BRITISH POSTAGE STAMPED OUT

September 30, 2012

"Stamps are more than just pieces of gummed paper for pre-paying postage; they are miniature flags, representing countries all over the world. A country’s stamps make a statement about where they have come from and also an impression on whoever receives them. Treasured by many – from commoners to Kings – stamps are possibly the most widely collected item in the world."

Reading the above, from the British Royal Mail's website, one would think that Royal Mail really does love stamps. It goes further by portraying itself as the champion of philately:

"Royal Mail Stamps & Collectibles performs a small but unique role producing stamps that capture, commemorate and celebrate the nation’s events and passions. They act as a marker in time."

A load of codswallop! All we've had for the past few decades is the monotonous and ubiquitous queen's profile. What's worse, is that with time these stamps have been engineered to disintegrate at the mere sight of a stamp lover. So even if you are the type to be happy with little mercies... no chance! Try steaming one off (I usually cheat and stick my stamps in water) and all you're left with is shreds. I was so looking forward to the Olympics; not because I care that much about sports: it was the stamps I was excited about. What a let-down! The busy office I work in has been graced with a box for the recycling of envelopes by an eager environmentalist. A treasure trove for stamps, one would think, but after wading through all the hundreds of prepaid insults and the occasional jeering royal head, I was left with two decent British stamps: a summer's work.

On a few occasions, even during the Olympics, I've tried to embellish and add gravitas to my letters by affixing imposing stamps, but when I've asked the person at the post office desk for "pretty" stamps, I was simply looked at as though I was totally mad. So what happened to all those Olympian and Paralympian stamps they so boasted about? I expect that I may have to join some sinister lodge to be privy to them, or buy them from a stamp collector in Paraguay on eBay. A disgrace to Royal Mail and their empty claims.

HAITI TO BAN THE PLASTIC PLAGUE

September 29, 2012

As from Monday October 1, 2012, Haitians will no longer be able to import, manufacture or deal in plastic and foam containers. With all the problems Haiti is facing in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake of January 12, 2010, it is commendable that the government is finding the time to focus on the important, as well as the urgent issues.

Disposable plastic products, like bags and containers, are more than just a nuisance, because at the same time as they litter land and sea, they are also responsible for the deaths of creatures, particularly birds, who mistake then for food. Thousands die this way every year. As well as this, plastic is not biodegradable and when it does break down, in a process that lasts hundreds of years, it seeps into the soil and water. Although pure plastic has low toxicity, entering the food chain could have serious consequences. Besides, plastic is often mixed with additives that can be poisonous.

Only this week, the Tara Expedition which had been working in the Arctic, announced that a "disturbing" amount of plastic pollution was found in the Arctic; an area that had been thought relatively pollution free. The findings add some weight to the argument held by the American oceanographer Captain Charles Moore, that "plastic is now a bigger problem than climate change".

Haiti will become part of a very exclusive club of nations and cities that have banned plastic containers, such as Rwanda, which became the first country in the world to do so. It is probably high time that club started to get bigger. 008. It is probably about time that the club got bigger!

SRI LANKA'S PEACE MUST BE NURTURED IN JUSTICE

September 28, 2012

This week the Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has congratulated his government on the successful resettlement of northern islanders who had been caught up in the bloody civil war. The conflict ended in 2009 and according to the U.N. cost the lives of over 40,000 Tamil civilians in the final onslaught by the Sri Lankan army to unite the island. The president was addressing a crowd in the Mullaitivu district where the last resettlements were taking place and boasted that 99 percent of the internally displaced persons were resettled in their original homes, a total of 1,186 people. They were supplied with rations and basic amenities and encouraged to get on with their lives.

The obvious question is: "Why not a 100 percent?"

The government will no doubt have an answer for this, but local Tamil groups paint a much more sinister version of events. Vast land grabs by the army following massacres of genocidal proportions and continued misappropriation during the process of these forced resettlements. TamilNet, for instance, reports various alleged injustices, such as that concerning the villagers of Keappaa-pulavu who were wrenched from their homes and dumped in barely habitable locations.

This a a time for reparation and reconciliation; not a time for sharing the spoils. If Mr Rajapaksa wants to show he was genuine in his war, he had better start by showing how equitable he is in his peace.

MALAWI SETS A GOOD TONE AT UN SESSION

September 27, 2012

The President of the 67th session of the General Assembly, Serbian Vuk Jeremić, has chosen a prickly issue as the theme for this year's General Debate (25 September - 1 October 2012):

“Adjustment or settlement of international disputes or situations by peaceful means”.

This is a fitting subject when there are so many issues brewing around the world: China and Japan, Israel and Iran, Bolivia and Chile, Georgia and Russia... The list is long and worrying. Some of the speeches were understandably tense, Georgia's and Palestine's, for instance. Others were conciliatory. Malawi President Joyce Banda's speech, for example, could have been vitriolic owing to its border dispute with Tanzania over Lake Nyasa, but despite this, her speech was upbeat and visionary. Growth was one of her key points:

"For me, growth is not merely GDP growth. Growth is about wealth and prosperity for all, opportunity for all, happiness for all, political and economic freedom for all. Growth is also about growing the number of children in school, and young people in jobs. Growth is about increasing the number of mothers who give safe birth in a hospital, and of growing the number of families who have plenty of food."

True, President Banda did not tackle the session's theme explicitly. She simply acknowledged Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's sentiment around sustainable development being one of the best opportunities countries have to avoid conflict and she made a vague reference to opening a dialogue with "neighbours, with African leaders and indeed with the rest of the world". But this is a start. Her speech indicates dignity, clarity and a dedication to social justice. It sets the right tone for dialogue and progress.

Still speeches are not necessarily debate and debate does not automatically lead to solutions. One can only hope that when this 67th session closes we will all be a few steps closer to peace.

TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING: ENOUGH HOLOCAUST MEMORIALS

September 26, 2012

The one thing we are never allowed to forget about Nazi Germany, is precisely that it was predominantly Nazi. Every brick, plank and stone that has been standing there since the end of World War II in 1945, cannot escape some association with those dark and cruel days. And with so many famous Nazis on the roll call: Hermann Goering, Joseph Goebbels, Adolf Eichmann, Joseph Mengele, Heinrich Himmler, Rudolf Hess... links with Hitler's tyranny are far from hard to find. Every street corner could be a memorial of sorts to one or more victims. This, of course, has not happened: it would have been sinister and counter-productive.

To a lesser degree, the same applies to Austria. Johannes Waidbacher, the mayor of a small town about an hours drive from Salzburg, was right to resist the transforming of the house where Hitler spent the first three years of his life into a memorial to the holocaust. "We as the city of Braunau are thus not prepared to take responsibility for the outbreak of World War II". He said, adding that another Holocaust memorial would not make much sense, when there were so many scattered around the area already. A valid point, which left him metaphorically lynched.

Grieving and remembrance have there time and place; but overdoing these worthy tributes cheapens the genuine sentiment. Let the house be what it will be. As for the rest, a plaque will suffice.

I Remember, I Remember

I Remember, I Remember

I remember, I remember
The house where I was born,
The little window where the sun
Came peeping in at morn;
He never came a wink too soon
Nor brought too long a day;
But now, I often wish the night
Had borne my breath away.

I remember, I remember
The roses red and white,
The violets and the lily cups-
Those flowers made of light!
The lilacs where the robin built,
And where my brother set
The laburnum on his birthday,-
The tree is living yet!

I remember, I remember
Where I was used to swing,
And thought the air must rush as fresh
To swallows on the wing;
My spirit flew in feathers then
That is so heavy now,
The summer pools could hardly cool
The fever on my brow.

I remember, I remember
The fir-trees dark and high;
I used to think their slender tops
Were close against the sky:
It was a childish ignorance,
But now 'tis little joy
To know I'm farther off from Heaven
Than when I was a boy.

Thomas Hood

VIETNAM: "ENEMY OF THE INTERNET"

September 25, 2012

When the war in Vietnam ended in April 1975, about 1.5 million people had died on each side, but that heavy death toll did not usher in a period of reconciliation and tolerance. Almost 40 years later, Vietnam ranks 172 out of 179 countries in the Press Freedom Index compiled by Reporters Without Borders. One has only to consider yesterday’s sentencing of three bloggers to lengthy prison terms to see why it sit firmly towards the bottom of that scale and why Reporters Without Borders calls the government of Vietnam the “enemy of the internet”.

Nguyen Van Hai, was sentenced to 12 years in prison, Ta Phong Tan, a former policewoman, whose mother had self-immolated to protest against her detention, was given 10 years, while Phan Thanh Hai, received the shorter sentence of four years for having pleaded guilty.

All non state-run media is banned in Vietnam, so radio, press and television are no better off. And clearly nor are the people.

The Presidential Palace in Hanoi

A RESOLUTION ON TRADITIONAL VALUES WOULD JEOPARDISE TOLERANCE AND PROGRESS

September 24, 2012

The human rights organisation, Article 19, has issued a statement urging the United Nations Human Rights Council members to reject a draft resolution that calls for the establishment of core principles around traditional values. The proposed resolution was proposed by Russia and it is already clear how the excuse of "traditional values" is being used there to stifle dissent and incarcerate opponents, such as the punk group, Pussy Riot. Article 19 is right to be concerned that traditional values are not always invoked to increase harmony and tolerance:

"ARTICLE 19 is particularly concerned that “traditional values” will be used to silence advocates for the rights of women, as well as lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people (LGBT) and others challenging power hierarchies and inequalities."

The other problem with these unifying principles is that by the time a compromise is reached the results can be so wishy-washy, that they may be little more than a testimony to good will. The Declaration of the Parliament of the World Religions is a case in point. The first Council of the Parliament met in Chicago from August 28 September 4 1993; it declared:

"We affirm that there is an irrevocable, unconditional norm for all areas of life, for families and communities, for races, nations and religions. There already exists ancient guidelines for human behaviour which are found in the teachings of the religions of the world and which are the conditions for a sustainable world order."

Despite the wide range of attendees, or more likely because of it, the result was a handful of norms that were so bland that they could have almost been mistaken for the ground rules of a scout trip. Anything controversial was absent, particularly anything to do with sex. It was a good thing that Neo-pagans and other minority representatives were present, or the result could have quite easily been exactly what Article 19 cautioned against. Ultimately there is no such thing as permanent and universal "traditional values". Values change according to circumstances and time. Very often it has been the previous generation's traditional values that the great religious founders were up against in the first place. Unless we go to the very basics. And here, perhaps, the Dalai Lama summed it up best:

"Kindness is my religion."

IRAQ: DEATH IS STILL ON THE CARDS

September 23, 2012

When the argument about Iraq's weapons of mass destruction began to flounder, people consoled themselves with the thought that Saddam Hussein was an evil dictator anyway: his summary executions were a testimony to that.

As far as death sentences go, however, little has changed in Iraq. Hangings are so routine, that on the last week of August alone, 26 people were killed. The situation has prompted the United Nations and Amnesty International to call for a moratorium, particularly because of the trials appear to be far from fare and open. Amnesty's website highlights some of the issues as follows:

"Many of the trials of those sentenced to death have failed to meet international fair trial standards, including by allowing “confessions” obtained under torture or other ill-treatment to be used as evidence against those accused. Some Iraqi television stations continue to broadcast self-incriminating testimonies of detainees even before the opening of a trial, undermining the fundamental right of defendants to be considered innocent until proven guilty."

The U.N. investigator on arbitrary executions, Christof Heyns, called referred to these executions as "arbitrary killing".

A good example of the lack of due process with reference to these trials is the case of Iraq’s Sunni vice president, Tariq al-Hashemi, a rival of Shiite Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who was sentenced to death on September 9, 2012 for allegedly promoting death squads. He was tried in absentia having managed to flee to safety before the trial. He is now living in self imposed exile in Turkey.

In my post, yesterday, I mentioned the barbaric bounty offered by a Pakistani government minister for the murder of the maker of the provocative film: Innocence of Muslims. Well, the Iraqi's have a similar role model: George W Bush. In April 2003, he set up a list of most wanted Iraqi's and then had them transposed onto playing cards, as he considered handing such packs to his soldiers more productive than hammering "Wanted" signs onto tree trunks.

So what happened to the 52 ill-fated Iraqis on those cards? Their demise shows just how thorough he Iraqi regime has become. Here's a breakdown taken from Wikipedia:

"Spades

• Ace: Saddam Hussein, president (#1 on most-wanted list) (Executed 2006).

• King ♠: Ali Hassan al-Majid, also known as Chemical Ali (#5) (Executed 2010).

• Queen ♠: Muhammad Hamza Zubaydi, retired RCC member (#9, but was originally #18) (Died in Custody 2005).

• Jack ♠: Ibrahim Ahmad Abd al-Sattar Muhammad, Iraqi armed forces chief of staff (#13, was #11) (Died in Custody 2010)

. • Ten ♠: Hamid Raja Shalah, Air Force commander (#17, was #15) (Captured 2005).

• Nine ♠: Rukan Razuki Abd Al-Ghafar Sulayman Al-Majid, head of tribal affairs office (#21, was #39) (Unknown).

• Eight ♠: Tariq Aziz, deputy prime minister (#25, was #43) (Surrendered 2003, Sentenced to Death).

• Seven ♠: Mahmud Dhiyab, minister of interior (#29, was #46) (Surrendered 2003, Released in July 2012).

• Six ♠: Amir Rashid Muhammad al-Ubaydi, presidential adviser/former oil minister (#33, was #47) (Surrendered 2003).

• Five ♠: Watban Ibrahim Hasan, presidential adviser (#37, was #51) (Captured 2003, Sentenced to Death).

• Four ♠: Muhammad Zimam Abd al-Razzaq, Baath Party regional command chairman (#41, was #23) (Unknown).

• Three ♠: Sa'd Abdul-Majid Al-Faisal, Baath Party Regional command chairman (#55, was #36) (Unknown).

• Two ♠: Rashid Taan Kazim, Baath Party regional chairman (#49, was #30) (Unknown).

Clubs

• Ace ♣: Qusay Saddam Husayn, son of Saddam(#2), killed in standoff with US Army in Mosul, Iraq 2003.

• King ♣: Izzat Ibrahim, RCC vice chairman (#6).

• Queen ♣: Kamal Mustafa Abdallah Sultan, secretary of the Republican Guard (#10, was #8).

• Jack ♣: Sayf Al-Din Fulayyih Hasan Taha Al-Rawi, Republican Guard chief of staff (#14, was #12).

• Ten ♣: Latif Nusayyif Jasim, Baath Party military bureau deputy chairman (#18, was #37).

• Nine ♣: Jamal Mustafa Abdallah Sultan, deputy head of tribal affairs (#22, was #40).

• Eight ♣: Walid Hamid Tawfiq, governor of Basra (#26, was #44).

• Seven ♣: Ayad Futayyih Khalifa, Quds forces chief of staff (#30, was #20).

• Six ♣: Husam Muhammad Amin, head of National Monitoring Directorate (#34, was #49) (Released 2005).

• Five ♣: Barzan Ibrahim Hasan, presidential adviser (#38, was #52) (Executed 2007).

• Four ♣: Samir Abd Al-Aziz, Baath Party regional command chairman (#42, was #24).

• Three ♣: Sayf al-Din Al-Mashhadani, Baath Party regional command chairman (#46, was #27).

• Two ♣: Ugla Abid Saqr, Baath Party regional chairman (#50, was #31).

Hearts

• Ace ♥: Uday Saddam Husayn, son of Saddam Hussein, killed in standoff with US Army in Mosul, Iraq 2003 (#3).

• King ♥: Hani Abd al-Latif Tilfah, Director—special security organization (#7). (Unknown)

• Queen ♥: Barzan Abd al-Ghafur Sulayman Majid, Special Republican Guard commander (#11, was #9).

• Jack ♥: Rafi Abd Al-Latif Tilfah, AKA Mark Sterling, director of general security (#15, was #13).

• Ten ♥: Abd Al-Tawab Mullah Huwaysh, deputy prime minister (#19, was #16).

• Nine ♥: Mizban Khadr Hadi, RCC member (#23, was #41).

• Eight ♥: Sultan Hashim Ahmad, minister of defense (#27, was #19).

• Seven ♥: Zuhayr Talib Abd Al-Sattar, director of military intelligence (#31, was #21).

• Six ♥: Muhammad Mahdi (#35, was #48).

• Five ♥: Huda Salih Mahdi Ammash, weapons of mass destruction scientist (known as "Mrs. Anthrax"; No. 39, was #53; also the only female on the entire list) (Released 2005).

• Four ♥: Humam Abd Al-Khaliq Abd, minister of higher education and scientific research (#43, was #54).

• Three ♥: Fadil Mahmud Gharib, Baath Party regional command chairman (#47, was #28).

• Two ♥: Ghazi Hammud, Baath Party regional command chairman (#51, was #32).

Diamonds

• Ace ♦: Abid Hamid Mahmud, presidential secretary (#4), executed on 7th June 2012.

• King ♦: Aziz Salih, Baath Party regional command chairman (#8, was #17).

• Queen ♦: Muzahim Sa'b Hasan, air defense forces commander (#12, was #10).

• Jack ♦: Tahir Jalil Habbush, Iraqi intelligence service (#16, was #14).

• Ten ♦: Taha Yasin Ramadan, vice president/RCC member (#20, was #38).

• Nine ♦: Taha Muhyi Al-Din Maruf, vice president/RCC member (#24, was #42).

• Eight ♦: Hikmat Mizban Ibrahim, deputy prime minister and finance minister (#28, was No. 45 – Died in Custody 2012).

• Seven ♦: Amir Hamudi Hasan, presidential scientific adviser (#32, was #55).

• Six ♦: Sabawi Ibrahim Hasan, presidential adviser (#36, was #50).

• Five ♦: Abd al-Baqi Abd al-Karim Abdallah, Baath Party regional command chairman (#40, was #22).

• Four ♦: Yahya Abdallah, Baath Party regional command chairman (#44, was #25), Died in 2003.

• Three ♦: Muhsin Khadr, Baath Party regional command chairman (#48, was #29).

• Two ♦: Adil Abdallah Mahdi, Baath Party regional command chairman (#52, was #33)."

PAKISTAN GOES FROM BAD TO WORSE

September 22, 2012

It's official: Pakistan's government has gone crazy. Only a few weeks ago on September 7, my post tried to find some hope in the disintegrating nation, but it just keeps going from bad to worse. A day does not pass without some governmental folly. Friday was declared a holiday so that rabble-rousing fanatics could incite the crowds to further violence. It was hypocritically promoted as a "Day of Love for the Prophet Muhammad". About 20 people died as a consequence and 200 or so were injured. Security services, as always are used a cannon fodder. Perhaps it's President Zardari's interpretation of "divide and rule". Now it's the turn of the Railways Minister, Ghulam Ahmed Bilour, to add more madness. He has publicly offered a $100,000 ransom for the head of the maker of the anti-Mohammed film: Innocence of Muslims, or as he put it:

"I announce today that this blasphemer who has abused the holy prophet, if somebody will kill him, I will give that person a prize of $100,000."

This is a government with a nuclear capacity and we all know that irresponsibility and nukes do not make for a good combination. At this rate the future is looking very bleak!

THE SOUL TAX: PAY YOUR TITHES OR BE CURSED

September 21, 2012

If you are a catholic in Germany, as over 24.5 million people are, you had better have a healthy bank account. The Government levies a tax, generally referred to Kirchensteuer, of between eight and nine percent of your salary in order to subsidise the religion of your choice. If you feel you cannot afford it, or are against paying the tithe on principle, then the message from the Catholic Church to you is clear: “Go to Hell!” Not quite in those terms, of course, but you will be denied the sacraments of confession and holy communion and a catholic burial and you will therefore be excommunicated in all but name. Anathema sit!

The Catholic Church in Germany has been incensed at these renegades for years, so the new decree, which will come into force on Sunday, will come as no surprise. The early Christians used to face lions rather than denounce their faith; today's cannot even face the collection plate. But the times have changed. In the first few centuries after Christ, the romantic and generous ideals of Christianity were still strong and a welcome affront to the debauchery that was rife in Rome. The dangerous and clandestine meetings in the catacombs have been replaced by a well-fed clergy, often out of touch with the issues facing mankind, and by dwindling congregations. This particular decree shows just how out of touch the church really is and will no doubt alienate its followers even more.

A TINY FRAGMENT SUGGESTS JESUS HAD A WIFE

September 20, 2012

Many papers were agog today with an official announcement made yesterday at The Tenth International Congress of Coptic Studies in Rome which describes the discovery of an ancient fragment in which Jesus refers to his wife. The disclosure was made by Karen King, Hollis Professor of Divinity at Harvard University. The double sided fragment, likely to have originated from Egypt, is made of papyrus and has been dated to the fourth century. This would bring it to within a few generations away from Jesus and indicate, at the very least, that the idea that Jesus was married pre-dates the likes of Dan Brown, and was current during the formative years of Christianity. Interestingly enough, the text also suggests that the wife in question could be Mary Magdalene.

Main side:

"...not [to] me. My mother gave to me li[fe]...

"The deciples said to Jesus...

"...deny. Mary is worthy of it...

"Jesus said to them, 'My wife...

"...she will be able to be my disciple...

"Let wicked people swell up...

"As for me I dwell with her so that...

"...an image...

Faded side:

"...my moth[er]

"...three...

"...forth which...

"It would be impossible to forge...

There were possibly dozens, if not hundreds of apocryphal gospels; the wonder is that so few managed to escape the censorship of the nascent Magisterium. One could expect that a lot more salient things were said about Jesus. The inherent problem with dogmatic "revealed" religions is that at the end of the day it is always earthly powers who have to decide what is and what is not "revealed" and in that atmosphere it is always better to destroy what is discarded, in order to circumvent further debate. Jesus did not hand his disciples tablets of stone in the way Moses is reputed to have done with the Ten Commandments. The written Gospels started off as disparate fragments of papyri written decades after Jesus had died and compiled over the first few centuries of the Christian era. The early Church was confident in its position as arbiter thanks to Jesus's endorsement:

"I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: whatever you bind on earth shall be considered bound in heaven; whatever you consider loose on earth shall be considered loosed in heaven." Matthew 16:19.

But the attribution of a divine origin to these word is also, in the final analysis, subject to human selection. In fact the first council that codified the New Testament, more or less as we know it now, was probably the Synod of Hippo Regius in North Africa in 393 A.D., around the same time as this fragment was circulating. Ultimately, however, we all chose to believe what we believe thanks to that voice within, so dogma is always second hand. And the debate on whether Jesus was or was not married cannot do Christianity any harm.

SHARIA'S SISTERS

September 19, 2012

Australia's House of Representatives has voted against the first of four bills that were submitted to Parliament proposing legislation to allow same-sex marriage. The Bill did not have much of a chance, with both Prime Minister Julia Gillard and the opposition leader Tony Abbot firmly against it. It was voted out by 98 votes, which is more than double the 42 votes in favour, despite the fact that polls show most people in Australia are not opposed to gay marriage and that civil partnerships are already either explicitly legal or accessible through cohabitation rights.

If anybody out there knows the difference between civil partnerships and marriage please tell me! As far as I can see the only difference is a semantic mantle that aims to appease religious sensitivities, while subtly humiliating those who have to wear it. Of course this varies from country to country, with differences in tax and detail, but ultimately the objection to the term "marriage" is predominantly religious. Whether we like it or not even "modern" states have their own versions of Sharia Law. They are often just to hypocritical to acknowledge it.

True, sometimes ethics has to take morality into account. Deliberately offending somebody's faith, for instance, is not ethical (even though some may wish to impose Machiavellian justifications). Freedom of speech is a bit like America's Gun Laws: just because you are allowed to carry a gun does not mean you are allowed to shoot everyone in sight. This said, there is still much confusion around ethics and morality. Take the case of Duchess of Cambridge: the real issue is the invasion of privacy, not nudity, and yet if the photos had showed Kate picking her nose, would they have caused such a furore?

Whenever a law is based on religious morality or tradition rather than what is purely ethical, it not legitimately secular or necessarily just. Our laws are littered with hidden religious labels, from the way we abuse animals, to the impositions we place on people like Tony Nicklinson who begged in vain to be allowed to die with dignity. Whether we like it or not sharia is not a purely Muslim phenomenon. In Islam, at least, it has a name.

GHANA SHAMED BY ITS COURT IN SUICIDE ATTEMPT VERDICT

September 18, 2012

Picture this:

You have a low paid job; it pays the bills, but life is tough. A drink or two keeps you going and before you know it you realise you are drinking too much. Life is suddenly even harder: so much effort for such insignificant returns. Or so you think. So you decide that you have had enough of the slings and arrows, but providence is on your side and your suicide attempt fails. You receive help and are restored to life.

Happy ending? Not quite. You are then thrown into prison for a year with hard labour...

Incredible, but that is exactly what happened to Osei Kwabena, a 30-year-old driver's mate in Ghana. Distraught by his inability to cope with his drinking problem, he tried to end it all on July 14 this year by drinking insecticide and has now been handed out this cruel and ridiculous sentence. What sort of madness is this in an enlightened country like Ghana? How could the judge disgrace his nation, humanity even, to such an extent? You do not kick someone when they are down, you help them.

This cannot be allowed to rest. Ghana's new President, John Dramani Mahama, should show his metal and put a stop to such folly at once, or every decent Ghanean should not rest until he does.

SIX DEGREES AWAY FROM A MORE GLOBAL UNDERSTANDING

September 17, 2012

“The world has changed. I feel it in the water. I feel it in the earth. I smell it in the air. Much that once was is lost...”

It feels a bit like that doesn’t it? Thirty years after the massacre of Sabra and Shatila, the world feels even darker than it was then. True we’ve witnessed some amazing political developments, like the fall of the iron curtain in the former USSR and the end of Apartheid in South Africa; and we have made spectacular technological leaps, such as the spread of the Internet and the sequencing of the human genome... And yet we are living in a pressure cooker.

We need to readjust, but we are probably still too immature as a species to do it without a socio-political earthquake. I expect that part of the problem is the chasm between haves and have nots. In some ways it's better to have little, than just that much more to know what is missing. So many people are dissatisfied. Then you have governments who can see that they have lived way beyond their means, or are in a position where the bottom of the barrel is in sight. Still, there's nothing that a bit of oil can't cure, so they start squabbling intensely about long forgotten territorial claims.

Tragically, the uncertainty makes us even more partisan. Only today a colleague of mine complained about the riots sparked by that anti-Islamic film. "Christians would not behave like that!" It's a bit uncanny to have to think about how Christians can or cannot behave, on the anniversary of the slaughter at Sabra and Shatila. The Israeli Army had penned Palestinian refugees in their camp, near Beirut, during the Lebanese civil war, while allowing the Christian Phalangist militia in to butcher them with knives and machetes. The exact count is uncertain, but between 762 and 3,500 men, women and children were butchered between September 16 and September 18, 1982.

We have to start somewhere, so let's start with ourselves. If it's true that there are six degrees of separation between ourselves and anyone else in the world, then let's get cracking and work towards a greater understanding of each other and the solutions we need for the challenges we face.

IS THIS THE END OF THE NORTH SEA COD?

September 16, 2012

The Sunday Times has reported that there are as little as a hundred mature cod left in the North Sea. Codfish can live for 25 years and they become more fertile as they mature, but studies found that in 2011 not a single cod caught was over 13 years old. The consequences of over-fishing were already evident 40 years ago and moves by Iceland in 1972 to extend their territorial waters and impose a fishing quota resulted in confrontations with British trawlers and the ensuing Cod Wars. The hostilities only ended when Iceland threatened to close a strategic NATO base in retaliation.  

Despite increasing quotas and attempts to redeploy fishermen and decommission their vessels, the situation has deteriorated to such an extent that some marine biologists are predicting the end of the fisheries industry by the middle of this century. Many of the issues leading to the depletion of fish stocks were highlighted in Charles Clover's 2009 film: The End of the Line, but still, nowhere near enough is being done to safeguard our marine life.

The problem is that our technological advancement has moved faster than our sense of responsibility. Being ahead of the race should not mean destroying everything in our wake. We have to stop burdening our future generations with with the consequences of our self-centred lifestyles and more importantly, the example of it.

ROYAL PEEP SHOWS

September 15, 2012

First it was the Prince's butt, now it's the Duchess's breasts. It's so easy to ruffle people these days. Irreverent films, gods in superman costumes, anti-government cartoons... Didn't their mamas ever utter the common wisdom? "Ignore them, or you will only encourage them!"

European beaches are full of topless women... and men for that matter. What's the big deal? Even when the Inquisition was in full swing, saints were being painted with their bosoms uncovered.

Still, I'm not impervious to a bit of notoriety. If that's what it take to become noticed these days, here's one I took earlier:

Today is the International Day of Democracy:

"The UN General Assembly, in resolutionA/62/7 (2007) encouraged Governments to strengthen national programmes devoted to the promotion and consolidation of democracy, and also decided that 15 September of each year should be observed as the International Day of Democracy."

In a democracy all boobs should have equal standing.

NEPALI ARTIST MANISH HARIJAN RECEIVES DEATH THREATS

September 14, 2012

Some fool, bent of sowing seeds of discord, shoots an insulting film in the United States and thousands of people across the world take the bait: burning and pillaging. Several innocent people have already died as a consequence in Libya and Sudan. Cui bono? I doubt that God would need and or choose such ambassadors. And indeed the vast majority of Muslims understand that what is pure cannot be tainted by human insults and understand that violence is the worst insult to divinity that humanity has invented.

Then there's a similar story. A Nepalese artist is facing death threats for failing to take into account religious sensitivities. UNESCO's website highlighted the issues around this on its website today:

"UNESCO expresses concern about recent death threats against Manish Harijan, a Nepali artist, whose works are on show at an art gallery in Kathmandu. The threats were in reaction to Harinan’s paintings which combine images of Hindu deities and Western superheroes."

It is unlikely that Mr Harijan deliberately set out to offend his audience. In fact there is a certain moral allegory in his work. After all, for many in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, super heroes have become "deities". Jediism is a case in point, although often the hero worship may be more subliminal. Whatever the motives, killing him is not going to make God smile and rub "his" divine hands in glee. The Christian Church tried that not that long ago, only to find a few centuries later that it had murdered some of its greatest minds.

CATALONIA LOCKS HORNS WITH MADRID OVER INDEPENDENCE

September 13, 2012

Catalonia’s capital, Barcelona, was awash with red and yellow flags on Tuesday, as pro-independence Catalans held their annual rally in its streets. An estimated 1.5 million people, which is almost 20% of the population of the Autonomous Community, took part. Recent polls suggest that the drive for independence is accelerating rapidly, with nearly half of the population now in favour complete secession from Spain. Full independence under the aegis of the EU would minimise the risks of breaking away, while leaving the benefits intact; the main one being not having to subsidise the rest of Spain with disproportionate taxes relative to what it receives in return.

The region's union with Aragon dates back to 1137, with the marriage of Ramon Berenguer IV, Count of Barcelona to Queen Petronilla of Aragon. Then, with the marriage of the Reyes Católicos, Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon, in October 19, 1469, the region became firmly established as part of the Spanish realm. This was further consolidated when Charles I became the first sole-reigning King of Spain in 1516. A divorce so late in the day, then, seems a bit rich, particularly when money seems to be the main motivating force. The Catalans do have a point, though, and significant cultural differences should not be discounted either. Catalonia’s banning of bullfighting which came into force this year, for instance, was a clear assertion of its distinctness from the rest of Spain. And then there is language, art, architecture...

Yes the Catalan's do have a case, as do the Basques further west, and possibly all separatists around the world.

So what would happen if they were all allowed to break away by their central governments? What if, say, the United Nations were to agree a formula for secession:

• The population must be over 5,000,000 within a self-contained region
• The region could span different countries
• The area must not contain extraneous pockets
• The vote for independence would have to exceed 75%

I expect that many a little patch that would meet the conditions would opt for independence, as long as their bank balance was healthier than that of neighbouring areas. Some would see this as justice, others as selfish greed. Whatever the case, without a larger community like the EU defending the nascent state, most of its added wealth would end up being wasted on defence. Even then it would have to allocate vast sums of money to its new central government and Foreign Office. As for Catalonia, it had also better start investing in reverse osmosis.

SOLDIERS ARE NOT PAWNS

September 12, 2012

On August 30, 2012, my post was about private Kimberly Rivera who defected to Canada form the USA in February 2007. I gave some suggestions on how national systems could show soldiers more respect and safeguard their dignity. They do after all risk a great deal for the civilian population. Medals are charming things, but if the state is going to honour soldiers thus, and then abuse them in a dozen different ways, it might as well hammer the medals on to their chests with blunt nails.

Of course David Cameron, the British Prime Minister, has better things to do than read my humble Blog. Things like: apologising for events that are so far removed as not to tarnish him with association, while giving the impression that he really does give a damn. But who knows, maybe he did come across it. There he was, browsing on StumbleUpon, when suddenly:

"Hey, Sammy, check this out. Some dude has written something about giving more rights to soldiers. Well, that's something I had not thought about. I don't like the idea of giving them more, but if we took every one of their rights away, then they would not expect that should be entitled to any in the first place. Let me see... Hmm... By George, I think I've got it! They're not allowed to strike, so let us use them to replace all those left-leaning strikers who think they can hold us to ransom for better pay and conditions. Perfect, we can give them a bit of training, and they can become our firemen, doctors, train drivers, teacher, pilots... at the drop of a hat. Why, they could even take on Episcopal duties, if necessary..."

There you have it, the final indignity for soldiers: being used as scabs, whether they like it or not; and the nation exposed to even greater risks.

Let's hope bird-flu does not catch on, or Mr Cameron will have soldiers laying eggs next.

I PRONOUNCE YOU: MÉNAGE À TROIS

September 11, 2012

A few months ago, a notary in Sao Paolo, Brazil, approved the union of three people, claiming that the formalising of the union did not contravene any national statutes. The "marriage" only became public at the end of August, but since then there have been outcries form various quarters of "respectable" society, particularly from certain religious groups, who consider the decision an insult to the sacrament of matrimony.

The trio, made up of one man and two ladies, had been living together in Rio de Janeiro for three years, pretty much as many couples would: sharing expenses, chores and bank account, as well as moments of intimacy. The notary, Claudia do Nascimento Domingues, considered the Ménage à trois a fait accompli and therefore claimed to be acknowledging what was already an existing arrangement. Wow! Considering that the first gay marriage in Brazil only took place just over a year ago, in July 2011, this was quite a big step!

Should the pillars of Brazilian society be alarmed? Should the pious rend their garments in horror? Should the tax payers panic?

When state and religion are separate: if the judgement is ethical, we should be able to live with it. In fact, we should probably be delighted with it. But ethical is not necessarily moral or economical. Religious groups consider matrimony their monopoly and this would be fair enough if the marriage in question demanded to be carried out through their rites. It is understandable that gay marriage, for instance, could be controversial if the couple should want it performed through a religious ceremony. The boundaries of the faith would be challenged and this would undoubtedly generate controversy, hostility and in time, perhaps, change. A union that is sanctioned by the state, however, should be free from such attacks. If anything, declaring commitment is more praiseworthy than not. Picking on people for choosing to do so, is like condemning people for preferring to assist the needy, than going to Church on Sunday or the Mosque on Friday. Religious dogma cannot be imposed: only ethics is universal.

As for the financial implications of such unions, that will vary from country to country. Marriage perks may revolve around having children, so the emphasis may have to change from the union itself to its wider commitments. There are, after all many heterosexual couples who do not have children. Why should they get tax benefits and not the two elderly sisters who have been living together for decades?

SOMALIA'S HASSAN SHEIKH MOHAMUD HAS HIS WORK CUT OUT!

September 10, 2012

There have been celebrations in Somalia as the official results of the presidential elections announced Hassan Sheikh Mohamud the winner. In the first round, Mr Mohamud had come second to the incumbent, President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed, but today's results saw him sail through with 190 votes to 79. The new president had received the backing of the Prime Minister Abdiweli Ali who had come third in the first round.

Mr Mohamud, 57, is an academic and human rights activist and he has worked for various developmental organisations, including UNICEF. As well as the jubilation there has been a lot of optimism and talk of the ushering in of a new era, but how this will be achieved is anybodies guess. He will have to cope with the extreme poverty of large swathes of the population, Al Shabaab insurgents and endemic piracy.

The world will be watching him and if he manages to make headway, he would certainly have much to teach us.

IRI, EMP OR RIP

September 9, 2012

The wars of the future could be even more horrific than those of the past with the intensification and sophistication of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, as well as the refinement of the more traditional killing machines. But why should we need these barbaric and primitive methods of warfare when we already have the technology to consign them to the history books?

All killing should be banned under the mother of all Geneva Conventions... Hold on, perhaps that should read the daughter of all Geneva Conventions... Anyway, a convention that criminalises all killing in war, irrespective of whether the victim is a civilian or not. Murder is murder. I expect that it is only because so many religions have been happy to cohabit with war, that Mars has been so reluctant to leave Venus's bed. But Vulcan is Venus's rightful husband and Vulcan is honoured for his ingenuity.

Bloodless wars have already began. Sanctions have replaced sieges. Cyber attacks are taking over from sabotage. In the past the enemy would target your zeppelin, now it is your computers that crash. Assassinations have been replaced by character-assassination: so this tactic needs to be refined, as we are still in the realms of the barbaric here.

Eliminating slaughter altogether, however, is also possible. Technologies like IRI and EMP can replace RIP (Rest In Peace). Attacks of any sort are never desirable; even an insult cheapens humanity. But a step away from killing must be a step in the right direction and worth taking.

EMP is an electromagnetic pulse that emits a burst of non-lethal radiation, that can, none the less, cause havoc with electricity grids and radar systems. This may be triggered by high altitude nuclear explosions, as well as more benign means. Various media sources, including today's The Sunday Times have reported that Israel may be considering such a strike on Iran. This is not ideal by any means, but it would be better than more violent alternatives, particularly if the strike is aimed at radar systems and not the nations infrastructure. Just because something is less harmful, it does not mean that it should be used willy-nilly.

Then there is IRI: Ionospheric Research Instrument which is being developed by HAARP. This is rather classified, so conspiracy theories abound as to what this technology can do, from controlling the weather to causing earthquakes. One would hope that it can be used more judiciously. This is how HAARP describes itself on its website:

"HAARP is a scientific endeavor aimed at studying the properties and behavior of the ionosphere, with particular emphasis on being able to understand and use it to enhance communications and surveillance systems for both civilian and defense purposes.

"The HAARP program is committed to developing a world class ionospheric research facility consisting of:

• The Ionospheric Research Instrument (IRI), a high power transmitter facility operating in the High Frequency (HF) range. The IRI will be used to temporarily excite a limited area of the ionosphere for scientific study.
• A sophisticated suite of scientific (or diagnostic) instruments that will be used to observe the physical processes that occur in the excited region."

A few centuries after these dangerous and silly games, we may be ready to start living in peace.

ORBAN STICKS A FACEBOOK FINGER UP TO THE IMF!

September 8, 2012

Well, the Prime Minister of Hungary, Viktor Orban, has certainly made a statement by "defriending" the International Monetary Fund (IMF) form his Facebook profile. Whatever next via Facebook! Papal excommunications, declarations of war... Who knows? Perhaps even the occasional coup d' etat courtesy of Facebook: Desi Bouterse of Suriname had after all managed a telephone coup in 1990. "Hey, Mr Cameron, you're out! I'm the new Prime Minister. I am sorry for any inconvenience this may cause."

Mr Orban had his reasons. The list of conditions Hungary would have had to meet in order to qualify for a proposed IMF loan, he said, "contains everything that is not in Hungary's interests". These prerequisites included mandatory cuts in public sector jobs and pensions and the removal of a bank tax. Despite Mr Orban's point, however, sticking your finger up to the potential offer of 15 billion euro loan, may not be the cleverest political move. A simple: "Maybe later" would have left him with all his options opened.

There was no official response on the IMF website today. Sometimes it's best to just keep quiet.

PAKISTAN: SOME GOOD OPTIONS REMAIN

September 7, 2012

Conceived in the 1930s and born in the 40s, Pakistan means "Land of the Pure". What ever happened to that romantic ideal? How could it have all gone so terribly wrong? A day does not pass now without news from Pakistan that does not relate to violence, bigotry or corruption. Pakistan is now ranked at 145 on the Human Development Index, immediately followed by what was once East Pakistan, Bangladesh. Had the Pakistani economist Mahbub ul Haq, who was instrumental in creating the Index in 1990, still been alive today, this would not have come as a surprise to him, as Pakistan has been consistently on the lower end of the scale. What is surprising, though, is the seemingly unstoppable disintegration of this once promising nation. Pakistan is currently ranked at 13 on the Failed States Index.

Economic stability and internal security are of course crucial to Pakistan's survival, but even more importantly it desperately needs three things:

• Strong leadership
• Loyal allies
• Good neighbourly relations

It has none of these prerequisites, though they are not necessarily out of reach.

Leadership, the sine qua non element, is non-existent. One would need to identify a semblance of leadership in order to criticise it, but there's no chance of that at the moment. President Asif Ali Zardari is like Théoden, the King of Rohan, when under the influence of Saruman. It would seem as though only a powerful wizard could knock some sense into him now. His son, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, who is already the Chairman of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), does have the potential of restoring the credibility of the Bhutto dynasty and the fortunes of Pakistan. He is being prepared for such a role, but he is only 23 and pushing him too far will only backfire, as the objections to his recent stint at the summit of the Non-Aligned Movement in Iran indicate. Zardari cannot wait. He either needs to take control or find someone who can.

As far as allies go, China is undoubtedly there, offering arms, and technical and financial support, as well as the occasional pat on the back; but whether it is loyal is another matter. Saruman springs to mind again. China appears to be upholding the status quo, when it knows full well that what Pakistan needs is the brutal honesty of a friend and a nudge in the right direction. Nevertheless, the chances are that China would still support Pakistan, even if it were more in control of its destiny.

America could have worked, but Pakistan has proved duplicitous in its dealings with it, taking vast sums of money from it with one hand and stabbing it in the back with the other. This week's US branding of the Haqqani network as a terrorist organisation, is a case in point. The US accuses Pakistan of supporting the Haqqani, who are linked with serious attacks in Afghanistan and international crime rings, in order to gain its own influence in Afghanistan. Pakistan's response was similar to the one it gave when blamed of supporting Lashkar-e-Taiba and the organisation's involvement in the 2008 Mumbai attacks: "Never!"... And again, in the first years of the millennium, when its nuclear "secrets" were finding their way to North Korea, Iran and Libya: "Never!"... The most ridiculous one of all, however, is the Osama Bin Laden case. Not only was he "hiding" under the nose of the military in the compound in Abbottabad, authorities had the audacity of sentencing Shakil Afridi, the doctor who allegedly helped the United States track him down, to 33 years in prison for high treason. And this week, Pakistan has ordered the NGO Save the Children out of the country for the same reason... So much for supporting the Americans in their war on terror. Not to mention the tragedy of all the Pakistani soldiers killed as pawns in order to uphold the charade. This is where Pakistani authorities really need to do an examination of conscience and come clean. It can be done.

Then we come to neighbourly relations. The first thing Pakistan should do is close its borders with Afghanistan (within reason, of course). Islamabad has enough problems of its own; it does not need to go foraging for more. As for the opium, it is a corruption-fuelling curse, not a solution. Assuming Pakistan were willing to start thinking creatively, China could easily help fill in the gap with legitimate entrepreneurial projects.

Finally Pakistan would do well to turn around and shake hands with its estranged sibling, India. There it will find a whole new world of opportunities. Even today, the Indian External Affairs Minister, SM Krishna, who is on a state visit to Islamabad, confirmed India's good intentions:

"I wish to reiterate the desire of India to see a stable and prosperous Pakistan living in peace with itself and the world. That would be in the best interest of everyone."

Indeed it would.

UN PROMOTES COMPREHENSIVE NUCLEAR-TEST-BAN TREATY

September 6, 2012

The UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon addressed the General Assembly in New York via a video link today, as part of the continued observance of the International Day against Nuclear Tests. The official commemoration date is the 29 August as it marks the closure, in 1991, of the vast Semipalatinsk testing site in Kazakhstan. The Secretary-General highlighted the dangers and long-lasting effects of testing and praised Kazakhstan for its example and "continued leadership on nuclear disarmament".

Mr Ban also stressed the importance of endorsing and upholding the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT):

"I urge States that have not yet signed and ratified it to do so without delay. Pending the Treaty’s entry into force, I urge all States to uphold the existing moratorium on all nuclear test explosions."

A total of 157 of the 183 member states have signed and ratified the Treaty. Several states have signed, but not ratified the Treaty. These are:

Angola, Brunei, Chad, CHINA, Comoros, Congo, EGYPT, Equatorial Guinea, Gambia, Guinea Bissau, IRAN, Iraq, ISRAEL, Myanmar, Nepal, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Sao Tome and Principe, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Thailand, Timor-Leste, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Yemen and Zimbabwe.

Others have not even signed:

Bhutan, Cuba, Dominica, Grenadines, INDIA, Macedonia, Mauritius, NORTH KOREA, PAKISTAN, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, South Sudan, Syria, Tonga and Tuvalu.

All those countries in block capital are Annex 2 States, which means that their signatures and ratifications are required in order to trigger the Treaty's implementation. Hence Mr Ban's plea to uphold the present moratorium in the meantime.

What on earth are these Annex 2 nations waiting for? Do they think that this is some sort of poker game with the last resisting nation get to "Nuke" the rest of the world? If so they need to realise that it is more like Russian Roulette, but without the missing bullet: there would be no winner. And what about the small countries like Bhutan and Tuvalu? Are they holding out for world domination? Why can't these nations just get on with it and sign!

Of course the CTBT also needs the backup of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons which was launched in 1968 and covers non-proliferation and disarmament (as well as the right to peacefully use nuclear technology), but that is another story.

ALIYEV FETES AXE MURDERER SAFAROV

September 5, 2012

Azerbaijani Lieutenant Ramil Safarov was attending a Nato “Partnership for Peace” training programme in Budapest, Hungry, in 2004, but peace was the last thing on his mind. Having procured an axe, he sneaked into the bedroom of a fellow delegate, Armenian Lieutenant Gurgen Margaryan and hacked him to pieces. He later claimed to have taken offence at something the Armenian had said. Safarov received a 30-year prison sentence for his horrendous crime.

President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan should have made sure that the cowardly and gruesome murder did not bring shame to his country. He should have condemned it unreservedly, apologised to Armenia and used the incident to try to draw a line under the impasse between the two nations. Instead, he gave Safarov a nod and a wink and cajoled Hungary to extradite him to Azerbaijan. Now that Safarov is back, he has showered him with honours, promoted him to Major, given him a flat and paid him arrears for time spent in prison. This is in the same league as the bizarre honouring of the brutal murderer Samir Kuntar by President Bashar Assad of Syria in 2008 and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran in 2009.

President Aliyev has disgraced himself by these actions, he has mocked diplomacy and he has let his people down. These are the kinds of insults wars are made of, and sure enough Armenia is taking the bait. President Sargsyan of Armenia is already sabre rattling from across the border:

"We don’t want a war but if we have to we will fight and win. We are not afraid of killers, even if they enjoy the protection of the head of state."

The tragedy is that Aliyev's exclusive club of presidential nitwits is not exclusive at all. Is this really the best humanity can do?



Torrance should have considered a job with Aliyev


Related story: NAGORNO-KARABAKH ELECTIONS GOAD AZERBAIJAN

OLD MCDONALD'S TO SPARE SOME MOO MOOS

September 4 2012

So McDonald's has finally buckled and will be opening its first entirely Vegetarian fast-food outlet. It is expected to open next year in the vicinity of the Sikh Golden Temple in the northern Indian city of Amritsar, where 77% of the population are Sikh. Although Sikhs are not obliged to be vegetarian, the area near a temple, the gurdwar, is sacred and should be meat-free. The remaining population in Amritsar mostly Hindu, so they would not traditionally eat beef anyway.

On the one hand there is something hypocritical about going veggi in McDonald's, but on the other, life is full of compromises. Meat products are everywhere and if we had to boycott every outlet that was not 100% vegetarian we could very well starve! Nor does one have to be vegetarian to face dilemmas of this sort. For instance, do we know where our banks invest our money (if we're lucky enough to have any)? For all we know it could be tobacco companies or landmine manufacturers. And did any slave labour go into that magic carpet, or into that lovely bag?

I suppose we have to start somewhere and that will depend on our priorities and understanding. But whatever that platform is, it must not be bigotry, ignorance and fanaticism.

SAVE VALLEY CONSERVANCY: ANOTHER AFRICAN TREASURE UNDER THREAT

September 3, 2012

One of Africa's most successful nature reserves, the Save (Sah-vey) Valley Conservancy, is being threatened by cronies from President Mugabe's Zanu (PF) party following the issuing of hunting permits and leases extending 25 years. Jan Raath, writing in today's The Times called it "The biggest land-grab since President Mugabe unleashed his land reform Programme 12 years ago..." The Zimbabwean Tourist board website describes the reserve thus:

"The entire Save Valley Conservancy measures about 3200 km² and was formed by combining 24 adjoining farms in this Zimbabwean valley. The Save Valley Conservancy is involved in the intensive protection of the rhinos, private game safaris, limited hunting concession and multi species research."

The transfer of administrative rights has already seen the sacking rangers entrusted with protecting the animals from poachers and relaxing of hunting restrictions. It would seem as though there is nothing to stop the area now from becoming one big playground. Conservationists and stakeholders are appalled at the decision and the EU ambassador to Zimbabwe, Aldo Dell’Ariccia, suggested last week that the recently lifted EU restrictive measures could be re-imposed, if progress towards democratising Zimbabwe and respecting bilateral investments are once again jeopardised.

Unless governments across the world realise that they are not the owners of nature, or national art treasures or sites of archaeological importance, but simply the guardians thereof, they will continue to exploit and destroy what they have been entrusted to preserve and protect. History will not forgive them.

ASSANGE STALEMATE: THE BALL IS VERY MUCH IN SWEDISH HANDS

September 2, 2012

As the Julian Assange case drags on, one wonders how long it will take to resolve. It already appears to have gone on for ever and yet his asylum in the Ecuadorian Embassy only started on June 19, 2012. If the British government should choose to be as intransigent as the Soviet Union, he could be there for a good many years to come...

The Hungarian Cardinal József Mindszenty is a case in point. After having been liberated from his imprisonment by the Nazi regime in 1945, he was soon behind bars again in 1948, this time under the Communists. He was freed during the short lived Hungarian Revolution of 1956 and this gave him a brief window of opportunity to seek refuge in the US Embassy in Budapest. He stayed there until 1971: a period of 15 years! His release was the outcome of a compromise Pope Paul VI reached with the Hungarian regime.

Another example is that of Burundi's president, Sylvestre Ntibantunganya, who sought asylum in the US Embassy in the events leading to his overthrow in a coup in July 1996. He was there for almost a year.

He could be waiting a long time

Short of trying to ship Mr Assange off in a crate, as happened in November 1964 to Mordechai Louk, an Israeli citizen spying for Arab interests, Mr Assange has little hope of getting away without some sort of agreement. Even Mr Louk, did not quite make it. The trunk he was in, which was labelled: UAR Embassy - Diplomatic Bag - Do not open, was intercepted in Rome when custom officers heard moans within. It was whisked away by awaiting agents before they could open it, but was eventually retrieved after a blockbuster car chase. So instead of the safety of an Arab nation Mr Louk ended up in an Israeli prison. Mr Assange could face a similar end if he attempted anything unconventional.

The status quo, however, is not helping anybody. Diplomatic relations between the UK and Ecuador are deteriorating; other South American nations, already fed up with Britain over the Falklands/Malvinas situation, are becoming even more unsympathetic and Britain's motives are increasingly being questioned by more than just a few freedom of speech fanatics. Of course Britain cannot just take a u-turn without serious consequences. What Britain needs is the Swedish government to give it a helping hand, rather than just sitting there making its demands and stamping its feet. A bit of flexibility there could see Mr Assange face investigators here within the relative safety from the threat of being carted off to the US. The more the British government prevaricates, the more everyone has to lose.

LET THEM BE!

September 1, 2012

When Iain Stables, the New Zealand disc jockey and TV celebrity, lost his cool on March 20, 2012, he was not thinking of the consequences of his actions. The incident happened when the family of his partner, Kimberley O'Hagan, tried to evict him from the flat he was sharing with her because of alleged damage they found there. Although Iain Stables denies assault and threatening to kill, he admitted "pushing" Kimberley's brother in "self defence" and deliberately ramming his car into her mother's, which he was said to have done repeatedly. The jury has the weekend to deliberate and will offer their verdict on Monday.

Whatever happened on that fateful day, it was ugly and Iain Stables clearly did not behave like a gentleman. "Fateful" is a strong word, but for Stables it certainly was:

"I have nothing left. I have lost my career, I have lost everything ..."

That people should pay for their wrongdoings is only fair. But that someone should lose everything for a minor crime or misdemeanor is as unjust as the offence itself. Tiger Woods, John Galiano, Prince Harry, even (though mostly protected)... Lynched. If I should kick you in the shins and decapitate your garden gnomes, you will deserve all the compensation you can get from me and I would deserve whatever else the law throws at me as well, assuming it is proportionate. But should I lose my job and reputation because of that? Stress or weakness sometimes pushes us to do stupid things: that is when society ought to help us, rather that indulge in pushing us over the edge. If I make delicious cakes, why should I be stopped from making them? How can making me unproductive help? Who would gain from that, other than a few smug bigots and vindictive fools?

Being a public figure does not mean being a role model: it means being good at whatever it is you do. And if you are not a public figure; then all the more so. Don't let them crush you.

BANNING TOBACCO TO NEW GENERATIONS IS THE BEST WAY FORWARD

August 31, 2012

Question: What do Singapore, Finland and Tasmania have in common?

Answer: A determination to eradicate smoking on their soil.

This month, Tasmania's Upper House unanimously passed a motion that would ban the sale of tobacco and tobacco products to anyone born after the year 2000. That means that the post-millenium generation would be entirely smoke free, apart form the remaining twentieth century smokers. Tasmania's Department of Health and Human Services highlights the island state's higher than national average smoking rate. And that, in a nation where tobacco is: "the single largest preventable cause of premature death and disease." The motion, proposed by the independent MP Ivan Dean, will now have to be approved by the lower house in order to be enshrined in law.

Would it be a violation of our human rights? No more than banning strolling on railway tracks or unhygienic restaurants. The issue has nothing to do with human rights: it is all about the Mafia of tobacco companies, their influential friends and their economies. But the cost is too high. If a few brave countries or states make the first move, they will soon show the other up and the trend may snowball. Bring it on!

Here's what the World Health Organisation has to say about smoking:

"Tobacco use is among the leading preventable causes of death. Each year, the global tobacco epidemic kills nearly 6 million people, including more than 600,000 who die from exposure to second-hand smoke. It is on track to kill more than 8 million by 2030, by which time approximately 80% of the deaths would occur in low- and middle-income countries.

"The costs of tobacco use are measured in its enormous toll of disease, suffering and family distress. Economies also suffer from increased health-care costs and decreased productivity.