Month: October 2005

He’s a friend and mentor of mine, so this is a matter of personal interest for me as well. Here is a communique from the indigenous movement in Northern Cauca about how Manuel was forced to flee. I did the translation.

The Price of Our Struggle: Individuals and Groups, using threats and dirty war, seek to silence us
Action Alert

Association of Indigenous Councils of Northern Cauca (ACIN)

October 29, 2005

The Association of Indigenous Councils of Northern Cauca (ACIN) –CXAB WALA KIWE, announces the following to national and international public opinion.

Continue reading “The Case of Manuel Rozental”

I’ve never met Joe Emersberger, but he’s a tireless letter-writer, relentlessly logical, interested in Canada’s role in the world and the Americas, and so I can’t help but encourage his move towards article-writing and blogging. Here’s a short one he sent as a guest blog for the Killing Train:

WHY WOULD CANADA HELP HAITI’S POOR?
by Joe Emersberger

Continue reading “Sometimes Why is the Wrong Question”

A review of a seemingly little-known science fiction film called ‘Serenity’. Serenity is the creation of Joss Whedon, who is also the creator of the TV shows ‘Buffy’ and ‘Angel’. I didn’t follow either show, but occasionally tuning in, I found the dialogue and plot lines to be good.

So when a friend of mine bought the DVDs to the precursor of the ‘Serenity’ film, which was a TV series called ‘Firefly’, and loaned them to me, I was interested enough to give them a try. I ended up watching 14 episodes in about 3 days.

Continue reading “Serenity and Firefly (movie review)”

I haven’t said anything about the quake in Pakistan and Kashmir. I am at a bit of a loss. There are some good articles on ZNet South Asia Watch, including one by Hoodbhoy.

First, today’s the 4th anniversary of 10/7, the day the US began bombing Afghanistan. This isn’t often seen as a turning point the way 9/11/01 or the invasion of Iraq in 2003 was. But maybe it should be.

Continue reading “Some last impressions of Haiti”

I’m back. I had written a long piece with some impressions, but then I closed my browser before saving. So… more later.

Last week we talked to Desmond Molloy, an old soldier who heads the ‘DDR’ program for MINUSTAH, the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti. ‘DDR’ stands for Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration. Molloy’s previous experience, among other conflicts, was in Sierra Leone. There, he explained, there were two armed sides – rebels and the government – waging a political and military conflict. In such conflicts opponents try to maximize advantages anticipating a solution, either by negotiation and treaty or total victory for one side and defeat for the other.

Continue reading “Two Faced in Haiti: Call it ‘social’ and not ‘political’”