Franklin & Marshall team member uncovers missing link for elephants in Eritrea!

Here was that article I discussed earlier in class. It seems that Robert Walter of the Earth & Environment department here at Franklin & Marshall was very influential in the archaeological dig that uncovered the missing link between ancient and modern elephants. The animal is around the size of a modern day pig and provides substantial assistance to archaeologists in determining what route each species took as well as the evolutionary paths each animal took. It is also wonderful to see that Franklin & Marshall is making headlines, especially in such a young country as Eritrea.

Little Hope for Zimbabwe

So Mugabe did it. He intimidated the opposition so much that they pulled out of the run-off election citing fear of violence against their supporters.
So now what?
Mugabe has been in power since 1980 -- if my math is right, that is 28 years. When is enough, enough?
It seems that Mugabe will soon be following the same steps as Mobut Sese Seko, the former dictator of Zaire -- now the Democratic Republic of Congo.
When does the "Big Man" rule end? How does it end? Is bloodshed always necessary? Outside intervention? What kind? The U.N.?
To say that I was surprised that Mugabe was able to retain power would be to lie.
What will surprise me, is if the rest of the world finally takes heed of what is going on in Zimbabwe and acts. Sanctions? The International Criminal Court? C.I.A., anyone?

Zimbawe Voters Threatened with Violence

This article very much builds on the last one posted, as it also deals with the June 27th election in Zimbabwe between incumbent President Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, but his one deals with alleged acts of violence rather than just limits on food or attempts at starvation. Human Rights Watch, a New York based activism group has learned that President Mugabe and his party, Zanu-PF have been running torture camps for supporters of Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party. The Human Rights Watch report lists many attacks, including 36 deaths at the hands of Mugabe's men.

Clearly this article continues to outline a recurring problem in Africa -- corrupt, bad governing and leadership. While almost universally considered to be largely responsible for Zimbabwe's economic crisis, including rampant inflation, unemployment, and the collapse of the agricultural sector, Mugabe has proved he will do absolutely anything to remain in power. He has illegally impeded his oppositions election, attempted to starve out his enemies, and now, even allegedly killed those who stood in his way as he continues to blame Zimbabwe's colonial history and the West for problems that he has perpetuated at best and caused at worst.

The problematic question becomes at what point does an outside agency take action? Revolutions seem to have to come from within to be successful, and outside forces can only do so much before the country has to run and remain functional on its own. The rights of Zimbabwe's citizens are being violated, but there is no obvious answer for how established nations should respond to this crisis, which makes it very difficult and very interesting.

Police stop Zimbabwe opposition leader's campaign

HARARE, Zimbabwe - Police briefly detained Zimbabwe's opposition presidential candidate Friday for the second time this week and told him the party's rallies had been banned indefinitely three weeks before the runoff election, an aide said.

Rwanda angry over Munyakazi being kept by ICTR

This article talks about the genocide in Rwanda in the 1990s, and how the ICTR (The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda) in Tanzania has refused to hand over possible war crimes and human rights violator Yussuf Munyakazi due to fear of him not being able to have a fair trial. Rwanda leader Tharcisse Karugarama has assured the media that the tribunal has made a mistake and that the trial would have been fair, and that Rwanda has a right to try criminals like Munyakazi for the crimes they committed in Rwanda. Estimates suggest 800,000 Tutsis and many moderate Hutus were killed during the genocide in 1994.

Questions about the fairness of Rwanda's judiciary system led Amnesty International to call on all governments not to extradite prisoners to Rwanda, where unfair pressure on the judiciary would prevent a fair trial. Karugarama assures that this isn't the case, and in recent years the Rwandan government has taken steps to allow more prisoners to be extradited to them, specifically abolishing the death penalty which has prevented many prisoners from being turned over to them.

I find this case to be very interesting because it features Amnesty International standing up for the rights of someone accused of genocide. It's taken for granted that you have the right to a fair trial in America, but it's still interesting to see a case where concern for the rights of someone most likely guilty is taken so seriously -- you'd think people wouldn't make much of a fuss about a guy like this. Regardless it seems like Rwanda is attempting to take the necessary steps to improve their government and judicial system, which is definitely positive and could help them try their own criminals like this in the future.

Franklin & Marshall College in South Africa

Hi Folks,
I just wanted to bring your attention to some incredible work that the F&M soccer team is doing in South Africa. The students are involved in Grassroots Soccer to help bring attention to HIV/AIDS in Khayelitsha, South Africa.

African prize a step in the right direction

Mo Ibrahim, a Sudanese businessman created the Mo Ibrahim Foundation. One of the functions of the foundation is to give a "good governance" award to an African leader who has, well, exhibited "good governance". The recipient receives $5 million.
The first recipient is former president of Mozambique, Joachim Chissano. Great choice. Great idea. The award is supposed to encourage African leaders to govern well and be duly rewarded.
I fully support the idea and the award. More than anything, I am impressed that a multimillionaire Sudanese businessman would think up this award. How did Mo Ibrahim make his money? Not off the backs of impoverished Africans, or from the coffers of international aid organizations. He founded a mobile phone company called Celtel.
Obviously, Mr. Ibrahim doesn't need a $5 million award, but perhaps he should get greater international recognition for his leadership role in Africa. Better yet, Mr. Ibrahim, have you considered running for political office?

Oil prices rise on Nigerian fears

Following the controversial elections in Nigeria, crude oil prices in both London and the United States rose over a $1.60 in each instance resulting largely from armed militants shutting down a 5th of Nigeria’s production. The Anglo-Dutch oil company Shell, one of the most important influences on the Nigerian economy has temporarily shut down their main oil field citing fear of future violence and damage to oil production.

Of more importance perhaps, if you care more about free and fair elections than gas prices at the local Wawa or Shell, European Union observers have declared the election “not credible”. Besides the outcry of electoral fraud, a body count of 200 people has mounted as a result of armed conflict between political parties. I wonder what implications about this violence means to the winner Umaru Yar’Adua… was his victory the result of deep pockets and best connections to militias? (Without jumping to conclusions of course?) What does it say about the state of Nigeria when the outcome of elections result not only in violence and political murders but sabotage to their own economy?

Google Maps the Darfur Crisis

Great news! Now you can sit back in the comfort of your own home and actually see (provided you have access to high-speed internet) the physical results of genocide in Darfur! You don't even need to go to Washington D.C. to rally for the cause. The United States Holocaust Museum and Google.com have collaborated in adding satellite images and detailed information on 1,600 villages in the Darfur region to the already popular Google Earth program. Since the Sudanese government strictly controls access to the region, the new feature on Google Earth is thought by some to be a fascinating and groundbreaking tool "in terms of raising awareness and showing the scale and extent of what is happening in Darfur for people who are interested and who want to be involved," according to Bea Spadicini, a representative of an aid agency that works throughout Sudan. Others insist that the effects of the "cool" new images are nothing more than another way of "raising awareness" that will have no significant effect on the crisis. I think that Peter Kagwanja - a senior analyst at the Human Sciences Research Council in Tshwane, South Africa - sums up this argument, noting that "The problem in Darfur is not a lack of information, and it's not a lack of understanding of the magnitude of the problem,[The problem is] a lack of action by the international community." I know I am getting tired of the popularized catch-phrases from students and Amnesty International, among many others, to "Save Darfur" or "Make Some Noise For Darfur." The problem is no longer a lack of awareness, it is clearly lack of action on the part of the international community. The crisis has become such a mainstream rallying cry that while being able to view the catastrophic physical damages in Darfur will indeed be "cool," I doubt that any changes will come from it.

Ivory Coast to scrap Buffer Zone

Not only have the President of Cote d'Ivoire, Laurent Gbagbo and New Forces rebel leader, Guillaume Soro, signed a peace accord, but the president has appointed Guillaume Soro as the new Prime Minister. Now today, the buffer zone has begun to be bulldozed by UN forces. WHAT IS GOING ON?! All of a sudden, Cote d'Ivoire has managed to ink out a 10 month plan to reunite the armies, the country and hold peaceful elections. This was all supported by the President of Burkina Faso. Since the civil war began, the country has been split in two, the north being controlled by the rebel forces and the south by the government. the buffer zone between them resembles that between North and South Korea. The 600km-long zone had previously been patrolled by 11,000 French and UN peacekeepers. Now, government trucks freely roll through the space to the sounds of cheers and hoorahs. Could the Ivory Coast become the next Ghana? Are they taking a hint from their neighbors? The political community holds its breath while the ivory coast takes another stab at democracy.