Anti-Canine Culture

Have you ever experienced the strange realization of loss - becoming conscious that you were without something and then subsequently missing something you did not miss until you realized you were without it and wondering how you could have never noticed before? (I hope you muddled through that.)

I had a most peculiar version of that recently - I saw a dog in my neighborhood in Kigali. In Memphis or Knoxville, this would be no extraordinary thing. Of course I would be a bit cautious with any stray or wild animal, but I am a passionate animal lover, particularly dogs.

When I saw this dog, it occurred to me - I have not seen a dog since I have been in Rwanda. Why? Why is this dog here now, out of the blue?

The first time it the dog was lying up against the gate to my house when I arrived from work on a moto. I was quite startled, not knowing how to assess the safety of the situation (plus I had not received my rabies vaccine - global shortage). But the dog appeared calm and sweet, left a fair distance between us, and left when shooed.

However, for the next week or so, she made continued appearances. Nearly every time I walked through the neighborhood, she would join me at some point, accompanying me at a safe distance. It is as if she could simply sense I am a dog person.

Curiously (and probably unfortunately), she does not seem to fear cars - only moving out of their way at the last instant. She was obviously previously cared for - I wonder why she suddenly appeared here and wish I could do something, but I know I cannot.

Throughout my encounters with her, I asked Tom about the curious lack of dogs in Kigali and Rwandan's apparent fear or disgust of them. He responded with an illuminating answer: during the genocide, dogs fed on the corpses. Following the genocide, Rwandans killed almost every dog - both to quell fears and ease memories.

Calling Volunteers to Emergency Services!

When leaving UOB, the vehicle we had wanted to take (a mid-size SUV) was low on gas, so we took a 5-seat truck instead - still seating all of us. This proved to be a stroke of providence as we made our way to another branch.

On our way to Bugasera, we encountered a large crowd of people standing in the village's roadway - rather unusual considering the nature of driving here (chaotic). Therefore, we were forced to stop. There appeared to be some sort of commotion; apparently, a man was injured and needed to go to the hospital.

Because we had the truck, we were able to take this injured man to the hospital along with his friend. We were not entirely sure where the hospital was located - it was much farther than we expected or would have liked - but we found it and helped this man. The whole situation was very odd, somewhat unsettling but uplifting as well. There are no notions of ambulances here. The conditions of the roads in the poorer areas may have worsened the man's condition, as the road was rife with pot holes.

No one told us what became of him. It did not seem to matter. There was just an understanding and a sense of urgency about getting him medical care.

When I was finally able to see the patient, his clothes were covered with dirt. He had abrasions on his head and arms, and he looked very disoriented. I think he may have fallen down a hill or something along those lines. Ross said that this is the third time he has served as a make-shift ambulance driver.

Contagious Poisonwood

It has been a summer of reading - and the more people I meet, the more common an experience it seems to be. Restricted availability of television. Only so many dvds packed in my backpack. Work schedules of comrades misaligned and/or everyone is fatigued from the long day's work.

...All things considered, it is nice to just curl up with a book.

Interesting, and ultimately my purpose for this post, many people seem to be reading the same fantastic book - The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver, perhaps my favorite book. This novel has become almost a symbol of my time here, repeatedly brought up in conversation. I find it interesting that so many people are just now reading or hearing of this novel, one I read in high school - but better now than never. It seems particularly intriguing that Westerners already in Africa would choose to read this book, a book about the potentially destructive force of well-intentioned but ignorant Westerners in an African community. Reading Poisionwood while in Africa would certainly lend another perspective than reading it prior to one's arrival or following one's departure. Something to consider.

Regardless, I find it refreshing that so many people are anxious to read and discuss this novel.

Memo from the United Nations

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/23/world/23nation.html

When to Step In to Stop War Crimes Causes Fissures
By NEIL MacFARQUHAR

UNITED NATIONS — On the face of it, a commitment by all United Nations member states to reach an understanding on how the world body should intervene to stop genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing would not seem like a major stretch.

But the debate scheduled in the General Assembly for Thursday over the concept, known as “the responsibility to protect,” is producing rancor before it even begins. So much, in fact, that instead of figuring out how to enforce the doctrine, the General Assembly could end up debating the policy’s validity all over again, even though about 150 world leaders already endorsed it in 2005.

Ban Ki-moon, the secretary general, tried to set the tone with a speech on Tuesday. Citing his visits to the memorials for 800,000 dead in Rwanda, Mr. Ban said the United Nations had the unique ability to save lives by intervening to stop mass civilian deaths.

“It is high time to turn the promise of the responsibility to protect into practice,” Mr. Ban said, warning against those seeking to reopen the entire debate. “Resist those who try to change the subject or turn our common effort to curb the worst atrocities in human history into a struggle over ideology, geography or economics,” Mr. Ban added. “What do they offer to the victims of mass violence? Rancor instead of substance, rhetoric instead of policy, despair instead of hope.”

Mr. Ban may not have singled anyone out, but it seemed a not-so-subtle reference to the Rev. Miguel D’Escoto Brockmann, the Nicaraguan president of the General Assembly and a Catholic priest, who issued a position paper last week that created an uproar.

His “Concept Note” suggested that responsibility to protect was redecorated colonialism, and that the true means to eliminate genocide and similar scourges included world financial reform, Security Council reform and drawing a lesson from Jesus.

“Jesus’ emphasis on redistribution of wealth to the poor and on nonviolence reinforces the right perspective on responsibility to protect,” his note said.

Father D’Escoto scheduled a panel discussion before the General Assembly debate featuring speakers like Noam Chomsky, the American academic whose critique of “humanitarian imperialism” discussed the doctrine. Much of the opposition to the doctrine on Thursday is expected to come from traditional opponents of American foreign policy like Cuba, Venezuela and Iran.

While Father D’Escoto has supporters, many delegations reacted with the usual combination of outrage and derision that Father D’Escoto, a former Sandinista foreign minister, has a habit of provoking. The ambassador of one Latin American state said it was shocking that a priest was putting ideological and political visions ahead of human suffering. Peter Maurer, the Swiss ambassador, put it more bluntly, saying, “A priest should know that certain things are better kept to your heart.”

Father D’Escoto’s spokesman, Enrique Yeves, said the president was being unfairly criticized. “The only thing he is doing is calling for a debate on this issue, which is very pertinent,” Mr. Yeves said.

Even without the General Assembly president, the topic — shortened in United Nations-speak to “R2P” — was a hard-fought one. Many developing countries harbor suspicions that the doctrine is merely a Trojan horse for foreign meddling in their domestic affairs. Attempts to slap the label on various crises only deepened those suspicions. As prime minister of Britain, Tony Blair briefly used it as retroactive justification for invading Iraq. France tried to deploy it as the prescription for forcibly delivering aid to Cyclone Nargis victims in Myanmar in 2008. Russia cited it as its tanks rolled into South Ossetia last summer.

Edward C. Luck, whom Mr. Ban appointed his special adviser on the topic but the General Assembly refused to pay, wrote a report this year that divided the concept into three pillars: that all states must protect their populations from atrocities; that the United Nations and other institutions can help countries failing in this duty; and that the international community must react in a series of steps when a large number of civilians are at risk, with military intervention the final response. The fight swirls around that last point, when military intervention might be justified and whether that can be codified into law. “The problem with all of this is the one-dimensional perception that R2P is only about military coercion,” said Gareth Evans, a former Australian foreign minister.

Delegates from African organizations have come to argue that R2P is not just a Western tool. Other proponents hope the debate will inch the discussion toward practical steps on how R2P can be made operational. But some worry that the more it is debated, the less consensus will emerge.

The Bush administration disliked the doctrine on the ground that it might tie American hands in foreign policy decisions, but President Obama basically supports it.

Susan Rice, the American ambassador to the United Nations, often speaks about how the failure to intercede in Rwanda while she was a top Clinton administration official in Africa is a low point in American foreign policy and her personal career. In a speech last month in Vienna, Ms. Rice acknowledged that the doctrine had been abused in conflicts like Iraq, but argued for the responsibility “to respond to the worst outrages.”

“We know there will be more perpetrators,” she said. “We know there will be more victims. But we must work to ensure that there will also be more justice and fewer and fewer bystanders.”

Know a True Patriot?

July 4, 2009 - American Independence Day and Rwandan Liberation Day

For clarification, Rwandan Liberation Day need not be confused with Rwandan Independence Day (July 1st). Liberation Day marks the end of the 1994 genocide. According to a some of my co-workers, now it is also celebrated/remembered as a continuing unified struggle for wealth creation, health, greater political strength through unity and reconciliation, etc. Therefore, it was a day of wide celebration in Rwanda - everyone could find cause to celebrate somehow.

For me, it was somewhat of a strange day - one of my nation's greatest holidays celebrated in a foreign country at the US embassy with the largest single crowd of muzungus I have seen in a long while (excluding perhaps Quita Izina). While this could perhaps be said of 4th of July celebrations in general, the embassy event made the forced sense of patriotism seem more cheesy. I was far less intoxicated by the whole environment than I ordinarily am. I am not sure whether that is a result of generally impatience with such (generally) insincere gestures, environmental factors (both recent and academic) making me think more critically about America, or something else entirely. I certainly would not call myself anti-America, but I am also not "Woo , yay USA! We're the best!"

Having been here for some time, I actually knew a fair number of people at the event, which was refreshing, as opposed to being a newcomer and stranger. Also, the sight of the Tennessee flag brought an unexpectedly high amount of joy. I actually shouted with glee - all my friends thought I was mental - but I guess I was just happy to have a tangible reminder of home. To people here, Tennessee is such an obscure place. Where is Tennessee? Memphis? Elvis does not even ring any bells. I feel like an alien sometimes. Therefore, seeing my flag proudly waving on the embassy's lawn somehow was a justification of the legitimacy and significance of my roots. Strange but true. I felt more homesick looking at the flag than I think I had the entire trip.

However, some reminders of America were not so pleasant. At the bar (not free), one woman, probably mid-fifties, was trying to get the marine/bartender's attention - he was Latino. She tapped her hand on the bar a few times and said, "Mi amigo favorito," and ten turned to me and said "He can't even hear me," when he had not responded to her. I thought to myself (though probably should have said), "No, he is just ignoring you on account of your ignorant and derogatory remark."

The ambassador made an appearance, looking the very most textbook definition of a politician: kind of tan, greased-back hair, great smile, somewhat pudgey, etc. He read a speech no doubt published to all embassies or something of the sort. It was intended to be inspirational and "Oh the great American spirit," but it was just blah cheesy (which I guessI should expect and not concern myself with), particularly because he read it and more particularly considering the overly dramatic way in which he read it.

Noting all of the above, I am glad I went to the event and somehow celebrated the 4th in Rwanda. It was a very interesting experience to have catalogued in this life.

Crimson Tide Comrade

My "partner in crime" Sarah Stern arrived in town to spend her last weekend in Rwanda in Kigali with me. Of course we spent the time doing her favorite things in our favorite places and had a fabulous time in the process. A few interesting things to note during her visit:

- Moto rides from hell - Generally speaking, I have become very comfortable with the motos (motorcycle taxis) and enjoy them frequently as a means of transportation; however, Sarah and I had two particularly negative experiences.

1) I have seen motos zip in and out of traffic, zooming by with little regard to present cars, but I have never personally experienced such a horror...until now. I really thought I was going to die but was unsure of the best way to handle the situation. Tapping or yelling at the driver may distract him and cause him to wreck, so I simply occasionally screamed an expletive that carried no meaning to the driver but brought me some relief until the ride concluded.

2) On the way home from the Neon Lounge - as we call it - at about 11 p.m., it was very chilly and sprinkling. Neither Sarah nor I had jackets. My moto driver did not even provide me a helmet. Therefore, by the time I arrived at the house, my clothes were soaked, I was thoroughly shivering, and I had been "crying" on myself all the way home on account of the cold wind on my face.

- One of Sarah's final responsibilities at Sonrise School was leading a "girls' talk" about relationships with the secondary school girls. She was nervous about doing so, since apparently rumors had been circulating about the school that she was pregnant (her stomach was somewhat distended as a result of an infection or something). But Sarah told me the talk was quite a success, with the girls appreciating any sort of emotional guidance. Many are orphans, and the others rarely see their parents. They asked simple, reasonable questions:

Is kissing a sin? Is my boyfriend cheating on me? How do I know if I am being unreasonably jealous?

It was endearing to hear such sincere, honest questions yet frustrating that they had no model to already have taught them about relationships.

- Here, as in Ghana, begging is frowned upon. Yet, I have encountered it much more frequently here, though perhaps only because of the places and ways that I travel (spending much time downtown and walking frequently). During the day but especially at night, children and the disabled come out and patrol the sidewalk asking people for money. I have become completely callous to this now, ignoring their efforts or firming telling them, "No," without the slightest pause or guilt. No Rwandan seems to take pity on them (President Kagame certainly does not). Instead, they are working in some way to provide for themselves. Why should I feed an insatiable appetite?

- According to Sarah, connection to Bishop John Rucyahana provides a cloack of protection - regardless of the distance of the connection. According to locals, her affiliation with Sonrise prevented anyone from considering robbing the B2R house, cheating her in bargaining, etc. Bishop John is that revered and respected as both a community and national leader. People think it would shame them and their families to wrong Bishop John and those connected to him. It is interesting to note the degree of admiration for this man's work, altering behavior so clearly to reflect such.

Briefing on Venezuela

Venezuela tells oil workers: join socialist groups
http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSTRE56D7ER20090714


Chavez opponents to meet with OAS chief
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iVJIehVY5iuGJq_RpSoqYgyIh1DQD99DUCNO0