The Caravel | Volume II, Issue II

VOL UM E I I | ISSU E II

W A SH I N G TON , D.C. TH URSDA Y OCTOBER 15, 2015

North Korean Military Parade Worries China Japan & Russia Meet to Resolve WWII Disputes

E. EUROPE & C. ASIA

Russia Has Reset the Chessboard Separatist Conflict Escalates in Azerbaijan

LATAM & THE CARIBBEAN

Anticlimatic Notions Pervade Colombia-FARC Peace Deal Guyana, Venezuela Renew Relations

MIDDLE EAST & N. AFRICA UN & Syria: Confusion, Conflict, and Lost Hope Tunisia’s Homosexual Question IS Destroys Arch of Triumph

SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

Somalia’s Black Gold Rush Burkina Faso Coup a Remnant of Compaoré Rwanda Unveils Droneport

S. & SE. ASIA

Myanmar Monks Flex Their Muscles Sri Lanka: Truth & Reconciliation At Last?

WESTERN EUROPE Denmark’s Divisive Refugee Policy French Reactions to TTIP Show Hesitation, Fear Shell’s Alaskan Arctic Exit

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Dr. Scott Taylor: Global Trekker Bohesa Won, Reporter “I came to Georgetown because it was the opportunity to be in the center of the universe,” said Professor Scott Taylor, director of the African Studies program.

The prime location of Georgetown may have lured Taylor to Washington, D.C., but his academic passions originated thousands of miles away in Kenya.

“That’s where the seed was planted,” Taylor explained, referring to his undergraduate study abroad experience.

He leaned back in his office chair in deep thought, surrounded by endless stacks of papers which he jokingly referred to as “detritus.”

With a smile, he continued and said, “I had a great Kenyan professor

and I also stayed with a family there.

There were these fascinating, politically and developmentally oriented discussions within the classroom and at home.” Although his experience abroad shifted his academic interests towards African politics and political economy, Taylor initially worked on

It’s a big continent. I have miles to go before I go to sleep.

Wall Street following his undergraduate education at Dartmouth. “But I still had that African bug,” he mused.

His business background, political interests, and focus on African issues guided him as he completed his doctorate at Emory University. continued on pg. 16

COURTESY OF THE AFRICAN STUDIES PROGRAM

E. ASIA & OCEANIA

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Professor Taylor with Nigerian oil & gas entrepreneur, Igho Sanomi, after an African Studies event at Georgetown.

Dr. Lahra Smith: Education, sans Borders Eunsun Cho, Reporter Professor Lahra Smith, Associate Professor in the African Studies Program, is conducting a research on civic education at high schools in Kenya and Ethiopia. Having returned from her research trips to Kenya in Spring 2015, Professor Smith sat down with The Caravel to discuss her research and her views on civic education in the two African countries.

Can you tell us what civic education is? What does it aim for?

I see it as more than just what the government wants people to know about their country. I am really interested in what different actors—government, NGOs, and local communities—think people need to know as citizens of their country, especially after a major reform of the constitution.

In this sense, I use the term “citizen education” instead of “civic education.”

On that subject, I‘m interested in

how the transmission of new political values and knowledge happens along with such a major change in the legal framework of people’s political life.

There are complexities in bringing up very controversial political topics— such as women’s rights and the role of religion in politics are in Kenya—and translating them into terms that ordinary people can understand and discuss. Kenya and Ethiopia have recently gone through major constitutional reforms, so these two countries particularly excited me.

What are some elements of citizenship that Kenyan and Ethiopian education emphasize?

This is what my research is about, so I can’t give you a definite answer for now. However, I do notice that textbooks emphasize rules and procedure.

It is easier to just tell students what is legal and illegal than teaching them about more fundamental values. For example, it’s simpler and less contro-

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versial to just say domestic violence is illegal than to explain why women and men ought to have equal rights and responsibilities not only in families but at work and in courts as well.

How do different ethnic, gender, religious, and regional identities affect people’s learning about civic education?

It’s very interesting to see the interplay of these identities. In much of rural Africa, communities are often quite homogenous, but urban populations are increasingly heterogenous.

Students in cities not only include both genders but also come from all different ethnic and religious backgrounds.

It’s therefore much harder to teach certain rights and values, because people from different backgrounds think in very different ways.

In some cases, teachers may teach the constitutional rights of equality, while they themselves don’t necessarily behave in line with their own teaching.

And students often learn much more from these informal, behavioral cues than from formal lessons.

It is also not always the case that religion hinders progressive changes. Religious identity can certainly reinforce ethnic divisions, while in another case uniting people against discrimination.

In this complex setting, teachers do need to have the ability and courage to teach within the ethnic and cultural diversity of students.

Why would it be important for people interested in Kenya and Ethiopia to know about these countries’ citizen education?

Even after these countries drafted their own constitutions that delineate equality and human rights, there still exists a big gap between formal laws and actual practices, such as the practice of child marriage in some parts of Africa. Citizen education is what fills this gap. When formal institutions

2 | OCT. 15, 2015

EAST ASIA & OCEANIA Tomoyuki Shikata, Editor Andrea Moneton, Associate Editor

T

he East Asia and Oceania region is full of good news this past month, making positive progress on some of the region’s most entrenched historical, geopolitical and economic issues. The joint meeting between Russia and Japan in September marked a significant step toward resolution over a decades-old territorial dispute, and a Russo-Japanese reconciliation would also represent an opportunity for balancing regional power relations.

On the economic side, the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) made international headlines as the 12 Pacific Rim nations reached a historic accord to lower trade barriers and set commercial rules of the road for two-fifths of the global economy. Noting China’s absence from the TPP, some regard the deal as a strategy to contain China’s growing economic and political clout in Asia and beyond, represented by the initiative of Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. However, China’s accession to the TPP is far from impossible.

Rather, the TPP could be seen as an opportunity to accelerate China’s domestic reforms. Indeed, issues such as the privatization of state-owned firms, food safety, and protection of intellectual property rights as outlined in the TPP agreement are in line with Beijing’s reform goals.

Despite reaching a conclusion, the deal will certainly continue to face public scrutiny within the member states. It will be another enthralling period for those interested in the region to watch how domestic negotiations and the international pact will affect locals.

Do look forward to the upcoming special coverage of the TPP by the East Asia and Oceania section!

U.S. Citizen Extradited to South Korea Julia Rhodes, Writer A United States citizen was extradited to South Korea on September 15, on allegations of killing a college student at Seoul University in 1997, according to the Korean Ministry of Justice.

At the time, police arrested Arthur Patterson and Edward Lee, both 18, for stabbing Cho Jung-pil in a Burger King bathroom. Originally, prosecutors arrested Lee as the murderer and Patterson as an accomplice, believing the two had dared each other to kill the man. The case has attracted significant media attention because the public is sensitive to foreigners committing crimes. Some hypothesize that Patterson, the son of a U.S. military contractor, received a harsher final punishment than Lee, who is not connected to the military.

Patterson was initially charged with 18 months in prison for possessing an illegal firearm and tampering with evidence. He served only a small portion before the government released

him during the annual Liberation Day special amnesty. On the other hand, Lee initially received a life sentence; however, an appeals court lowered his punishment to 20 years. Later on, the court found a lack of evidence tying Lee to the murder and acquitted him.

Before South Korean authorities could enforce a travel ban, Patterson fled to America in 1999 and went into hiding.

The case received new attention in 2009 when a documentary, Where the Truth Lies, exposed the incompetence of the authorities handling Patterson’s investigation. Following the media firestorm in 2006 that castigated the officers involved a Seoul court mandated that the government pay Cho’s family the equivalent of $34,000 to make amends for its errors. In 2011, the Ministry of Justice called for Patterson’s extradition after finding new evidence.

The film incited the rage of many South Koreans because Patterson is the son of an American military contractor. Although Koreans generally have a positive view of the United States,

China Joins EU Joint Investment Fund Jee Young Kim, Reporter

At the 5th High Level Economic and Trade Dialogue held in Beijing on September 28, the European Union (EU) officially announced China’s commitment to the EU Infrastructure Investment Plan, also known as the Juncker Plan, an ambitious joint investment fund of €315 billion (US$352 billion). This would make China the first non-EU state to participate in the EU Commission’s ambitious plan launched last year.

According to Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, the cooperation would “promote bilateral investment, financial cooperation and joint exploration of the third-party market, and also reveals China’s firm support for the euro’s stability.” As for the other party, European Commission Vice President Jyrki Katainen suggested that the EU was hoping to improve relations with China in order to contribute to the

progress of a mutually beneficial bilateral investment treaty.

Although neither party disclosed how much China would contribute financially, there were indications that details will be settled by the end of the year. Other topics of discussion included possible Chinese participation in the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), which works with businesses in developing countries to promote financial development and increased trade.

These new developments suggest a positive trend toward further globalization, gradually opening up Chinese markets, especially the financial market. Especially in light of China’s ongoing investments in Africa and Latin America, this agreement reflects a step away from risky assets and toward more developed nations, potentially in order to breathe new life into China’s volatile financial markets and slowing economy.

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EDITORIAL COLUMN:

Republic of Korea and U.S. soldiers monitor the Korean Demilitarized Zone from atop Observation Post Ouellette.

the misbehavior of some American service members led to a less favorable view of the U.S. military presence in South Korea.

In 1992, the murder of a young woman by an American military officer galvanized public opinion and sparked an anti-military movement to limit the U.S. army’s presence in South Korea. In 2002, a U.S. army vehicle crushed two middle-school girls to death, leading to nation-wide vigils in solidarity. Cases of rape and assault have led Seoul clubs to bar entrance to U.S. service members and there have been increased calls to renegotiate the alliance.

The presence of the American military also symbolizes painful colonial

history. Some believe that the U.S. supported the repressive Park Chunghee government after the Korean War. Moreover, one of the initial provisions of the alliance stipulates that the U.S. would command both countries’ troops in the event of a war. More recent waves of anti-Americanism focus on the presence of the U.S. military as an unnecessary provocation against North Korea and China. South Korea has recently made some indication that it is ready to actively engage with its neighbor through family reunifications and a jointly operated industrial park. While these goals are a long way to fruition, some see the U.S. military as a barrier to greater East Asian unification.

meet the staff...

“My favorite food is sundubu jjigae, a sort of spicy tofu.”

- Joshua Han

SFS ‘18, RCST

Jee Young Kim SFS ‘18 IECO

Joshua Han SFS ‘19 RCST

Lynn Lee SFS ‘17 IPOL

O CT. 15, 2015 | 3

Indigenous Leaders Appeal to the UN lands. This is about our rights under international law, and a defence of our culture and country.”

Over the past year, the indigenous groups’ requests have been repeatedly denied by both state and federal governments because many believe that the mine would bolster the Queensland local economy by creating nearly 4000 jobs and increasing global investment in Australia’s energy sector. Even so, many potential investors, including the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, refused a stake in the project because of its potential adverse effects on indigenous peoples.

The Wangan and Jagalingou tribes’

Australia’s Wangan and Jagalingou indigenous groups appealed to the United Nations this week to voice their opposition to the development of one of the world’s largest coal mines by the Indian company Adani.

The petitioners hope to shut down construction of the $12 billion mining project in Queensland quoting the U.N. Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People, which acknowledges indigenous people’s rights to their traditional lands. This is the latest step in a long series of protests since Adani started developing the project last year.

The Adani Carmichael mine would entail the construction of six open-cut pits and five underground mines on the land of the Wangan and Jagalingou peoples, and would pollute and damage areas that these indigenous groups consider sacred, including the Doongmabulla Springs, a vast wetland that would be drained. According to spokesperson Adrian Burragubba, the groups have “taken this stand because we are tired of being misrepresented by people trying to push their destructive plans onto our people and

appeal to the U.N. has now brought the issue to an international stage.

Conflicts between indigenous groups and expanding transnational industries that are less concerned with local customs and traditions are becoming increasingly prevalent. A large scale example of this struggle became apparent in April when indigenous populations protested the construction of hydroelectric power projects in Guatemala. The U.N.’s response to Australia’s indigenous pleas will have resounding implications for the struggles of indigenous populations worldwide.

WANGAN & JAGALINGOU FAMILY

River Davis, Reporter

Wangan and Jagalingou members protest the development of the Adani Carmichael Mine

North Korean Parade Worries China David Lim, Writer North Korea has begun preparations as the ruling Workers’ Party approaches its 70th anniversary on October 10 by displaying recent advancements in missile technology.

Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed concerns over North Korea’s missile programs during his visit to the United States this past week.

Despite a joint statement issued by North and South Korea last August, a missile launch would strain the brief moment of reconciliation enjoyed by the peninsula and would further aggravate the Chinese President.

North and South Korea reached a joint statement lifting North Korea’s “semi-state of war” in exchange for South Korea’s halting its loudspeaker propagandas. While tensions have diffused over the past few weeks, a North Korean missile launch would likely be regarded by South Korea as an “abnormal case” and South Korea would resume its loudspeaker propagandas.

North Korea has traditionally displayed military parades equipped with the latest weapons and missiles on

special occasions, such as the founding of the Workers’ Party and Kim Il Sung’s birthday. This year appears to be no different as North Korea recently revealed its satellite program to the world by inviting CNN to report on its satellite control center.

A senior official in the North Korean National Aerospace Development Administration stated in his interview with CNN, “We hope satellites will improve the country’s economy and living standards of our citizens.

The satellite we intend to launch is for observational purpose only.”

North Korea is currently forbidden to launch ballistic missiles by the UN Security Council Resolution. While clearly implying its intent to launch a missile, this remark can be interpreted as an attempt to mitigate international censure by providing an early warning of its project, and reassuring the international community of its peaceful intentions. North Korea previously employed the strategy of inviting foreign media prior to its unsuccessful missile launch in April 2012.

China, the closest ally and benefactor to North Korea, has continually

pressured the country to abandon its missile programs. Part of Xi’s itinerary to the UN General Assembly included a meeting with President Obama in Washington D.C. to discuss various issues including the situation in the Korean peninsula.

In their meeting, Xi affirmed China’s firm stance against North Korea’s missile programs. “We reaffirm our commitment to realize the complete and verifiable denuclearization of the Korean peninsula in a peaceful way and we oppose any action that might cause tension in the Korean peninsula or violate UN Security Council resolutions,” Xi said.

The Chinese President’s remark was his first public statement regarding the Security Council Resolutions.

The statement was a victory for South Korea as Xi adopted a harsher stance against North Korea compared to the milder warning he issued in the China-South Korea summit earlier this month. Experts see Xi’s posture as a direct warning against North Korea’s missile and nuclear program, which may further strain the deteriorating relationship between the two nations.

Japan & Russia Meet to Resolve World War II Disputes Rayne Sullivan, Writer In a strong push for bilateral reconciliation, Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met in Moscow at a joint meeting to discuss tangible plans for crafting an agreement to finally peacefully resolve World War II. The peaceful resolution with Russia has taken great precedence within Japan’s current administration as it strives to assert a more commanding role in the U.S.-dominated regional security apparatus. This past April, Shinzo Abe became the first Japanese Prime Minister to visit Moscow in over ten years, and plans are currently underway to arrange a formal visit for Putin in Tokyo. Despite the seemingly promising tone of these most recent interactions, one fiercely contested issue, the sovereignty of the Southern Kurils/Northern Territories, will determine the success of the resolution in the future.

Since the end of World War II, this contentious issue has continuously plagued Russo-Japanese relations.

The disputed Southern Kurils/Northern Territories, consisting of Etorofu, Kunashiri, Shikotan, and Habomai islets, lie between Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula and Japan’s northernmost island of Hokkaido. The Soviet Union acquired the islands as part of the allied victors’ spoils when Japan surrendered on September 2, 1945. However in 1956, both states convened to forge a resolution to the war and its aftermath. Under the 1956 Soviet-Japanese Declaration, the Soviet Union agreed to return Shikotan and Habomai after the completion of a successful agreement to a peace deal however such a deal has continue to elude both states.

Recently, diplomatic relations between the states have become strained as Japan supported the U.S.-led initiative to impose crippling economic sanctions against Russia after its unilateral annexation of the formerly sovereign Crimean Peninsula in Ukraine.

In an apparent retaliatory move, for-

mer President and current Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev visited the disputed island of Etorofu and declared Russia’s intentions to fortify the islands as part of a broad regional security initiative. As a result of this hostile move, the U.S. State Department expressed grave concerns with Japan’s enthusiasm to engage with Russia in such a critical matter of security.

Despite the U.S.’s reservations about the matter, it appears the Abe administration is resolute on finally agreeing to a World War II peace deal and securing the return of the islands.

The islands are especially salient to Abe, as he and the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) recently secured the passage of a bill allowing Japan’s Self-Defense Forces to utilize military force to defend other allied nations from attack in domestic and foreign theaters. Abe’s ardent desire for reasserting Japan’s role in the regional security architecture of East Asia does possess merit as China and Russia are steadily increasing their military alliance framework. Sino-Russo joint naval exercises in the Sea of Okhotsk, exports of S-400 air defense systems, and China’s aggressive island building in the South China Sea have put Japan on high alert in recent years. In the absence of a decisive and punitive U.S. policy for addressing China, Japan finds itself in an extremely precarious and hostile situation as China refuses to back down on the Senakaku/Diaoyu Islands dispute.

Securing the Kuril Islands and a peace deal would not only diffuse long standing regional tension but erode China’s monopoly on Russia’s military cooperation in East Asia. Furthermore, recovering the disputed Northern Territories would clearly convey Japan’s staunch determination to fight for its disputed territory in the region.

Thus, securing these islands is critical to Abe to ensure that the regional security balance does not tilt in China’s favor at the expense of Japan’s.

4 | OCT. 15, 2015

EASTERN EUROPE & CENTRAL ASIA

Separatist Conflict Escalates in Azerbaijan

Tamara Evdokimova, Writer Amidst a rising wave of anti-Muslim sentiment, local government opposition, and financial challenges, Moscow inaugurated a new $170 million mosque on September 23.

After ten years of construction, the Moscow Cathedral Mosque, capable of housing up to 10,000 worshippers, opened its doors to thousands of Muslims on the eve of Eid al-Adha–known as Kurban Bairam in Russia–a holiday commemorating the end of the hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, joined by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey and President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority, addressed the rise of Islamic extremism in a speech given at the mosque’s opening ceremony.

Emphasizing the fundamental differences between the peaceful practices of Muslim worshippers in Russia and the extremist interpretation of the Qur’an advanced by the self-styled

Islamic State (IS), Putin praised local Muslim leaders for their efforts in resisting propaganda.

“Their [IS] ideology is built on lies, on open perversion of Islam. They are trying to recruit followers in our country as well,” Putin said.

Some religious leaders believe that creating an environment for safe worship might prevent the increasing number of youth from flocking to IS and other extremist organizations.

Despite the size and scope of the new mosque, it still does not provide adequate accommodation for the 2 million Muslims residing in Moscow.

With only six mosques in the entire city, people often congregate on the streets surrounding the mosques during major holidays. The council of muftis in Russia suggested that every Moscow neighborhood have a mosque to handle the volume of worshippers.

Wary of frequent terrorist bombings since the early 2000s, many Moscow residents have reservations about the opening of the mosque. The line

meet the staff... “‘Putin’ her time into writing for EECA mainly for the puns.”

- Tamara Evdokimova SFS ‘19, INAF

Michael Newton SFS ‘15 INAF

Furkan Pehlivanli SFS ‘15 IHistory

Stef Lazar SFS ‘15 INAF

Alex Snyder MSB ‘17 Finance

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Moscow Inaugurates New Mosque

Denis Tchaouchev, Writer

The Moscow Cathedral Mosque on its inauguration day

between peaceful worship and the radical activities which Putin alluded to in his speech often becomes blurred amidst the chaos of terrorist attacks.

Although President Erdogan praised Russia’s efforts to promote diversity as a “vivid example of how to be good neighbors” at the inauguration ceremony, the public remains largely divided on the topic of religious tolerance, and hostility toward the Muslim population continues to be a prominent issue in Russia. The idea of “Russia for Russians” finds popular support among Muscovites, in spite of the country’s rich multiethnic history.

The widespread Islamophobia in Moscow is also fueled by its nationalist mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, who sought to ban the construction of new mosques in the capital. Claiming that the ma-

jority of worshipping Muslims are not Russian citizens but rather “labor immigrants,” Sobyanin promised to put an end to future mosque construction projects once the Moscow Cathedral Mosque was completed.

Yet the lengthy project saw no shortage of supporters. The Moscow Cathedral Mosque was financed entirely through the private sector, relying on a wealthy Russian businessman as well as generous donations by the Turkish government and the Palestinian Authority, sidestepping public controversy over financing the project.

It remains to be seen whether Abbas’s hope for the new mosque as “a center spreading the spirit of peaceful coexistence of religions and peoples” will come to fruition.

Moldova Builds Soviet Occupation Museum Stefania Lazar, Reporter Moldovan Defense Minister Anatol Salaru stood his ground in the face of Russian opposition, moving ahead with plans to build a Museum of Soviet Occupation within the Center of Military Culture and History in the nation’s capital, Chisinau. Salaru described the museum as a commemoration of Moldovan history, a history in which Soviet occupation played a significant and unforgettable role.

Russian External Affairs Minister Sergey Lavrov deemed the museum construction effort a cynical act and a violation of a previous agreement between the two neighbors. He cited Moldova’s duty to remember the fallen soldiers of the former Soviet states in World War II. Moldova’s refusal to back down

in the face of Russian pressures strengthens the image of autonomy from Russian influence that the country has been seeking to attain.

In addition, Moldova’s dual Russian and Romanian demographic presents a political challenge. The Romanian population has pushed for Moldova to return to Romanian control, while the Russian population has favored increased interaction with Russia.

Defense Minister Salaru mentioned the possibility that Moldova may become a NATO member in the distant future. However, other Moldovan politicians did not appreciate Salaru’s suggestion, viewing his mention of potential NATO membership as an attempt to overstep his professional boundaries.

Fighting between Azerbaijani forces and soldiers from both Armenia and the Defense Army of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) in the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan escalated in the last week of September. According to Armenian President Serzh Sargysan, the confrontation left four NKR soldiers, three civilians, and an unknown number of Azerbaijani soldiers dead. While border disputes and tensions over the NKR have caused intermittent fighting between Armenia and Azerbaijan in the past, the recent clash featured the use of 82mm and 60mm mortars and rocket launchers, signaling the possibility of more serious warfare.

Nagorno-Karabakh, 95% Armenian ethnically, is considered an autonomous region within Azerbaijan and has been the cause of heavy fighting and full-scale warfare since ethnic Armenians in the region attempted to unify with Armenia in 1988. Representatives from Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Nagorno-Karabakh signed a ceasefire in 1994, but a peace agreement was never reached, and conflicts in the region continue.

Other nations and organizations view the escalation as a threat to peace and security in the region, with an EU spokesperson describing the recent clashes as “unsustainable” and the Russian Ambassador to Armenia, Ivan Volinkin, calling the flare-up “inadmissible.” Both the EU and Russia stressed the importance of settling the conflict through diplomacy and the Minsk Group, an organization within the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, is dedicated to finding a peaceful resolution.

However, such resolution seems unlikely, as Armenian President recently called Nagorno-Karabakh an “inseparable part of Armenia” while Azerbaijan’s foreign minister affirmed in a speech to the UN that Azerbaijan would resort to military force if Armenia refuses to withdraw its forces.

Russia Has Reset the Chessboard Russian involvement in Syria went from 0 mph to Mach 2 on September 30, just like the Russian Su-30s flying out of Tartus airbase. Two days before Russian operations commenced in Syria, Vladimir Putin addressed the 70th session of the United Nations in New York, condemning the Western coalition’s refusal to operate with the government forces of Bashar Al-Assad.

According to Russia Today, the Russian Air Force conducted up to 50 airstrikes against the self-styled Islamic State (IS), but many question whether these are actually IS targets. The BBC reported on Friday that a series of Russian airstrikes attacked positions not held by IS, but by the more moderate and Western backed Free Syrian Army in Aleppo, Hama, and Homs.

As of Sunday, Russia started to launch bombing runs against the IS strongholds of Al-Raqqa and Deir Ez-Zor, including a “terrorist training camp and a suicide belt factory.”

The selective use of the word “terrorist” upset many Western leaders, including British Prime Minister David Cameron and U.S. President Barack Obama. Cameron told the BBC that Putin was “actually backing the butcher Assad”. British Defence Minister Michael Fallon supported Cameron’s statement by later adding, “Our evidence indicates they are dropping unguided munitions in civilian areas, killing civilians, and they are dropping them against the Free Syrian forces fighting Assad. He’s shoring up Assad and perpetuating the suffering.”

President Obama took no less harsh a tone, stating, “We’re not going to cooperate with a Russian campaign to destroy anyone who is disgusted and fed up with Assad.” The president summarized the West’s fears about Russian intervention: “From [Russia’s] perspective, they’re all terrorists. And that’s a recipe for disaster.”

Russia has been frozen out of world politics since the annexation of Crimea in early 2014. Direct interven-

tion in Syria is a way for Putin to force the global community to recognize Russia’s ability to decisively project hard power, and to look more closely at the failure of the American-led coalition to effectively intervene in Syria or mediate a peaceful resolution.

Furthermore, Russia’s interests lie with Assad, thwarting any chance for the Western coalition to ensure the victory of the Free Syrian Army. Russia successfully blocked proposals for a

No-Fly-Zone in 2013, while proposals for a “Safe Zone” by both Turkey and Jordan have failed to materialize before the current Russian intervention. As Dr. Vali Nasr, Dean of the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, said, “The Russian action has essentially reset the chessboard in Syria.” It is not a quick checkmate for the Coalition forces, but Putin has brought Russia to the fore and made the next move very difficult.

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Michael Newton, Writer

Photos of Assad and Russia’s Putin during a pro-Assad protest in front of the Russian embassy in Damascus, Syria

US-Russia Tensions Heighten Over New Warheads Tensions between Russia and the United States increased in recent weeks after the U.S. began preparations to station additional nuclear warheads and upgrade its nuclear arsenal in Germany. As U.S.-Russia relations have reached historic lows in the past year, experts worry that U.S. decision to build up nuclear capacity in Europe may ignite an arms race.

After the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991, the United States removed approximately 90 percent of its nuclear capacity from continental Europe. However, the remaining 10 per-

cent has been critical to maintaining a strong NATO alliance and deterring adversaries within striking distance such as Russia and Iran.

Furthermore, many argue that American nuclear weapons in Europe help prevent proliferation by convincing U.S. allies that they do not need nuclear weapons to ensure security.

The U.S. is currently developing a new variant of a traditional nuclear warhead, the B61, called the B61-12.

The new model is more accurate, but carries a smaller payload. Proponents of the B61-12 argue that the reduced explosive power would make them less destructive, while the increased accu-

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Alex Armbruster, Writer

General Roger Brady, USAFE Commander, is shown with a dummy B61 nuclear weapon.

racy would make them more tactically effective. Critics argue that in practice, the reduced power would make leaders less hesitant to use them, resulting in the higher likelihood of starting a full-scale nuclear crisis than other types of warheads.

According to Bruce Gagnon, Coordinator of Global Network Against Weapons, by upgrading its nuclear arsenal in Germany, the U.S. is deliberately creating tension between Europe and Russia and attempting to sever any political or economic ties between Russia and EU members. Gangon says, “What we need is for Moscow to make stronger direct appeals to the people of Europe and beyond to oppose the US attempts to control the world economically and militarily.”

The Russian government, as well as others, believe that the United States is violating the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which forbids nuclear-armed states from transferring nuclear weapons to non-nuclear states.

Director of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation Alice Slater says, “[The Obama administration is] now actually upgrading the weapons and deliveries systems at bases in those countries hosting the illegal U.S. instruments of death and destruction on their soil, even though those five non-nuclear weapons states signed the NPT and promised never to acquire nuclear

weapons.”

The question of legality revolves around whether Germany, a signatory of the NPT, is considered to be acquiring the B62-12, or whether they still belong to the US. Since NATO, not Germany, holds the ultimate authority over their use, most would argue that the recent move is legal.

To counter the threat, Russian officials are contemplating moving a number of the Russian Iskander ballistic missiles to a base in Kalingrad, close to continental Europe.

Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry says, “such U.S. plans call for concern … in Europe, not just in Germany, but also in Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy, and Turkey, U.S. tactical nuclear armaments remain deployed. The Americans are modernizing their aerial bombs, and the NATO European members are modernizing their aircraft[s] that carry these weapons.”

While the Russian government has yet to determine how, or whether, it will respond, moving nuclear warheads to Kalingrad could provoke significant countermeasures from the U.S.. This could signal the start of an arms race reminiscent of the Cold War era, with devastating long-term consequences in the event of a U.S.-Russia conflict, which, after the Ukraine Crisis, seems increasingly possible.

O CT. 15, 2015 | 5

EDITORIAL COLUMN: Morgan Forde, Editor

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his month has seen a dynamic shift in Russian geopolitics. After President Vladimir Putin’s historic speech at the United Nations General Assembly (ending a near twenty year absence), his signoff on controversial airstrikes in Syria have drawn the Middle East into the growing conflict between Russia and the West.

Russia’s legitimate fear of Islamic State recruitment in Dagestan and Chechnya has ostensibly propelled the Kremlin towards taking action in the region. However, even a glance at recent headlines shows proof of something more. Instead of targeting Islamic State militants, as per Putin’s stated intention, over the past weeks Russian air strikes have hit U.S. - backed groups fighting to bring down the Assad regime. Combined with the unprecedented announcement that Russia will be cooperating with the governments of Iran, Iraq, and Syria regarding IS and the Syrian civil war, the international political community, particularly in the West, has been left blind-sided.

Our featured EECA writers this month have worked to give our readers an overview of the political and cultural events that led up to what has now become a polarizing shift in Russia’s international political standing. From the renewed activity in Russia’s military bases in Syria, to the opening of Europe’s largest mosque in Moscow, tensions throughout this part of the world are not only running high, but expanding and connecting across borders as these issues grow more complex.

6 | OCT. 15, 2015

LATIN AMERICA & THE CARIBBEAN EDITORIAL COLUMN: Daniel Sandoval, Editor

T

he international media responded with great enthusiasm when Colombian President Santos announced the oncoming peace agreement between FARC guerrillas and the government.

This could be a transcendental step in Colombian history, but its most important point will not be the peace treaty itself but what follows it. As Mark Twain once put it: “It’s easy to quit smoking. I’ve done it hundreds of times.” Similarly, Colombia has undergone several failed peace agreements over the past decades.

Perhaps there could be hope for this latest agreement; FARC is at a military disadvantage that will push it away from further conflict.

Unfortunately, the agreement has enemies on both sides of the negotiating table. On the guerrilla’s side, several of the lower-tier fighters will receive minimal amnesty from laying down their weapons.

Most of them are deeply integrated into Colombia’s drug trade system and would be reluctant to leave their lucrative business.

On the government’s side, former president Uribe has mounted a ferocious opposition campaign against the peace deal, refusing to endorse an agreement so eager to give amnesty to criminals.

The agreement’s success hinges on both sides’ ability to restrain these opposition groups. Uribe and his supporters will need to stand and watch as FARC develops into a legitimate political party. FARC leaders, on the other hand, will need to work with the government to ensure that all of its members comply with the agreement. The media will continue to celebrate the approach of peace over the next few months, but the agreement’s success will only be determined long after the ink is dry.

Dueling for the Desert by the Sea Madeline Sposato, Writer The International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, the Netherlands, declared itself competent to judge the validity of Bolivia’s claim to access the Pacific Ocean. Bolivia’s claim argues that Chile failed to comply with a 1904 treaty that grants commercial ocean access to landlocked Bolivia. Chile responded with an objection that the dispute was not within the jurisdiction of the ICJ. In Thursday’s ruling, the ICJ asserted that it can order the two countries to negotiate if it sees so fit.

The declaration may grant Bolivia the opportunity for a long-awaited outlet to the sea. For Chile, it means that the ICJ will be involving itself in a dispute that has already been resolved.

The 1879-1883 War of the Pacific, the original source of two of Chile’s disputes in the ICJ — one with Peru as well as the one with Bolivia — originally began over a disputed 1866 treaty between Chile and Bolivia concerning the Atacama Desert.

Both countries had the right to mine the Atacama between the 25th and 23rd parallel, and Spain marked the

border between the two nations at the 24th parallel. Protests by Chilean businesses against the Bolivian management of properties in the Atacama and Bolivian taxation they deemed unfair prompted Chile’s army to enter the territory on the grounds of protecting its national interests. The conflict pitted Chile’s stronger army

It is a deep issue of national pride for both nations; Bolivians still maintain a navy and Chileans see the Atacama as an integral part of their territory. and navy against the weaker combined Bolivian-Peruvian forces, ending with a military triumph for Chile. Its 1904 resolution in the Treaty of Peace and Friendship gave the disputed Atacama territory stretching to the Pacific coast to Chile but allowed for Bolivia to set up customs offices in Chilean ports,

ICJ Will Hear Bolivian Coastal Dispute Kyle Tillotson, Reporter The International Court of Justice (ICJ), the highest court for the settlement of disputes between states, has declared itself competent to hear a suit over the coastal dispute between Bolivia and Chile. The subject of this dispute is 400 kilometers of coast seized from Bolivia by Chile during the War of the Pacific in the 1880s.

After the issue left tensions simmering for over a century, Bolivia, led by populist President Evo Morales, filed suit at the ICJ in 2013, alleging that the 1904 treaty officializing the land transfer was signed under duress. Since this treaty, Bolivia has been landlocked; a fact that many, Morales included, point to as a reason for Bolivia’s lack of economic development.

Bolivia hopes that the Court will compel the two countries to negotiate Bolivian coastal access in good faith.

The ICJ’s decision elicited celebration in Bolivia and optimism from the country’s government, and projector screens were put up around La Paz to broadcast the decision to citizens directly. Hector Arce, Bolivia’s attorney general, went so far as to claim that this ruling undermines Chile’s primary defense against Bolivia’s insistence that the matter fell outside of the Court’s jurisdiction.

Bringing the long-simmering conflict with Chile back to the forefront has been a major rhetorical point for President Evo Morales. For its part, Chile has pumped the brakes on any coup for Bolivian coastal access, with President Michelle Bachelet reminding the press that this is only a procedural vote and offers no insight into the eventual outside of the case. According to Bachelet, “Bolivia has earned nothing.” For now, this remains true.

ask for construction of a railroad from the port of Arica to La Paz, and have free right to transit goods through northern Chilean territory to the ocean.

Fate, however, has not worked in Bolivia’s favor. The ceded Atacama territory proved to be rich in both nitrate, which sustained Chile’s economy until the creation of industrial nitrate in 1909, and copper, which accounted for 19% of the country’s GDP in 2014. Today, Chile’s GDP in terms of purchasing power parity ranks 44th in the world, whereas landlocked Bolivia’s ranks 94th. While some would argue that the vast discrepancy is an issue of differing economic policies, Bolivia’s weaker economy can be traced to access to international markets and lack of resources that many argue can be solved by regaining access to the sea. It is also a deep issue of national pride for both nations; Bolivians still maintain a navy and Chileans see the Atacama as an integral part of their territory.

In 1975, Chile’s dictator Augusto Pinochet offered Bolivia a sliver of territory as access to the sea in

exchange for an equal-sized territory from inland. Bolivia rejected the treaty on the grounds that it unfairly claimed land in Peru, which to this day remains a staunch Bolivian ally. A later attempt at negotiations between the two countries in 1987 also failed. Today, Chile’s military and naval capacities still exceed those of its neighbor, meaning that war is out of the question for Bolivia. However, hopes are high in Bolivia that the ICJ and international pressure may push Chile into negotiation. From Chile’s perspective, however, the issue has already been resolved given that Bolivia rejected the 1975 treaty, signed onto the 1904 treaty, and is already allowed commercial access to the sea.

Chileans also have claims to territorial sovereignty, given that the territory is now an integral economic and cultural part of Chile. Chile now has until July of 2016 to make its case to the ICJ. Nevertheless, a quick resolution is not to be expected. The two countries have furthermore closed their embassies and are not on formal speaking terms for any form of negotiation.

meet the staff...

“In smaller countries, particular stories can be a huge deal.”

- Kyle Tillotson SFS ‘15, IPEC

Sylvia Cesar SFS ‘15 IECO

Kyle Tillotson SFS ‘15 IPEC

Nicolas Anzalotta SFS ‘15 Government

Madeline Sposato SFS ‘17 CULP

Addressing the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, President Juan Manuel Santos was all smiles.

After four years of Cuban-sponsored negotiations with the FARC, Santos boastfully predicted, “The time of peace is near.”

Santos has staked his legacy and seemingly concentrated a majority of

After four years of Cuban-sponsored negotiations with the FARC, Santos boastfully predicted, “The time of peace is near.” his administration’s efforts to making a signed agreement happen, an event that would bring him unprecedented international recognition. For even 15 years ago, the possibility of a deal taking place was unfathomable.

To his dismay, however, the FARC

Edwin Lopez Kelly Lui Tomoyuki Shikata Tomas Alvarez Belon Kathy Wang Rainier Go Margaret Hansen Nivedita Jejurikar Eric Henshall Andrea Moneton Morgan Forde Luis Joy Daniel Sandoval Jason Ilieve Margaret Schaack Connor Swank Ho Yao Nian Kevin Chen Sophie Haggerty Jonathan Dörnhofer Samuel Kim Maximilian Fiege Brandon Greenblatt

was quick to strike back that same day, objecting to claims made by the Santos negotiating team in Havana.

During negotiations, Santos has declared that if the FARC comes clean they will face reduced sentences that range from five to eight years and that restrict the prisoner’s movements to the confines of the rural areas they live in. The latter, however, has denied agreeing to these regulations.

In addition, the FARC has claimed that the democratic government of Colombia will not posses the right to prosecute its officials, should the agreement come to fruition in the coming months. Instead, a special commission of judges and magistrates could deliver prosecution. The FARC

agreement on or before said date has been frequently underscored by a degree of remaining discord, a lack of resolve and bickering between both sides. The paramilitary group, designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, has proclaimed that said deadline would not be met if the government continues to question agreements that have already been signed.

Santos and his negotiating team, how-

ever, have fought back, stating that the terms of amnesty and logistics concerning the election of a body of magistrates for the special tribunal that will prosecute FARC members are yet to be hashed out.

The agreement is well received by Santos’ governing coalition as well as a majority of Colombia’s left-wing opposition. The international community has also applauded the measure.

Map of Colombia and Venezuela

A deadline has been set at March 23, 2016 to conclude peace talks. has claimed that they expect to have a say in the selection of judges.

A deadline has beet set at March 23, 2016 to conclude peace talks.

Notwithstanding, the potential for an

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Nicholas Anzalotta, Reporter

UN WEB TV

Nicholas Anzalotta, Reporter

Border Tensions Between Venezuela & Colombia

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Anticlimatic Notions Pervade the Colombia-FARC Peace Deal

O CT. 15, 2015 | 7

Juan Manuel Santos addressing the 70th session of the United Nations General Assembly on September 29, 2015.

Guyana, Venezuela Renew Relations Valeria Balza, Reporter After having met in late September for mediated talks with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and Guyanese President David Granger announced the return of ambassadors to each other’s capitals this past Saturday. This announcement comes after several months of escalating tensions concerning a border dispute between the two countries that erupted after oil was discovered in disputed waters.

Tensions had climbed in the last weeks after Venezuela deployed troops to its borders, with President Maduro claiming the troops were only conducting military exercises in the region.

However, in an announcement released by the Venezuelan chancellery, Maduro will “carry out the message of peace and constructive dialogue and reactivate several areas of economic

cooperation.” The redeployment of ambassadors formed part of the series of agreements made in the meeting at the U.N. headquarters, which also includes a U.N. mission that will travel to Venezuela and Guyana to promote dialogue between the two countries.

Maduro will carry out the message of peace Despite the renewal of diplomatic relations, many sectors of the Venezuelan opposition criticize Maduro for igniting diplomatic disputes with several countries. This move is seen as an effort to generate nationalism in advance of the upcoming legislative elections, to combat the government’s decreased popularity amid the current economic crisis.

On September 21, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro shook hands with his counterpart, Juan Manuel Santos of Colombia, to conclude a series of security negotiations between the two nations. As a result, both will start to gradually reopen borders following an escalation of paramilitary activity and migrant issues.

This is the first step toward the normalization of relations between the two countries since they recalled each other’s ambassadors earlier this year.

The Venezuelan government went on to declare a state of emergency as thousands of its citizens fled into Colombia.

The Venezuelan government went on to declare a state of emergency as thousands of its citizens fled into Colombia.

Maduro has blamed Colombia’s smugglers and illegal currency traders for the souring of relations, although many pundits believe that a tanking economy and reduced credibility have had some influence. The recent agreement, which is not believed to be comprehensive, is not expected to reconcile the neighboring states.

8 | OCT. 15, 2015

MIDDLE EAST & NORTH AFRICA

Guillaume Biganzoli, Writer On September 22, a 22-year-old student named Marwan was sentenced under Article 230 of the Tunisian Penal Code to one year in prison for engaging in sodomy. Members of civil society and human rights organizations have denounced the use of Article 230 and have called for its repeal, considering it to be contrary to the protection of a “person’s dignity and physical integrity” as guaranteed by Article 23 of the Constitution. The controversy has sparked contestation on social networks through the use of hashtags that roughly translate to “No to the shame tests” and “No to Article 230.”

The most controversial element, however, remains the overall mystery surrounding the case. Sources from the Ministry of the Interior have asserted to Business News that Marwan was part of a murder investigation and was allegedly a male prostitute. The murder victim was supposedly one of Marwan’s clients, and police used this claim to justify

holding the young man in custody for six days and performing an anal test to obtain proof of his involvement.

According to the Ministry of the Interior spokesperson Walid Louguini, the anal examination was performed with the accused’s consent. “It was he who asked for the examination,” added Louguini. However, his lawyer, Fadoua Breham, reiterated that Marwan was only a student and that the “Consent of [her] client was not obtained.” She declared that they would appeal the deci-

Tunisia has one of the lowest acceptance rate of homosexuality in the world (6%) sion and sue the Ministry of the Interior and Business News for defamation.

A 2013 Pew Research Center poll found that Tunisia has one of the lowest acceptance rate of homosexuality in the world (6%), and Amnesty International has documented numerous cases of arrests and prosecutions of

meet the staff...

“MENA is the birthplace of civilization!”

COL ‘19, Chinese

Andrew Schneider COL ‘19 Chinese

Guillaume Biganzoli Sciences Po Paris IR

Matthieu de Gaudemar COL ‘16 Government

Shamshad Ali SFS ‘19 Undeclared

Andrew Schneider, Reporter

The rainbow flag, a symbol of LGBT pride

homosexuals between 2009 and 2014.

It seems likely that Marwan may have been coerced into undergoing the invasive test, and he may not be the only person who has been forced to do so.

In the wake of recent terrorist attacks, western countries have increased their support to Tunisia.

The United States has doubled the amount of bilateral assistance to Tunisia and has made Tunisia its newest “major non-NATO” ally, allowing it to become a large recipient of U.S. military equipment and assistance.

Similarly, the European Union has announced greater counter-terrorism, economic, and judicial cooperation.

Since the Jasmine Revolution of

2011, Tunisia has managed to organize free and fair elections, has witnessed a peaceful transfer of power between the Islamist Ennahda party and the secular Nidaa Tounes, and has created a new constitution guaranteeing gender equality and freedom of expression while rejecting religious extremism. As it leans closer towards the West through its tighter links with the United States, the European Union, and NATO, the depenalization of homosexuality would go a long way in signaling Tunisia’s determination in progressing toward full democracy.

IS Destroys Arch of Triumph Andrew Schneider, Reporter

- Andrew Schneider

Stampede in Mecca Kills Thousands

LUDOVIC BURTRON | WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Tunisia’s Homosexual Question

On October 4, the self-styled Islamic State (IS) destroyed a 2,000 year old monument in the city of Palmyra.

The monument, known as the “Arch of Triumph,” was built during the Roman Empire, and was part of a larger collection of ancient ruins near Palmyra.

ISIS fighters had booby-trapped the arch in the previous month.

The destruction of the Arch comes after a series of other monuments and buildings in the ancient city had already been destroyed by IS. The group has focused on destroying all non-Muslim temples and sites of worship in an attempt to “purify” the land from paganism. Most notable was the Temple of Bel, a building which mixed both Eastern and Greco-Roman architecture.

Although IS has destroyed many of the main sites in the ancient city, it has also sold looted artifacts on the black market to raise funds for the group’s continued military expansion. These relics may go for as much as twenty to thirty thousand dollars on the market.

Khaled al-Assad, the head caretaker at the Arch, was beheaded by IS fighters after he refused to divulge the location of hidden artifacts.

International organizations have condemned the destruction by IS. The ruins are recognized as a UNESCO Heritage Site, and were a major tourist attraction before the civil war began.

Unfortunately, this trail of destruction, brought on by a mix of ideological and financial incentives, seems likely to continue for as long as the Islamic State retains power in Palmyra.

On September 24, a stampede in Mecca killed over 1,000 people and injured injured at least 800 others. The stampede occurred during the annual Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, as pilgrims from across the globe flocked to visit the Holy City of Mecca.

The stampede occurred on the outskirts of the city in Mina, where large tent cities had been set up as temporary housing for visitors. Pilgrims travelled to Mina to perform a ritual known as “stoning the devil,” in which they throw small stones at three ritual pillars across the city, symbolising the moment that Mohammed rejected the devil. The stampede occurred near the pillars on a street between two of these temporary tent cities. The cause of the stampede is currently unknown.

In the aftermath of the stampede, many nations have been critical of the Saudi government’s handling of the pilgrimage. In previous years there have been a number of other stampedes, including a stampede in 1990 which killed 1,426 people.

Additionally, the stampede comes just weeks after a crane fell onto the Grand Mosque in Mecca, killing 107 people before their evening prayers.

Iran has been especially vocal over Saudi handling of the yearly event, as at least 464 of the pilgrims killed in the stampede were Iranian citizens. In response, the Saudi government has criticized Iran for “playing politics” with the tragedy. The stampede comes at a time of heightened tensions between both countries, as Saudi Arabia continues its fight in Yemen against the Iranian-backed Houthi Rebels. A banner hung on the Saudi consulate in Mashahd, Iran quoting former Ayatollah Rouhollah Khomeini reads, “Even if we forgive US crimes, we will never forgive Saudi’s,” a sign that points to continuing tensions in the region.

O CT. 15, 2015 | 9

UN and Syria: Confusion, Conflict and Lost Hope The 70th annual gathering of the UN General Assembly is drawing to a close and after more than two weeks of meetings and speeches, the current Syrian tragedy and the ensuing humanitarian crisis emerged as some of the central topics of a discussion that has done little to alleviate the situation.

Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon opened the General Assembly by discussing the important trends of the year, calling in particular for increased global cooperation in the face of the crisis in the Middle East. Despite this

call to action, subsequent speeches showed how much needed to be done before an international consensus could be reached on strategy, let alone the implementation of a concrete plan.

President Obama reiterated his commitment to what are now seen as pillars of his foreign policy, namely an emphasis on an extensive diplomatic process as well as a reliance on pursuing solutions under the protective umbrella of international institutional legitimacy. His strategy focuses not on military solutions but rather on economic development and effective government.

The United Nations General Assembly hall in New York City.

Afghan Military Battles the Taliban Shamshad Ali, Reporter

On October 1, Afghan Security Forces defeated part of a Taliban insurgency force that had infiltrated the northeastern Kunduz Province of Afghanistan on September 29. With the assistance of NATO air support, the Security Forces killed 150 Taliban soldiers and helped push back against the latest iteration of recent Taliban offensives.

Residents suggest that Taliban forces have retained strategic areas within the city

However, residents of Kunduz reject the government’s narrative that the city is back under government control. Residents suggest that Taliban forces have retained strategic areas within the city despite the losses suf-

PATRICK CITY | FLICKR

Matthieu de Gaudemar, Writer

fered at the hands of the Security Forces. Possession of the city continues to change hands, with Taliban forces reportedly regaining control of norther areas in the city. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani will be sending a commission to investigate how the Taliban managed to take over the city.

The recent death of Mullah Mohammed Omar, the founder and leader of the Taliban, led to a leadership vacuum, filled by Mullah Akhtar Mansour. With the Taliban under new leadership, these offensives signal a resurgent Taliban that may still be a force to be reckoned with. Almost mirroring the resurgent Taliban, the Afghan Forces have also increased in strength. NATO forces ended their combat role in Afghanistanthis past year, but several thousand troops remain to advise and train the Security Forces to independently defend their country in the long term.

Russian President Vladimir Putin outlined an entirely different course of action, promoting the need for strong military intervention in Syria. Putin also explained that the focus on developing democratic values in the Middle East is at the center of the current in-

Assad’s role in the Syrian conflict is a major barrier to creating a united strategy stitutional failures in the region. Likewise, he warned that the removal of authoritarian leaders such as Saddam Hussein and Muammar Gaddafi was a significant factor in the degradation of regional order and stability, leading him to argue that removing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad would yield similar negative results.

Assad’s role in the Syrian conflict is one of the main barriers to creating a united strategy against the self-styled Islamic State (IS). Many countries base their objectives in Syria around an eventual departure of Assad and a gradual transition to a new government. However, Russia is a staunch ally of the Syrian regime and considers its strategic objectives in the Middle East

to be vested in its survival.

In subsequent speeches, many representatives of Middle Eastern states echoed the concerns and frustration that first resonated in Secretary-General Ban’s opening words. The United Arab Emirates decried the ineffectiveness of the international community in resolving the Syrian crisis, a sentiment shared by Saudi Arabia.

Syria itself had the chance to express its concerns to the international community, and its Foreign Minister delivered remarks that called on foreign powers to reduce the flow of extremist fighters to IS as well as calling for increased international coordination with the Syrian army to fight against the Islamic group.

The lack of specifics offered by many countries leaves Russia space to undertake its questionable plans.The recent airstrikes conducted in Syria were widely condemned, not least because in doing so, Russian fighter jets violated Turkish airspace, leading to a stern warning from NATO officials.

Further concerns revolve around allegations that the airstrikes were not solely targeting Islamic State fighters but also members of the Syrian rebels. So far, Russian actions have not resulted in any serious consequences and Putin is set to increase his military involvement in the region.

Violence Surges in the West Bank Shamshad Ali, Reporter On October 1, an Israeli couple was killed by suspected Palestinian attackers in the occupied West Bank as the couple was driving with their four children. In subsequent days, several Israelis were wounded, and at least four were killed, in five separate stabbing attacks involving Palestinian assailants.

Violence between the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) and Palestinian protesters has simultaneously moved past the West Bank and into the Gaza Strip. The ongoing clashes have resulted in the death of 24 Palestinians in the month of October. This figure includes the lives of two Palestinian teenagers who were shot at a protest near the border of the Gaza Strip.

The conflict has been heightened as a result of the Rosh Hashanah disputes over the Haram al-Sharif compound.

Israelis visiting the site, which they call Temple Mount, leads to greater IDF presence in the area. Some Palestinians view the IDF presence as a serious intrusion at their religious holy site, which prevents them from engaging in prayer.

The recent spate of violence has been accompanied by a rise in political tension. In a speech to the United Nations, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas decried Israel’s alleged refusal “to commit to the agreements signed with [the Palestinians]” and declared that Palestine could no longer be bound by the Oslo Accord of 1993.

Attempts by leaders from both sides to quell the violence with calming rhetoric have been unsuccessful, and some are beginning to wonder whether the conflict may be the Third Intifada.

EDITORIAL COLUMN: Margaret Schaack, Editor

T

The Middle East and North Africa has long been defined by conflict. Unfortunately, friction remains a constant in many countries today. Three major trends help to define the consistent antagonism in the region: insurgency and terrorism, human rights abuses, and tension based upon religious differences.

Not only must the region battle against these debilitating trends, but it also faces a variety of challenges that further complicate the stability of the future. Because the region is small and interconnected, even the smallest conflict creates a ripple effect. In recent months, the migrant crisis spurred by the Syrian civil war, as well as the expansion of the Islamic State, has placed additional pressure on already-burdened neighbors in the region.

Most significantly, the international community has shown little ability to unite in the face of tensions in the region. Formal institutions such as the United Nations have failed to take significant action, and unilateral action in the region has often been performed without any semblance of international support.

Looking forward into the months to come, it is clear that there are no easy fixes for the Middle East and North Africa.

Between the lack of international coordination and the deep seeded discord, peace is not around the corner. Nonetheless, the population of the region has shown a remarkable resilience despite the challenges to their futures. As the Arab Spring demonstrated, citizens are motivated and willing to battle against injustice, and their persevering optimism inspires hope for the future.

10 | OCT. 1 5 , 2 0 1 5

SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA Sophie Haggerty, Editor Jonathan Dörnhofer, Associate Editor

I

t’s nearly impossible to encompass the news of so many varied countries, many of which are in transition. Each day brings new and unexpected developments in governance and economy. The Sub-Saharan Africa section of The Caravel aims to present a balanced image of the successes and challenges unfurling on the African continent right now.

The Burkinabé coup and subsequent counter-coup, along with election struggles in post-Ebola Guinea illustrate an enduring scourge of political violence and growing citizen voice against authoritarian régimes . Technological developments in Rwanda to build the world’s first droneport and oil exploration licensing in a semi-autonomous region of Somalia provide glimpses into the economic aspects of transition. Finally, an announcement that Mozambique is finally free of landmines helps to pave the way from disruptive, devastating civil war to sustainable economic growth.

Few statements apply to all of Sub-Saharan Africa’s dynamic and diverse countries. The one common aspect is a current of transition across the continent.

Each country is at a different and unique point on the continuum, but no story is complete without considering the past and future, and analyzing the African agency making these transitions a reality Sub-Saharan Africa has lessons for those from multiple academic disciplines. It’s a space to find varied political and economic policies, and to observe how these decisions play out in practice. It allows understanding of the complexities of migration, assimilation, colonization, independence, and sovereignty. Ultimately, Sub-Saharan Africa is a place to learn about human organization and resilience, and above all, agency.

Somalia’s Black Gold Rush Anirudha Vaddadi, Writer Oil continues to be a promising source of revenue for war-ravaged Somalia, where interest in black gold has picked up in recent years.

The semi-autonomous region of Puntland recently announced that it will conduct a survey to search for oil, with licensing expected to come soon.

Although oil has yet to flow, multiple companies have started exploring the region and signed contracts with the Somali government to tap into the country’s oil wealth.

The flurry of recent activity follows a general trend in oil exploration in East Africa. The growth in oil production will no doubt transform these countries, but Somalia stands

Although oil has yet to flow, multiple companies have started exploring the region and signed contracts with Somalia out, given its historical instability and fragile peacemaking process. Reports have warned that oil production could lead to border disputes over control of this precious resource.

Although oil could support muchneeded economic growth, the threat of destabilization and further corruption in an already fragmented country makes exploitation a risky venture.

As Somalia’s central government made progress against the militant group al-Shabab in recent years, it has invited international oil companies to explore for oil reserves. The Londonbased firm Soma Oil and Gas has already completed seismic surveys earlier this year; the government has also encouraged Royal Dutch Shell and ExxonMobil to reactivate contracts that they had suspended when the state collapsed in 1991.

The economic potential of oil production in Somalia is huge – estimates put the country’s total oil reserves at 110 billion barrels, making the country’s deposits the sixth largest in the world. However, production may only begin six years from now, and Somalia’s political and economic future is far from certain.

Puntland’s recent ventures have sparked tension with neighboring Somaliland, which has claimed independence from the rest of Somalia since 1991. Because Somaliland disputes its official borders, it has quarrelled with Puntland over their boundaries due to the implications over oil ownership.

Puntland also faces threats from the current government in Mogadishu.

Under Somalia’s decentralized constitution, individual territories have the right to directly negotiate contracts with oil companies.

Consequently, the central government is concerned that it may not reap the benefits of production. Over the summer, Puntland officials strongly criticized the federal government’s move to introduce a law that would give it more control over oil and gas contract negotiations. The bickering has had direct effects on business–in June, Canada-based Africa Energy dropped its exploration acreage in Puntland, citing political uncertainties.

As seen elsewhere in Africa, the presence of multinational corporations in the commodities sector raises concerns of corruption.

Soma Oil has already been probed by the U.K.’s Serious Fraud Office over allegations of “systematic payoffs” to Somali officials. A confidential U.N.

As seen elsewhere in Africa, the presence of multinational corporations in the commodities sector raises concerns of corruption report claims that half a million dollars were improperly disbursed to Somali officials as part of a capacity-building program. The company has denied any wrongdoing, claiming that its dealings with the Somali government have been “fair and balanced.”

The U.N. is currently pushing to introduce a moratorium that would ban oil deals in the country, arguing that the Somali state lacks the sufficient legal institutions to prevent exploitation of its resources. Both Soma Oil and the Somali government have opposed this measure, arguing

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

EDITORIAL COLUMN:

The port of Bosaso, Puntland’s largest city.

that such an act would violate Somalia’s sovereignty.

The potential for oil in Somalia remains a precarious situation. On one hand, it provides much-needed money to redevelop a Somali state that has suffered from years of war and underinvestment; on the other, it may further splinter Somalia’s already-

loose federation and induce greater corruption. With firms eager to explore the country’s reserves despite low oil prices, the launch of Somalia’s oil industry seems inevitable. The question is how this process will fit into the state’s current reconstruction plan, and what measures the international community will take to mediate

meet the staff...

“It is remarkable how such a large, diverse region in the world has such little news coverage.”

- Alexandra Weissman

SFS ‘18, STIA

Nicolás Alonso Jonathan Dörnhofer Georgina Kenchington SFS ‘16 SFS ‘18 SFS ‘18 IPOL IPOL IPOL

Anirudha Vaddadi SFS ‘16 IECO

O CT. 15, 2015 | 11

Jonathan Dörnhofer, Writer Plans for the world’s first “droneport” have been unveiled in Kigali, Rwanda, amid efforts by its president Paul Kagame to promote his country as a regional high-tech hub and encourage foreign investment.

Drones have been heralded as a “solution to tackle infrastructure challenges in Rwanda” by the pro-government New Times. The uneven topography and underdeveloped infrastructure have combined to make deliveries of vital pharmaceuticals and other supplies to rural areas a difficult and expensive undertaking.

The drones, planned to range from 10 to 20 feet in wingspan, will be able to carry up to 220 pounds of supplies at speeds of 90 miles per hour, far faster than land based alternatives.

The droneport’s sectional design is intended to be built (and expanded) in phases, using local materials and labor.

These plans come as other African states begin to utilize the emergent drone technology, with Nigeria announcing last month that it will start using unmanned aerial vehicles to patrol its extensive and oft-sabotaged oil pipelines.

Slated for groundbreaking in 2016, the Rwandan project is estimated to cost $300,000 over four years of construction, with the first flights scheduled for 2020. Backed by star British architect Norman Foster, noted for designing the world’s tallest bridge and the new Wembley Stadium in London, the initiative has the support of Rwanda’s government, with its civil aviation authority already drafting changes to the relevant regulations.

The announcement comes as the latest in a series of moves by Kagame’s regime to market the country as a regional center for investment and a hightech hub. These include the establishment of a commodities exchange, the laying of over 1,000 miles of fiber optic cables, and the signing of a deal to provide 4G coverage to 95% of its citizens.

Already, these efforts have yielded results. Only 20 years after a genocide ravaged the country, some believe that Kagame’s harsh rule has been somewhat justified by the stability it has brought (the Rwandan constitution was recently amended to allow him to run for a third time). Just in the last ten years, nearly 2 million people (14% of Rwanda’s population) have been brought out of poverty, and the country was recently named the most

attractive African market for retailers due to this burgeoning middle class.

Rwanda faces some competition in its attempt to become East Africa’s high-tech hub, however. Kenya has strongly pushed its growing tech sector in Nairobi, while simultaneously attracting offices of large multinational firms like Google, Intel, and Microsoft. However, there are signs that Kigali is more attractive to investors than its Kenyan counterpart, with analysts citing its superior road infrastructure and public safety.

These moves toward economic diversification of Rwanda’s economy coincide with a global downturn in commodity prices that have led some observers to point out the need for African economies to shift away from their export-oriented markets.

Rwanda has been labeled “a development success story” in the two decades since the genocide, with GDP growth exceeding expectations in each of the past two years. With a real GDP growth rate of 7% in 2014, Rwanda is the world’s 34th fastest growing economy. Policymakers hope that initiatives like the droneport will allow the country to consolidate this growth to become a middle income economy.

Mozambique Landmine-Free Mozambique’s government declared the country free of landmines on September 17, putting an end to a two-decade venture to eliminate this threat. Halo Trust, the Scottish humanitarian organization that has taken the lead role in this lengthy operation, recently destroyed the last known land mine in the country.

Halo Trust, along with other demining agencies, initiated the campaign for landmine clearance in the 1990s.

Since then, the Scottish organization has employed more than 1,600 Mozambicans and has used a variety of manual and mechanical methods to achieve its mission. The progress has been notable: Holy Trust operators have removed more than 171,000 mines—about 80% of the total—that had been buried during Mozambique’s civil war from 1977 to 1992. Likewise, the reduction of landmine-related accidents decreased from 600 per year in the early 1990s to just 11 in 2013.

Calvin Ruysen, Halo Trust’s regional director for Southern Africa, said clearance will allow farmers to increase

productivity, workers to commute more safely and children to freely play on rural roads. Infrastructure development, easier access to gas and coal, and increases in tourism and foreign investment are some of the broader consequences that may result from the removal of landmines in Mozambique.

“The impact, the effect, can be felt not only at the very local level but nationally, across whole regions,” he affirmed, referring to improvements that can finally occur in the Mozambican railway system as a result of the clearance.

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Nicolas Alonso , Writer

Mozambique’s commitment to ending landmine presence since the signature of the Mine Ban Treaty in 1999 has been highlighted as an example for other mine-contaminated countries. According to Landmine Monitor, some other states with the highest mine-density are Cambodia, Bosnia, and Afghanistan. Moreover, Halo Trust and other organizations agree that much work needs to be done in Southeast Africa, especially in Zimbabwe, which houses a large amount of anti-personnel mines.

Rwanda’s capital, Kigali, has seen rapid development over the past two decades

Burkina Faso Coup a Remnant of Compaoré

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Rwanda Unveils Droneport

Former president Blaise Compaoré was ousted in October 2014

Jonathan Dörnhofer, Writer When a popular uprising in Burkina Faso toppled Blaise Compaoré, its authoritarian president of 27 years, many observers reacted optimistically, citing the upcoming scheduled elections as a step in the right direction.

These hopes were cast into doubt on September 16, when members of Compaoré’s secret service, the Regiment of Presidential Security (RSP), launched a coup, detaining the interim president, prime minister, and cabinet. The RSP then established a ruling junta, self-styled as the National Council for Democracy (CND).

In the following week, after negotiations facilitated by a group of West African heads of state, the CND conceded that the coup had failed. The interim government was returned to power and the RSP was disbanded.

Nevertheless, the elections have been pushed back due to the political uncertainty. Initially planned for October 11th, the elections have not been rescheduled, though the draft agreement through which the CND relinquished power set a November 22 deadline.

This instability highlights the continued effect of Compaoré’s rule on the political climate in Burkina Faso today.

During his 27 years of rule, Compaoré allowed little opposition to his authority. This included limiting the development of potential leaders, even within his own ranks, as they could threaten his grip on power. The results of this tactic became especially clear after his ouster last October, when a dearth of Burkinabé politicians capable of leading the country became apparent. Compaoré’s departure left a power vacuum, and his decades of suppressing ascendant politicians ensured that few truly qualified can-

didates were available to fill the void.

Discerning a middle ground between holding truly free elections and preventing enablers of Compaoré’s rule from running for president has proven difficult. The interim government initially banned Compaoré’s associates from running at all, but this restriction has been lifted in the aforementioned draft agreement. Of the major candidates expected to be on the ballot, three held cabinet positions under Compaoré and a fourth now leads Compaoré’s party, the Congress for Democracy and Progress (CDP). Only one, Bénéwendé Stanislas Sankara, has no affiliation to Compaoré, his government, or his party.

Sankara is a lawyer who worked closely with Thomas Sankara (no relation), the populist leader of Burkina Faso until he was deposed and assassinated in the coup that brought Compaoré to power in 1987. While president, Thomas Sankara re-oriented Burkina Faso away from dependence on the International Monetary Fund and World Bank, arguing that these were tools of a continued colonization of Africa by Europe and North America. He fought corruption and nationalized the country’s farmland, increasing crop yields and decreasing dependence on imports. His Marxist views generated opposition from the United States and France, particularly in regard to his curtailment of freedom of press. Compaoré justified his seizure of power in 1987 and subsequent reversal of many previous policies citing Burkina Faso’s deteriorating relations with the West and neighboring states under Sankara.

Since then, Sankara has become a figure to rally around for the Burkinabé opposition, with many hoping that Compaoré’s ouster would lead to a return to the policies President Sankara initiated.

12 | OCT. 1 5 , 2 0 1 5

SOUTH & SOUTHEAST ASIA

Myanmar Monks Flex Their Muscles Indonesia Jessica Li, Writer The town of Meiktilia lies in ruins.

The streets are deserted and only a few are seen roaming around picking up scraps and searching for anything valuable. Outside the town borders there is a charred spot on the ground covered in black ash; it marks the place where 20 Muslim boys were hacked to death and burned. These boys had been killed in retaliation for the earlier death of a Buddhist monk in a scuffle between Muslims and Buddhists. In response, the government has enforced a curfew and most of Meiktilia’s 30% Muslim population has been transferred to camps guarded by armed police.

Myanmar has remained a battlefield between Buddhist and Muslim groups since the first riots in June 2012. Due to the religious conflict, over 146,000 people have been forced to leave the state of Rakhine and there have also been reports of disputes in central Myanmar. According to BBC reports, Muslims have “borne the worst of the violence, with hundreds killed, often by mobs armed with

knives and sticks.” These ongoing disputes have sparked international concern, but the country continues to struggle with how to proceed with dealing with the issue as the conflicts are rooted in deep-seated religious stereotypes of Islam and a growing xenophobia among the Burmese monks.

“Fear is not just on the side of the Muslims, but on the side of the Buddhists as well. There’s a perception that Muslim power, global Muslim power, is very great,” said opposition leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. On Sunday October 4, thousands of Buddhist monks, nuns and supporters came together at a rally at a national indoor stadium in Yagoon to celebrate the passing of four laws known as the Race and Religious Protection Laws. The new laws were “drafted and promoted” by the Ma Ba Tha, a Buddhist organization also known as the Patriotic Association of Myanmar. The laws, which were adopted last Spring, could pave the path to discrimination. Deputy Director of Human Rights Watch’s Asia division, Phil Roberston, commented that the laws “set out the potential for

meet the staff... what’s your favorite regional food?

Bohessa Won SFS ‘19 IPOL

Phalguni Vetrichelvan SFS ‘18 International Politics

Meghan Anand SFS ‘16 STIA

Theresa Romualdez SFS ‘15 Undeclared

“Tom Yum Soup, a hot and sour soup most notable for lemongrass and lime accents.”

“Panipuri, a fried dumpling usually filled with spiced water and a chutney of potato, onion and chickpeas.”

“Pad Seew, a Chinese­ influenced stir­fry of rice noodles, egg, vegetables and meat.”

“Pho, a rice noodle soup served with either beef or chicken and topped with Thai Basil and lime juice.”

discrimination on religious grounds and pose the possibility for serious communal tension.”

Among the four laws passed by the Parliament this year, two specifically address religious matters. The monogamy law signed off by President Thein Sein on August 31 deems the polygamy and living with an “unmarried partner” as criminal offenses. This first law in practice specifically targets a Muslim minority in Myanmar that practices polygamy. The second law addresses religious conversion, stating that any “Myanmar citizen who wishes to change his/her religion must obtain approval from a newly established Registration Board for religious conversion, set up in townships.”

This new requirement will make it extremely difficult for anyone to convert to Islam, and due to the ongoing hostility, nearly impossible.

According to officials, November 8 marks the day Myanmar will have its first “open general election in 25 years.” However, the upcoming elections looks set to be built on a foundation of religious division and tensions. The National League for De-

mocracy (NLD), led by Aung San Suu Kyi, is expected to gain the most seats.

Although previously having taken a pro-Muslim stance, the NLD, facing pressure from the monks, has become quiet on the Muslim front. Win Htein, a 74-year-old sitting parliamentarian with the opposition National League for Democracy, remarks: “We have qualified Muslim candidates but we can’t select them for political reasons … if we choose Muslim candidates, Ma Ba Tha points their fingers at us so we have to avoid it.”

Currently, out of the 6000 candidates participating in national and regional elections, only an estimated 10 are Muslim. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has indicated that he is “deeply disappointed by this effective disenfranchisement of the Rohingya and other minority communities. Barring incumbent Rohingya parliamentarians from standing for re-election is particularly egregious.” The Ma Ba Tha see themselves as protectors of “race and religious politics” and have decided to use their widespread religious and political influence to sway the upcoming elections.

Illicit Drug Trade Plagues Myanmar Arista Jhanjee, Reporter On September 21, an anti-narcotics police squad in Yangon, Myanmar confiscated two million stimulant tablets during a raid. The discovery was linked to a July 26 seizure involving 26.2 million methamphetamine tablets valued at $106.4 million, the largest drug raid in the country’s history.

Since then, 12 arrest warrants have been issued for individuals suspected to be involved in drug trafficking.

Despite the country’s efforts to fight drug proliferation, production and trade of both opium and amphetamine-type stimulants (ALS) resurged in recent years. Myanmar’s cultivation of opium has tripled in the past nine years, making it the second-largest producer in the world. ALS production has similarly surged, as seen in the tripling of ALS seizures within the past five years.

There is evidence that companies building major infrastructure projects within Yangon are profiting from drugs. One such company, the Shwe Taung Group, has its roots in the notorious Asia Wealth Bank, which was targeted by both the U.S. and national authorities for its association with the illicit drug trade. The company facilitated the construction of the largest shopping mall in Yangon, among other projects. The most recent stimulant seizure also revealed corporate links, including real estate contracts and company-related advertising.

Companies with ties to the drug trade face little regulation, and large traffickers are often overlooked. The association large companies with the rise in illicit drug cultivation, thus, calls into question the stability of Myanmar’s economic growth and highlights the social costs behind recent economic progress.

Wildfires Trouble Region Bohesa Won, Reporter

A thick smog, a result of the recent wildfires in Indonesia, is posing great health risks to residents in the country and its neighboring regions. The fires are a byproduct of illegal slashand-burn farming, used to clear land for palm oil, paper, and rubber plantations. These techniques, combined with unusually dry weather conditions, have led to the worst air pollution conditions this year.

On September 11, the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) reported that tens of thousands have been treated for respiratory illnesses in afflicted Indonesian regions, including regions near Singapore.

In Singapore, poor air quality conditions prompted city officials to close schools and distribute masks to vulnerable individuals. The haze also impacted public events, discouraging people from attending Islamic services and hindering preparations for a traditional Chinese harvest festival.

Air quality in regions throughout Indonesia has worsened to levels considered hazardous to health, defined by the Pollutants Standards Index (PSI) as readings exceeding 300.

Regional neighbours have begun to express frustration too. As PSI levels in Singapore reached 341 last Friday, the city-state’s Foreign Minister K. Shanmugam stated that Indonesia had shown a “complete disregard for our people, and their own.” Student and activist protests at the Central Kalimantan Governor’s Office last Tuesday further illustrated resentment towards the cause of and response to the fires.

Government intervention has been effected on several fronts, as shown by the arrest of seven people whose companies may have contributed to the fires. However, considering that the wildfires in Indonesia are an annual problem repeatedly creating high tensions, the country may need to reevaluate its current approach and shift its focus to addressing governmental inadequacies and weaknesses in policies.

O CT. 15, 2015 | 13

Sri Lanka: Truth & Reconciliation At Last?

On May 18, 2009, the Sri Lankan Civil War came to an end when government forces claimed victory over the separatist rebel forces of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam. The conflict, which had erupted in July 1983 from long-standing ethnic and religious divisions between the Buddhist Sinhalese majority and the Hindu Tamil minority, claimed an estimated 70,000 to 130,000 lives. Over 40,000 members of the Tamil community are thought to have perished in the final five months of the government offensive alone.

On September 14, 2015, the Sri Lankan government declared its intention to establish and implement a Commission for Truth, Reconciliation, Justice, and Non-Recurrence in order to strengthen previous previous attempts to confront and redress the atrocities associated with the Sri Lankan civil war. The Commission, which is expected to draw from post-apart-

heid truth and reconciliation efforts in South Africa, seeks to develop a procedure for the pursuit of criminal justice.

It also seeks to guide and compensate victims through the establishment of a Compassion Council, administered by leaders of major faith traditions, that will enable individuals to come to terms with issues of truth and injustice related to the war. In light of the failure of previous post-war administrations to address and indict war crimes, the announcement of the Commission represents a new opportunity.

Some, however, doubt the accountability of a domestic body with little international oversight or guidance.

In its report on crimes committed during the Sri Lankan Civil War, the United Nations Human Rights Council has suggested the establishment of a “hybrid court” with U.N. jurisdiction for the purpose of ensuring effective prosecution of war crimes and human rights violations. The U.N. High Commissioner for Human rights, Zeid Ra’ad Al-Hussein, has declared that the

establishment of the abovementioned Commission, while commendable, is not enough to address evidence of deliberate and systematic perpetration of war crimes by state forces during the conflict. He has also stated that significant international involvement is necessary to ensure justice. Tamil minority leaders have also emphasized the

necessity of an objective international process.

The Sri Lankan government, for its part, has explicitly rejected the notion of a hybrid court with foreign jurisdiction, raising questions as to the depth of the commitment of the coalition government to come to terms with the horrors of a civil conflict.

TROKILINOCHCHI | FLICKR

Arista Jhanjee, Writer

Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu Districts civilians displaced as a result of the Sri Lanka military offensive in Jan. 2009.

Thailand’s Firewall Project Raises Suspicions Last month, Thailand’s government accidentally revealed a proposal to consolidate all internet gateways in the country into one single entity.

This proposal has been treated with suspicion by the general Thai public as they see it as an attempt by the government to monitor and control the internet. The Ministry of Information and Communications Technology (ICT Ministry), which has been instructed to implement the project, addressed the subject last week and claimed that the initiative was a purely economic one. According to the new ICT Minis-

ter Uttama Savanayan, the project will strengthen the country’s digital economy by lowering the cost of internet providers.

According to the National Electronics and Computer Technology Center (Nectec), there already exists a competitive market of 10 major companies operating and providing gateway services, If the plan were actually to be implemented, it would be a return to the days of the early 1990s during which the then government-controlled Communications Authority of Thailand (CAT) held a monopoly status in the industry. The old model, established in 1954, is remembered very

TROKILINOCHCHI | FLICKR

Amy Zhang, Writer

Image displayed when accessing prohibited content in Thailand, as of 2014.

unfondly by older people because of its unreliable service, exorbitant prices, and outdated technology. Now a prospective return of the gloom old days is inevitable to stir public outcry, not to mention the potential threat to privacy and security of personal information.

Judging from an accidentally-released cabinet summary dated Sept 4th, the initiative is, in fact, designed for security purposes. The development order, authorized by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, states that the “single gateway [is] to serve as a tool to control access to inappropriate sites, and the influx of information from abroad.” A government-monitored, state-owned gateway would surely enable the government to tighten control over the internet, but comes at a severe cost of the loss of individual privacy as well as national ambitions of making Thailand an efficient digital hub.

Recognizing the plan’s drawbacks, angry internet users employed social media to call on netizens to log onto government websites simultaneously to overload their capacities. The first attack took place at about 10 pm on Wednesday September 30, organized by the “Anti-CAT Tower Mob” group with the support of its 127,000-plus Facebook followers. By midnight, several sites such as that of the prime ministers and the ICT ministry had been

affected.

Although those websites quickly recovered, it would appear that the public outcry has been taken seriously.

Prime Minister Prayut has since insisted that the plan is only being studied, and that he had not authorized any government agencies to implement it. ”Nothing has been done yet…The single gateway was raised as only one of several options,” he said.

However, this apparent backing down has not seemed to appease the public . Right after the Prime Minister’s announcement, a group of cyber activists threatened to wage concentrated attacks on state websites unless the government formally scraped the initiative by October 14. In response to this new round of protests, the government has warned the activists to “restrain themselves” and reassured that the gateway initiative was still in the studying phase. However, the fight for online freedom is likely to continue unless the government backs down and formally abandons the proposal.

This will no doubt threaten to widen the credibility gap that the Thai government currently suffers from as Thai citizens construe this initiative as a sign of the new military regime’s intentions to impose even stricter controls on its people.

EDITORIAL COLUMN: Ho Yao Nian, Editor

S

outh and Southeast Asia are two very different regions, each with its own set of unique historical circumstances, challenges and opportunities. However, both regions offer so much to the world today thanks to their incredible dynamism and diversity. It is thus a real pity that both regions tend to be mischaracterised or neglected in general by Western and by extension, international media.

As such, the SSEA Section in the Caravel aims to represent both South and Southeast Asia within their respective contexts and on their regional terms. In recent decades, the countries in both regions have offered fascinating alternative models to the Western democratic experiment and innovative solutions to domestic as well as international problems.

In particular, India, Indonesia and Singapore raise questions about an objective “democratic standard” in governance while regional institutions like ASEAN serve as useful case studies for new models of regional cooperation.

Structurally, the sheer size of both regions in terms of economy and demography mean that South and Southeast Asia will collectively play a major role tomorrow’s international order.

While it would be naïve to take both regions as a monolith, their significance in the future cannot be overstated. More importantly, it is my hope that readers of the SSEA Section come to understand that South and Southeast Asian societies do have history and agency. The peoples of the regions have responded and adapted to contingencies for hundreds of years and will continue to do so in the years to come.

14 | OCT. 1 5 , 2 0 1 5

Denmark’s Divisive Refugee Policy William Reid, Writer In early September, several Lebanese newspapers in Denmark published advertisements in Arabic touting changes to Denmark’s refugee policy. Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen explained that the purpose of these advertisements, funded by the Danish government, was to make Denmark a less desirable place for refugees. Fueled by a recent wave of nationalism, Denmark’s official immigration policy is beginning to resemble that of Hungary, known for its unwelcoming stance on refugees.

A decades-old exemption from official EU immigration law, contained in the 1992 Maastricht Treaty, has enabled Denmark to circumvent many of the EU’s policies towards refugees.

Today, as other Maastricht Treaty member-states begin to fulfill their European Commission-mandated refugee quotas, an opt-out provision enables the Danish government to write its own immigration policy and take in far fewer refugees than other EU

members. Rasmussen has promised that Denmark will accept 1,000 refugees, while Finland, whose population and GDP are slightly smaller than Denmark’s, is required to accept 2,398 refugees under the EU plan.

Rasmussen, a member of the Liberal Party of Denmark, was elected on his party’s promise to immediately halt the massive influx of refugees from the south. The platform, heavily influenced by the right-wing coalition partner Danish People’s Party (DF), reflects growing nationalism within Denmark. Rasmussen has been outspoken about this sentiment, stating, “It is my responsibility to use the tragic situation to find a solution that is in Denmark’s interest.”

However, this position is not limited to Rasmussen and politicians within his coalition. The Danish electorate, like its government, favors an isolationist strategy to counter the rising number of refugees attempting to gain entry into Denmark. The DF has been growing in popularity since its founding in 1995 and is now the Danish par-

meet the staff...

“My favorite WEU team is the AS Roma because Totti will always be - Gemma Corsi a god!”

SFS ‘17, International Politics

William Reid MSB ‘16 Finance

Tara Subramaniam SFS ‘19 INAF

Tancrède Fulconis SFS ‘16 RCST

Mary Zuccarello SFS ‘19 Undeclared

MSTYSLAV CHERNOV | WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

WESTERN EUROPE

Mary Zuccarello, Reporter

Syrian refugees strike in front of Budapest Keleti railway station on September 3.

liament’s second largest party. Recent statements by the DF echo the sentiment of many Danes, who hold that they “will not accept a multi-ethnic transformation of country.”

Many critics have called these stances xenophobic and have observed that such targeted, publicized efforts to create a negative image of the country to outsiders have made nationalism in Denmark essentially self-perpetuating. The early-September Lebanese newspaper advertisements explained that newcomer refugees will see social benefits reduced by up to 50%, family reunification rights rejected, strict Danish language requirements enforced, and that rejected asylum seekers will be forced to leave Denmark

immediately. Rasmussen has voiced his support for such policies, stating while campaigning, “There is no doubt that this tightening of conditions will give rise to fewer asylum seekers.”

The hope for a comprehensive European response to the refugee crisis hinges on the actions of nationalist parties like those that rule Denmark.

Rasmussen’s candidness about the intentions of Danish refugee policy gives rise to polarization in the European Parliament and indicates that the influx of refugees will only rise for countries neighboring Denmark.

A potential resolution to the conflict lies in a referendum set to occur before March 31, 2016 to reconsider Denmark’s “opt-out” clause.

Shell’s Alaskan Arctic Exit Rachel Rodgers, Reporter Royal Dutch Shell announced on Monday, September 29 that it plans to immediately suspend all offshore oil drilling in the Alaskan Arctic. Shell described the overall return from its $7 billion exploration for oil in the Alaskan Arctic as “fruitless,” and Monday’s announcement came following disappointing returns from a test well in Alaska’s Chukchi Sea. Shell’s decision to end drilling in Alaska has significant implications for other Arctic states, most notably, Greenland. The 2010 discovery of traces of oil below Greenland’s surface, and a subsequent rush to Greenland by several large oil companies, led many to believe that the island would soon gain the financial clout necessary to become independent from Denmark.

However, falling oil prices and a lack of infrastructure caused three of these

EU Calls Summit on Migrant Crisis

companies to leave Greenland in January 2015, and several more (including Shell) to postpone drilling operations until at least 2017, if not indefinitely. These events negatively impacted prospects for Greenlandic independence: political leaders went from predicting that independence would occur within their lifetimes to suggesting that the timeline had been pushed back several decades.

Shell’s decision to conclude offshore drilling operations in the Alaskan Arctic is not a guarantee that it will permanently suspend operations in Greenland. However, many scientists have speculated that Shell’s announcement implies a future pivot away from Arctic exploration, a decision which would undoubtedly diminish Greenland’s financial clout and provide another obstacle to achieving independence.

Leaders of multiple European Union member nations convened an emergency summit on Wednesday, September 23 in Brussels to discuss the ongoing migrant crisis in Europe.

The leaders crafted several policy initiatives at the meeting, including commitments to provide financial aid to countries bordering Syria that are currently housing refugees, increase spending on European border security, and enact a quota system that will distribute migrants more evenly across the continent.

Refugee migration, specifically that of the quota system, has been a divisive topic among European nations. While Germany and France support the equal allocation of refugees throughout the EU, the central European nations of Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic stand in opposition to the plan. These nations have cited their inability to deal with large influxes of new populations, specifically those of different ethnic backgrounds. France and Germany, unlike their eastern counterparts, are more multi-ethnic demographically and have experience managing inflows of multi-ethnic immigrants. The conflict remains unresolved, and Slovakia and Hungary have directed legal threats against the European Commission concerning the quota system ruling, though Western European nations still plan to enforce it.

Despite these setbacks, most European Union leaders have agreed on the importance of bolstering border defenses to more effectively manage the flood of refugees. Altogether, the European Union has allocated €1.7 billion to manage the crisis. About €1.1 billion will be sent to the UN Refugee Agency and the World Food Program, while the rest will be used to increase border security throughout the continent and aid Balkan states bordering Syria in managing growing numbers of refugees.

O CT. 15, 2015 | 15

Catalan Separatists Win Regional Election Separatists advocating for Catalonia’s independence from Spain have declared themselves victorious following a recent parliamentary election on Sunday, September 27. The election was seen as an opportunity for Catalan separatists to achieve greater representation in their regional government and subsequently to advocate for independence in the coming months.

Two of the major secessionist parties in Catalonia, Together for Yes and the smaller leftist Popular Unit Candidacy party (CUP), emerged victorious in this sense. Official election results show the two parties as having won 62 and 10 seats of the available 135 in parliament respectively. Following the election, Artur Mas, the premier of the Catalan regional government, announced that “this vote will bring economic prosperity, social justice, solidarity, hope, dignity, and freedom” and voiced his intent to formally declare Catalonia’s independence from Spain

within the next 18 months.

The debate regarding Catalonia’s desire to secede from Spain is not new.

It began in 2012 over a financial dispute regarding Catalonia’s tax contribution to poorer parts of Spain. Tensions rose in November 2014 when an unofficial vote indicated that 80% of the Catalan population favored independence. Hopes for independence are high following Sunday’s election, though an official declaration does remain far off in the distance.

Spain’s constitution prohibits any region from seceding, and Madrid refuses to consider Sunday’s elections as a legitimate step toward secession.

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy’s center-right government has opposed any attempt to hold a referendum in Catalonia. Rajoy’s spokesperson confirmed that “[Rajoy’s Popular Party] will continue to guarantee legality and the unity of Spain.” Meanwhile, Mas appears determined to proceed with his secessionist plans.

Since Catalonia is Spain’s second

most populous region, this separatist victory could result in dramatic changes. Economically, Spain relies on Catalonia as a net contributor for its tax system to finance the poorer regions.

Further, Catalonia accounts for nearly 20% of the country’s GDP. Spain is currently on its way out of a recession, and many are concerned that Catalonia’s independence would negatively affect European financial markets.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, UK Prime Minister David

Cameron, and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker have all cautioned that Catalonia would no longer be part of the EU if it chose to proceed with the independence movement. Some Catalans have also voiced their wish to remain part of Spain, provided that Catalonia receives tax benefits and protection of its language and culture. Analysts believe that Sunday’s election will compel Spanish and Catalan authorities to openly discuss current tensions between the two regions.

IVAN MCCLELLAN | WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Gemma Corsi, Reporter

Pro-Independence protester waving a Catalan flag during Catalan National Day

French Reactions to TTIP Show Hesitation, Fear The French Minister of Foreign Trade, Matthias Fekl, stated in an interview with regional newspaper Sud Ouest on Sunday, September 27th that France will keep open the option to suspend all ongoing Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) negotiations. The TTIP, a trade plan between the European Union and United States, is designed to eliminate barriers to trade and investment between the two parties.This potential agreement was characterized by Dominique Strauss Kahn, former Director of the International Monetary Fund, as a “considerable trap for the Europeans” during a speech at the French Senate in

2013. Today, the TTIP has emerged as a polarizing issue that has divided the French political class.

The secret negotiations, classified by both the U.S. and EU, have stalled once more as the French Socialist government seeks to spend more time negotiating key issues. The main points of contention have been public safety, the removal of restrictions on transnational investment, protection of the environment, and the protection of French culture. Fekl has also noted that Paris has not received a serious offer from Washington since 2013, despite French President Francois Hollande’s desire to move forward with negotiations.

The main opposition party, the Republican Party, seems to exhibit the

GARRY KNIGHT | FLICKR

Tancrède Fulconis, Writer

Anti-TTIP protest meeting at Parliament Square, October 2014

most unified support for the TTIP despite concerns about the obscurity of negotiations. The TTIP has garnered more support among the traditionally mainstream political parties, though dissidents still inhabit both parties.

Outside of the Republican Party and the Socialist Party, the TTIP has been viewed with growing suspicion.

Parties which usually have nothing in common agree on the danger of TTIP, particularly for agricultural and commercial norms. Jean Luc Mélanchon, the leader of the Leftist Front, describes the United States as “an imperial power, with no friends and with only interests.” Similarly, the Green Party (EELV), fears a race to the bottom for agricultural norms. Marine Le Pen, leader of the Front National, warned in an anti-TTIP video of an impending “ultra-liberal massacre,” which would reinforce the dictatorship of banks should the TTIP be ratified.

These three parties have traditionally operated under a more anti-globalization approach favoring economic protectionism. With regional elections looming, these parties are attempting to play on the fears of the voters, particularly in relation to genetically modified organisms. While the TTIP states that regulation will not change on sensitive issues like hormone-treated meat, parties such as the Leftist Front, Green Party, and Nation-

al Front have played on these fears to protest current TTIP negotiations.

Some fear that businesses could potentially misuse international courts to bypass norms. The TTIP proposal includes the creation of an Arbitration Tribunal, to which members of the European Parliament have responded hesitantly. Considering France’s employment laws, agricultural norms, and history of protectionism, there is a genuine fear among French parties that American multinational corporations may unilaterally impose their laws on French soil. Many French are afraid that the Arbitration Tribunal will favor businesses over the state, a fear which has been voiced most successfully by the far-right and the farleft parties through anti-capitalist and anti-establishment rhetoric. In fact, a recent study from the French Institute of Public Opinion shows that only 15 percent of French people think capitalism is functioning reasonably.

While the government does not intend to reject the treaty, it nonetheless behaves very cautiously, keeping open the option to back out of the negotiations. Meanwhile, the majority of French parties see this treaty as a way for the United States to further impose its economic hegemony in Western Europe and undermine both France’s agricultural industry and European commercial norms.

EDITORIAL COLUMN: Brandon Greenblatt, Editor

W

ith headlines proclaiming Greece’s financial woes, refugees struggling to find safe passage to Europe, and mounting ethnic and religious tensions, a cursory glance at Western Europe today reveals a rather dismal state of affairs.

Indeed, recent media coverage of Western Europe repeatedly emphasizes the political and economic dysfunction rampant throughout the region and the European Union.

Within the past few weeks, for example, Royal Dutch Shell hinted at possibly terminating its drilling efforts in Greenland, a decision which could compromise the country’s financial stability. France has experienced commercial turmoil of its own, as recent TTIP trade negotiations with the United States have stalled.

Still, there is promising news from Western Europe that offers hope that some of the region’s longstanding, contentious issues will finally be resolved. On September 23, EU leaders met in Brussels to outline a cohesive, coordinated response to the continent’s growing refugee crisis.

In the Catalan region of Spain, a September 27th election helped separatist voters gain increased representation in Catalonia’s regional parliament, hinting at a potential resolution for an ongoing and divisive issue in Spanish politics.

Without question, it will be fascinating to observe how these, and other stories, develop over the coming weeks. Western Europe remains a global center of finance, politics, and social policy, with different and engaging news stories emerging every single day.

I would encourage everyone to watch Western Europe with a close eye, as the events happening there today will undoubtedly shape our

16 | OCT. 1 5 , 2 0 1 5

THE ANCHOR

EDITORIAL COLUMN: Sam Kim, Editor Max Fiege, Associate Editor

T

he Anchor section began, essentially as a challenge - could we find similar trends from multiple regions of the world on a regular basis? With all the seemingly disjointed problems across the globe, could we produce convincing, informative articles that address all of them? If so, were we as Georgetown students in the position to publish our views on the matter?

With every article, every interview and every D.C. column, these questions weigh on Max and myself. With every article, we seek to draw out collected, well-researched Op-ed pieces from our writers that connect recent events in Russia to those in Mexico and Algeria. We have also looked inward - reaching out to Georgetown’s Professors and attending various current affairs events in the D.C. community.

Much like the anchor to a caravel, the section seeks to be a hook that couples issues and ideas that are different at first glance. We welcome your readership and input during this enthusiastic process.

Op-Ed: The Violent Politics of Exclusion Jake Sorrels, Writer President Obama may be right that the “Global War on Terror” is over.

Fourteen years after 9/11, it seems America’s national battle cry has dwindled to a sporadic murmur. But the fight against foreigners—particularly Muslims—still rages on domestic fronts across the country. The aggressors? Far-right extremists. The guilty bystanders? Many of us—politicians and private citizens alike—too preoccupied with lesser threats to address this homegrown radicalism head on.

In the long shadow of 9/11—with global economic meltdown, the election of our first black president, and changing demographic trends—far right-wing organizations have exploded across the United States. They’ve tripled in number since 1999. In 2014, an act of domestic terrorism was committed every 33 days. And in the last decade, nearly twice as many people have been killed by white supremacist,

It’s the masses that can demand radically violent political outcomes through deceptively nonviolent means anti-immigrant, and anti-government radicals than by radical Muslims.

Yet the failure of America’s response to terrorism isn’t just its alienation of Islam, but also its obsession with ideological violence in general.

In fairness, most far-right groups don’t use violence to achieve their political ends. And although reactionaries still constitute the majority of domestic terrorism, ideological violence itself is a sliver of overall violence in this country. To strengthen national security, U.S. officials and defense agencies should put their resources towards the common methods and circumstances through which violence manifests, not its sometimes rhetorical vehicles.

Much homegrown terrorism could be prevented with better gun regulation, economic policy, and mental health programs.

But this uptick in white terror is symptomatic of a larger and more hard-to-buck trend: the resurgence

of exclusionary middle class values across America and the West.

With hundreds of thousands of immigrant lives at stake, radical rightwing movements in Europe threaten to revert the continent to a darker era.

Dutch politician Geert Wilders, a huge force behind reactionism across the region, describes the mass migration as an “Islamic invasion” that jeopardizes “the security, culture, and identity of Europe.” Wilders’ party currently ranks atop Dutch opinion polls. Far-right parties pushing the same xenophobic populism now lead public opinion or even governments in France, Sweden, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and elsewhere. The latter four countries outright rejected Europe’s refugee integration plan. And in a particularly unbelievable display of historical ignorance, the Czech government recently required all incoming Syrians be identified with serial numbers tattooed on their forearms.

Back in the United States, the popularity of Donald Trump may best mark the surge of intolerant politics.

Among other frightening proposals, the GOP frontrunner calls for a solution to America’s “Muslim problem,” as well as the immediate removal of 11 million illegal immigrants. If the general election were tomorrow, CNN predicts Trump would win about 43% of the vote.

While we are well-equipped to reduce the direct violence on the margins, it’s the masses I fear most. It’s the masses who can demand such radically violent political outcomes—like those offered by the likes of Trump, Wilders, and other leaders—through deceptively nonviolent, mainstream political means.

From 9/11 to the current Syrian exodus, great crises are often the bases from which mass movements are born.

These movements are important for national survival—and can be beautiful reminders of the very ideas that our Western democracies were founded on (e.g. freedom, brotherhood, and equality). But the same moments of solidarity can just as easily stir a related yet warring set of beliefs, just as present as Western ascendance, namely, cultural supremacy and persecution. Consequently, we end up indicting not just persons, but entire peoples.

After the January 11 Charlie Hebdo

massacre, French intellectual Emmanuel Todd criticized the ensuing public rallies as the imposition of white middle class dominance, fraught with Islamophobia and even anti-Semitism.

Todd was immediately excoriated by his fellow countrymen, including the Socialist Prime Minister, who described Todd as “self-flagellating” and unpatriotic.

If not now, when will we take a true stand against the violent politics of exclusion?

This type of uncritical, with-usor-against us unity is not unlike what emerged in America on September 12, 2001. In essence: “Critics be damned!

Only with hindsight—and perhaps a bloody reprisal of Iraqi proportions— will we let you climb out of the woodworks and lecture us about the consequences of our fear-mongering.”

This recurring cycle of fear is dangerous and unsustainable. In the longrun, public education and policies that promote and protect rigorous inclusivity are important for moderating continued from pg. 1 He received his Ph.D. in Political Science and was drawn to the private sector.

“Issues of state-business relations, private sector development, and economic and political development have been my mainstay for my whole career, from graduate school to now,” he explained.

After experiences ranging from lecturing at Smith College to consulting for the World Bank, Taylor came to Georgetown fifteen years ago and now heads the Georgetown African Studies Program and teaches as an associate professor. To him, having the job is a “privilege.”

“The directorship of African Studies program gives me and my colleagues an opportunity to elevate the study of Africa,” he expressed.

“Africa is both an intellectual passion but also something we want to share.” Taylor described the program’s importance, stating, “We are not trying to promote an African agenda per se, but oftentimes … we find ourselves in a position of confronting miscon-

excessive responses to national uncertainty. More immediately, during and after crises themselves, bold leaders need to defend those on the margins as equally integral to our national projects. German Chancellor Angela Merkel already set an example of this leadership when she proposed Germany accept 500,000 new refugees.

And since then, outbursts of compassion have emerged all across Germany to rival and even drown out the new roars of racism. Hospitals, schools, churches, families, and even soccer leagues are all frantically preparing to welcome the incoming migrants.

In the United States, President Obama did well last week to increase America’s refugee goal by 30,000, now 100,000 in total. Yet that 100,000— one-fifth of the German objective— sounds more like lip service when considering that America enjoys 26 times Germany’s landmass. Far from mobilizing ourselves to confront the crisis, Americans tend to dismiss it as an exclusively European problem.

If not now, when will we take a true stand against the violent politics of exclusion?

ceived notions.”

In conjunction with the African Studies program, which has grown to include a graduate level certificate as of this fall, Taylor does his best to keep his students engaged. His sarcastic sense of humor brings life to his lectures, while his extensive travel experiences add a unique perspective to the class.

“In the last twelve months, I’ve been in eight or so African countries,” he says. There, he conducts research, works at consultancies, and observes elections. He summed his work up by saying, “I spend a lot of time on the continent.”

His thirst for knowledge has earned him incredible accomplishments, including authoring four books while still making time to coach his son’s basketball team. He reflected, “I’ve been fortunate to have witnessed momentous change in Africa,” change which he believes positively influenced