Hope in the DRC
I am very pleased to see Rwanda has captured rebel leader Nkunda in the DRC (BBC Article). Though this is far from the end, it is promising.
Last summer, I was in Zanzibar where I met a UN observer who was embedded with the DRC troops. To put it mildly, this guy was a crazy russian. As a UN military observer, his job was to fill out reports and send them on to headquarters, he could not intervene in any way. He told stories of rape, murder and burning villages. I can’t even begin to imagine such horrors.
The Eastern Congo truly is the most dangerous place on the planet and well over a million people have died there over the past fifteen years. There are many reasons for the ongoing violence, notably the belgium dictatorship followed promptly by that of the US backed Joseph Mobutu, but the shear size, ethnic variety and rich mineral resources makes it ripe for becoming a conflict zone. Even Rwanda has profited handsomely from the conflict – exporting over 250 million dollars worth of Coltan, a substance used in our cellphones and computers. That being said, the news of Nkunda’s arrest in conjunction with the war crimes investigation of ex-congolese leader Jean-Pierre Bemba is a ray of a hope in an otherwise dismal picture. What lessons can we learn from this conflict?
During my recent flurry of posts on the Israeli-Gaza situation, I was criticized for singling out Israel which has arguably done less ‘evil’ than other nations. When I suggested a boycott of Israeli products, I was asked, “Why don’t you boycott Rwanda for their support of DRC rebels?”. Some of reasons a boycott of Rwandan coffee would be ineffective include the level of poverty, development and history in the region; however, ultimately I think Rwanda is already on the right path. Israel, I fear, is not. For a poor country in a remote area of the world, the Rwandans’ ability to compromise has deeply impressed me; their decision to crack down on this rebel and former ally reinforced my hope of Rwandan development.
The Rwandans, though far from perfect, were able to see that after the genocide in the 90s, any sort of “revenge” or “communal punishment” on the Hutus would backfire. Much like the Nazis, the Rwandan government prosecuted the serious criminals and pardonned most of the low level thugs who partook in the massacres. This was largely done without foreign aid and despite remaining tribal rivalries.
It would have been easy to seek revenge and lay blame, but they saw beyond that. This small lonely country, surrounded by instability and violence, lost a million citizens to tribal warfare; and yet, they forgave and compromised. Israel could learn something from this remote, poor, African nation.
Published on January 26, 2009Why I am digging the Kitchen
Lately, I have been really getting into cooking. Largely, because of a certain Mr. Ramsay, Gordon Ramsay. The guy is a fucking maniac/genius/brash/crazy cook who has a series of shows – I particularly like the BBC Kitchen Nightmares.
Cooking is very much like running a small business. You have to improvise, get immediate feedback, gain confidence…
P.S. Before meeting Digital Ramsay, I thought I knew how to make eggs, I was wrong. He knows how to make scrambled eggs. Video below:
Published on January 22, 2009Brothers in the Desert
The Israeli situation produces many opinions in the Jewish community, but overwhelmingly it has elicited support. This is very sad. If the subject of the Palestinians is broached with Jewish people you typically get two responses, negation of any major wrong by Israel and an indifference to the suffering of the Palestinian people. If the discussion is pushed further, it becomes clear that rational thought is thrown out the window. The conversation becomes completely emotional and therefore impossible.
So why bother? For the same reason that Gandhi tried to make peace between the Muslims and Hindus, because it is right.
A major hurdle is that both camps are entrenched in their positions, the Pro-Palestine on one side and the Pro-Israeli on the other. Where is the Pro-Peace camp? Lately even brave organizations such as Peace Now – who advocate immediate peace – have been marginalized and told by Israelis to stay out of the way. Where is a strong leader on both sides? Well, the Israelis kill most of the Palestinian leaders or marginalize them and on the Israeli side, people like Yitzhak Rabin are killed and Avraham Burg are ostracized.
So, where is this conflict going? Why is it happening? Quick answer, it is happening because people are letting it happen. The fault lies with everyone, Israelis, Palestinians, Arabs, Jews, You, Me. It is not their fault, whoever “they” might be, it is our fault. Nobel laureate Martti Ahtisaari succinctly explained, “Peace is a question of will”.
In a quick experiment, I emailed every Jewish person I knew with a link to an article about an innocent man killed in Gaza, along with a quote from Rabbi Hillel concerning the Golden Rule, and a note stating I was going to boycott Israeli products (not that I buy any to start with). Emails and Responses are below. Most went without response. The responses I did get conveyed outrage or a desire to not be bothered. I doubt they even read the article I linked to.
In contrast to my simple non-denominational non-violent e-mail, I have repeatedly received chain letters (from Jews) with “facts” about Israel, Arabs and Jews. These chain-letters are at least 50% categorically false and about 50% irrelevant to the ongoing conflict. One thing they are, is racist. Example here, and here (with rebuttal). It is very sad to see people who were only 60 years ago subject to the same misinformation, use it against their neighbours.
When it comes to North American Jews, how can people who have so much wealth and so little love? Where is the compassion between relatives? After all, if you believe in the Torah or Qur’an, the Arabs and Jews are born of the same father, Abraham. Separated when still young, Abraham’s two sons, Isaac and Ishmael, were estranged for years. Even amongst their descendants, little has changed.
It is even more peculiar is that North American Jews are more war-mongering than the Israelis, which is pretty remarkable for people who have never served in the military, been attacked by another nation, or probably ever been in a serious physical altercation. The question becomes, how we exit this negative feedback loop?
Not easy, but reading history would probably help. One thing that is clear, pacification through force does not last. The only long-lasting peace-building has been through co-operation and non-violent resistance. I am an engineer, and as such, I believe in cause and effect. Every action has an equal or greater reaction. The only way to break the cycle is to stop fighting.
Imagine if India had attacked Pakistan after the recent bombings in Mumbai? Two nuclear nations going at it; India has the brains and history to understand the futility of such a war. What would Israel have done if over a 100 civilians were killed? The answer is, sadly, written in the deaths of Gaza. It is time to stop and say, Enough! As Mahatma Ghandi said, “An eye for an eye will leave the world blind”.
Recently, Charlie Rose interviewed Bob Simon on 60 minutes about the current conflict in Israel. The main hurdle right now is indifference. People are passionate about the issue, but they are unwilling to really sit down and say, “We are going to solve this and we are not leaving until we have”.
One of the many things Bob Simon said was (paraphrasing), “The people of Tel Aviv do not want to talk about Palestinians. They have a good life, in a beautiful city. Why should they be concerned with the Gaza strip?” Probably, the same thing was true of the British in India, the Whites in Cape Town, the French in Haiti, … the list is long. As Bob Simon explains, due to the settlements in the West Bank, a two-state solution is not viable anymore. If a one state solution (confederation like Canada) or federation (think Germany) is the inevitable situation, maybe you should stop killing your future citizens.
It is time for Israel and Palestine to grow up. Peace will only come if they are willing to treat their neighbours with the same respect they request. The Israelis will only act under American pressure, but the Palestinans can act today, through non-violent resistance. Every rocket that is launched from Gaza perversely helps Israeli hawks, and yet both parties have the power to break the cycle, the question is who will do it first. It is a lot easier to bomb, kill and hate than it is to love, sacrifice and care. No one person is to blame for this mess, we all are.
Remember, in the book of Genesis, Abraham’s sons, Isaac and Ishmael, after years of estrangement, come back to bury their father, together.
—————————————————————————————————————–
Original email I sent:
Hi,
You are all the jewish people in my address book. I know I bombard Facebook with articles, but here is one, short, single, story about the tragedy currently occurring.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/gaza-the-death-and-life-of-my-father-1225793.html
Personally, I will be boycotting all Israeli products for the forceable future – it worked for South Africa, maybe it will work here.
Peace,
Jonathan
“That which is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow. That is the whole Torah; the rest is the explanation; go and learn.” – Rabbi Hillel
“Indifference is not a beginning, it is an end. And, therefore, indifference is always the friend of the enemy, for it benefits the aggressor — never his victim, whose pain is magnified when he or she feels forgotten. The political prisoner in his cell, the hungry children, the homeless refugees — not to respond to their plight, not to relieve their solitude by offering them a spark of hope is to exile them from human memory. And in denying their humanity we betray our own.” – Elie Wiesel
Responses I got:
tyle=”font-size:130%;”>1.
Jon, you’ve taken it too far- really. While you might have greviances towards the recent actions of the Israeli government, it is unfair to hurt an entire economy or people to make a political point. Throwing aside the economic reason mentioned, as its not like you’re purchasing falafel balls everyday, i think you’re behaving with a quick knee-jerk reaction. South Africa treated its people terribly each and everyday for decades. Israel is NOT South Africa. While you can question the legitimacy of this specific operation and the awful humanitarian effects it has had, Israel does not go out and do this everyday and i would argue would never do so if it was not attacked. Black south africans did not shoot rockets into Johanessburg, and if they did let me tell you i’m sure the boycott would not have been so successful.
I understand your disgust- we expect more from Israel. But this is not the way to show your criticism and dismay. Write opinion pieces, write to your MP, the usual route but I strongly disagree with your decision to boycott Israeli goods. Israel should receive blanket support for its actions this time round, agreed, but neither should it pay such a cost.
i’d be happy to continue this conversation further.
2. Brun, I’m surprised to see someone with your level of education and intellect be swayed into a mood of such hatred by a single news article authored by a reporter from Gaza. If you have such feelings, that is your business and your right. But there is no need for you to spread the hatred on behalf of a terrorist organization such as Hamas.
3. Brun, just so you know, your arguments and opinion align fully with the Concordia student group responsible for the Netanyahu riot in 2001 (I believe? Not sure the exact date). They also believed a boycott of Israel was needed. They also complained of Israel cutting off their resources. I was a student at ConU at that time, and had to go to class with a small weapon due to the thuggery present. My Jewish classmate was beaten up because he wore a yamaka (jewish head covering). By endorsing the idea of a boycott of Israel and its products, u r, in my mind, as low as those thugs sitting in the Hall building of Concordia. Why not support some other cause like stopping the seal hunt in Canada, preventing global warming, or promoting the legalization of full contact strip clubs?
Here’s a website listing of companies ull have to boycott to get you started:
www.inminds.co.uk/boycott-brands.html
Not sure why u ended ure last email in shalom. If u boycott Israel, why use its word for peace?
4. jonathan, please do not include me on your email list when expressing political views…….there are as many different views and perspectives as there are minutes in a day………
you had sent me a quote, now let me forward one to you……..
As Golda Meir once said:
“[The Arabs] will stop fighting us when they love their children more than they hate [Jews].”
NOTE by Jonathan: The quote from Golda Meir is disputed and I cannot find a reliable source for it, please point me in the right direction.
5. Please do not send me more articles.
Thanks very much. See you soon.
Published on January 10, 2009Managing Ideas
One of the biggest challenges is prioritizing ideas. This applies to both business and life. Personally, I never buy anything on impulse. If I see something that appeals to me, I will make a mental note of it. If I still want it in a couple months, then I’ll buy it. The vast majority of things, I forget. Eventually, you get fewer and fewer purchase desires.
At NIMONIK, we apply this to content and technology features. When a feature is originally proposed or thought up, we let it sit for a while. If it is still an appealing idea after a month or two, then we put it on the priority list. We then watch other ideas to see if the original idea should stay on the priority list, if not we move it to a backlog list. That backlog list usually grows and grows as we archive ideas. Eventually, the backlog gets trashed.
Published on January 10, 2009The Canadian Israel Experience Lies to Us
I just received an email from the Canadian Israel Experience (CIE), a Tour organizer for Birthright. Birthright is a program to send young people of jewish decent to Israel to gain an appreciation for the country. I did it, it was great and I highly recommend it. During the trip there was minimal propaganda and the conversations with both staff and fellow travelers were open and contained a wide variety of political opinions.
However, I just received a newsletter from them regarding the current crisis. It is factually incorrect.
Therefore, the rockets into Israeli territory after nearly six months of cease-fire followed – rather than preceded – the Israeli invasion into, and the killings of Palestinians inside, the occupied Gaza Strip. On November 14, the paper’s Jerusalem Bureau Chief, Ethan Bronner, re-stated the same facts reported by Kershner; he additionally voiced them in his accompanying interview on NYT radio – both can be read/heard here.
Full Letter from CIE:
AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE ABOUT THE CURRENT SITUATION IN ISRAEL:
You probably have seen and read about the recent escalation of violence between Israel and Hamas over the past two weeks. We felt that it was important to provide Birthright Israel alumni with some background information as well as provide some links to more information and ways to support Israel in these difficult times.
A Brief Summary
In 2005, Israel withdrew entirely from Gaza, thus ending any occupation in that region. Since that time, Hamas has indiscriminately fired thousands of rockets from Gaza into Israel, killing and wounding innocent Israeli citizens.
A temporary ceasefire between Gaza and Israel was declared in June, 2008; on December 19th, when that ceasefire expired, Hamas resumed firing rockets into southern Israel. These attacks increased over the following week and on December 27th, Israel responded by launching military air and ground campaigns targeted at weakening Hamas forces.
Hamas made its intentions clear when it announced that it would no longer be abiding by the ceasefire. The Egyptian Foreign Ministry and the Palestinian Authority have put the responsibility for the escalation in Gaza squarely on Hamas.
Every country has the right and the obligation to protect its citizens. Israel seeks peace and security for its citizens and for the citizens of the region. In order for this to happen, Hamas must stop targeting Israeli civilians, and must accept Israel’s fundamental right to exist.
Israel regrets the loss of innocent life and notifies Gaza residents in the areas they intend to target. Israel military actions in Gaza are targeting Hamas combatants who are – in violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention – shielding themselves behind innocent men, women and children. Israel continues to allow truckloads of aid, including food and medical supplies, to enter Gaza on an ongoing basi s .
The Israeli government has issued statements that it is willing to negotiate a ceasefire providing Hamas stops its missile attacks on southern Israel; ends terror attacks on the border fence between Gaza and Israel; and ceases to smuggle weapons into Gaza. It has been proposed that an international force would be needed to enforce these terms.
Links to More Information
For commentary from Alan Dershowitz in the Jersualem Post, click here.
To watch a CNN interview with New York Mayor, Michael Bloomberg here.
To watch a CNN interview with Likud Leader, Benjamin Netanyahu click here.
For the Israeli news perspective you can follow daily updates and articles through these websites:
The Jerusalem Post: www.jpost.com.
Haaretz Daily Newspaper: www.haaretz.com.
Ynet news: www.ynetnews.com.
To learn more about Canada-Israel relations, please visit Canada Israel Committee at www.cicweb.ca or Canada’s Israel at www.canadasisrael.ca.
Community Rallies:
As part of a nation-wide campaign to support Israel, cities across Canada will be organizing rallies on Thursday, January 8th. Please look below to find the times and locations in your local community:
Toronto: Beth Tzedek Synagogue (1700 Bathurst St.) @ 7:30 pm
London: London Jewish Community Centre (536 Huron St.) @ 7:15 pm
Hamilton: Adas Israel Synagogue (125 Cline Ave. S.)@ 7:30 pm
Winnipeg: Asper Jewish Community Campus Gym (123 Doncaster St.) @ 7:00 pm
Vancouver: Schaarei Tzedeck Synagogue (3476 Oak St.) @ 7:30 pm
Calgary: Calgary Jewish Community Centre (1607 – 90 Ave. S.W.) @ 7:30 pm
Montreal: Beth Israel Congregation (6800 Mackle Ave.) @ 7:30 pm
Ottawa: Soloway Jewish Community Centre (21 Nadolny Sachs Private) @ 6:30 pm