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for those of you that want to explore my website, here it is! http://supportcongo.weebly.com/

Is it wrong that I post so much up here?

Just one more thing that I discovered recently that I think pertains to most discussions we have in class, which are the following two terms that I read in an article recently (actually, the last article I posted):

Cultural Relativism: the principle that an individual human's beliefs and activities make sense in terms of his or her own culture, in many ethical contexts this is said to mean those who assert primacy of cultural values over human rights. Also sometimes used interchangeably with moral relativism, especially in the context of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.  Cultural relativists are generally found saying, "but how can we criticize that if it's their culture?"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_relativism


Universality:  a doctrine or school claiming universal facts can be discovered and is therefore understood as being in opposition to relativism.  When used in the context of ethics, the meaning of universal refers to that which is true for "all similarly situated individuals."  Universalists are generally found saying, "but still, you just can't DO that to people!"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universality_(philosophy)

I've seen these two schools of though butt heads pretty often in our class, but also mix a lot as well.  Just thought it was some interesting information for everyone to ponder!  Both relativism and universality have their good points and their bad points.  Pure relativists and pure universalists tend to come into conflict a lot on the same fundamental issues; it seems like a happy medium between the two, in which one looks at certain issues with a context of culture but also tries to follow some basic human rights guidelines when thinking about how to go about making sense of those issues, works best.  It's hard though, it seems to me that most people lean at least slightly one way or another.  What do you all think????

UN General Assembly Votes To Allow Gays To Be Executed Without Cause

"Gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people were once again subject to the whims of homophobia and religious and cultural extremism this week, thanks to a United Nations vote that removed “sexual orientation” from a resolution that protects people from arbitrary executions." Click for more:

http://thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/un-general-assembly-votes-to-allow-gays-to-be-executed-without-cause/politics/2010/11/20/15449

Family waits to see if mother, accused of blasphemy, will be hanged

Asia Bibi, a 45 year-old woman in Pakistan's pubjab province, was sentenced to death by the Pakistani government. Bibi, a Christian, was accused of insulting the Muslim religion. Apparently, Bibi dipped her cup into a bucket of drinking water during a lunch break at her job working as a field worker. Now, prosecuters claim that she has contaminated the drinking water because she is not Muslim. While victims claim to have heard Bibi's slurs against the prophet Muhammad, there is no direct evidence. The teachings of Muhammad do not say anything about prosecution for blasphemy. However, Islamic scholars have created their own laws against blasphemy that call for the death penalty. Bibi is the first case of for blasphemy in Pakistan.

I wonder what would happen if the victim were male.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/11/18/pakistan.blasphemy/index.html?iref=allsearch

Controversy over Boys Competing in Pageants! And Pageant Dads

Transgender Man Is on Women’s Team

Kye Allums, a typical busy junior who plays Division I basketball at George Washington University. One day he decided to come out as a transgender man playing on a women’s basketball team. Many people believe that he is the first Division I college basketball player to compete publicly as a transgender person, but definitely not the first one to play. The George Washington University officials said that he would remain on the basketball team. Earlier this year he had changed his name on the basketball roster from Kay-Kay to Kye which reflected the preferred gender. He was biologically a female but decided to let people know the truth because he was tired of people referring to him as her and she. She stated in the article that, “I decided to do it because I was uncomfortable not being able to be myself ”. Her being able to let the people know her real gender was refreshing for her because she didn't deserve to feel uncomfortable. When he told his teammates they were in disbelief at first but then offered their support and comfort. His coach even supported his decision to let people know the truth. Now that he has let everyone know about his personal life he is able to continue with his life and be focused on basketball. The feeling of being able to be yourself is always good. :)

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/02/sports/ncaabasketball/02gender.html?scp=2&sq=transgender&st=cse

Guess who's working with Oprah?

Lynn Nottage is working on a Ruined screenplay for Oprah & HBO. Awesome, yes?

Photo: Lynn Nottage. Credit: Robert Caplin / For The Times

Afghan Women and Self-Immolation



Image courtesy of New York Times, Inc.



Last week the New York Times published a pretty horrifying story about Afghan wives who attempt to commit suicide by immolating themselves. I wonder what you think about the ethics of publishing this photo on the front page of the paper, and also what you think about the piece.   

Article at NYT.

Having read Ruined, this article on Women’s E News caught my eye. In August, Secretary of State, Hilary Clinton visited the Democratic Republic of Congo. Clinton’s visit was a result of a fresh outbreak of fighting, over natural resources in the DRC, which lead to an even higher number of rape victims. While in the Congo, Mrs. Clinton announced that the United States would be giving 17 million dollars in funding for rape victims. The money would go “to train doctors; supply rape survivors with mobile phones and cameras to document violence, and train a special female police force to protect women in the eastern Congo.” Money, however, was not the most important aspect to Clintons visit to the Congo. To the Congolese Women, Clintons position in high power means hope for the rest of them. On the other side, Clinton outright referenced rape as a war tactic, the women who have been severely affected by the sexual violence in the Congo are being recognized. Will Hillary Clintons visit to the DRC affect other countries? Will the US feel more obligated to help other places, such as Darfur?

Waging War and Peace with Women

So. Finally our opinions matter. I’m not saying that there have been no women through out the course of history that have made some good suggestions. After all, Martha Washington was at the Battle of Valley Forge. However, it seems after all this time, experts on war have decided that one gender’s opinion can be of great help when discussing war and peace. That gender, my friends, is female. In this article in the New York Times former secretary of state Madeline Albright said “Because women are often a principal victim of conflict, the women’s perspective can be vital in seeking to prevent or to mitigate the damaged cause by conflict. That assertion should not be controversial: it is simply common sense.”

This semester, we’ve been talking a lot about what the best plan of attack is, when dealing with other countries and their policies on women. The general consensus is that the United States has been too harsh in dealing with the middle east on subjects regarding women. The New York Times claims that because women treat these conflicts in a much more gentle way, more progress is being made. Another quote from the article says “Female soldiers can respectfully search Muslim women at checkpoints. They are more likely to win the trust of local abused- often sexually- by men with guns.” Female soldiers over seas are especially important, because they are given the same respect as the male soldiers, but are given “reserved access” because they’re women.

The question is, other then the reasons stated by the new york times, why do you think women are having more success reaching out to other cultures, and getting positive results? Other countries are starting to fill government positions with female candidates, do you think that even more countries will follow this example?

Teenage Girls: Uninterested in Politics?

After the 2008 elections, America seemed reinvigorated by politics again. “Yes We Can!” we cheered; heck, even those who didn’t vote for Obama felt pretty proud of the political vigor and achievements our country displayed for most of 2008. And this was reflected in the 2008 enrollment numbers of Running Start an organization that runs five programs each year to get teen girls involved in politics. In 2008, Running Start received 30,000 applications for 50 spaces in its 2009 program; Running Start’s 2010 program, on the other hand, received a paltry 1,000 applications. What’s more, a recent Harvard Survey (October 2010) revealed that only 27% of Americans between the ages of 18 and 29 said they’d definitely vote in midterm elections (with even less young women saying they would when the numbers were broken down by gender).

These findings are disturbing for many reasons, but the one that strikes me the most is such disinterest amongst teen girls despite the prevalence of women in the 2010 Midterm Elections. In this past election cycle, 298 women filed to run for Congress, more than half won their primaries, and yesterday 153 women appeared on ballots nationwide in general election for US congressional races. How can teenage girls face what at first seems like a political triumph for American women, and feel ambivalence or even disinterest? Meagan Carberry of Rock The Vote thinks that, “The partisan bickering has definitely gotten to young voters.” Plus, she said, younger voters just aren’t targeted enough in political campaigns.

But what’s the solution to this troubling new trend? Some say that we need to actively try to involve girls in politics much earlier, considering that of the last 19 presidents, 12 began their political career before they were 35. And the facts remain that currently women compose only 17% of Congress and 23% of State Legislatures – clearly, no where near equality.

So my question to you is this: why are you – or let’s be honest – why aren’t you as a teenage girl (or boy) interested in politics? Do you see this as problematic? What do you think should be done to involve more girls in politics (or should we bother at all)?

More current events about women in politics:
List of women running in 2010 elections - Rutgers

Five Myths About Female Candidates – Feministing

Brazil President and Gender Equality - BBC

Today's Guest

Steven Dettelbach '84 was the subject of Sunday's "My Cleveland" profile in the Plain Dealer.

One recent trafficking case he prosecuted involved a Toledo man - details at the Cleveland FBI website.

Remember to write questions for his visit!

What About Afghan Women?

Nicholas D. Kristof asks in a New York Times opinion article if the US intervention in Afghanistan really helps the women there? His conclusion is that the US military involvement in Afghanistan is hurting women more than helping them. He mentions a woman, Aisha, who had her nose and ears cut under the direction of the Taliban from her husband. From reading this, one wonders since the Taliban encourages violent mutilations for women who are deemed "promiscuous" shouldn't the US's stance against the Taliban and a good idea?

Kristof would say no because he doesn't see the US's assistance effective. He mentions a woman, Pari Gol, used to wish the Taliban would be defeated and first encouraged the US's role. However, her husband and daughter were killed in US air strikes, and she is now living in a mud shack. She no longer believes in the US's ability to help, and still hates the Taliban. In this case, the US's involvement not only ruined this woman's life, but it helped spread a negative public opinion of the US that permeates further than this one woman. As well, Kristof makes the point that the culture in Afghanistan, mainly in the South, is what keeps woman restricted not the Taliban. So the US's goal of ridding Afghanistan of the Taliban seems pointless in his mind when the issue goes deeper than the Taliban.

So instead of using US force agains the Taliban, Kristof suggests using aid work that doesn't involve westerner's on the ground to help Afghan women. This idea makes sense to me. In certain regions if one has obvious western aid, that aid will be outright targeted by the Taliban. This is seen by western donors insistence that their be plaques referencing them on the buildings the create. As Kristof says its like putting a sign up that says "burn me down." He mentions micro financing as a good option, specifically the program BPeace that supports women entrepreneurs. This way the woman there are taking charge, and the Taliban are more accepting of this idea. Fatima Akbari has seen great success with collaborating with the Taliban as she has been able to spread her BPeace backed women business classes to Taliban controlled ares. Kristof makes a lot of good points about the ability for westerners to best help in a less obvious manner. What makes me uneasy is his acceptance of working with the Taliban. He said he believed that working with them is a good idea if it furthers woman's goals. I wonder though if working with the Taliban will be an effective long term strategy? They have very strong opinions on how women should act, and yes so maybe in some instances they cave in an allow some rights for woman, but is this just a simple appeasement. Maybe I'm being overly cynical, but I don't have confidence that working with the Taliban is the best option because I just don't believe they will be willing to ever give significantly more power to women. I see where Kristof is coming from, but I worry that he blurs the line too much with his willingness to work with the Taliban, and takes too harsh a stand on the US military intervention in Afghanistan.

Not So Gleeful: What’s Wrong with GQ’s Latest Shoot

The reaction from feminists to the “Glee” themed photo shoot in the newest issue of GQ – a popular men’s magazine – wasn’t exactly surprising. The shot, which was done by infamous photographer Terry Richardson (no stranger to overtly sexual photo shoots and even sexual harassment claims) features three of the main stars of the Fox TV show in borderline pornographic poses. Of course, there has been plenty of uproar that these overtly sexual images are borderline pedophilic due to the fact that these actors (all over 21) portray teenaged characters and cater to a young audience. But in reality there are gender-related issues involved in this shoot other than the purity of our nation’s children and their inability to process sexualized images.

Pictures via Bitch Magazine

1) To Make It As An Actor You Better Strip Down
It seems that in our society, we require our actors to strip down for a provocative photo shoot before we take them “seriously.” You truly haven’t made it in show business until you have removed most of your clothes, and if you haven’t done it for the cameras of a major magazine, then it’s in a leaked video of some kind. Why is it that sexual appeal / blatant sexualization is such an integral part of what we expect from the people we generally consider to be role models in our society? And of course, while men may strip down for underwear or even cologne ads, more often than not stripping down becomes an actual career game-changer for females.

2) Double Standards in the GQ Photo Spread
Setting aside the pedophilic undertones of this shoot, it’s pretty clear that there are gender standards being upheld in every shot. Cory Montieth is smiling (read: looking like a normal person) in every photo, where as Diana Agron and Lea Michele are too busy pouting or bending over to remember how to look like real humans. Also there’s a huge subject v. object issue: Montieth is pictured playing the drums and later holding a baseball bat whereas Lea Michele spreads her legs on a bench in one shot and seductively licks a lollipop in another while Diana Argon straddles Monteith. While Monteith is able to do actual activities, Agron and Michele must look like they’re ready for things to be done to them. Isn’t it problematic that this shoot seems to enforce images of women as sexual objects?

3) What’s Glee All About, Anyway?
Glee professes to be a show not only about “being yourself” but inclusion and diversity. This photo shoot only features the three main straight, white characters, who of course are all thin and conventionally attractive. What message is this shoot trying to send to all the kids who watch Glee because they relate to what they thought were characters representative of a “different” type of person?

Of course, it’s always worth considering the perspective that these actresses are “owning” their sexuality by feeling comfortable enough with their bodies and themselves to post in such a way. However, the organization SPARK (an organization that tries to combat the over-sexualization of women, specifically teen girls, in the media) cites a 2007 American Psychological Task Force Report as finding that there is a correlation between overexposure to sexualized media images of women with depression, eating disorders and risky sexual behavior for girls and demeaning, sexist attitudes in boys. And as filmmaker/writer Jean Kilbourne said at the recent SPARK summit “When the culture offers girls and women only one way to be sexy, it can hardly be considered an authentic choice.”

France Arrest Rwandan Over Atrocities In Congo

Just Monday French police officers arrested Callixte Mbarushimana who is believed to be a leader of a movement involved in a recent terrorist campaign in the Kivu region of Congo in which thousands of civilians have been raped and killed. Police were armed with an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court in the Hague stating that he was wanted on charges of war crimes and crimes against humility. According to the court official, Rwandan activities have been tracked for the past 18 months in several countries including France, Germany, Congo and Rwanda. As of now the court must decide whether or not to transfer Mr. Mbarushimana to the international court in the Hague who find Mbarushimana to be a top leader of the Rwandan rebel F.D.L.R. which from it's base in Congo was fighting to gain power in Rwanda and was using crimes against civilians to demonstrate that power.

“In 2009, the F.D.L.R. leadership decided to attack civilians in the North and South Kivu Provinces in order to create a massive humanitarian catastrophe; the F.D.L.R. then tried to blackmail the international community and to extort concessions of power, in exchange for ending the atrocities,” the statement said. “As a result of this deadly blackmail, victims were killed, raped and forcibly displaced, and entire villages were razed to the ground.”

It was Mr. Mbarushimana’s job to conduct an international campaign to convince governments that that the F.D.L.R. was a legitimate political group that had to be reckoned with, an official in the prosecutor’s office said. His arrest was linked to a cycle of violence that took place mostly in 2009. The prosecutor decribed his arrest as "a crucial step in efforts to prosecute the massive sexual crimes" in the Congo being that Mbarushimana's group was linked to several other war crimes resulting in a grand total of more that 500 rapes in multiple places.

We keep hearing about all these different war crimes that seem to be frequent in the DRC. We understand that their country is one that not many people other than them can understanding and really make sense out of. Mbarushimana was living in France at the time of his arrest. How do you feel about other countries butting in on the conflict that is going on? What do you think about the legitimacy of Mbarushimana's arrest?

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/12/world/africa/12congo.html?scp=5&sq=Arrest%20of%20Rebel%20Leader&st=cse

Do Women Make Better Leaders?

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was the first woman in Africa to be elected as head of state. Knowing this, one imagines she'd have to possess an extremely strong personality and views to get where she is today. There is no doubt that she's had to be a forceful presence. She was even able to beat a soccer star, George Weah, for the presidency in 2005. This article mainly focuses on portraying how the personality of Sirleaf has helped her lead Liberia, and then it broadens out to comment on women's ability to be leaders.

Liberia has a dark past. It was only in 2003 that the 14 year civil war was ended. The article mentions that there are still many empty and destroyed buildings. The UN is still positioned in Liberia with 10,000 men to prevent another surge of violence. It's a country where one of Sirleaf's rivals for her next term is Prince Yormie Johnson, a man who is responsible for one of the recent president's murders.

In such a troubled country having a strong leader is vital, and the article portrays how Sirleaf has seemed to have done that by opening Liberia up for international aid. She recently helped her country receive 4.6 billion dollars worth of relief effort from the International Monetary Fund and World Bank, and a 20 million dollar loan program for Liberian businesses. Her strong personality, one where she isn't afraid to rebuke a bunch of young boys for putting pressure on a rickety old fence, has surely helped her lead Liberia. In addition, she has a had a strong reputation for keeping corruption out of the government. Liberia has been known for it's high level of corruption, so this change is seen universally as extremely positive.
However, she makes some comments that can be seen as highly controversial. She point blank believes women are better leaders. She said that if she could she would put only women on her cabinet. As of now, a quarter of her ministries's leaders are women. She stated, "Women are more committed. Women work harder, and women are more honest; they have less reasons to be corrupt. They don’t have so many diversions. Men have more than one wife; they have their concubines." This seems to touch on a point that has been discussed in class a lot. Is it okay to make blanket statements about women being more effective leaders based on gender generalizations? When looking at her side, it's obvious she has been an effective leader, an effective woman leader. She contributes her strong effective leadership style to surviving an abusive husband. I wonder if there is some grain of truth in the broad generalization she made. It's considered politically incorrect to make those types of blanket statements, but the facts in this situation back her up nicely. It is true that the article ends by commenting that her policy of trying to get new loans, smaller and more manageable, may be unwise due to Liberia's massive debt. However, overall this article focused on the positive benefits of her leadership, and what she is doing seems to me like it has been working decently.

On a related note, this article is about a woman leader in Africa, and since we have been reading "Ruined," I only thought it was appropriate to bring up the setting of the article. I'm wondering if blanket statements about women in leadership positions are more politically acceptable in Africa because of how gender is perceived in that culture being different from our own. Or if not more politically acceptable, at least its maybe easier to see why she would make such a strong statement because of the history of the country. Its not that woman are not responsible for some of the violence, but overall it is rebel groups run and made up of males who do the killing, while woman and children are mainly the victims. I wondered if the history of the country might change how gender is thought of by Liberians. Adding the question of geography I think adds another layer of controversy to Serlieaf's already controversial statements.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/24/magazine/24sirleaf-t.html?_r=1&ref=women

Gender Roles

After I watched that clip from the OC about gender roles that Lindsay posted, I saw these in the related videos:
 
Gender Roles Reversed

Kids Interviewed about Gender

pretty interesting to watch!

Reserved "Ladies' Coach" In New Delhi

 

Taken from http://www.hindu.com/2010/10/25/stories/2010102550550100.htm

     Earlier this month, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation in India introduced the concept of a "ladies" only coach to the New Delhi metro system.  For this experimental endeavor, the DMRC reserved the first out of the four coaches of each train for women, who are said to make up about 25% of the metro travelers. They are allowed to bring on children with them up to 12 years of age, and do not have to put up with the other crowded, cramped coaches, in which people need to push their way out in order to get off at the right stop without being blocked in by the commuters going in at the same time.  Most members of the "fairer sex," as they are referred in more than one article, are in favor of the change, and enjoy having more room, less crowding, and an easier time getting on and off without the mad-house pushing and shoving to get on and off the train.  Men, of course, are not happy about it, and say that there is even more crowding on the other coaches now than there was before, and barely even have much breathing space in the cramped area.  Some men have been getting onto the "ladies-only coach" despite the new rule, either because they are illiterate and cannot read the signs, or because there is simply not enough room on the remaining three coaches.  The DMRC has now stated that a fine will be issued to any men who attempt to ride the women's coach, and there will be personnel stationed at the entrances of the reserved coaches to ensure that men do not try to enter. 
     As I searched for articles about gender across the world from us, this really stuck out to me.  In all the articles I found about the policy I could not find any stated reason for exactly why the new rule was created, whether it be for safety, for general comfort of female commuters, or for some other reason.  I can imagine viewpoints that would see this as both a good thing for the women if they are able to ride more comfortably without worrying about being pushed around in the crowded coaches, a bad thing for the women because it reinforces the idea that the "fairer sex" needs to be protected from the aspects of life that tough men can handle, and, of course, a bad thing for men who now need to ride through even worse conditions than existed on the trains before the ladies' coach was created.  What do you think are the pros and cons of this change, and what do you think wins out?  Is the ladies' coach is a good idea for New Delhi, or not?

http://sify.com/news/ladies-coach-on-metro-women-are-happy-men-are-not-news-national-kkeuafgjaad.html

http://www.hindustantimes.com/Women-fume-as-men-ride-Metro-s-ladies-coaches/Article1-608887.aspx

http://sify.com/news/thumbs-up-for-metro-s-ladies-coach-news-national-kkdqOciifee.html

http://www.hindu.com/2010/10/25/stories/2010102550550100.htm

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Metro--Men-in-women-s-coaches-to-be-fined-Rs-200/701957

Ugh I'm embarrassed to be as addicted to this show as I am, but talk about reverse gender roles.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R213hS7ekF4&feature=related

In Sumo's Push for the Olympics, a Turn Away From Tradition

As described in a New York Times article by Daniel Krieger, women’s sumo wrestling has recently become more popular. This all started in 1994 when the International Olympic Committee created a rule which excluded single sex sports from the Olympic Games. Men sumo wrestlers had been fighting for years to make sumo wrestling an Olympic sport, so they didn’t want to just give up. For that reason, sumo wrestling organizations worked very hard to popularize female sumo wrestling. Stephen Gadd, the general secretary for the European Sumo Union was especially involved in this movement.
Two years later, the first women’s sumo wrestling tournament was held in Europe and the sport started to become more acceptable for women in Europe. However, they did have several challenges. Their biggest challenge was attempting to get rid of the negative connotation associated with female wrestling. This stigma originated in the 18th century when topless women would wrestle blind men for the entertainment of other men. Also, in previous years, women were not even allowed to touch or go inside of the wrestling ring because they would make it impure. And on top of all of this, many women just thought that sumo wrestling should not be a female sport. Gadd explained, “In the professional sumo world, women in sumo is as unthinkable as a rabbi sponsoring a pork farm.”
Despite all of these challenges, female sumo wrestling somehow started to attract followers. One successful female sumo wrestler, Yuka Ueta commented, “Normal-size people can do any sports they like, but someone who is heavy doesn’t have many options. Sumo is perfect for this kind of woman. And if she has a complex about her body, that will change with sumo.” Ueta is not the only female who has a love for this sport. Women’s sumo wrestling has become very prominent in Japan and several European countries. Because of this recent popularization, Gadd hopes that if the 2020 Olymic Games could be held in Japan, they might be able to finally make sumo wrestling an Olympic sport.
It is great that this sport is now an equal opportunity sport for both men and women. But when looking at the event, it seems that the only reason female sumo wrestling became prominent was because men's sumo wrestling was being hindered. If the Olympic Committee did not make that law would their tradition have eventually changed? Should we follow this example to come closer to gender equality in other aspects of life?


http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/19/sports/19iht-SUMO.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1&sq=sumo wrestling&st=cse&scp=2

Conflict Minerals - Julie & Hannah

Conflict Minerals in the Congo

The conflict in the Congo is one with many complex and interconnected sources, and as outsiders looking in it can be hard to determine what problems to attack in order to ultimately help end the war. However, there is one source of the conflict that may be easier to attack, and is disconcertingly related to our own lives. Conflict minerals, or minerals such as tin, tungsten, tantalum and coltan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conflict_minerals) are minerals that are very difficult to find in other geographical areas, yet are plentiful in the Congo. They are a huge source of revenue, and much of the rebel groups in the Congo’s fighting can be traced back to desire of control of the mines. But in order to control these mines, these militia groups resort to murder and rape with devastating frequency. Also, these minerals also found in electronic devices like digital cameras, cell phones, lap tops and other devices we use every day (http://articles.latimes.com/2010/jul/26/opinion/la-ed-congo-20100726).

These minerals have had a devastating effect on the conflict in the Congo. The conflict minerals cause a vicious cycle. Rebel groups in control of the mines, and therefore the mineral trade, exact bribes and/or taxes, and draw the majority of their profit primarily from member states of the European Union. The money raised is then used to buy weapons for the rebel groups, which are in turn used to commit atrocities against millions of innocent people, including “mass murder, rape, torture and forced recruitment.” (http://www.globalissues.org/news/2010/03/04/4732) Without the conflict mineral trade, the rebel groups would be less-well armed and generally less supported monetarily, making all of their actions far more difficult to execute.
Currently, selling coltan is not illegal and it is an industry that produces about $6 billion in revenue per year (http://www.globalissues.org/article/442/guns-money-and-cell-phones). The United States has taken steps towards stopping this trade – over the summer, Obama signed legislation that would require U.S. companies to disclose whether or not their products contain conflict minerals (http://articles.latimes.com/2010/jul/26/opinion/la-ed-congo-20100726). However, this industry is still incredibly overbearing and a major source of the conflict.

The Ongoing Issue of Rape in the DRC: Sara and Alex

Amidst all of the ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, one of the most widely utilized forms of violence is rape. With an enormous number of rape crimes, the lives of the Congolese women are constantly threatened and mistreated. This sexual violence is an extremely common tactic in the unending warfare, for there are many ways in which it can potentially weaken the enemy. "Rape has been a war tactic in recent years here, a way for armed groups to tear apart communities, destroy villages and flush families from their land." The soldiers tend to use the local women as sexual replacements of their wives while they are away, and those women who survive the crime are often ostracized from their husbands and their community. Through familial tension and shame, rape crimes have the capability to weaken the ties within a community.

Cases of mass rape not only implement social issues; they also severely impair the health of the victimized community. The spread of HIV/AIDS is extremely damaging to an entire region in the long run, and the lasting effect of spreading a disease goes hand-in-hand with the effect of injury. Rossette Kavira, a gynecologist at a hospital in the town of Goma, states that "almost all victims require surgery due to bleeding or wounds inflicted through torture by their attackers." Yet since there are so many rape victims, women often wait months before they are able to receive any form of treatment. These horriffic acts of sexual violence can tear apart any strength that the community may have previously had.

Yet why is rape so unbearably common in the Democratic Republic of Congo? It is a weapon that is more readily available and the cheapest of any weapon used in the past, such as bombs and bullets. According to a recent report involving approximately 750 victims, "most of the women (87 percent) were raped during the day. The rest were raped at night." There are very few times when the women can feel safe and not threatened by the ongoing rape crimes, for the act is so common and has such demoralizing effects on Congolese communities.

http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/news/article.cfm?id=1836
http://africa-reports.blogspot.com/2010/10/democratic-republic-of-congo-background.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3953747.stm
http://crs.org/democratic-republic-of-congo/rape-counseling/

Other War Crimes

Some Rebel Factions and their Relation to War Crimes

GOVERNMENT SANCTIONED ARMY

Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC)

-the official government army

- National Army Chief of Staff - Charles Mwando

REBELS

National Congress for the Defense of the People (CNDP)- led by renegade general Laurent Nkunda

- Former General in Armed Forces of DRC – became rebel warlord in what he called attempt to protect his fellow Tutsis

o accused of murder, pillaging, abduction of children as soldiers

o involved in massacres of civilians in 2002 and 2004

- - General Bosco Ntaganda worked with Nkunda

- - Created a splinter faction in 2009

- - Was arrested in 2010 for supposed:

o Assassination of 8

o Arbitrary arrest of 7

o Abduction and disappearances of several others

Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR)

• also active in the DRC
• created in September 2000 with the ideals of Hutu power and opposing Tutsi influence
• many arrested in 2009 for war crimes

o including rape, forced recruitment of child soldiers, and attacking civilians

-their president, Ignace Murwanashyaka, and executive secretary, Callixte Mbarushimana are well-educated men who are defended by many Europeans, including the French government

-mostly the evidence is testimony of former generals, so it is hard to prove anything

Mai Mai

• community based militia grew out of the 2^nd congo war
• used local tradition to inspire themselves
• loose association of mai mai groups across the DRC – headed by tribal leaders, village leaders
• General Didier Bakti is one of the militia leaders of the organized Mai Mai that terrorized eastern Congo in 2008
• - They fought the gov., the rebels, and the United Nations

-in 2009, many members were tried in the International Criminal Court

o found guilty of crimes against humanity including terrorism and insurgency, due to involvement in rape, executions, and other war crimes

o the court also held the government of the DRC responsible for not disarming the Mai Mai

Lord’s Resistance Army

• rebel group based in Uganda led by Joseph Kony
• With a doctrine of intense Christianity, traditional African religions, and mysticism, this group speaks of establishing a theocratic state
• Accused of many human rights violations: murder, abduction, sexual enslavement, mutilation, conscription of children

Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Congo (ADFLC)

• helped coordinate ousting of first leader President Mobutu for new President Kabila
• -fell apart, marking the beginning of the second war
• -forcibly recruited thousands of children
• -according to accounts of children who escaped the army

o they are often taken in raids on schools

o witnessed pillaging of Kirungu village, deaths of thousands of unarmed commandos

o have two to three weeks basic training, then are sent out, some without guns or anything to defend themselves

o they would sometimes steal children’s clothing to discourage them from escaping, and beaten and torture if they attempt escape

o A Rwandan Colonel described the army as “made up of youngsters, obedient and disciplined, but who needed to be better supervised, better trained”

Front National Liberation of the Congo (FNLC)

• -active in the 1970’s
• -sparked 2 international wars by invading Shaba Zaïre

Congolese Rally for Democracy (RCD- Goma)

• -ally of ADFLC
• -particularly associated with recent child recruitment, though this is a common practice across militias, armies, and factions
• -claims to have “inherited” the child soldiers from the ADFLC
• o it is estimated that 15-30% of ALL new Congolese recruits are less than 18 years old, and many are less than 12

http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2009/03/10/dr-congo-militia-leader-guilty-landmark-trial

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8364327.stm

http://www.hrw.org/reports/2001/drc3/Goma-05.htm#P226_26919

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ADFLC

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord%27s_Resistance_Army

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Republic_of_the_Congo

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28807477/

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/21/world/africa/21congo.html

http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?lang=e&id=ENGUSA20081015001

Egyptian Women Blame Lebanese Murder Victim

For Egyptians, Lebanese Pop Star's Murder Was Her Own Fault

Al-Shorfa article

Last month, a new development occurred in the case involving a prominent Egyptian real estate executive, who in 2008 allegedly paid $2 million to have his Lebanese pop star lover killed. Initially the wealthy Egyptian, Hisham Talaat Moustafa, had been sentenced to death, but after an appeal his was punishment was reduced to 15 years in prison. Many Egyptians, including women, were outraged that Moustafa was getting off so easy, but not because of the nature of his crime. They simply felt that his appeal was an abuse of wealth and power to undermine the criminal justice system. When asked if they felt sympathy for the 30-year-old Suzanne Tamim, whose throat was slit in her apartment, most said no.

It is a cultural belief in the Middle East that if a man harms a woman, she must have done something to deserve it. Tamim, as a popular musician, was often pictured in magazines or on television scantily clad or posing provocatively. Rima Sabban, a sociologist from the UAE explains, “We are very judgmental, we forgot the crime, and we remember how she dresses.” Tamim’s modern, Westernized clothing made it hard for Arab women to relate to her, and incite their disapproval. Yet both Tamim and Moustafa had been through multiple marriages, and Moustafa even had two wives simultaneously. He was married and had three children during his affair with Tamim. When he is criticized, it is about matters of wealth and justice, not morality.

This disconnect stems from the same attitude that leads to honor killings. Women in Middle Eastern countries are typically held to a higher standard of moral and sexual purity than their male counterparts, and are judged more harshly for failing to meet these standards. A commenter on Al-Shorfa, a Middle Eastern news website, wrote, “I think that Hisham should not be executed for the sake of such an immoral woman.” Likewise, one of the women interviewed, Soha Hassouna, said, “I’m glad this happened so she can be an example to our children.” Personally, I find this attitude almost as sickening as the crime itself. Though I am uncertain how I feel about the death penalty, I don’t think 15 years is nearly long enough for Moustafa, especially if he is able to appeal again and reduce the sentence even more. He had a woman killed for expressing herself and making her own choices, and I see nothing about his actions that can be justified.

International NGO Support: Danielle Mostow

International aid towards the Democratic Republic of Congo is generally focused on spreading awareness and funding local projects in DR of Congo. Overall, there were not too many organizations out to help the DR of Congo. Three prominent aid groups were Women for Women, Foundation Maisha, and Falling Whistles. The organizations focus on women, children, and child soldiers.

Falling Whistles deals primarily with child soldiers and awareness of the people fighting in the DR of Congo. The organization sells whistles because that is the only warning that the child soldiers get before their enemies attack. The money they receive goes to help former child soldiers recover.

Foundation Maisha also deals with children by helping them get off the street. All of the violence in the DR of Congo has left many children poor and along. Foundation Maisha gives them a chance to go to school to enhance their future.

Women for Women helps the many women who have been effected by the war. They help with rape victims and improve their economic standing and their confidence. Much of the money donated is used for food, clothing, and medical expenses.

These organizations seem to be helping the survivors of problems more than they can help people currently in the action. They are working as relief efforts to try to help the people who have been harmed.

http://www.fallingwhistles.com/

http://www.womenforwomen.org/global-initiatives-helping-women/help-women-congo.php http://www.fondationmaisha.org/

Political History of the DRC: Cecile and Abi

King Leopold II of Belgium began colonizing the DRC in 1877. From the beginning, the area was fraught by violence because the colonel rulers forced the natives to work in the mineral mines. The used torture and execution to further their economic gains. However, Belgian rule also allowed for the education of many of the native DRC inhabitants. In 1960 the DRC became independent of Belgian at the Brussels Round Table Conference. Joseph Kasavudu was elected the president, and Patrice Lumumba was elected the prime minister.

Sadly, violence erupted between the DRC native factions and the Belgians only five days after the elections, and the UN was asked to intervene. When the UN did not act quickly enough, Lumumba asked the USSR to give him weapons to suppress the violence that threatened his government. The US soon intervened under the guise of protecting the world against communism, though its real interest was in the mineral wealth of the region. They backed the rebel leader, Mobutu, who with the US’s aid, came to power.

Once Mobutu was in power, he quickly centralized his authority so that he was elected president unopposed in 1970. He focused on the country’s cultural history, renaming it the Republic of Zaire. After a few years of relative stability, however, Katangan rebels began staging attacks from Angola and were driven out with help from Belgian paratroopers. In the 1980s, Mobutu held on to his position, and his treatment of various political opposition groups drew international criticism.

As the Cold War came to an end in 1990, Mobutu faced increasing international pressure as well as domestic protests and a weakened economy. He agreed in principle to a democratization of Zaire’s political system, but a reform package was delayed. In the fall of 1991, Zaire’s soldiers began to loot the capital as a protest because their wages had not been paid, and Belgian and French troops evacuated the 20,000 foreigners living in Kinasha.

In 1994, as the Rwandan genocide raged, Rwandan Hutu militias began to use refugee camps in Zaire as bases for attacks into Rwanda. Mobutu was ousted in 1997 by the combination of Rwandan troops and a domestic, armed coalition led by Laurent-Desire Kabila. Kabila took over and renamed the country the Democratic Republic of Congo. However, his relationship with his foreign backers deteriorated, and Rwandan and Ugandan troops entered the DRC with the intention of taking Kabila down. Instead, a coalition of Angolan, Zimbabwean, and Namibian troops protected the existing government.

By 1999, foreign military influences were such that the DRC was essentially divided into three segments: the east, controlled by Rwanda, the Ugandan north, with the rest under Kabila’s control. A July 1999 ceasefire and subsequent peace accords promised dialogue and a transitional government, but all parties failed to live up to the agreements. Meanwhile, the international community was increasingly criticizing Kabila for blocking UN peacekeeping troops and restraining movements towards democracy.

In early 2001, Laurent Kabila was assassinated and was succeeded by his son Joseph Kabila, who proceeded to undo many of his father’s anti-democratic policies. Talks attempting to set up a transitional government that would set up elections began in fall 2001 and lasted on and off until April 2003, when they finally succeeded. Joseph Kabila, as president of the transitional government, did make some economic and political progress, but human rights violations remained.

In May of 2005 a constitution was put before the national assembly, and was ratified in January of 2006. The new constitution allowed for the first democratic elections in the DRC since 1970 to take place on July 30^th, 2006. However, this great accomplishment was marred by the outbreak of factional fighting when President Kabila received less than 50 votes. Though he was the one with the highest percentage, many groups claimed the right to power. In an October runoff election, Kabila was officially made president.

This government was not stable for long, as the rebel leader Laurent Nkunda led his rebel tribe, comprised of mainly Tutsis, against the Congolese Army in 2007. Nkunda justified his actions by proclaiming he was protecting the Tutsis against the Rwandan Hutus. In 2008 a brief cease-fire quickly collapsed and Nkunda made substantial progress in taking over the DRC. Just before taking Goma, the capital of the Kivu province, there was another cease-fire issued. The UN then got involved with several other African leaders to create more substantial peace pacts.

Sadly in 2009, the Hutu militia remerged and prompted thousands to flee their homes and violence erupted again. Kabila tried to keep peace an option by giving amnesty to armed groups. The violence continued into 2010 when civil rights activist Floribert Chebeya was found dead after being asked to visit the police. The UN is planning a withdrawal from the DRC after much international criticism. Despite the continued violence, the democratic process has been able to continue. The DRC is now preparing for the 2011 elections.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/country_profiles/1072684.stm

http://www.professionaljeweler.com/archives/hottopics/congo.html

http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0198161.html

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2823.htm

International Involvement: Moriah and Lindsay

The United Nations has made an effort to pass resolutions regarding peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. These efforts however, have not made positive change in the Congo. Rather, they have only condemned the conflict. While these resolutions work in theory, the United Nations has no power to intervene. For example, UN Peacekeepers are generally stationed in an area and have guns, but are not allowed to shoot, and so do not have an effective way to defend civilians in conflict. In addition, the UN does not have the power to require its member countries to send any of their own forces to intervene, and UN resolutions are not required to be enforced as law in the countries about which the resolutions are written. For these reasons, UN involvement has been largely ineffective, often giving a statement but enacting no real change.

Rwandan conflict in the Congo among Hutu and Tutsi which began after the end of the Rwandan Genocide is also inflaming tension and animosity among all warring groups there. Beginning with an overthrow of the Congolese government and then a change of sides among formerly allied groups, Rwandan involvement in Congo has simply increased armed conflict throughout the troubled nation.




http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Mission_in_the_Democratic_Republic_of_Congo#2009

http://www.un.org/en/peacekeeping/missions/monuc/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Republic_of_the_Congo#Rwandan.2FUgandan_Invasions_and_Civil_Wars

"Boys Will Be Girls" - from Lindsay

Congo Ethnic Groups: Erica and Elissa

Language
The official language of the Congo is French, although 242 languages are spoken among the tribes throughout the country. Of those 242 only Kikongo, Lingala, Tshiluba, and Swahili are nationally recognized.

Religion
90% of the population of the Congo is Christian primarily Roman Catholic and Protestant. The remainder of the population is Muslim, Kimbanguist, or another religion.

Ethnic Groups
There are four major ethnic groups in the Congo - Mongo, Luba, Kongo (all Bantu), and the Mangbetu-Azande (Hamitic) making up 45% of the population, however there are over 200 other ethnic tribes.
There are also 60,000 Belgians. The ancestors of this population were the Belgians who used to control the country before the country gained Independence.
The status of women is very low in the social culture of the Congo. Women are underrepresented in leadership positions as well as in law.

Demographics
At birth there are 1.03 males for every female born.
0-14 makes up 46.9% of the population
15-64 makes up 50.6% of the population
65- and up makes up 2.5% of the population
The life expectancy is about 54 years which is clearly indicated by the small percentage of the population who are over 65.

http://www.everyculture.com/Bo-Co/Democratic-Republic-of-the-Congo.html

http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Democratic_Republic_of_Congo#Status_of_women
http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/travel-advice-by-country/country-profile/sub-saharan-africa/congo-democratic-republic

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Republic_of_the_Congo#Early_history

ESPN Slowly Introducing Online Brand for Women

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/16/sports/16espnw.html?ref=women

Katie Thomas

Over the years, ESPN has defined itself as the "worldwide leader in sports," providing countless stories and tremendous coverage for its die-hard sports fans. The network seeks to interest all sorts of audiences, and it does a fantastic job of targeting those viewers, yet one specific group seems to be left out of the loop: women. Because gender equality continues to expand as a current issue in our global society, ESPN felt obliged to form a new brand marketed specifically to women. The soon-to-appear digital program, espnW, is presently a low-key blog, having pages on both Twitter and Facebook, but it is expected to grow by spring of 2011. So far, many female athletes are ecstatic about the change in direction in news media coverage, and ESPN seems to be making a promising commitment towards establishing espnW as a successful addition to the network. Yet changes come with an assortment of reactions, and many females in the sports field oppose the idea of this new program.

Although the publicity is encouraging to female athletes, the idea of a separate and new program for audiences who hold an interest in female athletics can be patronizing and marginalizing. Laura Gentile, the vice president of the upcoming espnW, described the program as "where we talk about women finding self-esteem in sports and about getting a pedicure." Yet aside from that comment, she claims the main purpose is to discuss female sports, (a little more than they are already discussed in today's sports news,) and to add that attention to the popular male sports topics. This seems to be an easy solution to the lack of publicity that women get on ESPN; the everpopular program only devoted around 8% of its program to women's sports. But would this addition of espnW give ESPN the freedom to drop women's sports from its program as a whole, or would it lead to a greater coverage of the neglected topic on ESPN?

What exactly does this mean for the future of female sports? I think we all can agree that we don't hear much about female athletes in comparison to those NFL quarterbacks and the drama caused by LeBron James. But is the establishment of a new program dedicated to women the approach we should take? Does this lead to gender equality under publicity, or does it just further the gender separation because women need their own program?

Sara Huser