fueling the fire

Don't worry, I didn't fly into Sudan from Jordan, nor am I in, or planning to visit, Khartoum. Frankly, I'm not even allowed into the capital of Sudan proper, given the Israeli stamp in my visa. That said - I'm fine, though the footage from the terrible plane crash is beyond upsetting.

During lunch, over the cries of tonight's dinner (ubiquitous goat, yech) coming from the back yard, an interesting newscast raised the question of sanctions and the costs on human security. What is the impact of cheaply manufactured, counterfeit, and recycled replacement aviation parts - perhaps utilized in response to international sanctions prohibiting the export of advanced technology to countries like Sudan, Myanmar, and Iran? Clinton banned exports of technology to Sudan in '97 and the July 2003 crash of a Sudan Airways flight that killed 115 people, left the Government of Sudan (GoS-Khartoum) quick to blame sanctions for restricting vital, sophisticated aviation tools for the crash. And this round?

I'm certainly not arguing against the U.N. Security Council's embargo on providing arms and military training to armed groups in Darfur, nor that the travel ban and and freezing of assets of certain key figures isn't essential. Where else can the "international community" leverage it's weight against perpetrators of heinous crimes? Madeleine Albright's op-ed in the Times couldn't have come out at a better time:

At the heart of the debate is the question of what the international system is. Is it just a collection of legal nuts and bolts cobbled together by governments to protect governments? Or is it a living framework of rules intended to make the world a more humane place?

In reviewing project documents all morning, reflecting on work in Uganda, and recognizing the inherent issues in trying to implement an early childhood education program using teachers that have no education themselves, I've grown a bit weary. If nothing else I can lend a big thanks to SIPA for strengthening my critical eye of the humanitarian field.

On that note, I plan to stop complaining about the heat when I start complaining about the rain. Check out this map of my upcoming destination. After downloading the file, zoom into towards the bottom right corner, look for the green airplane, and find Pagak, right on the border.

p.s. For the record, Deet does not deter black flies and I've become really good at throwing shoes.

backlog: June 3 - Jetsetter

Dubai International airport is far from the embodiment of Emiraties than I had pictured: never have I seen greater diversity, strange tolerance under the auspices of conservatism, nor such an obnoxiously long terminal. That said, I am already very much looking forward to my return stop-over here in August.

Speaking of conservatism, it was awesome seeing sexy Persian ladies wearing mini-skirts and heels slip into full hijab upon the pre-landing announcement in the air. Less amusing was my co-passenger on this flight, a nothing-but-nice, American navy-reserves member returning to Djibouti for an eight month assignment that finds the Navy engaged in the building of a maritime academy off the coast from Mombasa. He is stationed in Djibouti contributing to the US development of schools, hospitals, and general development infrastructure in the strange, francophone, African country – a project that he couldn’t thoroughly explain to me beyond something to the effect of “we’ve seen that making enemies doesn’t work, so we’re approaching this trying to make friends.” When this work fell under the jurisdiction of the US Military as opposed to USAID I have no idea. Maybe it’s the year at SIPA, but I was shocked to hear that there is no integration of civil society, international NGOs, or other development practitioners into this work. Must learn more about this strange booty-engagement.

More fascinating was my three-hour conversation with a Turkish co-passenger. Six years of teaching Turkish language at a private academy in Kenya and big eyes gave this guy a great sense of the world – we spoke primarily about US foreign policy and the failures of global governance, and who really runs Washington. I am returning to the land of the religious. How could I forget so quickly what a minority I am? In my rejection of organized religion, and in professing my belief in the possible existence of a personal God but denial of knowing such a God myself, I did not offend my Muslim neighbor, but I know that few East Africans, nor a good percentage of the Wazungu in the field, will be so quick to let me escape without trying to help me accept revelation…

My arguments for science, human rights, and the testimony of reason will never trump the believers, at least not this summer in South Sudan. Fine; I’ll seek not to end global addiction to faith and shuffle it under the table with their arguments that Jews secretly run the world. Fine. I’ll bite my tongue as I did so often in Uganda when asked if I was born again. I don’t have the passion to argue it today. On that note, I just learned my boss at the field-site on the Ethiopian border is a Reverend, with dreadlocks – Jah heard?