North Korea threatens South over Balloon Propaganda

North Korea has threatened action against the South if propaganda continues to make its way to the North. The South Korean military has been sending helium balloons filled with propaganda leaflets across the border to the North. These leaflets, of which 2.5 million have made their way into the North this month, criticize North Korean leader Kim Jong-il and call for the North Koreans to rise up against their government. According to a South Korean lawmaker, these balloons will soon carry new messages that detail news of the populist uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa. These new message are seen as a direct attack against North Korea's dictator. These messages are seen as very dangerous to the North. As explained by a South Korean official, "The most dangerous virus for the regime is the truth about the outside world and the truth about themselves. They try to contain and prevent information from infiltrating. But they don’t have a vaccine against this kind of virus.” This warning of attacks from North Korea comes as 200,000 South Korean and 3,000 US troops are set to begin annual land, air, and sea exercises.

Mary Naset

Oman joins the list of rioting countries

Another country can be added to the growing list of protesting nations. On Sunday, hundreds of protestors clashed with riot police in a town in Oman, a country located along the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula. There have been reports of two deaths. The demonstrators began their protests by demanding for political reform, better pay, and more jobs. According to the Oman state news agency, in response to the protests, Oman's leader Sultan Qaboos bin Said has given orders for reforms throughout the country. According to ONA, Said has called for the creation of 50,000 jobs. In addition, he has ordered $386 (equivalent) to be paid to every Omani job seeker.

Mary Naset

Attempted "Coup" in the DRC

The residential palace of President Joseph Kabila was reportedly attacked by six gun- men. According to a DRC minister who spoke to CNN, the men were captured and subsequently killed. The minister adds that the event is an act of terror as opposed to a coup.

While not much is known about what transpired given that much of the information is coming from the DRC government, it is likely that the "coup" attempt will be used as a pretext for violent government crackdown on the opposition ahead of the upcoming presidential elections.

Suffice to say, the entire story sounds too amateurish to be plausible. How can six poorly armed men storm a presidential palace?

Etienne.

Obama Announces Support for Libyan Opposition

On Sunday, Hilary Clinton said that the U.S. government would offer "any type of assistance" to the Libyan opposition to Muammar Gaddafi's government. Clinton additionally warned surrounding African states not to provide mercenary assistance to Gaddafi. This comes as the opposition intensifies in Libya and Gaddafi utilizes increasingly violent tactics to try to retain control of the country. Though Clinton did not specifically mention the possibility of the U.S. providing military aid, this appears to represent a distinct shift in the U.S. approach to events in Libya. Clinton made the statement before flying to Geneva to begin talks with Russia and the European Union, all of which appear ready to present a unified front in opposition to Gaddafi's government. Growing domestic support from senators John McCain and Joseph Lieberman seems to echo this international consensus. This comes only a day after Obama described Gadaffi as "illegitimate" and demanded that he surrender power, and slightly more than a week following the UN Security Council's decision to impose additional sanctions on the Libyan government. Clinton further said that the US is preparing further measures against Gadaffi, but did specify what forms these efforts would take.

Chris Bilbro

Tunisian Prime Minister Resigns

The Tunisian Prime Minister, Mohamed Ghannouci, a leftover from the old regime toppled in January, resigned today as a result of the protests that occured over the weekend in the capital leaving five dead. The public felt that the prime minister was not impartial enough to represent the new era in Tunisia. Tunisia's interim president has already named his successor, a former government official. Tunisia is dealing with the influx of refugees from Libya who are escaping persecution from Libyan leader Col. Qaddafi. The protests over Prime Minister Ghannouci turned violent Saturday when a man attacked the Interior Ministry building with knives and rocks. The peaceful protest degenerated into a riot when a separate protest group arrived and began setting fires to cars and attacking guards. Parts of the capital of Tunis are still considered safe, but several sections of the city are considered dangerous because of protests. The interim government has promised to begin charting the progress of the country towards a multiparty democracy, but offers no concrete date for the new Constitution.

by Margaret Nunne

Doing Business in Iraq

An article in the Atlantic reports that since the fall of Saddam in Iraq, Iraq has become one of the worst countries in the world for entrepreneurship. Frank Gunter, an economics professor and a former economic advisor to US Military operations in Iraq, believes that the US invasion into Iraq caused an environment that has been counterproductive to encouraging economic opportunity. He said that under Saddam, "entrepreneurial corruption" existed, and compared this to 1940s Chicago, by stating that one always knew who had to be paid off; a corrupt hierarchy but stable and predictable nonetheless. This has been since been disrupted and as a result, Iraq currently ranks 174th out of 183 countries worldwide for starting a business. The article details the process required for starting a business which requires an approximate 77 days and $2,000 in initial start up costs and licensing paid to the government (compared to an average of 6 days and $675 in the US).

This crushes the entrepreneurial spirit and thus private economic growth in Iraq which has been lackluster to begin. According to this article, there are few Iraqis that want a job outside of the government. Government jobs pay more, require less actual work, has more benefits, and you can't be fired from them. Consequentially, Iraqi's want more government jobs, and the fledgling democracy feels the need to create more jobs in order to keep the population happy. However since there is a lack of private sector to fund the government, this is expected to lead to big discrepancies in an already shaky Iraqi (and global) economy and political environment.

Brianna Howell

Revolution in China???

The Guardian reports that there has been very small signs of a potential democratic revolution spreading through China. There was an online call for a "Jasmine Revolution" in 13 cities throughout China. It is unknown where this online message originated from, and there is some speculation that it may have been started from abroad. This message, of course, caused a "swift crackdown" with "scores" of arrests from Chinese Authorities. President Hu Jintao stated that top government officials need to have more strict internet observation policies so to sustain order, handle online information and "to better guide public opinion."

Fortunately for the government officials, there was a huge police presence at the locations and relatively few protesters showed up. Still, a Hong Kong based democratic advocacy group estimated that 100 protesters were "taken away by police, prevented from leaving home, or were missing" throughout the country. There were also many reports of police simply asking citizens in the protest-designated areas what they were doing and recommended that they not take part.

It is interesting to entertain the idea that this democratic revolution is expanding, at least to a certain extent, to the Chinese population. The tight controls that the Chinese Government has on the population has been tested multiple times, but the revolutions in the Middle East seems to increase pressures all around. I believe, as one activist in China suggests, "I think it is significant, not in terms of whether it is going to topple the political system, but in indicating China is not immune from larger global trends about the impact of new communications on people's aspirations."

Brianna Howell

Oil and Libya

Despite the great crackdowns on human rights with the abuse of the civilains, as well as the need to rescue many that work in Libya in Libya and trying to get out, much of the focus had been on what will happen to oil.
The oil prices have begun surging in repsonse to the crises, and worry over the cost of premiums on the global economy are heavily discussed. Most economists have stated that markets are self correcting and in the long run we will see a stabilization of the prices.
I think these crisis's show the need to redirect our energy poilicy on more reusable sources of energy so countires can focus on the cost of human lives, rather than the cost of oil.

http://oilandglory.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2011/02/22/the_middle_easts_new_susceptibility_index

Greg Voegtle

Protests in Libya

The most recent sign of the crumbling regime has been a recent military plane crash which resulted from two pilots ejecting from their military planes to abandon a mission to
bomb an opposition city. The brutality of Gadhafi and his means to supress his citezens reveals itself here, but more importanlty, the fact that one of the pilots was a member of his tribe shows lack of loyalty and support he has. It appears there is still a minority of support for him among the police an militia men, who roam the streets firingrounds into the air chanting long live Gadhafi, however the civillians are taking atrong stance against them.
Some of the military has supported the civilians in the cities and have worked with citizens in building blockades in communittees to protect them from pro Ghadafi forces. Many countries have called for economic sanctions against the regime due to the bloody crackdown, however we must wonder whether this may worsen the situation for civilians and not the military.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110223/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_libya

Greg Voegtle

"Everyone's Doing It..."

The new craze that seems to be sweeping the North African and Middle Eastern areas of the world is none other than peaceful protest. With Morocco, Libya, Yemen, Algeria, Jordan, Bahrain, and even Iran now joining the likes of Egypt and Tunisia, whether these determined citizens are demanding a regime change or just to be taken more seriously as citizens, there is definitely an air of change. Almost as surprising as these unlikely countries is the lack of power held by the United States to issue opinions or calls to action to the current heads of state. As seen in Egypt, and now in the laundry list of other nations, the citizens do not need or want the support of the United States, who, has in many cases aided in these very citizens oppression. If these new seven nations can have their demands met, who knows what the next country will be to fall to the will of their people.


megan smith

Revolution Anxiety Spreads to China

The fear of a popular uprising has spread across the world, from the Middle East, to Africa, and now to China. Anonymous calls for a "Jasmine Revolution" (a phrase that gained fame in the Tunisia revolt) spread across Chinese social media sites on Sunday afternoon, prompting swift action from the Chinese government. The government blocked the words "Jasmine Revolution" from being posted on Internet search engines and social media sites and blocked people from being able to send text messages to multiple recipients. This action follows others that highlight the nervousness that has risen in China's government since the waves of protest begun in other areas of the world. Throughout the week there have been reports of lawyers, rights activists, and dissidents being rounded up by the Chinese government and being placed under different forms of house arrest. At this time it is reported that two of these lawyers are still missing. Many Chinese are seeing an increased police presence in the streets of their major cities. While this is going on, President Hu Jintao is urging his officials to adress any "social problems" before they cause instability in the country.

Mary Naset

Protests in Libya Take a Turn for the Worse

The death toll in Libya has risen to 104 people as Libyan security forces moved against protestors in Benghazi, the second largest city in the country. On Saturday the first protest to seriously challenge Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi's rule in forty years erupted in Benghazi. The past four days Libya has seen it's government shaken by protests as security forces fired on a funeral procession. The government is using every means necessary to squelch the protests, including cutting the country off from the internet. Protesters say it is too late for dialogue with the government, that too much blood had been spilt to begin talks for peace. The article implied that the harder the government cracks down the greater the pushback from the protesters to make their claims heard. Libya is just the fourth in a successive line of countries that have fallen to protesters as successful uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt had shown lay people it was possible to remove a long time dictator. Libya, Algeria and Yemen are all cracking down with military force on the uprisings in their respective countries, trying to prevent them before they gather too much momentum. Western criticism is gathering as news reaches the western world of the atrocities that the middle eastern governments are using excessive military force.

by Margaret Nunne

Opposition Leader in Rwand Sentenced to Four Years

Bernard Ntaganda, an opposition leader in Rwanda, has been sentenced to four years in prison for enflaming ethnic tensions in the country. The chief prosecutor argued that divisive speech had no place in Rwanda because it would reverse the years of hard work the country has put in to rebuilding itself. However, the article points out that this is the second Hutu opposition leader to land in jail since attempting to run in the last presidential election. President Kagame, a Tutsi, won 93% of the popular vote in the last election, only the second election since the 1994 massacre. Human rights activists disapprove of the ruling say that the government is using laws meant to stop a repeat of the killing to keep powerful opposition rulers from running against the government. Two journalist were sentenced to seventeen and seven years respectively for similar charges for enflaming ethnic tension. Mr. Ntaganda was accused, tried, and found guilty for criticizing an economic development plan as well as arguing that the genocide courts were finding for or against people simply because of their race.

By Margaret Nunne

Egypt and King Louis XVI

This article compares the Eygyptian revolution to two other main coup-de-tats, the one in England in 1688 and France in 1789. The author analyzes what type of recolution Egypt will become, and explains how it could take several months depending on the political conditions of the country, and whether a ruling party is ready to take power. Additionally, he points out that it will be near impossible to predict whether their will be a "rein of terror", like seen in the French Revolution or whether a duling democraycy will be put in place. It is importants that he notes that during the frnech revolution, the Jacobins and more radical groups did not take hold of France until after the fall of Bastille, and that a similiar reign of terror could occur in Egypt, but not until a couple years have passed. It is very possible the media will overlook the more critical turning points in Egypts revolution, and that this will be a very long process before the final hold on power takes place.

Greg Voegtle

http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2011/02/07/why_we_cant_rule_out_an_egyptian_reign_of_terror?page=0,1

Youtube/Facebook Ban Lifted in Syria

Facebook and Youtube are now accessible in Syria for the first time in three years, an event which marks the first time the Syrian government has lifted restrictions on public internet use. Though there has been no official confirmation of the end of the ban from government figures, Mazen Darwish, head of the Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression, stated that he was given "semiofficial confirmation." It is speculated that the lifting of the ban is a preventative response to unrest following protest in Egypt and Tunisia, however in Syria it is not viewed as a particularly meaningful concession. Despite the ban, Syrians have historically accessed the popular sites through web proxies. Still, president Bashar Assad has told the Wall Street Journal that he will seek political reforms in Syria. However the country has largely escaped the political tumult that has increasing built in the middle east, and questions remain about how much internal pressure actually exists in Syria. A recent "Day of Rage" scheduled in Damascus to protest the autocratic regime failed to draw any protesters.

Chris Bilbro

Oh, Obiang

"The concept of democracy, human rights and good governance are not new to Africa, but they should be adapted to the African culture."

This quote was part of Equatorial Guinea's acceptance speech after he was appointed the President of the African Union. According to this article, the president of the AU rotates on a one-year-term basis and rotates between the 5 regions of Africa. To begin the selection process, one of these regions selects a candidate that the other nations within that sub-region decide upon. The leaders of the other African nations not located within that region only have to "sign off" on the regions decision.

Obiang's opposition leader and head of Equatorial Guinea's Convergence for Social Democracy program, Placido Mico, has been extremely critical of Obiang's appointment to the position and states that there isn't an ounce of democracy displayed by Obiang's regime (no freedoms or liberties, widespread corruption, human rights violations). Mico states that Obiang was able to attain this position because of his "generosity and material and financial aid to other heads of state." Sounds about right.

I love this quote by Obiang simply for the fact that I think it is very useful in helping to give us a good stance on the government's perspective on our topics. I believe the term "African culture" in conjunction with our favorite concept of state sovereignty are going to help us get through conference. We will preach our familiarity and respect for "democracy", but use these terms to put that ever-present PR spin on controversial issues.

Brianna Howell

Bangladesh the new Egypt?

Earlier today many major cities in Bangladesh including Dhaka were stuck by extreme protest from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), the current opposition party to the current government. The cause for protest stems from the BNP's opinion that the current regime is not running the country effectively. The protests have shut down schools, businesses and transportation across the nation. One of BNP's major claims is that the current government has failed to regulate the country's capital market, resulting in an economic fall. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasian, however, is denying the claims and is saying this is just an attempt by the BNP to destabilize the government. Time will tell if this new round of protests is in fact the citizens of Bangladesh attempting to hold their officials accountable, or if it is just an opposition group seizing the opportunity to ride on the coat tails of Tunisia and Egypt.

Megan Smith

UN-supported organization to crack down on global AIDS fund

After speculations have suggested that billions of dollars have disappeared from the Global Fund Against AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, the organization has vowed to strengthen their security against corruption. This announcement comes after Germany, the fund's third-largest financial supporter after the U.S. and France, suspended aid to the organization. The fund has a budget of $22 billion. The majority of the money has disappeared in four African countries, including Mali, Mauritania, Djibouti, and Zambia. In Djibouti's case, millions of dollars stolen from the fund were used to buy cars and motorcycles. Money is not the only thing missing, however. Large quantities of anti-malarial drugs have also been stolen and then sold on the black market.

-Abbey Smith

Trial Begins in Iran for Three Detained Hikers

Three hikers who while hiking in Kurdistan in North Iraq inadvertently crossed the border into Iran will stand trial for espionage and illegal border crossing today Sunday February 6, 2011. Only two of the hikers are present during the trial, as the third, Sarah E. Shourd, had been released on bail to the United States for medical reasons. The other two hikers, Joshua F. Fattal and Shane M. Bauer, remain in Tehran's notorious Evin prison. For all three of the hikers pleas of not guilty were entered to the court. The hikers' lawyer, Masoud Shafiee, said that no decisions had been handed down in the case and that it would continue at a later date. Originally scheduled for November, this hearing was postponed until now because Sarah Shourd has not returned to Iran for trial. Being tried in absentia, the $500,000 bail money Ms. Shourd put up will be forfeited. Mr. Shafiee has complained that he has been unable to see his clients despite assurances he would be able to preceeding trial. Speculation however, is pervasive in that Iran may release the hikers as it did with a French academic after the protests in May over the Iranian presidency. While no formal declarations have been made, the judge presiding over the hikers' trial has been known to sentence opposition members to death.

by: Margaret Nunne

Fighting in Southern Sudan

Former pro-Khartoum fighters began creating violence today when the group was asked to surrender their heavy weaponry. This call for the surrendering of weaponry comes as a preventative measure preparing for the succession of Southern Sudan. As of now, the number of dead is about 20, but is expected to rise. Currently the SPLA as well as UN peacekeepers are manning a buffer zone between the newly defined territories in attempts to quell this violence. This is just a taste of the potential violence to be felt throughout the Sudan region culminating in the international recognition of Southern Sudan as a sovereign state on July 9th.


Megan Smith

LRA in call for free, fair Uganda vote

Uganda's Lords Resistance Army, a rebel group opposed to President Yoweri Museveni's regime, is calling for more transparency during the upcoming Presidential elections. This was revealed through a press statement issued by its peace team leader, Justine Labeja Nyeko. Nyeko is worried that, “Despite the ritual of elections, the army state in Uganda has not won political legitimacy."

I think this is generally a good move. The LRA might be guilty of horrible crimes, but for them support free and fair elections is a step in the right direction. It is not known for sure, what the LRA hopes to gain from the elections; given that their rebel group will not participate.

In the past, the opposition leader, Kizza Bisigye has hinted a willingness to bring an amicable resolve to the LRA question.

Etienne

Photographed Amazonians

In a rather undetailed article, the Associated Press reported that Brazil recently released undated photographs of indigenous people in an attempt to bring awareness to their "plight... of possible annihilation." The picture (seen above) shows both adults and children gazing at the camera, and the article states that they were seen carrying baskets of fruits that were grown in a communal garden. The photo was taken by rights groups, the National Indian Foundation, Survival International, on the border of Brazil and Peru. The groups fear that illegal logging will destroy the indigenous peoples current habitats and send them fleeing into different areas of the rainforests. The National Indian Foundation reports that there are currently 67 different tribes living in these rainforests that do not maintain contact with the modernized world that account for about 500,000 people, according to the last census.

While I believe the cause is valid reasoning for taking the pictures, the picture to me is worth 1,000 words. Ironically, I can't exactly verbalize how I feel about this. The concept of globalization and the need for western modernization is one that I've long felt conflicted about, and this picture seems to summarize that. These people look, frightened and concerned and over all, confused at the camera. I can't imagine what they were thinking, or how I feel about it; all I know is that I find this image very upsetting.

Brianna Howell