“[Liberal] ideas, to a large extent nurtured in the hothouse of Western consciousness and then innocently exported as a sign of goodwill … might originally be intended only as public relations move. “ But over time such ideas gave rise to the dreams of the oppressed and victimised - and when the unexpected historical moment finally arrived, burst into flame . “Ideas may be disseminated with conservative intent, but if they later become appropriated on behalf of the struggles of oppressed peoples, such ideas are reborn - and serve as the underpinnings of a new emancipatory politics. “ Nothing...
“ The Libyan Diaspora has a significant role to play in this uprising . Though undeniably important, it is not enough for Libyans to protest outside embassies overseas. Due to Qaddafi’s shut down of the Internet, the Diaspora has become more important, particularly in spreading information about gatherings … and pressuring the international community to support the well-deserved and long overdue freedom for the Libyan people.” - Ibrahim Sharqieh , Deputy Director of The Brookings Institution’s Doha Center. See his comment here . “We are also listening to the voices of the Libyan diaspora,...
Amid mass demonstrations in the Middle East, around 3,000 people took to the streets across southern Yemen last week in a "Friday of Rage", demanding secession from the north, but heavily deployed security forces quickly stamped out protests. See Reuters’ report here , and AFP’s here . President Ali Abdullah Saleh, a key U.S. ally against al Qaeda, has ruled Yemen for three decades. The south was independent from 1967 until 1990 when it united with the north. It launched an abortive secession bid in 1994, crushed by Saleh’s forces, and is still home to an active secessionist movement. Many in...
“ We don’t decide between countries we trade with on the basis of whether they are nice or not. There are lots of regimes around the world. If we didn’t trade with them we would be shooting ourselves in the foot. ” - Libyan British Business Council director-general Robin Lamb, Feb 22. See the Daily Mail’s report here . UK trade with Libya is worth an estimated £1.5billion a year, with British exports soaring more than 50% between 2008 and 2009. And Libya’s newly well-off have attracted other firms, including British high street chains Next, Monsoon, Accessorize and Marks & Spencer. On...
“We, the undersigned non-governmental, human rights, and humanitarian organizations, urge you to mobilize the United Nations and the international community and take immediate action to halt the mass atrocities now being perpetrated by the Libyan government against its own people. The inexcusable silence cannot continue. … There is no question here about intent. The government media has published open threats [against demonstrators]. … You have a clear and unambiguous responsibility to protect the people of Libya.” - letter by 70 NGOs. Feb 21, 2011. See the full text, and list of signatories...
James Holmes and Toshi Yoshihara, associate professors of strategy at the US Naval War College, write on the much-quoted ‘string of pearls’ theory: “A subset of the larger debate over Chinese sea power is Beijing’s supposed quest for a ‘string of pearls’, or network of Indian Ocean naval bases. The term originated in a classified Booz Allen study and was popularized by the Washington Times in 2005. “ Few Indian Ocean specialists still view the string of pearls as a nascent base network … They are more apt to scoff at the term. So fierce was the backlash that Booz Allen undertook a new study...
“[India’s] economic and strategic relationship with France is expanding. France is also emerging as an important supplier of our defence equipment and platform. … France is a strategic partner.” - India’s Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee. See PTI’s story here . France is the ninth largest foreign investor in India. Between April 2000 and November 2010, France has invested about $2 billion in India.
Amid soaring global food prices, World Bank chief Robert Zoellick is calling on the Group of 20 leading and emerging economies to put food first on its agenda. "Even before these latest price hikes, there were already more than 900 million people going hungry each day. Now, with an estimated 44 million more people living in extreme poverty, it shows this year is shaping up to be a very tough year for the chronically malnourished ." "If this trend continues, if we don't get a relief on the weather side, then I foresee conditions getting worse . And, mistaken policy actions such as export bans...
Chinese foreign minister Yang Jiechi paid tribute to the memory of the Armenian Genocide victims during his visit to Armenia, the Public Radio of Armenia reported. Mr. Jiechi visited Tsitsernakaberd Memorial to lay a wreath, and toured the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute, accompanied by its Director, Hayk Demoyan. He also met with the head of Armenia's national church, Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II, and discussed the recognition of Armenian Genocide, News-Am reported. This is the first high-level Chinese visit since Armenia's independence in 1991, the Armenian Foreign Ministry...
The 1947 legal definition by the UN incorporates several aspects of targeted oppression, such as "Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group" and "Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group." The popular definition is simpler: The wholesale killing of a people because of religion, race or ethnicity ." See Richard Handler’s discussion of Yale historian Timothy Synder’s book here .