Egypt, Iran, Bahrain, Yemen (?), Palestine & Everywhere Else....

[Guest]

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[Jill]

AND EVERYWHERE ELSE THAT PEOPLE ARE YEARNING FOR FREEDOM, FOR SELF-DETERMINATION, AND FOR THE BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS THAT WE, TOO OFTEN, TAKE FOR GRANTED.

Just happened to come across this headline,
Iranian Government Calls for Friday Rally to Show 'Hatred' for Opposition,
http://www.voanews.com/english/news/middle-east/Clashes-Breakout-at-Memorial-for-Protest-Victim-in-Iran-116298439.html, so I couldn’t keep myself from clicking on the link.

I don’t know if any of you caught this video clip on TV news last night of the Parliament in Tehran chanting for the execution of the pro-democracy (current government-) opposition leaders, Mousavi and Karrobi, but it really was kind of terrifying and surreal.  Watching it, a person couldn’t help but feel grateful for their own countries’ legislatures, no matter how dysfunctional and fractious they clearly are.  
(Once at the link, below, watch, especially from about the 53 second point in the video.  It’s really scary.).


or at http://wn.com/Iran_demonstration_15_feb_2011__The_parliament_in_Tehran_is_chanting_death_to_Mousavi_and_Karrobi

I don’t know if these are among the better Twitter sites or not to follow what's going on in Iran, but they’re the ones I’ve found so far::

http://www.google.com/search?q=wael+ghonim&hl=en&num=10&lr=&ft=i&cr=&safe=images&tbs=,qdr:d#q=%2325Bahman+site%3Atwitter.com&tbs=mbl:1&tbo=1&hl=en&lr=&sa=X&output=search&prmd=ivnsuo&ei=3BFbTZ3hEoy8sQPKg_ipCg&ved=0CAwQsQcwAQ&fp=3adb8a9aea4e3556

http://www.google.com/search?q=wael+ghonim&hl=en&num=10&lr=&ft=i&cr=&safe=images&tbs=,qdr:d#q=%23IranElection+site%3Atwitter.com&tbs=mbl:1&tbo=1&hl=en&lr=&sa=X&output=search&prmd=ivnsuo&psj=1&ei=LmdYTejvO4H0tgPOwOCcDA&ved=0CB4QsQcwAw&fp=3671ef6aa59386b2

I so very much wish the people there peace, safety and real hope for the future.


I'd told you that I was going to make an effort to "bring back" KF.  I have and I will.  For the next I don'tknowhowmany days, though, I'm thinking I might go quiet and leave some of the space here for any others who are willing to try, themselves.  I'll be back.

EDIT: KF Moderators, I'm close to certain that there must be a more appropriate place to post this thread.  I couldn't for the life of me figure out where that would be.  You're welcome to move it if you know.

[Patricia SF]

I saw the video of the Parliament in Tehran and yeah it's creepy!

Also, what's stomach churning is learning what happened to 60 Mintues reporter, Laura Logan:

http://amfix.blogs.cnn.com/2011/02/16/female-news-correspondent-sexually-assaulted-beaten-in-cairo/

[Mona]

The birth of a new EGYPT - really moving.

[JohnR]

Patricia, yes it's terrible what happened to Lara Logan.  I first noticed her when she was reporting from Iraq during the invasion.  She showed more guts than any other three reporters put together.  The others would be broadcasting from the roof of the hotel safe in the green zone and she'd be crouched over running along with the troops as they were taking fire.  She's very courageous and an excellent reporter; no fluff from her, always the hard facts.  She's the only reporter I've respected since Walter Cronkite retired.

I wish her a speedy recovery.

[charity]

I like that video Mona. 
---
I was pretty shocked when I heard what happened to Lara Logan.  I wish her stength and healing.  Just the night before hearing about the attack on her, I heard a report that sounded so positive for women in Egypt, on PRIs 'The World' podcast from 2/10. They interviewed an Egyptian woman who had participated in the protests.  She was talking about how free it had been for women during the protests, as compared to normal.  She said women of all ages, all walks of life were involved in the protests, and were liberated during the protests: doing things like smoking or kissing friends in the streets, staying out at all hours of the day and night - while feeling safe and relaxed, and were not subject to harassment or stares for such behavior that they usually would get. 

I hope that it continues to improve for all Egyptians, and especially for the women. 

[carien]

I hope that the promiss for a new Egypt is for all Egyptians no matter what religion they have. The path they walk will be an example for the rest of the middle east where true democracy is rare to find where people can walk hand in hand with respect towards eachother.

Sometimes I take things for granted I live in a country without fear and where I can say whatever I want to say. Those two things are the most important things to feel really free.

I also know that in some countries in the middle east I have to watch what I am saying because you don't know to who you are speaking. I really hope one day people in the middle east can say whatever they want to say with respect to eachother and no blood will be spilled over words.

[charity]

I thought I would share a couple videos from all of this that really touched me. 

One was shared on Facebook by Kivafriend Mona - this is a version with English subtitles, and it appears to be a video in memory and appreciation of the estimated 300 people who died during the protests in Egypt.   I appreciate the video because it seems that the news and other sources I have seen don't seem to mention the deaths that occurred very much, or give any stories about who they were. http://universalsubtitles.org/en/videos/y8QYrKOwQAE0/en/

This other video is a Tunisian rap video that I heard about on PRIs 'The World' podcast.  It is by a Tunisian rapper called 'El General' (Hamada Ben-Amor) and it speaks to the frustration, suffering, and injustices that people there were feeling; its name apparently translates as "Mr. President, your people are dying".  The translation leaves a little to be desired, but you can definitely get the idea: 
The rapper was actually arrested by the government (and let go 24 hours later) after he released this and another song against the government: http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2049456,00.html

[charity]

This is from an article I saw today about women in Egypt

Women think as differently as they dress here, but they have emerged from the barricades agreeing on one thing: This is their moment in history, and they cannot afford to lose it.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/18/AR2011021807448.html
  

[charity]

This is a picture I saw yesterday from the protests in Bahrain. The caption is "Anti-government protesters face off against the Bahraini army near the Pearl roundabout at dusk on February 18, 2011 in Manama, Bahrain. Protesters said that the army fired on them with live rounds, followed by teargas which drove the demonstrators back. There are unconfirmed reports that there are four dead in the clashes."

This picture just struck me for how courageous the protestors seem to be, how scared they must be, how desperate and yet optimistic thier actions are. When I showed my boyfriend this the first thing he said was how non-violent it was.  

[charity]

I checked the news this morning and this is the first thing I saw:  
http://tvnz.co.nz/world-news/fighter-pilots-told-bomb-protestors-reports-4037346

Two Libyan Air Force fighter pilots have flown their jets to Malta where they told authorities they had been ordered to bomb protesters, Maltese government officials said.

They said the two pilots, both colonels, took off from a base near Tripoli. One of them has requested political asylum.

There are reports of dozens of fatalities as military aircraft reportedly attacked areas of Tripoli.

If only the rest of the pilots had followed the examples of those two pilots...

[charity]

Some Links:
  CNN coverage of Libyan UN diplomats calling on the world for help to end the genocide of the Libyan people

AlJazeeras blog coverage of events from Libya: http://blogs.aljazeera.net/africa/2011/02/22/live-blog-libya-feb-22

1000 memories sites to remember those killed during protests in Egypt and Libya:
http://1000memories.com/egypt
http://1000memories.com/libya

[charity]

http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2011/02/25/134059518/the-friday-podcast-the-difference-between-egypt-and-libya

I heard an interesting podcast today on a difference between Egypt and Libya, and why Libya's government seems to have no problem killing its people (on top of Godhafi just seeming absolutely crazy and genocidal).  The basic gist is that Libya's government gets close 100% of its money from selling oil or oil related services, while Egypt's military actually makes a lot of money selling things to Egyptians.  And the Libyan government seems to have actively tried to keep its monopoly of money and power: by keeping people uneducated and stifled from achieving anything else.  So from its governments eyes, the people are not necessary, just the oil.  However there have been reports of Godhafi threatening to burn the oil, which obviously seems just like the actions of a child (or deranged dictator): 'if I can't have it, then neither can you.'

In an indirect way, one can think of Kiva loans as working against leaders like Godhafi:  Kiva loans are hopefully empowering people, helping them to create businesses and/or educate themselves or others.  

[Amy-in-PHX]

http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2011/02/25/134059518/the-friday-podcast-the-difference-between-egypt-and-libya

I heard an interesting podcast today on a difference between Egypt and Libya, and why Libya's government seems to have no problem killing its people (on top of Godhafi just seeming absolutely crazy and genocidal).  The basic gist is that Libya's government gets close 100% of its money from selling oil or oil related services, while Egypt's military actually makes a lot of money selling things to Egyptians.  And the Libyan government seems to have actively tried to keep its monopoly of money and power: by keeping people uneducated and stifled from achieving anything else.  So from its governments eyes, the people are not necessary, just the oil.  However there have been reports of Godhafi threatening to burn the oil, which obviously seems just like the actions of a child (or deranged dictator): 'if I can't have it, then neither can you.'

In an indirect way, one can think of Kiva loans as working against leaders like Godhafi:  Kiva loans are hopefully empowering people, helping them to create businesses and/or educate themselves or others.  

I heard that commentary yesterday - and they mentioned the "resource curse," which may apply to more than one of our Kiva countries.  The resource curse is a term some economists use for the paradox that, in countries that have more natural resources, in the form of things that can be extracted and sold like oil or diamonds, the economy tends to be less developed and most of the people poorer, than in countries that have fewer natural resources.  In a resource-rich 3rd world country, the power elite often grabs ownership of the resource and will not invest in education or seed money for entrepreneurs, because the elite already have everything they need or want.  See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resource_curse

I do hope that Kiva lending can be a counter-force to that "curse."  What MFIs are operating in places that are subject to the "resource curse?"  We get Iraq loans occasionally.  Sierra Leone, maybe.  (Are they still mining diamonds there?)  And Bolivia, to some extent.  (I think close to 40% of Bolivia's GDP is oil & gas, if I recall right, and President Evo Morales brought the industry under national government ownership and control a few years back.)

I would like to have the chance to study economics in college again, and find out all the theories like this one, that people have come up with since I graduated!

[Mona]

If you want to support the peaceful protesters in the Middle East, here is an easy way how to do so  
https://secure.avaaz.org/en/blackout_proof_the_protests_7/?rc=fb

"Across the Middle East -- in Bahrain, Libya, Yemen, and more countries every day, autocratic regimes are trying to crush unprecedented peaceful protests with brutality and blackouts.
Avaaz is working urgently to "blackout-proof" the protests -- with secure satellite modems and phones, tiny video cameras, and portable radio transmitters, plus expert support teams on the ground -- to enable activists to broadcast live video feeds even during internet and phone blackouts. The window for us to deliver this help is closing fast, as regimes are moving quickly to choke off borders and internet connections. Small donations from 25,000 of us would fund critical technology and support teams for those who need it most."

So far 22,856 people from around the world have helped already.  

[Amy-in-PHX]

A story by BBC news reporter in China today, "Calls for protests in China met with brutality," expresses the view that the people in power in that country are feeling threatened by the popular unrest in the Middle East & North Africa.  See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12593328

[charity]

Libya is starting to have a crisis in terms of food, as the violence has hampered food imports and distribution.  The organizations I have found so far that are providing assistance are the UN World Food Program and Red Cross/Red Crescent.

http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=44601

http://www.wfp.org/stories/wfp-flies-food-migrant-workers-fleeing-libya
http://www.redcross.org.uk/libyacrisis/?approachcode=68764_herolibya

[Amy-in-PHX]

Libya is starting to have a crisis in terms of food, as the violence has hampered food imports and distribution.  The organizations I have found so far that are providing assistance are the UN World Food Program and Red Cross/Red Crescent.

http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=44601

http://www.wfp.org/stories/wfp-flies-food-migrant-workers-fleeing-libya
http://www.redcross.org.uk/libyacrisis/?approachcode=68764_herolibya

Thanks for the info - What I read is that so far, the UN World Food Program is about to supply food for people who make it across the border into Tunisia (non-Libyans).  Libyans just have to hope, according to the cite on wfp.org above:  "Part of the plan envisages the distribution of food assistance inside Libya where it is needed, and if secure humanitarian access is possible."

Who was it that said "War is hell?"

[charity]

Amy - yeah I saw that too.    I just hope that they are able to at least get into the Benghazi area - which has ports and is supposedly under government opposition control.

I just saw another article which confirms that at least a little aid is getting into the East, but is not to the West/Tripoli:

"The fragile security situation in and around the Libya capital of Tripoli has made it too dangerous for international aid agencies to assess the need for medicine, food and other supplies there, the United Nations has said."
and
"ICRC [Red Cross] teams entered the eastern side of the country including the country's second city Benghazi over the weekend, and are now supporting local doctors with medical care. Two thousand people were wounded there, according to the agency."

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/02/2011228191419265337.html

[Amy-in-PHX]

Thanks for the info - What I read is that so far, the UN World Food Program is about to supply food for people who make it across the border into Tunisia (non-Libyans).  Libyans just have to hope, according to the cite on wfp.org above:  "Part of the plan envisages the distribution of food assistance inside Libya where it is needed, and if secure humanitarian access is possible."

Who was it that said "War is hell?"

I found it:  O war! thou son of Hell!
- William Shakespeare

[Patricia SF]

Global Giving just posted a project from an organization, International Medical Corps, to provide emergency medical care for Libyan refugees.  International Medical Corps has deployed emergency response teams with doctors and medical personnel to eastern Libya and the Tunisian border to care for the growing number of refugees.

http://www.globalgiving.org/projects/provide-emergency-medical-care-for-libyan-refugees/

[charity]

I heard an interesting and crazy news segment today, from the 2/24/11 edition of PRIs "The World."  
http://www.theworld.org/2011/02/gaddafi-activities-in-africa/

In it they interviewed David Crane, founding Chief Prosecutor of the Special Court for Sierra Leone.  He talked about how there was lots of evidence tying Libyas Gadhafi to crimes in Sierra Leone during the Sierra Leone Civil War 1999-2003.  In fact he said all roads led back to Gadhafi - as Gadhafi was a main orchestrator of the 'West African joint criminal enterprise' -training Liberias president Charles Taylor, Burkino Fasos president Blaise Compaore, and the leader of the Revolutionary United Front Foday Sankoh in his Terrorist camps in the 1980s.  As Gadhafi has stated -he wanted to be the "Emperor of Africa" - and so he was setting up all these people working with/for him, and they were responsible for most the movement of guns, cash, gold, diamonds and timber in west Africa.

This prosecutor said he made a political decision not to also prosecute Gadhafi and Compaore along with Charles Taylor, in that there was already unease about trying a sitting head of state (let alone three), and Gadhafi was popular with the west (funders of the court) at the time - clearing out his weapons, and selling oil.  

Another interview with him about it, that also lists other countries in Gadhafis plans:
http://www.voanews.com/english/news/africa/decapua-gadhafi-west-africa-3mar11-117315153.html
"Crane says, “He had a geo-political plan to place surrogates in various countries in West Africa, starting with Burkina Faso, then Liberia, followed by Sierra Leone, then Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea, Gambia and Senegal.”

[Amy-in-PHX]

NPR is reporting now, that the UN Security Council is expected to pass a resolution by tomorrow, authorizing a no-fly zone over Libya plus "using all means necessary for protection of civilians on the ground."  They say Russia will vote yes, and China will abstain.

[charity]

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jGBVFO-wHxfnZv8sFTz7-taAJG6A?docId=2deb926218564baa8b21e218586d7bcd

Apparently Yemens President of 33 years, Ali Abdullah Saleh, stepped down today, handing power to his Vice President.  The deal he agreed to grants him immunity to prosecution.   I don't really know all the details and implications of this, but I hope the best for the people of Yemen.