Jun 9, 2009

Timor-Leste Rises Again

This morning I proclaimed on Facebook that Timor-Leste had sunk into the Virtual Sea. Hardly anyone seemed to care. Now Trip Advisor, a site which I often use, advises me by email that Timor-Leste has risen again. Understand, I can't guarantee that any of these Trip Advisor recommendations will actually get you there and make your stay a pleasant one. But since T-L remains among the most neglected countries in the world (excepting maybe in Australia and Portugal), here it is.

East Timor

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New Online CIA World Factbook

No secrets here, just public source info neatly organized and searchable by country. Work from the site. Use the Select a Country or Location drop-down menu for easiest navigation.

Source page -https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/index.html

Dispatches from Dilling, Sudan

USIP experts are more than analysts—they are practitioners that can often be found far outside Washington, D.C. putting conflict resolution methods into practice and aiding in the rebuilding and stabilization of communities that have experienced conflict. This series summarizes recent examples of USIP efforts to resolve conflicts around the world.

May 2009

Jacki Wilson

Linda Bishai

More Insights from Sudan

More people have died in tribal violence in southern Sudan in recent months than in the western Darfur region of Sudan, the United Nations special representative to Sudan, Ashraf Qazi, said this week.

Creating a peaceful environment before the national elections in 2010 and a referendum on southern independence set for 2011 should be a top priority for the world and Sudanese authorities, Qazi emphasized.

USIP has been actively working on the ground to help create a peaceful setting with its USIP training programs on non-violent conflict resolution and election workshops.

In May, Jackie Wilson and Linda Bishai returned from Sudan, where they worked to engage and educate Sudanese on these electoral principles. They wrote about their experiences in their "Dispatches from Dilling" initially sent via text messages.

Dilling, Sudan in May 2009. (Photo: USIP)

e're on the road to Dilling, a town in central Sudan, in a bit of a dust storm. Not fun with goats and donkeys crossing the road. Visibility is down to 15 feet at times, and very unpredictable. Along the way, we stopped for Nile perch for lunch.

Big tray of butterflyed fish, each one looking up with two eyes. Simple flat bread, green lemon and salt with some rocket greens (called jir jir – delicious!) and tomatoes on the side, all eaten by hand.

Dilling is in the northern part of South Kordofan state, part of northern Sudan but on the border with southern Sudan. It is one of the "Three Areas" that receive special treatment in Sudan's 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement because of their strategic location along the north-south border. A wide range of ethnic groups, comprising both Arab and African populations inhabit South Kordofan, a state which has seen significant violence in the past and continues to experience sporadic fighting.

Tensions are growing in the state as Sudan prepares for elections in 2010 and a referendum in 2011 on whether Southern Sudan should secede from the rest of the country.

We have arrived in Dilling around 6 pm and are at our guesthouse or more accurately, in front of it, as we have four beds in the outer garden to catch breezes and sleep under the stars! It is probably 80 degrees – just about perfect with a breeze, hard to sleep without it. We can hear the neighbor’s TV, donkeys once in a while, and some extremely irritating birds we are calling "donkey birds." We hope they sleep since we have to be up bright and early to start the workshop at 9am and arrange 50 chairs and tables for our participants.

Our Khartoum-based partner, Dr. Girshab, drove down with us from Khartoum wearing his USIP baseball cap. Girshab has worked with us since 2006 on building capacity for civil society groups and education institutions. As a "Northern Arab," his identity is automatically politicized in other parts of Sudan such as South Kordofan, but he has worked many times with Intisar and Hallah, staffers from the Badya Center in Dilling. Though all of these committed Sudanese have the resources to move abroad, they have chosen to stay and work to make their country peaceful.

Intisar and Hallah greeted us like old and dear friends. We first worked together in 2006. Amazingly, they had prepared an enormous home-cooked meal, consisting of many different dishes and fresh bread, and brought it to the guest house – a feast. Despite the challenges of staying in Dilling, such moments of hospitality make one feel like a royal guest.

We had a great first day of the Electoral Violence Prevention (EVP) Workshop. This workshop is targeting the decision-makers in groups that play a key role in the electoral process – such as political parties, the election commission, security officials, youth activists and student union leaders, the media, and womens' non-governmental organizations.

The case studies we use show how these groups react to decisions of other groups, like whether to boycott, or how to react when the electoral commission disallows domestic observers. We've found -- and explain to participants through these case studies -- that violence is not spontaneous. In fact, some people believe it will help them achieve a goal, but in fact violence does not get someone elected.

Anyway, the workshop yielded a great response – over 50 participants from across South Kordofan state. All ethnic groups and political parties were working together in small groups.

However, in many parts of Sudan outside the capital city of Khartoum people are demonstrably weary. They are paying attention, but somehow they seem listless and quiet, as if anything more than their daily struggle to avoid being caught up in violence is too much effort. People are tired of violence and yet seem helpless to escape it. We saw it in Darfur and also in the South. We also see a bit of it here in Dilling. Still, if there is a resumption of the civil war or electoral violence, this is likely to be one of the hubs.

We finished up the EVP workshop in Dilling. It went very well. Even so, concepts like various interests underlying demands are difficult for many to understand, and we have to work really hard to get them across. Stereotypes are deeply held and hard to break down. Some participants "get it," but others don't understand.

It is clear that the concept of stereotyping resonates with many Sudanese (it is frequent for participants to mention that they learned a lot from this segment of our programs) but they often fail to translate knowledge of the concept into a change in their own preconceived assumptions. Comments such as ‘everyone knows this tribe is very aggressive…' would drift through discussions.

Now, we're off to start our consultation. The focus of the consultation is to identify gaps in conflict management capacity among individuals, organizations and communities in South Kordofan so that future efforts, by USIP and others, can help fill those gaps.

Like other parts of Sudan, conflicts in South Kordofan are frequently about access and claim to land, water and livestock. Such issues used to be resolved peacefully by local chiefs and traditional methods, but the civil war and continued lack of development has meant that basic resources are scarce and so is the patience necessary to deal with conflicts over them. The wide availability of automatic weapons has made small-scale tribal feuds into serious conflicts that could easily precipitate a return to national-level war.

First day of consultation was amazing – dicey, actually. We had groups come together that are experiencing active conflicts in their tribes. Real political polarization.

All things considered, it went well but our experience during these workshops highlights to us how people can die rather easily here. Sometimes cows seem more treasured here than human life.

On the final day of the consultation, the Badya Center arranged for local dancers from the area's different tribes to come and dance. There were three troops, each entering separately and with different songs and steps. The African (Nuba) dancers were very rhythmic with syncopated clapping and pounding steps. Their Arab sisters were more swaying and melodic. But they all sang together and participants from the consultation all clapped and danced freely with them. We have observed this dynamic before - all Sudanese have local songs and dances, but they are also aware of and appreciative of the music and dancing of other parts of the country.

They are also very keen to ask foreign visitors to come and dance with them (and we provided a great deal of amusement in our attempts at the dance).

We're getting ready to leave Dilling. The consultation went well. Many participants appreciated "digging beneath the surface" to analyze their own conflicts.

So, we will be consulting from afar. Politics is really a mystery to many of the participants. Because local politicians are so often corrupt or unhelpful, they tend to think that eradicating politics is the secret to peace. Linda explained that the political process is how you achieve your goals without violence! In fact, said she wanted to turn them all into politicians.

A recent International Crisis Group report warned South Kordofan could be the "next Darfur" – something that residents here are keenly aware of.

As one participant told me "the ghost of war is here. If we don't work hard, war will come. "

Of Related Interest

Jan Eliasson on Prospects for Peace in Sudan
Event, April 6, 2009
A Regional Approach to Darfur: Perspectives from Sudan and Chad
Event, March 13, 2009
The ICC in Sudan in Perspective
Event, March 11, 2009
Conducting Elections in Darfur: Looking ahead to Sudan’s 2009 Elections
USIPeace Briefing, March 2009 (PDF - 208KB)
Engaging the Darfur Diaspora for Peace
USIPeace Briefing, Febraury 2008
Sudan
In the Field, October 3, 2007
Sudan’s 2009 Elections: Critical Issues and Timelines
USIPeace Briefing, August 2007
Sudan Web Links
Library and Links

How to Spy on the US Government

Blogs from the U.S. Government

Find active blogs from U.S. federal agencies.

AIDS.gov Blog – The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provides this blog as a part of the AIDS.gov website to provide information on the uses of new media for the HIV/AIDS community.
America's Marines Blog – Keep up with America's Marines through stories from the latest events. Discover the connection between Marines, Americans, and the Marine Corps by reading the blog entries from each event.
Arctic Chronicles – This journal will document my journey to one of the most unexplored areas in the world, the Arctic, as I accompany scientists on an expedition to map the seafloor. This will be a collaborative effort between the U.S. and Canada.
ASY Live Blog – The "ASY Live Blog," an extension of the Department of Defense America Supports You program, highlights the support supplied by citizens and corporations nationwide to our men and women in uniform and communicates that support to our troops.
Big Read Blog – National Endowment for the Arts literature director David Kipen blogs regularly about his experiences promoting the 2007 Big Read initiative.
CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Injury Center Director's View – The Director of the CDC Injury Center, Ileana Arias, blogs to foster public discussion about injury and violence prevention.
Coast Guard Commandant – Admiral Thad Allen uses this web journal to communicate thoughts, ideas, issues and events in near real-time.
Congressional Budget Office Director's Blog – Douglas W. Elmendorf, Director of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), blogs as an additional way to communicate with Congress and the public. Learn about the type of work done by the CBO including how they do it and what types of analysts they have. This blog does not accept comments.
Corps e-spondence – U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Chief of Engineers and Commanding General Lieutenant General Robert L. Van Antwerp blogs about all things relevant to the Corps, including their many missions in service to the Nation, leadership, selfless service and people.
Dipnote – This blog offers the public an alternative source to mainstream media for U.S. foreign policy information and the opportunity to discuss important foreign policy issues with senior State Department officials.
Energy Savers – The Energy Savers Blog provides a place for consumers to learn about and discuss energy efficiency and renewable technologies at home, on the road, and in the workplace.
Evolution of Security – Five employees of the Transportation Security Administration blog to facilitate an ongoing dialogue on innovations in security, technology and the checkpoint screening process.
Eye Level – This Smithsonian American Art Museum blog covers American art and the ways it reflects American history and culture.
Fast Lane – This blog from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) provides a forum for discussing the nation's transportation system and making announcements about future projects. Contributors will include Secretary LaHood, other senior officials from DOT, and guest bloggers.
Food and Drug Administration Transparency Blog – The FDA opens the discussion on how to make activities and decision making about enforcement, product approvals and recalls more available to the public
Future Digital System – U.S. Government Printing Office blog about the Future Digital System program that will be a world-class information life-cycle management system
GLOBE Program – Dr. Peggy LeMone, chief scientist of the Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE), shares her comments and thoughts on science topics through this blog.
Gov Gab – Gov Gab's seven bloggers share practical, useful tips and information from the federal government, to help you make life a little simpler. Sample posts cover saving gas, smart shopping, weeding out poison ivy, checking your credit report, and helping your pre-teen build self-esteem. Read along each weekday and comment and share your own experiences.
Grants.gov – Updates for the grant community.
Greenversations – The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) blog is authored by EPA employees who share their unique perspective on environmentalism and personal experiences in protecting and improving our nation's water, land, and air.
Health Marketing Musings – A blog about research, science, and practice in health marketing and communication, social marketing, information technology, public health partnerships, and more with Jay Bernhardt, Director of CDC's National Center for Health Marketing.
Health Protection Perspectives – Dr. Kevin Fenton, Director of CDC?s National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention blogs about CDC?s efforts to reduce health disparities, increase program collaboration and service integration, and improve global health.
Homeland Security Leadership Journal – This blog provides a forum to talk about DHS's work to protect the American people, build an effective emergency preparedness and response capability, enforce immigration laws, and promote economic prosperity.
InfoFarm – The National Agricultural Library blogs about what they do and your world of agriculture, food, nutrition, animal care, and the environment.
Library of Congress Blog – Highlights news and collections for the Library of Congress. Written by the Library's Director of Communications.
Middle Class Task Force – Vice President Biden and members of the task force will work with a wide array of federal agencies that have responsibility for key issues facing the middle class.
Military Health System Blog – Department of Defense leadership discusses the future of the U.S. Military Health System.
Millenium Challenge Corporation (MCC) CEO's Blog – Through this blog, Ambassador John J. Danilovich, the MCC CEO, directlycommunicates with the public to offer his first-hand perspective of MCC programs and the results that assistance to partner countries is producing on the ground for the benefit of the world's poor.
Minority Biz Blog – Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) serves minority entrepreneurs who are pursuing growth in size, scale and capacity.
Mount Rainier National Park Volunteers Blog – Get the latest news about the volunteer program at Mount Rainier National Park in Washington.
NASA Ames Research Center – Chief Information Officer Chris Kemp discusses information, policy, web development and more.
NASA Goddard CIO Blog – NASA Goddard CIO, Linda Y. Cureton, blogs about technology, leadership, and being a Chief Information Officer.
National African HIV AIDS Initiative (NAHI) Blog – Margaret Korto, a member of the Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health Resource Center's HIV Capacity Building Team, hosts this blog as a way for communities in Seattle, New York, Massachusetts, Atlanta and Washington, DC to communicate and gather ideas about upcoming health summits.
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Science Blog – This blog helps NIOSH to fulfill it's mission of translating scientific research into practice. It also provides a forum for NIOSH partners and the public to present ideas to NIOSH scientists and each other while engaging in scientific discussion.
National Parks – The National Park Foundation enriches the connection Americans have with our National Parks.
Navy Department Chief Information Officer Blog – Robert Carey, CIO for the Department of the Navy, blogs about matters related to information management and information technology and how they impact the Navy Department.
Obama Today – Follow President Obama's initiatives and policy directions. We'll look at presidential orders, policies on the economy, alternative energy and foreign affairs, and his use of new media.
OMB Blog – Office of Management and Budget Director, Peter R. Orszag, discusses the agency's work.
Peace Corps Volunteer Journals – Blogs about experiences of Peace Corps volunteers from around the globe.
Public Health Matters – Rear Admiral Ali S. Khan, the Director of CDC?s National Center for Zoonotic, Vector-Borne and Enteric Diseases, blogs about critical issues in infectious disease.
Pushing Back – Office of National Drug Control Policy blog to educate Americans about illegal drugs and the latest international, federal, state, and local efforts to reduce drug use
Returning Service Members – VA (Veterans Affairs) blog for Returning Service Members from Iraq and Afghanistan.
Science and Technology Policy Blog – Learn about, and have real input into the science and technology policy making process
Science Planet – The latest findings in the scientific literature and the policy decisions that influence how science is practiced. No jargon, just discovery.
Smithsonian Institution – Bloggers offer insights and information about Smithsonian Institution exhibitions, events, collections, research projects, and more.
Take Pride in America: The Blog – Take Pride in America, a national partnership program aimed at increasing volunteer service on America's public lands, hosts this blog to empower volunteers from every corner of America to maintain and enhance our natural, cultural, and historical sites.
U.S. Air Force Live – The official blog of the United States Air Force.
Walter Reed Health Care System Commander's Blog – Colonel Norvell V. Coots, Commander of the Walter Reed Health Care System, blogs as an added communication tool for staff, patients and their families, and for anyone else who is interested in the Walter Reed military medical institution.
White House Blog – The White House blog is a place for the President and his administration to connect with the rest of the nation and the world.
White House Open Government Blog – Open and effective government can only be achieved with everyone's active engagement. Lend your insights, experience, and expertise to improve your government and strengthen democracy. Join the brainstorming that has already begun!

No Indonesian Left Behind

What's going on here? FSI can't keep current instructor/s? More instructors needed? Communication gaps need to be filled? Extra hands needed for Obama visit in 2010? State Department is really doing more long-range planning about Indonesia? More Indonesia analysts in US government agencies (including CIA) finally going to use the flood of Bahasa Indonesia materials in their virtual or print originals?

I remember the years in the pre-internet age at the (now defunct) USIA when I was the only one in the 'foreign affairs community' reading Indonesian newspapers at my desk and scrubbing the ink from my hands afterward.

Hmm, no course in Indonesian listed on FSI's language page at http://www.fsi-language-courses.com/ . Go look. Hmm, there's a link to the How to Learn Any Language site at http://how-to-learn-any-language.com/e/index.html . Just looked. No Indonesian there either. Pitiful. Getting bored, I went to the FSI search-this-site page at http://fsi-language-courses.com/site_search.asp. Typed in keywords Indonesian, later Indonesia. Result:

Your Search - indonesia - did not match any files on this site. Suggestions:

Make sure all words are spelled correctly.
Try different keywords.
Try more general keywords.
Try fewer keywords.

Good luck, Indonesians.

For sure, you can always do-it-yourself. Starters -- http://www.learningindonesian.com/ or
http://www.seasite.niu.edu/Indonesian/ .

The following ad just appeared on Cornell's SEAP-L list --

Language And Culture Instructor: U.S. Department of State, the Foreign Service Institute, Arlington, VA

The Foreign Service Institute is currently recruiting a Language and Culture Instructors in Indonesian.

The Foreign Service Institute: The Foreign Service Institute is the Federal Government's primary training institution for officers and support personnel of the U.S. foreign affairs community, preparing American diplomats and other professionals to advance U.S. foreign affairs interests overseas and in Washington.

In your position as Language and Culture Instructor you will:

Teach speaking, reading, listening comprehension and writing (if required) skills to a full range of students at all levels of language proficiency

Requirements: Native or near-native fluency in Indonesian language and culture. Must have US work authorization.

Salary: $ 50,408.00 - 79,280.00 (starting salaries vary and may be based in part on superior academic achievement and/or previous work experience).

Application Deadline: Applications will be accepted Friday, June 05, 2009 to Friday, June 19, 2009.

Contact Information: (703) 302-6813, Maria Garza, FSIJobApplications@state.gov

To Apply: Go to www.usajobs.opm.gov (before June 19, 2009) for the detailed vacancy announcements and information on how to apply, job announcement FSI 09-24. In order to receive full consideration for the position, please read and follow the instructions carefully.

For more information and more job announcements, also check out: www.usajobs.opm.gov

Prawet Jantharat Ed.D.
FSI-School of Language Studies
Language Training Supervisor
(Burmese, Indonesian, Lao, Malay, Tetun and Thai)

Tel: 703-302-7292, Fax: 703-302-7055 jantharatp2@state.gov

No Word for Impunity in Tetun?

Monday, June 8, 2009

Iha Ne'be?

Approximately 3 weeks ago former Minister of Interior, Rogerio Lobato, jailed for weapons distribution in 2006 was seen in an internet cafe in Denpasar. Seems he is not any longer in Portugal.
Posted by The Dili Insider at 7:00 AM

Source - http://thediliinsider.blogspot.com/2009/06/iha-nebe.html

Jun 7, 2009

Indonesia's Poor Jockey for Jobs

Videos of the Day #3

Street Prostitution Groups in Geylang (Singapore)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utr7xuvkeVA

You Can Die Anytime (Philippines)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IUbzPVMCHU&feature=related

Sulu Gun Culture (Philippines)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3vqiYtXYi4

Inside the Kachin Independence Army (Burma)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2lj3RoZeHM&feature=related

Documents of the Day, No. 6, June 8

Pluralism Collapses: A Study of Ahmadiyah Indonesia and Its Persecution (Indonesia)
http://www.ari.nus.edu.sg/docs/wps/wps09_117.pdf

A Neighbourhood in Singapore: Ordinary People's Lives 'Downstairs' (Singapore)
http://www.ari.nus.edu.sg/docs/wps/wps09_113.pdf

The Origin and Evolution of Ethnocracy in Malaysia (Malaysia)
http://www.ari.nus.edu.sg/docs/wps/wps09_112.pdf

Thailand in Crisis (Thailand)
http://www.ari.nus.edu.sg/docs/wps/wps09_114.pdf

Jun 6, 2009

Bookwire Booksellers

HELPFUL RESOURCES: BOOKSELLERS

The BookWire Directory is the most comprehensive, easiest to use guide to the book resources of the Internet, containing more than 7,000 categorized links to book sites around the world. To inquire about how to obtain a link in the BookWire Directory, please email us at alex.stamatellos@bowker.com.

Please choose a subject below ...

1.	General	9.	Mystery
2.	Antiquarian	10.	Non-English
3.	Audio	11.	Professional & Educational
4.	Business	12.	Religious
5.	Children's	13.	Science Fiction
6.	Computer	14.	Specialty
7.	Ethnic	15.	Travel
8.	Gay & Lesbian	16.	University

Sites of the Day #2

Asia Matters for America (database)
http://www.asiamattersforamerica.org/index.cfm?event=page.search

American Political Science Association (learned society)
http://www.apsanet.org/

American Sociological Association (learned society)
http://www.asanet.org/

American Anthropological Association (learned society)
http://www.aaanet.org/

Videos of the Day #2

Time for Justice - Duch on Trial (videos, Cambodia)
http://forum.eastwestcenter.org/Khmer-Rouge-Trials/

Home (full-length movie created for World Environment Days, expires June 29)
http://www.youtube.com/homeproject

The Google Channel (featuring Google Wave at this moment)
http://www.youtube.com/user/Google

Al Jazeera English Channel
http://www.youtube.com/user/AlJazeeraEnglish

Documents of the Day, No. 5, June 6

Made in Vietnam: American Apparel and Textile Firms' Operations in Vietnam (thesis)
http://www.ohiolink.edu/etd/send-pdf.cgi/Semones%20Marianne%20Rutledge.pdf?acc_num=ohiou1126294341

From Memory to History: American Cultural Memory of the Vietnam War (thesis)
http://www.ohiolink.edu/etd/send-pdf.cgi/Wilson%20Kevin%20A.pdf?acc_num=miami1153500782

Human Rights in Vietnam: A Debatable Issue (thesis)
http://www.ohiolink.edu/etd/send-pdf.cgi/Mai%20Tam%20Thi%20Hong.pdf?acc_num=ohiou1212197540

Songs in the Key of Protest: How Music Reflects the Social Turbulence in America From the Late 1950s to the Early 1970s (thesis)
http://www.ohiolink.edu/etd/send-pdf.cgi/Laux%20Katie.pdf?acc_num=miami1184767254

Internet Resources Briefs #2

Write4Net
http://write4.net/en

Yahoo Adds a Number of New Apps and Widgets to Its Sites
http://mashable.com/2009/06/05/yahoo-apps-widgets/

How Cloud Computing Will Change Business
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/toc/09_24/B4135cloud_computing.htm?link_position=link47

Hulu May Start Charging for Content
http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/jun2009/tc2009064_385545.htm?campaign_id=technology_related

Minority Groups Briefs #2

Young Muslims: Seeking a Way between Two World (Muslims)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/05/AR2009060503146.html

Officers Can Order Removal of Veils (Muslims)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/05/AR2009060503430.html

New Scrutiny of Judge's Most Controversial Case (blacks, whites, Hispanics)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/06/us/politics/06ricci.html?ref=todayspaper

Spititual Journey Leads to a Historical First (Jews, blacks)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/06/us/06rabbi.html?ref=todayspaper

Czechs Cool to Presence of Workers from Asia (Asians, Vietnamese)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/07/world/asia/07viet.html?ref=global-home&pagewanted=all

Amish Escaping Crowds, Prices in East (Amish)
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/06/06/us/AP-US-Amish-Head-West.html?ref=global-home

Report Says Valid Grievances at Root of Tibet Unrest (Tibetans)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/06/world/asia/06tibet.html?ref=global-home

Harvard to Endow Chair in Gay Studies (gays)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/04/education/04harvard.html?_r=1&hpw

Food Truck Nation (Asians)
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204456604574201934018170554.html

Obama, Wiesel Make Emotional Visit to Buchenwald (Jews)
http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2009/06/05/obama-weisel-make-emotional-visit-to-buchenwald/?blog_id=24&post_id=10618

American Studies Briefs #2

Slower Job Losses Lift Hopes (unemployment)
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124420479347588831.html#mod=todays_us_page_one

It Was, Like, All Dark and Stormy (teens)
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB20001424052970203771904574173403357573642.html#mod=todays_us_weekend_journal

US History (major Wikipedia article)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_History

Feminist Movement in the United States (Wikipedia article)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feminist_Movement_in_the_United_States

Global Problems Briefs #2

Russian Warns against Relying on Dollar (economic crisis)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/06/business/global/06ruble.html?ref=todayspaper

The Great U-Turn (global migration)
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124424701106590613.html#mod=todays_us_page_one

Latvia's Problems Prompt Worries about Contagion (economic crisis)
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124425206128990897.html

Research Parks for the Knowledge Economy (technology, economic crisis)
http://www.businessweek.com/print/innovate/content/jun2009/id2009061_849934.htm

Muslim World Briefs #2

Challenging Sex Taboos, with Help from the Koran (Dubai)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/06/world/middleeast/06dubai.html?_r=1&ref=todayspaper&pagewanted=all

Obama Pins Mideast Hope on Limiting Settlements (Israel)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/06/world/middleeast/06mideast.html?ref=todayspaper

Law Tying Candidacy to Ethnicity Is Contested (Bosnia)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/06/world/europe/06briefs-Bosnia.html?ref=todayspaper

US Plans New Hunt for Sponsors of Taliban (Pakistan, Persian Gulf)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/06/world/asia/06pstan.html?ref=todayspaper

What Not to Wear, Baghdad-Style (Iraq)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/06/world/middleeast/06iraq.html?ref=todayspaper

The Divisions within Israel and the Palestinians (Israel, Palestine)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/07/weekinreview/07bronner.html?ref=global-home

Rebels 'Kill Pakistan Islamists' (Pakistan)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8086757.stm

Poppy Link to Afghan Bumper Crop (Afghanistan)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8084867.stm

Suicide Bomber Hits Emergency Islamabad Call Center (Pakistan)
http://www.voanews.com/english/2009-06-06-voa20.cfm

US Says Iraq Still Too Fragile to Handle Returning Refugees (Iraq)
http://www.voanews.com/english/2009-06-06-voa19.cfm

Southeast Asia Briefs #2

PAS Nixes Malaysia Alliance Idea (Malaysia)
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124413975800585949.html#mod=todays_asia_economy_and_politics

Jollibee Captures Top Spot in Philippines (Philippines)
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124414061339685985.html#mod=todays_asia_marketplace

East Timor Legal News 5 June 2009 (Timor-Leste)
http://easttimorlegal.blogspot.com/2009/06/east-timor-legal-news-5-june-2009.html

East Timor Justice Minister Lobato Defends Husband (Timor-Leste)
http://easttimorlegal.blogspot.com/2009/06/east-timor-justice-minister-lobato.html

More Delay in Suu Kyi Burma Trial (Burma)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8084515.stm

US Needs New Approach to Burma, Former Embassy Chief Says (Burma)
http://www.eastwestcenter.org/news-center/east-west-wire/us-needs-new-approach-to-burma-former-embassy-chief-says/

Transitional Justice and Post-Conflict Human Rights (summer institute, Indonesia)
http://www.eastwestcenter.org/events/east-west-center-events/?class_call=view&conf_ID=1789&mode=view

Jun 5, 2009

In Lebanon Vote, Stark Options, Complex Choice

Bryan Denton for The New York Times

Supporters of the pro-Western governing coalition at a rally in Achrafieh in East Beirut on Wednesday

New York Times, Robert Worth, Beirut, June 5 - On the surface, the choice does seem stark: on one corner of Lebanon's most competitive parliamentary race in decades stands the Shiite militant group Hezbollah and its allies; in the other corner, a pro-American political alliance led by a man often described as a playboy.

"It's your choice between peace and war," said Sami Gemayel, a Christian candidate who opposes Hezbollah, during a recent television appearance. "The choice is between Gaza and a developed, civilized Lebanese state."

But the political realities of this small, chronically divided Mediterranean country are far less drastic, and far more complex. Hezbollah, which the United States considers a terrorist group, is already part of the Parliament and cabinet. It is almost certain to win the same number of Parliament seats — 11 out of 128 — as it now holds. If Hezbollah and its allies win a majority for the first time — and the race is likely to be very close — there will be concern in Washington and Tel Aviv. But the Lebanese government will not fall into the hands of armed Islamists.

Instead, the election turns on the votes of Lebanon's Christians, who are divided between the two main political camps. The real beneficiary of an opposition victory would not be Hezbollah but its main electoral partner, the Free Patriotic Movement, led by the retired Christian general Michel Aoun. His parliamentary bloc is already more than twice as large as Hezbollah's, and a clear electoral victory could propel him into a dominant position.

To his critics, Mr. Aoun is a political opportunist and traitor whose alliance with Hezbollah, reached in 2006, threatens to draw Lebanon into the sphere of Syria and Iran, and to bring more ruinous wars with Israel. Historically, Lebanon's Christians have identified more with the West.

To his supporters, Mr. Aoun is a reformer who has the will to change Lebanon's entrenched culture of corruption, patronage and sectarian division. They say allying with Hezbollah is the only way to ultimately disarm it, and to move past the bitter history of Christian-Muslim tensions that has nurtured so much deadly conflict here. A policy of confrontation, such as the one the United States seemed to be advocating, is a recipe for renewed civil war, the Aounists say.

"We are born in American hospitals, we wear American clothes, we go to American schools, but don't ask us to commit suicide," said Ziyad Abs, 38, a member of the Aounist movement's political bureau.

In a sense, it is a debate over the wisdom of pressuring Hezbollah openly or trying to tame it through political inclusion. As always with Lebanon, the debate has been profoundly influenced by the changing political winds across the region.

Lebanon's last elections, in 2005, took place in the aftermath of the assassination of the former prime minister, Rafiq Hariri. That killing — widely believed to have been carried out by Syria — shocked the world and led to Syria's withdrawal after three decades of military presence here. An anti-Syrian coalition led by Mr. Hariri's son and political heir, Saad Hariri, swept to power, and with the backing of the United States, hoped to push Hezbollah to give up its formidable arsenal.

But that ambition has crumbled under the weight of regional political realities. A brutal 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah enhanced the Shiite group's domestic political standing, and made disarming it more difficult. Several anti-Syrian political figures were assassinated, forcing their colleagues — including Mr. Hariri — to take shelter behind closed doors and bulletproof windows.

A political showdown between the opposition and the governing majority provoked an 18-month political crisis that ended only when Hezbollah briefly took control of west Beirut in May 2008. A political settlement reached shortly afterward granted the opposition the veto powers it had been seeking.

Now, with the Obama administration reaching out to Syria and Iran, it seems clearer than ever that the pro-American majority in Lebanon cannot expect Western military support in its goal of disarming Hezbollah. That recognition has energized the Aounist movement, whose leaders say their close, trusting relationship with Hezbollah is the best foundation for a move toward greater civil peace.

The consequences of a victory by Mr. Aoun and Hezbollah are the subject of much anxious speculation here and abroad. Vice President Joseph R. Biden, who briefly visited Lebanon in late May, echoed earlier hints by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton that future American military support to Lebanon might suffer if the opposition were to win. The European Union and Russia have taken a more neutral approach, saying they will work with whoever wins.

The financial consequences could be even more important. Saudi Arabia, which supports the current government majority, has provided tremendous support to Lebanon, including at least $2 billion to Lebanon's central bank since 2006. It is not likely to withdraw money in any damaging way, but Mr. Hariri and others in the current parliamentary majority have warned that an opposition victory could scare off investors. Even Hezbollah officials seem concerned, and say they want to make sure Lebanon's financial prospects are not harmed.

But the election may not yield a victory for either side, at least not right away. In all likelihood, any result would be followed by a resumption of the current "national unity" government, in which the loser is granted veto powers so as to preserve civil peace.

A three-way electoral split is also possible, with a small group of independents emerging as mediators between the two camps, election observers say. The current political camps could also change shape after the vote. In recent weeks, Walid Jumblatt, the Druze leader who is known as the weather vane of Lebanese politics, has begun criticizing his colleagues in the current pro-Western majority. Some political analysts say he smells an electoral defeat for his team, and is preparing the ground for a post-election rapprochement with Hezbollah and its Syrian allies.

In the meantime, the election campaign churns on here as though political principle were all that mattered. It has been Lebanon's freest and most competitive election in decades, with a record number of candidates taking part. Like all Lebanese elections, it is also a profoundly international affair, with foreign governments paying for their preferred candidates, and political parties flying expatriate voters in from across the globe.

"All of us for the nation!" proclaims a huge campaign sign in downtown Beirut, in words taken from the Lebanese national anthem. Not long ago, a new sign emerged with a provocative variation: "All of us for which nation?"

Source - http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/06/world/middleeast/06lebanon.html?_r=1&ref=global-home