Monday, March 19, 2007

Unemployed father

Na'iem Alawi woke up one morning to find a message on his door "Leave or else...." He lives in the Southwest part of the city with his family. Alawi, 37, has lived in the area since Saddam fell to the American forces. He has been out of work for a few months after he had to close his grocery store. Shiite fighters patrol the area that he lives in, their presence attracts much mortar fire and violence. Alawi relocated his family and got a new job. He says it was hard when Saddam was in power, but the American forces have only made things worse. USA Today By: Oren Dorell

Six US troops killed in attacks in Sunni areas

Sunday in Baghdad six troops were killed in a predominantly Sunni area. Four soldiers were killed in a roadside bombing in west Baghdad. The other soldiers were killed in a Northeastern region of the capital by small arms fire from insurgents resistance. USA Today By: Wire reports

Iraq says raid on Sunni law maker's home yielded arms cashe and cars with TNT traces

Baghdad this week Iraqi security forces seized a large supply of weapons and one suspect. The raid took place in the home of a Sunni Arab law maker. They arrested seven people and let six go. Four cars were also found with traces of explosives on them. New York Times By: Edward Wong

Response March 19

Some of the impacts that occurred from the Rwandan Genocide is that around eight hundred thousand Tutsis died in a very short time. This cleansing of people was the largest killing of people since the atomic bombs were dropped and Nagasaki and Hiroshima. Some other impacts that came from this was the people in power at the time. The Hutus called a majority rule and were trying to carry on a “social revolution” of their own. With Rwanda’s new Hutu leaders in charge they stated that the monarchy was officially gone and that Rwanda was now a Republic. Rwanda was now led under a dictatorship which was supposed to be disguised as a popular democracy mostly because the only people left living were the Hutus which made them the majority. In 1962 Rwanda was granted their Independence and Gregoire Kayibanda was the first president.
Some other problems that arose from the genocide was the destabilization of other African regimes in the area. Since the killings started many Tutsis fled the country to nearby countries such as Congo. By moving masses of people from one regime into another country where there is a different regime in power can mean much controversy because usually people from other areas don’t live well with people from neighboring areas.
When the killing of Tutsis first started many fled to nearby countries to seek sanction. UNAMIR and other people like the peace corps tried to help save Tutsi prisoners and refugees and tried to negotiate their release. From seeing what is going on I don’t think that Rwanda will ever be stable. Around eight hundred thousand Tutsis were killed by the Hutus for no reason except that someone said that it was the thing to do and then everyone stated doing it. The Tutsis have to still be angered and what makes you think that they won’t someday throw their own “social revolution” and kill all the Hutus. They Tutsis will especially still be infuriated if the president who helped write the Hutu Manifesto is till in Power. I don’t see stability anywhere in the future for this country economically or socially.
From my reading I don’t see democracy possible anytime soon. The people of this country killed hundreds of thousands of innocent people or the minority. If the minority has no rights then it is not a democracy it is a dictatorship and this dictatorship was led by Gregoire Kayibanda. Kayibanda says that “ It will not be a democracy if it is not equally successful in respecting the rights of the minorities….A country in which justice loses this fundamental quality prepares the worst disorders and its own collapse.”

Wednesday, March 7, 2007

In Guatemala the killings of corrupt police echo the dirty war of the 1980's

On Saturday in Guatemala three salvadoran congress man were killed. the offenders were soon caught by a tracking device under their car. The congressman were killed by guatemalan police officers, the officers thought the victims were drug dealers. Once officers were sent to prison they were killed immediatel by a heavily armed military group who made their way into the prison and executed the men not being interferred at all by officers

16 civilians dies as U.S troops fire on Afghan road

In Kabul this past sunday the fourth american forces fired on a highway filled with civilians. Sunday oficials siad that they had left 16 civilians dead, and left 34 wounded after a car bombing. Later they said the civilians got caught in a crossfire between troups and militants. Afghan witnesses blame the troops for shooting at civilians becathe use of the explosion.
Carlotta Gall New York Times

Basra Raid finds Dozens Detained by Iraq spy unit

In Baghdad on Monday british and Iraqi special forces raided an Iraqi intelligence againcy office south ot the city. Officials say that they found around thirty prisoners some showed signs of torture. News of the raid coincied with the next step which consisted of 1,100 american and Iraqi forces moved into Sadr city. Sadr city houses Iraqs greates shiite malitia. This is among many of the illegal detention centers that use torture found in Baghdad.
Kirk Semete nThe New York Times