How much did you pay for your cell phone?
How much do you spend each month on the plan to make calls, send texts, and use data?
If you knew that $12.50 could help promote sustained peace in a county at a strategic point in transitioning from a long civil war, would you give it?
If you're on a tight budget (like me) would you sacrifice a meal out at a restaurant, or a cheap new shirt, or a couple of beers, to be able to make that donation? How much is peace in a tiny African country worth?
As many of you know, I did field work for my thesis in Rwanda. The histories of Rwanda and Burundi are tightly knit, and therefore so is their present. In fact, just as no man is an island, so is no county isolated. The politics of each country in the Great Lakes region of Africa reflect and impose upon each other, and those processes and relationships extend even further to the Great Lakes of America. How so? Because we in America (and Europe and Asia) are completely dependent on technology, and a great number of the resources we utilize to produce that technology come out of central Africa. But I don't actually want to pursue this argument. I recognize that there is something in human nature that compels us to want to get something for that which we give. But must we get a 'clean' iphone in exchange for supporting peace in Burundi? Not that I don't want responsible corporations, but is that the only compelling argument? Does the security of fellow human beings hold any weight? Is it worth $12.50? That's certainly a lot less than we might spend on a military or humanitarian operation should violence break out.... But enough with the guilt, what am I on about?
Healing and Rebuilding Our Communities is a trauma healing project which is pursuing an off-shoot project in response to the current elections taking place in Burundi. Since this is the first elections to take place in Burundi since a peace accord was signed in 2008, it is a volatile time in which many fear people will resort to violence to ensure whatever outcome they think is best. Many people feel that who is in office directly affects their daily existence, maybe even their lives, so a lot is at stake. As a result, things can get out of hand pretty quickly, rumors in particular being a fiendish culprit. So, after assessing what areas might be most prone to violence, HROC followed up the original workshop with trainings directly about community building in order to promote networks of support and to influence good communication. Along these lines, they are also training observers in each of the selected areas who will communicate with one another and with HROC 'headquarters' with cell phones. Having this rapid communication available to them makes it possible to stay informed about what is (or isn't) happening on the ground, which observers can also relay to their communities. How often have you felt comforted just KNOWING the details of what is happening? Communication is so important to sustaining healthy relationships!
There's one problem: the observers need cell phones! Few people in Burundi have the disposable income to purchase a cell phone, even when it only costs $12.50. Fortunately, lots of people with access to an extra $12.50 often find themselves wondering how it's possible to make a difference in a country like, say...Burundi, with the lowest per capita GDP in the world and which has essentially experienced decades of civil war. This is a fantastic opportunity! $12.50 puts the power in the hands of one observer, and his/her community, to actively build peace through good communication in a time of fear and questioning. We need to support more projects which use alternatives to guns, bombs and threats; which actively utilize peaceful means to peaceful ends and a more holistic concept of security.
You can learn more about Burundi, the elections, and this project from Andrew and Rich.
You can join the cause on facebook and make donations here.
Showing posts with label elections. Show all posts
Showing posts with label elections. Show all posts
08 July 2010
31 March 2010
Elections and Democracy in E Africa
I've linked to a video from the Carter Center entitled "Africa: Elections Aren't Enough" featuring Paul Collier (author of "The Bottom Billion") and other Carter Center staff. The foundational idea is that elections in and of themselves do not a democracy make. It's a poignant talk at a time when so many African countries are approaching elections. I'll highlight a few in the region where I pay the most attention:
Sudan, April 2010--the first free elections in 24 years. The civil war between the north and south, which continued for over two decades, made holding any semblance of a democratic election impossible. The current president, Omar al Bashir, came into power through a coup d'état in 1989 (and, I should note, is currently wanted by the International Criminal Court for Crimes of War and Crimes against Humanity in Darfur). In the south, this election in many ways is considered a precursor to the vote that is planned for January 2011 in which Southern Sudan will decide if it should become an independent state. Sudan is the largest country in Africa, with a population of 40 million, the majority of which are illiterate and live in rural areas. In addition, conflict is still prominent in the eastern Darfur state. As such, logistical issues are a huge concern. Furthermore, the International Crises Group has just published a report outlining the ways the ruling National Congress Party has rigged the election.
Burundi, May-July 2010--the first elections since a peace accord was signed in April 2009 between the ruling government, the National Council for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD), and the opposition National Liberation Forces (FNL). Burundi had been in Civil War since 1993. The current President Pierre Nkurunziza was elected in 2005 with the first elections since the start of the civil war. Human Rights Watch has produced reports documenting politically motivated killings, assaults, arrests, and other violence intended to intimidate and suppress opposing parties. Recent reports from IRIN identify party youth leagues, made up largely of demobilised combatants, as tools of the ruling party to intimidate voters.
In post-conflict states, elections are pivotal. After a peace agreement was signed in Burundi, people were relieved, but still hesitant about the how long-standing that peace would be. Most people say they will "wait and see" how the elections go: if it is pulled off peacefully and justly then they can feel confident that their country has really made a change for the better, but most worry that there will be new violence and manipulation. To explore the host of issues a country at such a turning point faces, see the recent Peacebuilding Commission report for Burundi.
Rwanda, August 2010--the second election since the Rwandese Patriotic Front took power after ending the genocide in 1994. The first election was in 2003, when then President Paul Kagame was elected with 95% of the vote (it should be noted that political organising was outlawed until shortly before the election was held). The constitution allows for the President to serve two, seven year terms, and most anticipate that Kagame, who has held the office of president since removing Pasteur Bizimungu in 2000, will be re-elected. However, the evidence that the election is being manipulated in order to maintain power is piling up. The opposition is being prevented from registering and meeting; accusations of revisionism and/or denial of the the 1994 genocide and divisionism serve as piercing attacks against the opposition which by law make them vulnerable to arrest; and members of opposition parties are publicly beaten.
Although Kagame has done much to rebuild Rwanda and maintain peace, his human rights record leaves much to be desired. He could stand among the great leaders in Africa if he were to follow in the footsteps of Mandela and step down when his time is up, but I fear he may choose the path of Mugabe, Museveni and so many others who entrench themselves in power and refuse to acknowledge that any other person may be capable of performing as president.
Uganda, 2011--Yoweri Museveni took power in 1985 through a coup d'état. He was later elected president in 1996, again in 2001, and again in 2006 (in the first multiparty election, and after changing the constitution to allow him to run for a third term). The elections have been contested with accusations of rigging, voter intimidation, and suppression of party activities. HRW documents elected officials who were charged with election abuses but never brought to justice and are still serving, while opposition candidates are arrested on trumped up charges. Conflicts over the upcoming elections are already being reported, and the coalition of opposition parties have hinted they would boycott the elections if changes are not made.
The three months I spent in Uganda were littered with stories of past elections, none of them were positive. Foreigners said that violence was inevitable (speaking from their own experience of riots and bombings) and that it was best to leave the country if you could. A young man in the eastern mountains described being kidnapped, beaten, and imprisoned until he agreed to never work for an opposition party again. Everyone expressed that the only reason President Museveni continued to win elections was through threat and manipulation, and because the international community continued to recognise him as a legitimate leader (although the Obama administration may be looking to change that).
You may recall that the last elections in this region were in Kenya in 2007, the population contested the results, in which the incumbent President Kibaki was declared winner, which led to widespread violence and killings that became ethnically charged in some areas (particularly the Rift Valley Province). A negotiated power-sharing agreement established the office of Prime Minister for the leading opposition, Odinga. The next elections in 2012 are anticipated with trepidation.
Elections are powerful, emotionally charged, and complex regardless of the country they take place in. They can be used as a tool for suppression and domination just as easily as they can be used for the stimulation of human rights and the freedom to voice your needs and desires. I believe it is important for the international community (which means not just governments but you and me) to hold each state accountable and to support good practices. It is also important to remain informed about the processes and voices in other countries in order to better understand your own and better identify good practices, not to mention defining your own needs and desires.
I would love to hear your thoughts or questions on these issues, if you have a response please post a comment on my blog!
Sudan, April 2010--the first free elections in 24 years. The civil war between the north and south, which continued for over two decades, made holding any semblance of a democratic election impossible. The current president, Omar al Bashir, came into power through a coup d'état in 1989 (and, I should note, is currently wanted by the International Criminal Court for Crimes of War and Crimes against Humanity in Darfur). In the south, this election in many ways is considered a precursor to the vote that is planned for January 2011 in which Southern Sudan will decide if it should become an independent state. Sudan is the largest country in Africa, with a population of 40 million, the majority of which are illiterate and live in rural areas. In addition, conflict is still prominent in the eastern Darfur state. As such, logistical issues are a huge concern. Furthermore, the International Crises Group has just published a report outlining the ways the ruling National Congress Party has rigged the election.
Burundi, May-July 2010--the first elections since a peace accord was signed in April 2009 between the ruling government, the National Council for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD), and the opposition National Liberation Forces (FNL). Burundi had been in Civil War since 1993. The current President Pierre Nkurunziza was elected in 2005 with the first elections since the start of the civil war. Human Rights Watch has produced reports documenting politically motivated killings, assaults, arrests, and other violence intended to intimidate and suppress opposing parties. Recent reports from IRIN identify party youth leagues, made up largely of demobilised combatants, as tools of the ruling party to intimidate voters.
In post-conflict states, elections are pivotal. After a peace agreement was signed in Burundi, people were relieved, but still hesitant about the how long-standing that peace would be. Most people say they will "wait and see" how the elections go: if it is pulled off peacefully and justly then they can feel confident that their country has really made a change for the better, but most worry that there will be new violence and manipulation. To explore the host of issues a country at such a turning point faces, see the recent Peacebuilding Commission report for Burundi.
Rwanda, August 2010--the second election since the Rwandese Patriotic Front took power after ending the genocide in 1994. The first election was in 2003, when then President Paul Kagame was elected with 95% of the vote (it should be noted that political organising was outlawed until shortly before the election was held). The constitution allows for the President to serve two, seven year terms, and most anticipate that Kagame, who has held the office of president since removing Pasteur Bizimungu in 2000, will be re-elected. However, the evidence that the election is being manipulated in order to maintain power is piling up. The opposition is being prevented from registering and meeting; accusations of revisionism and/or denial of the the 1994 genocide and divisionism serve as piercing attacks against the opposition which by law make them vulnerable to arrest; and members of opposition parties are publicly beaten.
Although Kagame has done much to rebuild Rwanda and maintain peace, his human rights record leaves much to be desired. He could stand among the great leaders in Africa if he were to follow in the footsteps of Mandela and step down when his time is up, but I fear he may choose the path of Mugabe, Museveni and so many others who entrench themselves in power and refuse to acknowledge that any other person may be capable of performing as president.
Uganda, 2011--Yoweri Museveni took power in 1985 through a coup d'état. He was later elected president in 1996, again in 2001, and again in 2006 (in the first multiparty election, and after changing the constitution to allow him to run for a third term). The elections have been contested with accusations of rigging, voter intimidation, and suppression of party activities. HRW documents elected officials who were charged with election abuses but never brought to justice and are still serving, while opposition candidates are arrested on trumped up charges. Conflicts over the upcoming elections are already being reported, and the coalition of opposition parties have hinted they would boycott the elections if changes are not made.
The three months I spent in Uganda were littered with stories of past elections, none of them were positive. Foreigners said that violence was inevitable (speaking from their own experience of riots and bombings) and that it was best to leave the country if you could. A young man in the eastern mountains described being kidnapped, beaten, and imprisoned until he agreed to never work for an opposition party again. Everyone expressed that the only reason President Museveni continued to win elections was through threat and manipulation, and because the international community continued to recognise him as a legitimate leader (although the Obama administration may be looking to change that).
You may recall that the last elections in this region were in Kenya in 2007, the population contested the results, in which the incumbent President Kibaki was declared winner, which led to widespread violence and killings that became ethnically charged in some areas (particularly the Rift Valley Province). A negotiated power-sharing agreement established the office of Prime Minister for the leading opposition, Odinga. The next elections in 2012 are anticipated with trepidation.
Elections are powerful, emotionally charged, and complex regardless of the country they take place in. They can be used as a tool for suppression and domination just as easily as they can be used for the stimulation of human rights and the freedom to voice your needs and desires. I believe it is important for the international community (which means not just governments but you and me) to hold each state accountable and to support good practices. It is also important to remain informed about the processes and voices in other countries in order to better understand your own and better identify good practices, not to mention defining your own needs and desires.
I would love to hear your thoughts or questions on these issues, if you have a response please post a comment on my blog!
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