Decade Goals

Things I want to accomplish by 2020. If any of these are common goals and you want to team up... let me know!

1. Go back to Africa at least once

2. Go to Asia or Latin American

3. Survive a triathlon

4. Write a cookbook

5. Get something published

6. Receive a masters degree

7. Go on a road trip

8. Have a successful garden

9. Cook a 5 course gourmet quality meal

10. Volunteer/work in a refugee camp for at least a week

Mr. President... This Isn't Working

I have been writing about the relationship between President Obama and the anti-genocide movement as a marriage. Perhaps this metaphor is a bit silly, but it stemmed from the honeymoon commentators use to describe the first few weeks/months of a presidency. When the administration failed to appoint a Sudan envoy before announcement of the ICC warrant back in March I announced the honeymoon over ("Obama's Anti-Genocide Honeymoon Is Over").

Responding the warrant, Bashir kicked out aid groups and under even strong pressure the administration finally appointed a special envoy in a move I had hoped with would save the "marriage" ("Will Obama Save The Marriage?").

Unfortunately the man who originally the movement celebrated, Special Envoy Scott Gration, did not signal a more robust pro-peace Sudan policy by the administration which would save the marriage, but rather signaled the end through confusing policies of appeasement to the ruthless dictator so strongly denounced by President Obama.

In his speech to the United Nations General Assembly, President Obama once again echoed his call for peace in Darfur (and all of Sudan) saying: "That is why we will strengthen our support for effective peacekeeping, while energising our efforts to prevent conflicts before they take hold. We will pursue a lasting peace in Sudan through support for the people of Darfur, and the implementation of the comprehensive peace agreement, so that we secure the peace that the Sudanese people deserve."

In order to achieve this peace Gration told the Washington Post: "We've got to think about giving out cookies. Kids, countries -- they react to gold stars, smiley faces, handshakes, agreements, talk, engagement." Let's put aside how ridiculous it sounds to compare a country whose government has pursued genocide to solve disputes with kids and look at the absurdity of giving a genocidal government "cookies, gold stars and smiley faces."

I could repost comments by John Prendergast, but I think the most powerful refutation of Mr. Gration comes from his boss, the President, who immediately preceding his comments regarding Sudan during last week's speech said, "For the most powerful weapon in our arsenal is the hope of human beings - the belief that the future belongs to those who build, not destroy." According to the Chief Prosectuor of the ICC, Bashir is responsible for crimes against humanity estimated to have cost the lives of 300,000 Darfuris. Additionally Bashir may be responsible for similar crimes costing 2.5 MILLION lives during the conflict with South Sudan.

The question persisting on my mind to both the President and his Special Envoy... does this sound like a man we should be cuddling up to in hopes that out of good will to our new found friendship he'll stop massacring his own citizens? If I heard the President right, the future is NOT for the people like Omar Al-Bashir, but rather for peacemakers.

Sadly, in the six months of Gration's time as envoy, the message has consistently been engagement, normalization and friendship to Bashir at a time that the United States has the opportunity to bring new leadership backed by the ICC warrant to reinvigorate peace talks. Bashir was put in the corner and rather than using that advantage, we decided to bail him out and are now considering frolicking together in the park.

The marriage is over, Mr. President. I, one of your strongest supporters even until today, cannot stand by and allow my admiration of you prevent me from berating this confusing and highly disappointing stance on Darfur. The rhetoric has been incredible with the same or perhaps more force than your predecessor and certainly with more eloquence. Time for actions, we have had enough of words!

The long awaited Sudan policy review will supposedly be unfurred this week. I urge the President to order the State Department to use this opportunity to reverse the action of General Gration. Demand his resignation and start fresh with a new envoy focusing on bringing about new peace negotiations backed by multilateral support with tough consequences for any stalling by Bashir or his government.

Marriage is over, but time to decide whether this is amicable separation or not. Despite his rhetoric the movement turned on President Bush for this inaction. Your move Mr. President.

Getting Ready to Write About Uganda

I'm not sure how many people actually read this, but I'm hoping to finally write all about my Uganda trip over the next few days. Many people have asked about the trip and I've responded to read my blog or wait until we chat in person. My apologies that for most, neither has happened. So in preparation I want to open things up...

What questions do you have about my trip to Uganda?

I want to try to answer as many as possible during my recap of the trip.

Thanks!

Conflict Prevention Development?

Yes... time for another one of Leran's crazy ideas... but this one I believe has strong merit. As you'll either read in my previous post or you might hear from me soon, I think I've discovered a niche field I want to explore either working in the human rights, development and conflict resolution fields or through academic research.

This post is intended just to be a general introduction to my thoughts and as an open invite to any ideas you might want to contribute.

Overview: I want to look at how development could be designed or targeted to better promote human rights specifically among marginalized community with the end goal of conflict prevention. My concern is that in societies where violence breaks out the results of development are lost and many development projects have to start at square one if and when stability resumes.

If it would be possible to incorporate methods that promote cooperation among competing ethnic groups or leads into development then perhaps violence between such groups would be avoided or at least lessened in intensity. Furthermore if development could be successful in opening up government and/or increasing participation among marginalized groups the likelihood that conflict between said group and the government would likewise be avoided or mitigated.

Background: Over the last few years while I have been focusing on learning and reacting to the genocide in Darfur I have also followed the post-election violence in Kenya and Zimbabwe. Both nations before their respective crises began were viewed as success stories of Africa. Until a few years ago Kenya was touted as the only stable nation undergoing consistent growth in East Africa. Zimbabwe, until Mugabe began his radical land reforms in early to mid 1990s was a net exporter of food providing imports to much of the continent.

Kenya may have dodged the bullet, but no doubt the slums where the worst ethnic post-election violence are still struggling to return to the less than ideal circumstances of December 2007. Zimbabwe on the other hand continues to alternative between a slow and quick rot descending into violence between political parties and between the government and the few whites left in the nation. With runaway inflation, high HIV rate and crushed infrastructure nowhere sees much hope left for Zimbabwe.

Speaking to people in Uganda, I fear that similar problems may be in store after the national elections in 2011. Many individuals working alongside my volunteer group warned that if President Museveni does not step down and decides to rig another election in order to stay in office, the majority will rise up violently against the NRM party to remove Museveni. While Tororo in the far southeast of Uganda may be spared in a Kenyan style violent outcome, the HIV positive slum residents of Kampala we visited will most likely not be so fortunate.

If the international community is slow to react or not as successful in quelling the violence as in Kenya and things escalate toward Zimbabwe levels then Tororo. which is currently headed toward famine, will surely be thrown into a far more dire situation as will many districts all over the country including the war-torn north. In such a hopefully unlikely, but not impossible outcome the successful development happening all over the country will be most for not.

I hope I, and the Ugandans I spoke to, am wrong about 2011, but regardless post-election violence seems to be a constant phenomenon throughout the Global South. I have yet to find any literature or anyone with knowledge of literature arguing the role of development in preventing such crises and I believe it is a necessary step to take toward peace and development across Africa.

New Blog Title: Being Chased By The Flame

I have sat down with the intention to write this post many times over the last month, but the normal procrastination kicked in. I've promised myself not to get up until its done tonight and unfortunately for the both of us the longer I have waited the more I have to share. I'll try to be brief.

As you heard or read (on this blog), I was supposed to start a job with US PIRG immediately upon my return from Uganda. During my time in Africa my strong interest in human rights, development, conflict resolution and many other things international were cemented even more firmly into my identity. Toward the middle of the seven week program I began having serious doubts about the job with PIRG. Eventually I tentatively decided I would head to Boston and give the job a chance.

The first few days of training in Boston seemed to drag on and the entire time the thoughts I had while in Ramogi grew louder and louder that while I agree with the issues PIRG worked on, I did not belong there. On Saturday morning, August 15th, three days after returning from Uganda and arriving in Boston those thoughts caught up to me. I had what most would call a break down and I suppose it was, but I'd like to call it a moment of realization.

Nearly from that first day I was already contemplating whether to stay at PIRG or find a way home to Texas and on the previous day, August 14th, my phone died. Regardless of the outcome of this internal debate... I need my phone. Believing I had lost my phone charging, I left the hotel toward a nearby Radio Shack. The charger I needed was not there, I headed toward the AT&T located between Radio Shack and the hotel, being a Saturday though the store was opening later and I had to wait.

Not being able to resist the charm of a book store, I decided to kill time at the Border's a few doors down. As I almost always do, I headed up to the history, politics and contemporary issues section of the store to find my familiar home among books about Africa, ethnic conflict, development and genocide history. Rather than finding exciting ideas to turn about in my head, all the books I saw from the new to those I owned all seemed to reinforce the same idea firmly implanted in my thoughts... "What am I doing here? I shouldn't be here."

Despite being short on cash and contemplating quitting a job I had barely begun... I decided I needed a book. One that might help bring clarity to the situation and perhaps guide me to the right choice. Struggling between a few titles, inspiration struck. I needed to buy Samantha Power's newest book: Chasing the Flame: Sergio Vieira de Mello and the Fight to Save the World. After nearly 20 minutes of searching both with and without help, I almost gave up on finding the book until I rechecked the biography section and found it under P for Power.

Riding the escalator down to the first floor with my book-in-hand I mused to myself... Sergio Vieria de Mello might have been chasing the flame in his career, it seems in my life the flame is chasing me.

The next few things I did might have been irrational and partially motivated by a combination of jet lag and reverse culture shock, but I am happy with the choices made. On autopilot I went to the AT&T store, got rerouted to the mall located adjacent to the hotel, finally found a charger and immediately sat down next to an outlet. Once the phone was had some charge I called my mom and told her I was coming home. Walking back to the hotel I made phone calls to my brother, my sister and to my friend who helped me with arrange a flex ticket I had bought through her to get back to Dallas. Back at the hotel I quit the job and began sorting out the next few steps.

For the first time all summer I looked forward to returning home... I needed familiar surroundings, family and a week worth of sleep. That being true I also couldn't put my mind at ease returning to a hibernation state in Dallas. As Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man puts it: "Hibernation is a covert preparation for a more overt action" and I was hungry to pursue more overt action.

With Texas not an option and resources to low to get back to Africa, I had only one place to go to satisfy the possibility of working on international issues: Washington DC. August 28th, 12 days after quitting my job and leaving Boston, I arrived in DC.

A few days later I began an internship on Capitol Hill and moved into a house in Silver Spring, Maryland. I'm looking for work while applying to professional graduate degrees among other opportunities such as Peace Corps.

Things aren't ideal, but they're an idealist paradise. Options and opportunity are everywhere. The flame is certainly chasing me and I'm happy to be running!

Update email to Family and Friends 7

VS Uganda - August 7th

In our final week in Ramogi, we learned how UORDP helps the larger community outside of the village proper. Last Friday, we attended a session hosted by UORDP to teach the basics of business management to care givers of child-headed households. This program, like the lend-a-goat program, sets up sustainable projects that can provide the participants with future income to pay for school fees, uniforms and supplies. That afternoon, we continued our work on the church, and during the break, Phillip had the opportunity to literally become a "Fiddler on the Roof". Our work continued into this week as we finished putting metal sheets on the roof and painted the Early Childhood Development Center with murals, shapes, letters and numbers.

Last Saturday afternoon, we continued our friendly competition of the "Uganda Olympics" with a balancing contest which provided a good visual reminder for that morning's session where we discussed the importance of balancing work and rest. The contest was a draw; the white team eked out a narrow victory over the blue team in the following game of charades. That night, the group was able to experience a little more of local culture, as we were invited to a memorial party for a local doctor's mother. While the final funeral rites seem to us an unexpected reason to throw a ruckus party, we enjoyed dancing to both Ugandan hip-hop and Spanish reggae-ton.

On Sunday afternoon we traveled to the neighboring village of Petah to explore and climb some well-known rock formations. The area was a gorgeous vantage point to watch the sunset, and was also the home of a family helped by UORDP. Over a hundred years ago, European explorers posted plaques on one of the rocks, leaving their mark on the land. As we began our final week in Ramogi, we began thinking about what sort of mark we have left on the community, and how we also have changed.

As much as we try to live our last few days in Uganda by living in the moment, we each began thinking about what will happen when we return home. We had many sessions to help us think about this journey. Amy Klein, the visiting journalist, ran a short informational session on how to publish articles as students or recent graduates. On Monday, different participants led programs that prepared us to continue our work when we go home. Natalie facilitated some writing exercises to put us in the memoir- writing mood. Even if the product never makes it to print, the act of writing is an excellent way to organize our thoughts. Leran and Ilana H-S also discussed their previous volunteer experiences. Leran's extensive work as an anti-genocide advocate taught him the most effective ways to work for a cause. Ilana shared her experience with Invisible Children, and international organization that is working to stop the Lord's Resistance Army, a group plaguing the north of Uganda for many decades.

Our education session this week reinforced the idea of continuing service once we return home. We have started to prepare for our departure which also includes exchanging contact information with many of our new friends. We really feel like we have become a part of this community, and in our audience with the Adhola King on Wednesday he told us that we have truly become part of the Adhola people.

Sarah wants to send a shout out to her dad who recommended that the updates say one thing about everyone, and a shout out to her whole family, and happy b-day Laura!

Julian says "I love not having to shower everyday!"

Ilana requests a Subway sandwich with her arrival at the airport.

Eli says "I am muzungu."

Hannah L put polio vaccine droplets in baby's mouths, helping out at the clinic this week.

Natalie misses her family terribly but does not want to leave Uganda .

Judith has been teaching the geography of East Africa to Ugandan school children.

Rachel can't wait to share all she has learned of Ugandan culture with her family and friends.

Philippa has conquered the latrine.

Reva finally knows why the chicken crossed the road.

Shani wishes all her siblings who had birthdays - happy birthday!

Leran invented the Ramogi sandwich!

Hannah K-C has useless powers.

Faigy is looking forward to going to Kampala

Jamie is savoring her last week here but is also looking forward to the adventures to come.

Aaron's mind is blown

Adam has loved being with the group in Ramogi and looks forward to travels in Europe and then coming home in a month.

Philip doesn't like how this is turning into a Facebook status update

Wally likes Philips status update.

See you all soon! VS Uganda

Update email to Family and Friends 6

Dear friends and family,

Our fifth week in Uganda has brought us as many new experiences as our first week. On Wednesday, we started a new work project at the Ramogi Church of Uganda. Building a roof has given us the opportunity to learn new carpentry skills from the community members. The physical labor has been both demanding and rewarding.

We had our third community exchange during which we shared pictures and stories of our families and home. The next day, the female participants hosted their second woman’s meeting. The group visited the homes of two community members and continued to learn what it is like to be a woman in Ramogi. Meanwhile, the men also bonded by exchanging cultural values over Michael Jackson DVD’s (which the whole community seemed to love).

For Shabbat, we were very lucky to visit a local Jewish community, the Abuyadaya, who refer to themselves as a "lost Jewish tribe". After converting in 1919, the community faced oppression under the regime of Idi Amin who tried to wipe out the Jewish population in Uganda. Today, the Abuyadaya are thriving, with a population of 1,300. The community was very welcoming as we celebrated Shabbat services in different tunes and in different languages.

On our way back to Ramogi, we visited an early childhood education teaching college established by Seth Owino, who has been living and working with us on the compound. He has become one of our closest friends.

This week we began working individually on our mini projects. Some of us are working to cultivate land, others are teaching in the classroom at primary schools, while the rest continue to visit health centers. The mini projects allow us to explore personal interest while still giving back to the community.

Although we have been here for five weeks, we find that we are still learning about our partner NGO. Just yesterday we were able to visit two child-led households that are being sponsored by the “Give a Goat Program.” The goats are valuable to the households both as a reproductive source and as a long-term investment in the children’s future.

Today we are observing Tisha B’av through discussion and mediation. Some group members are fasting while all of us are reflecting on suffering in the spirit of the holiday. Today we were also visited by Amy Klein, a journalist who will be staying with us through Monday. We’ll have more to report on Amy’s visit next week.

Our last two weeks are promising and full of excitement and we look forward to further immersing ourselves in the culture of Ramogi before we return home.

See you soon,

VS Uganda 2009