Time for a little Maturity

The United Nations has recently released their hefty 574 page report on their investigation on Israel's military campaign in Gaza this past December/January. The full report which includes 188 interviews, more than 10,000 pages of documentation and 1,200 photographs will be presented to the UN Human Rights Council at the end of this month. While the report cites that war crimes were committed on both sides - Palestinian rockets fired into southern Israel purposely targeted Israel civilians and civilian structures - the bulk of the report however, is on the war crimes and possible crimes against humanity committed by Israel. This is not surprising given the military might of Israel and the death toll of the Gaza population. It is estimated that over 1,400 Gazans were killed, in comparison to the 3 Israeli civilians who were killed.

The report cites thirty-six incidents where war crimes and possible crimes against humanity were committed by the Israeli army. It is important to note that these incidents do not address decisions that were made in the heat of battle but are on the non-urgent broader policies that were adopted during the war by the Israeli military that were purposefully reckless. The report states that the Israeli operations "were carefully planned in all their phases as a deliberately disproportionate attack designed to punish, humiliate and terrorize a civilian population."

The UN Human Rights team that researched and wrote the report consisted of four people and was led by highly respected South African Judge Richard Gladstone. Rich with professional accolades, Gladstone is the former chief prosecutor with the international tribunals for Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia. Fully aware that such charges have been brought against Israel in the past and have amounted to nothing, politically astute Gladstone has recommended that the UN Security council require Israel and the Gaza authorities to report in six months about their own investigations into these alleged crimes. If this request is ignored or completed superficially, then he suggests that the International Criminal Court (ICC) at the Hague should become involved.

As it usually goes, it is not a big surprise that Israel has condemned this report, claiming it to be flawed and biased. At the Israeli Foreign Ministry, a diplomatic offensive is already being planned to block the referral of any Israeli commanders or officials to the ICC. Israel's blanket rejection of the report and their complete lack of cooperation in the initial research stages blatantly ignores that fact that human rights organizations around the world have condemned Israel of the same. Human Rights Watch claims that "Israel's repeated firing of white phosphorous shells over densely populated areas of Gaza during its recent military campaign was indiscriminate and is evidence of war crimes." Israeli human rights groups have also criticized their own military. Israeli troops themselves have admitted to abhorrent behavior. The testimony of soldiers, graduates of the Yitzhak pre-military preparatory course at Oranim College on February 13, 2009 is completely contrary to the Israeli Defense Forces'official statements. These soldiers admit that they were entitled to use unrestricted force against the Palestinians - killing, destroying, vandalizing. Shoot first they were told and worry about the consequences later.

Nevertheless, the Israeli government and its military will in perpetuity deny any wrong doing. And the infinitely strong Jewish lobby within the United States will ensure that the American government will come to Israel's defence at America's own detriment. And if there is a repeat of any global condemnation of Israel's actions in Gaza and call for those responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity to be held accountable, I have no doubt Israel will claim a global bias against the Jewish state, and cling to their belief of their perpetual state of victimhood. No, Israel apparently never seems to have any responsibility to examine their own actions and behaviors in arousing such frustrated reactions or global condemnations.

Israel in fact reminds me a few people I know. I am sure most people know someone like this. These are the people who constantly deplore their state in life, but blame everyone and everything for their plight. Nothing is ever their fault. They are merely a victim to the cruel ways of the world. These people may have alienated friends, family, collegues but they never look at their own actions to find the source of the problem. The problem is always with the other. The sad thing is, a little honest self introspection would go a long way in improving this person's plight in the world.... Just a thought.

The Silent Scream

My usual upbeat weekend demeanor has been replaced by a deep melancholy today. My morning started with me reading on the BBC news website that Hamid Karzai, the President of Afghanistan quietly passed into law a husband's right to starve his wife if she refuses to have sex with him. That is apparently an improvement from the previous bill that condoned rape within a marriage. The Afghan elections for president are around the corner and a largely unpopular Karzai desperately needs the support of these deranged fundamentalists to win. So I guess for him politics trumps morality and human rights. After that in the New York Times I read about two young Kashmiri women, 17 year old Asiya and 22 year old Nilofa, who on their way to tend to their family's apple orchard were gang raped and beaten to death by apparently the local police who desperately and unsuccessfully tried to cover it up.
What kind of human being does this to another?

What I didn't read in the newspaper today with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton having wrapped up her trip to Africa, but remains in the forefront of my mind is the war in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Far from democratic, over 200,000 women and girls have been raped and mutilated in the Eastern Congo since 1996, according to the United Nations, as a by-product of the war. Some have named this area the rape capital of the world. Rape is so rampant and pervasive, that according to Dr. Michael Van Rooyen, director of Harvard's Humanitarian Initiative, it is becoming part of the culture. There are endless reports of women who are even nine months pregnant and pre-pubescent girls who are abducted and gang raped repeatedly. When Hillary Clinton stopped in Goma early last week, she pressured the government to address this crisis and to punish the perpetrators. These are after all crimes against humanity. But when the rapists include military generals and other top officials a significant re-education and shift in how women are treated and valued within society is critical for any long term change.

Unfortunately, the extent of the violence in the DR Congo is not unique. 20,000 rapes were committed in the war in Bosnia and there were 500,000 rapes in Rwanda. I remember reading the stories about these women, what they had endured and their fight for survival and crying myself to sleep, horrified and dismayed. Thankfully, I was nowhere near these locations and was safe in my home but I felt so extremely hurt and violated as a women.

These gut wrenching stories of rape however, are not only a result of the madness of war.

In a recent survey by the Medical Research Council, 1 in 4 men in South Africa admitted to committing rape.

For the past 16 years, in the northern Mexican town of Cuidad Juarez, just across the border from El Paso, Texas thousands of young women aged 12-22 have gone missing. Hundreds and hundreds of them wind up dead, their lifeless bodies, showing signs of sexual abuse, torture and mutilation discarded with yesterday's trash. For sixteen years this has been going on, movies have been made about this, songs have been written, and yet the Mexican government has made no effort to solve these crimes. Apparently as young students and poor factory workers these women are not significant enough to warrant the manpower.

For those in the U.S., who think that these are the problems of distant under-developed countries, or war or religion or overly machismo societies - think again. One in six women in the United States, according the 2004 U.S. Department of Justice's National Crime Victimization Survey have been a victim to sexual assault. In 2007, the updated results from the same survey estimated that every two minutes someone is sexually assaulted in America.

Is this a world gone mad?
I often wonder when I read these articles in the newspaper or see it on the news why there isn't a deafening global outcry against this sexualized violence against women. These rapes are not the actions of a freakish few in insignificant countries far away. It touches every corner of this planet. This is violence that is being perpetrated against half of the human race.

Why are women who bare the children, nuture and support their families, who make significant advances in science, business, art, society, culture and politics so undervalued and easily dehumanized in our global society?

During her trip to Africa, Clinton pledged $17 million in a new U.S. fund for victims of sexual violence. That is indeed a good start. The perpetrators also have to be brought to justice. Their actions are profoundly evil and they rot the soul of humanity. Rapists not only dehumanize the victims, they dehumanize themselves by turning themselves into savages. This cycle must end. However, ultimately the most transformative force can only come from education. Girls need to be raised with the awareness of their own value and importance. Boys need to be raised with the knowledge and respect that they are one part of a greater whole. And both boys and girls have to be raised with a respect for each other. The human race has been on this planet for over 200,000 years now - one would have hoped that we would have evolved for the better by now.

Lists and Rankings of Cities Galore but Who Really Cares?

Every week one million people move to new cities around the world - according to consulting firm A.T. Kearney and Foreign Policy magazine.

That is 1,000,000 people every week!
How do these people decide where to move? What influences their decision?

I am always amazed and fascinated with the number of studies done on cities - rankings that evaluate every city on a whole host of categories ranging from the more serious criteria like their population, their cultural industries and offerings, the environment or their economic vitality to the more frivolous. Many of these lists often serve as fodder for conversations at the next cocktail party - best cities to meet men, best cities to meet women, best cities to buy a house, cities with the worst traffic, cities with the worst air quality, and so on. Most of these studies are undertaken by management consulting firms, research based publications, or more entertainment driven magazines.

With all the time, financial investment and (wo)manpower that goes into developing and researching these lists - does it actually influence anyone's decisions? As a young professional, an expat kid and a life long nomad and a lover of cities, not just as a traveler but also as a scholar, I have my own criteria for selecting cities for which to relocate. And more often than not these lists while sometimes idealistic and hopeful are usually irrelevant to my decision-making.

Image from National Geographic

For example, two publications that I frequently read - Monocle and the Economist or in this case their research and advisory firm EIU (Economist Intelligence Unit) evaluate cities around the world on their livability annually. They research important criteria like their political stability, culture, infrastructure, business environment. EIU also looks into healthcare and education; while Monocle headed by style-driven Tyler Brûlé includes architecture and tolerance as criteria in their rankings. Undoubtedly, these are all critical aspects for good quality of life. It provides mayors and city planners with positive examples and aspirations. For 2009, Monocle ranked Zurich their most livable city (overtaking last years winner - Copenhagen) and EIU gave the top prize to Vancouver.

These lists however, always leave me puzzled. If Zurich is the world's most livable city, why does it only have a tiny population of approximately 375,000? Don't get me wrong, I love Zurich. It is an incredibly beautiful city but not a very diverse or inclusive city. Even Tyler Brûlé who is constantly touting all the fine qualities of Zurich survived there on his own admission only a year. Meanwhile he continues to make his home in London. Likewise, metro Vancouver has a mere approximate population of 615,473. For the past year, I have been desperately campaigning for my sister to move to Vancouver - and she is all for it - if she can find the right opportunity.

Unfortunately, livability has nothing to do with opportunities. In 2008, Foreign Policy Magazine, The Chicago Council on Global Affairs and A.T. Kearney did a ranking of the top global cities. They ranked cities based on business activity, human capital, information exchange, cultural experience and political engagement. Only five of the cities (Paris, Tokyo, Toronto, Sydney and Vienna) that made the top 20 of the global cities' list were on either Monocle's or EUI's livability list.

Mumbai *

Nevertheless, millions of people from around the world continue to converge on mega cities like New York, London, Shanghai, Tokyo and Mumbai because they are dynamic and flush with opportunities and possibilities and influence the direction of the global agenda and economy. Successful businesses congregate and influential and creative people tend to cluster where there are others of like-mind and vision. Daily living in New York City for example is tough work. Traffic is horrid, subways are congested, hot and sticky, shoe boxes are larger than most apartments but there are very few cities in the world, where you have as much access to diverse populations, businesses, institutions, culture, food and ideas. As exhausting as it sometimes gets, the electricity and buzz in the air is addictive.

And so a list I would like to see is a ranking of the livability of global cities that are rife with opportunities, diversity, culture attractions, and intellectual vigor. I would like to see mega cities which are often not the most comfortable cities to reside in trade best practices on improving the quality of life; especially since so many up and coming global cities around the world look to New York and London as their guidepost - often following their examples blindly and that means their successes and mistakes. Does livability and opportunity have to be on opposite sides of the spectrum when it comes to city planning? What a novel idea to have a city that does not always have to sacrifice one for the other.


*Bottom two photographs are from the 2007 Global Cities exhibition at the Tate Modern in London.

a New Art Exhibition with Much to Say about Life, Politics, Culture, Migration and the Middle East

Contemporary Arab art!? Who knew such a thing existed?
After all there is such a dearth of information on contemporary art from the Arab world. Judging from textbooks, journals and the collections in museums around the world, I would have concluded, if I did not know any better, that artistic creation in the Middle East and South Asia ceased after the construction of the Taj Mahal in the mid-16oo's - which is not the case.

Long Words- Vahé Berberian (2005)

Up until recently, very few museums had a comprehensive collection of traditional Islamic art. Even fewer have a collection of contemporary Arab art. (I have only seen a few pieces in the British Museum in London and at the Fowler Museum in Los Angeles). The Louvre in Paris Museum in Paris is building an entire new department to house their collection of Islamic art and perhaps there will be some new contemporary pieces when the building opens in 2010 - but for now their collection of art from the Arab world (seen online) ends with Ottoman period. And yet in spite of this, interest in contemporary Arab art is increasing.

Works on Paper - Adnan Charara (2008)

With recent successes of art fairs in the wealthier countries in the Gulf like Dubai and wealthy patrons who are not only building up their own personal collections but looking to build museums - prominent western auction houses have taken note and are making huge profits auctioning contemporary Arab art. London based Christie's auction house opened up its Dubai office in 2005. In October 2007, Christie's held their 3rd auction for Arab and Iranian art. During the course of that one evening they sold US$12.6 million of art. In April 2008, they sold US$18 million.

Despite this new found interest and artistic exchange between Europe and the Gulf - museums and galleries in the United States however, have been painfully slow to broaden their scope of their collections. So with the hope of building peace and understanding through cultural diplomacy - the Levantine Cultural Center (LCC) in LA decided to take matters into their own hands. "If the mountain will not come to Mohammed, Mohammed will go to the mountain." Opening on June 20th, 2009 in Los Angeles, at the LCC is the first gallery to focus solely on contemporary Arab art. The first show curated by me, titled "inside/outside and other oxymorons," features the work of three incredible artists - Sama Alshaibi, Vahé Berberian, Adnan Charara whose life stories alone are legendary. Each of their lives have been marred by political conflict and strife which forced them into a more nomadic, migrant existence. The art they create in a variety of mediums are not only a political commentary, but also symbol of hybridity, multi-culturalism, the human condition, their own respective journeys and our collective experience in globalized world.

During the time I spent curating this show, I not only developed tremendous respect and admiration for their creativity and their art but I was also in awe of these people. Having endured some of the worst of humanity with wars and genocide, these three artists represent the best of humanity with their kindness, their joie de vivre, their generosity and openness.

Mahmood - Sama Alshaibi (2007)

Sama Alshaibi (1973) is a photography and mixed media artist who draws from her own cultural experiences from Iraq, Palestine and the United States. Born into a family affected by war, displacement and exile from two homelands, Palestine and Iraq - much of her work focuses on the themes of restlessness, hybrid identity, exile and displacement and the subtle negotiations and shifts between personal and family history and expectations. Her images are full of longing and nostalgia. What I find most appealing with her work is the emotional vulnerability and honesty. Her art is a peak into her own internal dialogue and her and her family's struggles as they come to terms with the culture and homes they lost and the new life they gained.

The Call - Sama Alshaibi (2002)

Vahé Berberian (1955) a painter, novelist, playwright, actor and director lost 74 members of his family during the Armenian genocide. It all happened before he was born but he has carried the heavy weight of this legacy all his life. The deportation of his parents from Turkey, the war in Beirut, the European counter-culture (which he became a part of in his teens), the city of Los Angeles (where he has been a resident since 1976) and his own hybrid identity (which includes a mix of Armenian, Lebanese, European and American cultures) have provided him rich fodder for his work. Tremendously affected by his family history and yet a student of all cultures and people, his art is a study of aesthetics and of the human condition. His paintings while seemingly simple are full of raw emotion. His goal is to create beauty out of imperfection. His paintings are reminiscent of a human being - beauty is found in the vulnerability and the flaws.

Vahé Berberian in his studio

Adnan Charara (1962) known to most as a painter, sculptor and print-maker prefers to be known as a visual poet or philosopher. While his colorful, animated and whimsical creations seem rather light-hearted, they are deceptively full of commentary and emotion. Having spent most of his childhood shuttled between Lebanon and Sierra Leone (depending on the political situation at the time) and then eventually moving to the United States, much of his work focuses on physical and emotional migration, the merging of cultures and accumulation of knowledge through life's journeys and the formation of new identity. Through his art, he explores what is gained and lost through migration. While Charara's style is uniquely his own, his exposure to multiple cultures is clearly reflected in his art. He draws from African tribal art, Islamic calligraphy and European cubist art.

From the Osmosis series - Adnan Charara (2008)

From the Osmosis series - Adnan Charara (2008)

Found Objects - Adnan Charara

The inside/outside and other oxymorons art exhibition opens on Saturday June 20th, 2009 from 6PM to 10PM at the new inside/outside gallery at the Levantine Cultural Center on 5998 West Pico Boulevard, Los Angeles, California 90035. The exhibition will run until the end of July. Stop by and take a look - let me know what you think. I can't wait introduce you to these are artists and for you to see their work. It might just give you a different perspective on what is coming out of the Middle East.

For more information click here.

"The art of the global diaspora is often hopefully described as the art of the future - a projected future of multi-cultural societies, well traversed territories and translated traditions."

- Homi Bhabha

"Culture is not static.... We are fluid; we are human; we are experience. And within that experience we are transformed by our contact with each other."

- Richard Rodriguez

"The global village is increasingly internalized within us."

- Pico Iyer

Something Smells Very Fishy in Japan & It Smells like Corporate Greed

The Atlantic Bluefin Tuna with its torpedo shaped metallic blue body is one of the largest and fastest fish in the ocean. It migrates across entire oceans and can swim at speeds up to 45 miles per hour. While in the ocean, the bluefin tuna is a top level predator, this extraordinary fish now teeters on the point of extinction because a much larger more powerful predator, the human consumer and big business have an even larger, seemingly uncontrollable appetite.

Bluefin Tuna - Getty Images

The bluefin tuna has the unfortunate distinction of having extremely succulent and sweet flesh, best eaten raw in sushi or sashimi and thus is a staple in Japan and around the world. Four decades of over-fishing and greed have now eradicated 97% of the Atlantic bluefin tuna stock. While the legal bluefin tuna catch is set at 22,000 tonnes, conservationists suspect that the actual catch is probably closer to 60,000 tonnes. Experts also believe that up to 50% of the bluefin tuna that is caught in the Mediterranean (where the fish go to spawn) is caught illegally - 90% of which ends up in Japan.

Although, many scientists warn that we have perhaps already passed the point of no return with this fish, various global organizations and environmental groups are trying to halt the fishing of the Atlantic bluefin tuna with the hope that like the Western bluefin tuna it will slowly retreat from the brink of extinction after this species of fish fell under the protection of the United States and Canada. Retailers and chefs in Monaco and Britain now refuse to stock bluefin.

However, on the flipside, Japan's giant Mitsubishi conglomerate has now cornered a 40% share of the world's market of bluefin tuna, hedging its bets that the fish will eventually become commercially extinct and they will literally make a killing in profits. The Mitsubishi empire has been importing thousands of tonnes of fish from Europe despite plummeting stocks and freezing the tuna at -60C so that they can sell the fish in several year's time when they become extinct. Research done for the documentary "The End of the Line," claims that Mitsubishi continues to aggressively buy and sell this dwindling reserve and has expanded their freezer capacity to hold extra bluefin. While most people, including myself, only knew Mitsubishi for their cars and electronic goods, I find it extremely distasteful that this corporation is willfully gambling on the complete and utter extinction of this magnificent creature.

In the early morning chaos in Tokyo's Tsukiji Fish Market, the price for fish globally is set at this market. At auction, it has not been uncommon for the price of one bluefin tuna to range from US$100,000 to US$150,000 or even higher. If human greed for this fish continues unchecked, Mitsubishi with their frozen reserves, will undoubtedly hit the jackpot in profits when the oceans are empty and they possess the world's last few vestiges of Atlantic bluefin tuna - but humanity as a whole will pay a even higher price when future generations can only know of this fish in the pictures of the past.

What are the Motives for Aid and Justice?

Another book on Africa recently caught my attention much in the same way Dambisa Moyo's book "Dead Aid" did. Written by Uganda-born Columbia University professor Mahmood Mamdani, this book titled "Saviors and Survivors: Darfur, Politics and the War on Terror," is extremely critical of humanitarian and human rights organizations and their current role in Darfur. What fascinated me about Mamdani's argument was that it challenged my blind assumptions about the roles and motives of humanitarian and human rights organizations located predominantly in the West.

Since violence broke out in Darfur 6 years ago an approximate 300,000 people have died and more than 2.5 million have been forced out of their homes. While there are obviously many parties who are responsible for the violence and chaos, humanitarian organizations and human rights institutions have not been lumped into the group of perpetrators - until now. Mamdani presents that recent shifts in international affairs have eroded a state's sovereign rights (and a citizen's rights) in favor of humanitarian norms. Since the Cold War ended, there is growing consensus that a government cannot use its sovereignty to commit atrocities against its own people. International war crimes tribunals were set up for Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia. Then in 2002, the International Criminal Courts (ICC) was established prosecute individuals for war crimes. In 2006, 150 head of states at the United Nations endorsed the belief that the international community is responsible for the protection of vulnerable populations. While undoubtedly these efforts seem noble and just, Mamdani warns that this new world humanitarian order has its own pitfalls and dangers. Instead of being seen as citizens with rights, local populations are reduced to wards of the international community with the potential of losing their own voice in directing the course in their own lives. Mamdani also views these new humanitarian/human rights efforts and organizations as the powerful meddling in the lives and affairs of the less powerful. At an extreme, he sees them as a new kind of colonizer - where the respective interests of these organizations and institutions primarily based in the west determine the fate of a country's people.

Map of Sudan

In interviews he has done for the book, he cites as an example, Sudan's president Omar al-Bashir's recent indictment by the ICC. Bashir, no doubt is a man who deserves to be charged with war crimes, however, this controversial decision to indict a sitting president still heavily embroiled in instigating the violence against its own people raises questions as to motives behind levelling these charges now. Following the indictment, the Sudanese government promptly expelled the 13 international aid organizations which were providing critical food and medical aid to the 2.5 million Darfurian refugees leaving them even more vulnerable. This indictment also leaves Bashir with a nothing to lose mentality, making it harder to negotiate peace. Instead violence has escalated. The hope that this indictment would act as a deterrent for any future acts to violence has yet to be proven. ICC prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo (whom I have tremendous respect for), went ahead with this indictment with full knowledge this. Mamdani questions the purpose of an indictment at this time. This brings into conflict - national sovereignty and perhaps the rights and perhaps safety of the citizen with international law.

While he agrees that those who perpetrated this violence must be held accountable, when and how he says, cannot be decided solely by the ICC prosecutor. He cites South Africa as an example of a country who chose a different path to achieve justice with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. If Mandela chose to prosecute those responsible for upholding the apartheid regime in the 1990's, there may not have been such a peaceful settlement and smooth transition of government.

Mamdani has a valid argument here. Local methods of dealing with transitional justice that are not always understood by the West are often ignored. Decisions are then made and 'justice' is meted out without the consultation of the local population. But then whose justice is it? Mamdani claims that many of these western organizations focus too much on the perpetrators and a rhetoric of demonization and not on the issues that caused the violence. In so many of these conflicts, the perpetrators, he argues are constantly shifting. Additionally, without building up local mechanisms and institutions, local populations will always be unable to fight for justice and defend themselves.

Another significant issue raised by Mamdani is the west's laser focus on the crisis on Darfur, while turning a blind eye to what maybe considered much larger human catastrophes. Since violence broke out in Darfur, 200,000 to 400,000 people have been killed, (which is no small number and should not be dismissed) however, during this time in the Democratic Republic of the Congo 4.5 million people have been killed. According to Mamdani, Uganda and Rwanda both have army proxies in the Congo and since both these countries are U.S. allies, the world stays silent. Uganda, a militarized security state, whose government has carried out a campaign of anti-civilian violence in the north receives only mild admonishment. The ICC that purports to represent universal justice acknowledges that for "nineteen years the people of northern Uganda have been killed, abducted, enslaved and raped," but the blame only falls on the rebel Lord's Resistance Army (LRA). Meanwhile the Ugandan government continues their war on their own citizens spilling into surrounding countries unscathed.

Mamdani argues that western governments and institutions self-servingly divide Africa into states that are favored by the west and those countries tend to be labelled human rights protectors, allies in the War on Terror while others are labelled human rights violators, terrorist sponsors, deserving the full force of international coercion.

Mamdani has raised valid concerns as to the global power structure and how that can seep and stain seemingly honorable efforts like the promotion of human rights and justice, however, according to the Financial Times, to prove his point, Mamdani is at times prone to hyperbole and occasional errors and half truths. While his analysis of the omnipotence of the "Save Darfur" organization may perhaps be somewhat exaggerated, he is justified in questioning why not one penny of the millions of dollars raised by this organization ever goes to sustaining the life of a Darfurian refugee. Ultimately, in a world of power struggles, back room politicking, no global organization can be free from influence unfortunately. Western organizations would benefit from a closer reciprocal relationship with local populations when defining their own goals and aims and the context surrounding their intervention. And while he criticizes western governments and organizations for failing to appreciate the nuances in Sudan's history and development, he too falls prey to that which he criticizes. He lumps all western governments and institutions together as huge power hungry monolith working together in chorus without dissent. Many of these institutions like the ICC are new global structures that are constantly being studied to be made more effective. And undoubtedly, like the United Nations, in an imperfect world, any international organization will be often forced to delicately balance the whims and input of numerous countries - often the more powerful. When countries in the West are so often in limbo between apathy and action in an humanitarian crisis - I think Mamdani's efforts to raise greater awareness behind motivations for intervention or not is an important one.

Dambisa Moyo's Extreme Tough Love

When the media blitz started a couple months ago for Dambisa Moyo's book "Dead Aid," I admit it caught my attention however not being an economist, or in development or comfortable with the thought of the world's poorest suddenly flailing without any aid, my interest in Moyo's book waned. Until yesterday.
Yesterday, I went to see Dr. Josh Ruxin speak on his efforts and experiences in Rwanda. Ruxin is an Assistant Clinical Professor at Columbia University, Founder and Director of the Access Project which focuses on increasing access and affordability to health care for the poor; he is the founder of Rwanda Works which invests in improving health and fostering wealth creation; and he runs Millennium Villages which promotes community led development to lift communities out of extreme poverty with the hopes of achieving the UN's Millennium development goals. Dr. Ruxin is also a very effective one man PR machine for Rwanda, which is presently his country of residence.

In his presentation, he touted that Rwanda had made mind boggling advances in public health care over the past 15 years. Infrastructure has been built up. Wireless technology is available. Roads have been paved connecting Kigali to more rural areas. And while Paul Collier's book "The Bottom Billion" suggests that it takes several decades for a country once mired in conflict to rise out of it - Rwanda is defying expectations. In his talk, Ruxin indicated that what was ultimately needed to once and for all to defeat poverty in Rwanda and to counter the handicap of being a landlocked country was investment in the private sector. Being a tourist, he said, would do more for the country then development aid, he argued. And when I went up to him to talk after his presentation, he added that Moyo has a valid arguement. Aid to support immunization, mosquito nets, HIV antiretroviral drugs are obviously critical on a human level but they are not enough to help a country build wealth long term.

Dr. Josh Ruxin

Since I am a complete and utter novice in the world of aid and assistance, (my interest in this is more as concerned global citizen), I spent the better part of today researching Moyo's thesis and the counter-arguments of some of her very vocal critics to get a better understanding. Moyo argues that foreign direct assistance to African governments, primarily coming from the west, have propped up corrupt leaders, making these politicians more beholden to their foreign donors than their own constituents. She contends that aid to Africa has made the poor poorer and more dependent. Over the past 60 years, Moyo writes that at least $1 trillion of development related aid has been sent from rich countries to Africa and yet the per capita income today is lower than it was in the 1970s. (Ruxin also added that life spans were also longer in 1970's - as health and wealth are in direct correlation). Today in Africa, more than 350 million people live in complete destitution on less than $1 a day.

For Moyo, the most obvious argument against aid is the strong links to rampant corruption in Africa. Moyo states that in 2002, the African Union estimated that corruption was costing the continent close to $150 billion a year. This form of free money, she argues provides corrupt leaders with no incentive to be otherwise. It does not promote accountability or transparency, both critical to a nascent or burgeoning economy. And no country in the world ever developed their economy with a complete reliance on hand-outs.

While she insists that she is only critical of government to government aid and not emergency and charity based aid, she is also harshly critical of celebrities like Bono who have made Africa their mission. These celebrities she claims perpetuate a negative stereotype of Africa - one of pity, poverty, war and famine. Once implanted in the psyche of an African child, it makes it that much harder from the child to rise above his/her plight or imagine that they are destined for anything more.

As an alternate strategy, Moyo promotes bond issues, trade and foreign investment as a means to financial freedom and better government. She claims that her work at Goldman Sachs demonstrated to her that this was a viable and smarter alternative. Her most controversial proposal however, which is getting the most criticism, is to cease all aid to Africa within the next 5 years. This coming at a time when Jeffrey Sachs is calling for more aid for sub-Saharan Africa.

The release of Moyo's book has perhaps come at a somewhat inopportune time for her and her argument. The current global economic crisis has provided a rare glimpse into what could happen if aid to Africa would suddenly cease. With a decline in the prices of commodity exports, a decline in the demand for services, a decline in foreign direct investments and a decline in overseas development assistance, African countries with poor governance and weak state institutions are being hit extra hard. And as a result, there are numerous humanitarian and development concerns that are arising from this crisis. For countries with low reserves, they may soon be unable to import basic necessities like food, fuel and medicine. Rising unemployment and decelerating remittances are putting tremendous strain on poor households. And with inadequate income for food and other life necessities, rising malnutrition will increase susceptibility to disease and illness. Not only would infant deaths increase, many children would drop out of school too weak to attend or unable to pay fees. This in turn could potentially increase social and political instability.

It therefore, seems apparent to me that the answer obviously is not a cessation of aid but smarter aid and a demand for greater transparency and accountability. Aid should not only include foreign direct investment, as Moyo has suggested but also guidance and support in building institutions, promoting education and entrepreneurships and educational and cultural exchanges. Coming out of conflict and genocide, many of these countries lack the proper institutions to support and promote equal opportunities and wealth creation. In the case of Rwanda, improvements in healthcare have allowed people to focus less on survival and more on income generation. However, despite the best of intentions there are barriers. What Ruxin struggles with in Rwanda in trying to help build a more successful and prosperous society is the lack of education, management knowledge, a sense of entrepreneurship - to build something from scratch to generate that bigger income. Rwandan society is also used to a very top down structure and that is going to take time to change. And undoubtedly the genocide wiped out thousands of extremely capable possibly entrepreneurial people. While he supports Moyo's proposal for more microfinance investments, he insists that is not enough for a place like Rwanda. Such a system may have worked for countries in Asia, however differences in culture, and a lack of trust and cooperation resulting from extreme poverty and conflict prevent this from taking hold in some countries like Rwanda. Additionally Ruxin adds, how many multi-million dollar companies grew out of microfinance projects with a 30% to 40% interest rate? If someone through microfinance increases their income from $1 a day to $2 a day is that enough?

Ruxin supports Paul Kagame's efforts to bring in industry giants like Google and entrepreneurs, industry experts and management gurus like Michael Porter to Rwanda. He also promotes internships and exchanges for Rwandan students to foreign companies and universities. He is also on the board of Orphans of Rwanda which offers financing for university education for young Rwandans who have been orphaned either through war or HIV or other unfortunate circumstances so that they can in turn become leaders in driving economic development. Investment in education is key. Banks in Rwanda he says have capital, just not enough ideas and entrepreneurs to offer loans. So his hope through all his various efforts and organizations is to create an environment that educates, nurtures and supports entrepreneurship alongside building a sound healthcare system.

The country of Rwanda is using Singapore as their model. Singapore once no more than a rocky outpost with very little if any natural resources built itself up into a global powerhouse. Singapore has good universities and a very educated population; Singapore enjoys good governance, no corruption and an enviable business environment. Singapore is also the model for many countries in the Gulf. If Rwanda is able to continue on its present trajectory, it might just become the Singapore of Sub-Saharan Africa. And then Rwanda could become the model and inspiration for its own continent to finally turn around.

Map of Sub-Saharan Africa