Smog in the City

this heat and humidity is hellish.

...there is no ventilation in my apt building and I keep trying to meditate - pretending I'm in a breezy, cool oasis with mint green leaves, sugar cane, pineapple, watermelon, water, cool breeze with the smell of salt water in the air, the taste in my mouth...BUT NO.

I am in a neverending episode of Smog in The City. Today's episode is entitled "Why"?

Why did there have to be a strike by the city's Transit Commission on the hottest, most humid day of the year?

Why are people wearing jackets?

Why are people wearing booty shorts?

Why are union leaders acting like corporate executives?

Why did the workers take so long to decide on job action?

Why is my apartment not central air conditioned?

Why don't I live with my parents whose home is central air conditioned?

Why does the heat suck so much energy out of our bodies?

Why does it take days like this to understand that life must necessarily be slower in equitorial/hottest regions in the world? (i.e. why does homeostatis have to be such an inefficient physiological function?)

Why can't I decide whether to keep my windows open to let the scarce breeze, passing by every 10 minutes, come inside, or to keep my windows closed to leave out the heat, smog and humidity?

Why can't I accept the idea of sleeping for the night in a cold bath where 'tossing and turning' would be the equivalent of draining some water and refilling with more cold water?


Signed,

Carrie.

Happy Eritrean Independence Day!

Eritreans at a Martyrs' Day ceremony in Wake Duba remember their soldiers who died in the 30-year battle for independence from Ethiopia. (AP Photo /Jean-Marc Bouju)

At this time I am too busy to write the type of reflective and historically rich post to celebrate today the way I would like: May 24th, 2006 - Eritrea's 15th Anniversary of Independence. However, I will post the email I sent to (as I called them) 'the highly selected few' - now they are not so highly selected, are they?:


To the highly selected few:

I just wanted to take this opportunity to celebrate with you Eritrea's 15th Anniversary - independent after 30 years of armed struggle on May 24th 1991. In celebration pls let me share a favourite quote by one of the most influential educators of the 20th century - in fact, Eritrean educators used his philosophy of educating the poor in "Bet timhirti sewra", our "Zero" or Revolution school in the liberated zones during the struggle:

“The absence of hope is not the normal way to be human, it is a distortion[...] For this reason, as human beings, one of our struggles should be to diminish the objective reasons for that hopelessness that immobilizes us." (Paulo Freire, 'Pedagogy of Freedom', p. 69-70)

I have republished my blog with the time zone settings in Asmara, Eritrea for today. It is 6:55am there so people are just waking up as I am about to sleep. We can all join them today, at this brilliant hour and waking moment on May 24th 2006, in remembrance and hope! :)

Please bear with me...

...this site is under construction...

Should Africa look to Latin America?

Solomon Mugera and his guests live in the capital of Venezuela, Caracas, will take up this question on BBC Africa's "Have Your Say" radio program on Wednesday May 17th at 1600 GMT.

Having been interested in this question for a long time. Should Africa look to Latin America or Asian Tigers, etc? I felt the need to put my few cents in (more than 2 cents and less than 5!) - and it was posted on the BBC site. Here's the edited post they published (edited for good reason) and my slightly longer version below.

Have a great weekend!

Should Africa look to Latin America?

Latin American countries have about one and a half centuries more experience in independent statehood and they have gone through many phases - such as liberalization in the early 20th century, import substitution industrialization, the development and institutionalization of regional economic communities - and although there have been many setbacks, the people have the national and collective Latin American experience and history to look back and learn from their own mistakes.

For Africa it would be ideal to learn from the experiences of Latin America but realistically newly independent nations in Africa have scarcely learned from the experiences of some of the first independent states in Africa, so how can we expect the continent as a whole to learn from the experiences of another continent and apply them? I think one of the major differences is the level of civic engagement in the political arena in Latin America and particularly when it comes to mass mobilization. These are the people who are electing presidents like Morales and Chavez.

In many African countries people are still not demanding things from government and many don't have the luxury of daily security such as employment, health, education, etc. in order to occupy their time doing so. Social and Economic rights and Civil and Political rights are being pursued simultaneously in African countries and more rapid globalization in the last 25 years, HIV/AIDS and Malaria have all exacerbated this pursuit much earlier and deeper on our 'critical path' to development than it did with Latin America. So yes, we 'should' learn, but will we? I don't think we can.

My Dream Job

This post was inspired by Nneka's post, which was inspired by Pilgrimage to Self.

This is a good question, What is my dream job and what motivates me to work and wake up in the morning these days?

Dream Job
In the morning, heading off to my dream job as an internationally trained lawyer, now one of 95 International Criminal Court Judges at The Hague (following the "One from One Region" policy), I would be starting off by going to the gym, or running outdoors, doing 2 hours of exercise from 5am-7am. From 7am-8:30am I would flip through 7-10 different newspapers/RSS feeds/online journals in order to inform myself of what is going on in the world today. I would drink green tea with some honey and have a platter of fruit, prepared for me by my loving husband - because it is his turn that week.

I would have my oldest daughter/son drive the younger children to school and I would make sure to tell them to drive safely because I just read on the news that it will be a busy day on the street - people are out celebrating: It is World Independence & Freedom from Terrorist and Corrupt Government's Day (WIFTCGD) and I was one of the people who forwarded this idea to the Council at the Hague, which in turn, submitted the proposal to the Powers That Be (PTB = African Union). The world is celebrating with Africans today.

As I have built centres of learning all over the African continent, in 5 regions: North East, North West, Central, South East, South West (and one for Madagascar), with scholars and workers of all sorts coming to develop their skills in the compulsory course, "Participatory Learning & Decision Making: Enacting Human Rights", I will be flying daily to teach a course in "Regional peace-building: lessons from the failed state-building model of the West". These centres of learning may be built by me but they are replicated by other leaders all over the continent - bearing different names in different sub-regions. There is continental unity in terms of economic and political cooperation.

So, my dream job would require that I dress suitably. As I like to be versatile, I will wear cotton Indian sari's when it is particularly hot outside and sometimes I will wear the brand name of prominent African designers, such as Horn of Africa Queen Fashions - "Clothes for the Everyday." (You see, economic transactions across continent have facilitated greater regional access to textiles of all different colours and styles - makes for an interesting wardrobe.)

Today I will wear a deep chocolate brown dress with gold accents - gold hoop earings, gold pendant bearing the profile of Nefertiti, gold ring, etc. I wear my Egyptian Musk perfume and have unbelievably flawless skin with my smile as the greatest accessory of all. The price of gold has gone down recently as supplies have increased following the excavation and findings of gold reserves off the coast of the Red Sea. But I wear the gold anyway because status through style means nothing to me; rather I feel a sense of solidarity and pride with the Red Sea people's on their recent findings.

My central office workspace is not actually "The Hague" but it is in various AU offices scattered across the continent. The AU has many property and other investments, held in safe Nigerian banks, therefore they are able to fund and pass my recent project proposal - yearly administrative costs and "peace-keeping" missions are no longer about securing EU and other funding from abroad. When the American dollar crashed and the Chinese became the next Hegemon, the Africans slowly became quite wealthy as the Chinese outsourced much of their labour to the Continent. The Chinese created a stronger and flourishing middle class as the Africans began to own more and more of their own industries - the effect of responsible Chinese investment in Africa. They give the loan and we make and sell the product.

Yes, I helped with the General Agreement on Chinese and African Relations (GACAR) and I also was Principal Researcher on the WHTG/NA? Project (What Happened to Globalization/North America?) Project.

I travel back and forth to Brazil, Cuba, "Failed States" (Former U.S. & Britain) and the remaining "middle powers": India, Canada (yes, we're still here) and Australia. I work simultaneously with the "New Elites" in many countries. These elites have had at least 10 years of subsistence farming experience in regional co-ops and 2 of them must have been spent managing. Others able to join the "New Elites" group are workers, trade unionists, community activists, bloggers and independent media personalities. The Old Elites are being retrained in the aformentioned centres of learning in the multidisciplinary topics of "Participatory Learning and Decision-Making: Enacting Human Rights" - their competency in this compulsory course will indicate and determine their required further studies in order to complete the program. There are two academic/vocational streams: "Re-Considering Crime & Corruption" and "Lessons for Liars".

My Dream Job is filled with hope and passion and love for citizens of this world, free from hegemonic orders and destructive consequences for not following them. My Dream Job is filled with competent and productive people who disagree daily but feel the authority of the majority is good enough for them to re-think their position. If they still disagree, they appeal their case to my office which will file it in sequence with the other Appeals for Better and New Ideas.

My day ends with my thoughtful husband taking the kids to soccer practice, in the great big soccer field near our home where hundreds of kids from many different backgrounds come to play and watch soccer. My husband pours me some hot tea from the Ter-mos (Made in Zimbabwe). It is a cold night but the warmth of the soft yellow lights from the field and the smiles and laughter from the children and their families keep me comfortable.

This has been a busy day. I am jet-lagged and tired but my husband would like to, you know, when we get home.... :) I tell him I am tired and he understands completely, massaging my shoulders from a day couped up at the office, straining my neck...

...maintaining global justice is difficult indeed.

My dream job is also my dream life: a bit utopic but nonetheless possible.

r-e-s-i-s-t-a-n-c-e:

...just translating the fact of being under scrutiny into the pleasure of being watched... (Hebdige 1988)

quote of the night:

"There are two ways to lose oneself: through segregation walled in the particular or deletion into the universal". (Aimé Césaire)

Hot Docs 2006

My friend Yeow Tong, a brilliant Singaporean Ph.D. student in my department, posing with the Malaysian Director/Producer of The Last Communist, Amir Muhammad.)

Hot Docs is great.

I saw three movies this week and thanks to my friends, CBC and my eternal student status, I did not need to purchase a pass to see the films.

* In a Soldier's Footsteps

* The Last Communist (in Malay, 'Lelaki Komunis Terakhir')

* Bombay Calling

All of these films were very different and struck a cord with the interactive audience. In each film I loved some parts and disliked others, however, each is worth watching, so let me not be the film critic who could influence you on whether or not to see the films. See the films - all the directors worked mighty hard.

Had I more time I would have seen a lot more documentaries. They are my favourite type of film media. I wish Hot Docs ran throughout the year. Toronto is magnificient!

drums and dance

sometimes before I start a task, like cleaning or cooking (ok, ok, cleaning...), I blast my Tigrinya music LOUD and start dancing in order to get energized before doing it. there is something about hearing the bass of an african drum- in Tigrinya, koboro- that makes your eyes twinkle, your mouth smile and your heart jump. I love drums - gotta go dance! :)

Tricontinental Strikes Back?

The following is an article about the UN's so-called "management crisis" as of late whereby international powerbrokers, diplomats, technical experts, advisors, translators, et al have reached an impasse on negotiations regarding management policy reforms. Have a read. It serves to illustrate the point of a Tricontinental alliance (aka OSPAAL) expressed in my previous post clearly...

...all too clearly...

The UN's management crisis
By Laura Trevelyan BBC, UN headquarters, New York

A most undiplomatic row is raging at the United Nations in New York. Developing countries have voted down proposals from Secretary General Kofi Annan to reform the UN's management structure in the wake of the recent oil-for-food scandals... and the richer countries are threatening to retaliate.
In a windowless basement, a power struggle between the rich and poor nations of the world has been taking place.
Management reform might sound bland but it has polarised the UN to a degree not seen since the 1970s.

Kofi Annan's mild-sounding proposals to allow him to hire and fire more staff and have greater control over the budget, have provoked a crisis here.
The countries from the developing world say the reforms take power away from the 191 member general assembly, the UN's debating chamber, and give more leverage to the secretary general and his staff.

This is a power grab by the developed world, South Africa's genial but forthright ambassador Dumisani Kumalo told me.
But the US, Japan and the EU countries - who together contribute 82% of the UN's budget - are adamant the changes are needed to make the organisation more efficient.

The US's combative ambassador here, John Bolton, has insisted on tying the UN's funding for the second half of the year to progress on management reform.
"So they're threatening to turn the lights off in June?" smiled Ambassador Kumalo. "At least give me time to pack."

Whispered conversations
Against this backdrop of the rich world using its financial clout to push through reform, and the developing nations calling for their rights to be respected, a tense atmosphere has developed.

In the Orwellian sounding fifth committee of the general assembly, which handles the UN's budget, the less well off nations - led by South Africa - threatened to effectively vote down Kofi Annan's reforms. For 20 years budget decisions have been decided by consensus, rather than a vote - a system designed to stop the developing countries, who are in the majority, from railroading through decisions.

It is as if all the deeply held traditions of the UN have broken down. To avert the unseemly prospect of a vote, ambassadors from what seemed like all the countries at the UN, milled around until late into the night, smoking, debating, gesticulating, wheeling, dealing and trying to come to a compromise.

The Pakistani and the Mexican delegations conferred in one corner, while the Austrians - who were acting as the peace makers - scurried from one end of the conference room to the other. The Argentinian ambassador, usually so suave looking, seemed more than slightly perturbed. The US ambassador to the UN, John Bolton, appeared in his element.

Mounting tension
In a moment of high drama, a letter from Kofi Annan himself was delivered to the committee, setting out a middle way. As a former political correspondent at Westminster, I found the scene to be a cross between a late night sitting at the House of Commons and a block vote at an old-style Labour party conference.
Veteran diplomats found the spectacle equally baffling.

"Usually I know exactly what's going to happen at every set piece meeting here," observed one senior ambassador. "It's all pre-cooked. But I haven't the faintest idea what's going to happen next."

Meetings were adjourned, and as the ambassadors retired to bed, technical experts from the different country's delegations met until dawn, without resolution. The tension continued to mount.
The usually softly spoken British Ambassador, Sir Emyr Jones Parry, warned the developing countries they were playing with fire. But they ignored his warning, pushed the issue to a vote, and duly won the day. Faces fell in the delegations of Britain, the Japan and the US. "It's a failure of diplomacy," said one Western official.

Internal wrangling
The recriminations began immediately.
Now reform has been kicked into the long grass, a bitter series of negotiations loom on the budget and much else besides.

The West cannot push us around just because they pay the biggest share of the bills South Africa's Ambassador Kumalo
It is as if all the deeply held traditions of the UN have broken down: consensus, diplomacy, bridge building... and been replaced by a deep divide.

Thirty years ago, the Third World flexed its muscles here, most notoriously when the General Assembly passed a resolution equating Zionism with racism.
Now the developing nations are once again showing their strength, fed up with what they see as an American-led effort to tell the UN what to do.
Seasoned diplomats are staring into their tea leaves, wondering what all this means for the selection of the next secretary general, a critically important task that must be completed this year.

Usually that is a decision taken by the Security Council and rubber-stamped by the General Assembly, but there is no telling what might happen this time.
"The West cannot push us around just because they pay the biggest share of the bills," says ambassador Kumalo firmly. "We have rights too."

Tricontinental Guerrilla Revolt!: A question of time?

(Here I revel in the common irony of a book written by the anti-capitalist and revolutionary extraordinare, Che Guevara, being marketed as a collector's item and being sold profitably at Amazon.com. Does anything mean anything?)

The book I'm reading right now, borrowed from my sister's amazing collection, is called Guerrilla Warfare written by Ernesto Che Guevara in 1960, introduced by Marc Becker. It's a very stimulating read; so far, I haven't been able to put it down. In my last year of undergrad I took a class on Latin American politics so the general history is familiar to me but there is a paradox noted in the book that I find extremely fascinating. It makes my eye twinkle because of its utter im/possibility. Castro and Guevara as leaders of the Cuban revolution and hopeful leaders of the World Revolution said that armed revolution is the last option - the final measure after all peaceful means have been exhausted. But this, ultimately, is a matter of interpretation. Exalted by by "I'm a revolutionary" card-carrying young radicals everywhere, countless Socialist movements around the world, Che Guevara is the iconic symbol to the world's poor that change will come only if we do it ourselves.

Guevara's foco theory...

(1) hit & run tactics such as violent offensives and retreat back to geographically difficult terrain;

(2) the belief that a spontaneous attack against professionally trained military is possible and necessary for success of the revolution;

(3) the idea that peasants are not 'a sack of potatoes' as Marx put it in the Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte, but a vital organ of the revolution itself;

(4) the conviction that there are no "economic" preconditions to revolution

...articulated the guerrilla warfare path to social, political and economic growth in Latin America and the Tricontinental.

The "Tricontinental", by the way, was a term used interchangably at the time with the Organization of Solidarity with the People of Asia, Africa, and Latin America (OSPAAAL) .

Today the Tricontinental has some of the same problems it did when Che was agitating in the 1950s and 1960s. The path to economic development still remains an open and contested question - and the 'great globalization debate' has only made it more vague. Is this really the time for re-orientation of Third World approaches to international trade, including unprecedented openness to foreign capital and all its social and political requirements? Or is it all a mirage - the clever generalization of particular interests?

When can we say that all peaceful means have been exhausted? When can people be told that it is time to revolt? After how many WTO roundtables, after how many IMF programs on poverty-reduction, after how many land redistribution programs sponsored by government, after how much science on the spread of infectious diseases and how much politics on the price of the cure?

My intention isn't to say we need a violent uprising but I must admit that I'm torn on this question - I'm feeling in between Dr. King and Malcom X; Gandhi and Fanon. Half of me acknowledges that violence is for the incompetent and the other half of me recognizes that competence is the biggest lie of all. Many of us in the midst of revolution would have our Holy Book in one hand and an AK-47 in the other, espousing peace and war in the same breath. The point is that violence elicits response and violence changes things immediately.

So here is the hypothetical scenario - provided that the Tricontinental were organized enough on one issue particular to the people living there - such as agricultural exports, for example, would there ever be consensus on when all peaceful means have been exhausted? On when to do it?

During the Cold War it was easier to discern when peaceful means were exhausted because of the stalemate between East and West. It was always no war no peace. But as it is supposed to seem now, there is no such bi-polar stalemate as there are only competing interests in a global market. So what does this mean for revolution?

It's widely noted that Guevara's foco theory has been discredited. But the thing about revolution, if Guevara was right, is that it is spontaneous. So perhaps the fact that he's been "discredited" doesn't matter at all. Perhaps the question of Third World revolution, his dying wish, is only a question of time?

And now I will go to my bed for a fitful sleep anticipating the dream and nightmare that is guerrilla warfare.