Saturday, October 16, 2010

Small Towns and Big Hearts in The Mid-West!

Happiness is a huge pumpkin!

It has been less than a week since I came back from the US. It was three weeks long; coast to coast; Mid-West to South trip that seems short in retrospect The trip was an initiative of the US State Department fort a group of young leaders from South Asia including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan as part of the International Visitors Leadership Program for Civic and Political Engagement.
On the itniairy were major cities like Washington D.C, San Francisco, Chicago and New Orleans. The schedule also said that we would visit a small city outside of Chicago - Freeport - where we would learn more the election process in the US. Being a complete city slicker, I thought thank God it’s just two days in a sleepy, small town – one of which would be spent at home with a local family. But it turned out this small town offered me more than I had ever hoped for – friendship, joy and just some good old-fashioned fun.
As we reached Freeport from Chicago, our ‘families’ were waiting to pick us up. I have to admit, I had the prettiest host (as the men in the group told me later) – the lovely Miss Kelly Epperson, a writer. We seemed to click instantly as I told her that one of favourite American holidays was Halloween. And she knew just where to take me – but not before some shoe-shopping! Oh yea! I knew Kelly was the one for me as we browsed through shelves, picked up bargains and then headed for The Pumpkin Patch. As we drove around in Kelly’s super-cute, smart car we talked about our work, loves and lives. And realized that there was not much of a difference between a big-city Pakistan and small-city America dweller. We were two girls on a mission – to have fun! Please bear with me as I gloat over how much I LOVED The Pumpkin Patch! It had big pumpkins, small pumpkins, corn on the cob, candy, a petting zoo, llamas, a porcupine, a coatamundi (?), kids, adults…and….wait for it…..a corn shooter and pumpkin launcher! Kelly and I had a blast – literally, as we shot cob after cob, further and higher from what seemed to be a simple push and blast machine and launched small pumpkins from a sling-shot. I should add that we missed the target every single time but what the hell, right? It was so much fun!Exhausted by our corn and pumpkin blasting ways, we headed for dinner at The Irish Rose – a quaint little bar and restaurant in Rockford. The music, the food and the ambience was just perfect. Seriously. Just perfect. Just the right number of people too. And a really cute Indian doctor, who just happened to be dining alone J
Kelly blew me away with her hospitality, kindness and general awesome-ness. She is beautiful and quite simply a joy to be around. We talked about boys, shoes, food, Halloween, Paris, Facebook and much more. It seems that the only difference between people is quite simply that of ‘good’ and ‘not-so-good’ perhaps. The good ones seem to cherish the same values no matter what part of the world and what time of life they are in – love and happiness.
Here’s hoping for more love, happiness, common ground and most importantly joy between countries and people.
For added joy, click here!

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Hear No Evil, See No Evil...

I'm surprised I'm even allowed to log on to my Blogger account, my emails and perhaps my personal cell phone also. Its no news story anymore that Facebook is gone, followed promptly by YouTube and I hear Twitter is on its way out now as well. What purpose has this ban served? I really don't understand. Seriously.

So the story goes that the 20th of May was declared 'Draw Muhammad Day' by a group of mentally delayed people on Facebook in protest of the protest against the return of Super Best Friends on South Park which featured a depiction of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). And then some ardent Musalmans in Pakistan took this as personal affront and declared 20th May as a day when all God-fearing Muslims should boycott Facebook. For the first time in the history of Pakistan, the judiciary was a step ahead of the 'needs' of the people and decided to ban Facebook until further notice - followed promptly by 800 other websites.

Lets just make one thing clear. There is no excuse for curtailing the people's right to information. - however, offensive it may be. Furthermore, Pakistan is already in a bit ( read huge) PR nightmare - labelled as an extremist, terrorist nation - and to ban Facebook in the midst of all this in the name of religion is only going to do us more harm than good.

Also, the whole story is a bit ridiculous. However, thought of a 'Draw Muhammad Day' is obviously looking to get a rise out to the Muslim community and we're giving him/her exactly what he/she wants. Let's not. Please.

Monday, April 12, 2010

Come on be a sport...

Congrats Sania and Shoaib for finally bringing some sizzling scandal/celebrity culture to Pakistan! We have always had dodgy stories about our film actresses and cricketers, but the Sania-Shoaib made headlines like never before. For the first time in many months, the media spotlight was not on our beloved politicians but on the fit (unfit), young couple.

The pair tied the knot today at swanky Hyderabad hotel. Sania wore her mother's wedding saree. Shoaib wore a designer sherwani. And I'm sure they looked resplendent. Finally news outlets in both countries can start talking about something else. For example, the nuclear summit currently underway in the US.

It's interesting to note that the story has appeared in the 'sports' section of many newspapers and news websites. Does this really count as a sports news item? They are both sports stars - agreed but this had all the elements of a story to be featured on PerezHilton.com. It had ex-wives, secrets, lies and a woman who stood by her man. Now that's a news item! It was also political and religious implications. Sunni clerics in India have condemned the couple for living together for a few days before the wedding. The Shiv-Sena announced that in order to retain her Indian nationality, Sania should marry a nice Indian boy.

Maybe, we - the people of South Asia need more entertainment stories in our headlines. The same goes for Pakistani media. There is a severe dearth of quality, entertainment based media in comparison to news media. The state of the nation is an important piece of news. But it’s a simple formula – happier people makes for a happier nation. And human interest stories of love and humanity in definitely make me a happier person.



Saturday, April 3, 2010

Blasphemy or Bust...

I came across the following blog on my usually trolling of the internet. Killing innocent people is always wrong. It is important that you read the blog before going further on this blog

What has caught my interest on this piece of work is not the tragedy of innocent lives lost but that is a very emotionally charged, 'finger-pointing' piece of work. It is only natural to let our emotions get the best of us when we feel so strongly about a certain issue such as religious persecution. But what about the facts? In my opinion, the language used is inflammatory. And the Pakistani government is the usual suspect.

The writer talks about two different laws - Ordinance XX and the blasphemy laws. Ordinance XX forbids Ahmedis to call themselves Muslim or pose as Muslims. While the blasphemy laws are targeted against those bringing insult to The Holy Prophet and The Quran. The enactment of these do not have the same effect. And in my opinion, blasphemy commited in a Muslim country is a considerable offence - it will and should remain the same. In the same way that when Iran denies the existence of the Holocaust, it is offensive to Jewish people - so is an insult to The Prophet and The Book of Islam. Ordinance XX on the other hand is a discriminatory law that needs revision.

How far can a journalist go in supporting what is right?

Thursday, April 1, 2010

The President Is Black

..and that's great news but President Obama is more than just Black. Its about time we got over. Jay-Z - as probably one of the most successful and powerful men in the world - should by now have realized that being Black and successful are not mutually exclusive. Here's a Jay-Z song anyway...

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Aliens In Our Midst

Music is a world in itself, with a language we all understand, with an equal opportunity, for all to sing, dance and clap their hands – Stevie Wonder

Sci-fi fans will remember how humans and aliens communicated with one another using a 5-tone musical motif in the movie ‘Close Encounters of The Third Kind.’ The movie was also one of the first to portray space aliens as friendly neighbors – albeit, a bit different – and not as enemy invaders. As the concept of a so-called ‘clash of civilizations gains currency and defame simultaneously, it is perhaps time to reconsider how we build relationships between peoples and cultures, beyond traditional diplomacy.

Over the last year in Pakistan, I have come across a variety of musicians and artists from the United States on state sponsored or charity driven missions to collaborate with and educate local musicians and artists – including jazz quartets, film-makers, choreographers, painters and even a classical sitar player. The efforts of these artistes first spiked my interest in cultural diplomacy – the exchange of cultural representatives as a means of improving relationships and understanding between nations. And when Bill Schaefer, a US journalist, Chiranjibi Paudyal, UK based journalist of Nepali origin and I teamed up on a cross-cultural reporting project – I knew I had one thing in common with them; an appreciation for each other’s diverse culture and the arts. At a time when most Pakistanis and Americans hold a plethora of stereotypes about each other – cultural exchanges of the simplest kind will go the furthest.

Last year I had the privilege of experiencing intimate performances by two jazz quartets from the US – The Ari Roland Quartet and Cultures in Harmony – each one in time for the American and Pakistani independence day celebrations respectively. Both groups performed at several venues, jammed and trained with local musicians, and put a jazz spin on popular Pakistani classics. The difference between the two groups was their reach among the Pakistani audience.

The Ari Roland Quartet went on tour for the US State Department in mid 2009 as part of their ongoing "Bi-Communal Jazz Futures" program, sponsored by the US Embassy in Cyprus and Islamabad. Besides performing American jazz music for a variety of Pakistani audience, the Quartet held classes and workshops for Pakistani youth and music enthusiast and held discourse about the similarities between jazz and South Asian music. A commendable effort on part of the US State Department and the Quartet on all counts – except that the reach of the program was severely restricted due to security concerns. The quartet performed at the 4th of July celebration in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad for the crème-de-la-crème of the city’s elite – a social class only too familiar with the ‘real’ America – many of them having spent their definitive years in the US as students. The magic of the Ari Roland Quartet really came alive in the CityFM89 radio station studios as they broke it down for a live jazz performance for the station’s jazz show – Take 5 with Zahir. They took a Pakistani pop classic called ‘Dil Dil Pakistan’ and made it their own with cellos and saxophones. Their version of the classic gained a fair amount of airplay on CityFM89. A Facebook video of their performance during the show garnered a great response from an audience much younger than the listener ship of the same show. The quartet brought a typical American art form to Pakistan and let us make it our own. In Ari’s own words ‘The history of jazz has to do with taking songs that everyone knows and making jazz performances of them.’ The same melodies, different instruments. The same thoughts, a different language. Translated.

A few months on, just in time for the Pakistan’s Independence Day – 14th August – a local charity focusing on education called The Citizen’s Foundation brought to Pakistan a jazz quartet from the NGO Cultures in Harmony. Cultures in Harmony is a US-based NGO led by Julliard graduate. Accompanying Harvey were Ethan Philbrick, Chris Jenkins and Emily Holden. The quartet performed at schools run by The Citizen’s Foundation in some of the country’s poorest areas and collaborated with some of the most acclaimed and popular musicians of the country. The quartet traveled extensively in Pakistan and gained much media coverage and a great response to their music. In fact, their string quartet version of the Pakistani national anthem is now available as a cell phone ring tone in Pakistan. And when they performed the national anthem for radio – I felt my eyes tearing up. What resounded in my ears was a passion for my nation that was shared by four Americans.

The coming together of cultures does not mean that one be overpowered by the other. The exercise of American musicians performing along side Pakistani musicians creates both the perception and reality of Americans wanting to learn from Pakistanis and their culture. In recent times, Americans have traveled abroad only to tell people what to do. Cultural exchanges help foster the notion that Americans are respectful and willing to learn from their Pakistani counterparts.

I make no tall claims in favor of cultural diplomacy – music will not stop a war. But there is hope that when Pakistani school children think of America, they will remember William Harvey and friends who played Pakistani music for them – at the same time that they of drones and the CIA, and their view of the US will be complex enough to keep out the emotion of hate. At the same time when Americans hear of Pakistan in the news, they will remember Roland and Harvey’s stories of an intelligent, hospitable people of a beautiful country, not terrorism.

At the core of our existence, Pakistanis and Americans share a common bond. We live in countries we chose to make our homes. Every Pakistani and every American has an ancestor who chose to take on the identity. In the same way that we chose our past, we can choose our future. We can allow it to be overshadowed by mistakes or come together as citizens of the human race and chart a new way forward.

Monday, February 15, 2010

Freedom of Expression In The Digital Age

Alexandria, Egypt: 40 leading journalists from around the world have converged at the Bibliotheca Alexandria for a 3 day session on Freedom of Expression in the Digital Age. During the course of the 3 days, the journalists will be learning about digital tools for media.

Watch this space for more updates on the conference or log on the conference blog foeda.wordpress.com




Saturday, January 30, 2010

Pig Heads Found in Kuala Lumpur Mosques

27th January 2010: Severed pig heads were found in two mosques in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The act was seen as severely offensive, as pigs are considered 'unclean' by Muslims. This is followed by a spate of attacks on churches over the use of the word 'Allah.' So far, 11 churches, 2 Muslim prayer halls, 1 Sikh temple and now 2 mosques have been vandalised in a series of attacks on places of worship in Malaysia.

The nation's police chief, Musa Haroon has linked the vandalism to the previous acts - saying that the 'modus operandi' of the attacks was similar. It is possible that the attacks were carried out by the same group - who wanted to create tensions between the different religious groups in Malaysia.

Worsening of Ties

It will be some time before we find out who is responsible for fueling racial tensions in Malaysia. But thing is for sure, things are taking a turn for the worse. It is sad to see a beautiful and ethnically diverse country falling victim such petty troublemaker tactics. What's worse is the change in attitudes of the common Malaysian. Even within the same religion - people stand divided over the issue. Some Muslims think it's okay for other religions to use the word Allah, while other do not think so. Not only is it pushing different groups apart but also creating rifts in existing groups. There seems to be little room left for the liberal-Muslim or Christian.

It is time that the moderate groups from every religion made their voice heard instead of being a sleeping majority. We can make a difference!


Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Shah Rukh Khan for President of South-Asia!

Some honesty from an IPL team owner, and looking good while doing it too. A step in the right direction. Lets hope that his influence over the young people of India and Pakistan will change things for the better for a shared future.












Thursday, January 21, 2010

Sports For The Unsporting

In a surprise turn of events, all of the 11 Pakistani cricketers, including Shahid Afridi,  up for bidding for the Indian Premier League have gone unclaimed. Pakistan is the current World Twenty20 Champion and widely considered to be one of the best Twenty20 teams around. However, none of the 8 IPL teams found a single Pakistani player fit to be a part of their teams.

The news came as a shock to Pakistani cricket officials, players and public as well. It seems odd that the best side in the game was ignored in the most glamourous event of the game. 

A Mish Mash of Reasoning

The Pakistani players had missed the initial deadline to be  a part of the IPL, as the NOC by the Pakistani government to travel to India was not received in time. Hence, there were no visas by the  7th December deadline and the Pakistanis were replaced by their IPL teams with fresh recruits. IPL boss, Lalit Modi said that the only the Pakistanis could be a part of the IPL would be through the auction on 19th December.  But the players were ignored in the auction. It is the football equivalent of the Brazilian national team not being allowed to complete in the English Premier League.

The Pakistani sports minister Aijaz Jhakrani said he had complained to his Indian counterpart about the exclusion of Pakistani players from the lucrative IPL games. But the 'complaint' proved to be of little use as the Indian minister said that the IPL was a private venture and had nothing to say about the issue. As the ball was passed back to the IPL bosses, who continued to claim that the Pakistani players went unsold because of the uncertainty surrounding their availability - due to visa and NOC issues.

The Reprecussions

Needless to say, Pakistanis at all levels - politicians, players and the people - were miffed. At a time when India-Pakistan ties are in serious need of some tender, loving care. And the one thing that both peoples are passionate about - cricket - is now driving the two even further apart. In the previos IPL seasons it was refreshing to watch traditional rivals playing together on the same time and putting on a flamboyant show of Twenty20 cricket. This was followed by an official cancellation of a Pakistani Parliamentary delegation to India. With the opposition calling for a complete ban on any sports activity with India and screenings of Indian movies.  Needless to say, both countries will suffer the consequences of this childish behavior - if I can care to call it that.

The whole series of events is just damaging on many levels. The IPL instantly loses  its popularity with Pakistanis at home and abroad. Broadcasters and cable TV operators in Pakistan are already talking about not showing the series at home. There goes the advertising  revenue for both the Indians and Pakistanis. 

The IPL could also have been a great opportunity for India and Pakistan to warm up its strained diplomatic ties over the alleged Mumbai attacks - providing a unique opportunity to have both teams on the same team. And as most South Asians will agree, cricket is a unique binding force for the people of these nations. But as I write this blog, I am watching the Indian and Pakistani teams playing an Under-19 cricket world cup game. 

UPDATE: Pakistan just won the quarter-final match against India in the Under-19 tournament.

  I will go so far to say that public diplomacy goes much further than so-called officials calling on each other. This was a golden opportunity that both sides failed to make the most of and went on make things worse on the political front. But the question of who started the whole row and which side is to blame – I will leave to the readers’ better judgment. Here’s hoping for an injection of sporting spirit for both sides.                                      

Thursday, January 14, 2010

War of The Words: Malaysia Edition


The recent spate of attacks on churches in Malaysia has further divided its complex social structure. The attacks on the churches were incited by the overturning of a law that made it illegal for non-Muslims to use the word 'Allah' - in reference to God.

How It All Started

The row started when the authorities moved to ban the import of religious books by The Sabah Evangelical Church of Borneo - the reason being the use of the word 'Allah' in a Christian context. A Roman Catholic publication - The Herald also received multiple warnings from the government that it would have its licence revoked if it continued the usage of 'Allah.' This led the two organizations to move against the ban on the usage of the word 'Allah' by non- Muslims. However, the Malaysian government later back-tracked on its actions by reversing the ban and allowing The Herald to use the word 'Allah' in reference to God. This resulted in a spate of attacks targetted at churches and Catholic schools across the country by extremist groups - opposed to the reversal of the ban.

What Went Wrong?

Malaysia has been seen and often quoted as a diverse and peaceful example for many Muslim countries. Yet, the government's attempt at encouraging more cohesion between the religions only resulted in violence. Which forces me to think that it may be too late for any governmental to rectify what it's own policies have resulted in - over the years - an alienation of the various cultural and religious groups from each other.

Malaysia has always seemed to be an organic society - growing with and embracing its diversity of peoples in daily lives but the law suggests otherwise. More recently, the strict implemenation of these laws has pushed the communities apart. Prior to the church burning incidents, there was the Hindraf controversy, where Hindu rights activitsts were arrested. The group demanded equal opportunity for ethnic Indians and an end to the advantages granted to the majority Malays by the goverenment. The arrests were made on the basis that Malaysia law does not allow public meetings for more than 5 people and that the protest could incite racial tensions. The arrests only led to more bad blood between the government and ethnic Indians.

On the other hand, the government - in particular the Prime Minister, Najib Razak, himself is engaging in some serious public relations activity with his 1Malaysiablog - which is updated regularly and aimed at peace-building and engaging the people in the works of the government. The blog has been condemning the attacks on the churches - insisting that they are not representative of the wider Malaysian or Islamic ideology.

Mind Your Language

But this very problem is, in fact, the result of a 1986 legislation prohibiting non-Muslims from using words such as Allah, Baitullah, Solat and Kaabah. The words are obviously Arabic in nature and not native to Malaysia or any other Muslim country outside the Arab world. The question then arises - does any group have the sole right to use a language/certain words? If so, who can define the 'ownership' of vocabulary? Christian and Jewish Arabs have been using the word Allah and it variants since time immemorial as a reference to 'God.' Similarly, every language has its specific word for the idea of 'God' - 'Khuda' in Persian and Urdu, 'Tuhan' in Bahasa Melayu/Indonesia and so on.

While I do understand the outcry of the minority groups over the use of the word 'Allah' and the seemingly nonsensical original legislation - is it really worth the trouble it has caused? This is an issue both parties should take into consideration.

The fact that the word Allah has been used by Christian and Jewish Arabs for ages in often quoted in arguements for the case that everyone should be allowed to use the word Allah. In this case, Arabic is the mother-tongue of all three religious groups in question - Muslims, Jews and Christians and hence, no contention for the use of the word 'Allah.' Similarly, Pakistani Christians use the word 'khuda' without a second thought. The question here, should not be a religious one, but a linguistic one.

If we take a strictly linguistically puritanical approach - when religious texts are translated, the translation should be complete - including references to God. This would simply ensure a better understanding for the reader and possibly lead to less confusion and conflict. In the Malaysian context, if the 'Christian' books in question were in Malay then the word to be used should have been 'Tuhan,' and not Allah. Allah being an Arabic word.

But the truth of the matter is - languages are not set in stone - they are constantly evolving and representative of social changes as they happen. But at a time when the common usage of the word Allah by the Muslim and Christian groups of Malaysia, could have been a common ground between the two - it has become a divisive force. For everything that Shakespeare is worth, there is much truth is his words - 'what's in a name?' If we called God by any other name, He would be just as forgiving?


Monday, January 11, 2010

Pakistani Journalists Seach For Common Ground in Nepal

Between 5th and 8th January 2010, 30 mainstream Pakistani journalists converged in Kathmandu, Nepal for a training program. The training was led by the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) and Search for Common Ground (SFCG) and funded by the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC).

The journalists were picked from a wide range of mediums including print, TV, radio and online. The training covered topics such as reporting on minority issues, the use of language in reporting, conflict resolution, digital media and working towards a common grounds based media reports.

Bringing Together Religious and Mainstream Media

The program also brought together seemingly opposing groups from Pakistani media - religious and mainstream on the first day of training - with a mixer of sorts between the two groups. The interaction helped dispel many pre-conceived notions held by the groups about each other. It served as an invaluable networking and contact-building exercise as well. 

Responsible Reporting and Conflict Resolution

The journalists were trained in how to report more objectively on issues of minorities - including religious, social and ethnic minorities.  There were also several hands-on activities about resolving conflict situations and creating media reports that help find common ground in a conflict situation. These sessions were led by Lesley Abdela, Juliette Schmidt and Rashad Bukhari.

Digital Journalism

Participants workshopped with Hoda Osman from ICFJ on the basics of blogging - thereby adding a crucial new dimension to their reporting mediums - whether it be print or broadcast. They also learnt about the basics of web design and engaging online users.

The training program provided a platform for the journalists explore various possibilities in the presentation of their reports. The training program is part of a larger effort to train journalists from Muslim countries in common ground media - as a means of resolving conflict.

Friday, January 8, 2010

Freedom Sound

Blast at Indian Atomic Plant Raises Concerns

On 30th December 2009, a high intensiy explosion at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), India resulted in the death of two scientists - Umang Singh and Partha Bagh. Their bodies were severly charred and the equipment reduced to dust. BARC was established in 1953 as a Atomic Energy Establishment and conducts research in Biotechnology and Gama Rays. The Indian authorities have said that no radioactive material was involved in the incident.

Concerns for India's Neighbours
The mysterious circumstances surrounding the incident has raised alarm for India's neighours. The condition of the dead bodies may lead to suggest that the plant was experimenting with chemical and biological weapons technology. The Indian leadership sees China as an imminent threat and may be preparing for war.

Another possibility is that Indian scientists are working on a revamp of their nuclear weapons systems. In a August , 2009 interview of senior nuclear scientist K Santhanam, with “Times of India” confirmed that the only thermonuclear device tested was a “fizzle”.

Lastly, the 'blast' may have been targetted at the scientists themselves - on the suspicion that they have could leak any sensitive information they had access to. There have been previous reports of scientists dying in mysterious circumstances.

What Next?

Whatever the reason for the blast - the blast did raise safety concerns with India's neighbours, with chemcial and nuclear warfare being a reality in the region. The incident is also an indicator to the IAEA to look into the Indian nuclear problem and the concerns it is raising.

The Indians should engage in a detailed investigation in an effort to make its nuclear program safer. The accident may give rise to the idea that India is preparing for a war of proportions that the region is yet to see.

In The News Tonight!

Welcome to my brand new blog about things that should be in the news but are not. Join me as I bring you the best and worst of news from around the world that goes unnoticed. Feel free to share any such 'news' you may come across.
Happy Surfing!