epeolatry

THIS BLOG IS NO LONGER BEING UPDATED

2005-09-01T12:30:00.000+10:00

OK, I am really going now. New blog is two peas, no pod . Hope to see you there.

Take them out!

2005-08-30T15:14:00.000+10:00

OK, I am now officially over my tonsils and wish to have them removed from my throat as soon as possible. I was not coming down with Paul's cold last week, but rather with yet another dose of tonsillitis. I woke up on Friday morning with a painful throat and a growing suspicion that this was not just a brewing head cold. When I shined a headlamp down my throat my suspicions were confirmed. My tonsils were covered in absences and behind both of them where a number of rather large groups of white pussy sores (or whatever they were...).

Paul kindly went out to purchase me some amoxicillin - the antibiotic that I always take for tonsillitis... and I spend most of the next three days in bed. Boo hoo!

So now I am firmly committed to getting these things removed from my throat. I asked the doctor about it quite a while ago now. It was before I left for my longish overseas trip (the in-between Uni and work, before I ended up going back to Uni after work etc...). I told her that I had been getting tonsillitis around 3-4 times a year and that this was not only inconvenient and unpleasant, but that I was worried about getting it somewhere where it was difficult to get treatment etc... She told me that doctors didn't really recommend getting this done anymore, that taking antibiotics was a less invasive treatment and that I was unlikely to get it overseas because I wouldn't be stressed (I always got it around assessment or exam time).

Well, she wasn't quite right. I actually got tonsillitis (really badly) in Nepal and it didn't respond to their dodgy amoxicillin, but instead got worse. I then went to a doctor who prescribed a combination of penicillin and some other drug (after I refused that injection he wanted to give me out of fear of the needles in his clinic). Well I took this combination once before I went to bed, and 6 hours later as prescribed (around 1am), only to wake up around 5am with my skin burning. I went into the bathroom to discover to my horror that I had a bright red rash all over my body - including my face - that consisted of rather large raised red circles. It was distressing to say the least.

At first, I blamed the hotel bed - thinking that it had bugs or was washed in a detergent that I was allergic to - and moved hotels. Then I went to a pharmacy with my medicine packets to see if they could look up the side effects for me (which the doctor had kindly failed to mention). Well the other medication (I forget the name, which is silly) stated quite clearly "May cause rash", and indeed it had. I had that rash for the next 10 days - it was still fading when I got to Koh Chang and wanted to swim in the ocean!

Anyway, now I have it again, while overseas etc... although this time I didn't take the combination and didn't get a rash (thank goodness!), and this time I am just over it. No more! Once I get back to a place where there is some level of hygiene available in the hospital system, I am getting someone to cut them out.

Anyway. while I was in bed, Paul took advantage of his sudden captivity and our new broadband connection (dodgy as it has turned out to be), and started to set up a new blog for him and I - two peas, no pod. Since I thought that whining about my tonsils probably wasn't the best way to start a new blog, I thought that I would write about that here before making the switch. Now, of course, this blog will be left with a legacy of my ending on this whiny note, but what am I going to do?

English (and Lao) lessons

2005-08-25T17:30:00.000+10:00

So I managed to solve the question of what on earth Nok can do with all her time here (and to give myself a whole new category of procrastination activities) by teaching Nok English in the afternoons. She started it, really, by sitting down with our phrase book and Lao-English dictionary when she had run out of things to do around the house on her first day. On Friday when this happened again, I offered to help and we ended up swapping pronounciation tips and going through the basics like "Hello, how are you?" "See you later" and the days of the week. She ended the day saying "See you Monday", which I thought was pretty impressive as I have yet to get that down in Lao and have been paying someone to teach me.

Over the weekend, Paul and I found some beginning English books in the morning market and Nok ploughed through the first 4 lessons on Monday afternoon - after greeting us with a "Hello, how are you?" in the morning. She also told me that she is 20 years old and has a 2 year old son. I can't imagine having had a child at 18, but I think that she was equally concerned that at 26 I still didn't have one. Like everyone else in Laos she asked me whether I had a baby, and suggested that now might be a good time to start getting on to that issue. Fair enough, I am a little 'over the hill' by Lao standards - and Paul, at 29 is really getting far too old!

Tonight Paul and I have our own lessons, in Lao. Our teacher, Pitsamai is fantastic, but I always feel exhausted afterwards and since I have come down with Paul's flu I am feeling a bit overwhelmed by the prospect of our lesson. We are on to writing and reading Lao script and my head isn't really getting around it at all. I guess I did once got my head around Japanese script, so I should just plough on. I need a bit of Nok's determination. She is already writing in English and knows all the letters!

By the way, the reason I am finally posting again after my dial up disasters is that we finally got our 'wireless' broadband connection. The interesting part about it is that it is firmly 'wired' into our computer, so I am not sure what the 'wireless' part is supposed to describe. I am also not sure why I bought an airport card thingy to facilitate connection (at the internet company's request)! Oh well, it works and that is the main thing!

Maeban

2005-08-19T09:15:00.000+10:00

While I was away our household increased in size and the kids across the road reported to their mother that it looked liked we could use a hand. So Joy (our neighbour) came over and suggested to Paul that we employ a Maeban (spelling?). Some negotiations ensured and he thought that they agreed to getting someone to come over once a week for US$60. Because all this took place in Lao, Paul then called his boss to do the translation. It turned out that Joy thought that they had agreed to getting someone over for 6 days a week (for the same price) - which is the norm here. So Paul negotiated again and (thought that he) agreed to having someone coming over 3 mornings a week for US$50 per month.

They decided that the new Maeban would start when I arrived (because I am home in the day and could let someone in etc...). So Wednesday came around and the gate bell rang at 8am. Paul and I rush out in our pyjamas (yes we were sleeping in) to greet Joy and Nok - who is littler than me and incredibly sweet! Some confusion ensured as we tried to communicate with our (extremely) limited Lao. Essentially they wanted to know where the cleaning products were and we could only present them with a broom, mop and ONE cloth.

Not long afterwards, Joy left and Nok started cleaning. At the same time Nat's friend Weena (a Quebecois girl that Nat met in Vietnam) came over to stay the night before heading back home via Hanoi. So I made Weena and I a coffee (Nok turned down my offer) and chatted to her about her trip while trying to work out how to feel OK about having someone clean around me. It was quite uncomfortable and weird.

At lunchtime, I went downstairs to see if Nok was going to go home. It turns out that she is actually here ALL day on Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays. In fact, I even had to tell her to go home at 5pm (she did at least go home for lunch). I have no idea what she will do with all that time!

Back in Vientiane

2005-08-16T18:00:00.000+10:00

Back in Vientiane, this time until we both leave together next year. The weather is actually breezy and cool and I am feeling very lucky to be gazing out my window at the mango trees and coconut palms. We spent a long weekend in Bangkok and did some hardcore shopping. I don’t think that I have ever shopped so much in my entire life! It was quite exciting though, because everything in Thailand fits me – even the shoes! – unlike in Australia where the lowest size tends to fall off. I have been to Bangkok many times before, but never really during a time when shopping was appropriate. I was either backpacking or attending a conference, and the big malls seemed frivolous and uninteresting. However, this time, I came prepared to shop and surprised myself by enjoying the experience (by and large). Now, I think that I am done for another 5 to 10 years… I will get the rest of my clothes made here by the local tailors.
We flew home yesterday via Udon Thani – a town in Thailand near the Lao border – where we waited a couple of hours for some friends to fly in, so that we could catch a ride back to Lao in their borrowed car. While we were waiting, we were shocked by how many couples there were at the airport that comprised of Western men and Thai women. Some of these couples looked perfectly happy and unremarkable. However, lots of the Western men were a good 50 years older than their Thai wives. Quite a number were also extremely domineering – ordering their wives about as though they were small children or a junior employee – it was all a bit distressing.
I realise that there are plenty of happy couples where differences of age or cultural background are not an issue. However, I always find it a bit hard to imagine that this could be the case when a guy is several times older than his wife (I have yet to see this in the other direction). These women were younger than me, while the guys were older than my grandfathers. What does a 18-20 year old have in common with someone in their 70s or 80s? Interestingly, when our friends arrived, they said that they too had noticed this phenomenon in Udon Thani and speculated that it might have something to do with the fact that it was once used as a base during the American war in Vietnam (and Laos).
It was interesting driving across the border. The first time I came to Laos, I came across the Friendship Bridge, but I haven’t done so since. It is weird to realise how close Vientiane is to Thailand, when it really feels so cut off on a day-to-day level. Once we arrived home, we went straight to Vong’s – a restaurant around the corner, which is just excellent – and had his amazing Morning Glory with garlic (Pakbong in Lao, I think?). Time seemed to melt and I really felt as though I had never left.
I went out this afternoon to buy some food at the local market – just a baguette and some salad stuff – and my return caught the attention of the kids over the road who insisted on popping over for a visit. The four of them – a one-year-old, 8 year old, 10 year old and a teenage boy – piled into our living room and started to flick through the magazines before asking permission to turn on the television. Then they tried to chat to me in Lao, to which I generally had to reply “I don’t understand, sorry”, over and over again. After a while, they declared that they were hungry and set about trying to raid the kitchen. There isn’t a lot of food in our house, so I made them little sandwiches with the stuff I had just bought at the market. They also wanted some of the pepsi in the fridge, but I had to try to explain that it wasn’t mine to give… it was all a bit awkward. The teenager then set about washing the pile of dishes in our sink (apparently built up over the weekend by our housemates) and when he had finished asked again about the pepsi. Again I tried to explain that it wasn’t mine and this time they seemed to understand. Raid over, they then went home.

Extolling the virtues of Canberra

2005-08-08T08:38:00.000+10:00

OK so I was unfair and unbalanced (a la Fox) it my last post and forgot to tell the other side of the story. Not only am I extremely happy to be heading to Vientiane to join Paul and live in beautiful Laos, but I am also happy about moving to Canberra next year. I have just spent the last few days staying with my Mum here and it has reminded me of many of the things that I love about Canberra.

First there is the sky - the enormous almost-always blue sky that dominates the landscape and makes me feel deeply relaxed and at home. I love Canberra's sky along with the four distinct seasons that it holds and the constantly changing trees it frames.

Second is family. With the exception of my Dad and Sarah (who I will miss badly), and a scattering of aunts, uncles and cousins in Sydney and Adelaide, almost all of my family and Paul's family are in Canberra - and that is a lot. We both have big families. While this is exhausting at Christmas (or when planning a wedding!) it is also a huge blessing and in Canberra we can spend more time with our family in that relaxing day-to-day sense, rather than doing the rushed weekend catch-ups that never really feel satisfying.

Next are my old haunts – my favourite Canberra places that I missed like an arm when I first moved to Sydney. Tilley’s sits at the top of that list, since I have been going there since before I could walk and have seen it grow from the size of a corridor to the mega-establishment that it is today – having taken over many surrounding shops, including the butcher (which, as a vegan, a certainly don’t miss). I also love Silo the bakery in Kingston, although Bourke Street Bakery has done a good job on convincing me that they are not the only people who know how to bake great bread.

I guess ultimately while Canberra is nowhere near as glamorous as Sydney and totally lacks the warm winter, beach and spectacular scenery, the quality of life in Canberra is better. It is just easier to live well here; there is more space, easier access to farmer’s markets and other people’s houses, and it feels more centered on people. However, while I just wanted to move back here when I first got to Sydney, now I am slightly torn between the two places. Sydney won me over, despite its traffic and harried atmosphere. I was lucky enough to enjoy the more people friendly layers and discover my own quiet spaces. So next year we move to Canberra, and then who knows… I haven’t really tried Melbourne yet.

One week!!!

2005-08-04T17:43:00.000+10:00

In less than one week (well one hour less) I will be boarding a plane to Bangkok where Paul will be waiting. I cannot express how exciting that is! I am so over this whole separation thing - I do not rate it and never want to do it again.

In the meantime, life has been busy in the most mundane and annoying ways. I have moved out of our house, packed everything up, organised to store it, cleaned the house, cancelled utilities, paid up final bills, done our tax returns (including spending hours on the phone to the tax department convincing them that they had misinterpreted the Taxation Act - and finally succeeding), filling in security forms for Paul's new job (everywhere I have ever lived and traveled for the past 10 years - a book essentially!), blah blah blah. I have also tried to continue to do my research and get ethics approval for my fieldwork. All up, it hasn't been the best 5 weeks.

However, one thing that has been amazing lately has been Sydney's weather. It has been simply spectacular - day after day of blue sky and sunshine. It was almost as though it sensed that I was leaving and wanted to remind me of what I would be missing. And to tell you the truth, it really made me think about it.

So here is a list of some of things that I am going to miss about Sydney:
1. The beach - especially Coogee, Bronte and Balmoral
2. The weather (particularly warm winters)
3. The harbour
4. Crown Street
5. Bodhi - best vegan yum cha anywhere
6. Mint - best coffee (and incredibly friendly service)
7. The falafel balls from Zeno's - freshest I have ever tasted
8. The great Thai restaurants
9. My 30% discount at the Bookshop
10. My Dad & Sarah (should have put that higher up, I was distracted by food)
11. The black sesame soy ice cream from the green gourmet on King St
12. The secondhand bookshops on King St
13. The walks - coogee - bondi, spit bridge to manly...
14. Taking ferries anywhere
15. The abundance of public transport (even if it is unreliable)
16. My gym (mmm pilates and yoga)

OK that's enough. We can always move back, one day...

"China is our great friend"

2005-07-29T10:15:00.000+10:00

So Mugabe's government is continuing to demolish the homes of thousands of Zimbabweans despite a UN report, which provided damning evidence to the Security Council that already over 700,000 people have been left homeless or jobless by "Operation Murambatsvina" (Shona for "Drive out rubbish").

Ms Tibaijuka's report said the forced evictions constituted "a humanitarian crisis of immense proportions", and demanded that "the culprits who have caused this man-made disaster be brought to book".

However, Mugabe apparently feels totally immune from international censure, believing (probably justifiably) that he will be protected by China's veto power. Yesterday in Beijing, he stated that "China will never allow that nonsense to happen. China is our great friend."

To make matters worse, South Africa is continuing to provide support for Mugabe, indicating yesterday that it may take over some of the Zimbabwe's foreign debt.

It certainly makes you despair at the effectiveness of the international system and the UN, when such a clear violation of human rights can be left unchallenged, just because China has an economic interest in maintaining a strong relationship with Mugabe. Rather than being a positive counter-weight to US unilateralism, China is emerging as something even worse again...

Why Mbeki?

2005-07-26T14:11:00.000+10:00

So my optimism that the UN report might have an impact on Mbeki's stance towards Zimbabwe would now appear to be thoroughly misplaced. Instead, it would seem that he is not only going to turn a blind eye to the forcible and illegal eviction of 700,000 people, but also assist Mugabe by propping up his government. That is very sad.

China may also fill the remaining needs for Mugabe, as it yet again agrees to defend governments who abuse their own people in return for access to resources in Africa. As far as a countervailing weight to the US goes, China is a pretty crap one to say the least.

Update on Zimbabwe

2005-07-22T13:44:00.000+10:00

As someone has kindly mentioned in the comments, things are just going from bad to worse in Zimbabwe. Yesterday, police illegally raided churches in Bulawayo and rounded up people who were sheltering in the church grounds (after having had their homes destroyed in Operation Murambatsvina). These poor harrassed people were loaded into trucks and driven to holding camps that are apparently unfit for human habitation. Can you imagine what that must feel like?

Also, I found an article detailing the ongoing harrassment that David Coltart has had to endure in Zimbabwe since he ran for government in 2000. I thought yesterday that he was very brave. Today I realise that this is a huge understatement. He has been called a terrorist by Mugabe on national television, threatens over and over again with arrest, his house has been searched, trumped up charges have been brought against him, several attempts have been made on his life, and, worst of all, the safety of his children has been compromised on numerous occassions. I cannot imagine how he gathers the courage and resolve to stay in the country - and I realise that this applies to countless other Zimbabweans, some of whom do not have the choice over whether to stay and some of whom have been forced to flee only to be deported back again by British authorities. Hopefully at least this policy will change in light of this latest display of complete indifferent to human rights and life by Mugabe.

By the way, here is a transcript of an interview that Mr Coltart did with Lateline yesterday - much of the information is the same as the briefing.

Water and the Artist

2005-07-21T18:05:00.000+10:00

A Guardian article today about an artist, Mark McGowan, who has decided to leave a tap in a south London gallery running for one year for the purposes of his exhibition has just reminded me of another article I saw last week about an Indian artist, Mr. Sharad Haksar, who is being sued by Coca-cola for drawing attention to their record of reaking havoc on the water resources of rural communities across India.

Mark McGowan calls his exhibition "The Running Tap" and claims that it is his effort to protest against wasted water in London by blatantly letting it go down the drain. His 'effort' (which started three weeks ago) has earned him the ire of residents and Thames Water alike, and Thames Water are investigating mechanisms under the Water Industry Act (1991) for bringing an action against McGowan and forcing him to turn off his exhibition, which could waste around 3.9 million gallons of water and cost about $23,320.

In contrast, Mr. Haksar's art manages to draw attention to water wastage in a manner that is consistent with his objectives (i.e.; he is not wasting water in the process). Instead, he has placed "a large billboard in one of Chennai's busiest areas - one of India's largest cities" which depicts a dry water pump in front of a Coke ad. For the people of India, who are well aware of coca-cola's record of draining rural communities dry, this billboard carries a message of truth. However, Coke disagrees and is suing Mr. Haksar for "incalculable damage to the goodwill and reputation" of the company. One assumes that they would have to prove that they actually have a good reputation in India, something that I find hard to believe after their performance in Plachimada - a rural community that successfully campaigned to have Coke's licence suspended (after their wells were drained dry and their groundwater contaminated) only to have the decision overturned last May.

Anyway, I love the photo and hope that he is successful in defending the suit.

Zimbabwe and (Shadow) Justice

2005-07-21T17:25:00.000+10:00

I just attended a briefing by the David Coltart MP, the Shadow Justice Minister of Zimbabwe and left feeling a strange combination of inspired and depressed. The human rights situation in Zimbabwe is every bit as bad as I had feared (gleaning what little was available in the media and on the Internet). I quote from an open letter that Mr Coltart wrote to "The Zimbabwean":

A clear crime against humanity
Open letter from David Coltart

BULAWAYO - The Zimbabwean Minister of Education on Monday June 13, 2005 made a statement regarding the plight of the hundreds of thousands who have been affected by Zimbabwe’s forcible destruction of homes in urban areas which has occurred during the last few weeks and which continues as I write. This is how the government- controlled Herald reported his comments:
“Education Minister Aeneas Chigwedere said Monday that people would be moved on to an “appropriate place,” adding that there is “nobody in Zimbabwe who does not have a rural home.”

I have just received a list of the people in one of the churches that has offered shelter to the people devastated by this atrocity. Well over half the families in that church are not originally from Zimbabwe at all and so have no rural home to go to. Most of them are from Malawi and the rest are from South Africa, Zambia, Botswana and Mozambique.

Many other people living in areas where they were lawfully resident, even Zimbabwean citizens, will not have a rural home to go to and even if they have an area to go to they may not be welcome there at this juncture (more mouths to feed in an already catastrophic food situation) and will almost certainly not have any actual home or structure there to give them shelter in mid winter.

Clearly the Minister is not telling the truth, nor is the regime. The truth is that hundreds of thousands have been rendered homeless by these brutal acts and no provision has been made to ensure that these poor folk will have a roof over their heads in the coming months, which after all are the coldest months of the year. Most of these displaced people were already malnourished. Tens of thousands of them have Aids. The combination of malnutrition, Aids, lack of shelter and cold will cause thousands to die.

If the international community does not react quickly to provide tents, food, blankets, medicines we will face a humanitarian disaster of unprecedented proportions in the coming weeks.

It is important to recollect the following core principles set out in the report of the International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty published in September 2001:

A. State sovereignty implies responsibility, and the primary responsibility the protection of its people lies with the State itself.

B. Where a population is suffering serious harm, as a result of internal war, insurgency, repression or state failure, and the State in question is unwilling or unable to act all averted, the principle of non-intervention yields to the international responsibility to protect.

The international community, under the leadership of United Nations, has a clear responsibility to protect those citizens of Zimbabwe who are now suffering serious harm as a result of state repression.
The international community’s responsibility does not end with the provision of humanitarian assistance. What is happening in Zimbabwe is clearly a crime against humanity as defined in Article 7 of the Rome statute of the international criminal court, which states:

1. For the purpose of the Statute, “crime against humanity” means any of the following acts when committed as part of the widespread or systematic attack directed against any civilian population, with knowledge of the attack:

(d) Deportation or forcible transfer of population;

(f) Torture;

2. (d) ”Deportation or forcible transfer of population” means forced displacement of the persons concerned by expulsion or other coercive axe from the area in which they are lawfully present, without grounds permitted under international law;

(e) “Torture” means the intentional infliction of severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, upon a person in the custody or under the control of the accused; except that torture shall not include pain or suffering a rising only from, inherent in or incidental to, lawful sanctions.

Zimbabwe, not surprisingly, has not ratified the Treaty of Rome. It will require a resolution of the Security Council to initiate a prosecution. Excuses have been given that because such a resolution will be blocked there is no point in attempting to obtain such a resolution. In my view that is a fallacious argument for if it were to be applied universally it would mean that dictatorial regimes will know that they can act with impunity because no one is even prepared to attempt to have them indicted.

David Coltart MP, MDC Shadow Justice Minister

However, despite all of the depressing details about the atrocities being carried out in Zimbabwe at the moment (and the impunity being enjoyed by the Mugabe Regime), the inspiring thing about Mr Coltart’s briefing was his account of the existence of so many individuals and organisations in Zimbabwe who are courageous enough to stand up and do something about it. These included community organisations, church groups, lawyers for human rights, and the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) – the political party that Mr Coltart is a member of.

Another inspiring fact was that the MDC has consistently upheld its decision to act only in a non-violent manner – feeling that Zimbabwe has a terrible history of politicians justifying the use of violence to obtain their political ends and that this has only sewn the seeds of violence and suffering for the people of Zimbabwe. Mr Coltart stating that this decision had certainly been challenged by people within the movement who felt that more could be achieved if violence means were used to overthrow the current regime. However, the movement as a whole has consistently agreed that the means by which they achieve justice and democracy is every bit as important as the ends themselves, and that the last thing that Zimbabwe needs is yet another civil war.

It would also appear that the impunity enjoyed by Mugabe’s regime may be suffering a bit of a blow tomorrow. The UN Special Envoy to Zimbabwe, Ms Anna Tibaijuka, will be formally submitting her report to the UN tomorrow and it sounds like it will be highly critical of the regime and particularly of the recent Operation Muvabatsatsvina (Drive Out Rubbish) campaign, which has involved the destruction of the houses of hundreds of thousands of its own people (for the crime of supporting the opposition). Hopefully this will mean that Mbeki will take a stronger stand against Mugabe – or, at the very least, refrain from giving him outright support through the granting of financial aid.

A little closer to home, Mr Coltart stated, when asked, that there were three main things that we in Australia could do to support the people of Zimbabwe in their struggle for justice:

The first was to provide financial and moral support to the domestic civil society organisations who are working so hard (and so courageously) on the ground to promote human rights and to promote support to the victims of the Mugabe regime.

The second was to support targeted sanctions against Zimbabwe. Here he emphasized that he did not support a general trade embargo or even a general sporting embargo. He gave the example of sport where, unlike in Apartheid South Africa, the sports people in Zimbabwe do not actually support the Mugabe regime or their policies. However, in the case of cricket an embargo would be appropriate because the cricketing board insist on retaining Robert Mugabe as their patron and openly support the regime.

The third was to support a Security Council resolution calling for those people responsible for Operation Muvabatsatsvina to be charged for Crimes Against Humanity in the International Criminal Court under Article 7 of the Rome Statute.

10 years on in Srebrenica and what have we learned?

2005-07-12T21:32:00.000+10:00

My heart goes out to the Bosnians that lost their loved ones in the Srebrenica 10 years ago. I cannot imagine the horror of the events that took place, or the memories that must haunt them still. The cruel irony of being offered safe haven, only to have the out-numbered soldiers step aside and allow the massacre to take place is just so awful.

I only wish that it could be said that things have changed - that the international community (and most of all, the Security Council) has learned from Srebrenica and Rwanda and is willing to intervene earlier to defend the lives of the most vulnerable. However, Dafur is testament to the fact that this is simply not the case. The suffering of the people of Sudan apparently does not rate highly enough on their radar for any real action to be taken. It seems that the Sudanese people are simply not important enough.

I volunteered last year with an organisation that documents the stories of refugees for the purposes of conducting advocacy on their behalf. The stories that I wrote up from Sudan were unbearably traumatic. Women and girls who had been sold, raped and tortured so many times in their, often short, lives and who had over and over again been denied the protection of their families, their communities and of those organisations (like the UN) who are supposed to act on their behalf. The horror that they experience is only compounded by the stunning lack of justice that they encounter when they try to speak out and defend themselves.

It is so easy to get overwhlemed by the terrible things that we as humans are capable of doing to each other, and are capable of turning away from. Next post, I must remember to think of something positive to restore my faith in humanity.

The 'Walking Wounded'

2005-07-07T22:01:00.000+10:00

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_pictures/4659489.stm
Originally uploaded by epeolatry.

I already posted on gleanings but for some reason I can't post photos there from flixr. I found this photo pretty emotive. They have just announced that at least 50 people are dead.

They are also talking about "assaults on our way of life", "civilized nations", and "barbaric acts". We are back to "us" vs "them" already.

Marking, 1 July and G8

2005-07-04T19:52:00.000+10:00

I picked up a rather large pile of marking when I arrived in Sydney on Tuesday and have basically been devoted to finishing it off ever since (except for a meeting with my supervisor and a trip down to Canberra for my Grandpa's birthday and a long overdue catch-up with my Mum). For some reason this lot of marking took forever, and I feel utterly drained now that I am finally finished.

One good thing about being so distracted is that I hardly had the time to notice that 1 July arrived and the Coalition now has control of the Senate. Of course, there is plenty of time left to dwell of on this particular issue and the horror that it means for Australia - particularly in terms of the changes to Industrial Relations, Welfare, and the latest joke of a budget. However, at least I didn't cry on Friday - which is an improvement over my reaction to the last two election results.

The other thing that basically went straight over my head was the Live 8 Concerts. This wasn't such a big deal entertainment-wise, because I am pretty uncool and don't really appreciate live music very much. What I am curious about is the impact that this will actually have (a) on the G8 themselves and (b) on public opinion. I have to admit to feeling a little cynical about at least (a), in that I'm not convinced that much is really going to be done to 'Make Poverty History' at the G8 meetings this week. I think that GW is too disinterested and that Germany is showing all the signs of being both disinterested and pissed off with Blair (enough to want to be actively uncooperative).

In relation to public opinion, I'm sure that people will 'sit up and take notice' of the issue, this week. But how long will that interest last and how much will it influence them? Will it change the kind of coffee or chocolate they buy? Will it change how much energy they consume - the kind of car they drive, the amount of packaging they purchase, how long they shower for? Will it change who they vote for?
I want to believe that it will, but I think that a campaign like this one is too superficial and gimmicky to have any long-term impact. I feel as though it is designed to just make people feel empowered to do something and then (in the same breath) happy with themselves for already having done enough. I hope that I am wrong.

Maybe I will feel much more optimistic tomorrow when I have slept. If so, I take it all back.

Why am I here?

2005-06-30T14:08:00.000+10:00

From my office window the world outside is covered in a thick blanket of water and I am surrounded by the sound of violent winds beating against the Matthews building. It is also freezing in here, and I am sitting in front of a pile of 65 papers each waiting to be marked. Naturally I am wondering what on earth I am doing here.

I flew out of Vientiane on Monday morning, after many tears and culturally inappropriate displays of public affection at the airport (we hugged – several people stared and one even filmed us). I then had the pleasure (not for the first time either) of spending 7 hours at Bangkok International Airport - a place that is shockingly devoid of any decent vegan food, despite being in a country that is so good on this front. I was so tired, from the massive party at our house over the weekend and my inability to sleep the night before I left, that the time actually passed reasonably quickly. I wandered, zombie-like, around the duty-free shops, and indulged in an overpriced massage to pass the time.

For almost the first time ever, I did not sleep well on the flight to Sydney. I think that I was just overtired. As a result, Tuesday was an absolute right-off. All I managed to do was come in briefly to pick up some of my marking and slink back home to bed. Today I am feeling mostly human, but the weather is truly hideous. Laos seems very far away and supremely desirable. If only it was August.

Phoxai's Baci

2005-06-20T15:00:00.000+10:00

Paul takes his turn
Originally uploaded by epeolatry.

Paul and I went to a baci last weekend. In Laos, Bacis are ceremonies used to mark particularly important occasions - such as weddings, or departures. This one was for Phoxai, a young guy who was leaving for Australia for three years on an AusAID University Scholarship. He was a friend of ours and invited us to his village of birth where the ceremony (and party) was being held.

We arrived at 11am, and had to drink a glass of Beer Laos before being allowed in the door. I don't really drink, so this was a little unfortunate, but all I could politely get away with was to ask for "noy neung" (a little bit). Inside, there was a baci tree set up, with marigolds and candles adorning it, and cooked chickens, rice wine, kip, and packets of snack food placed below as offerings.

As the ceremony began, the official chanter started and we were given flower buds to hold between our hands (held in a pray position). After a little, white string was pulled from the baci tree and tied around Phoxai's wrists, and those of his close friends and family (and ours, because, I presume, we were felang). The chanting was beautiful, and reminded me off the chanting I heard once in a buddist temple in the everest region of Nepal.

At the end of the ceremony, someone dipped a flower in some Jonny Walker Whiskey (a gift to Phoxai) and sprayed our hands. Then the string tying began in earnest. People crowded around Phoxai to tie a piece of white string around his wrists, while offering words of good luck. Some tied kip (Lao money) to the string (I understand the string is designed to keep in the spirits). People also did this to each other, and us (although without the money). Because we were felang (foreigners) many people crowded around to tie string around our wrists, and it actually got quite claustrophobic. To avoid the press, I grabbed a bundle of string and set out to tie up some wrists of my own.

While I was circulating, someone caught me unawares and placed a plate of sticky rice and cooked chicken in my hands. I was actually quite lucky on this front; many other people were given the same gift, but without the plate. Being a vegan, I thanked them and moved to the other side of the room to offer my gift to someone else a little more appreciative.

After the ceremony was over, a feast was served and we ate sticky rice, vegetables, rice noodles (and there were other meat dishes too). Phoxai had made sure that there were vegan options for Paul and I, although someone had been unable to resist the temptation of livening up the salad with a bit of meat (pork I think). During lunch, people started moving around the room with a bottle of Beer Lao and one glass. They would fill up the glass as they reached each person in the room and wait while it was drunk in front of them, before moving on to the next person. Right after being cornered by one such person, I also encountered another who was moving around with a bottle of Jonny Walker Black Label. I was successful in getting only noy neung, but it was still full on and I had to drink large amounts of water afterwards so as not to have to excuse myself.

After the feast, we went outside to join the rest of the village who had been feasting in the open air (under tarpaulins) the whole time. There it became a matter of choosing between dancing in the mud, or being faced with the ever-circulating beer lao glasses. Sometimes, there was no choice, as a guy would come over and wai (place his palms together and bow slighly) you indicating that he was inviting you to dance with him. The only polite response to this was to stand and make your way quickly to the dance floor. Gradually I gained confidence in pleading off the beer lao advances (by telling them that I was too drunk already - the only acceptable excuse apparently), but I still spent a fair bit of time dancing in the mud.

At 4pm, after 5 hours of heat, alcohol, music and dancing, we decided to make a move back to Vientiane (an hour's drive away). Our decision to leave did not go down well. Although other people were leaving, as the felang, I think they expected us to kick on for much longer. However, we were all exhaustive and our driver had another commitment for the evening.

That night, instead of hitting the town, Paul and I decided to eat at our local restaurant (beautiful morning glory and tofu dishes with rice for just over $2 all up), and hire a dvd (for 5,000 kip, or 50 cents - they cost 1,500 to buy) to watch in bed. The next day we spent the afternoon recovering at the Australia Club's pool contemplating what a 'hard life' it is (for us) here in Vientiane.

Phoxai during ceremony

2005-06-20T14:51:00.000+10:00

Phoxai during ceremony
Originally uploaded by epeolatry.

Family and friends are linked through the strings

2005-06-20T14:50:00.000+10:00

Family and friends are linked through the strings
Originally uploaded by epeolatry.

Phoxai with strings and kip

2005-06-20T14:49:00.000+10:00

Phoxai with strings and kip
Originally uploaded by epeolatry.

Daniel ties string to Phoxai's wrists

2005-06-20T14:48:00.000+10:00

Daniel ties string to Phoxai's wrists
Originally uploaded by epeolatry.

Mel gets the chicken and some string

2005-06-20T14:47:00.000+10:00

Mel gets the chicken and some string
Originally uploaded by epeolatry.

The Feast

2005-06-20T14:46:00.001+10:00

The Feast
Originally uploaded by epeolatry.

The Baci Tree

2005-06-20T14:46:00.000+10:00

The Baci Tree
Originally uploaded by epeolatry.

A selection of dishes

2005-06-20T14:45:00.000+10:00

A selection of dishes
Originally uploaded by epeolatry.

Laos: Week Two

2005-06-14T18:22:00.000+10:00

As well as visiting Paul, I am also trying to continue my PhD research while I am here in Laos. One of my ideas had been to do one of my case studies here - based on dams and their impact on human rights. I had this idea that I might be able to interview some people in country on the subject and investigate the issue a little when I come back (after getting ethics approval from my University). I wasn't totally insane about this. I was aware that I was unlikely to be able to speak to local people, but I had thought that NGO workers would be able to speak to me about the subject, express their views, etc.

I could not have been more wrong. I have discovered during my stay that there is no more sensitive issue in Laos than dams, and that I could get myself deported simply by asking questions on the subject of the wrong person. I have also discovered that no one is interested in talking about the issue, because they would like to be able to stay here and continue to work on their projects - something that they feel is unlikely to happen should they be openly critical of the government on this issue.

Of course, this raises some big issue for my research and for the issue that I was interested in in the first place. The World Bank approved the Nam Theun 2 Dam last based on a process of "extensive public consultation" that has taken place since the mid-90s. According to the rhetoric, the public and representatives of international civil society based here in Laos took part in an open discussion about the project and everyone had the opportunity to express their opinions and concerns. I am not challenging the fact that these 'consultations' took place. However, I find it hard to believe that they were open or that anyone felt safe enough to express their opinions on this issue. Since I also find it hard to believe that the Bank didn't know this, what does this say about their definition of participation? Is it really just a cynical exercise of securing 'public approval' for something that is already of foregone conclusion? I would like to believe that this is not the purpose of participatory methods, and to understand why it was considered to be OK in this particular situation.

In the meantime, I won't be asking any questions while I am here.

Week One in Laos

2005-06-06T18:27:00.000+10:00

bungalows
Originally uploaded by epeolatry.

I am visiting Paul for a month and am slowly adjusting. I have got the time zone down and am now working on the heat. This one is proving to be a little more difficult.

I was intending to buy a new mountain bike - to replace the one that got stolen in Surry Hills last year. However, I am now starting to think that this might not be the best plan. It gets so hot here during the day and I will need to get about to meet people and get information for my research etc... Instead I think that I will get an electric scooter. They are about $300, and go about 30kms an hour (the speed limit here). The next door neighbours all have one and we are going to chat to them about theirs tonight to find out how they like theirs, and details like what kind of range they have, how much electricity they use, etc. They come with peddles apparently, so if you run out of power it isn't disastrous.

Paul and I went away for the weekend (for his birthday) to Vang Vieng - a little town on the river surrounding by stunning limestone mountains, jungle and rice paddies. Unfortunately, it has also been a little overrun by backpackers and this spoils the scenery a little - all the clone 'pizza' restaurants and kayaking outfits.

However, the tourism has certainly raised the standard of living for the locals though, so the ideal solution is not immediately apparent. We chatted to a man who has lived in Vang Vieng for 44 years (he speaks French and was very keen to practice with me). He used to plant rice, which he says is very hard work. Now he is building bungalows to rent to tourists and has rebuilt his house in concrete with electricity - a definite improvement on his last home. To his mind, tourism has only been a good thing.

There is an organic farm about 4 kms north of the town, which runs community development projects (it funds a school bus for kids in the wider local area and is building a public library), campaigns for recycling and organic farming, and gets volunteers from overseas to help out on its project and on the farm (through the WWOF-ing network). I guess this provides an alternative model of development that doesn't have such an impact on the environment. There is also a large concrete factory and a logging outfit a way out of town - another model of development with a whole lot of different impacts...

We spent one day of our stay in Vang Vieng floating down the river on inner tubes, stopping off on the banks every now and then for a drink (at one of the many little structures set up for this purpose). Limestone cliffs and mountains tower above the river and rice fields and jungle fill in the gaps... it is incredibly beautiful! There are lots of caves adjacent to the river that you can explore. However, the only one that we saw was a little hard to access, and we seemed to have missed the others somehow... maybe next time.

When we got back to Vientiane we headed out to the Australia Club for a swim. The pool there is beautiful - set right on the Mekong, where the sun was setting during our swim. At the club, we met up with some friends of Paul's who told us that they have found a new Lao teacher who they think is really good. She charges US$10 to come to their house in the evening for 1.5 hours and is very organised. They are going to see if she has an evening free for us. If so, we hope to start some classes this week. I am tired of not being able to communicate properly with people - except old men who still speak French (which they learnt before the revolution).

backpacker world

2005-06-06T18:24:00.000+10:00

backpacker world
Originally uploaded by epeolatry.

Apparently Vang Vieng was basically just rice paddies before 2000, when tourism suddenly exploded on the scene. It was certainly in full swing by 2002 when I first visited. Three years on it is growing - the market at the centre of town was demolished 3 months ago to make way for new guest houses (it was rebuilt 2 kms out of town), and some very large construction sites could be seen along the river. The relocation of the market was particularly sad. It was really interesting - full of insects, eels, and rodents for sale (to eat), local textiles, fruits & vegetables, etc... it gave the place a little authenticity to balance the bizarre tourist world surrounding it.

river side bungalows

2005-06-06T18:17:00.000+10:00

river side bungalows
Originally uploaded by epeolatry.

We wanted to stay in a bungalow on the river. The one we got wasn't quite on the water's edge, but it was in a very pretty location nonetheless.

breakfast with a view

2005-06-06T18:06:00.000+10:00

breakfast with a view
Originally uploaded by epeolatry.

This was where we had our breakfast at River Side Bungalows. The view was stunning.

Flying out tonight!!!!

2005-05-30T15:44:00.000+10:00

Beyond excited. I am flying out to Laos tonight and CANNOT WAIT to get there and give Paul a massive hug (and then catch up on the 267 cuddles that I have missed out on).

Have been slack with posting lately and may continue to be for a little, depending on how lazy I am next week. I do intend to put up some photos though, once I reclaim the use of our digital camera...

Am locking every zip on my bags.

Sydney Writers Festival

2005-05-27T23:54:00.000+10:00

For the last two days I have been lapping up the Sydney Writers Festival and entering into the world of books with an almost guilty pleasure. I have had the privilege to see Li Cunxin (Mao's last dancer), Susan George (latest book: Another World is Possible, if..., plus 11 others I think), Nancy Pearl (Book Lust - and Library Action Figure), Suad Amiry (Sharon and My Mother In-law - the Ramallah Diaries), Caryl Phillips (speaking about a yet to be published non-fiction work), John Gaden (performing the essay "What I heard about Iraq"), David Suzuki (Tree, and many others), and Tariq Ali (Bush in Babylon, Clash of Fundamentalisms...). It was incredible and inspiring and I can't wait for the next two days of still more.

I have taken away many thoughts from these last two days, but I just wanted to note a one of them before I collapse into bed. Both David Suzuki and Tariq Ali mocked the Australian Media for their obsession with 'that young woman in Indonesia' while all the while ignoring the occupation of Iraq and Palestine, the imminent threat of global warming, the unsustainable nature of our lives and the ideology on which it is based, the imperialism of the US, etc and the audience in both lectures cheered.

I don't think that was because people in either lecture did not feel sympathy for Shapelle Corby or her family, but rather that the media circus and the national obsession seems disproportionate. I feel terrible for both Shapelle and her family, and I know that if I were in their place I would want a nation behind me to help me to fight the verdict and to come home (I was going to say 'clear my name', but I don't think that is necessary in Australia, clearly the public believe in her innocence). However, it is not the only tragedy that is taking place in the world and there is something wrong with the fact that this is how it is being portrayed.

When I see people say that the fact that a court in Bali has found that the charges against Shapelle Corby have been legally proven is equal to the Indonesian people slapping Australia in the face and showing a callous disregard for Australian life after we were 'such good neighbours' and 'helped them so much' after the tsunami, I feel ashamed of our country. Why equate the death of so many thousands of people and the destruction of so many livelihoods, homes and families, with the freedom of one Australian life? The injustice stands alone, it is not necessary to degrade the suffering of others to make your point. It is also unkind and unjust to want to impose hardship on the people of Bali or Indonesia as a whole in some kind of act of revenge for the verdict of 3 of their judges - who by all appearances genuinely seem to believe that they are simply upholding the law. I don't agree with the law, I don't agree with the verdict, but this is not a case of maliciousness it is far more subtle than that.

Anyway, I guess I should go to bed before I become even more incoherent. Suffice to say that I think that a good legal appeal should be made in this case and I hope that it is successful. However, I do not agree with the demonisation of the Indonesian justice system, the calls to boycott Bali, nor the absolute obsession being displayed by our country over this case (despite the fact that I am hypocritically writing about it - sorry!).

Shapelle Corby II

2005-05-22T16:58:00.000+10:00

I have no idea why, but this site seems to have form a path in the google search engine and now whenever people search for "Shapelle Corby" they end up here. Since I assume that people are wanting to get facts on the case, and not some random post about my personal feelings of concern, I thought that I should redirect people to the sites that appear to contain a bit more information:

Official Shapelle Site

Shapelle Corby Official Support Site

Foreign Prisoner Support Service

I have not included those sites that rant about the failings of the Indonesian justice system, or threaten to boycott Indonesia, or make statements like "how can they do this, when we have helped them so much?" etc... because I don't think that that kind of talk is very productive (or very nice). Regarding the other sites, I think I should quote Alexander Downer (and this might be the only time I have EVER agreed with him):

"Let me just say something, though, about the Schapelle Corby case, because - you know, there have been threats now made against the Indonesian Embassy. And we have had to provide additional security for Indonesian diplomats and consular staff in Australia.

That is extremely unfortunate. We're happy to provide, of course, the additional security for them. But look, people who have decided one way or another in this case, are entitled to their opinions.

But if they are going to start threatening the Indonesian Embassy and Indonesian diplomats, they're doing absolutely nothing to help Schapelle Corby. If people think by running this kind of aggressive public campaign and vilifying the Indonesian Embassy somehow that is going to make the judge in this particular case automatically acquit Schapelle Corby, all I can say is they're making a very big mistake.

They should not think that by behaving in this way in Australia that is somehow going to influence the court one way or another. Everybody is entitled to their day in court. The court should be allowed to consider the evidence as it's presented before it. All of the evidence. The evidence presented by the prosecution. The evidence presented by the defence. And the court should be able to make that decision. Now, not - just because the court is in another country doesn't mean that a court in another country is automatically illegitimate and the only legitimate courts in the world are in Australia. They're not. There are legitimate courts all round the world, and the more we treat that - people in Australia treat that court with disrespect, the less chance those people will have of actually helping the - Schapelle Corby.

I mean, it's - it's just common sense, that people who make threats to the Indonesian Embassy, people who make threats to Indonesians in the context of a case like this before a court, they are just acting in a counter-productive way." (17 May 2005)

The Ethics of Utilitarianism

2005-05-18T23:17:00.000+10:00

When I emailed my brother about the whole torture controversy and referred him to my post on gleanings , he commented that the arguments sounded similar to those made by Alan Dershowitz - who is starting to seem mild. Anyway, Jono mentioned that some people find Dershowitz's "utilitarian justification pretty compelling at its most stark and theoretical", but that he knew that I "would never kill the Indian".

Here he was reminding me of a Moral Philosophy class that we took in High School when we were living in DC. In one of the classes we studied a hypothetical set in South or Central America. You are to imagine that you are a traveller, passing through a village in a country with a harsh government. When you arrive, there has just been a 'round up' of 15 protesters in the village and they are being placed before a firing squad. The officer in charge informs you that they have custom in this area whereby a traveller has the privilege of choosing to shoot one of the prisoners and by doing so secures the release of the remainder (in this case, 14). The question is: What do you decided to do?

As you will have guessed from Jono's comment, I wouldn't do it.

My classmates did not agree with me. Every single one of them (Jono excluded, he sat this one out) believed that the morally correct thing to do would be to save the life of 14 prisoners, by choosing to shoot one of them. I, on the other hand, believed strongly that to kill someone is so wrong that nothing can justify it, particularly when the person is innocent. Of course, they argued quite rightly that this particular victim was going to die anyway, so this is somewhat different from a random killing. However, I still could not (and do not) agree that this was a morally correct course of action. To me, by participating in the violence you legitimise it, you help to perpetuate it and the ideology and system on which it is founded. By doing so, I believe that the harm you cause is not immediately visible but far more enduring.

I think that having a strong set of principles and believing that in upholding them you are serving a bigger picture that we often lack the perspective to see can help to stop the slippery slope where each little erosion of rights or justice or principles is justified on the particular circumstances - on the immediacy of the situation. It seems to me that the immediacy of some situations can lead people to make very wrong decisions - ones that can have far reaching consequences by changing the structure of the ethical framework upon which we base our societies.

However, I am sure that people disagree with me and that they have good reasons too. Ethics is always a controversial issue.

Our happiness cannot be complete without a proper and pleasant toilet environment

2005-05-15T15:01:00.000+10:00

Pingyao Chillies
Originally uploaded by epeolatry.

Anyone who has travelled to China will know what I mean when I say that using the toilet could sometimes be quite challenging. The narrow trenches are often placed next to a wall, making it quite challenging to aim correctly. The partition walls are often waist high, or non-existent, meaning that you must overcome your inhibitions (or learn to hold on for quite a long time), and as the only white person in the room, you are often the subject of more than a little interest - requiring a move from loss of inhibition to willing exhibition... which I found quite confronting. I was also not too fond of the smell.

However, I feel as though this was all a learning experience (an opportunity for self-growth), and it was also not something that I thought would change in much of a hurry. So I was surprised to see that Shanghai is embarking on a massive public toilet renovation throughout the city. Odd that I was surprise really. When I think about it, Shanghai was, in some ways, the most modern city that I have ever been to, so why shouldn't their toilets be too?

The title quote is from Jack Sims, the founder of the World Toilet Organization , who organised a Toilet Exhibition in Shanghai - prompting this entire discussion. This other, slightly less infamous, WTO is, of course, based in Singapore.

The politics of indifference

2005-05-14T12:17:00.000+10:00

David Malouf - Challenging Indifference
Originally uploaded by epeolatry.

The Australian Human Rights Centre is holding its inaugural public lecture this Wednesday on the topic of "Challenging Indifference". David Malouf will be speaking. (This isn't a plug for the event, by the way, we have already sold out.) Andrea told me that the name comes from a quote from Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel that she thinks is incredibly powerful:
The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference.
The opposite of art is not ugliness, it's indifference.
The opposite of faith is not heresy, it's indifference.
And the opposite of life is not death, it's indifference.

In thinking about this quote, I realised that I have always been a little jealous of those people who can be indifferent to politics - you know those people who tell you "I don't really follow politics". I often imagine that this must be very peaceful, in sharp contrast to my constant struggle not to let politics overwhelm me - not to let it dictate my moods. I guess this quote puts that choice in a whole different light (although, of course, there is no need not to strive for a healthy sense of personal distance and proportion).

I was looking at other famous quotes on the subject of indifference, and they are also quite powerful:

Paulo Freire: "Washing one's hands of the conflict between the powerful and the powerless means to side with the powerful, not to be neutral. "

George Bernard Shaw: "Indifference is the essence of inhumanity."

Helen Keller: "Science may have found a cure for most evils; but it has found no remedy for the worst of them all -- the apathy of human beings."

Joan Vinge: "Indifference is the strongest force in the universe. It makes everything it touches meaningless. Love and hate don't stand a chance against it."

Martin NiemÃ¶ller: "First they came for the Jews. I was silent. I was not a Jew. Then they came for the Communists. I was silent. I was not a Communist. Then they came for the trade unionists. I was silent. I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for me. There was no one left to speak for me."

The last quote is possibly the most famous and also I think gets to the heart of the matter. Indifference is only possible when we narrow our circle of concern to those with whom we identify most closely (like me a la Shapelle Corby, or more recently with Douglas Wood - due to the personal connection). I think that in order to challenge indifference we need to challenge those things that create boundaries between people - that prevent us from seeing our common humanity (or our common sentience, if you, like me, are less incline to delineate along speciesist-lines). Quakers call this "seeing God in everyone", but I don't think that you need to be religious to take a similar position.

It is this very issue that makes me the most critical of Howard's politics. Not only does he lie, unashamedly, but he deliberately manipulates the Australian public to create and accentuate these boundaries that emphasize our 'tribal nature' and reduce those outside to "the other" (or L'Estranger, in Camus' famous book). Repeatedly over the last 10 years, Howard has dehumanized people, or turned them into outsiders in order to foster a politics of fear and division in Australia for his own political gain. The Tampa incident and the use of the words "Cue Jumpers" is an obvious example, but so too is his love of the term "Un-Australian". His demonisation of welfare recipients is yet another. Added to this are his politics within our region, where instead of seeking to integrate with and cooperate with our neighbours, Howard preferred to become the "Deputy Sheriff of the USA" in the Asia Pacific - because, one can only assume, he believes that 'those unruly Asians' need controlling by the 'superior White Man'.

Of course, Howard is neither alone nor the best at playing these politics of division. Bush (or Dubya), for all his appearances of being an absolute moron (and, perhaps, despite of) has been supremely successful in playing on the fears of the American public in his War on Terror (and his War on Gays, War on Women Seeking Safe Abortions, War on Liberal Dissent, War on Civil Liberties). It is surely no coincidence that the next blockbuster that is coming out of Hollywood is a glory film about the Crusades.

However, I digress. It is really not enough to rant and rave about the lies and manipulation of these two leaders who are really not substantially different from many in human history. The power of divisive politics to dehumanize and justify almost anything has been used throughout history - from Nazi Germany, to Stalinist Russia, to McCarthyist USA, to Apartheid South Africa, to Pol Pot's Cambodia, and the genocides in Rwanda and Srebrenica. What I want to know is what can be done to overcome it? How can we challenge indifference? How can we (and, yes, I totally acknowledge that I often find myself more concerned about those who are closer to me) learn to see ourselves as part of all of humanity - or better yet, as part of this planet? Because I think that this lies at the heart of the issue. For a lot of people who say "I don't really follow politics", this statement just doesn't apply when the politics directly impact on them and their families (or at least, when they can see the connection), and thus often really means "I don't really care about what happens to people outside of my circle of concern".

Regarding the answer, hopefully Mr Malouf will give me some inspiration, because right now I don't have any.

Technical Trouble

2005-05-11T22:43:00.000+10:00

We have been having some real trouble with the new group blog - in that it had taken upon itself to clear its template everytime someone posted... somewhat defeating the purpose of posting really. Anyway, to avoid continuing techinical headaches, Paul has moved it to a new address: http://www.thegleaning.blogspot.com/ so if you happen to have been looking for gleanings at the old address and found that it was gone, you now know where to find it.

Hopefully the issue will not follow us to our new cyber home. I find these things distressing and confusing - they just remind me of how little I know or understand about computers (particularly HTML, Java Script, etc...).

Shooting the wounded

2005-05-06T21:48:00.000+10:00

So even when they are caught ON FILM shooting a WOUNDED & HELPLESS man sheltering in a mosque in Falluja, the US still finds its soldiers innocent of any wrong doing. The US marine corps have declared that: "the actions of the marine in question were consistent with the established rules of engagement, the law of armed conflict and the marine's inherent right of self-defence". Clearly this shows that there is something seriously wrong with the "established rules of engagement" - that there is something deeply wrong with this whole war.

I cannot begin to imagine how this must feel to people in Iraq (particular that poor man's family), but it is certainly not going to do anything to quell the rage of the insurgents. I hope that this doesn't impact on the fate of Douglas Wood. Again I cannot begin to image what his family must be going through right now.

I wasn't going to write about this, because it just makes me so angry and upset, but Barista did such a fabulous job of summing up the issues, that I was inspired to vent just a little. Read his post for something of more substance.

Jumping ship

2005-04-30T20:16:00.000+10:00

Unprovoked and without any real thought I suggested to Paul that we combine our blogs into one. Suddenly I then got very excited and imagined pulling in everyone we know to join forces and create a mega-blog. Anyway, we haven't actually invited anyone else yet, but regardless, one thing led to another and we created a new blog - gleanings.

I still not sure what will happen - i.e. whether others will join us, and whether or not this will mean the death of epeolatry. I feel strangely attached to this blog, but am probably far too lazy to keep two going... We shall see. Maybe I'll try and post over there tonight and see how it feels. Right now it looks very white and empty.

Other Worlds

2005-04-29T23:02:00.000+10:00

Over this past week, my head cold set in and I found myself feeling very sorry for myself and wishing keenly that Paul were hear to take care of me. Since he isn't, I instead buried myself in books. With so many people having moved overseas (or just gone travelling), my pool of local friends has been significantly reduced, and I have ended up with words as substitutes (both in the form of books, and in communications like SMS, email and instant messaging). This has made me feel strangely disconnected from reality and more than a little isolated.

However, over the last two days I attended a conference called OTHER WORLDS: Social movements and the making of alternatives , which served to somewhat lift me out of my doldrums. A couple of the sessions were particularly inspiring. One was based around the theme of Art/Activism and the first speaker, Deborah Kelly, spoke about her work as a political artist, including some stuff she has been doing with Boat People, a collective working around the issue of asylum seekers in Australia. In another session Gerda Roelvink and John Wiseman both spoke about the importance of focusing on the alternatives that are already in existence and those that are possible, rather than just critiquing neoliberalism, or lamenting its hegemonic power.

In another session on Digital Worlds, Francesca Da Rimini talked about the idea of gleaning - originally (and still) used to describe the collection of leftover crops from the perimeter of fields (once considered to be a legal right of the poor) and the contestation of enclosure (both of real property, knowledge, and life). She then went on to describe some uses of the Internet to 'glean' knowledge and for people to use this to tell their own stories. What I found really interesting was this idea of 'gleaning' as being in direct confrontation (or contestation) with enclosure - and how this relates to the commodification of life (my thesis topic). Right now, I am far too tired to say anything remotely intelligent on this relationship though, so perhaps this can wait for another day...

Anzac Day

2005-04-25T18:07:00.000+10:00

gallipoli
Originally uploaded by epeolatry.

I've never been a big follower of Anzac Day. No one in my direct family ever served in the armed forces, and when I was at school in Canberra it wasn't a very big event (perhaps in part because I attended a French school...).
Additionally, I have never felt comfortable with the idea of a war or a battle being considered to be a (or the?) defining event in Australia's national history. The day we 'proved ourselves' as a 'real man'.

However, over the last few years Anzac Day has suddenly become this huge thing and I guess I would like to understand why.

I found David Tilley's post on the subject quite illuminating - that it may have something to do with Australians clinging on to our "white" history to the exclusion of newcomers, and, of course, the role of government propoganda in this process.

Dr Peter Stanley, Australian War Memorial principal historian, also recognises the role of "marketing, by schools, publishers, the media or government agencies" in generating this new level of interest. But he also claims that it is based on something else. According to him, "Gallipoli, [...] fulfils a need felt by many Australians to connect with or express their national identity. [...] It is dodgy history because it says as much about what Australians today feel about themselves as it relates to the events of the campaign. Gallipoli has become a symbol of Australia's national identity, achievement and existence."

My concern with this explanation, of course, is: what does this say about our national identity? Is it imbued with violence? Or is it more about that concept of "mateship" that Jonny wanted to write into our Constitution?

As it turns out, Wayne Wood was also searching for answers and quotes Dennis Glover, who rejects the relevance of Gallipoli being a "foundation story" and argues that this glorification of Anzac Day runs the danger of assisting our politicians to continue to justify sending young people overseas to fight (and die) in unncessary wars.

"It seems to me that in an age when young men and women are once again being sent abroad to fight, the more we emphasise their voluntary, heroic spirit, the easier it is for politicians to justify putting them in harm's way. If our schoolchildren are taught that it is "meet and proper" to die for their country, if patriotism is considered the highest virtue, then sending people to their deaths becomes less objectionable. The growth of the heroism industry in recent years certainly hasn't made us more deeply reflective or stopped us sending troops to fight in foreign wars.

Invoking heroism has one other big danger: it can be used as a shield to protect politicians from criticism. Think of our commitment of troops to Iraq in 2003. Many opposed the deployment if a majority if the polls are to be believed but once they boarded the troopships, criticism subsided; Australians got behind their mission, thinking that opposition would be interpreted as criticism."

Its not that I want to deny the courage of those people who have fought and died in wars, or to in any way disrespect their memories. I understand that they risked their lives in service to their country and that a day of rememberance has a lot of significance for them and their families. However, Anzac Day, and all the patriotism that seems to be tied up with it these days, always leaves me feeling a little disconcerted and I think that Dennis Glover's argument hits the issue on the head. War comes at a terrible price, and I feel that the lesson we should carry from it is to avoid violence at all cost. In the age of "the war on terror", I would prefer to spend today focusing on peace and how to make it a reality, rather than claiming that through war Australia defined itself as a nation.

US Police Officers Handcuff 5 year-old!

2005-04-24T22:22:00.000+10:00

"Land of extremes" doesn't even begin to cut it. That is really intense. I cannot believe that not one but THREE police officers thought that it was appropriate (let alone necessary!) to handcuff a 5 year-old girl in front of her nursery school classmates in order to control her. What kind of training do those guys get?

Shapelle Corby

2005-04-23T12:39:00.000+10:00

Obviously I am in no position to know the guilt or innocence of Shapelle Corby. However, her case disturbs me because it appear to be quite possible that she is innocent and the way her case appears to have been handled does not seem to have given her the opportunity to prove that she is.
Of course, this kind of thing happens all the time, and not just in other countries. Lindy Chamberlain was not given a fair trial and was sentenced to jail on the basis of "scientific evidence" that proved to be incorrect and because the jury (and the media) did not warm to her. So, I am not singling out the Indonesian judicial system for being particularly deficit.
I guess the reason that this particular case affects me so much is that I can easily imagine myself in her position. She is only one year older than me, and is from the same country as me. I have also travelled with bags that were not locked (despite being warned by a couple of baggage handler never to do so, because so many bags get opened and have things stolen from them while in the hands of the airlines), although I certainly never will again. Its crap that I am more concerned about Shapelle Corby than I am about the countless other people who are subject to unfair trials, just because I can identify with her, but I guess that is human nature. Russel Crowe apparently feels much the same way (although more that she could be someone's daughter, not himself).
I am concerned, however, that all of the statements made by Crowe, the Australian media, and the petitions that are going around at the moment, might be counter-productive. They all seem to be saying that Shapelle Corby should get special treatment because she is Australian. Indonesian could, quite rightly, see this as an offence to their sovereignty and their right to enforce their laws within their own borders - not to mention the implication that an Australian is somehow worth more than an Indonesian person. I don't think that the fact that Shapelle Corby is Australian is the issue. The issue is that the case does not appear to have been handled fairly, and any case of this gravity should be. But then, I have already admitted that I am more interested in this particular case precisely because she is Australian, so I guess I am a hypocrite.

*Update - I don't know why, but google seems to be sending people to this post when they search for "Shapelle Corby" and a variety of variations on that theme. No doubt you are looking for her official site, so I thought that I should like to it for you: http://www.schapelle.com/

US critical of Russian Democracy

2005-04-20T13:41:00.000+10:00

Ahh hypocricy! I particularly like Rice's concerns about the 'absence of an independent media', because the US are such a good model on that front - just like Australia really. Just don't mention Murdoch. Her concerns about the independence of the judiciary were also intriguing, considering that Bush is so willing to stack his own courts. I guess democracy, like human rights, is a flexible term...

Ratzinger, Wolfowitz and Bolton - What a trio!

2005-04-20T13:06:00.000+10:00

I'm not a Catholic, so it shouldn't really worry me who becomes Pope. But it does. The Holy See attends World Conferences and influences the content of many of the outcomes documents. They often prevent agreement on issues do with access to contraception, women's reproduction rights, etc... and are even opposed in this by some Catholics . A conservative Pope is certainly not going to improve the situation. In fact, Ratzinger is only like to make things worse, having come out just recently with the suggestion that churches should limit the participation of women even in activities such as the choir and altar service. The words chauvinist pig spring to mind.

My political compass results

2005-04-19T22:08:00.000+10:00

My political compass results
Originally uploaded by epeolatry.

Searching around for the old Aussie Weblogs ring (which apparently has been discarded), I stumbled upon Troppo Armadillo and its impressive list of Australian Blogs. They have categorised their blogroll into ideological groupings, and one of the contributors had written a post about why etc. He also linked to an old post on Pearls Before Swine, in which the blogger, Talbot, states his political ideology and challenges other bloggers to do the same.
Anyway, that was a long winded way of saying that I decided to take up the "challenge".

I would have to describe myself as a leftie. I grew up in group houses, based alternatively in the peace movement and in social justice oriented religious communities.
I believe passionately in human rights, particularly economic, social and cultural rights - like the rights to food, health and water.

I would describe myself as an environmentalist, although I don't do a lot on the activist front (although I did picket a number of forests as a child). I do, however, try to minimise my own impact on the environment, by eating only vegan food (except chocolate on occasion), recycling, not using plastic bags, not owning a car, not cleaning with chemicals, etc. This attempt is clearly a work in progress...

I would like to describe myself as a pacifist, but am currently struggling with the full implications of what this means. While I am strongly against the US (and UK & Australian) invasion and occupation of Iraq, I would also like to have seen the International community intervene to protect the people who were slaughtered during the genocides in Rwanda and Srebrenica. I am still not sure how this would have been effective without some level of violence...

I would definately describe myself as a feminist and am confused by any woman who doesn't. I realise that it has become a loaded term, but it really doesn't mean that you believe in equality - whether you interpret that as substantive or formal.

In terms of domestic poitics, I am a little dispondent at the moment. I dislike the Liberals, particularly John Howard, for their neoliberal ideology, their user-pays society, their attack on tertiary education, the war in Iraq, their policies on asylum seekers, Tampa, their constant lies... However, I am not very fond of the Labour party either at the moment. They don't really seem to be offering much of an alternative.

Internationally, I feel pretty similarly - hate Geoege W., don't think Kerry would have been all that different. I would have voted for Nader.

Ok, that's enough for one day.

italics

2005-04-18T17:33:00.000+10:00

I have no idea why I am posting in italics by the way - I am certainly not doing it intentionally... Does anyone have any suggestions for correcting this?

Compulsive checking of email

2005-04-18T16:51:00.000+10:00

Paul left yesterday evening and I have been compulsively checking my email (and his blog) ever since. Logically, of course, I know that he is unlikely to be anywhere near a computer (particularly for those hours when he has been in the air flying between Sydney, Bangkok, and Vientiane). And yet I continue to check. I guess it is the modern day equivalent of sitting by the phone.
On a positive note, I have received a number of phone calls today (and last night) from family members (both mine and Paul's) checking to see that I was 'OK'. Jono also gets back from Canberra tonight, so the house will not be empty as it was last night.
My plan was to keep ridiculously busy - starting today with a long day at the office (I have a meeting with my supervisor tomorrow), followed by pilates, kung fu, and then a DVD on the laptop (Welcome to Sarajevo). However, it is now 5:15pm and not only have I not done as much as I'd hoped to prepare for my supervisory meeting, but I think that I am feeling too tired to go to the gym. Revised plan: home via the bookshop where I will buy 'Absurdistan', watch 'Welcome to Sarajevo'(unless too engrossed in 'Absurdistan' from bus ride) and then read in bed. Oh yeah, and make some dinner.
Possibly I will also check my email once or twice...

Staying behind

2005-04-13T22:48:00.000+10:00

Northern Laos
Originally uploaded by epeolatry.

So Paul leaves in 4 days...

I feel as though I should write that down again, because the reality hasn't really sunk in. Logically I know that he is moving to Laos and I am staying in Sydney, but my brain does not seem to be able to absorb the implications of this. I can't really believe that there will be no one to snuggle with when I close my eyes at night and no one there in the morning to gently bring me into awareness of the new day. And yet, logically, I know that this will be the case.
The thing is that I am so excited for him. It is going to be such a fantastic adventure and he is going to such a wonderful country. I am also excited to be eventually joining him and to have my own chance to live somewhere so different from Sydney. The fact that he is moving to Laos , my favourite country in the world, is really such an added bonus. I am looking forward to going back, the people are so lovely, the coffee is so good, the Mekong and the mountains so beautiful... I am also really interested in doing some of my research in the region. Cambodia has just joined the WTO and Laos and Vietnam have applied for membership. The impact that this will have on these countries will be very interesting to see...

Hotel Rwanda

2005-04-10T23:22:00.000+10:00

Still from Hotel Rwanda
Originally uploaded by epeolatry.

We went to see Hotel Rwanda last night. I think I started crying about 10 minutes into the film and didn't stop for very long until after it ended. It was an amazing film, but it was also a pretty harrowing experience.
Once again I am left me with a huge dilemma about how to maintain a pacifist position in the face of such shocking violence. I was talking to someone after meeting today who said that she thought that maybe the solution was that something could have been done to prevent it from happening. I completely agree that a lot of things could have been done (or not done) to prevent the genocide in Rwanda. However, I guess the issue remains that if none of those things are done (as was the case), and the violence starts, what is the pacifist solution? Is it OK to let almost a million people be hacked to death in order to maintain a principle of non-violence? Can you really say that the higher issue of never resorting to violence and doing everything to prevent violence from occurring will ultimately create the best outcome?
Maybe in the overall scheme of things (worldwide and historically etc...) a consistent pacifist approach will produce the best outcome, since violence does tend to just beget violence. However, I imagine that this would be cold comfort in the context of Rwanda, and for the over 800,000 people who died and the countless more who lost their family and friends. I think that this is an issue that I will continue to struggle with for a very long time, and, maybe, one that I will never be able to truly resolve within myself.

Emergency Sex

2005-04-09T08:40:00.000+10:00

I just finished reading "Emergency Sex" last night. I picked it up on Thursday night and found it almost impossible to put down until I was done. It was a really confronting read.

I would like to believe that I am a pacifist, but the situations described first hand by these three UN workers, who worked in UN Peacekeeping Operations in Cambodia, Somalia, Rwanda, Haiti, Libya and Bosnia, make that position particularly challenging. The book is particularly critical of the UN and the U.S. for failing to use military force to prevent the genocide in Bosnia and Rwanda, and again of both for failing to protect the people of Haiti and Libya. I want to believe that military force is no solution, but in the face of the uncontrolled violence that took place in these countries, it is really hard to maintain that stance. The situation of Dr Andrew Thompson in Haiti is particularly illustrative of this dilemma. He is posted there to document the human rights abuses (with the intention of then justifying military intervention to restore order). However, rather than treating the living, he often is forced instead to document the dead, because even the hospital is unsafe and patients are frequently killed straight after being treated. I would like to argue that this is a good reason for rule of law. However, how do you enforce rule of law when those who you wish to hold accountable have all the guns?

Ultimately, I guess I cannot muster a good enough argument for pure pacifism (today, I haven't entirely given up). However, nothing in the book convinced me that the US has a good reason to invade other countries in the name of freedom and democracy. This argument is never put in the book, but I think that my fear is that the criticisms levelled at the UN and at the Clinton administration for its cautious use of military force, are perfect fuel for those who promote US unilateralism and the idea that the US has the right to "bring freedom" to the world through the use of military force (and that the UN is irrelevant). The idea that the US should have "finished the job" in Somalia is so easy to translate into a justification for invading Iraq.

It doesn't seem like this is the idea that the authors are promoting. Although they are critical of the UN, they also seem to believe that it stands for an ideal that is still worth striving for (see for example this interview with Dr Andrew Thompson ). However, they are also not particularly critical of the forces that motivate US foreign policy. At times, they seem to buy the concept that the US is truly motivated by a desire to bring peace and democracy to the world (despite the mass of evidence to the contrary) and they never analyse the fact that freedom of capital rather than human freedom seems to be the prime motivating force in so many of its wars.

I guess a big problem for me is that even if the US had a track record of using military force only for the protection of human lives and human rights, and hadn't consistently used it instead to ensure that key markets were opened up and that the world is a safe place for US capital, I would still have a huge problem with the use of unilateral force. No country should have the right to invade another, regardless of the intentions that it claims for its motivation. Such a right can be far too easily abused, with the invasion of Iraq to secure huge reserves of oil for the US being a case in point. If force is needed, and I don't feel able to argue right now that this is never the case, it must be UN force, it order to ensure that it is motivated by just causes.

Of course the argument is that the UN is an enormous bureaucracy that has failed in its role to promote peace. It has shown itself to be impotent in the face genocide, and is plagued by endemic corruption that goes all the way to the top. These are huge issues and they make it extremely difficult to view the UN with the kind of respect that it needs to play a legitimate role in global governance. However, I still think that the only viable solution is to make the UN work. To bypass the UN is to throw the baby out with the bath water (so to speak) and will ultimately only make things worse.

Michael Stipe

2005-04-02T18:30:00.000+10:00

Michael Stipe
Originally uploaded by epeolatry.

On Thursday night Paul, Natalie and I went along to REM's concert at the Sydney Entertainment Centre to collect signatures for Oxfam's Make Trade Fair campaign.
I went along because I think that the campaign is really important. The 'celebraty photo' angle is also a really clever way of promoting the issue. However, I discovered that I am quite bad at collecting petition signatures. I feel so weird approaching strangers and asking them for something - even when it is for a really good reason and doesn't cost them anything (But I am happy to ask you! Click here to sign the online petition).
On the downside, I was confronted on quite a number of occassions by people who were firmly against the concept of signing the petition after listening to all the reasons why (subsidies destroying the ability of domestic farmers in many countries to earn a living wage, the fact that these farmers made up a sizeable proportion of the population, etc...). I never fail to feel distressed by the idea that people are not interested in changing global systems that perpetuate injustice and poverty.
I also had the unpleasant experience of being told by three drunken "blokes" that they were only signing because I was so attractive. They then leered at me with their beer breath, and demanded to know why such "an attractive girl" was carrying around such "ugly postcards" (the ones of Michael Stipe). EEWWW!
On the positive side, I met a lot of people who were already really passionate about the issue, and even more who were interested to find out more about it. This was really heartening.
We also got to see REM in concert, something that I wouldn't have thought to pay to do (I am not a concert person - I am afraid of crowds). It was really very good and Michael Stipe was an extremely cooky performer. He wore a blue painted mask throughout the performance and did the strangest things with his body.
Unfortunately, we didn't get home until late that night and the resulting tireness caused Paul to walk into a street sign - causing him quite a serious injury. Poor little head! (Read more here if you are curious or concerned)

Bye Bye Alaska

2005-03-18T16:14:00.000+11:00

And the insatiable appetite for oil takes its next victim...

Wolfowitz

2005-03-18T10:54:00.000+11:00

First John Bolton as US Ambassador to the UN and now this! Just when you think that things cannot get any worse, Bush come out with these two little gems to just stick it to the rest of the world once again. I keep trying to convince myself that there is only so far that this can go - that like Rome and England before it, the US Empire will over-extend itself and fall into a great heap. The problem is that I think that things are going to get much much worse first, and that the collapse will actually be quite painful for the world.

I have issues with the World Bank. I strenuously disagree with some of their policies and actions (particularly those made in the past). I also think that Wolfensohn was often far too focused on the rhetoric of poverty reduction, human rights, and sustainability, rather than the reality of its realisation. However, if this nomination is accepted (and it would certainly be a very pleasant surprise if that happens), I fear that I will be looking back at the last 10 years of the Bank's history with a strong sense of nolstalgia for 'the good old days', when at least the Bank appeared to be benign in its intentions and honest about its failings and limitations.

I like John Cavanagh's "Top 10 Reasons Why Paul Wolfowitz Would Make a Good World Bank President" at least it makes this situation somewhat amusing.

Same Sex Marriage in California?

2005-03-15T23:16:00.000+11:00

I am tentatively excited by the court's decision that "The denial of marriage to same-sex couples [in California] appears impermissibly arbitrary". However, given the conservative politics of the Governator and George W. I guess this ruling will be appealed fairly swiftly.
It really is very frightening how conservative politics are at the moment - to the point where Hilary Clinton thinks that appears with a Pro-Life advocate will improve her chances of Presidential election. Our Prime Minister, of course, has always been disgustingly conservative, but now the political atmosphere of the US after the last round of Presidential elections is starting to make even Howard seem somewhat moderate!

Talking about revolution

2005-03-15T22:15:00.000+11:00

Bolivia has interested me ever since the people of Cochabamba rioted to defend their right to water and managed to take back control of their water from Bechtel (or Aguas del Tunari, which is a subsidiary of a International Water Limited, a company that is half-owned by Bechtel). There seems to be a large percentage of the Bolivian population who are rejecting the ideology of neoliberal (or 'free market') economics and identifying it as a strong factor in the erosion of their rights (and their livelihoods). They also seem to have a strong sense that they can collectively make a stand and demand that their government better protect their rights. This comes out a lot in today's Guardian Article (see link in title), in many articles on water rights, and also in The Corporation . (If you are interested in this book and documentary, then you may be interested in reading interviews with the author Joal Bakan or one of the film makers Jennifer Abbot ).

In fact, it seems that this is the case in many countries in Latin America. If you look at Agentina, for example, many Agentinians seem to identify that the neoliberal economic policies adopted by their government (with the strong encouragement of the IMF) directly contributed to the collapse of their dollar and the drastic changes to the standard of living experienced by everyday people. This comes out really strongly in The Take where groups of factory workers are forming cooperatives and taking over factories that have been closed down in order to operate them for the benefit of workers.

I wonder if this kind of commitment to change is possible in countries where the standard of living is high for the majority. Since the last election here in Australia, I get the impression that people are more concerned with misconceived ideas about keeping their mortgage interest rates low than larger issues of who controls the world's resources and social or global justice.

A new chapter

2005-03-09T15:48:00.000+11:00

I feel as though I could have said this accurately at any point during last 12 months, but everything is really happening at the moment. Last year was a whirlwind of studying for a Masters in International Social Development fulltime, working to support myself, getting engaged, and trying to work out, yet again, what I wanted to be when I grew up. This years, however, is already proving to be more overwhelming, with getting married, finishing a research report for my current job, starting my PhD, and packing up half the house in the count down to Paul's imminent departure to Laos.

Today has been all about the PhD, and I have been on campus trying to figure out where I will be working from for the next few years. Next I need to write a work plan and refine my proposal so that it looks like I have some idea what I am doing. This part could prove a little more challenging. So, instead, I think that I am going to do some web browsing and starting making links on this blog to all the great sites out there about human rights – and particularly those focusing on the rights to food, health and water. If anyone knows of any good ones, please let me know.

wedding kiss

2005-03-05T23:45:00.000+11:00

wedding kiss
Originally uploaded by epeolatry.

On Saturday 12 February 2005 I got married to the love of my life - Paul. It was a weird and wonderful day that I will never forgot.

National Sorry Day

2004-05-26T15:55:00.000+10:00

It is National Sorry Day today and our government still has not said Sorry.

This is yet another reason that I am ashamed to be an Australian. If Howard gets back in at the next election I am going to cry (again - I cried after the last election...).

Not a lot seems to be happening anymore on Sorry Day. We used to have massive marches - memorably the huge one over the harbour bridge - but now it seems like they are just holding some formal dinners and handing out cards to people on the street.

I always find it hard to know where to focus my energy when it comes to issues that get me mad. There are so many issues to react to, like:
- the invasion and occupation of Iraq,
- the new round of tax cuts and social service spending cuts,
- Australia's treatment of asylum seekers,
- Australia's treatment of Indigenous Australians,
- our government's refusal to ratify Kyoto,
- the fact that recycling seems to have gone out of fashion,
- American Foreign Policy,
- George Bush (everything about him),
- the Debt,
- the world economic order,
- the never ending violence against women world over...
to name just a few.

Where exactly are you supposed to start? I think that most of the time I get outraged at everything all at once and end up just ranting pointlessly against the world at large... mmm constructive.

Double news excitement

2004-05-25T10:13:00.000+10:00

Two exciting bits of news: First, Michael Moore's new documentary "Fahrenheit 9/11" won the Palme D'Or. Second, after talks with the EU about its entry into the WTO, Russia may finally be ready to ratify Kyoto!

I'd say that Russia ratifying Kyoto is by far the more important piece of news, but Moore's win does make me feel very happy. Maybe now an American distributer will actually put the film on US screens before the election... I hope it comes out soon here. I am actually really looking forward to seeing it.

I always feel confused about my opinion of Micheal Moore. Sometimes I think that his journalism is really sloppy and that he can take a very superficial approach to issues that he would be better off just leaving alone. However, he is clearly doing something very right in that he manages to get huge audiences to watch things about the US and the world at large that generally they seem to be keen to ignore. This can only be a good thing. A journalist who did include the kind of detail and research that I am criticising Moore for not using is unlikely to attract that kind of mass appeal. In fact, if I am honest, I would probably be too lazy to read their stuff much of the time...

I think that one of the reasons that I am less excited about Kyoto at the moment is that I don't trust Russia to ratify just because they have said that they will. They have changed their minds before, and they still have to talk to the US about their entry into the WTO - so who knows what results that will bring.

I don't imagine that the US will be too keen to have Kyoto come into force... (Just writing that down made me get all hot and bothered).