is the sole transporter…." "Ethiopian Airlines works with only him….", "the Embassy in DC gives him the appropriate documents in a heartbeat…"

Bollocks, crap and non-sense!

Coincidently, we chose a funeral home which also handles the shipping. Until the last moment, we didn't believe that they would ship my brother's body to Ethiopia on the same flight as us… We were quite annoying in asking the director 3-4 times in each meeting and followed by telephone calls at least twice a day making her guarantee that the three of us are flying Ethiopian at the same time and we arrive in Addis at the same time…. The answer was all, "yes", "yes" and "yes". And regarding getting the documents from the Ethiopian Embassy, you can do it yourself for free or pay a whapping $500 for the funeral home to do it for you (may differ from home to home - still $500 to send a car to the Embassy and collect a one page letter!!!)

Another confusing factor was the price difference from one funeral home to the other. The difference we found out was location, location, location. Cheaper ones are located in a not very pleasant part of town and it might feel like an insult to the deceased to have a ceremony in an unpleasant area. Besides, the services offered my be incomparable unless you pay attention to details. The major factor is transportation. If a funeral home doesn't handle transportation and works with a company that does, like Ato XYZ's, what seems like a 100% increase in price definitely goes down to only 20%. As the saying goes "a funeral ceremony is for the living" so whatever works for the relatives and friends.

No cutting corners

There are strict regulations in transporting the remains of a loved one from the US to Ethiopia. The remains or necessary documents from the examiners office are ONLY RELIEASED to the funeral home AFTER YOU SIGN A CONTRACT with the funeral home. If you want to rush the initial process, ask for the funeral home to fax you their contract which you can sign and fax back. Ethiopia has regulations about the type of casket, how it should be shipped and regarding communicable diseases… The funeral home should have all the information and the nice thing about that is if they mess up, it's their responsibility.

Pinch yourself to remind you that funeral homes are there for the business and pray for a director who is at least excellent in pretending that they feel your pain. Ours was very warm and she didn't even bat an eye lash when we asked her to call my brother by name – not "the deceased" or "the remains of your brother". Very helpful that was!

Services of a funeral home that also ships the deceased

1. Transfer from place of death/morgue to the funeral home
2. Embalming, dressing, & casketing deceased
3. Filing consulate/embassy papers & necessary authorizations, notify social security, securing the death certificate and obtaining certified copies,
4. Deceased placed in a sealed 20 gauge batesville casket
5. Four hours of visitation in our chapel or your church prior to ship out
6. Air tray to house casket during shipment
7. Scheduling flight arrangements with the airlines
8. Transportation to an Airport

Be prepared to give the following information about the deceased to the provider for issuance of a death certificate and transport the remains.

- Name, Home Address & Telephone Number
- Length of Residence in State
- Gender & Race
- Occupation, Title & Employer
- Social Security Number
- VA Claim Number
- Driver's License Number
- Passport Number
- Citizenship
- Date & Place of Birth
- Time, Date & Place of Death
- Name & Birthplace of Father & Mother
- Membership in Organizations
- Marital Status
- Immediate & Underlying Cause of Death
- Whether an Autopsy Was Performed
- Survivors' Names & Contact Information

If you don't have any of the "insignificant" information for Ethiopia, such as social security number, driver's license number etc, don't sweat. Just tell the funeral director that you can't find the information, and they will put N/A (not available). Trust me, if it's not available, it's not available and there isn't a damn thing they can do about it. However, make sure that the name of the deceased is spelt exactly the same way and the birth date is the same in ALL DOCUMENTS. I can't stress how important this is. We, Ethiopians, are used to our name being butchered in the US, but this is one time where you should make sure that the spelling is consistent.

The other conflicting information that we were getting was regarding the passport. A shipping agent was trying to convince us that Ethiopian Airlines needs the passport of the deceased…. Bollocks! The Embassy holds the passport and gives the accompanying relatives a "To whom it may concern" letter. I repeat, THE PASSPORT REMAINS AT THE EMBASSY IN DC. All you can do is make a copy for emotional purposes.

Hope this has been useful. It sure was difficult writing it.

Related links
Morbidly practical tips from the US Federal Trade Commission
A morbid list of funeral homes by state
Morbidly free obituary services

2006-10-29T04:16:00.000-05:00

Eloquently ranted: simply brilliant, and witty

2006-10-07T22:27:00.000-04:00

Passing on this message...

Please can you circulate this email to your contacts to encourage
them and others to attend the upcoming US screenings of this
extraordinary film about Ethiopian coffee called Black Gold. It is
crucial that as many people see this film as possible. Details below. The film opens in
New York and Seattle this weekend and is then being shown around the
US - a full list of screenings can be found here

Now I'm officially off.

Taking time off

2006-10-07T21:30:00.000-04:00

I'm taking some time off. I'll surely be back when I compose myself, when I come out of this...

Carnival of African Women

2006-10-02T11:58:00.000-04:00

The first carnival of African women will be held on African Women’s Blog http://www.africanwomenblogs.com/ site on October 9th. is open to everyone registered on the African Women’s Blog Agregator. The coordinators are asking for pieces on Blogging and Identity for this carnival. For more info, contact Sokari on info@blacklooks.org.

There is an interesting debate going on here regarding the inclusiveness of African Women’s Blog and a reaction to that here. For what it's worth, I'm offering my two cents about the issue. Obviously, as the name suggests, the African Women's Blog is essentially a forum for African women bloggers. However, I don't see any harm in opening it up for those who are committed to African women – bloggers and non-bloggers. I don’t think it's a matter of race or who's real African or not. Rather, it is standing together behind a cause as human beings. There were white people marching alongside blacks during the civil rights movement in the US. Their presence didn't make the movement any less black-focused. If a white Danish woman wants to join, shouldn't we say 'be our guest!' The more the merrier, I would say. She has more contact to African women whose voices she could represent than I, as an African blogging from the swamps of the US, could.

A better Africa is possible: Voice of African Mothers

2006-10-02T11:43:00.000-04:00

I came across this organization called Voice of African Mothers. Their website doesn’t provide information of their current work. However, I contacted their office in New York, and learnt that they are well and still active.

I believe organizations like this could achieve a lot with the right help from concerned individuals and organizations. Here is their brochure for more info. If you want to contact them…

Canada:
2554 Scott Street
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, V8R 4H7
Tel. 001 (from overseas) 250-598-4664
Email: joyanddavid@shaw.ca

USA
13 Glenbrook Avenue,
Yonkers, New York 10705-1650 USA
Telephone 1-914-963-8725
Email: info@vamothers.org

Ghana
P.O. Box AN12982,
Accra North, Ghana, West Africa
Telephone: 011-233-21-502126
or
House Number 44, Trasacco Valley,
East Legon, Accra, Ghana, West Africa
Telephone: 011-233-27-772-5378

Go to Ethiopia

2006-10-02T10:13:00.000-04:00

The New York Times has a very interesting article on Ethiopia and tourism here. Check out the photo slide show while you’re at it.

And it is now possible to travel across Ethiopia with some degree of comfort. Abercrombie & Kent, the Kenya-based safari specialist, this month is starting a guided tour through Ethiopia’s historic Christian route: Aksum, Lalibela, Lake Tana and Gonder. But those who want to venture on their own will discover that Ethiopia is reasonably well set up for independent exploring. They will find a proud, if bedraggled country with ruggedly beautiful landscapes and a unique sense of its identity — shaped in part, by Ethiopia’s stubborn refusal to submit to Western colonizers.

Meskel Square offers a survival guide to deal with unpleasant encounters on the streets of Ethiopia. It is that simple, so go see the country.

South-south imperialism

2006-09-27T17:46:00.000-04:00

I feel for South Africa. I really do. To get where it is now after its gloomy past is highly commendable. Now that it has the means and tremendous will to gain economical and political power, it's being accused of spreading a sort of south-south imperialism in the region. It's allies against aparthide are counting favours, and grumbling that those favours are not being returned.

Internally, however, not every thing is rosy.

The trade union congress this month practically booed the deputy president, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, off the stage. Its delegates sang songs describing President Thabo Mbeki as a "dog". So what's gone wrong? At the heart of the problem is that President Mbeki has led his country down a road many are now questioning.

Damned if you go left, damned if you go right - I guess. And there is Zuma stirring up things continuously.

Tough talk

2006-09-27T17:00:00.000-04:00

The Washington Post reports that the "U.S. tells Sudan: cooperate or expect confrontation" It’s not clear what "confrontation" entails. Still, it’s the toughest talk that came out of Washington regarding Darfur. I don’t know what is going to follow this tough talk if the unflinching Sudan government says "No" again.

Tougher viewpoint
Time published an article by Peter Beinart in the Viewpoint page (October 2, 2006) arguing that "Diplomacy hasn't stopped the genocide. It's time to give war a chance." The idea is for NATO to impose a no-fly zone over Darfur (it only takes 12-18 fighter jets based in Chad). If this doesn't work, the article suggests, bomb Khartoum. Here is where I part company with Mr. Beinart. What's the point of exchanging an innocent life in Darfur for another innocent life in Khartoum?

Middle ground
I much prefer Richard Gowan's argument for a "NATO for Africa".

A formal commitment and a tailor-made institution to tackle Africa’s problems would be a valuable step towards preventing future Rwandas and Darfurs.

Amen.

Too good to be lasting?

2006-09-27T15:28:00.000-04:00

A Belgian Organization, Group One, has been assisting former child miners in continuing their education in DR Congo. It sent 250 former child-miners to school with funds from the UNICEF and the Belgium government. According to BBC online , "Funding is secure until next year, but the Belgian scheme is due to wind up during 2007." Who is going to ensure continuity of this program? I really don’t understand how organizations design such an important project and "wind up" after assisting just 250 kids.

Children are forced into mining because they cannot afford a $75-$90 annual school fee. The lucrative business of mining is keeping the poor poorer.

MIGA, the political risk insurance arm of the World Bank, expects the face amount of loans guaranteed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s (DRC) mining sector to increase from $20.8 million today to over $500 million in three years. However, underneath the immense economic opportunities lie significant social and human rights concerns.

Still, a project geared towards educating ex-child miners winds up after helping 250 kids out of the possible 60,000?

Related links
Mining in DR Congo
Alfred Buju: from child miner to head of justice & peace commission
Dimond and its effects on the poor in DRC
US influence on the background to the current situation in DRC

Marketing gone so wrong

2006-09-27T11:04:00.000-04:00

I wonder if Kotex received a copy of this?!

Dear Kotex:

I recently noticed that the peel-off strip of my
pantiliner had a bunch of "Kotex Tips for Life" on it.
Annoying advice such as:

Staying active during your period can relieve cramps.
Avoiding caffeine may help reduce cramps and
headaches.Drink 6-8 glasses of water a day to keep you hydrated
and feeling fresh. Try Kotex blah blah blah other products...

Obviously the individual behind this was someone who
has never possessed a functioning set of ovaries (a man is Concoction's guess).
Go ahead and tell a menstruating woman that drinking 6-8
glasses of water will help keep her feeling fresh.
Like we need more fluid inside our bloated bodies from
hell...but go ahead...I triple-dog-friggen-dare-ya...
See what happens and report back. I'll wait.

While you're at it, dump out the coffee at work and
remove the chocolate from the vending machine. I
garan-friggen-tee that the first responders will be
females who just ovulated.

Staying active will relieve headaches & cramps...well
guess what, the only activities that interests me is
eating..sleeping..bitching or crying for no apparent
reason.. ..and oh...does ripping someone's head off
count as a friggen' activity?????

Look, females don't need or want tips for living on
their feminine hygiene products. Younger girls are
already hearing "helpful" crap like that from elderly
relatives. Veteran females have already concocted
their own recipes for survival, many containing
alcohol & barbituates.

Printing out crap advice while sneaking in ads for the
brand that was already purchased is just plain
annoying, not to mention rude, and is enough to send a
girl running to the Always brand.

It's not a fun time, but DO NOT try to cheer us up by
adding smiley faces or bunnies or flowery cutesy crap
to your products or the packaging. Put the crap in a
plain brown wrapper so we can throw it in our carts
discreetly and have it blend in among the wine and
beer.

There is nothing more annoying than having a blinding
pink package announcing your uterine state to everyone
in the store. Why don't ya just add an in-store
microphone to the damn package & announce
that...helloooo, another female in the store is on the
rag!!!!!

So take your tips for living and your cute bunnies &
the smiley faces and shove them right up your ass.

PS How about adding a free sample of Pamprin & maybe a
hot of Bourbon to your packages instead!!!

Phew! That must have felt good!

WHO's U turn on DDT

2006-09-26T01:37:00.000-04:00

WHO had a change of heart about DDT since every other effort to reduce malaria related mortality and morbidity is hardly putting a dent on the problem. Now, it's arguing that DDT, which was banned in the United States in 1972 due to concerns about its effect on animal and human health, should be confined to what is called indoor residual spraying (IRS).

DDT is one of 12 chemicals to be phased out globally under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, substances that are both toxic and persist in the environment -- in plants, water, and animal tissue -- for many years. It seems that a single book, Silent Spring, by Rachel Carlson, an environmentalist, succeeded in swinging public and policy makers' opinion on DDT.

There are passionate arguments both for and against DDT. This site for example argues that Silent Spring's dramatic language led to successfully ban DDT. And there is this site which claims that "the plain fact is that DDT has never been shown to be a human carcinogen even after four decades of intense scientific scrutiny." Duke University argues that DDT definitely has an effect on living organisms.

It seems that nowadays, colourful language in reports against harmful chemicals is not helping anti-chemical lobbiest to enjoy the success that Carlson did in the 60s. The debate around flame retardant chemicals, which are proven to be harmful to humans, is still raging in the US. The EU and California have banned decabromodiphenyl ether (Deca),

Under the 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), the main U.S. law for chemical regulation, the EPA has the authority to ban chemicals, but must take on such a great burden for action that they have not banned a chemical since PCBs were banned in 1976. Unlike other regulatory frameworks, U.S. chemicals policy regards chemicals as innocent until proven guilty, permitting widespread contamination of the environment and humans before action is taken. As a result, chemicals like Deca can be on the market for decades before their threat to human health is discovered.

What has changed politically since 1972’s ban on DDT? My suspicion is strong lobbying by companies these days (aka bribery, corruption, sleaze when it is in poor countries)kills any possibility of banning harmful chemicals.

There are obviously alternatives to DDT, which have proved successful in reducing malaria related deaths.

Many countries are controlling malaria with effective alternative approaches. Vietnam reduced malaria deaths by 97% and malaria cases by 59% when they switched in 1991 from trying to eradicate malaria using DDT to a DDT-free malaria control program involving distribution of drugs and mosquito nets along with widespread health education organized with village leaders.[15] A program in the central region of Kenya is focusing on reducing malaria by working with the rice growing community to improve water management, use livestock as bait, introduce biological controls and distribute mosquito nets in affected areas. [16]The World Wildlife Fund has documented success in the Kheda district in India, where non-chemical approaches were demonstrated to be cost-effective. [17] In the Philippines, the successful national program has relied on treated bed nets and spraying of alternative chemicals. [18] What countries fighting malaria need is strong support for effective solutions, not increased reliance on DDT.

In a letter written in April 2004, a group of scientists, researchers and doctors wrote an open letter to WHO objecting to the organization’s stance against DDT to control (preferably eradicate) malaria. Now, WHO has changed its policy to start IRS in 2007. Hopefully, they have solid scientific proof that people are not going to be affected by it. Hopefully, the dire health situation caused by AIDS & TB is not going to worsen by spraying DDT inside houses. Science is going wacko these days – Pluto is not a planet anymore, one decade DDT is in and the next it's out (and now almost in again). I wouldn't be surprised if a few years from now, WHO comes up with "oops, we should have considered the AIDS epidemic before we used DDT for malaria control."

Facts & figures about malaria

* an estimated one million people in Africa die from malaria each year, 90% of these deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa 71% of all deaths from malaria are in children under 5. A child's most vulnerable period begins at six months, when the mother's protective immunity wears off and before the infant has established its own robust immune system. Once infected a child's condition may deteriorate quickly and children can die within 48 hours after the first symptoms appear (Roll Back Malaria)

* the consensus view of recent studies and reviews is that malaria causes at least 20% of all deaths in children under 5 years of age in Africa

* malaria kills a child every 30 seconds

* 300 to 500 million clinical cases of malaria are documented each year worldwide

* the majority of infections in Africa are caused by Plasmodium falciparum, the most dangerous of the four human malaria parasites

Greetings from Thailand

2006-09-22T10:51:00.000-04:00

A dear friend of mine, who is working in Thailand, sent me an e-mail this morning updating me with what she is doing and her organizations take on the recent military coup in Thailand. As a campaigner of a civil society organization, she was going to attend the World Bank/IMF Annual meetings in Singapore. She, along with 26 other activists, was barred from entering the country. There goes democracy and freedom of speech.

In a response to Singapore’s actions, the civil society organizations held parallel meetings in Batam Indonasia. My friend, D wrote,

Many campaigners, although they have no plans anymore to attend the meetings, still needed to pass Sing to go to Batam. Many were deported upon arrival at Changi airport or detained for hours. They were interrogated. Those from Africa were even handcuffed and escorted in the airport for deportation.(My emphasis)

Well, mainstream media doesn’t give you these fine details. They handcuffed and escorted those from Africa. This is what makes ones blood boil. When you try to be above race biases, at times even push it aside as ignorance, something like this jumps at you and makes you all defensive. Why the hell do they single out Africans and handcuff them?

The "World Bank has criticized Singapore for barring invited activists from entering [Singapre because it] is a breach of an agreement signed three years ago." But the meeting went on. It didn't occur to the WB/IMF chiefs to pack and leave Singapore to show that they strongly object to a breach of an agreement by their own member…? They handcuffed peaceful activist. What more 'breach of agreement' do they want to stand up against actions like this? Then again these institutions are notoriously known for coming up with special "formula" to get around breeches of all sorts.

Ironically, the home page of the Singapore government site is full of promises such as "Global city: world of opportunities" – but no global citizens please, I would add - and it features a cultural show called Diaspora which seeks "a better life across the four seas", "an exploration of the memories and tribulations of the diasporic peoples of Southeast Asia." And they throw out Southeast Asian activists? Please!

If the issue of demonstrations is making host governments so paranoid to handcuff peaceful activists, I have a simple solution for WB & IMF. Organize regional meetings with citizens organizations, sponsor those who cannot afford to travel (if a meeting on African blogging could afford to sponsor participants, so can WB/IMF), gather the claims and demands of these organizations and include them in the agenda of the annual meetings. There are civil society organization with which WB/IMF is consulting, but the issue remains that most of the demands fall on deaf ears. Apparently, what these CSO's are demanding and the WB/IMF's mandate are worlds apart. Is there the political will to listen? I....don't think so.

How cool is that?

2006-09-21T03:40:00.000-04:00

The same week an Ethiopian scientist found a 3.3 million year old fossilized skull of a girl, Selam (Ethiopian word for peace), is unveiled (a day before the UN International Day of Peace), a 17 year old Nigerian girl, Felix, is preparing for a unique journey into space this coming Saturday (9/23. Felix got picked amongst more than 400 applicants to "experience zero gravity".

Felix is top of her school in her favorite subjects of physics and chemistry. Most of her class of 60 are lucky to have one book between two. "At least we all have chairs," she said with a laugh. A Huston-based Spaceweek International Association is sponsoring Felix’s trip to space.

The full story here.

Go Felix and welcome (to the surface)Selam!

I think the following is an interesting comment about the returning spaceshuttle Atlantis...

"We have always seen in the program that little things come out in space -- pieces of plastic, ice, lint," Hale said. "We've chased many, but we seldom find what they are. . . . Sorry we're being a litterbug here."

Yet another world forum

2006-09-14T03:57:00.000-04:00

I stumbled upon Non-Aligned Countries Movement (NAM)’s site. It left me bewildered as to why the world needs yet another reason for politicians to trot around the globe attending summits to only return to their countries and run business as (un)usual – contrary to the principles of the organizations to which they belong.

Take the first of ten "guiding principles" of NAM, also known as "The Ten Principles of Bandung". It reads "respect of fundamental human rights and the objectives and principles of the Charter of the United Nations." The tenth commandment is "respect of justice and international obligations." Then look at the member countries and tell me what could they possibly be talking about right now in the 14th summit being held in Cuba?

A social experiment: from US inner city to rural Kenya

2006-09-14T03:08:00.000-04:00

Africa is very hip these days. The continent has been a hot place for Western super stars – from self-appointed ambassadors to those going back to their "roots". Now it is a life changing place to African-American inner city kids.

African-American boys have a very high chance of being incarcerated or killed before they reach adulthood. In Baltimore, one of the country's most poverty-stricken cities for inner-city residents, the Baraka School project was founded to break the cycle of violence through an innovative education program that literally removed young boys from low-performing public schools and unstable home environments.

PBS is airing a documentary, The Boys of Baraka. It is about three African-American boys from Baltimore learning new life skills in rural Kenya.

Now I see that I can do stuff. I know I can do it. And I want to do it.... They know in society today that black kids can do things, but everybody's waiting for just one example to prove it and let the whole world know that it can be done. But it was sad to see what it had to take.... They had to send us to Africa.

Let the record show – we have got more stuff together in Africa than the world would like to admit.

More information on PBS site here.

Ethiopian New year after 9/11

2006-09-11T09:52:00.000-04:00

The first three years after 9/11, I simply pushed Ethiopian New Year away because it just felt wrong to be jubilant. I particularly didn't want the kids to go to school squeaking "It’s our New Year!" and create unnecessary confusion. Celebrating it quietly at home felt like sneaking…. The last two years, I chose to tweak the calendar and celebrate on the 12th.

This year I did a lot of soul searching and decided to say Happy 1999 to all Ethiopians on the right day. Imagine what a (more) miserable world it would be if we cease to celebrate because of disasters – man made or natural. My heart goes out to the thousands of people who lost loved ones on 9/11. This video clip of Maya Angelou made it alright for me to remember 9/11 while celebrating my new year. Thanks Sokari.

Disaster begets charity. Charity begets greed. Greed begets corruption.

2006-09-08T14:11:00.000-04:00

Now there is a scientific proof. The Economist (September 2nd) has an interesting article on a new paper about corruption and aid. Dr. Peter Leeson and Dr. Russell Sobel of West Virginia University wrote Weathering Corruption arguing that disaster-prone states such as Mississippi, Florida and South Dakota are the most corrupt.

This is all due to free money which pours into such states in the form of aid. The Economist wrote, "A windfall of federal cash spwans graft in much the same way that oil wealth or foreign aid can cause corruption in poor countries."

Voila!

Leeson and Sobel came up with a calculation that "in the average state, an extra $1 per person in money from FEMA increases corruption in that state by 2.5%."

Related links
Peter Leeson et al blog
Russell Sobel’s http://www.be.wvu.edu/divecon/econ/sobel/
Sokari of Black Looks on [mis]definition of corruption
Transparency International’s corruption barometer

Reintegration: the untold story of war

2006-09-07T14:09:00.000-04:00

"Armed conflict is an all too familiar theme for journalists in many parts of Africa and Asia. But reporting on war’s aftermath and reintegrating demobilised soldiers gets much less attention" says Panos – a UK based NGO committed "to promoting the voices of poor and marginalised communities in the developing world." Panos has quite an interesting site covering communication, "the pulse of development", and other development related topics. Check out their photo site - very nice pictures.

Charity begets greed. Greed begets corruption

2006-09-06T18:17:00.000-04:00

Now there is a scientific proof. The Economist (September 2nd) has an interesting article on a new paper about corruption and aid. Dr. Peter Leeson and Dr. Russell Sobel of West Virginia University wrote Weathering Corruption arguing that disaster-prone states such as Mississippi, Florida and South Dakota are the most corrupt.

This is all due to free money which pours into such states in the form of aid. The Economist wrote, "A windfall of federal cash spwans graft in much the same way that oil wealth or foreign aid can cause corruption in poor countries."

Voila!

Leeson and Sobel came up with a calculation that "in the average state, an extra $1 per person in money from FEMA increases corruption in that state by 2.5%."

Related links
Peter Leeson et al blog
Russell Sobel's research links
Sokari of Black Looks on [mis]definition of corruption
Transparency International’s corruption barometer