Sunday, 26 April 2009
Dear Ayoub,Join us this weekend as we celebrate the museum's landscape, inside and out. Learn how NMAI's cropland, meadow, wetland, and woodland habitats honor the Native communities of the Chesapeake. Discover some ways in which Native people used the resources in this environment and showed respect for them as well.
Hands-on activities will be located inside and outside the museum.
OUTSIDE THE MUSEUM11 am to 12:30 pm and 1:30 to 3 pm
Visit the museum's four landscape habitats:
WoodlandsSmell sassafras, make a leaf rubbing, and talk to staff about spring flowers.WetlandsFeel a fox's hide and throw a Pamunkey fishing net.MeadowLearn about plants used for weavingCroplandsSort seeds for a Three Sisters (corn, beans, & squash) garden and learn how to harvest seeds for the future. Help prepare the garden for planting and learn about tobacco hornworms.
Landscape Tours2 and 3 pmLimited to twenty. Pre-register at the museum Welcome Desk.
INSIDE THE MUSEUM11 am to 3 pmPotomac Atrium
Make a buttonCelebrate the day by making a Three Sisters garden button.Three Sisters garden seed giveawayPick up seeds to peat pots to start your own Three Sisters garden at home.
Meet the Authors Book Signing12:30 to 1:30 pmChesapeake Gift Shop and Outside Welcome PlazaMeet Tanya Thrasher (Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma), Duane Blue Spruce (Laguna/San Juan Pueblo), and others.
Pick up a copy of The Land Has Memory and discover more about the museum landscape.You are receiving this invitation because you shared your email address with the National Museum of the American Indian and asked to be kept up-to-date on special programs and events. Click here if you would like to remove yourself from our mailing list.
Ayoub mzee with Peter msimbi [BBC] Covering the london marathon
Kebede's eyes on national pride
Tsegaye Kebede is hoping to bring Ethiopia its second major marathon victory in the space of a week when he takes on one of the best marathon fields ever assembled in the IAAF Gold Label Flora London Marathon this Sunday (26 April).
Kebede is still buzzing from his compatriot Deriba Merga's triumph in the Boston Marathon on Monday, describing it as "wonderful to see" and "an inspiration" coming just seven days before he toes the London start line for the first time in his career.
But Kebede almost didn't see the race at all thanks to a power cut at his home near Addis Ababa which had him running miles to find an internet café where he could follow his lifelong friend and training partner's victory in the first World Marathon Majors race of 2009.
"We literally had to run to find an internet café to see the race," says Kebede with a laugh. "I only got there in time to catch the end, and then I was very happy because I could see Deriba was going to win.
"We grew up together in Ethiopia and we often train together so it was great to see him win. It has inspired me to do well here."
It's not the first time the pair have been thrown together by marathon drama, of course. The two provided one of the most dramatic moments of an altogether extraordinary Olympic marathon on the last day of the athletics programme in Beijing last summer.
Then, in 30-degree heat and under stifling humidity, Kebede came from sixth place and more than a minute down on the leaders over the last few kilometres to snatch the bronze medal from Merga's grasp with just 200m to go in the Bird's Nest stadium.
It was devastating for Merga, of course, but for Kebede it was a triumph of will in the most trying of conditions.
"Beijing was a very hard race for me, very difficult," he says. "But I came from behind and when I got to the stadium I could see Deriba ahead of me. He was very tired so it was possible to pass him and become number three."
Kebede returned home to huge celebrations in a country where marathon running has been a matter national pride ever since the barefoot runner Abebe Bikila shocked the world to win the Olympic marathon title in 1960. Even for a runner as young as Kebede - born in January 1987, 23 years after Bikila's second Olympic victory in 1964 - the grandfather of Ethiopian distance running is still regarded as an iconic figure.
"I love the marathon because of Bikila and the national pride he brought to our country," says Kebede. "He showed a positive side to Ethiopia when we needed it."
With his Olympic medal in Beijing, and big city victories in Paris and Fukuoka last year, Kebede has done a fair bit for national pride himself. More importantly, perhaps, he's helped to raise his large family out of the stifling rural poverty he grew up with.
The fifth born of five brothers and eight sisters, the young Kebede was often forced to miss school to collect wood with his mother and helped his father sell wood to make the family living, earning less than 20 Birr (about US$3) a day.
"When I think back to how we used to survive it brings a tear to my eye," he says. "Now it's like a dream to be able to help my family out of poverty."
Now commanding the high earnings of an international marathon star, Kebede has been able to build a new house for the whole family and buy his parents some cattle so they can start to become self-sufficient.
If he wins on Sunday it will complete quite a journey for the 22-year-old who won his first ever marathon in Addis Ababa in 2007 in 2:15:53. With the likes of reigning champion Martin Lel, Olympic gold and silver medallists Sammy Wanjiru and Jaouad Gharib, and perennial minor medallist Abderrahim Goumri in the line-up, it could be the toughest test yet of his short marathon career.
Coached by Gete Wami's husband, Geteneh Tessema, Kebede certainly has the pedigree. His victory in Paris last year, in 2:06:40, made him the second quickest Ethiopian of all time behind Haile Gebrselassie, and his course record win in Fukuoka last December, in 2:06:10, was a new Japanese all-comers' record, eclipsing Wanjiru's time from the previous year.
As to his chances, Kebede is playing it cagey. "I don't want to guess," he says. "Everyone comes here wanting to win, but we will have to see what happens in the race.
"This is my first time in London so I don't know the course or what to expect from the weather. But I have done some good training in Ethiopia and will show on the day what I can do.
"Actually, the most important thing for me is not my position but my time. I can't guess what that will be but I want to get faster."
There is every chance he will. With the weather set to be fair, organisers are planning to set a world record pace on Sunday and have asked the pacemakers to take the racers through 20 miles.
It's always possible Kebede may not be with the leaders by then. Judging by the Olympic race, however, we can expect him to finish strongly and, who knows, when he gets back to Ethiopia he may even have reason to meet up with his friend Deriba Merga for a double celebration.
Marathon history
background
course history
London belongs to me
The men's race 1981 - 91
The men's race 1992 - 96
The men's race 1997 - 2001
The men's race 2002 - present
The women's race 1981 - 90
The women's race 1991 - 95
The women's race 1996 - 2001
The women's race 2002 - present
Sponsors' history
Charity history
All in a good cause
2004 race report
2005 race report (men's)
2005 race report (women's)
2006 race report (men's)
2006 race report (women's)
2007 race report (men's)
2007 race report (women's)
2008 race report (men's)
2008 race report (women's)
background
course history
London belongs to me
The men's race 1981 - 91
The men's race 1992 - 96
The men's race 1997 - 2001
The men's race 2002 - present
The women's race 1981 - 90
The women's race 1991 - 95
The women's race 1996 - 2001
The women's race 2002 - present
Sponsors' history
Charity history
All in a good cause
2004 race report
2005 race report (men's)
2005 race report (women's)
2006 race report (men's)
2006 race report (women's)
2007 race report (men's)
2007 race report (women's)
2008 race report (men's)
2008 race report (women's)
Saturday, 25 April 2009
london marathon 2009
Africa Addio
A screening of 'shockumentary' Africa Addio which depicts the turmoil following the fall of colonialism.
Saturday 25 April 2009, 2pm
NFT1, BFI Southbank, Belvedere Road, South Bank, London SE1 8XT
A panel discussion with Colin Prescod of the IRR and Mark Goodall, 'mondo' historian, will follow this screening.
Tickets: £5.
Ayoub mzee with sammy Wanjiru
Ayoub mzee with Martin Lel
A screening of 'shockumentary' Africa Addio which depicts the turmoil following the fall of colonialism.
Saturday 25 April 2009, 2pm
NFT1, BFI Southbank, Belvedere Road, South Bank, London SE1 8XT
A panel discussion with Colin Prescod of the IRR and Mark Goodall, 'mondo' historian, will follow this screening.
Tickets: £5.
Ayoub mzee with sammy Wanjiru
Ayoub mzee with Martin Lel
Lel and Wanjiru are ready to battle again
The Kenyans Martin Lel and Sammy Wanjiru are ready to challenge for title of champion of champions at Flora London Marathon on Sunday (26 April).
Lel, seeking to achieve an unprecedented fourth Flora London Marathon victory on Sunday, summed up the atmosphere with four days to go before the showdown:
"What makes London unique? It's the cream, it can invite the strongest athletes from all over the world and you know that if you win you are the strongest - you become the champion of champions. It's been an unforgettable part of my life."
The Kenyans Martin Lel and Sammy Wanjiru are ready to challenge for title of champion of champions at Flora London Marathon on Sunday (26 April).
Lel, seeking to achieve an unprecedented fourth Flora London Marathon victory on Sunday, summed up the atmosphere with four days to go before the showdown:
"What makes London unique? It's the cream, it can invite the strongest athletes from all over the world and you know that if you win you are the strongest - you become the champion of champions. It's been an unforgettable part of my life."
The memory of last year's epic contest - when Lel, runner-up Wanjiru and the third man home, Moroccan Abderrahim Goumri, sank to their knees shortly after crossing the finish line- has already claimed its niche in athletics history.
On that occasion it was the lanky Lel who produced his trademark finishing kick but his fellow Kenyan Wanjiru gained revenge at the Beijing Olympics later in the year, winning the gold medal with a performance that has a strong claim to be the greatest marathon ever run in a championships. Lel, his preparations hindered by a bout of malaria, finished fifth so this is indeed a re-match in their amicable rivalry.
On that occasion it was the lanky Lel who produced his trademark finishing kick but his fellow Kenyan Wanjiru gained revenge at the Beijing Olympics later in the year, winning the gold medal with a performance that has a strong claim to be the greatest marathon ever run in a championships. Lel, his preparations hindered by a bout of malaria, finished fifth so this is indeed a re-match in their amicable rivalry.
Yet Wanjiru has a warning for any rival on Sunday: "My target is to break the world record and be the world number one. If the pace is good on Sunday, I'll try to break the world record."
Given the manner in which he wore down his rivals to become the first Kenyan man to win the Olympic marathon title, Haile Gebrselassie's world record of 2:03:59 is certainly on the agenda. Pacemakers for the leading group have instructions to run at 2:04:00 tempo, while a second group of pacers will be going for 2:07:30.
Comparing their form in the build-up to London doesn't favour one Kenyan marvel over the other. Wanjiru ran 61:25 for seventh place at the Lisbon Half Marathon on March 22, disappointing for a man who holds the world record for the distance of 58:33, although the 22-year-old emphasises his ability to peak at the right time:
"I wasn't doing speed work at the time, I was concentrating on long distance. If the pace is 61:50 on Sunday, that would be good for me and we could break the world record."
Given the manner in which he wore down his rivals to become the first Kenyan man to win the Olympic marathon title, Haile Gebrselassie's world record of 2:03:59 is certainly on the agenda. Pacemakers for the leading group have instructions to run at 2:04:00 tempo, while a second group of pacers will be going for 2:07:30.
Comparing their form in the build-up to London doesn't favour one Kenyan marvel over the other. Wanjiru ran 61:25 for seventh place at the Lisbon Half Marathon on March 22, disappointing for a man who holds the world record for the distance of 58:33, although the 22-year-old emphasises his ability to peak at the right time:
"I wasn't doing speed work at the time, I was concentrating on long distance. If the pace is 61:50 on Sunday, that would be good for me and we could break the world record."
In contrast, Lel won the Lisbon Half Marathon in 59:56 and after solid preparation in Kenya, unlike the previous year when civil unrest forced him to switch to a training base in Namibia, all seemed to be on schedule. Although he's been troubled by a slight hip injury in recent days, he relishes the pressure of aiming to go one better than the Mexican Dionicio Ceron's hat-trick of wins from 1994 to 1996:
"I know the Flora London Marathon is one of the most competitive races but it's normal for me to have pressure – pressure is actually good for me. I'm ready to go with the pace, especially if my friend Wanjiru tries something, I'll be there."
Such is the quality of the field in London yet again, that the 2007 World Champion Luke Kibet concedes that a fast pace would leave him concentrating on improving his personal best of 2:08:52, set when finishing third in Eindhoven four years ago.
He still has harrowing memories of the unrest in Kenya last year but regained his winning touch at the Singapore Marathon last December. Now recovered from a minor tendon injury, Kibet wants to improve on 11th place in London 12 months ago:
"Last year I ran badly but the weather wasn't good and that didn't suit me. Now I've prepared well and I want to run my personal best in London."
Sunday's race will also be significant for Wanjiru and Lel in the 2008-2009 World Marathon Majors series. Wanjiru leads the men's rankings with 40 points while Lel is third with 26, four adrift of Deriba Merga of Ethiopia, who moved into second place thanks to his splendid victory in the Boston Marathon on Monday.
"I know the Flora London Marathon is one of the most competitive races but it's normal for me to have pressure – pressure is actually good for me. I'm ready to go with the pace, especially if my friend Wanjiru tries something, I'll be there."
Such is the quality of the field in London yet again, that the 2007 World Champion Luke Kibet concedes that a fast pace would leave him concentrating on improving his personal best of 2:08:52, set when finishing third in Eindhoven four years ago.
He still has harrowing memories of the unrest in Kenya last year but regained his winning touch at the Singapore Marathon last December. Now recovered from a minor tendon injury, Kibet wants to improve on 11th place in London 12 months ago:
"Last year I ran badly but the weather wasn't good and that didn't suit me. Now I've prepared well and I want to run my personal best in London."
Sunday's race will also be significant for Wanjiru and Lel in the 2008-2009 World Marathon Majors series. Wanjiru leads the men's rankings with 40 points while Lel is third with 26, four adrift of Deriba Merga of Ethiopia, who moved into second place thanks to his splendid victory in the Boston Marathon on Monday.
Fully funded PhD Studentships
The politics of Ethnic Diversity
Institute for Social Change
Deadline for applications is 11th May 2009
The Institute for Social Change has three fully funded PhD studentships commencing in 2009, covering fees and an annual maintenance stipend of £11,800.
The Institute for Social Change is an interdisciplinary research centre in the School of Social Sciences that offers an outstanding environment in which to study for a PhD. Sociological research at the University of Manchester was ranked joint first in the 2008 UK Research Assessment Exercise, producing the highest proportion of ‘world leading' research of any UK institution. PhD students will have the opportunity to apply for places on the prestigious Harvard-Manchester graduate summer programme, and may be able to spend time at Harvard in the course of their research project.
We welcome proposals from outstanding candidates for empirical research projects into the causes and consequences of change in contemporary societies, particularly in the areas of inequality, immigration, religion, the workplace and civic engagement.
We are particularly keen to fund projects in The politics of ethnic diversity - the role of context in shaping aspects of political or civic participation of ethnic minority groups or immigrants.
To discuss your proposal, contact the head of postgraduate research, Professor David Voas (http://uk.mc245.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=voas@manchester.ac.uk)
You can apply online at http://www.manchester.ac.uk/postgraduate/howtoapply
For information on how to apply contact Vicky Barnes (http://uk.mc245.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=vicky.barnes@manchester.ac.uk).
Website: http://www.manchester.ac.uk/socialchange/
The politics of Ethnic Diversity
Institute for Social Change
Deadline for applications is 11th May 2009
The Institute for Social Change has three fully funded PhD studentships commencing in 2009, covering fees and an annual maintenance stipend of £11,800.
The Institute for Social Change is an interdisciplinary research centre in the School of Social Sciences that offers an outstanding environment in which to study for a PhD. Sociological research at the University of Manchester was ranked joint first in the 2008 UK Research Assessment Exercise, producing the highest proportion of ‘world leading' research of any UK institution. PhD students will have the opportunity to apply for places on the prestigious Harvard-Manchester graduate summer programme, and may be able to spend time at Harvard in the course of their research project.
We welcome proposals from outstanding candidates for empirical research projects into the causes and consequences of change in contemporary societies, particularly in the areas of inequality, immigration, religion, the workplace and civic engagement.
We are particularly keen to fund projects in The politics of ethnic diversity - the role of context in shaping aspects of political or civic participation of ethnic minority groups or immigrants.
To discuss your proposal, contact the head of postgraduate research, Professor David Voas (http://uk.mc245.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=voas@manchester.ac.uk)
You can apply online at http://www.manchester.ac.uk/postgraduate/howtoapply
For information on how to apply contact Vicky Barnes (http://uk.mc245.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=vicky.barnes@manchester.ac.uk).
Website: http://www.manchester.ac.uk/socialchange/
Friday, 24 April 2009
Ayoub mzee with Srilanka Foreign Minister Hon. Rohitha Bogollagama
Srilanka Foreign Minister Hon. Rohitha BogollagamaTigers routed, but what now for Tamils in Sri Lanka?
Matt Wade
April 25, 2009
HIS realm once spanned a third of Sri Lanka and boasted a well-equipped army, navy and air force.
But Tamil Tigers supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran now controls just eight square kilometres of sand and swamp in north-eastern Sri Lanka.
Rumours have circulated in Colombo that the feared leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, who rarely appears in public, was smuggled out of Sri Lanka months ago. But the Sri Lankan army says he remains with his dwindling band of cadres, moving constantly around the strip of land in rebel hands.
The prospect of capturing the elusive guerilla chief has been overshadowed this week by the tens of thousands he is accused of holding hostage.
The LTTE, proscribed as a terrorist group in more than 30 countries including Australia, is renowned for its ruthless tactics. It pioneered suicide bombing and pressed children into battle. It has assassinated two national leaders — former Sri Lankan president Ranasinghe Premadasa and former Indian prime minister Rajiv Gandhi.
Satellite photos released by the US this week showed the huts of more than 120,000 people living rough on the beach in rebel-held territory. They were hemmed in by defensive earth barriers constructed by the Tamil Tigers using mechanical diggers.
But on Monday the Sri Lankan army used explosives to destroy a section of one of these fortifications and thousands of people began to pour out.
The scale of the exodus caught everyone by surprise. By Thursday, the Government said more than 100,000 people had crossed from rebel territory to Government-held areas.
"The Government has been saying for a long time that there were only about 70,000 people inside the no fire zone," said Gordon Weiss, the United Nations spokesman in Sri Lanka. "That was clearly wrong."
Having realised the scale of the refugee crisis, the Sri Lankan Government has pleaded for international assistance.
Some Tamil civilians have opted to flee by boat to India, making the treacherous journey across the strait that separates Sri Lanka from the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu. In one case 19 refugees, including eight women and two children, reached the town of Arcothurai after sailing for nearly 24 hours in a small fishing boat, the Indian Express newspaper reported. Continued...
Photos: Ayoub mzee
Matt Wade
April 25, 2009
HIS realm once spanned a third of Sri Lanka and boasted a well-equipped army, navy and air force.
But Tamil Tigers supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran now controls just eight square kilometres of sand and swamp in north-eastern Sri Lanka.
Rumours have circulated in Colombo that the feared leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, who rarely appears in public, was smuggled out of Sri Lanka months ago. But the Sri Lankan army says he remains with his dwindling band of cadres, moving constantly around the strip of land in rebel hands.
The prospect of capturing the elusive guerilla chief has been overshadowed this week by the tens of thousands he is accused of holding hostage.
The LTTE, proscribed as a terrorist group in more than 30 countries including Australia, is renowned for its ruthless tactics. It pioneered suicide bombing and pressed children into battle. It has assassinated two national leaders — former Sri Lankan president Ranasinghe Premadasa and former Indian prime minister Rajiv Gandhi.
Satellite photos released by the US this week showed the huts of more than 120,000 people living rough on the beach in rebel-held territory. They were hemmed in by defensive earth barriers constructed by the Tamil Tigers using mechanical diggers.
But on Monday the Sri Lankan army used explosives to destroy a section of one of these fortifications and thousands of people began to pour out.
The scale of the exodus caught everyone by surprise. By Thursday, the Government said more than 100,000 people had crossed from rebel territory to Government-held areas.
"The Government has been saying for a long time that there were only about 70,000 people inside the no fire zone," said Gordon Weiss, the United Nations spokesman in Sri Lanka. "That was clearly wrong."
Having realised the scale of the refugee crisis, the Sri Lankan Government has pleaded for international assistance.
Some Tamil civilians have opted to flee by boat to India, making the treacherous journey across the strait that separates Sri Lanka from the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu. In one case 19 refugees, including eight women and two children, reached the town of Arcothurai after sailing for nearly 24 hours in a small fishing boat, the Indian Express newspaper reported. Continued...
Photos: Ayoub mzee
In This Issue...UGANDA has made progress in attracting investments this year.
A woman who knows her power has the keys to her happiness
Telecoms shift the war to money transfer business
Love brings an element of lightness where there is heaviness and darkness.
Poem: DREAM MOMENTS
Uganda the Promised Land
Drafting the National Land Policy
MISS UGANDA UK 2009 CONTESTANTS UNVEILED
Why Kanu’s a king
Juliana’s road ahead
Your Letters: issue17
GUVNOR: Exclusive for the elite and affluent class
Over 40?
Another Ugandan coffee brand penetrates western market
credit crunch
Obituary: Dear Loving Mother
Wow!!, Ekkanisa y’o Luganda High up the Bridge.
Mozey & Weasle rocks Europe
UNLOCKING YOUR FULL POTENTIAL
SETBACKS- LIFE’S GREATEST FORCE
ONCE UPON A WHITE MAN by GRAHAM ATKINS
Music on the catwalk
South Africans need visas to visit UK
London Mayor calls for UK Immigration Amnesty
Linking up with Chain of Hope (CoH)
Nyinomugisha: Musician with a drive
Badru Crushes Croydon Bomber (CHAS Symonds)
COMEDY NITE
Paul Kizito: A star in the making
Shifting sands on the musical front
A Tribute to Charles Ssekyanzi founder member of the Afrigo band:
Da Twinz: British Film Breakthrough
Solomon Jagwe
Sylvia Katete Gavigan Uganda’s new Honorary Consul in the Republic of Ireland
The Commonwealth and Reforming International Institutions
Rwanda, A safe haven for investors
Mountain Gorillas: Africa’s Gentle Giants
Value addition industrialization is a solution to Africa’s problems says Vice President Prof. Gilber
COMESA: Value addition vital for African cotton
BABA: Buy African Build Africa
Education in Uganda
"Trust" "people" Cured cancer
Jozy boutique
Asian women are the world richest’
A successful business needs a few simple rules………..
Exchange Rates
Frost Debt solutions
Mavis Amakwah
Top Stories: You should be talking about
The misleading feelings of lack
UGANDA’S ACADEMY of DREAMS
Only A New Thought System Can Save Africa
Sarah Kizito talks about her ambitions, her golden touch, her life and marriage
Publisher's Letter
House Foreign Affairs Committee
Howard L. Berman (D-CA), chairman
Verbatim, as delivered
April 22, 2009
Chairman Berman’s opening statement at hearing with Secretary of State Clinton, “New Beginnings: Foreign Policy Priorities in the Obama Administration”
It’s a great pleasure to welcome Secretary Clinton to the Committee this morning for her first appearance before Congress as Secretary of State. We know you have an extremely busy schedule, Madam Secretary, and we very much appreciate your taking the time to be here.
Normally, the Secretary’s first appearance before the Committee would be to present the Administration’s budget for the next fiscal year. But given the transition and the understandable delay in preparing the fiscal year 2010 budget, I’ve asked her to testify today on the Administration’s overall foreign policy agenda and to discuss the broad outlines of the budget request. In a few weeks, the Deputy Secretary for Management and Resources, Jack Lew, will appear before the Committee to discuss the Department’s detailed budget proposal.
Madam Secretary, I want to commend you and your excellent team for taking immediate steps to address the dangerous lack of capacity at the State Department and USAID.
From her first days in office, she directed a comprehensive review of our chronically under-funded diplomacy and development capabilities. She then developed a plan to restore these critical components of our national security infrastructure. And finally, she fought to ensure that the Administration’s Function 150 budget request provided adequate resources to implement that plan.
Madam Secretary, I couldn’t agree with you more that we desperately need to reinvigorate our civilian foreign affairs agencies. To the extent diplomacy and development can help avoid conflicts before they start, it will save us billions in the long run. It will also help prevent the continuing migration of development-related programs to the military, thus relieving the burden on our brave men and women in uniform.
I am committed – and I know many of my colleagues on the Committee are as well -- to doing everything that we can to ensure that the budget request is fully funded. We will also do our part by marking up and passing a State Department authorization bill – hopefully on a bipartisan basis -- very soon after we receive the detailed budget. And later this year, we hope to pass foreign assistance reform legislation to rationalize our various foreign aid programs and provide the Administration additional flexibility to ensure that the most urgent needs are being met.
I want to make sure my colleagues have plenty of time to ask questions, so I’m not going to run through the entire laundry list of foreign policy challenges we now face. But I do want to touch on a couple of issues.
Madam Secretary, several of my colleagues and I returned just yesterday from a trip to India and Pakistan. I think I can speak for all of them in saying that we were encouraged by the dramatically improved U.S. ties with India, but deeply concerned about the rapidly deteriorating security situation in Pakistan.
In recent weeks, extremists based in the western border regions have turned their guns on the Pakistani state, launching dramatic suicide attacks in the population centers of Islamabad and Lahore. Equally troubling, the Pakistani government has cut a deal with the extremists that overran the Swat Valley – the latest in a string of failed agreements that has only emboldened the radicals.
To make matters worse, the Pakistani supreme court just ordered the release of Mauluna Abdul Aziz, the radical Red Mosque cleric, who has renewed his call to kill westerners and place all of Pakistan under a rigid and intolerant form of Islamic law.
The United States has an enormous stake in the stability and security of Pakistan. We cannot allow al Qaeda or any other terrorist group that threatens our national security to operate with impunity in the tribal regions. Nor can we permit the Pakistani state – and its nuclear arsenal -- to be taken over by the Taliban or any other radical groups, or otherwise be destabilized in a manner that could lead to renewed conflict with India. So it is very alarming that we are now hearing predictions from a number of leading experts that Pakistan could collapse in as little as six months.
Madam Secretary, I know you take these issues seriously, and I want to commend you and your team for developing a comprehensive Afghanistan-Pakistan strategy. I completely agree with your assessment that the security of those two countries and their neighbors is inextricably linked. And I strongly support your conclusion that strengthening the civilian democratic government of Pakistan should be a central part of our overall efforts.
In the next few weeks, our Committee will consider legislation to massively expand assistance to Pakistan, including funds to strengthen the capacity of parliament, the judiciary and the public education system. The bill also calls for the Administration to make a series of reasonable determinations to ensure that military assistance is used to meet both U.S. and Pakistani national security needs. Ambassador Holbrooke will testify next Wednesday to provide the Administration’s views of the legislation, and to discuss the larger Afghanistan-Pakistan strategy.
I also would like to say a few words about Iran’s continuing efforts to develop a nuclear weapons capability.
As you are well aware, a nuclear-capable Iran would pose a dire threat to the United States and our allies in the region, act as a hegemonic power in the Middle East, and cause a cascade of proliferation. In short, we can’t allow Iran to acquire this capability.
Regrettably, the previous administration’s policy failed to impact the Iranian regime’s destabilizing behavior. And there is no reason to believe that doing more of the same will result in a different outcome.
We need a new approach to dealing with Iran – one that offers direct engagement in a bilateral or multilateral format. I believe this is reflected in the Administration’s recently completed Iran policy review. But such engagement should not be open-ended. Indeed, Tehran continues to enrich uranium, and every day moves closer to the nuclear threshold. I would urge you to seek support in advance from key members of the international community to impose crippling sanctions – the kind that would compel, or at least maximize the chances of compelling, a change in the regime’s current course – if engagement does not yield positive results.
Finally, after 25 years of grappling with the enormous economic losses caused by intellectual property piracy and counterfeiting, I would urge you to put this issue high on the list of the State Department’s economic agenda.
Madam Secretary, I am excited about the prospect of working with you on the many challenges facing our nation. And I am now pleased to recognize my friend and the Ranking Member of our committee, Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen for her statement.
Thursday, 23 April 2009
HFAC Congressional Testimony
SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON
CONGRESSIONAL TESTIMONY
HOUSE FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
APRIL 22, 2009
Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member Ros-Lehtinen, and
Members of the Committee, it’s a pleasure to be with you this
morning. This Committee has been a source of many advances
in our foreign policy and I look forward to working with you to
continue that tradition.
When I last came before the Congress at my confirmation
hearing, I spoke of my commitment to pursuing a foreign policy
that would enhance our nation’s security, advance our interests,
and uphold our values. Today, nearly one hundred days later, I
am proud to report that we have begun making progress toward
that goal.
The men and women of the State Department and USAID
are serving their country around the clock and around the world.
I am extraordinarily proud of their work.
1
HFAC Congressional Testimony
With their talents, and President Obama’s leadership, we
have put forward a new diplomacy powered by partnership,
pragmatism, and principle.
Our priorities are clear. We are deploying the tools of
diplomacy and development along with military power. We are
securing historic alliances, working with emerging regional
powers, and seeking new avenues of engagement. We are
addressing the existing and emerging challenges that will define
our century: climate change, weak states, criminal cartels,
nuclear proliferation, terrorism, poverty, and disease. And we
are advancing our values and interests by promoting human
rights and fostering conditions that allow every individual to live
up to their God-given potential.
I expect many of your questions today will focus on
longstanding concerns: the security situation in Afghanistan and
Pakistan; the need for a responsible end to our military presence
in Iraq; Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons; conflict in parts of the
Middle East; and fallout from the global financial crisis.
2
HFAC Congressional Testimony
I will speak to these subjects briefly, but I also want to
address the broader issues and opportunities on our global
agenda – issues that I will come to in a moment.
In Afghanistan and Pakistan, the President has outlined a
strategy centered on a core goal: to disrupt, dismantle and
defeat Al Qaeda, and to prevent their return to safe havens in
Afghanistan or Pakistan. We combined our strategic review
with intensive diplomacy, and nations from around the world are
joining together to address this urgent challenge. More than 80
countries and organizations participated in the international
conference on Afghanistan in The Hague, and a donors’
conference for Pakistan raised over $5 billion.
In Iraq, we are working toward the responsible
redeployment of our troops and the transition to a partnership
based on diplomatic and economic cooperation. We are
deploying new approaches to prevent Iran from developing
nuclear weapons. After years during which the United States
distanced itself from the process, we are now a full partner in the
P5+1 talks.
3
HFAC Congressional Testimony
In the Middle East, we engaged immediately to help
achieve a comprehensive peace between Israel and her Arab
neighbors. We are maintaining our bedrock commitment to
Israel’s security and providing economic support, security
assistance and humanitarian support to the Palestinian people –
an effort to which the Administration has pledged $900 million.
More broadly, we are also working to contain the fallout
from the global financial crisis. Our efforts at the G-20 focused
in large measure on the poorest and most vulnerable countries.
In addition to providing support to the International Monetary
Fund, we are seeking resources for direct assistance to countries
such as Haiti, where I travelled last week. These resources will
help responsible governments in developing countries regain
their economic footing and avert political instability with wider
repercussions.
These challenges demand attention, but they must not
distract us from equally important – but sometimes less obvious
– threats ranging from climate change, to disease, to criminal
cartels, to non-proliferation.
4
HFAC Congressional Testimony
In today’s world, we face new challenges that have no
respect for borders. Not one of them can be dealt with by the
United States alone. None can be solved without us. All will
have a profound impact on the security of our citizens.
As daunting as they are, these challenges also offer new
arenas for global cooperation. And we are taking steps to seize
these opportunities.
First, we are pursuing a wide-ranging diplomatic agenda
premised on:
„h Strengthening our alliances with democratic partners
in Europe, Asia, Africa and our hemisphere,
„h Cultivating partnerships with key regional powers, and
„h Building constructive relationships with China and
Russia.
We are working with our longtime partners in Japan and
South Korea, to address not just regional concerns, but a host of
global issues, from the financial crisis to climate change.
And we are advancing our relationship with India, the
world’s largest democracy. I made my first overseas trip as
5
HFAC Congressional Testimony
Secretary of State to Asia, to signal that we are not just a trans-
Atlantic power, but a transpacific power, and that Asia will be
an indispensable partner in years to come. We are also working
closely with our NATO allies and our friends in the European
Union, building on partnerships forged in the 20th century to
meet the challenges of the 21st. And we are working with the
nations of the Americas, with whom we share a common home,
hemisphere and heritage, to pursue a new energy partnership,
fight drug trafficking, and consolidate democratic gains.
We are building closer ties with regional anchors, including
Brazil, Indonesia, and Turkey, who can serve not only as
partners, but as leaders on issues ranging from deforestation to
democracy.
The President, Vice President, and I are all working to
establish constructive relationships with China and Russia, and
candidly address our differences where they persist.
We are making progress with Russia on finding a successor
to the START arms control agreement and with China on
developing technologies to reduce the world’s dependence on
fossil fuels. We will continue to work on such mutual priorities.
6
HFAC Congressional Testimony
Second, we are redefining diplomatic engagement to move
beyond government alone. Policies and political leaders change
over time. But ties between citizens, non-governmental
organizations, and businesses endure. They are the most
effective – and lasting – tools of diplomacy we know. For this
reason, President Obama and I are personally committed to
engaging these groups directly, as I have done already during
my travels. These relationships, combined with new
technologies, will form the foundation for future diplomatic
initiatives that are broader and more ambitious than traditional
efforts of the past.
Third, we are working to expand opportunity and protect
human rights, strengthening civil society, and living up to the
ideals that define our nation.
This starts with a development agenda that provides people
with the raw materials of progress: from education and health
care to sound institutions and the rule of law. I am particularly
committed to improving the lives and expanding the
7
HFAC Congressional Testimony
opportunities of women and girls, and those on the margins of
society.
Fourth, as we promote responsible governance abroad, we
are trying to live up to our own principles at the State
Department and USAID. We are working hard to create a more
agile, effective department with the right staffing, resources, and
authorities to fulfill President Obama’s agenda. That’s why I
have filled – for the first time – the position of Deputy Secretary
for Management and Resources.
I have also challenged the Department to reform, innovate
and save taxpayer dollars. We are turning our ambassadors into
in-country chief executive officers, with authority and
responsibility for all programs on the ground.
We are consolidating our IT support services, yielding cost
savings of 15 to 20 percent – tens of millions of dollars – and
implementing human resources reforms that will save $22
million over five years. We are deploying new media
8
HFAC Congressional Testimony
technologies to carry our message to the world more efficiently
and computerizing many of our consular services.
Even as we work to stretch taxpayers’ dollars, I am
determined to see that the men and women of our Foreign and
Civil Service get the resources they need to do their jobs safely
and effectively. As Secretary of Defense Gates has pointed out,
our country has underinvested in diplomacy. That must end.
Just as we would not deny ammunition to American troops
heading into battle, we cannot send our diplomats into the field
without the tools they need. If we fail to invest in diplomacy,
we will eventually spend far more paying for that mistake.
Mr. Chairman, we are pursuing all of these policies because
it is the right thing to do. It is also the smart thing to do. No
country benefits more than the United States when there is
greater security, democracy, and opportunity in the world.
Our economy grows, our allies are strengthened, and our
people thrive. And no country carries a heavier burden when
things go badly. Every year, we spend hundreds of billions of
dollars dealing with the consequences of war, disease, violent
ideologies, and vile dictatorships.
9
HFAC Congressional Testimony
10
Investing to create the type of world in which we want to
live is good for the countries and people we help – but it is also
in the national interest of the United States.
In this time of change and uncertainty, we have no shortage
of challenges. But we also have an extraordinary opportunity.
The world is looking for leadership – and looking to see how the
United States will meet this moment.
If we follow our plans and our principles, we will succeed.
We can lead the world in creating a century that we and our
children will be proud to own – a century of progress and
prosperity for the whole world, but especially the United States.
To achieve these goals, we need your help. We need your
advice. And we need your support. I look forward to our
discussion this morning and to working with you on these issues
in the months ahead.
SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON
CONGRESSIONAL TESTIMONY
HOUSE FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
APRIL 22, 2009
Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member Ros-Lehtinen, and
Members of the Committee, it’s a pleasure to be with you this
morning. This Committee has been a source of many advances
in our foreign policy and I look forward to working with you to
continue that tradition.
When I last came before the Congress at my confirmation
hearing, I spoke of my commitment to pursuing a foreign policy
that would enhance our nation’s security, advance our interests,
and uphold our values. Today, nearly one hundred days later, I
am proud to report that we have begun making progress toward
that goal.
The men and women of the State Department and USAID
are serving their country around the clock and around the world.
I am extraordinarily proud of their work.
1
HFAC Congressional Testimony
With their talents, and President Obama’s leadership, we
have put forward a new diplomacy powered by partnership,
pragmatism, and principle.
Our priorities are clear. We are deploying the tools of
diplomacy and development along with military power. We are
securing historic alliances, working with emerging regional
powers, and seeking new avenues of engagement. We are
addressing the existing and emerging challenges that will define
our century: climate change, weak states, criminal cartels,
nuclear proliferation, terrorism, poverty, and disease. And we
are advancing our values and interests by promoting human
rights and fostering conditions that allow every individual to live
up to their God-given potential.
I expect many of your questions today will focus on
longstanding concerns: the security situation in Afghanistan and
Pakistan; the need for a responsible end to our military presence
in Iraq; Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons; conflict in parts of the
Middle East; and fallout from the global financial crisis.
2
HFAC Congressional Testimony
I will speak to these subjects briefly, but I also want to
address the broader issues and opportunities on our global
agenda – issues that I will come to in a moment.
In Afghanistan and Pakistan, the President has outlined a
strategy centered on a core goal: to disrupt, dismantle and
defeat Al Qaeda, and to prevent their return to safe havens in
Afghanistan or Pakistan. We combined our strategic review
with intensive diplomacy, and nations from around the world are
joining together to address this urgent challenge. More than 80
countries and organizations participated in the international
conference on Afghanistan in The Hague, and a donors’
conference for Pakistan raised over $5 billion.
In Iraq, we are working toward the responsible
redeployment of our troops and the transition to a partnership
based on diplomatic and economic cooperation. We are
deploying new approaches to prevent Iran from developing
nuclear weapons. After years during which the United States
distanced itself from the process, we are now a full partner in the
P5+1 talks.
3
HFAC Congressional Testimony
In the Middle East, we engaged immediately to help
achieve a comprehensive peace between Israel and her Arab
neighbors. We are maintaining our bedrock commitment to
Israel’s security and providing economic support, security
assistance and humanitarian support to the Palestinian people –
an effort to which the Administration has pledged $900 million.
More broadly, we are also working to contain the fallout
from the global financial crisis. Our efforts at the G-20 focused
in large measure on the poorest and most vulnerable countries.
In addition to providing support to the International Monetary
Fund, we are seeking resources for direct assistance to countries
such as Haiti, where I travelled last week. These resources will
help responsible governments in developing countries regain
their economic footing and avert political instability with wider
repercussions.
These challenges demand attention, but they must not
distract us from equally important – but sometimes less obvious
– threats ranging from climate change, to disease, to criminal
cartels, to non-proliferation.
4
HFAC Congressional Testimony
In today’s world, we face new challenges that have no
respect for borders. Not one of them can be dealt with by the
United States alone. None can be solved without us. All will
have a profound impact on the security of our citizens.
As daunting as they are, these challenges also offer new
arenas for global cooperation. And we are taking steps to seize
these opportunities.
First, we are pursuing a wide-ranging diplomatic agenda
premised on:
„h Strengthening our alliances with democratic partners
in Europe, Asia, Africa and our hemisphere,
„h Cultivating partnerships with key regional powers, and
„h Building constructive relationships with China and
Russia.
We are working with our longtime partners in Japan and
South Korea, to address not just regional concerns, but a host of
global issues, from the financial crisis to climate change.
And we are advancing our relationship with India, the
world’s largest democracy. I made my first overseas trip as
5
HFAC Congressional Testimony
Secretary of State to Asia, to signal that we are not just a trans-
Atlantic power, but a transpacific power, and that Asia will be
an indispensable partner in years to come. We are also working
closely with our NATO allies and our friends in the European
Union, building on partnerships forged in the 20th century to
meet the challenges of the 21st. And we are working with the
nations of the Americas, with whom we share a common home,
hemisphere and heritage, to pursue a new energy partnership,
fight drug trafficking, and consolidate democratic gains.
We are building closer ties with regional anchors, including
Brazil, Indonesia, and Turkey, who can serve not only as
partners, but as leaders on issues ranging from deforestation to
democracy.
The President, Vice President, and I are all working to
establish constructive relationships with China and Russia, and
candidly address our differences where they persist.
We are making progress with Russia on finding a successor
to the START arms control agreement and with China on
developing technologies to reduce the world’s dependence on
fossil fuels. We will continue to work on such mutual priorities.
6
HFAC Congressional Testimony
Second, we are redefining diplomatic engagement to move
beyond government alone. Policies and political leaders change
over time. But ties between citizens, non-governmental
organizations, and businesses endure. They are the most
effective – and lasting – tools of diplomacy we know. For this
reason, President Obama and I are personally committed to
engaging these groups directly, as I have done already during
my travels. These relationships, combined with new
technologies, will form the foundation for future diplomatic
initiatives that are broader and more ambitious than traditional
efforts of the past.
Third, we are working to expand opportunity and protect
human rights, strengthening civil society, and living up to the
ideals that define our nation.
This starts with a development agenda that provides people
with the raw materials of progress: from education and health
care to sound institutions and the rule of law. I am particularly
committed to improving the lives and expanding the
7
HFAC Congressional Testimony
opportunities of women and girls, and those on the margins of
society.
Fourth, as we promote responsible governance abroad, we
are trying to live up to our own principles at the State
Department and USAID. We are working hard to create a more
agile, effective department with the right staffing, resources, and
authorities to fulfill President Obama’s agenda. That’s why I
have filled – for the first time – the position of Deputy Secretary
for Management and Resources.
I have also challenged the Department to reform, innovate
and save taxpayer dollars. We are turning our ambassadors into
in-country chief executive officers, with authority and
responsibility for all programs on the ground.
We are consolidating our IT support services, yielding cost
savings of 15 to 20 percent – tens of millions of dollars – and
implementing human resources reforms that will save $22
million over five years. We are deploying new media
8
HFAC Congressional Testimony
technologies to carry our message to the world more efficiently
and computerizing many of our consular services.
Even as we work to stretch taxpayers’ dollars, I am
determined to see that the men and women of our Foreign and
Civil Service get the resources they need to do their jobs safely
and effectively. As Secretary of Defense Gates has pointed out,
our country has underinvested in diplomacy. That must end.
Just as we would not deny ammunition to American troops
heading into battle, we cannot send our diplomats into the field
without the tools they need. If we fail to invest in diplomacy,
we will eventually spend far more paying for that mistake.
Mr. Chairman, we are pursuing all of these policies because
it is the right thing to do. It is also the smart thing to do. No
country benefits more than the United States when there is
greater security, democracy, and opportunity in the world.
Our economy grows, our allies are strengthened, and our
people thrive. And no country carries a heavier burden when
things go badly. Every year, we spend hundreds of billions of
dollars dealing with the consequences of war, disease, violent
ideologies, and vile dictatorships.
9
HFAC Congressional Testimony
10
Investing to create the type of world in which we want to
live is good for the countries and people we help – but it is also
in the national interest of the United States.
In this time of change and uncertainty, we have no shortage
of challenges. But we also have an extraordinary opportunity.
The world is looking for leadership – and looking to see how the
United States will meet this moment.
If we follow our plans and our principles, we will succeed.
We can lead the world in creating a century that we and our
children will be proud to own – a century of progress and
prosperity for the whole world, but especially the United States.
To achieve these goals, we need your help. We need your
advice. And we need your support. I look forward to our
discussion this morning and to working with you on these issues
in the months ahead.
This America.gov Video Player requires the Adobe Flash 8 plugin or higher.
Download the most recent Adobe Flash Player here.
Download the most recent Adobe Flash Player here.
African Women present Declaration to Downing Street on WILPF’s 94th Birthday
In November 2008, African women from diverse nations came together in London to attend a event hosted by the Women’s International league for peace and Freedom, (WILPF) to discuss the issues faced by women in terms of peace, conflict and development in Africa. These women, from Malawi, Angola, The Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Nigeria and Sudan drafted a declaration outlining their concerns. This declaration will be delivered to Downing Street at 4pm on Tuesday 28 April, WILPF’s 94th Birthday.
‘The declaration addresses the key issues facing these women, from food insecurity, to the arms trade, to a lack of protection from violence,’ said WILPF spokesperson Sasha Jesperson, ‘But in spite of these challenges, these women are working for peace, security, development and women’s rights’.
Since the women came together in London last year, WILPF members have been collecting signatures in support of the demands. The declaration, and signatures, will be delivered to Downing Street on WILPF’s 94th birthday to highlight the importance of women’s international activism. In the weeks following, WILPF activists will meet with representatives from the Department for International Development and various African embassies.
‘This declaration is just the beginning’, said Marie-Claire Faray-Kele, ‘WILPF has received support for this declaration from all over the world, and we will continue campaigning on it until we see action in Africa’. The declaration will be delivered by Mawete Vo Teka Sala from Moyo wa Taifa, Amani Ahmed and Mona Ismail from Sudanese Mothers for Peace, and Martha Jean Baker, Sheila Triggs and Sasha Jesperson from WILPF.
When: 4:00pm, Tuesday 28 April
Where: 10 Downing Street, London
In November 2008, African women from diverse nations came together in London to attend a event hosted by the Women’s International league for peace and Freedom, (WILPF) to discuss the issues faced by women in terms of peace, conflict and development in Africa. These women, from Malawi, Angola, The Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Nigeria and Sudan drafted a declaration outlining their concerns. This declaration will be delivered to Downing Street at 4pm on Tuesday 28 April, WILPF’s 94th Birthday.
‘The declaration addresses the key issues facing these women, from food insecurity, to the arms trade, to a lack of protection from violence,’ said WILPF spokesperson Sasha Jesperson, ‘But in spite of these challenges, these women are working for peace, security, development and women’s rights’.
Since the women came together in London last year, WILPF members have been collecting signatures in support of the demands. The declaration, and signatures, will be delivered to Downing Street on WILPF’s 94th birthday to highlight the importance of women’s international activism. In the weeks following, WILPF activists will meet with representatives from the Department for International Development and various African embassies.
‘This declaration is just the beginning’, said Marie-Claire Faray-Kele, ‘WILPF has received support for this declaration from all over the world, and we will continue campaigning on it until we see action in Africa’. The declaration will be delivered by Mawete Vo Teka Sala from Moyo wa Taifa, Amani Ahmed and Mona Ismail from Sudanese Mothers for Peace, and Martha Jean Baker, Sheila Triggs and Sasha Jesperson from WILPF.
When: 4:00pm, Tuesday 28 April
Where: 10 Downing Street, London
Operation Black Vote and Government Equalities Office BAME Women Councillor Shadowing SchemeWomen belong in the House....& the Council Chamber tooOperation Black Vote (OBV) in partnership with the Government Equalities Office will launch the country’s first national BAME women Councillor Shadowing Scheme on 24th April 2009 from 10am to 2pm at Camden Town Hall, Judd Street, London, WC1H 9JE, where Baroness Uddin will be hosting an event to encourage more BAME women to consider a career as a councillor and to become more involved in public life. Baroness Uddin will speak at 10.30am; OBV Director Simon Woolley will speak at 11.00am.The event will invite fifty women from BAME communities across the country to take part in a ground-breaking leadership programme designed to encourage them to find out all about the wide-ranging role of councillors, from those in a ‘frontline’ role to Leaders, with a range of policy responsibilities.The representation of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) women at every level of decision-making from the Houses of Parliament to local government is woefully low. Of the 646 MPs in Westminster, two are BAME women and out of 20,000 Councillors around 149 are BAME women, representing less than 1% of Councillors nationally . Figures published by the LGA show that local councils are dominated by councillors who are white males above the age of fifty, meaning that many of the communities they serve are under-represented in the democratic process.In addition to the mentoring scheme, the Government Equalities Office will fund a further 50 women to receive training and qualification in community leadership.The project is designed to demystify the role of councillors and open up the process to allow greater diversity and to help tackle the under-representation of BAME women within the UK’s elected Council Chambers. The Councillors Commission found that one of the main barriers to a wider range of people being councillors was the lack of awareness of the councillor role and how to get involved. The participants will shadow mentor councillors for 4-6 days over a six-month period and learn about the roles and responsibilities of a councillor. The experience will equip and motivate them to become actively involved in local politics. They will gain the confidence to stand as candidates and represent their community as councillors in the decision making process. And in turn, the scheme will also give serving councillors the opportunity to gain a greater understanding of BAME communities.Francine Fernandes, Head of Shadowing Schemes for Operation Black Vote said, “It is vital that BAME women are properly represented within all tiers of democratic and civic society. This scheme will help to nurture the wealth of talent within our communities and will help to create a generation of future leaders.”Speakers at the event will include:-
Cllr Maya de Souza, Taskforce member and host for the event -
Cllr Keith Moffitt, Leader of Camden Council -
Merlene Emerson, Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Hammersmith, -
Dame Jane Roberts, DBE, ex leader of Camden Council and Chair of the Councillors Commission -
Cllr Geethika Jayatilaka, Camden Councillor -
Baroness Uddin, Chair of the BAME Women Councillors Taskforce.
Baroness Uddin said: “We are pleased to be working with Operational Black Vote to help change the face of politics. There is a huge talent pool out there and the mentoring scheme will play a key role in our efforts in encouraging women from our communities to come forward and claim their place. The current number of women in local and central government is unacceptably low and we are committed to ensuring women are equal partners in our democratic institutions. More opportunities need to be created for women to take a lead in public life as without their voice and contribution our democracy is less credible.”The scheme is one of several actions being taken forward by the BAME Women Councillors Taskforce which was launched in May 2008 by Minister for Women and Equalities Harriet Harman MP to address the under-representation of BAME women in public life.
Wednesday, 22 April 2009
Traumatised Rape Survivor Sent Back to Uganda
As many of you will know, on 20 January, Flavia Nambi, our dear friend and colleague, was removed to Uganda. We are deeply upset and enraged at her inhumane treatment. We were in touch with her until the last minute when she called from the plane screaming and terrified.
Detained in Uganda
On arrival at Entebbe airport, Ms Nambi was held for eight hours. Officials demanded £200, an enormous sum in Uganda, to release her. We called on her dedicated MP, John McDonnell, and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, to intervene. Ms Nambi was eventually let go but how many other people returned by the UK government, are terrorised in this way? What happens to those without international support and no money to pay? A man from a local church who came to collect her was also detained and questioned for an hour.
Brief background
Ms Nambi had been living in the UK for eight years with her aunt, her only surviving relative. She was sent here by her grandmother (who has since died), after being gang raped by soldiers at age 24. In 2006 Ms Nambi won refugee status but the Home Office appealed. Ms Nambi’s ongoing trauma as a rape survivor, including suicidal tendencies, was not properly considered when her asylum claim was refused.
Protests at removal
Over 80 people from many different walks of life took time to try to stop Ms Nambi’s removal (see extracts of letters below). Some knew Ms Nambi as a friend or colleague from her voluntary work with Women Against Rape (WAR) and as a member of the All African Women’s Group (AAWG). Others came forward to help not knowing her personally but determined to oppose this injustice.
From the time Ms Nambi was detained, a core group of WAR members worked daily pursuing every option to stop her removal. We helped her solicitor with legal representations and at the last minute found a barrister ready to put in an out-of-office submission to the court. John McDonnell MP and his indomitable secretary Helen Lowder, battled with Phil Woolas MP, the Immigration Minister. AAWG volunteers kept in daily contact with Ms Nambi trying to alleviate her panic and distress. A young woman who had met Ms Nambi at a political meeting went to the airport to try to persuade the other passengers to object to her removal. As part of efforts to stop the removal in Nairobi and bring Ms Nambi back to the UK, her psychiatrist wrote a letter in the middle of the night about the grave risk of her being abandoned without help.
Situation in Uganda
We have managed to stay in regular contact with Ms Nambi. She appreciates deeply the support she got and frequently expresses her heartfelt thanks. She says that the thought of people’s love, concern and determination that she be safe, has kept her from her darkest thoughts.
However, she is in a dire situation. She has no secure accommodation, is severely depressed and confined to the house by the fear that she will be raped again. The anti-depressants she was taking are not available in Uganda and the forced withdrawal has had a noticeable impact on her mental health. Despite her efforts, she has not been able to get any psychiatric or other help to overcome her trauma as a rape survivor. Friends and a family member in the UK arranged temporary shelter and sent her a small amount of money.
There is no doubt that it is only because of this support that Ms Nambi has survived. The help the Home Office and courts claimed would be available to her in Uganda is in reality non-existent. We are helping Ms Nambi document this lack of help and are working with her on taking her case to the European Court of Human Rights.
Detained in Uganda
On arrival at Entebbe airport, Ms Nambi was held for eight hours. Officials demanded £200, an enormous sum in Uganda, to release her. We called on her dedicated MP, John McDonnell, and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, to intervene. Ms Nambi was eventually let go but how many other people returned by the UK government, are terrorised in this way? What happens to those without international support and no money to pay? A man from a local church who came to collect her was also detained and questioned for an hour.
Brief background
Ms Nambi had been living in the UK for eight years with her aunt, her only surviving relative. She was sent here by her grandmother (who has since died), after being gang raped by soldiers at age 24. In 2006 Ms Nambi won refugee status but the Home Office appealed. Ms Nambi’s ongoing trauma as a rape survivor, including suicidal tendencies, was not properly considered when her asylum claim was refused.
Protests at removal
Over 80 people from many different walks of life took time to try to stop Ms Nambi’s removal (see extracts of letters below). Some knew Ms Nambi as a friend or colleague from her voluntary work with Women Against Rape (WAR) and as a member of the All African Women’s Group (AAWG). Others came forward to help not knowing her personally but determined to oppose this injustice.
From the time Ms Nambi was detained, a core group of WAR members worked daily pursuing every option to stop her removal. We helped her solicitor with legal representations and at the last minute found a barrister ready to put in an out-of-office submission to the court. John McDonnell MP and his indomitable secretary Helen Lowder, battled with Phil Woolas MP, the Immigration Minister. AAWG volunteers kept in daily contact with Ms Nambi trying to alleviate her panic and distress. A young woman who had met Ms Nambi at a political meeting went to the airport to try to persuade the other passengers to object to her removal. As part of efforts to stop the removal in Nairobi and bring Ms Nambi back to the UK, her psychiatrist wrote a letter in the middle of the night about the grave risk of her being abandoned without help.
Situation in Uganda
We have managed to stay in regular contact with Ms Nambi. She appreciates deeply the support she got and frequently expresses her heartfelt thanks. She says that the thought of people’s love, concern and determination that she be safe, has kept her from her darkest thoughts.
However, she is in a dire situation. She has no secure accommodation, is severely depressed and confined to the house by the fear that she will be raped again. The anti-depressants she was taking are not available in Uganda and the forced withdrawal has had a noticeable impact on her mental health. Despite her efforts, she has not been able to get any psychiatric or other help to overcome her trauma as a rape survivor. Friends and a family member in the UK arranged temporary shelter and sent her a small amount of money.
There is no doubt that it is only because of this support that Ms Nambi has survived. The help the Home Office and courts claimed would be available to her in Uganda is in reality non-existent. We are helping Ms Nambi document this lack of help and are working with her on taking her case to the European Court of Human Rights.
EXTRACTS OF LETTERS OF SUPPORT
“Why would you possibly consider it acceptable that a fellow human being who has survived such a brutal ordeal should be subjected to further ordeal by deporting her to a country where she has no surviving relatives? As a woman who survived a rape myself 40 years ago and who has had to live with the emotional consequences ever since, I can't imagine how this so-called civilised country has a government capable of allowing this to happen.”
“It is inconceivable that the higher courts can rule that a suicidal rape survivor, with no support network, can safely internally relocate in Uganda.”
“ . . . one's life is precious and these people who come to our countries to seek a better life are often a big enrichment to our culture. We cannot close our eyes and pretend that everything is ok.”
“Flavia has already demonstrated her compassion and commitment to British society by giving her time and help to other women.”
“As someone who has been following political conflict in the region and its particular effects on women and girls, I consider that deportation would be fatally dangerous in this case.” Research Fellow, The Open University
“Hasn't this woman suffered enough? How terrified she must be at the thought of being returned to such a country as Uganda.”
“I do not want to see my taxes to fund appalling and degrading treatment of someone who needs help and counselling and the support of her only living relative.”
“While rape is not seen as an unforgiveable act of violence against women but is trivialised by a judiciary and bureaucracy which is still overwhelmingly male and with a regrettably old-fashioned male perspective, all women are demeaned and threatened.”
Donate to Women Against RapePlease send cheques to Women Against Rape, PO Box 287, London NW6 5QU or click on the "donate" button. Please make sure to email us to let us know that you have made an online donation and also for which purpose. If you want to make a payment direct into our account, please get in touch on 020 7482 2496.
Tuesday, 21 April 2009
please kindly click on this link below .Its horryfying
snake.wmv (2550KB)
Is the TFG getting the necessary support?
Somalia is back in the limelight again, but the new-found media focus has only come after the recent hijacking by Somali pirates of the Maersk Alabama, a freighter operating under the United States flag. Piracy, of course, has been rampant for a long time. Ethiopia has, time and again, expressed its concern over the issue. Now with the shipping of western states coming more and more under threat, it’s no surprise that the international media are finally covering the problem extensively. More importantly, this renewed focus has rekindled interest in the internal security problems of Somalia which have been largely responsible for the escalating maritime piracy in the region. A number of international political figures have finally joined the debate on how to tackle the problem. More attention is at last being paid to causes in addition to the largely operational approach previously employed. If the flurry of press statements and briefings is any guide, the call for a more coordinated international support for the ongoing peace process in Somalia is gathering pace. A consensus that piracy cannot be effectively dealt with at sea alone finally seems to be emerging. US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates was recently quoted as saying “there is no purely military solution to the problem [and that] there's really no way in my view to control it unless you get something on land that begins to change the equation …" Senator Russ Feingold has weighed in on the subject of increased intervention by the international community. In an open letter to President Obama, he called piracy off the coast of Somalia “a symptom of the state collapse and instability on land”. He added that “the ultimate solution to the problem of piracy…is the establishment of a functional government that can enforce the rule of law.” He encouraged President Barack Obama to call the new president of Somalia “and indicate a clear commitment to work with his government not only on maritime insecurity issues, but also to help establish security and functional, inclusive governance within the country.” US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, announced last week that the US wanted an immediate meeting of the International Contact Group on Piracy to develop an expanded multinational response, and spoke of the need to track and freeze assets of pirates. She has tasked a diplomatic team to engage with the TFG and the Puntland leadership and directed the State Department to work with shippers and insurers to address gaps in self-defense measures. Secretary Clinton also said the US would be sending an envoy to the forthcoming Somali Donors’ meeting in Brussels .
This is all to the good. Assuming that words can be matched by action, there is a lot that can and should be done to stem the scourge of piracy. Equally, it is necessary to put things in perspective. No matter what the international community or the Somali International Contact Group does on piracy, the real problem remains on land, and here virtually no steps have yet been taken. The major issue now is the need to strengthen the position of the government, of the TFG. The TFG itself is under heavy pressure to broaden its support base. In fact, the demand is to bring on board everyone, including those who actually oppose the very existence of the TFG. This is one major problem currently facing the TFG. Unless the Government, as it is, is taken seriously by the opposition (and indeed by the international community), and unless confidence can be created within the country in the ability of the Government to provide security for the average Somali, the Government will not be able to ensure peace and stability. It will not be able to carry out the calls for national reconciliation despite the widespread support for this. As we have said before, the paramount issue in fact is the need to provide necessary resources for the TFG to operate successfully.
Internal clan dynamics and the role of extremists is one side of the equation. Another is the sustained effort of some external actors to derail the Somali peace process. It is an open secret that Eritrea arms and trains extremist and terrorist elements in Somalia and has consistently opposed all efforts towards a peaceful transition in Somalia over the last few years. It even recently declared official support for attacks on the Transitional Federal Government as well as on AMISOM peace-keeping forces. This underlines the fact that to make any progress towards peace in Somalia it is necessary to take action against those who have made it their business to try to scuttle Somalia ’s peace processes. Without strong action against spoilers such as Eritrea , no lasting solution to Somalia ’s problems can succeed. Interestingly, Congressman Donald Payne, a strong supporter of Eritrea , on a brief visit to Mogadishu this week, praised the new government for the progress it has shown. He said he was confident that the international community will now do more to see the government gets the resources it needs to stand on its feet and maintain a functioning authority. The Congressman seems unaware that such a position can only be realized if there is sufficient pressure on Eritrea to stop involvement with Somali opposition groups. An end to Eritrean support for the opponents of the TFG would actually be one of the best possible aids to the TFG.
Meanwhile, over the weekend, Somalia ’s President Sheikh Sharif was visiting Turkey and is going on to the Donors’ conference in Brussels , where he will be looking for real international support and assistance for his government. The Donors must provide for reasonably effective levels of support for the TFG, for its resources and for capacity building. His Prime Minister, Omar Ali Shermarke, and Sharif Hassan, the deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, were in Addis Ababa over the weekend, holding talks with high level Ethiopian officials. It was the Prime Minister’s first visit to Addis Ababa since he was appointed in February.
snake.wmv (2550KB)
Is the TFG getting the necessary support?
Somalia is back in the limelight again, but the new-found media focus has only come after the recent hijacking by Somali pirates of the Maersk Alabama, a freighter operating under the United States flag. Piracy, of course, has been rampant for a long time. Ethiopia has, time and again, expressed its concern over the issue. Now with the shipping of western states coming more and more under threat, it’s no surprise that the international media are finally covering the problem extensively. More importantly, this renewed focus has rekindled interest in the internal security problems of Somalia which have been largely responsible for the escalating maritime piracy in the region. A number of international political figures have finally joined the debate on how to tackle the problem. More attention is at last being paid to causes in addition to the largely operational approach previously employed. If the flurry of press statements and briefings is any guide, the call for a more coordinated international support for the ongoing peace process in Somalia is gathering pace. A consensus that piracy cannot be effectively dealt with at sea alone finally seems to be emerging. US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates was recently quoted as saying “there is no purely military solution to the problem [and that] there's really no way in my view to control it unless you get something on land that begins to change the equation …" Senator Russ Feingold has weighed in on the subject of increased intervention by the international community. In an open letter to President Obama, he called piracy off the coast of Somalia “a symptom of the state collapse and instability on land”. He added that “the ultimate solution to the problem of piracy…is the establishment of a functional government that can enforce the rule of law.” He encouraged President Barack Obama to call the new president of Somalia “and indicate a clear commitment to work with his government not only on maritime insecurity issues, but also to help establish security and functional, inclusive governance within the country.” US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, announced last week that the US wanted an immediate meeting of the International Contact Group on Piracy to develop an expanded multinational response, and spoke of the need to track and freeze assets of pirates. She has tasked a diplomatic team to engage with the TFG and the Puntland leadership and directed the State Department to work with shippers and insurers to address gaps in self-defense measures. Secretary Clinton also said the US would be sending an envoy to the forthcoming Somali Donors’ meeting in Brussels .
This is all to the good. Assuming that words can be matched by action, there is a lot that can and should be done to stem the scourge of piracy. Equally, it is necessary to put things in perspective. No matter what the international community or the Somali International Contact Group does on piracy, the real problem remains on land, and here virtually no steps have yet been taken. The major issue now is the need to strengthen the position of the government, of the TFG. The TFG itself is under heavy pressure to broaden its support base. In fact, the demand is to bring on board everyone, including those who actually oppose the very existence of the TFG. This is one major problem currently facing the TFG. Unless the Government, as it is, is taken seriously by the opposition (and indeed by the international community), and unless confidence can be created within the country in the ability of the Government to provide security for the average Somali, the Government will not be able to ensure peace and stability. It will not be able to carry out the calls for national reconciliation despite the widespread support for this. As we have said before, the paramount issue in fact is the need to provide necessary resources for the TFG to operate successfully.
Internal clan dynamics and the role of extremists is one side of the equation. Another is the sustained effort of some external actors to derail the Somali peace process. It is an open secret that Eritrea arms and trains extremist and terrorist elements in Somalia and has consistently opposed all efforts towards a peaceful transition in Somalia over the last few years. It even recently declared official support for attacks on the Transitional Federal Government as well as on AMISOM peace-keeping forces. This underlines the fact that to make any progress towards peace in Somalia it is necessary to take action against those who have made it their business to try to scuttle Somalia ’s peace processes. Without strong action against spoilers such as Eritrea , no lasting solution to Somalia ’s problems can succeed. Interestingly, Congressman Donald Payne, a strong supporter of Eritrea , on a brief visit to Mogadishu this week, praised the new government for the progress it has shown. He said he was confident that the international community will now do more to see the government gets the resources it needs to stand on its feet and maintain a functioning authority. The Congressman seems unaware that such a position can only be realized if there is sufficient pressure on Eritrea to stop involvement with Somali opposition groups. An end to Eritrean support for the opponents of the TFG would actually be one of the best possible aids to the TFG.
Meanwhile, over the weekend, Somalia ’s President Sheikh Sharif was visiting Turkey and is going on to the Donors’ conference in Brussels , where he will be looking for real international support and assistance for his government. The Donors must provide for reasonably effective levels of support for the TFG, for its resources and for capacity building. His Prime Minister, Omar Ali Shermarke, and Sharif Hassan, the deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, were in Addis Ababa over the weekend, holding talks with high level Ethiopian officials. It was the Prime Minister’s first visit to Addis Ababa since he was appointed in February.
Saturday, 18 April 2009
Friday, 17 April 2009
The Africa now show at the Kenya high
comission london
World Security Network reporting from Seoul, South Korea, April 11, 2009
Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,
"The gambler succeeds again"When on April 9th the Supreme People's Assembly solemnly reinstated leader Kim Jong-il of North Korea to his official post as Chairman of the National Defense Commission (the title of a president of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, or North Korea, is reserved for his late father, the "eternal" president), the picture of the roaring rocket launch of Sunday airing around the clock on North Korean television was a perfect backdrop. Add the first film footage of Kim Jong-il after his presumed stroke last year visiting various places in North Korea, and it seems that the man has made another one of his trademark surprise comebacks. The gambler succeeds again. The world looks on at this tiny impoverished state and President Obama is faced with his first international crisis not in the Middle East - as many predicted - but in North Korea, which once again commands the attention of the world. Mission accomplished. Or is it?
Indeed, the picture is a little more complicated. By defying UN Security Council Resolution 1718, which bans all further nuclear tests or launch of a ballistic missile and bans all activities of its ballistic missile program, North Korea has again masterfully played its tactic of dividing the adversaries in the six-party talks and made them look like fools. It also set its own agenda against the pronounced will of the new Obama administration to tackle other pressing issues first. The alleged start of the trial communications satellite "Kwangmyongsong 2" was the perfect excuse for China's inactivity in the UN Security Council, though even if there had been a satellite test instead of a ballistic missile test it would still fall under Resolution 1718 due to the dual-use character of the missile/ satellite technology....more
comission london
World Security Network reporting from Seoul, South Korea, April 11, 2009
Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,
"The gambler succeeds again"When on April 9th the Supreme People's Assembly solemnly reinstated leader Kim Jong-il of North Korea to his official post as Chairman of the National Defense Commission (the title of a president of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, or North Korea, is reserved for his late father, the "eternal" president), the picture of the roaring rocket launch of Sunday airing around the clock on North Korean television was a perfect backdrop. Add the first film footage of Kim Jong-il after his presumed stroke last year visiting various places in North Korea, and it seems that the man has made another one of his trademark surprise comebacks. The gambler succeeds again. The world looks on at this tiny impoverished state and President Obama is faced with his first international crisis not in the Middle East - as many predicted - but in North Korea, which once again commands the attention of the world. Mission accomplished. Or is it?
Indeed, the picture is a little more complicated. By defying UN Security Council Resolution 1718, which bans all further nuclear tests or launch of a ballistic missile and bans all activities of its ballistic missile program, North Korea has again masterfully played its tactic of dividing the adversaries in the six-party talks and made them look like fools. It also set its own agenda against the pronounced will of the new Obama administration to tackle other pressing issues first. The alleged start of the trial communications satellite "Kwangmyongsong 2" was the perfect excuse for China's inactivity in the UN Security Council, though even if there had been a satellite test instead of a ballistic missile test it would still fall under Resolution 1718 due to the dual-use character of the missile/ satellite technology....more
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)