Sept 21, 2015 International Day of Peace Celebration at Lyceum University Cavite, Philippines

Sept 21, 2015 International Day of Peace Celebration at Lyceum University Cavite, Philippines
Ambassador Zara Bayla Juan, Sailing for Peace #PeaceDay

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Thursday, April 28, 2011

Curtailing the Bloody Business in Congo

Firms Seek Supply Route Around Conflict in Congo - WSJ.com: "A new U.S. law requires publicly traded companies to ensure key minerals in their products aren't coming from the Congo's rebel-controlled mines. A civil war in the Congo, the world's third-largest producer of tantalum, ended in 2003, but violence in the eastern part of the country continues.

The Dodd-Frank financial-regulation law, enacted last year, identifies four minerals—tantalum, tin, tungsten and gold—that are mined in the Congo and are blamed for helping to fund violent conflict there. Under the law, companies that use the four minerals must inform the Securities and Exchange Commission annually whether any of them in their supply chains originated in the Congo or nine neighboring countries. If they did, the companies must tell the SEC what efforts have been made to determine the source and custody chain of the minerals.

Rules implementing the law haven't been finalized. As it stands, the law doesn't punish companies that buy any of the four listed minerals from the Congo, though punitive measures may be added."

Bloody Business in Congo

Ryan Gosling Makes Charity Trip To Eastern Congo: "“Marie is a rape survivor twice over. She has overcome her suffering to found a women’s organization that helps others who have survived sexual crimes. We asked her what message she would have for electronics companies. “Please stop this bloody business,” she pleaded. “You are fueling conflict. Families are being torn apart. Women are being raped. Communities are being destroyed so armed groups can profit from mines. Companies should stop supporting this and do ethical business.”

“The conflict in Congo has left millions homeless, fleeing from their villages after they have been burnt to the ground or looted by armed groups. In a camp for internally displaced people, we met Mapendo, a young woman who survived an attack on her village in which members of an armed militia went door to door raping women and killing men. In reply to our questions, she said starkly, “There is no difference between the phone companies and the people doing the killing here in Congo.”"

Tibetan Women’s Group Fights for Justice

Tibetan Women’s Group Fights for Justice: "This appeal followed Monday’s launch of the Global Petitioning and Lobbying Week, an initiative aimed at using the organization’s 57 international chapters to elicit the intervention of international arbitrators. It implores organizations, governmental and public, to help with the following: immediate legal intervention and prevention of the brutal treatment of Tibetans in Ngaba Region; pressure the Chinese Government to loosen press restrictions inside Tibet and allow foreign media to enter the region; allow religious freedom; halt oppression and other travesties currently occurring in Tibet.

The organization’s actions come in the wake of two more violent deaths. Sixty-year-old Dongko and 65-year-old Sherkyi were reportedly beaten to death last week during their attempts to dissuade the Chinese Police from detaining another three hundred monks. Claims from eyewitnesses at the scene provided the following account: 'People had their arms and legs broken, one old woman had her leg broken in three places, and cloth was stuffed in their mouths to stifle their screams.'"

Africa optimism rising | Africa News blog

Africa optimism rising | Africa News blog: "When some of the most influential figures in emerging markets finance spoke to a group of Reuters editors, they were asked about top picks for growth beyond the so-called BRIC countries of Brazil, Russia, India and China.

One continent came up again and again – Africa – and one country in particular – Nigeria. Goldman Sachs global head of economic research, Jim O’Neill, highlighted the improvement in the growth-environment index of Africa’s giant over the past decade.

“If it were to show the same increase in its growth-environment score over the next decade, many investors will look back and say why the hell didn’t I invest in Nigeria,” said O’Neill, who coined the term BRICs."

Philippine Muslim rebels try to woo back rogue commander | News by Country | Reuters

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Philippines as filling the vacuum in helping to maintain Asia’s security and stability as Japan copes with the March 11 earthquake

Malaya | National: "WASHINGTON – The United States views the Philippines as filling the vacuum in helping to maintain Asia’s security and stability as Japan copes with the March 11 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis, a source said recently.

'The US views the Philippines as a long-time trusted and treaty ally, and in Japan’s weakened state, so to speak, following the March 11 disaster and its preoccupation with relief and rebuilding – sure to be long-term – the resulting vacuum will be filled by the Philippines,' the source said as noted his concern over China’s increasing power in the region.

The source said the US 'policy on re-engagement in the Philippines' involves stepped-up efforts with the on-going modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

'Coastal watch of the Philippines is the top priority,' the source said, adding helicopters and watercraft purchased by the Philippines from the US need to be delivered 'before the rainy season begins.'

In related news, Victor Manhit, director of StratBase in Manila, wrote on April 17: 'Regionally, the AFP confronts the realities of possible military conflict in the South China Sea over territorial claims around the Spratly Islands.'"

249 Terrorist attacks in Europe during 2010 -Europol Terrorism Report « Infologue.com – Manned Security e-Zine

249 Terrorist attacks in Europe during 2010 -Europol Terrorism Report « Infologue.com – Manned Security e-Zine: "Terrorist groups are becoming more diverse and flexible in their methods of operating, with signs of increased collaboration between groups, increased use of the Internet, and a growing connection between organised crime and terrorism, especially in regard to financing activities. Separatist terrorist groups such as the PKK/KONGRA-GEL and LTTE are involved in the trafficking of drugs and human beings to raise funds for their terrorism activities. Meanwhile reported contacts between international drug trafficking groups and Islamist terrorist groups in West Africa raise the possibility that proceeds from organised crime are a source of funding for Islamist terrorist groups operating in the Sahel region. The rapidly developing situation of instability in North Africa is also a source of concern to the internal security of the EU, with new opportunities emerging for terrorist groups to move materiel and members to Europe.
“The economic recession has led to political and social tensions in a number of Member States and fuelled the conditions for terrorism and extremism. Although the number of attacks executed by separatist terrorist groups has decreased the threat from these and other groups remains substantial."

How likely is a third world war? part 7

WWIII scenarios | Features & Opinion | RIA Novosti: "The second division is caused by the disproportionate distribution of production capacity and raw materials. 'Some countries have high tech production, whereas others are rich in raw materials. The inadequate exchange between them is enriching some and impoverishing others,' Sivkov explained. 'There are two ways of resolving it - either leave some countries in a subordinate position or establish a fair distribution of revenue, which will impoverish other countries without changing their social system.'
The third global division that is playing an increasing role is between 'the immorality of the free market and the spiritual values of traditional civilizations - Muslim, Orthodox Christianity and others,' Sivkov said.
'This division gives rise to that volatile mass of future militants and suicide bombers. The current market is incompatible with the spiritual values of traditional civilizations. And the new globalized world is trying to decide whom to join - the free market or the traditional civilizations,' Sivkov said.
Finally, there is the division between the 'financial bubble' and the real economy. 'This division played a significant role in Hitler's rise to power in 1933."

How likely is a third world war? part 6

WWIII scenarios | Features & Opinion | RIA Novosti: "Now experts identify three types of disputes or divisions that can provoke armed conflicts at different levels.
First there are internal divisions within a state, which are primarily caused by two factors. The first is socio-economic in nature (divisions between the upper and lower classes over the distribution of material wealth). This division becomes acute when the incomes of the wealthiest 10% exceed those of the poorest 10% by more than 15 times over,' Sivkov said, adding that in Russia this threshold has long been passed.
The other factor is ethnic, cultural and religious tensions, which can be found in Russia and other countries, particularly in the United States.
Then there are regional disputes, for instance the territorial disputes between Russia and China, China and India, Russia and Japan, India and Pakistan. There are internal divisions in the Arab world, between Iran and the Arabs and between North and South America. Such disputes could easily boil over into regional conflicts.
Finally, there are global divisions, first among them being the division between the scale of production and consumption and the Earth's resources that are left at the disposal of humanity, which puts at stake the entire direction of civilization's development,' Sivkov said."

How likely is a third world war? part 5

WWIII scenarios | Features & Opinion | RIA Novosti: "Speaking about Russia's neighbors, Tishchenko noted that the situation in Transdnestria could escalate. 'It is difficult to predict the consequences of the current Romanization of Moldova. For instance, the EU is already willing to introduce its peacekeepers in Transdnestria but its troops have not yet proven themselves anywhere. It is very hard to say whether they will cope with a possible escalation in Transdnestria,' he explained.
Armed conflict is also likely in the Caucasus. 'No doubt, Nagorno-Karabakh may become a bone of contention,' Tishchenko said. 'Azerbaijan is actively developing its foreign policy concepts and building up troops. Armenia, where we have a military base, is acting in the same manner.' Tsyganok added: 'The most interesting aspect to this is that Russia has no dispute with either Azerbaijan or Armenia, and we don't have a clue as to what we will do if tensions in Nagorno-Karabakh spill over.'
Sivkov believes that an armed conflict or local war is also likely in Asia-Pacific, in particular between Cambodia and Thailand.
In his opinion, similar local conflicts in different parts of the world are the result of a changing world and the formation of a new world order."

How likely is a third world war? part 4

WWIII scenarios | Features & Opinion | RIA Novosti: "Armed conflicts could break out in Central Asia, drawing in Russia, who will act in support of its allies in the region.
Head of the Military Forecast Center Anatoly Tsyganok believes that 'a conflict over water is possible in the region in the next three to five years.' Tishchenko noted that 'a change in the region's leaders' is just around the corner. 'It is quite possible that this process will not be peaceful, all the more so since Central Asian countries already find themselves in a conflict over the Fergana Valley, which is the region's only bread basket,' he explained, adding that 'the Afghan conflict could also spread to Central Asia.'"

How likely is a third world war? part 3

WWIII scenarios | Features & Opinion | RIA Novosti: "'Existing disputes show that there is potential for war,' Sivkov said. In his opinion, there is a fifty-fifty chance of a local war in the Middle East (the military operation in Libya being a vivid example). Experts cannot rule out that the United States will opt for a military strike against Iran, although most likely it would not initiate the war but rather would be part of a NATO peacekeeping force operating in highly probable conflicts between Iran and Israel or Iran and Saudi Arabia. 'In any event there will be a showdown between Iran and the United States sooner or later,' said Grigory Tishchenko, head of the defense policy department at the Russian Institute of Strategic Studies."

How likely is a third world war? part 2

WWIII scenarios | Features & Opinion | RIA Novosti: "At the round table, First Vice President of the Academy of Geopolitical Problems Konstantin Sivkov said that armed conflicts are classified by Russia's Institute of Military-Strategic Studies according to causes, geography, duration and the number of troops involved.
At the low end of the classification system are border conflicts that last from a week to a month, requiring about 10,000-50,000 troops.
Next come armed conflicts involving about 100,000 and lasting from a month to several years.
This is followed by local wars, which involve at least one million troops (incidentally, this is the projected size of the Russian armed forces after the reform process) and last from several months to several years.
A regional war involves 5-6 million people. The Great Patriotic War (i.e. the Eastern Front of WWII) falls into this category.
Finally, at the other extreme of the classification system is the world war. 'In terms of its structure, a world war can involve a number of regional and local wars and armed conflicts, or simply local wars and armed conflicts in a considerable portion of the world's territory,' Sivkov explained."

How likely is a third world war? part 1

WWIII scenarios | Features & Opinion | RIA Novosti: "The Caucasus, the Middle East, Central Asia, Asia-Pacific - these regions command the attention of military experts and diplomats. Where are the geopolitical fault lines in today's world, and where can we expect military conflict tomorrow? How likely is a third world war, and will it be a nuclear war? How can we prevent the destruction of civilization? These were among the questions addressed by experts at the round table discussion 'Military Concepts and Challenges of the 21st Century,' organized by the magazine Mezhdunarodnaya Zhizn (International Affairs), and held at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations on April 26."

Cambodia-Thailand border conflict festers

Cambodia-Thailand border conflict festers: "THAILAND - Efforts to bring peace to the borders of Thailand and Cambodia have got nowhere as leaders of the two countries have yet to offer ways to settle the armed conflict, despite saying they are ready to talk.

Both nations claim they did not trigger the border skirmishes and have called on each other to stop shooting.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva told the House of Representatives yesterday that he would seek an opportunity to talk with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on the sidelines of the Asean Summit in early May in Jakarta.

Hun Sen's move

However, Hun Sen said he would raise the border conflict at the Asean meeting, rather than talking bilaterally with his Thai counterpart.

'Cambodia will raise the issue at the Asean summit next month, so Abhisit and I can negotiate during the Asean Summit,' Hun Sen was quoted as saying by Xinhua News Agency.

'Even though there are no Cambodia-Thailand border issues on the agenda for the Asean Summit, I will raise them with Asean leaders,' he said.

Thailand and Cambodia have been in military conflict over the boundary in two major areas - Preah Vihear in Si Sa Ket, and Ta Muen Thom in Surin.

Hun Sen said Cambodia would talk to Thailand over the conflict at Ta Muen and Ta Kwai bilaterally, but needed a third party for the Preah Vihear dispute."

Armed conflict main global obstacle to establish education for all

Armed conflict main global obstacle: "Armed conflict across the world is the major obstacle to establishing education for all, said Education For All, a global monitoring report of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco), launched yesterday.

Bangladesh holds the tenth position in the report's list of 21 developing countries, which spend more on military budgets than on primary education.

The report also reasoned Chittagong Hill Tracts region lagging behind in education indicators due to armed conflict and being a heavily militarised area.

Primary and Mass Education Minister Afsarul Ameen launched the report at a function organised by Unesco at Islamic Development Bank in the city.

The report, published since 2002, assesses the achievement of different countries regarding ensuring education for all. This year's topic was “The Hidden Crisis: Armed conflict and education”.

Presenting a keynote paper based on the report, Habibur Rahman, director (Education) of Save the Children, USA, said half of the number of Bangladeshi children enrolled in class one reach class five"

YEMEN: Arab Spring: Update On The Middle East | DrJays.com Live | Fashion. Music. Lifestyle

Arab Spring: Update On The Middle East | DrJays.com Live | Fashion. Music. Lifestyle: "YEMEN
Southern Yemen appears to be the hot spot in battles between protesters and the Yemeni military. Demonstrations against a defiant President Ali Abdullah Saleh continue, with soldiers and civilians being killed and wounded daily. An agreement drafted by several Gulf nations for Saleh to step down is now in place; it’s only a matter of time until a new government is assembled in the Gulf nation."

SYRIA: Arab Spring: Update On The Middle East | DrJays.com Live | Fashion. Music. Lifestyle

Arab Spring: Update On The Middle East | DrJays.com Live | Fashion. Music. Lifestyle: "SYRIA
All eyes are currently on Syria, as President Bashar al-Assad fights to stay in power. As CNN reports, “Assad’s tumultuous, 11-year rule—and the political experiment of modernization that it entailed—has proved to be a total failure. With the cycle of ever-increasing protests met by regime violence and then more funerals intensifying in all areas of the country, it is time for Assad to consider his future.” When Assad was voted in as President back in 2000, there were hopes he’d be the catalyst for modernization and democracy in Syria; fast forward over 10 years later and the country has upheld human rights and the rights of minorities, experienced constant political unrest and is now seeing its youth population (counted at 60 percent) dying for their freedom, with hundreds of protesters killed thus far."

BAHRAIN: Arab Spring: Update On The Middle East | DrJays.com Live | Fashion. Music. Lifestyle

Arab Spring: Update On The Middle East | DrJays.com Live | Fashion. Music. Lifestyle: "BAHRAIN
Protests for democracy erupted in Bahrain on February 14. The movement, like many of the others, began online. Almost 30 people have been killed since the beginning of the protests and according to Reuters, “Bahrain has stepped up arrests of cyber activists and Shi’ites, with more than 300 detained and dozens missing since it launched a crackdown on pro-democracy protests.” The protesters are calling for more political freedom amongst other causes. On April 5, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad butted in and joined the fray, calling for Saudi troops on the ground to leave protesters alone and leave Bahrain altogether, “where they are helping a Sunni monarchy put down a Shi’ite-led protest movement demanding equal rights and a political voice.”"

LIBYA: Arab Spring: Update On The Middle East | DrJays.com Live | Fashion. Music. Lifestyle

Arab Spring: Update On The Middle East | DrJays.com Live | Fashion. Music. Lifestyle: "LIBYA
The uprising in Libya became violent instantly when the Libyan government reacted harshly towards peaceful protests. On February 18, three days after the protests began, the country erupted into armed conflict when protesters executed policemen and men loyal to Colonel Muammar Gaddafi for their savage killing of protesters. Gaddafi has been in power since 1969, making him the longest-serving ruler in Africa and the Middle East. Throughout the recent protests, Gaddafi continues to hold onto power. According to Al Jazeera, “critics dismissed his leadership as a military dictatorship, accusing him of repressing civil society and ruthlessly crushing dissident.” The move to attack civilians has cost Gaddafi many of his close advisors and military, including public rebuking from the U.S. and other countries, and Reuters reports soldiers are defecting to support protesters because they refuse to shoot their own people."

EGYPT: Arab Spring: Update On The Middle East | DrJays.com Live | Fashion. Music. Lifestyle

Arab Spring: Update On The Middle East | DrJays.com Live | Fashion. Music. Lifestyle: "EGYPT
Egypt’s citizens wasted no time in following their fellow North Africans’ footsteps to freedom. Young men and women answered the call to action with a huge demonstration on January 25, when thousands converged on Cairo’s Tahrir Square and demanded President Hosni Mubarak be removed from office after almost 30 years. Unintentional leaders like Google executive Wael Ghonim emerged from the madness, urging a peaceful movement broadcast by social media channels like Facebook. As the world watched closely, Egypt’s population of 12 million people (with Muslims and Christians often united in protest) ousted their longtime leader who’s now been indicted (the trial, however, is being constantly delayed for health or political or other reasons)."

"TUNISIA": Arab Spring: Update On The Middle East | DrJays.com Live | Fashion. Music. Lifestyle

Arab Spring: Update On The Middle East | DrJays.com Live | Fashion. Music. Lifestyle: "TUNISIA
The Tunisian Revolution (or Jasmine Revolution) began on December 17 last year after Mohammed Bouazizi, a 26-year-old Tunisian man, set himself on fire in front of a local municipal office after being beat by police for not having a permit for his street cart. The incident triggered protests across the country from citizens fed up with not only their living standards, but police violence, rampant unemployment and a basic lack of human rights. Tunisia’s President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali has been in power since 1987 but was ousted as leader earlier this month and replaced with interim Prime Minister Beji Caid Essebsi, who just announced officials who served in Ben Ali’s party are barred from running or voting in the country’s upcoming July elections; elections that will decide a council responsible for rewriting the constitution and chart the country’s post-revolution transition. According to TV network Al Jazeera, at least 219 people were killed in the uprising against Ben Ali, with another 500 injured."