Protests in Thailand

For my entire life I have dreamed of going to Thailand. My parents met in Thailand, my house has always been full of south east asian artwork and since freshman year my roommate and I have planned on spending the summer after our senior year traveling through Thailand, Cambodia and Laos.

Hopefully the fact that a separatists group is once again trying to overthrow the current government will not interrupt my flight which leaves June 4th.

Over 125,000 protestors gathered in Bangkok this Sunday and shut down parts of the capital again Monday, in an attempt to force out Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva. It is important to note that Vejjajiva came into power after the military coup that ousted former Prim Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. They claim that the economic gap that exists between the urban elite and the rural farmers has only grown since the new administration took power.

The protestors known as redshirts have not exhibited any violence as of yet but let's hope things do not turn towards another military coup or else my summer plans may be seriously hurt.

'Tis the Season

REALLY COOL BREAKDOWN OF AMERICAN CHARITY WORK FOR THE HOLIDAY SEASON

check it out... www.mint.com/blog/trends/charity-who-cares

Climate Action For The Poor

The climate talks currently going on in Copenhagen will hopefully end in an accord that sets out real plans of action to combat climate change on a global level. These projects will cost trillions of dollars over the next few decades.

Does this mean that only countries economically capable of devoting millions or billions of dollars towards combating climate change will be able to reap the benefits of becoming "Green"? - Hopefully not.

According to the NYT, "the European Union will contribute about $3 billion starting next year to help poorer countries deal with climate change, Prime Minister Gordon Brown of Britain announced on Friday, a move that seeks to improve the chances of reaching an accord next week at climate change talks in Copenhagen".

Specifically these funds would be set aside to help poorer countries to begin planning massive engineering projects like building higher sea walls and converting their electricity systems so they rely on low-carbon sources.

Prime Minister of Britain, Gordon Brown said there were “few moments in history when nations are summoned to common decisions that will reshape the lives of men and women potentially for generations to come.”

No matter what the cost this is an issue that needs to be seriously addressed. I found this quote from a different NYT article about the costs of a Copenhagen Accord to be really moving.

“People often ask about the costs,” said Kevin Parker, the global head of Deutsche Bank Asset Management, who tracks climate policy for the bank. “But the figures people tend to cite don’t take into account conservation and efficiency measures that are easily available. And they don’t look at the cost of inaction, which is the extinction of the human race. Period.”

A different view of the Afghanistan surge

While America debates Obama's plan to send an additional 30,000 troops to Afghanistan there is one group that sees hope in his recent decision. The women of Afghanistan.

Here is a link to a moving piece about the plight of Afghani women and their hopes that the troops will bring them greater freedoms.

And a non-profit that helps these women after they are shunned by their families and forced to live in fear.

World AIDS Day

December 1st is World AIDS Day.

It's easy to forget the devastation AIDS has inflicted upon the global community. Here are some facts according to UNAIDS, the joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS.

Young people account for around 40% of all new adult (15+) HIV infections worldwide.

Since the beginning of the epidemic, almost 60 million people have been infected with

HIV and 25 million people have died of HIV-related causes.

In 2008, $15.6 billion was estimated to be available from all sources for HIV treatment.

UNAIDS estimates that $25 billion will be needed for HIV services in 2010.

According to USAID almost 5,500 people die every day due to AIDS.

Things you can do..

Shop (Product) RED - A portion of profits from each (PRODUCT) RED product sold goes directly to the Global Fund to invest in African AIDS programs, with a focus on women and children.

There will be an event on campus where a controversial film, House of Numbers will be shown. 7pm Smith 120.

Learn. Here is a Google list of a bunch of options you can take to further the cause of ending the spread of AIDS.

The Citizen Interview : Invisible Children

I'm so excited to being posting the first in a series of interviews with people personally connected to some of the topics we have been talking about.

Nate Henn is a former Blue Hen who has spent the last couple of years working with Invisible Children, one of the greatest non-profits in America today. Their goal is to end the suffering of the children of Uganda. Here is his response to a handful of questions.

1. In a nutshell what is going on in Uganda? Who are the LRA? What should the average twenty-something know about this region of Africa?

There is a lot going on specifically with this crisis Northern Uganda.

In the mid 80's President Yoweri Museveni took office in Uganda, he was from the South. The people of the North, the Acoli, revolted behind a rebel army, but this dissipated quickly. A member of this rebel army, Joseph Kony, was angry that the revolt was not working and formed his rebel army the LRA, or the Lord's Resistance Army. Kony was so mad that his people were not fighting the south anymore that he began to attack his own people of the north.

On top of these attacks he had begun to abduct children and use them as child soldiers in his army. For the past 23 years the LRA has continued these abductions and massacres of Acholi people. The situation is getting worse as the LRA has left the borders of Uganda and moved into Southern Sudan, Central African Republic, and largely in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The LRA is attacking multiple times a day, killing hundreds of thousands and abducting thousands of children to this day. We believe if Kony was taken out of the equation the problem would end. A lot of news has been covered about Sudan and Congo however and this crisis is starting to become closely involved with these countries so it is becoming more prevalent in mainstream media.

2. What is Invisible Children? What do you guys do?

Invisible Children Inc. is a non profit based out of San Diego. We are a media based company raising awareness of the current situation in Northern Uganda. We tell the story and struggles of the people through our documentaries. We have rebuilt 11 war torn schools and we have hundreds of scholarships for secondary school in Uganda.

Along with a bunch of other initiatives we also recently partnered with Edun Live and the Wildlife Conservation Society to create our newest program, the Cotton Initiative. With people moving out of Displacement Camps and back into villages job opportunities were needed. Also, since people have been in displacement camps for over ten years the land had not been used and was very fertile. Invisible Children and our partners have bought hundreds of acres of land for these people and hired 800 farmers. These farmers will be growing, harvesting, and selling cotton. The cotton harvested will go directly to factories making t-shirts and these t-shirts will be sent to the states to sell. The best part is that there is no middleman taking the profit from the farmer, it is a direct sale and the farmers are getting the money they deserve for the work that they do.

3. How did you personally decide to take this path, to work for IC?

I had many connections to Uganda. My sister had lived there for half a year doing missions work as well as my aunt and uncle have lived there for 30 years. Also, my sister was in the Roadie position last year for Invisible Children. The Roadie position is someone who volunteers about a half a year of their life to travel around the country and present our films at colleges, high schools, churches, and more.

I was at a point in my life where I needed a change and I wanted to do something with meaning. The opportunity came about last February that Invisible Children needed a new roadie asap to join a team on the road. I had seen the film years ago and was loosely involved, but when I had the opportunity to take action and really get involved with something that could change peoples lives I jumped at it.

Later I received a call about coming back and working in the office. I could not turn this offer down and now I am living in San Diego working for Invisible Children.

4. Can you explain the humanitarian culture in America today? What is it like to be a young, global minded American working to end conflicts overseas?

I believe that the best way to describe 'humanitarian culture' today is simply growing. I think that people are starting to realize that there is a lot of terrible things going on in this world that can be fixed. However, they can not be fixed without people raising their voice about these issues and getting involved.

It's exciting particularly to see, with Invisilbe Children, how involved and how fired up younger generations get about helping end Africa's longest running war.

4. What can every reader do to help end the suffering of Uganda's child soldiers?

First of all, visit the website and learn. Spreading the word about the situation is huge. The more people hear about it the more people are going to get involved.

Also, call your local representatives, congress and senate members, let them know of your concern and ask them to Co Sponsor the "LRA Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act." This bill is huge and the more constituent support we have the better! Visit the website as well and sign the petition that asks Obama's administration to pass the bill.

Also, they can support Invisible Children by donating. A one-time donation is great! We also have TRI which is a 3 dollars a week or 12 a month donation. Continue to spread the word like I said before and take action because this war can definitely come to an end SOON if more people get involved.

5. Other than invisiblechildren.com what are some Web sites to check out?

www.enoughproject.org

www.resolveuganda.org

www.wewantobama.com

http://blog.invisiblechildren.com/

Detained American hikers charged

The three American hikers detained in Iran, mentioned in a previous post, have been charged with espionage by an Iranian judge.

Iranian representative made a statement to Iranian media today, stating that the three hikers would be charged with espionage and that the investigation into their cases was ongoing.

Secretary of State Hilary Clinton spoke out against the charges while in Berlin saying "We believe strongly that there is no evidence to support any charge whatsoever".

While the families of the hikers spoke out today, restating their claims that the hikers were merely lost tourists, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said the fate of the hikers was for the judiciary to decide.

He also mentioned that Iranians had spent many years in U.S. jails without sufficient evidence.

How will this issue be resolved with the United States holding onto its stance of zero diplomacy with Iran and while tensions rise between Iran and the UN over nuclear transparency? Once again, to voice your support please visit freethehikers.org and stay up to date on the situation as is unravels.

Nuclear bombs prove eco-friendly

Little to my knowledge, 10 percent of America's electricity comes from dismantled nuclear bombs. Parts of these old bombs, from Russia specifically, fuel 45 percent of the fuel in American nuclear reactors.

Take that in for a second... Materials from warheads aimed at the United States during the Cold War are now being used to fuel millions of American homes. I may be a nerd, but the underlying symbolism in that is something I can really appreciate.

Of course there is a catch. If more uranium from these nuclear bombs are not secured soon American customers could feel the ramifications. Massive plans to dismantle American stock-holds of nuclear arms hope to avoid a drain on the nuclear energy pipe-line.

A recent NYT article states that in total, the 34 tons to be recycled in a new factory in South Carolina are expected to generate enough electricity for a million American homes for 50 years! This fuel will be made available by 2017.

If you are looking for extensive coverage of environmental issues please check out Green Love, The Review's environmental blog.

Are you reading this blog on a "blood computer"?

If you have seen the movie Blood Diamond you are aware of the black-market trade of diamonds mined in areas of extreme conflict. For a brief re-cap: warlords have long used captive civilians to mine diamonds in countries like Sierra Leone under horrendous conditions and in large numbers.

Campaigns to end the sales of these conflict diamonds have been around since the early 1990's. Now, minerals used in electronics are being mined in the Congo during one of Africa's all time most deadly wars. Since 1998, there have been an estimated 5.4 million deaths stemming from this specific conflict.

The Root, an online magazine featured an article earlier this year explaining the depths of this problem.

"The minerals used to make your cell phone, your iPod, the computer you’re using to read this article, are tied to a horrific conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo; in the last decade, it has killed more than the genocides and wars in Cambodia, Rwanda, Darfur and Iraq combined."

The ore mined in these slave camps is then transferred across Africa and shipped to manufacturers in Asia. While the conditions of these mines are life threatening, the wars that break out over control of such natural resources are even worse and often are waged between military groups known for mass genocide, war crimes and human rights atrocities.

The problem for manufactures is that there exists little to no transparency when it comes to the origins of these materials. This is where WE come in.

The Congo Conflict Minerals Act of 2009 was recently proposed by a group of Senators.

It would require companies that are involved in commercial activities involving three minerals (coltan, cassiterite, and wolframite) to disclose the country of origin of the minerals to the Securities and Exchange Commission. If the minerals are from the Congo or neighboring countries, companies would have to also disclose the mine of origin.

This bill does not however require companies to complete independent audits of their supply chains - a step non-profits have called for in the past.

Call your senator and request that he/she co-sponsor the bill if you feel it is an appropriate step to end this trade of tainted minerals. The number for the U.S. Capitol Switchboard is (202) 224-3121.

Better way to sell your books

You buy a Stat textbook for $340, you sell it back for $14. You order the norton anthology for $180 and the shops on main street inform you at the end of the semester, that a new edition is coming out this spring and you can't sell that beauty back for any dough.

Here is an alternative that also helps end illliteracy in impoverished nations.

Better World Books Is easy, simple, you are guaranteed a great price of buy backs, and low prices on purchases AND in partnership with Invisible Children you can help those who really need it, the child soldiers of Uganda.

"Sit. Read. Stand. Fight. Buy and sell books to helpInvisible Children bring peace in East Africa"

What could be easier?

Americans locked up abroad - in Iran

Since July, 31 three American hikers have been held, against their will, by the government of Iran.

Shane Bauer, 27, Sarah Shourd, 31, and Josh Fattal, 27 were vacationing in the mountains of northern Iraq when they reportedly crossed over into Iran by accident.

All three Americans were graduates of UC Berkeley. Two of the young hiking enthusiasts were living in Syria at the time of their abduction, the third was visiting. Fattal is a resident of suburban Philadelphia.

Because the United States has no diplomatic ties with Iran a Swiss diplomat was used to visit the detained hikers—they have had no contact with their families.

The families of these hikers will release a youtube video this week that they believe proves the hikers were in fact vacationing, rather than spying, or attempting to create political unrest during the Iranian election as some reports claim they are being held for.

The Associated Press reports that Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said last week that investigators are still questioning the three and that their fate rests with judicial authorities.

This quote suggests that formal charges could still be made against the Americans. Iranian President Ahmadinejad said last month that could he ask the judiciary to ''take a look at the case with maximum leniency.''

Innocent Americans locked up abroad by the Iranian government for three months—when will these innocent travelers be sent home? Public pressure and media coverage surrounding circumstances like these are sometimes the only leverage families have to get their loved ones back. Visit the Web site below to offer your support.

www.freethehikers.org

NYT GLOBAL

If you're like me and read dozens of news stories a day, follow multiple online newspapers and blogs, and are all around a NEWS NERD then just one little click can help you incorporate more obscure international news stories into your daily intake...

OR

If you snooze by the end of most articles and are trying your hardest to stay well informed, one easy step can help you take in as many international stories as possible...

The New York Times Web site can now be switched to GLOBAL EDITION.

In conjunction with the International Herald Tribune this interface allows you to view the NYT homepage from an purely international view.

Just click "switch to Global Edition" on the top of the vertical bar on the left hand side of the homepage.

Easy as pie

Here is a quick hits list of the biggest international stories for today...

Afghan helicopter crashes kill 14 Americans

Iraqi death toll continues to rise in suicide bomber attack, security questions raised

Radovan Karadzic, the man behind Bosnian genocide will face UN Yugoslav war crimes tribunal

Iran still jerking the UN around with their uranium enrichment program

And one last story, my favorite of today about a school literally smack in the middle of a half-century long military standoff. I've never heard anything like this story before. It's really great. Check it out.

The Korean Demilitarized Zone

GULUWALK

Join the RSO Uganda Untold - and me! at the GuluWalk this Saturday morning in Philadelphia.

It's a really great organization that has long been working to help those in northern Uganda effected by the ongoing conflict.

If you can't attend check back for photos and a recap of the event.

You can make a difference

Concerned over the fate of the citizens of Darfur? No matter where Obama stands, and what will ultimately come out of his proposed plan of diplomacy you can help make a difference NOW.

Save Darfur is an amazing alliance of non-profits working to help the people of Darfur. Additionally an event called Pledge2Protect which will bring together more than 1,000 leaders of the worldwide movement to end the ongoing genocide in Darfur.

The conference will convene in Washington, D.C. on November 6-9th. It includes workshops, training, panel discussions, networking events and will culminate in a lobbying day on Nov 9th.

For more information regarding this event check out the Pledge2Protect Web site.

In the past couple of years it has become socially trendy to speak out against the atrocities in Darfur. Let's stop speaking and start Doing. This type of event show the government that Americans care about genocide in Africa, and gets legislation passed.

Obama takes the middle road with Sudan

Advocates of an end to the genocide in Darfur have been anxiously awaiting an official stance on Sudan from the Obama administration since the President took office. Advocates of an end to the genocide in Darfur have been anxiously waiting for an official stance on Sudan from the Obama administration since the President took office.

During his campaign Obama promised a firm stance against the massive slaughtering that has engulfed Africa's largest country for over six years.

In fact the Obama administration will not be taking a firm stance, but instead will once again play the balancing act of foreign diplomacy in which “incentives and pressure” will be utilized. Obama has labeled the human rights situation in Darfur a "genocide" but will at the same time engage, rather than isolate, the murderous government of Sudan.

To engage a government that has been labeled genocidal seems to go against all past political philosophies when it comes to the United States' relations with foreign governments continuing to conduct widespread violations of human rights laws. Simultaneously, an iron clad stance against the government of Sudan leaves little room for creating improvements for its citizens.

The Obama administration stands behind the belief that in order for changes to be made, the government of Sudan must want to adhere. While the specifics of what incentives and pressures will be used, they have said that while working with this new policy a strong eye will be kept on the situation in Sudan - progress being rewarded and increases in violence bringing consequences.

Questions have begun to be raised over whether this lightened stance has anything to do with Sudan's help in America's fight against terrorism. If these allegations prove true, and leniency is being given to Sudan because of its role in fighting terrorists in the middle east, then all bets are off and the United States is in bed with a genocidal government for its own personal gain.

Let's hope this is not the case and purely, these recent policy changes will bring widespread peace and aid to the suffering people of Darfur.

Look Forward

Look forward to a series of interviews to be posted in the next couple of weeks...

I will be interviewing people who are working in areas of global interest; asking for insight, information and advice regarding a variety of issues.

Surrogacy extends across the globe

India, a long time destination for outsourced American jobs, is now home to a growing industry that at first glance seems slightly bizzare.

American couples unable to naturally conceive, and those who have found difficulty in applying for adoption and other child rearing alternatives, are now going over seas to find surrogate mothers.

This phenomenon raises two questions. One regarding the social situation currently existing in America that would force such an arrangement to be made in the first place, and another that questions the ethics involved in the logistics that take place in many of these overseas surrogacy programs.

For years the gay community has spoken out against the limitations placed on "non-traditional" families when it comes to adopting and fostering children in America. While florida is the only state that bans gay adoption rights prejudice is widespread.

So gay couples, financially stable, living in loving homes that desire the basic instinctual experience of becoming a parent, are now forced to look overseas for solutions to the limitations placed on them at home.

Human rights issues arise when details of these surrogacy "agencies" are revealed. Many Indian surrogate mothers are poverty stricken, illiterate and desperate to support their own families. Women are artificially inseminated, receive medical treatment, stay out their pregnancies and deliver the surrogate children all on the premises of such organizations. They are sometimes not allowed to leave the alloted grounds during the process.

In a country with 25 percent of the population living below the poverty line, according to the CIA World Factbook, giving these women an opportunity to support their children seems positive, but through means in which they are seemingly renting out their bodies and kept captive during the process, ethical and human rights questions have to be raised, especially when currently little to no regulation exists.

Surrogacy can create miracles, giving the gift of life to couples that could otherwise not experience the joys of raising a family. Using this miracle to exploit women in foreign countries, beyond American laws, and without strong proof that each case does not violate basic human rights brings up extremely hard moral questions that the global community may now have to answer.

Quotables

Inspirational quotes with a global edge...

"When words are both true and kind, they can change our world." - Buddha

"Go forth and set the world on fire." - St. Ignatius Loyola

"Leap and the net will appear." - traditional zen saying

"Believe nothing, no matter where you read it or who has said it, not even if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense." - Buddha

UD and Sudan

At a press conference last Tuesday morning, President Patrick Harker spoke about the university’s stance towards Sudanese divestment.

Sudan divestment is a global effort which takes invested funds out of foreign companies working with the Sudanese government in an attempt to drain the money being used for the Darfur genocide at its sources. Divestment is already being utilized by 61 universities, 27 states and 23 cities. The university’s STAND chapter, a national student run organization aimed at ending the genocide at Darfur, has long asked why the university has not yet followed suit.

“We continue to look at that and to our knowledge there are no direct investments in Sudan,” Harker said.

The President said that the university had no intentions of making such investments nor did they see any such investments to date.

“I cant tell you they will never exists because sometimes things happen many layers away from you in investments that you don’t have control of,” he said. “It’s impossible to know 100 percent.”

The last time President Harker spoke out publicly about the issue of divestment was in an April 2008 article in which he stated in an e-mail message, “we have met with representatives from the campus group STAND, and they have made the case for divestment. Currently, we are reviewing our investment portfolio, and we will be discussing the issue later this spring with the Investment Visiting Committee of the University's Board of Trustees.”

The Student Government Association passed a resolution on March 3, 2008 supporting divestment at the university. The resolution read, "We propose that the Delaware Undergraduate Student Senate support and work towards the divestment of the University of Delaware's endowment fund using the Sudan Divestment Task Force's targeted divestment model."

Included in the 59 universities who have divested is the University of Pennsylvania, which adopted a plan of targeted divestment on June 19, 2006, when President was still faculty members. In doing so, the University of Pennsylvania joined the ranks of Harvard University, Princeton University and Yale University by ensuring its endowments were not invested in companies supporting the government of Sudan.

“I can issue an edict, and universities have, but they don’t quite know,” Harker said.

At this time the campus group STAND has ended conversation with the administration. Members of the group stated in the past that their efforts will now be focused on lobbying Delaware politicians to pass legislation in support of divestment.

The SGA’s resolution has not brought any changes in terms of the university's policies reagarding divestment since its passing.

For more information regarding divestment in general and at the university check out these links below...

STAND

Sudanese Divestment Task Force

Students 'STAND' up to university divestment policy

Upenn's divested, when will UD?