Elections in DR Congo

Elections taking place today in DR Congo. I'm happy,l want to be optomistic. I did a research paper on the effect of Belgian colonisation on the nation after independence, but the remit of my paper didn't go past Mobutu's ousting, but even if it had, thigns wouldn't have gotten any more cheery, a war in which 3 million died, millions more displaced and raped and tortured, all this AFTER 3o-odd years of a regime almost (if not MORE) ruthless than Leopold's. Anyway, with 9 000 candidates standing for parliament and 10's contesting the presidency, I don't think it's boding well for an easy outcome. But the thing that is inspiring is the hope, even after all these years, people still retain hope that things can get better.

The remaining 100 000 or so strong rebel militias in the East have mostly agreed to a laying down of arms and I guess that a repatriation and disarmament plan for foreign combattants is being picked up well (with 400 dollars and a ticket home, who wouldn't leave the squalor of the forest camps most militias have been relegatted to). It's just that even without the huge rebel presence (which still is huge, if not extreemely active, htought thousands are still dying monthly), with such powerful demagogue like figures, controling their own troops, I don't konw how an election result is going to be accepted without violence.

Voting lets Congolese dare to hope
DR Congo's Kabila and his kingdom
Congo opposition candidates
DR Congo militias disarm ahead of polls
Digging for diamonds and democracy
Q&A: DR Congo conflict

Libellés : Afrique, Droits, Guerre, Politique

par Borges à 14:57

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Londonstani

Londonstani by Guatam Malkani
Hmmm, yeah, not so good. I guess I would call it barely interesting. The dialogue is painful and the plot, a story which would in theory be mildly engaging proves to be disjointed, drawn out and boring. The characters feel undeveloped and I found myself unable to form some sort of literary emotional connection to any of them. However, dowards the middle of the novel there comes a really striking and well developed ongoing critic by one of the characters on the developement in the Western world of the "rudeboy" (read: ganster) lifestyle, one which, at least portrayed so in this book, is embodied emotionally by misogeny, rage, a desire for power and a severing of connections with ones emotional side, but, actually straying from its origins in the mid-20th century rise of urban street gangs who formed out of necessity, the material aspect is embodied by Dolce and Gabanna, flash cars, and all the most high-end luxury items one can afford (whether it be with Daddy's money or not).

That the group of British Asian (i.e. South Asian) teenagers on which the Londonstani centres around lived in a rather afluent, mostly Desi area of Outer London, and all seemed to belong to quite upper-middle class and well respected families, with every luxury afforded to them through their parents hard work and industriousness was the most interesting to me. It definlatye made me feel for the parents of teenagers like this, parents who toiled and fought such lack of opportunity and racism and so on, only to make a most comfortable life for their childeren and have those childeren turn out to be disloyal, arrogant and above all lazy. And, it further reaffrirmed my belief that this ghetto wannabee culture is more about class than race, they seemed as out of place with their ganster lifestyle and attitude and actions as any white suburban kid would.

Another aspect of the book that struck me was the ongoing warfare between the teenagers of Southall, a neighborhood where most of the Desi's are Muslim, and their borough of Hounslow who's Desi population tends to be majority Hindu and Sikh. The group in the book not only declared their hatred and distaste for White people, claiming their Desi origins as superior, but then went further to declare that they are also better than Muslims. Just goes to show you the ignorance and senselessness of racism.

Anyway, this review has turned into something way longer than I ever anticipated. In short, don't bother with Londonstani, it'll become a chore to read. And if you do decide to read it, I implore you, check it out of the library, don't buy the book (which is only available in hardcover). I'm sure glad I didn't

Libellés : Review

par Borges à 01:40

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Hope where you can find it

I guess you have to take hope where you can find it... Honestly I was wondering if this was a joke or a I dunno some sort of sarcasm I just couldn't believe it. I hope it works out but I do realize that there are other huge problems to worry about.

Libellés : Droits, Guerre, Israel/Palestine

par Borges à 15:45

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Brick Lane, Lebanon

So the World Cup has come and gone, and after fuming over the defeat, and awed by Zizou's cabeçada as we say in Portuguese, I got on with my life. And get this, I have lost, and no I haven't mistaken the numbers or made a mistake, cuz I write this stuff down, 22 POUNDS. Un- bloody -believable. And it's been so easy, just limit myself to 1500 calories a day, and it feels really good, I just generally feel better, physically. Mentally is another story, been very depressed lately, I don't quite know why, but I still trying to enjoy my summer as best I can.

I read "Brick Lane" by Monica Ali over the past week. I can't say how much I enjoyed it. It's honestly moving, and I don't think I throw that term around too often. It brings you from the edge of tears to laughing so hard your right back at the edge of tears in a paragraph. It's a great story, very genuine and very original. Also, it is a good way to see God through someone else's perspective because it talks a lot about the main character, Nazneen, relationship and view of Allah. Really, 5 stars (out of 5). Strongly encourage reading it.

(Speaking of reading, I finally got a library card! I feel a whole new world has opened up, cuz now I can take books home without having to buy them (cuz trust me, I can't afford it).)

This whole Lebanon-Israel thing is just unbelievable. Like it's literally taxing to try to understand it. How the hell can this happen. In a world where there is a world wide body dedicated to peace and world wide well being, that weilds so much power, it still seems like we're back to the turn of the last century, where a few nations decide the fate of the rest of the world, that the whims of a ruling class and their leaders can decide on their own whether to allow client states to commit horrible atrocities. How is this allowed!!!! I had no illusions that Israel was in anyway bound to the same rules as the rest of the world, but I didn't think that the U.S. would allow them to invade (not so shocking actually) and start all out war on a sovreign nation. And it's just so I dunno, to hear about all the repatriations of Western citizens from Lebanon, and know that millions are stuck, in fear of their lives. I know that this isn't new and isn't novelle, but sometimes it takes a certain event to keep you awake.

Libellés : Diplomatie, Politique

par Borges à 02:02

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Pakistan knows what's goood!

کون سی ٹیم فٹ بال ورلڈ کپ کا فائنل جیت سکتی ہے؟

فرانس 8.82 %
جرمنی 8.82 %
اٹلی 11.76 %
پرتگال 70.59 %

(http://www.pehchaan.com, front page poll, 20:27 UTC, 4 July 2006

(Which team can win the Football World Cup?
France- 8.82%
Germany- 8.82%
Italy- 11.76%
Portugal- 70.59%)

And also...
Happy Independence Day America!!

par Borges à 16:27

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Portugal to semi-finals!

I'm beyond ecstatic. I just can't even believe it. PORTUGAL IS GOING TO THE SECOND FINALS. I'm so proud and so happy. Wearing my ronaldo jersey and even during the penalty kicks I ran and got the Portuguese flag from my dad's room to wave it to like be send them good vibes. What makes us go so crazy for nations, what makes us go so crazy for sports. Do we get this ecstatic for salaat. Do our hands burn and our throats sore from clapping and screaming over the glory of Islam, no, mine don't. So why are my hands red and my throat in pain.Something to think about...

Libellés : World Cup

par Borges à 13:50

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