tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190387662023-03-20T22:49:18.745-07:00This blog features news clips and commentary on political, social, and cultural happenings in Sub-Saharan Africa.jenbreahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15466448742193879731noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19038766.post-1144333362254835042006-04-06T07:20:00.000-07:002006-04-06T07:22:42.266-07:00Africabeat as moved to a new home: http://jenbrea.typepad.com/africabeat/<br /><br />It's still in the process of a visual redesign. All of the old posts are there, but sadly the comments are not. If you would like to read old posts & old comments, I'm keeping this shop open, but turning off comments. To add new comments and to read new entries, visit: http://jenbrea.typepad.com/africabeat/Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15466448742193879731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19038766.post-1143564901876950222006-03-28T08:53:00.000-08:002006-03-28T10:26:50.500-08:00<font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font>Charles Taylor <a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060328.wnitaylor0328/EmailBNStory/International/home">fled his villa in Nigeria</a>. So I guess all of the discussion of the Special Court and Sierra Leone has just become moot.<br /><br />What did everyone expect would happen after the president of Nigeria publically announced his intention to hand over Taylor <span style="font-style: italic;">before</span> bothering to actually arrest him?<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.technorati.com/tags/charles%20taylor" rel="tag">Charles Taylor</a>,<a href="http://www.technorati.com/tags/special%20court%20for%20sierra%20leone" rel="tag">Special Court for Sierra Leone</a>,<a href="http://www.technorati.com/tags/special%20court" rel="tag">Special Court</a>,<a href="http://www.technorati.com/tags/sierra%20leone" rel="tag">Sierra Leone</a>,<a href="http://www.technorati.com/tags/africa" rel="tag">Africa</a>,<a href="http://www.technorati.com/tags/politics" rel="tag">Politics</a>,<a href="http://www.technorati.com/tags/international%20justice" rel="tag">International Justice</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15466448742193879731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19038766.post-1143564429587294712006-03-28T08:41:00.000-08:002006-03-28T12:37:01.506-08:00<div style="direction: ltr;"> <p>I was happy when I read the news that Nigeria has finally pledged to give up Charles Taylor to the <a href="http://www.sc-sl.org/" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">Special Court for Sierra Leone</a>. I'm not sure if President Obasanjo just grew tired of Taylor or if the Americans offered him a really sweet deal, but I'm thrilled that finally, the Special Court has caught its big fish.<br /><br />At least that was my initial reaction. Although I really do feel that for many Liberians, and for Sierra Leoneans as well, seeing Charles Taylor leave his comfortable exile in Nigeria and stand trial for his role in two disastrous civil wars is an important step on the path to closure, I can't help but wonder what good, in the end, all this can serve.<font><br /><br />The gist?<font> This court and perhaps all courts of its kind are created by the West for the benefit of the West with very little reference to the actual needs of the people for whom they are supposedly seeking justice. <font> The result is a process and an institution painfully out of step with local realities.<br /><br /></span></span></span></p><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><p><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><b>Special Court for Sierra Leone – Out of Step?</b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><p><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font><br />In 2004, I spent ten weeks in Freetown where I had the chance to meet foreigners working both within and without the massive Special Court machinery.<br /><br />For me, so much about the multi-million dollar court was strange, out of step, incongruous, and irrelevant.<br /><br />Maybe it was experiencing the physical contrasts between the court compound and the rest of the city. When I went to observe the court proceedings, I'd walk out of the sweltering heat, out of the city that had no functioning power grid and only a few blocks of paved roads and into a compound full of flat screens, high pressure water, automatic lights, and an army of foreign personnel. Every judge, every defense attorney, every member of the prosecution team had their own, brand new computer.</span><script><!-- D(["mb","<font> </span>A building the Sierra Leonean government no\ndoubt eyes greedily, but will be too expensive and sophisticated to maintain\nonce the Court leaves Freetown.</p>\n\n\n<p><br />\nThe prisoners - those that bore the &quot;greatest responsibility&quot; for the\natrocities committed during the civil war - lived in absolute luxury when\ncompared to the local population. They had televisions, phones, air\nconditioning, visitors, trained defense teams and absolutely no prospect of the\ndeath penalty. Why? Because our standards and conventions dictate\nprisoners must be treated well even when our idea of &quot;well&quot; is a standard\nliving out of reach of 99 percent of the population.</p>\n\n\n<p> </p>\n\n\n<p>Meanwhile at Pademba Road Prison, the foot soldiers of the\nwar, the men and women who were just children when they murdered and maimed,\nendure squalid conditions in overcrowded cells, awaiting trial, often without a\nlawyer, in a court that will likely convict and execute them long before the\ntrials of the RUF and CDF leadership conclude.<br />\n<br />\nSome of the staff I met confided in me that they didn\'t particularly like\nSierra Leoneans and that although they had never set foot in Africa before\ncoming to Freetown,\nit seemed like a good place to earn ones stripes on the way to the ICC. \n&quot;That\'s what you wish for in this field. A country with massive\nhuman rights violations and good beaches.&quot; Similarly, for Sierra Leoneans\nworking there, a gig at the Special\n Court was probably one of the highest-paying jobs\nyou could get in Freetown. \nAnd so you had this feeling that everyone was moving through a ritual, reciting\nthe company line of &quot;ending impunity&quot; - and spending massive amounts\nof money doing so - all while growing more and more comfortable with their\ndisillusionment.</p>\n\n\n<p> </p>\n\n\n<p>I remember talking to one lawyer about the Court and whether\nit meant anything when educated people still believed that functioning of\ncomputers could be partially explained by the powers of magic spirits, where\nchild soldiers who fought in the war were protected by magic that made them impervious\nto bullets could really connect with all of these concepts of justice and &quot;international\nlaw&quot; we had imported here, concepts of arguable value to local life.",1] ); //--></script><font> A building the Sierra Leonean government no doubt eyes greedily, but will be too expensive and sophisticated to maintain once the Court leaves Freetown.<br /><br />The prisoners - those that bore the "greatest responsibility" for the atrocities committed during the civil war - lived in absolute luxury when compared to the local population. They had televisions, phones, air conditioning, visitors, trained defense teams and absolutely no prospect of the death penalty. Why? Because our standards and conventions dictate prisoners must be treated well even when our idea of "well" is a standard living out of reach of 99 percent of the population.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font>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at Pademba Road Prison, the foot soldiers of the war, the men and women who were just children when they murdered and maimed, endure squalid conditions in overcrowded cells, awaiting trial, often without a lawyer, in a court that will likely convict and execute them long before the Special Court's prosecution of the RUF and CDF leadership conclude.<br /><br />Some of the staff I met confided in me that they didn't particularly like Sierra Leoneans and that although they had never set foot in Africa before coming to Freetown, it seemed like a good place to earn ones stripes on the way to the ICC. "That's what you wish for in this field. A country with massive human rights violations and good beaches." Similarly, for Sierra Leoneans working there, a gig at the Special Court was probably one of the highest-paying jobs you could get in Freetown. And so you had this feeling that everyone was moving through a ritual, reciting the company line of "ending impunity" - and spending massive amounts of money doing so - without being the least bit invested in the process.<br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><fo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</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><p><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font></span><font></span><font></span></span></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font>I remember talking to one lawyer about the Court and asking whether it meant anything in a place where educated people still believed that the workings of computers could be partially explained by the powers of magic spirits, where child soldiers who fought in the war were protected by magic that made them impervious to bullets. In Sierra Leone, could people really connect with all of these concepts of justice and "international law" we had imported here, concepts of arguable value to local life? Why wasn't anyone out in the villages where most of the violence actually happened talking with chiefs, holding public meetings, asking the Sierra Leoneans who actually did the killing, the suffering, the dying what would make </span><span style="font-style: italic;">them </span>feel safe and whole again.<font> </span>He found that course of conversation a bit annoying, I think, and dismissed it by telling me quite simply that he had no interest in what was going on outside the Court's walls, in learning the local language.<font> </span>He was there to do a job.<font> </span>He was doing it.<font> </span>And when he was done he would leave. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><p><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font>The Truth and Reconciliation Commission was supposed to provide that public, grassroots component.<font> </span>But it was never allowed to finish its mandate.<font> </span>Yes, there were programs to reintegrate ex-combattants, programs focused on reconciliation, programs designed to reach out to larger numbers of people. But the energy and money pale for these endeavors pale in comparison to what's been spent on the Special Court.<br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><p><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font>And so at the end of the day you have this costly project to prosecute a small handful of people in a forum few Sierra Leoneans really understand when the mass of people who were actually hurt by this war have seen no tangible justice or healing.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><p><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><p><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><b>What Will the Court Accomplish?</b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><p><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><br />Shortcomings aside, what really matters is whether the Court can really help to "end impunity" - whatever that means - and prvent Sierra Leone from going through another civil war.<br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><p><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font>In 2004, few people were hopeful.<font> </span>"Sierra Leoneans hate themselves and each other," I was told.<font> </span>"As soon as the United Nations leaves, the country will be right back where it was before 2001 because none of this is addressing the root causes of the war."</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><p><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font>And if that's true, then what good was all the money spent, the careers made, when the people are still hungry and justice is beleaguered by so many glaring incongruities?<br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><p><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font>Filmmaker Farai Sevenzo: "For Africa and here in Sierra Leone, almost $100 million (2003) has already been spent on an experiment. As I see <script><!-- D(["mb","U.N. personnel relaxing on the beaches and see the four-by-fours littering the\nstreets of Freetown,\nI wonder if the U.N. has got this all wrong. What is the point of spending\nmillions on trying a handful of men, some of whom are dead, in a land that is\ndesperately poor? The money being spent here is not consolidating the peace. It\nis money that will not be seen by Sierra Leoneans. The West, it seems, is\nimposing justice when they have little part in ending Sierra Leone\'s\nwar.&quot; (<a>CNN.com</a>)</p>\n\n\n<p> </p>\n\n\n<p>And if that\'s true, then what good was all the money spent,\nthe careers made, when the people are still hungry and justice is beleaguered\nby so many glaring incongruities? </p>\n\n\n<p> </p>\n\n\n<p>I just think of Milosevic, or <a>Saddam Hussein</a>, or any of\nthe ex-dictators who stand trial in these forums and inevitably end up using\nthem to win press and flatter their own vanities and need for public love.<font> </span>I cannot imagine Taylor being any different.<font> </span>And so in my mind, the prospect of a trial that\nextends the mandate of the Court and will drag on for years and eat millions of\ndollars while new generations of Yalies get their feet wet – it just doesn\'t\nseem worth it.</p>\n\n\n<p> </p>\n\n\n<p>But in the end, these kinds of courts will continue to exist,\nfueled by our own guilt, our failure to do nothing while people were actually\ngetting killed, and the agendas of people who genuinely want to create an\ninternational system of rules and norms – a noble goal if it were not for the fact\nthat the people upon which these rules and norms actually end up being tried\nand tested are not the ones who wrote them, they\'re the ones who are weakened,\nnearly destroyed by war and all too happy to have the money that comes along\nwith these giant, &quot;ending impunity&quot; projects.",1] ); //--></script>U.N. personnel relaxing on the beaches and see the four-by-fours littering the streets of Freetown, I wonder if the U.N. has got this all wrong. What is the point of spending millions on trying a handful of men, some of whom are dead, in a land that is desperately poor? The money being spent here is not consolidating the peace. It is money that will not be seen by Sierra Leoneans. The West, it seems, is imposing justice when they have little part in ending Sierra Leone's war." (<a href="http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0311/08/i_if.01.html" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">CNN.com</a>)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font> 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nt></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font>I just think of Milosevic, or </span><a href="http://worldnews.about.com/b/a/252335.htm" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">Saddam Hussein</a>, or any of the ex-dictators who stand trial in these forums and inevitably end up using them to win press and flatter their own vanities and need for public love.<font> I cannot imagine Taylor being any different.</span><font>And so in my mind, the prospect of his trial extending the mandate of the Court, dragging on for years, and eating millions of dollars all so new generation of Yalies can get their feet wet - it just doesn't seem worth it.<br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><fo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nt></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font>But in the end, these kinds of courts will continue to exist, fueled by our own guilt and our failure to do nothing while people were actually getting killed, and the agendas of people who genuinely want to create an international system of rules and norms – a noble goal if it were not for the fact that the people upon which these rules and norms actually end up being tried and tested are not the ones who wrote them. They are the ones who were nearly destroyed by war and all too happy to have the money that comes along with these giant, "ending impunity" projects.</span><script><!-- D(["mb","<font> \n</span></p>\n\n\n<p> </p>\n\n\n<p>After all, the West cannot let this kind of violence stand. <font> </span>In the words of David Crane, the Special Court\'s\nAmerican prosecutor, &quot;Someone has to account for the 500,000 murdered, dead,\nraped, maimed and mutilated. This is the 21st century. This isn\'t the 15th or\n14th century. We are better than that now.&quot;<font> \n</span>(<a>CNN.com</a>)</p>\n\n\n<p> </p>\n\n\n<p>Ah yes, so parts of Africa\nare living in the 15^th or 14^th century, and it\'s up to\nus, the West, or us the Americans to save them from themselves. <font> </span>Because we, the ones who understand justice,\nwho have no blood on our own hands, are the ones who can go and teach this kind\nof enlightenment to the dark places in the world.</p>\n\n\n<p> </p>\n\n\n<p>Maybe the rules and norms by which the world should be\ngoverned are actually universal.<font> </span>But our\nways of understanding and interacting with them are not.<font> </span>And to think it\'s our job to preach rules we\nourselves refuse to live by is nothing less than arrogant.</p>\n\n\n<p> </p>\n\n\n<p>Money spent on the Court as of 2003: $100,000,000</p>\n\n\n<p>2005-2006 Budget: $25,539,700</p></div>",1] ); //--></script><font> 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nt></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font>David Crane, the Special Court's American prosecutor, has said: "Someone has to account for the 500,000 murdered, dead, raped, maimed and mutilated. This is the 21st century. This isn't the 15th or 14th century. We are better than that now."</span><font> (</span><a href="http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0311/08/i_if.01.html" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">CNN.com</a>)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span>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yes, so parts of Africa are living in the 15</span>^th or 14^th century, and it's up to us, the West, or us the Americans to save them from themselves. <font> Because we, the ones who understand justice, who have no blood on our own hands, are the ones who can go and teach this kind of enlightenment to the dark places in the world.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span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the rules and norms by which the world should be governed are actually universal.</span><font> But our ways of understanding and interacting with them are not.</span><font> And to think it's our job to preach rules we ourselves refuse to live by is nothing less than arrogant.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></s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spent on the Court as of 2003: $100,000,000</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font>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Budget: $25,539,700<br 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</span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font><br /><br /></span><a href="http://www.technorati.com/tags/charles%20taylor" rel="tag">Charles Taylor</a>,<br /><br /><a href="http://www.technorati.com/tags/special%20court%20for%20sierra%20leone" rel="tag">Special Court for Sierra Leone</a>,<br /><br /><a href="http://www.technorati.com/tags/special%20court" rel="tag">Special Court</a>,<br /><br /><a href="http://www.technorati.com/tags/sierra%20leone" rel="tag">Sierra Leone</a>,<br /><br /><a href="http://www.technorati.com/tags/africa" rel="tag">Africa</a>,<br /><br /><a href="http://www.technorati.com/tags/politics" rel="tag">Politics</a>,<br /><br /><a href="http://www.technorati.com/tags/international%20justice" rel="tag">International Justice</a><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></span><font></s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</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15466448742193879731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19038766.post-1141291434207015682006-03-02T00:42:00.000-08:002006-03-02T02:49:18.060-08:00Nigerian newspaper <span style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2006/mar/01/national%20-1-03-2006-011.htm">Daily Sun</a> </span>reports that the Nigerian government is seeking military assistance from China, apparently having grown impatient of waiting for calls for US assistance to protect oil facilities from <a href="http://africabeat.blogspot.com/2005/12/martyrs-brigade-hits-shell-oil.html">militants</a> in the Niger Delta to be answered.<br /><br />This is a prime example of one of the aspects of the <a href="http://africabeat.blogspot.com/2006/01/china-turns-toward-africa_16.html">China-Africa</a> relationship that I find most interesting: how China's involvement on the continent might influence African governments' decisions by presenting alternatives to Western diplomacy.<br /><br />In the case of the Sudan, China's involvement has meant the support of a regime complicit in genocide. And in Nigeria, it may mean arms getting into the wrong hands and being used against civilians.<br /><br />Still, I can't help but think that given the history of every other major power on the continent, criticism of China's role as having an adverse effect on human rights is hypocritical. And so I pose the following questions (without myself having made up my mind about the answers): Isn't it in the DNA of every world power to pursue its self-interest? And if so, on balance what is better - an Africa negotiating with one world power pursuing its particular raison d'etat or with several?<br /><br />For more see <a href="http://africabeat.blogspot.com/2006/01/china-turns-toward-africa_16.html">a roundup of China-Africa</a> articles<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Technorati Tags</span>:<br /><a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/africa" rel="tag">Africa</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/africa" rel="tag">Nigeria</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/africa" rel="tag">China</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15466448742193879731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19038766.post-1140672431953412202006-02-22T21:18:00.000-08:002006-02-22T21:27:11.983-08:00Not that I have any regular readers, but in case you were wondering why my last Africabeat post was written well over a month ago...<br /><br />I haven't posted anything on Africabeat in ages, something I definitely regret because I love doing it, but I have been busy the last three or four weeks preparing About.com's new World News Guidesite which should be going live any day now. The address will presumably be <a href="http://worldnews.about.com">http://worldnews.about.com.</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15466448742193879731noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19038766.post-1137573775582819822006-01-18T00:20:00.000-08:002006-01-18T10:22:35.173-08:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.hdr.com.au/images/projects/projects_uganda01.jpg"><img style="margin: 5pt 5pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://www.hdr.com.au/images/projects/projects_uganda01.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>A <a href="http://sg.biz.yahoo.com/060118/16/3xyvl.html">news wire</a> reports that Australian oil company <a href="http://www.hdr.com.au/">Hardman Resources Limited </a>has found oil in the Hoima district of Uganda, making it the first proven oil reserves in the country. It is not known how much oil there is or whether there is commercial potential.<br /><br />The article further reported:<br /><blockquote> Local politician George Tinkamanyire said the discovery was a significant landmark in the country's efforts to improve its economy. <p>"The moment we start mining our oil, poverty will be greatly reduced," he said.</p> </blockquote> <p></p>Mr. Tinkamanyire's appraisal of the positive relationship between oil and wealth is at best too optimistic. If <a href="http://www.ran.org/oilreport/africa.html">current history</a> is any indication, it is quite likely the inverse.<br /><br />Hoima is in the West of the country, on the edge of Lake Albert (bordering the Congo) and is one of the more prosperous districts in Uganda.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Related News Articles:<br /><br />"</span><a href="http://sg.biz.yahoo.com/060118/16/3xyvl.html">Australia's Hardman Discovers Oil in Uganda</a>"<br /><br />"<a href="http://za.today.reuters.com/news/NewsArticle.aspx?type=businessNews&storyID=2006-01-17T094927Z_01_BAN735485_RTRIDST_0_OZABS-ENERGY-TULLOW-20060117.XML">Tullow Oil shares lifted by Uganda well hopes</a>" (Reuters, January 16, 2006)<br /><br />"<a href="http://afr.com/articles/2006/01/18/1137467018081.html">Hardman Discovers Oil in Uganda</a>" <span style="font-style: italic;">Australian Financial Review </span>January 18, 2006<br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Links:</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.hdr.com.au/projects_uganda.asp">Information about exploratory drilling in Uganda from Hardman's website<br /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tags:<br /><br /></span><a href="http://www.technorati.com/tags/Africa" rel="tag">Africa</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tags/uganda" rel="tag">Uganda</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tags/Oil" rel="tag">Oil</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tags/Hardman%20Resources%20Limited" rel="tag">Hardman Resources Limited</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tags/australia" rel="tag">Australia</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15466448742193879731noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19038766.post-1137448032786383432006-01-16T13:32:00.000-08:002006-05-02T20:25:27.163-07:00<div style="text-align: left;"><st1:country-region st="on"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Africabeat has moved! You can update your link to this page by linking here: <a href="http://jenbrea.typepad.com/africabeat/2006/01/china_turns_tow.html">http://jenbrea.typepad.com/africabeat/2006/01/china_turns_tow.html</a></span><span style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://jenbrea.typepad.com/africabeat/2006/01/china_turns_tow.html"><br /></a><br /><br />This post contains commentary followed by an extensive list of articles on China's role in Africa.</span></st1:country-region><br /></div> <p class="MsoNormal"><st1:country-region st="on"></st1:country-region><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://english.epochtimes.com/news_images/2005-7-26-china-zimbabwe.jpg"><img style="margin: 10pt 10px 10px 10pt; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://english.epochtimes.com/news_images/2005-7-26-china-zimbabwe.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><st1:country-region st="on">China</st1:country-region>'s interests in Africa have long been known, but in the last six months, there has been an amazing proliferation of "<st1:country-region st="on">China</st1:country-region> goes to <st1:place st="on">Africa</st1:place>" articles in the international media.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">While the rest of the world often views Africa in the context of a donor-recipient relationship, <st1:country-region st="on">China</st1:country-region> views Africa as a central part of its strategic plan, most notably for its oil reserves (<st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s demand for oil far outstrips its supply) and for its markets for manufactured goods.<span style=""> </span>The Chinese perceive American influence in Africa to be less entrenched than it is in the rest of the world, thus offering unique opportunities for <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region> to pursue its economic interests<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">The question on everyone’s mind is what effect – for good or for evil – <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">China</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s expanding role will have on the continent.<span style=""> </span>As the blog “<a href="http://chinainafrica.blogspot.com/">China in Africa: A New Colonial Power?</a>” asks, will <st1:country-region st="on">China</st1:country-region>’s ambitions in <st1:place st="on">Africa</st1:place> constitute a “new round of colonialism” or “an opportunity for real development”?</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">My guess is a little bit of both.</p> <span class="fullpost"><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">What makes the Chinese different from the Americans is that they are willing to do business virtually anywhere and with anyone.<span style=""> </span>On the one hand, that is a positive.<span style=""> </span>The Chinese are more willing to invest in post-conflict countries and to open businesses or broker trade deals in environments that many American or European companies would deem too risky.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">But that also means the Chinese are willing to do business with some very questionable people. In the case of oil-rich <st1:country-region st="on">Sudan</st1:country-region>, the Chinese have heavily invested in infrastructure development and have even sold war planes and other military equipment to the government in <st1:city st="on">Khartoum</st1:city>, a regime thought to have committed war crimes against its own people in <st1:place st="on">Darfur</st1:place>.<span style=""> </span><st1:country-region st="on">China</st1:country-region> has also sold military equipment in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Zimbabwe</st1:place></st1:country-region>, despite the arms embargo, and has offered assistance in improving the government’s ability to jam independent radio stations and filter the internet.<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal">(For my part, I have never been completely sold on this critique. China is playing the same game all world powers play. How much training, military equipment, economic aid, and other implicit or explicit support has the United States given to questionable regimes in the last fifty years? (Not to mention engaging in full-out war). I would bet it would outstrip China by some exponential factor.)<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">On balance, I suspect most African leaders welcome Chinese involvement. If anything, it offers governments an alternative to American and European hegemony and the prescriptions of Western-run institutions like the IMF and the World Bank. Competition may give African governments more bargaining power vis-à-vis donor governments and perhaps force some to see <st1:place st="on">Africa</st1:place>’s economic development as part of their own self-interest, and that (I hope) will be a good thing.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Use the links below to learn more about a really interesting and emerging topic.<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-style: italic;">Photo: Chinese President Hu Jintao receives Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe in Beijing this past July.</span><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /><br /><b style="">Soft diplomacy:<o:p></o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">"<a href="http://www.howardwfrench.com/archives/2005/11/20/china_wages_classroom_struggle_to_win_friends_in_africa/">China Wages Classroom Struggle to Win Friends in Africa</a>," Howard French. <i>New York Times</i>, <st1:date month="11" day="20" year="2005" st="on">November 20, 2005</st1:date>.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">"<a href="http://jamestown.org/publications_details.php?volume_id=408&&amp;issue_id=3491">China's Soft Power in Africa: From the "Beijing Consensus" to Health Diplomacy</a>" by Drew Thompson. <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on"><i style="">China</i></st1:place></st1:country-region><i style=""> Brief</i>, October 13, 2005.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><o:p> </o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="">Trade:<o:p></o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><o:p> </o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal">“<a href="http://www.mg.co.za/articlePage.aspx?articleid=260830&area=/insight/insight__economy__business/">From China With Love</a>” by Janet Wilhelm.<span style=""> </span><i style="">Mail &amp; Guardian.</i><span style=""> </span><st1:date month="1" day="9" year="2006" st="on">January 9, 2006</st1:date>.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4587374.stm">China-Africa trade jumps by 39% </a>BBC News <st1:date month="1" day="6" year="2006" st="on">January 6, 2006</st1:date>.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="FR">“</span><a href="http://www.monde-diplomatique.fr/2005/05/SERVANT/12218?var_recherche=chine"><span style="" lang="FR">La Chine à l’assaut du marché africain</span></a><span style="" lang="FR">” by Jean-Christophe Servant. </span><i style="">Le Monde Diplomatique</i>.<br /></p><br /><p>"<a href="http://www.rfi.fr/actufr/articles/073/article_41099.asp">Chungking Mansions : l’Afrique à Hong-Kong</a>" RFI.fr<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b style=""><o:p> </o:p></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><b style=""><o:p> </o:p></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><span style="font-size:100%;">O</span>il:<o:p></o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">“<a href="http://www.sudantribune.com/article.php3?id_article=13503">China’s foreign minister in Africa bolster energy interests</a>.”<span style=""> </span>Associated Press. <span style=""> </span>January 12, 2006.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">"<a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4594058.stm">China Oil Firm Buys into Nigeria</a>” Chris Hogg. BBC News.com <st1:date month="1" day="9" year="2006" st="on">January 9, 2006</st1:date>.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">“<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/09/AR2006010901524.html">CNOOC Announces $2.3B Nigeria Investment</a>” by Peter S. Goodman. <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on"><i style="">Washington</i></st1:place></st1:state><i style=""> Post</i>.<span style=""> </span><st1:date month="1" day="9" year="2006" st="on">January 9, 2006</st1:date>.<br /><br />"<a href="http://jamestown.org/publications_details.php?volume_id=408&issue_id=3491&amp;article_id=2370338">Dueling Priorities for Beijing in the Horn of Africa</a>" by David Shinn, Joshua Eisenmann.<span style=""> </span><st1:place st="on"><st1:country-region st="on"><i style="">China</i></st1:country-region></st1:place><i style=""> Brief</i>, <st1:date month="10" day="13" year="2005" st="on">October 13, 2005</st1:date>.<br /><br />"<a href="http://jamestown.org/publications_details.php?volume_id=408&issue_id=3491&amp;article_id=2370339">Sudan: China's Outpost in Africa</a>" by Yitzhak Shicor.<span style=""> </span><st1:place st="on"><st1:country-region st="on"><i style="">China</i></st1:country-region></st1:place><i style=""> Brief</i>, <st1:date month="10" day="13" year="2005" st="on">October 13, 2005</st1:date>.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="">Arms:<o:p></o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">"<a href="http://jamestown.org/publications_details.php?volume_id=408&issue_id=3491&amp;article_id=2370337">Beijing's Arms and Oil Interests in Africa</a>" by Ian Taylor. <st1:place st="on"><st1:country-region st="on"><i style="">China</i></st1:country-region></st1:place><i style=""> Brief</i>, <st1:date month="10" day="13" year="2005" st="on">October 13, 2005</st1:date>.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="">More articles:<o:p></o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><o:p> </o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal">“<a href="http://yaleglobal.yale.edu/display.article?id=5106">China’s Africa Safari</a>” by Paul Mooney.<span style=""> </span><i style="">YaleGlobal Online</i>.<span style=""> </span><st1:date month="1" day="3" year="2005" st="on">January 3, 2005</st1:date>.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">“<a href="http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-04/21/content_2857019.htm">Asia, Africa on way to new strategic partnership</a>” Xinhua.net </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><o:p> </o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="FR">“</span><a href="http://www.african-geopolitics.org/show.aspx?ArticleId=3726"><span style="" lang="FR">La Chine et l’Afrique: Entre Engagement et Intérêt</span></a><span style="" lang="FR">” <i style="">Géopolitique africaine</i>, 2004.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="FR"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">“<a href="http://www.granta.com/extracts/2616">We Love China</a>” by Lindsey Hilsum. <i style="">Granta<o:p></o:p></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i style=""><o:p> </o:p></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="">“<a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0330/p01s01-woaf.html">A rising China counters US clout in Africa</a>,” </span><i style="">Christian Science Monitor. <span style=""> </span></i><span style="">March 30, 2005.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i style=""><o:p> </o:p></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on"><b><span style="">Sudan</span></b></st1:place></st1:country-region><b><span style="">:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style=""><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="">“<a href="http://www.sudantribune.com/article.php3?id_article=12726">What are the politics behind China’s race to develop Sudan?</a>” by Rob Crilly, </span><i style="">Irish Times</i><span style="">. <span style=""> </span>November 25, 2005.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="">“<a href="http://www.sudantribune.com/article.php3?id_article=13090">China’s interests in Sudan bring diplomatic cover</a>” Reuters, December 17, 2005.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i style=""><o:p> </o:p></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i style=""><o:p> </o:p></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="">Blogs posts</b>:</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">“<a href="http://www.sokwanele.com/thisiszimbabwe/archives/191">Zimbabweans protest at Chinese aid for Mugabe</a>”<span style=""> </span>This is <st1:place st="on"><st1:country-region st="on">Zimbabwe</st1:country-region></st1:place></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">“<a href="http://jewelsnthejungle.blogspot.com/2006/01/china-in-africa-cnooc-nigerian-oil.html">China in Africa: the CNOOC Nigerian Oil Deal</a>” Jewels in the Jungle (with some really interesting comments by Nigerian readers)</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">“<a href="http://chippla.blogspot.com/2005/04/future-of-africa-is-not-china.html">The future of Africa is not China</a>” Chippla’s Weblog</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/?p=326">China’s trade with Africa – good news or bad news?</a><span style=""> </span>Ethan Zuckerman.<span style=""> </span>My Heart’s in <st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on">Accra</st1:city></st1:place></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">“<a href="http://nigeriantimes.blogspot.com/">CNOOC: “It’s a good deal</a>”<span style=""> </span>Nigerian Times</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">“<a href="http://committeetoprotectbloggers.civiblog.org/blog/_archives/2005/11/17/1411298.html">Chinese Censorship Specialists in Zimbabwe</a>” Committee to Protect Bloggers</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="">Other links:<o:p></o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><o:p> </o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.focac.org/eng/">Forum On China-Africa Cooperation</a> (<a href="http://www.fmprc.gov.cn/zflt/chn/"><span style="">中非合作</span><span style="font-family:SimSun;">论坛</span></a>) (Government website)</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://chinainafrica.blogspot.com/">China in Africa: A New Colonial Power?</a> (Blog)</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.chinafrique.com/">Chinafrique</a><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal">"<a href="http://www.weforum.org/site/homepublic.nsf/Content/Annual+Meeting+2006#13">Cultivating responsible trade ties between China and Africa</a>" makes it onto the World Economic Forum (Davos, Switzerland) agenda:<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.weforum.org/site/homepublic.nsf/Content/Annual+Meeting+2006#13"></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="">Tags:</b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.technorati.com/tags/china" rel="tag">China</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tags/Africa" rel="tag">Africa</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tags/Arms" rel="tag">Arms</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tags/Trade" rel="tag">Trade</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tags/Oil" rel="tag">Oil</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tags/Diplomacy" rel="tag">Diplomacy</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tags/Sudan" rel="tag">Sudan</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tags/Zimbabwe" rel="tag">Zimbabwe</a><br /></p> </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://africabeat.blogspot.com/2006/01/china-turns-toward-africa_16.html"><br />Click here to read the Full Article</a><br /><b style=""><o:p></o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15466448742193879731noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19038766.post-1135410133769349942005-12-23T22:43:00.000-08:002006-01-11T13:56:32.376-08:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img.timeinc.net/time/daily/2005/0512/jolie1217.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://img.timeinc.net/time/daily/2005/0512/jolie1217.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>An <a href="http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1142281-1,00.html">insightful article</a> by James Poniewozik on the recent popularity of celebrities traipsing off to "discover" Third World suffering appeared in this week's Time Magazine. Its thesis was that yes, celebrities do look like ridiculous dilettantes when one minute they are strutting down a red carpet wearing $5,000 Versace couture, then squatting with wrinkled Kashmiri earthquake survivors, donning a head scarf, the next, but we (Americans) need them. They exploit their glamour and their notoriety to focus our attention on issues we would rather ignore. And besides, they a) could be doing much worse and b) do much more than most:<br /><span class="fullpost"><br /><blockquote><span style="font-size:85%;"><img alt="" src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/img/66a.gif" align="left" border="0" height="12" hspace="2" width="15" />Celebrities can make us pay good money to watch movies based on TV shows we wouldn't watch for free in reruns. They change our clothes and haircuts. They even get us to buy--God help us--puggles. You should be grateful that Sharon Stone and Tom Hanks merely ask you to join the fight against AIDS. They could just as easily command you to build a pair of wings out of newspaper and fly off the roof of your garage.<img alt="" src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/img/99a.gif" border="0" height="12" width="15" /><br /><br /><img alt="" src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/img/66a.gif" align="left" border="0" height="12" hspace="2" width="15" />It is easy to say that people don't help others because they're unaware of what's going on in the world. But maybe the problem is that they're too aware. In a world of endless woes, you can be overwhelmed into inaction. Or you can make, at some level, an arbitrary choice. That is where celebrities come in, because there is no phenomenon more arbitrary than celebrity. They are attention filters, the human equivalent of throwing a dart at a map. A pretty face and a famous name are a convenient excuse to focus on one problem in the midst of a thousand equally unignorable others. To give to Tibet and not Africa may seem callous. But to pick Richard Gere over Bono--that's just show biz. . .And attention is the celebrigod's lightning bolt. If the most fatuous celebrity plants himself near a problem, he may embarrass himself. But at least someone will see it. And someone will film it. And a few of us may, little by little, be moved to change it.</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><img alt="" src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/img/99a.gif" border="0" height="12" width="15" /></span></blockquote> Poniewozik has a point. Celebrity <span style="font-style: italic;">can </span>be a very powerful tool when it's put to good use. But if we read a story about famine or <a href="http://www.fistulafoundation.org/">fistula </a>just because a pretty face we recognize is championing its victims, does that mean that we are any more likely to act? It's not enough to simply raise awareness or to raise a few million dollars (drops in the bucket) to throw at an issue. People need to advance solutions to problems. But the minute that celebrities become political, they risk tarnishing their image and attracting too much of the wrong kind of attention. It's one thing to participate in a public awareness campaign against AIDS. It's quite another to say "abstinence only" doesn't work; we need condoms and sex education, and any aid policy that doesn't promote these methods is just plain irresponsible.<br /><br />And when <a href="http://movies.msn.com/movies/article.aspx?news=195966">Angelina Jolie goes to Ethiopia</a> to adopt a new child (under questionable circumstances) and starts a tabloid feeding-frenzy, isn't she actually trivializing the issues she champions? Africa or Kashmir or wherever Ms. Jolie happens to be is then merely a beautiful and exotic backdrop for the same silly dramas we obsess over when our favorite celebrities are safe and warm in Hollywood.<br /><br />I'm still undecided as to how much good (or harm) celebrities do when they seek to shed a light on the problems of developing countries we in the First World too easily ignore. <span style="font-weight: bold;">What do you think?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">News articles:<br /><br /></span>"<a href="http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1142281-1,00.html">The Year of Charitainment</a>" Time Magazine<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />More links:<br /><br /></span>"<a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/1874845.stm">Jolie film angers Ethiopians"</a> (A BBC News article about <a href="http://www.beyondbordersmovie.com/">Beyond Borders</a>, a really bad film staring Angelina Jolie and Clive Owen as humanitarian superheroes.)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tags:<br /></span><br /><a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/Africa" rel="tag">Africa</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/Angelina%20Jolie" rel="tag">Angelina Jolie</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/Ethiopia" rel="tag">Ethiopia</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/Charitainment" rel="tag">Charitainment</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/celebrity" rel="tag">celebrity</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/humanitarian%20aid" rel="tag">humanitarian aid</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/Sierra%20Leone" rel="tag">Sierra Leone</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/Beyond%20Borders" rel="tag">Beyond Borders</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/Hollywood" rel="tag">Hollywood</a>.<br /><br /></span><br /><br /><a href="http://africabeat.blogspot.com/2005/12/what-angelina-jolie-can-tell-us-about.html">Click here for Full Article</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15466448742193879731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19038766.post-1135370008324911492005-12-23T11:08:00.000-08:002006-01-11T13:57:18.886-08:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.3continents.com/cinema/films/images/f1049.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://www.3continents.com/cinema/films/images/f1049.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span class="headline">I just stumbled across a series of articles in the Christian Science Monitor about filmmaking in Africa, the most recent of which highlights Nigeria's booming film industry.<br /><br />The article reports that "Nollywood" is third only to Hollywood and Bollywood (India's Bombay, now called Mumbai, - based film industry) in revenues, which, come to think of it, is hardly surprising. When I was in Ghana and Sierra Leone last year, it seemed that nearly every movie, soap opera, or music video was made in Nigeria. With the shear size of its population and its oil wealth, Nigeria dominates the production of popular culture in West Africa in much the same way the United States does in the West.<br /><br />The Nigerian movie industry presents an exciting opportunity for foreign investors, but like many other industries, is left unexplored. The risks are, of course, high. Movies are very easily pirated (but they are everywhere in the world) and without a cineplex infrastructure, everything is pretty much straight to DVD. But with budgets of 5,000 bucks a pop and 2-week production schedules, the chances for savvy people with the right connections and a little bit of capital to make good money are endless.<br /><span class="fullpost"><br />African filmmakers have attempted to attract more attention and investment from abroad (see the <a href="http://www.blogger.com/=%22http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0302/p01s03-woaf.html?s=widep">Christians Science Monitor article</a> on Danny Glover and the <a href="http://www.fespaco.bf/"><i>Festival Panafricain du Cinéma</i></a>). Yet, the fact that films on African themes made by Africans and starring Africans have not gotten more international recognition might be a good thing. The commercialization and Americanization of Chinese film, for example, created a demand for films steeped in a traditional culture turned into something beautiful, strange, exotic, and palatable to Western audiences, but, I would argue, somehow inauthentic. (Elaborately-choreographed martial arts action sequences haven't hurt either.) The big budget Chinese film reached a sort of strange and disturbing apex in <i>Memoirs of a Geisha </i>with the casting of English-speaking Chinese actresses (made famous by the <i>Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon</i>/<i>Hero</i>/<i>House of the Flying Daggers</i> triumvirate) as Geishas alongside the English-speaking Japanese men. (Did the whole comfort women/Japanese occupation thing cross anyone's mind during the making of that movie???)<br /><br />I could see a similar thing happening in African film, perhaps not now, but maybe ten or twenty years down the line, where the more exotic elements of popular storytelling - strange cultural practices, genies or evil spirits that pop up and intercede in characters' everyday lives - are translated into a form, complete with eye-popping CGI effects, that makes African stories appealing to American or European moviegoers. Then you might see movies that are African-made and star actual Africans succeed internationally. However, j</span></span><span class="headline"><span class="fullpost">ust as new high-budget martial arts movies reflect popular perceptions of Chinese culture, these African films might end up making it not by shattering stereotypes, but by relying </span></span><span class="headline"><span class="fullpost">on themes and images of traditional culture that confirm popular perceptions of Africa in the foreign imagination: backwards, violent, primal, mysterious.<br /><br />And yet, however inauthentic or artificial cultural branding has made big budget Chinese film, the expansion of China's cultural reach has been an important and inevitable part of the country's rise to world power. (If having your nation's daughters propel a much-hyped, big-budget film based on a poorly-written bestselling novel to a <a href="http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=memoirsofageisha.htm">box office</a> and <a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/memoirs_of_a_geisha/">critical </a>flop isn't a sign that you've made it, I don't know what is.) And if I'm reading the tea leaves correctly, Indian films are next. Like China and India, Africa has a large internal market and a far-flung diaspora - key ingredients for cultivating a strong indigenous film industry and projecting its reach globally. And if one day African-filmmakers are in a position to sell-out their culture for the tastes of moviegowers in Iowa or Brisbane, well, I would have to celebrate. It would be better, at least for Africa's international image, than the same old, Hollywood-produced stories about the slave trade, colonialism, apartheid, genocide, etc. that portray Africans as victims and Africa as a hopeless continent. When it comes to competing globally, cultural influence may be just as important as economic and political power, so Nollywood, the more power to you.<br /><br /><br /><b>Related News Articles:</b><br /><br />"<a href="http://csmonitor.com/2005/1220/p01s02-woaf.html">Africans, camera, action: 'Nollywood' catches world's eye</a>" Christian Science Monitor, December 20, 2005<br /><br />"<a href="http://nigeriaworld.com/feature/spotlight/nollywood.html">Step aside, L.A. and Bombay, for Nollywood</a>" New York Times, September 16, 2002<br /><br /><b>Other Christian Science Monitor articles on African filmmaking:</b><br /><br />"<a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0422/p11s01-almo.html?s=widep">Hollywood looks deeper into Africa" Christian Science Monitor</a>," April 22, 2005<br /><br />"<a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0302/p01s03-woaf.html?s=widep">Wanted at Africa's biggest film festival: Hollywood's black stars</a>" March 2, 2005<br /><br />"<a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/2002/0626/p01s04-woaf.html?s=widep">Nigeria nips at Hollywood's heels</a>" June 26, 2002<br /><br /><br /><b>Other Links</b>:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.naijarules.com/vb/index.php">Naijarules</a>, a online forum on Nigerian movies<br /><br /><b>Tags:<br /><br /></b></span></span><a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/Africa" rel="tag">Africa</a>, <span class="headline"><span class="fullpost"><a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/Nigeria" rel="tag">Nigeria</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/Nigerian%20cinema" rel="tag">Nigerian cinema</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/Nollywood" rel="tag">Nollywood</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/African%20movies" rel="tag">African movies</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/movies" rel="tag">movies</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/film" rel="tag">film</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/Hollywood" rel="tag">Hollywood</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/China" rel="tag">China</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/Chinese%20film" rel="tag">Chinese film</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/India" rel="tag">India</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/Bollywood" rel="tag">Bollywood</a><br /><br /></span><br /><BR><BR><a href="http://africabeat.blogspot.com/2005/12/african-filmmaking-imagining-future-of.html">Click here for Full Article</a><br /><br /><br /><br /></span>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19038766.post-1135323563366897502005-12-22T18:51:00.000-08:002005-12-23T23:49:48.246-08:00BBC News has reported that a dynamite attack by unknown gunmen has disabled a major oil pipeline in Nigeria run by Shell.<br /><br />A previously unknown group calling itself the "Martyrs' Brigade" has claimed responsibility for the attack. The Martyrs' Brigade issued a statement to the Nigerian press which has not been widely reported in Nigeria, but that, according to <a href="http://www.rfi.fr/actufr/articles/072/article_40628.asp">Radio France Internationale</a>, expressed the intention to initiate widescale, armed attacks in the Niger delta region. The statement read:"if petroleum production does not provide any economic or social benefit for our people, it should be saved for future generations. There will be more acts of sabotage."<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">News articles:</span><br /><br />"<a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4553076.stm">Shell Oil hit by Nigerian attack</a>" BBC News<br /><br />"<a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4554072.stm">Nigeria Oil attack prompts alert</a>" BBC News<br /><br />"<a href="http://www.mg.co.za/articlePage.aspx?articleid=259771&area=/breaking_news/breaking_news__africa/">At least eight dead in Nigerian pipeline blast</a>" Mail &amp; Guardian (South Africa)<br /><br />"<a href="http://www.rfi.fr/actufr/articles/072/article_40628.asp">Petrol en feu</a>" RFI.fr (France)<br /><br />"<a href="http://www.guardiannewsngr.com/news/article03">Government issues security alert in Niger delta</a>" Guardian News (Nigeria)<span arial=""><b><span style="font-size:78%;"></span></b></span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Tags:<br /><br /></span><a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/Africa" rel="tag">Africa</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/Nigeria" rel="tag">Nigeria</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/Shell" rel="tag">Shell</a>,<a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/Oil" rel="tag"> Oil</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/Martyrs%27%20Brigade" rel="tag">Martyrs' Brigade</a>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19038766.post-1133106824777331652005-11-27T07:25:00.000-08:002005-11-27T07:57:16.380-08:00Since my last post, "<a href="http://africabeat.blogspot.com/2005/11/facade-of-democracy-slipping-in-uganda.html">The facade of democracy slipping in Uganda</a>," Museveni's unraveling has continued. Kizza Besigye, a major political rival who was set to appear before the High Court on charges of treason and rape, has now been charged by Uganda's military court. Even if the civilian High Court grants Besigye bail, he may still be held indefinitely on military charges.<br /><br />In addition to banning pro-Besigye demonstrations in Kampala, the government has threatened to shut down any news organization discussing Besigye or the case before a decision is made.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Related news articles:</span><br /><br />"<a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4465680.stm">Museveni rival in military court</a>" BBC News<br />"<a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4471194.stm">Museveni defends rival's arrest</a>" BBC News<br />"<a href="http://www.mg.co.za/articlePage.aspx?articleid=257785&area=/breaking_news/breaking_news__africa/">Blair attacks arrest of Ugandan opposition leader</a>" Mail &amp; Guardian<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tags</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/uganda" rel="tag">Uganda</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/museveni" rel="tag">Museveni</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/besigye" rel="tag">Besigye</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/africa" rel="tag">Africa</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/media" rel="tag">media</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/law" rel="tag">law</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/democracy" rel="tag">democracy</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15466448742193879731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19038766.post-1132783733515512682005-11-23T13:17:00.000-08:002006-01-11T13:57:48.690-08:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/40613000/jpg/_40613201_musevenimugabeap203.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/40613000/jpg/_40613201_musevenimugabeap203.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>On Wednesday, Museveni announced a <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4463410.stm">ban all public demonstrations</a> in the capital, Kampala.<br /><br />Supporters of Kizza Besigye, President Yoweri Museveni's opponent in the 2001 presidential <a href="http://africabeat.blogspot.com/2005/11/museveni-to-run-fo-reelection.html" rel="tag">election</a>, have been staging protests against Besigye's recent arrest and imprisonment. After returning from four years in exile, Besigye was charged with treason and rape. If found guilty of treason, Besigye could face the death penalty.<br /><br />The ban on demonstrations, as part of a larger pattern of tightening political controls, raises some serious questions about the future of democracy in Uganda. <span class="fullpost">The ease with which Museveni has been able to jail a political rival, maneuver changes to the constitution that allow him to run for yet another term, and now ban public demonstrations suggests that Museveni's Movement system - the means by which Museveni achieved a relatively stable and peaceful, one party state - may have been little more than a low-grade Dictatorship dressed as a Democracy. In the past, </span><span class="fullpost">Uganda did well because Museveni did well by Uganda, not because the Ugandans have been successful in building strong, democratic institutions over Museveni's twenty years in power, institutions that can both constrain and outlast the personal charisma of a single man. </span><br /><span class="fullpost"><br />I would like to be wrong. Am I being too hard on Museveni?<br /><br />To be fair, <a href="http://lehommenoir.blogspot.com/2005/11/uneasy-calm-after-kampala-riots.html">unrest </a>in Kampala has lead to injuries and to the destruction of property which have may have been underreported in the foreign news media. The exigencies of maintaining public order might very well justify this ban. But that would be easier to accept if the banning of public demonstrations did not fit a <a href="http://hrw.org/english/docs/2005/11/24/uganda12089.htm">larger pattern of political repression</a>.<br /><br />Or maybe Western-style democracy is just not a high priority in many African countries, nor, perhaps, should it be. Maybe Museveni and his supporters are right. Maybe unity is more important. And maybe the costs of restricting political freedoms in the short-run are worth pursuing the larger public good of prosperity, which can only be achieved in a peaceful, stable Uganda. That is, at least, one of the main justifications of a one-party state (case in point: China).<br /><br />However, if Museveni really believed this to be true, if his political machinations were inspired by what he thought was best for the country, rather than his own political ambitions, surely he would not have run again. He would have chosen a successor - an ally, someone who could keep the Movement sysem intact - and he would have stepped aside and allowed someone else to stand in the election. That, I believe, is what a public servant who had a broader interest in mind would have done. After all, Museveni cannot live forever, and the only kind of democracy that can survive is one that can be tested.<br /><br />No, I think this is just about power and the desperate desire not hold onto it as long as possible. If donors and aid workers were holding their breath, waiting to see what was living under the sheep's skin, I think they may have found their answer.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Related news articles</span>:<br /><br />"<a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4463410.stm">Museveni prevents pro-Besigye demos</a>" BBC News<br />"<a href="http://hrw.org/english/docs/2005/11/24/uganda12089.htm">Uganda: Political Repression Accelerates</a>" Human Rights Watch<br />"<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/23/international/africa/23uganda.html?ex=1290402000&en=b9846ace421fedc7&amp;ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&amp;emc=rss">By fits and starts, Africa's brand of democracy emerges</a>" New York Times<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Related blog entries</span>:<br /><br />"<a href="http://africabeat.blogspot.com/2005/11/museveni-to-run-fo-reelection.html">Museveni to run for reelection</a>" Africabeat<br />"<a href="http://africabeat.blogspot.com/2005/11/liberia-and-ugandas-fragile.html">Liberia and Uganda's fragile democracies</a>" Africabeat<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tags</span>:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/uganda" rel="tag">Uganda</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/museveni" rel="tag">Museveni</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/besigye" rel="tag">Besigye</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/kampala" rel="tag">Kampala</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/democracy" rel="tag">democracy</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/election" rel="tag">elections</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/protests" rel="tag">protests</a><br /><br /></span><br /><br /><a href="http://africabeat.blogspot.com/2005/11/facade-of-democracy-slipping-in-uganda.html">Click here for Full Article<br /></a>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19038766.post-1132635379534222662005-11-21T20:31:00.000-08:002005-12-23T15:58:29.126-08:00It looks like Liberian members of parliament, in anticipation of being booted out by winners of the recent <a href="http://africabeat.blogspot.com/2005/11/liberia-and-ugandas-fragile.html" rel="tag">elections</a>, are stripping their offices of everything of value. The IRIN Africa New Service reported:<br /><blockquote>"...the 76 out-going parliamentarians are so attached to their government-issued Grand Cherokee Jeeps that on Friday they passed a "binding resolution" to keep them beyond the end of their term."</blockquote><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font>Presumably, the MPs were given Jeeps to bring them closer to their consituents, enabling them to move around areas in their districts where unpaved roads and frequent rains would otherwise make travel impossible. Jeeps are one of those concrete inputs donors love to use to "build democracy."<br /><br />Of course, considering how little Liberian MPs make <span style="font-style: italic;">legally</span>, none of this surprises. In Liberia, as in most desperately poor countries, there are no rewards for honesty.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Related news article</span>:<br /><br />"<a href="http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=50214">Scramble for goodies ahead of political turnover</a>" - IRIN Africa News Service<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tags</span>:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/Liberia" rel="tag">Liberia</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/parliament" rel="tag">Parliament</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/looting" rel="tag">Looting</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/jeeps" rel="tag">jeeps</a><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19038766.post-1132502132210921912005-11-20T07:50:00.000-08:002005-11-20T07:56:34.940-08:00Just in case there was any doubt, Museveni has announced his intention to stand for reelection in March. Up until now, Museveni's leadership has made Uganda one of the region's success stories. His refusal to step down threatens to tear all that apart.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">News articles:</span><br /><br />"<a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4453554.stm">Uganda's president to stand again</a>" BBC News<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tags:<br /><br /></span><a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/africa" ref="tag">africa</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/politics" ref="tag">politics</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/uganda" ref="tag">Uganda</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/museveni" ref="tag">Museveni</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/election" ref="tag">election</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15466448742193879731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19038766.post-1132286201491690222005-11-18T02:56:00.000-08:002006-01-11T13:59:20.763-08:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://home.arcor.de/tr.mm/namibia/fotos/16b_neisib.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://home.arcor.de/tr.mm/namibia/fotos/16b_neisib.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>It looks like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Namibia" rel="tag">Namibia</a> is embarking on a fast-track <a href="http://www.mg.co.za/articlePage.aspx?articleid=256759&area=/breaking_news/breaking_news__africa/" rel="tag">land reform</a> program that will take away a vast quantity of land from its white owners (4.8 million hectacres) and redistribute it to a relatively small share of the population (240,o00 farmers) on a "willing seller, willing buyer basis."<br /><br />Sound familiar? This was exactly the kind of language used to describe the land reform program in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zimbabwe" rel="tag">Zimbabwe</a> when it was first conceived. <span class="fullpost">I know very little about this plan and nothing about the Namibian government's actual intentions, but fast track land reform is often about responding to political pressure (in this case sparked by a highly-publicized dispute between a white farm owning family and some of their workers) rather than creating real change.<br /><br />The costs are often quite high. In Zimbabwe, land reform ended up being too shallow to have any real effects in terms of increasing the economic opportunities of ordinary Zimbabweans while just radical enough to destroy what was the country's business class. Land seizures resulted in massive food shortages as poor Zimbabweans had neither the technical capacity nor the capital to farm the land they had just been given.<br /><br />If Namibia is avoid following in Zimbabwe's footsteps, it must make sure the redistribution process is free from corruption and that land falls in the hands of those who need it, not just those who have wealth or political connections. New landowners, most of whom have never managed a farm and have no capital to properly cultivate the land, must receive massive amounts of support from the government including training and agricultural inputs such as livestock, machinery, seeds, and fertilizer. Finally, whites who have had land confiscated should be allowed to keep some portion of their land or should otherwise be encouraged to stay in the country. If whites leave Namibia, millions of dollars in foreign capital will likely go with them.<br /><br />Land reform is a necessary step in redressing southern Africa's colonial legacy of economic segregation. However, attempts to redistribute land often seem to end in disaster. A transparent process and energetic government support are necessary in order to balance the needs of equity and economic stability. But that requires a strong and effective government, something which in most African countries is in short supply.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Related news articles:</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.economist.com.na/2004/1oct/10-01-02.htm">"Britain to provide funds for Namibia's land reform"</a> <span style="font-style: italic;">Namibia Economist</span><br /><br />"<a href="http://www.mg.co.za/articlePage.aspx?articleid=256759&area=/breaking_news/breaking_news__africa/">First compulsory Namibian farm sale conclused</a>" <span style="font-style: italic;">Mail and Guardian</span><br /><br />"<a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/3918369.stm">Namibians prepare for emotive land reform</a>" BBC News<br /><br />"<a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/2220949.stm">Land pressure mounting in Namibia</a>" BBC News<br /><br />"<a href="http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=49219&SelectRegion=Southern_Africa&amp;SelectCountry=NAMIBIA">Land reform must include post-transfer support says new report</a>." IRIN News.org (UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Related blog entries:</span><br /><br /><font>"<a href="http://cmarlow.blogspot.com/2005/10/mugabe-admits-he-is-idiot-mugabes.html">Mugabe admits he's an idiot</a>" Captain Marlowe<br />"<a href="http://headheeb.blogmosis.com/archives/029376.html">Political factors</a>" The Head Heeb<font><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tags:</span><br /><br /><font><font><a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/namibia" rel="tag">Namibia</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/Zimbabwe" rel="tag">Zimbabwe</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/land%20reform" rel="tag">land reform</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/Africa" rel="tag">Africa</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/politics" rel="tag">politics</a><br /></span></span></span></span></span><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><br /><br /><a href="http://africabeat.blogspot.com/2005/11/namibia-next-zimbabwe.html">Click here for Full Article</a><br /><br /><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19038766.post-1132238685559568782005-11-17T23:44:00.000-08:002006-01-11T13:59:59.143-08:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.tlcafrica.com/EJ_Sirleaf.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://www.tlcafrica.com/EJ_Sirleaf.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">The economist v. the footballer</span><br /><br />When <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ellen_Johnson-Sirleaf" rel="tag">Ellen Johnson Sirleaf</a> won Liberia's first post-conflict presidential election I had two reactions: One, hooray for an African nation for choosing capability over celebrity, a World Bank Economist over a footballer, a woman over a man. Two, how many European countries and countries where women enjoy a lower social status than we apparently enjoy in the U.S. have to elect women as heads of state before we can elect a <span style="font-style: italic;">non-Christian</span>, let alone a woman, to the Presidency?<br /><br />Her opponent, <a href="http://www.friendsofgeorgeweah.com/" rel="tag">George Weah</a>, continues to protest the election results <span class="fullpost">(59% to 41% in favor of Ms. Johnson Sirleaf - a 130,000 vote margin), even though many prominent African heads of state and the international community at large has supported the election outcomes as free and fair. Weah's supporters refuse to be deterred and have continued to protest in the streets of Monrovia as an election fraud inquiry begins. So far Weah's supporters have not been able to provide evidence of fraud that could come anywhere near narrowing the considerable gap in votes.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.diavoli-germania.de/Bilder/weah.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://www.diavoli-germania.de/Bilder/weah.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>In well-institutionalized democracies, such a broad mandate would likely silence any opposition over elections procedure. Even when the vote is much closer (such as it was in the United States in 2000 and in 2004), there is a sense that if a loser contests the results, he is crying over spilt milk. Losing parties quickly regroup so as to maximize their influence as an opposition party and attempt to gain ground in the next election.<br /><br />But in places like Liberia, many are likely to think, "what next election?" Elections in Africa have a tendency to create lifelong rulers, dynasties, or de facto one party states; Many Presidents stay in office as long as dictators or, if they are term-limited, hand-pick their successors. For the losing party, there may not be a second chance.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />President for life? - Uganda's 'philosopher-king'<br /></span><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoweri_Museveni" rel="tag">Yoweri Museveni</a>, President of Uganda, has undoubtedly been good for his country. Under his watch, Uganda (with the glaring exception of the Lord's Resistance Army's (LRA) 10+ year rampage in the Northern provinces bordering Sudan) has been stable. His government has aggressively tackled HIV/AIDS, created an attractive environment for foreign investment, and implemented the most extensive decentralization of powers to local governments on the continent. No wonder that Museveni has been considered something of a golden-child in the international community. My African political economy professor in college had even taken to calling him a 'philosopher king'.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.info-regenten.de/regent/regent-d/pictures/uganda-museveni.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://www.info-regenten.de/regent/regent-d/pictures/uganda-museveni.gif" alt="" border="0" /></a>Of course as with all kings, or politicians for that matter, power corrupts, and there are disturbing signs that Uganda is not really a democracy - a fact the international community, in light of the country's overall performance, has chosen to ignore. Museveni has been in power for nearly twenty years. In August of this year, he amended the constitution so as to abolish term limits and enable him to run for office in the next election. When opposition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye, who took nearly 30% of the vote in the last presidential election, returned to Uganda after fleeing in 2001 for what he claimed was a fear for his life, Museveni promptly had him arrested on charges of treason and rape. Museveni has claimed Dr. Besigye is connected to the LRA.<br /><br />All of this does not bode well for Uganda. One man in the same office for an entire generation is hardly the recipe for a healthy and strong state. No matter how good a leader Museveni is, he does the country - and his legacy - a great disservice. Good governance in Uganda has become a quality of a single man, not of a state.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">What hope?<br /><br /></span>Well, I think there is reason for hope any time a country elects their leaders peacefully. I think there is hope when women are elected or appointed to high office even when gender equality continues to be a serious problem in society. And I think there is also hope where the opposition protests with banners, words, and ballots, rather than machetes. But if recent events in Liberia and Uganda are an indication of anything it is this: elections are only the first step. Building a democratic state will require a willingness to win some lose some and a whole lot of time. In societies whose recent histories have been fraught with violent conflict, both are in short supply.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Related news articles:<br /><br /></span>"<a href="http://www.mg.co.za/articlePage.aspx?articleid=256774&area=/breaking_news/breaking_news__africa/">Confused Start to Liberian vote-fraud hearings</a>" <span style="font-style: italic;">Mail & Guardian Online<br />"</span><a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/4441610.stm">Inquiry into Liberia poll results</a>" BBC News<br /><br />"<a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4445110.stm">US wants fast Uganda Critic Trial</a>" BBC News<br />"<a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4443702.stm">Museveni's longevity takes its toll</a>" BBC News<br /><br /></span><span class="fullpost"><font><font>Related blog entries:<br /><br />"<a href="http://cmarlow.blogspot.com/2005/11/liberias-future-ellen-johnson-sirleaf.html">Liberia's future</a>" Captain Marlow<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tags:</span><br /><br /><font><font><a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/Liberia">Liberia</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/Uganda" rel="tag">Uganda</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/Africa" rel="tag">Africa</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/politics" rel="tag">politics</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/election" rel="tag">election</a>, <a href="http://www.blogger.com/democracy" rel="tag">democracy</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/Museveni" rel="tag">Museveni</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/Sirleaf" rel="tag">Sirleaf</a>, <a href="http://www.technorati.com/tag/Weah" rel="tag">Weah </a></span></span></span></span></span><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><font><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://africabeat.blogspot.com/2005/11/liberia-and-ugandas-fragile.html">Click here for Full Article</a><br /><br /><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15466448742193879731noreply@blogger.com1