As I walk home along tree-lined Independence Avenue on the eve of Zambia’s presidential elections, the sound of constant honking horns fills the air. The windows of passing cars are drawn down, with straight arms and clenched fists proudly extending out of them. Every minute or two, a transport truck drives by with 30-odd men chanting in chorus in the back.
I have a feeling of curious and anxious anticipation. For the first time, I feel nervous about the days to come.
In the two months since the death of the last president, Levy Mwanawasa, Zambia has been in the grip of feverish political campaigns. Passions rage over whether Rupiah Banda, Mwanawasa’s former Vice President of the same Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD), or Michael Sata, a veteran Zambian politician and leader of the Patriotic Front (PF), should take Mwanawasa's place. The remaining two candidates are seen as outsiders.
Having arrived in Zambia just as the current campaigns were getting underway, I can attest to heated emotions on both sides. Here in Lusaka, as well as in urban and populated Copperbelt Province, Michael Sata is said to enjoy overwhelming support – from passing conversations and daily jaunts around Lusaka, it would seem that a Sata victory is all but inevitable.
Yet Zambia is not a country of only cities, and Rupiah Banda’s support comes largely from distant Eastern Province and other rural areas that us city-dwellers all too easily discount. I’ve found grasping the political situation extremely difficult, since I hear sensible and educated predictions coming from both sides. The newspapers are so evidently aligned to party interests that extracting meaningful information is difficult.
Having witnessed the build-up to Kenya’s catastrophic election last year, I can’t help but notice certain similarities. Namely, I see massive segments of society resolutely and closed-mindedly siding with a single candidate, with little intermingling or exceptions to the rule.
Despite this, I’ve been told to rest at ease. Zambians are peaceful people. As its neighbouring countries fought bloody wars for decades, Zambia hosted refugees and lived in peace. In fact, I have been consistently surprised by the warmth and generosity of friends and strangers alike. I’m not a fan of ethnographic generalizing, but the Zambians I’ve met exhibit this peacefulness, and I think that counts for something.
That’s why I’ve maintained a relaxed air over the last couple months. No matter the inevitable disappointment one large swath of the country will face, politics are politics, and Zambians will move on. Crucially, Zambian politics lack the clear-cut tribal dimensions that allowed the Kenyan political crisis to become an ethnic one.
“We want change, we want change,” is the chant coming from one of the transport trucks overloaded with excited Sata supporters, as I walk home on the evening before election day. In these and other chants from the dozens – hundreds – of passing vehicles I see on my short walk home, there is no uncertainty.
I am reminded of a few days ago, when I asked my well-educated Zambian French teacher if it was even possible for Rupiah Banda to win the election fairly, and he replied with a resounding no. If Banda wins, he said, he will have cheated.
It is unclear to me who will win this election. Accusations of fraud will likely emerge from either losing party. We can only hope that the process is credible and the transition smooth.
If the election is not fair, I am hard-pressed to see how people as excited and polarized as Zambians are now, even with their famously peaceful dispositions, won’t fight – vocally or physically – for their concerns.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Monday, October 27, 2008
Letter to the editor
From the Times of Zambia, Monday, October 27, 2008, pg. 6:One peaceful Zambia
IN these heated political times, let us not forget the history of peace and harmony all Zambians can be proud of.
This week, October 27 to November 2, besides being election week, is also the Global Week of Action to Ban Cluster Bombs.
To this day, seven out of Zambia’s nine provinces are contaminated by landmines and other explosive remnants of war. Innocent Zambians continue to bear the brunt of conflicts fought decades ago by foreign armies.
Despite this, Zambian activists are pioneering disarmament campaigns all over the world. As we speak, demining teams are active in seven provinces preparing to remove all landmines from the ground by 2011.
Two weeks ago, 42 Zambian activists gathered at the University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka to mobilise forces in the campaign to ban cluster bombs, which are like landmines because they indiscriminately harm civilians, especially women and children.
This December, governments from around the world will meet in Oslo, Norway to sign the groundbreaking Convention on Cluster Munitions.
Regardless of which party wins Thursday’s election, Zambia will sign the treaty, continuing the country’s proud tradition of nonviolence.
Louis Century, Zambian Campaign to Ban Landmines, Lusaka.
The financial crisis in Zambia
In a country where 63% of government revenue comes from two primary resources, copper and cobalt, fluctuations in demand for these products internationally bear consequences.
Zambia is not directly affected by the global financial crisis, since it doesn't have any stake in the troubled Western banks and lending institutions, but it is suffering from decreased copper demand. While surging Chinese demand for primary resources contributed to a boom in Zambia's mining sector, with $900 million in Chinese investments pledged up to 2010, reductions in Chinese demand as a result of the financial crisis have equally far-reaching effects.
The current selling price for copper is $1.69 per pound (October 27, 2008), as weak as it's been in three years. The monthly average for September was nearly double that at $3.17 per pound. Zambia's currency, the Kwacha, has lost 25% of its value to the dollar in the two months I've been here (4,500 Kwacha to the dollar, from 3,500), which bodes well for my spending powers but not for the 13 million Zambians who lack the luxury of foreign currency.
If the impending global recession lasts as long as people are saying it will, American homeowners won't be the only ones to suffer. On Thursday, Zambians will elect a new president to lead the country through these tumultuous times, setting him up for a challenging term indeed.
Thanks to Alex for this story.
Zambia is not directly affected by the global financial crisis, since it doesn't have any stake in the troubled Western banks and lending institutions, but it is suffering from decreased copper demand. While surging Chinese demand for primary resources contributed to a boom in Zambia's mining sector, with $900 million in Chinese investments pledged up to 2010, reductions in Chinese demand as a result of the financial crisis have equally far-reaching effects.
The current selling price for copper is $1.69 per pound (October 27, 2008), as weak as it's been in three years. The monthly average for September was nearly double that at $3.17 per pound. Zambia's currency, the Kwacha, has lost 25% of its value to the dollar in the two months I've been here (4,500 Kwacha to the dollar, from 3,500), which bodes well for my spending powers but not for the 13 million Zambians who lack the luxury of foreign currency.
If the impending global recession lasts as long as people are saying it will, American homeowners won't be the only ones to suffer. On Thursday, Zambians will elect a new president to lead the country through these tumultuous times, setting him up for a challenging term indeed.
Thanks to Alex for this story.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
The Century's president
Imagine…
It’s early 2009, say February or March, and President Barack Obama has just set out on his first foreign engagement, one of the earliest trips abroad by a newly elected president. His first stop is Johannesburg, South Africa, where he shares the stage with anti-apartheid heroes Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu, speaking in front of fifty thousand jubilant South Africans. Next, President Obama flies northwards to Kisumu, Kenya, in the home province of his late father, where the local airport has just been renovated for the explicit purpose of accommodating Air Force One (click here for the plans). He receives a roaring Kenyan welcome.
I know there are still two weeks to go, and videos like this one remind me to take nothing for granted, but can’t I dream a little?
When it comes to politics, I follow the party line – the Century family party line, that is.
My grandparents Jack and Marcia Century (third and fifth from the left) doing their part in conservative stronghold Calgary, Alberta.
Cardboard cut-out Obama, fresh from an engagement at the local mall, with my brother Adam Century (the bright red tomato in the middle) and his fellow Williams College freshmen.
"Four Princesses and a President-to-be": The newest party member, six-year-old Lena Century, with an Obama pin to make all Century’s proud.
It’s early 2009, say February or March, and President Barack Obama has just set out on his first foreign engagement, one of the earliest trips abroad by a newly elected president. His first stop is Johannesburg, South Africa, where he shares the stage with anti-apartheid heroes Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu, speaking in front of fifty thousand jubilant South Africans. Next, President Obama flies northwards to Kisumu, Kenya, in the home province of his late father, where the local airport has just been renovated for the explicit purpose of accommodating Air Force One (click here for the plans). He receives a roaring Kenyan welcome.
I know there are still two weeks to go, and videos like this one remind me to take nothing for granted, but can’t I dream a little?
When it comes to politics, I follow the party line – the Century family party line, that is.
My grandparents Jack and Marcia Century (third and fifth from the left) doing their part in conservative stronghold Calgary, Alberta.
Cardboard cut-out Obama, fresh from an engagement at the local mall, with my brother Adam Century (the bright red tomato in the middle) and his fellow Williams College freshmen.
"Four Princesses and a President-to-be": The newest party member, six-year-old Lena Century, with an Obama pin to make all Century’s proud.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Some thoughts on HIV/AIDS
Recently, I noticed this display while walking in downtown Lusaka. I had heard of such fallacious fabrications in the past, but reading this banner and the collection of “news” articles on either side of it dumbfounded me all the same.This view is not widely shared in Zambia. Yet it helps to explain the sheer complexity of combating HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa.
Last I heard, Zambia has a 15 percent adult prevalence rate, which is actually lower than previous figures. The country is ranked 165 out of 177 in terms of the UN Human Development Index.
With increasingly cheap and available anti-retroviral drugs, many have become optimistic for the future. But the other day, a doctor told me that free anti-retrovirals have been a mixed blessing for Zambia. Now that it’s possible for people with HIV/AIDS to lead productive lives for several years, the fear of contracting the virus is less potent than it once was. In this logic, while addressing the suffering of HIV/AIDS patients, free anti-retrovirals ignore or even compound the social causes of the epidemic – gender violence, promiscuity, cultural norms, and so on.
I don’t purport to offer any solutions. I simply wanted to shed light on the multifaceted nature of the issue, as I’ve experienced it in Lusaka. My own work – disarmament issues, including landmines and other small arms – is more clear-cut, in my mind, allowing for a more well-defined outlook and restful conscience. I admire those who grapple with HIV/AIDS in all its complexity and contradictions.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Mid-October weekend
On Friday afternoon, during a rainstorm that offered fleeting relief from days of escalating heat, I began my birthday weekend with a much-needed nap.
I had just finished three days of intensive work on project plans for persons with disabilities. (I’ve been putting off writing about my work on disability and small arms issues, but I'll write soon!)
After my nap, my housemates prepared dinner and baked a cake and we had a relaxing birthday evening at home. On Saturday starting at lunchtime, we invited most of our friends over and enjoyed the day by our pool. Cold beer, upbeat Zambian tunes, smoky charcoal barbecue… it was a great birthday, and a good distraction from the reality of being far away from family and friends.
Among the guests was Samuel, a first-year art student at a local college who my housemates Bart and Anke – creative industry researchers from Holland – have been working with. Samuel is a prodigy painter and drawer. His work is breathtaking, even though he’s had almost no formal training.
He and his art school friends also make for a hugely entertaining party. We spent much of the afternoon and evening singing and dancing – or in my case, humming unintelligibly and mimicking other peoples’ dance moves.
For my birthday, Samuel drew me in blue pen.
Contrary to what the portrait might suggest, my nose has not been flattened, my mouth still looks like it used to, and I have not gained any weight since coming to Zambia. To his credit, he drew it in blue pen in about 15 minutes.
From top to bottom, me by the pool; Samuel, James and Dickson dancing; Bart and Alex stoking the BBQ; Samuel.
This is a photograph Samuel took with Anke's small digital camera. I'm blown away every time I look at it. But I'll let you see what you want in it, instead of unloading my subjective views on you.
I had just finished three days of intensive work on project plans for persons with disabilities. (I’ve been putting off writing about my work on disability and small arms issues, but I'll write soon!)
After my nap, my housemates prepared dinner and baked a cake and we had a relaxing birthday evening at home. On Saturday starting at lunchtime, we invited most of our friends over and enjoyed the day by our pool. Cold beer, upbeat Zambian tunes, smoky charcoal barbecue… it was a great birthday, and a good distraction from the reality of being far away from family and friends.
Among the guests was Samuel, a first-year art student at a local college who my housemates Bart and Anke – creative industry researchers from Holland – have been working with. Samuel is a prodigy painter and drawer. His work is breathtaking, even though he’s had almost no formal training.
He and his art school friends also make for a hugely entertaining party. We spent much of the afternoon and evening singing and dancing – or in my case, humming unintelligibly and mimicking other peoples’ dance moves.
For my birthday, Samuel drew me in blue pen.
Contrary to what the portrait might suggest, my nose has not been flattened, my mouth still looks like it used to, and I have not gained any weight since coming to Zambia. To his credit, he drew it in blue pen in about 15 minutes.
From top to bottom, me by the pool; Samuel, James and Dickson dancing; Bart and Alex stoking the BBQ; Samuel.
This is a photograph Samuel took with Anke's small digital camera. I'm blown away every time I look at it. But I'll let you see what you want in it, instead of unloading my subjective views on you.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Zambia and the CCM
On Friday, the meeting Dr. Bob and I have been planning for the last couple weeks was a total success. "Zambia and the Convention on Cluster Munitions: Reporting Back and Moving Forward" assembled an impressive group of Zambian doctors, activists, journalists, police, and many others who have been involved in disarmament and disability issues in Zambia. Although no cabinet ministers could make it – they're in their home constituencies frantically campaigning to keep their jobs – turn-out still exceeded expectations, with 42 participants.
Zambia is not affected by cluster bombs, but the country has played a major role in the international campaign to ban them. The Oslo Process began in February 2007 with a declaration to achieve by the end of 2008 a legally binding instrument to ban cluster bombs. In May of this year in Dublin, 107 states agreed to adopt the Convention on Cluster Munitions, which will be opened for signing in Oslo in December. During this time, members of the Zambia Mine Action Centre and Zambian civil society, including Dr. Bob, have been at the forefront of treaty negotiations. Friday's meeting brought together all those involved to regroup and strategize – to ensure that Zambia signs the Convention and to plan for domesticating the Convention in Zambia.
Meanwhile, if you haven't already, sign the People's Treaty and help push governments to bring the Convention to fruition this December. Cluster bombs are indiscriminate and senseless weapons, as this Human Rights Watch video makes abundently clear. The Cluster Munition Coalition, which spearheaded the campaign to ban cluster bombs and includes Mines Action Canada and the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, for whom I'm working, was recognized for its efforts by being nominated for this year's Nobel Peace Prize.
Ms. Sheila Mweemba, director of the Zambia Mine Action Centre, in the middle.
Dr. Bob convening the meeting.
Zambia is not affected by cluster bombs, but the country has played a major role in the international campaign to ban them. The Oslo Process began in February 2007 with a declaration to achieve by the end of 2008 a legally binding instrument to ban cluster bombs. In May of this year in Dublin, 107 states agreed to adopt the Convention on Cluster Munitions, which will be opened for signing in Oslo in December. During this time, members of the Zambia Mine Action Centre and Zambian civil society, including Dr. Bob, have been at the forefront of treaty negotiations. Friday's meeting brought together all those involved to regroup and strategize – to ensure that Zambia signs the Convention and to plan for domesticating the Convention in Zambia.
Meanwhile, if you haven't already, sign the People's Treaty and help push governments to bring the Convention to fruition this December. Cluster bombs are indiscriminate and senseless weapons, as this Human Rights Watch video makes abundently clear. The Cluster Munition Coalition, which spearheaded the campaign to ban cluster bombs and includes Mines Action Canada and the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, for whom I'm working, was recognized for its efforts by being nominated for this year's Nobel Peace Prize.
Ms. Sheila Mweemba, director of the Zambia Mine Action Centre, in the middle.
Dr. Bob convening the meeting.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Let it rain
After 42 days of unabated, beat-down-on-your-back African sun, rain has finally arrived. It came earlier than expected – the rainy season doesn’t begin until late October or November – and man, did it come.
The air is cool and fresh, rich with the smell of plants and rejuvenated growth, a stark contrast to the searing heat and dust-filled air I’ve been breathing in since my arrival in Zambia.
I’m sitting by the window, looking out over the garden and pool area, avoiding incoming spray. It’s as if the potency of the rainfall had to equalize that of the sun, so that in the absence of oppressive sunlight, there can only be thundering downpour.
You may not be able to relate to my overwhelming sense of relief at the arrival of wet weather. And it may take as little as a week or two of rain for me to start complaining all over again and longing for the heat. For the moment, I’m thoroughly enjoying the change.
Rain beating down on my paradise garden that once was.
The air is cool and fresh, rich with the smell of plants and rejuvenated growth, a stark contrast to the searing heat and dust-filled air I’ve been breathing in since my arrival in Zambia.
I’m sitting by the window, looking out over the garden and pool area, avoiding incoming spray. It’s as if the potency of the rainfall had to equalize that of the sun, so that in the absence of oppressive sunlight, there can only be thundering downpour.
You may not be able to relate to my overwhelming sense of relief at the arrival of wet weather. And it may take as little as a week or two of rain for me to start complaining all over again and longing for the heat. For the moment, I’m thoroughly enjoying the change.
Rain beating down on my paradise garden that once was.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Yes, Doctah!
My supervisor, Dr. Bob, a medical doctor-turned-disarmament activist, is most often referred to simply as Doc or the Doctor (Doctah here in Zambia) – even at the hospital, where you’d think having the name Doctor would get a tad confusing. It took little time for me to understand how it’s possible to distinguish oneself as the doctor in a hospital full of them. The man is quite possibly the most gifted networker I’ve ever known, effortlessly charming local activists, public officials, international diplomats and common Zambians alike.
Lunchtime at the hospital where I work normally consists of Dr. Bob entertaining a crowd of doctors and nurses on the latest developments in Zambian politics. Standing in the same open area day after day, Dr. Bob waves down passersby, asking their opinions on the issue at hand, or teasing them if he knows them personally. “If X candidate wins in Y region, I tell you, hair will grow from the palm of my hand,” he yells across the hall. “No, you don’t understand!” He grabs someone’s hand and insists, “individual hairs will sprout from my palm!”
When he came across an ID card for one of the presidential candidates, he began flashing it to colleagues and friends, pleading, “have you seen this patient? I can’t find this patient, he’s a patient of mine!” I only recently found out that most of Dr. Bob’s usual lunchtime crowd comes from another part of the country as he does, and overwhelmingly supports the archrival of his chosen candidate. Something about his character makes arguing singlehandedly against large numbers utterly enjoyable for all involved.
Even on the public minibuses, where political passions are extreme, and often augmented by the effects of alcohol, Dr. Bob engages the crowds, wielding only his disarming social skills as self-defense. Since much of our work involves meeting with people and moving around, I have spent many hours witnessing these kinds of social interactions. I chip in occasional jokes and remarks – Dr. Bob’s trusted sidekick, you could call me – and thoroughly enjoy it.
Granted, there are side effects to his gregariousness. Punctuality isn’t one of his strong points. But Dr. Bob shatters the social guards of the people he encounters, and in so doing offers me a wonderful glimpse of Zambian life, one that I might not otherwise have access to.
A view of the massive University Teaching Hospital at night.
The hospital by day. Conveniently, most of the individuals and organizations Dr. Bob and I work with are based here. It's also located a stone’s throw from my house.
Lunchtime at the hospital where I work normally consists of Dr. Bob entertaining a crowd of doctors and nurses on the latest developments in Zambian politics. Standing in the same open area day after day, Dr. Bob waves down passersby, asking their opinions on the issue at hand, or teasing them if he knows them personally. “If X candidate wins in Y region, I tell you, hair will grow from the palm of my hand,” he yells across the hall. “No, you don’t understand!” He grabs someone’s hand and insists, “individual hairs will sprout from my palm!”
When he came across an ID card for one of the presidential candidates, he began flashing it to colleagues and friends, pleading, “have you seen this patient? I can’t find this patient, he’s a patient of mine!” I only recently found out that most of Dr. Bob’s usual lunchtime crowd comes from another part of the country as he does, and overwhelmingly supports the archrival of his chosen candidate. Something about his character makes arguing singlehandedly against large numbers utterly enjoyable for all involved.
Even on the public minibuses, where political passions are extreme, and often augmented by the effects of alcohol, Dr. Bob engages the crowds, wielding only his disarming social skills as self-defense. Since much of our work involves meeting with people and moving around, I have spent many hours witnessing these kinds of social interactions. I chip in occasional jokes and remarks – Dr. Bob’s trusted sidekick, you could call me – and thoroughly enjoy it.
Granted, there are side effects to his gregariousness. Punctuality isn’t one of his strong points. But Dr. Bob shatters the social guards of the people he encounters, and in so doing offers me a wonderful glimpse of Zambian life, one that I might not otherwise have access to.
A view of the massive University Teaching Hospital at night.
The hospital by day. Conveniently, most of the individuals and organizations Dr. Bob and I work with are based here. It's also located a stone’s throw from my house.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Melting Alaska
Recently, British newspaper The Guardian reported on the “the world’s first climate change refugees”: the Yup’ik Eskimos of Alaska, USA. Melting ice in southwest Alaska has forced an entire community to permanently relocate, after 2,000 years of living in the area.
With all the hype about Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska, I was reminded of this article. I wondered, is Palin – the global warming denier that she is – aware of this tragic development in her home state?
Then, remembering a Youtube video posted by a friend, another question crossed my mind. Has Palin ever heard of The Guardian newspaper? I wasn’t sure if The Guardian was included in “all of them, any of them that um, have been in front of me over all these years,” which is what Palin replied when asked for specific examples of newspapers and magazines she sought information from.
After yet another good chuckle about Palin's ever-amusing incompetence, the seriousness of her stance on global warming sunk in. In the clever words of the article, "Alaska's new lipstick-wearing pitbull megastar, Sarah Palin, is intellectually challenged when it comes to global warming." Mixing up words and blanking out on newspaper titles is one thing; suggesting that humans have had no role in climate change is quite another.
With all the hype about Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska, I was reminded of this article. I wondered, is Palin – the global warming denier that she is – aware of this tragic development in her home state?
Then, remembering a Youtube video posted by a friend, another question crossed my mind. Has Palin ever heard of The Guardian newspaper? I wasn’t sure if The Guardian was included in “all of them, any of them that um, have been in front of me over all these years,” which is what Palin replied when asked for specific examples of newspapers and magazines she sought information from.
After yet another good chuckle about Palin's ever-amusing incompetence, the seriousness of her stance on global warming sunk in. In the clever words of the article, "Alaska's new lipstick-wearing pitbull megastar, Sarah Palin, is intellectually challenged when it comes to global warming." Mixing up words and blanking out on newspaper titles is one thing; suggesting that humans have had no role in climate change is quite another.
Friday, October 3, 2008
The sky is for birds, not missiles
Young Louis campaigning for peace and disarmament, May 1993.My mom emailed me this photo last week, saying her class of art students at Concordia was amazed by the deep meaning of the scene, considering my current work. Some would call it coincidence. In any event, I will take credit for some of the drawings (the rest go to my second grade Banff Elementary School classmates), and the purposefully child-like writing style of the letters LOUIS (part of the anti-war message). I didn’t demand a cut of the profits because, well, the blanket was donated… to me.
For more of Barbara Todd's art, click here, here, or here.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Al Jazeera and the news
Since my landlady recently installed satellite television, I’ve been enjoying the luxury of 24-hour news on Al Jazeera and the BBC. Concerning Al Jazeera specifically, this is the second time I’ve been able to watch their news on a regular basis (in Nairobi, it was one of only three staticky channels I picked up). It continues to baffle me how such a powerful and well-respected international news agency could hold such baseless Al Qaeda connotations in North America.
It occurred to me that BBC or CNN surely would have jumped at the chance to break the news of an Osama bin Laden video or two, wouldn’t they? He just happened to send them to Al Jazeera instead, the most-watched network in the Middle East. Al Jazeera competes fiercely with premiere networks in all corners of the globe. The deep resources and far reach of Al Jazeera has even been known to lure prominent media figures away from the competition (Sir David Frost’s weekly Frost Over the World jumps to mind). As far as Islamic bias goes, I’ll quickly mention that last week’s special, The Promised Land, offered a thoroughly informative and impartial (as is possible) account of the birth of Israel.
My Al Jazeera rant aside (okay one last spiel: check out Control Room, a documentary on, you guessed it), I don’t think it’s merely because I have satellite TV that the news of late seems busier than usual. Here are three stories that have occupied my mind.
Over the last year, I’ve been casually following news of Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden, but the last few weeks have blown all benchmarks out of the water. This article tells of the local pirate economy that has developed in semi-autonomous Puntland, including white-collar accountants and negotiators, thousands of workers, and an annual ransom-generated revenue that surpassed Puntland’s $20 million budget last year. As I write, over a dozen boats are under pirate control, and a Ukrainian arms shipment apparently destined illegally for South Sudan is docked up with 33 Russian battle tanks on board. Modern-day pirates, I’ll be damned.
Closer to home, I came across this Margaret Atwood article through a friend, and thought I should share it with all of you – Canadians and non-Canadians alike. As you may know, the United States isn’t the only country with an election fast approaching. Canada (and Zambia, for that matter) is also in the heat of campaigning, as Conservative Stephen Harper is standing for re-election and vying for a parliamentary majority. Margaret Atwood passionately reminds us of the value of the arts and creative industries to our country, and the indifference “Mr. Harper” affords them. (If you’ll allow me one more political jab, the Canadian International Development Agency’s International Youth Internship Program, of which I am a part, has suffered relentless cutbacks under Harper’s government; it’s quite plausible that I would've missed the boat if I’d waited another year.)
Lastly, even here in Lusaka, Zambia, the geographic centre of Southern Africa, the intricacies of American news events have reached life-or-death proportions. Everybody is following the US election, and now the financial crisis too. My one anecdote should tie this otherwise meandering blog post together. A couple of days ago, Al Jazeera was discussing Sarah Palin’s recent catastrophic performances on TV, and then showed a clip… of Tina Fey impersonating Palin on Saturday Night Live! The catch? Unless I missed it (I was watching intently), there was no mention that this was in fact a comedian impersonating Palin, and not the vice presidential candidate herself. Excepting a small SNL logo in the top left corner of the screen, Tina Fey appears to have successfully passed herself off as the 44-year-old hockey mom from Alaska, to thousands (millions?) of viewers around the world.
(I just realized this Al Jazeera slip-up doesn’t exactly reinforce my argument about the quality of their news; I don’t hold it against them.)
Gratuitous photo of pretty Lusaka flowers.
It occurred to me that BBC or CNN surely would have jumped at the chance to break the news of an Osama bin Laden video or two, wouldn’t they? He just happened to send them to Al Jazeera instead, the most-watched network in the Middle East. Al Jazeera competes fiercely with premiere networks in all corners of the globe. The deep resources and far reach of Al Jazeera has even been known to lure prominent media figures away from the competition (Sir David Frost’s weekly Frost Over the World jumps to mind). As far as Islamic bias goes, I’ll quickly mention that last week’s special, The Promised Land, offered a thoroughly informative and impartial (as is possible) account of the birth of Israel.
My Al Jazeera rant aside (okay one last spiel: check out Control Room, a documentary on, you guessed it), I don’t think it’s merely because I have satellite TV that the news of late seems busier than usual. Here are three stories that have occupied my mind.
Over the last year, I’ve been casually following news of Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden, but the last few weeks have blown all benchmarks out of the water. This article tells of the local pirate economy that has developed in semi-autonomous Puntland, including white-collar accountants and negotiators, thousands of workers, and an annual ransom-generated revenue that surpassed Puntland’s $20 million budget last year. As I write, over a dozen boats are under pirate control, and a Ukrainian arms shipment apparently destined illegally for South Sudan is docked up with 33 Russian battle tanks on board. Modern-day pirates, I’ll be damned.
Closer to home, I came across this Margaret Atwood article through a friend, and thought I should share it with all of you – Canadians and non-Canadians alike. As you may know, the United States isn’t the only country with an election fast approaching. Canada (and Zambia, for that matter) is also in the heat of campaigning, as Conservative Stephen Harper is standing for re-election and vying for a parliamentary majority. Margaret Atwood passionately reminds us of the value of the arts and creative industries to our country, and the indifference “Mr. Harper” affords them. (If you’ll allow me one more political jab, the Canadian International Development Agency’s International Youth Internship Program, of which I am a part, has suffered relentless cutbacks under Harper’s government; it’s quite plausible that I would've missed the boat if I’d waited another year.)
Lastly, even here in Lusaka, Zambia, the geographic centre of Southern Africa, the intricacies of American news events have reached life-or-death proportions. Everybody is following the US election, and now the financial crisis too. My one anecdote should tie this otherwise meandering blog post together. A couple of days ago, Al Jazeera was discussing Sarah Palin’s recent catastrophic performances on TV, and then showed a clip… of Tina Fey impersonating Palin on Saturday Night Live! The catch? Unless I missed it (I was watching intently), there was no mention that this was in fact a comedian impersonating Palin, and not the vice presidential candidate herself. Excepting a small SNL logo in the top left corner of the screen, Tina Fey appears to have successfully passed herself off as the 44-year-old hockey mom from Alaska, to thousands (millions?) of viewers around the world.
(I just realized this Al Jazeera slip-up doesn’t exactly reinforce my argument about the quality of their news; I don’t hold it against them.)
Gratuitous photo of pretty Lusaka flowers.
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