Of War and Victory

On the streets people herald a new era,

In a carnival of patriotic euphoria,

The fangs of the tiger we bred,

Removed by popular bloodshed.

Strangers in a troubled isle,

Thrust in to decades of exile,

The victims have no voice,

No belonging, no choice.

The poverty of migration,

in a long fractured nation.

How can we speak of unity?

When war is but a flame expunged,

And the fuel lies in the hearts of us all,

Protected by ignorance and nurtured by pride.

How can we speak of progress?

When we are blind to the roots of prejudice,

When our minds fail to detect,

The guile of opportunistic heroes

and their verbal charades.

And what are we?

If the love we preach is not for all,

If we indulge in victory after war,

If the separation of our kith and kin,

Is an all but necessary sin.

Sri Lanka,

You are yet to be free.

I will never be the son of a nation,

I see no purpose in such a fabrication.

My life is and will be an expression

Of my soul's desire to explore

Every possibility to better this world,

Regardless of inching progress

or the finite nature of my existence.

Africa: Chinese Imperialism?

In the wake of China's increasing stature as an economic and political force, concerns over its role in Africa are increasing. Africa has arguably been the greatest victim of colonial rule. The continent as a whole is viewed by many in the political establishment as being the world's "problem child". Of course there are many that feel that Africa's problems are largely its own, it's inability to translate its vast resources into meaningful development. It is the land of dictators and regimes, of famine and genocide. "This is the real Africa" ...apart from the Safaris of course.

Having grown up on the continent, my opinion is not so neutral, though I can't honestly say that my childhood experiences are sufficient to entitle me to a real strong, factual view. Thus I rely primarily on what I have read and heard.

On the evidence, it seems clear that China is rapidly expanding its influence in Africa to secure access to natural resources, to expand Beijing's political influence, and even to increase its international commercial markets through generous but self-serving diplomatic, financial, and military assistance. Chinese policies are also troubling, especially when they support authoritarian African regimes, hinder local economic development, and exacerbate conflicts and human rights abuses in countries such as Sudan and Zimbabwe. - Heritage

Of course the counter-argument would be that this is all an inflammatory response to the fact that the Western world feels threatened as China is fast usurping its role as Africa's financier. Those who are "Pro-China in Africa" argue that there are mutually beneficial interests at stake. China proposes its economic model to many African nations as an alternative to the free market. Furthermore, Chinese investment often comes with fewer strings attached, they don't come with moral sermons, the enforcement of "democratic ideals" and so forth. In fact it's business that counts and China believes it is stimulating growth and development in Africa.

"We might see the Chinese political system appealing to a lot of states whose elites and regimes are more in line with that sort of thinking," said Chris Maroleng, a Zimbabwe expert at the Institute for Security Studies in Pretoria. "It's really a conflict of two systems, one based on regime security and the other, almost Western, which talks of human security - good governance and human rights."
- International Herald Tribune

Like most things in reality, there is truth and falsehood to all this. The truth is that China has in fact invested unprecedented levels of capital into Africa. Sino-African trade has never been so high. Oil Investments (Sudan, Congo, Angola), Iron Ore (South Africa), Platinum (Zimbabwe) and Copper (Zambia) are a few notable examples.

Chinese investments have an advantage over the West in that most are through state-owned companies whose individual investments do not have to make a profit so long as they serve overall Chinese objectives - World Socialist Website

So what you say? They are trading, Africa needs investors, they need development. I am in complete agreement, but at what cost and is there real development? Is it development when a nation's resources are exclusively drilled, excavated by foreign interests? When Chinese labour and exports flood their markets and threaten local labour and product/service markets? But above all....is it development when these handouts and these deals are conducted with internationally deplored regimes e.g. Bashir in Sudan and Mugabe in Zimbabwe?

I would say no to all. An added dimension to this purported multi-faceted opportunism by China is the fact that Africa, with over 50 nation states, constitutes a very significant significant bloc of the UN. Some argue that this could do much to serve China's interest in UN matters, particularly with regard to the recognition of Taiwan.

In light of all of this, I find it hard to envision China's role in Africa as being honest let alone altruistic. Although China is often cynical of Western practice and claims to adopt a softer, less invasive approach to development and trade...is it really?

Robert Mugabe: “We look again to the East, where the sun rises, and no longer to the West, where it sets.” - World Socialist Website

Could China be proud of supporting Mugabe's regime, one that is reviled not just by the West but by the rest of the world. It's not just dirty politics, it's a case of people being oppressed and killed. Is expanding resources, being "Anti-West" really all that matters in the light of people starving and dying.

Which brings me to China's military involvement.

China has become more forthright in its arms sales in line with its growing economic influence. It sold an estimated $1 billion worth of arms to Ethiopia and Eritrea during their border conflict between 1998 and 2000, comparable to the US selling arms to both sides during the Iran-Iraq war. It has also sold arms to both Zimbabwe and Sudan whilst they have been under Western arms embargoes, and has sold helicopters to Mali and Angola, arms to Namibia and Sierra Leone, and army uniforms to Mozambique. World Socialist Website

China is supposed to have provided the Mugabe regime with jet fighters and surveillance equipment to keep track of the opposition movement.

More specifically, South African President Thabo Mbeki recently cautioned that China risks replicating in Africa a "colonial relationship" of the kind that existed under white rule. - Heritage

I concur. What I see is a series of amoral, often self-serving transactions. The money that comes in often lands in the hands of oppressive regimes or corrupt politicians. Sure, Africa is of strategic interest...but must it be raped of the little dignity it has left? I agree that African leaders enable this process. But China, as a global political and economic power...shoulders much of the blame. Their objective of being an alternative to Western dominance and malpractice is merely rooted in supplanting their dominance with its own. I make no reference to either side, East or West being right....they are essentially the same demon from a different direction...and Africa is the perpetual loser. Moving from one imperial power, to the next...

Over and Out,
Shanil

Terror

Oh terror is a cycle

Upon which the opportunistic prey.

Our liberties subject to open exchange.

Enslavement to fear for our security,

A fear that suckles terror's teat.

Praise be to the puppeteers

Who dangle visible strings

To put on a show of good and evil,

For masses who applaud and jeer,

A most generous theatrical distraction.

Forgive me but let me detract from this play,

Ask a valid question if I may,

We are told of malicious forces that persist,

But pray, how do these bombs ever come to exist?

Stateless

"Stateless" is a short film I made in June 2007 based on my time working with war refugees in Eastern Sri Lanka. This is a shortened version of the film and is meant to serve as a visual showcase of the plight of these people in their own homeland, at the mercy of their Government and the armed terrorist group that claim to be struggling for their freedom.

Helping Burma

It's been on global headlines for days now. The Cyclone Nargis has devastated Burma. The scene is tragic and is unfolding much like the 2004 Tsunami did in Sri Lanka. I recall the mass emails, the frantic phone calls and the desperate aid efforts. The numbers are recited like cattle and adjusted on an hourly basis, from hundreds to thousands. There are estimates that the loss of life in Burma could be on a scale over a 100,000....

If the Tsunami is something to go by: Clean Water, Basic Shelter, Dry Rations and Clothing are amongst the most critical aid requirements.

There are also fears that the crisis will result in further inflated food prices (rice) that could affect survivors of the crisis even further. One can only hope that the Junta opens its doors before its too late...

Source: NY Times

The flooding is extensive and the already basic infrastructure. has been severely damaged. Worse yet the Military Junta is intent on maintaining rigid immigration control in the midst of this humanitarian crisis. Of course the grounds being that allowing mass entry into Burma (even if with altruistic intent), would result in a loss of control.

For those now in the know here are a few links to news articles:

The Australian

BBC


I received an email from Florian regarding the crisis and his organisation Simple Wisdom has directed some funding to a Swiss friend of his who resided in Burma for 10 years but is now in Switzerland co-ordinating an aid effort. I have made a formal request with regard to the possibility of me organizing some funding from over here. Please contact me at shanil.samarakoon@gmail.com if you'd like to make a contribution

Dear Shanil,

Thank you so much for your caring thoughts and support. At the
bottom of my letter are all the bank details, I will happily send it
again. You can send any currency ...

Yes, i still have many contacts and a good network in place. Depending on how much money we are talking, I will decide, to who to give. There are many ways to bring the money into the country ... through friends,or companies who live there and I can send it to their bank account abroad ....

I am now in contact with people, I want to entrust with the work of distribution etc.At the moment I don't know yet, where to start. They just need everything.

There is alot of international help in the pipeline, but they can not distribute yet. I got through by phone today, for the first time. My direct family are all alive, many friends' destinies unknown. Life circumstances very critical.

There is no water, none. No electricity, and they estimate no electricity for the next 3 months, there are no more trees!, the prices are sky rocketing, there is no rice to buy and it is pouring. There will soon be diseases and robbery ... for life! There are mountains of dead bodies in the Irrawaddy Delta ..... the list does not stop. Most roofs are damaged or non-existent.

A logistical nightmare!

Dear Shanil, I will keep you informed.Thank you for your kind efforts! Burma needs light and hope ....

Take care and best regards,

Sandrina

Update: 25th May

Shanil

Know Thy Rights!

Last Saturday was an eye opener for me. I had to attend a Human Rights seminar at UNSW as a part of my course requirement for Project Design and Evaluation, a social work elective I'm enrolled in for this semester.

My lack of focus on human rights was astounding. I mean sure I've been an aid worker on and off over the last few years and I've put considerable effort into helping others. But I can honestly say that this was seldom from a rights perspective. It was based more on "need" and "deprivation" of course these strongly correlate with the "concept" (if you will) of rights.

First and foremost I am on a mission. How many of you know your rights? I refer to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations in 1948? I didn't think so...
While the declaration and its classification of rights is debated to this day, I firmly believe that its well grounded and I can now clearly see how it's a clear basis for some sort of human progress, if not survival.

Article 1.

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

The main criticism leveled has been that it's all culturally relative, human rights that is. While there is some credibility to this argument, the seemingly Western thinking that is supposedly pervasive throughout the document and the various articles it has spawned since...can be viewed from different perspectives. Many feel that there is a mismatch with non-western culture as they tend to be more communal and collectivist in nature, in turn downplaying individual rights. Then there is the whole can of worms that religion opens...

For me, at the risk of sounding like a young pup enticed with a fresh piece of meat. I believe it's all about the quality of life and this is relative ...but these basic human rights, declared and applicable to all UN signatories (though some are part signatories to certain articles). While accountability is still a huge problem in an international context, I look at it more from an education standpoint.

One can't make many generalizations about people and their attitudes towards being beneficiaries to aid and development. However I can definitely see how empowering knowing your rights can be. Entitlements are something that most of the really destitute are totally unaware of and there is a vast majority who feel small and socially unimportant. Educating such people can give them a sense of worth and provide them with an understanding of how we can all work with/against social systems to achieve these rights.

Many who know me well know that I've been a critic of the UN. Of course one cannot deny that its principles and existence in theory is vital...but sadly the reality is that it is run by nations, and most if not all nations are plagued with power-lust and corruption that will always stand in the way of true progress. The only solution, or counter-force....despite being painfully slow...is to educate people at the grassroots and lessen their susceptibility to manipulation.

We speak of our rights candidly...but I urge you to really reflect on the vast consequences and responsibility that it places on us...the minority who enjoy them. Human rights are largely aspirational, there's no doubt about it, it's easy to be cynical...but what good would that achieve?

Shanil

Delusion: The Art of Existence

I must confess, most people, especially those in the confines of my personal life, think I'm rather negative. Of course this has been largely due to the nature of my upbringing and certain events in my life (at the risk of sounding like your run-of-the-mill angst ridden youth). Moreover, I feel this internalized pessimism towards the world is a result of a realization...that of reality.

I've been quite involved in social development initiatives and I continue to do so. To some it may sound bitterly ironic, that someone who is passionate about bettering humanity is also overtly disappointed with the current state of the world. To others it makes perfect sense because it is that disparity between what we imagine in our hearts ...and what is...that drives us to do something, even if that end destination is never reached...it's still some sort of progress as we see it.

I digress. I came across this rather interesting article online by A.A.Jacobs that was published in Esquire. Jacobs talks of "delusion" being a necessity to cope with reality. He makes reference to a psychological theory called "depressive realism". The theory holds that the clinically depressed tend to have to have a clearer, more accurate perception of reality and the level of control they exert over their existence, none. He goes on to share his own pessimistic viewpoint and how delusion is the only natural way for us to cope as human beings. A stubborn belief , positive perception in order to cope and carve out happiness.

Source: http://staff.washington.edu/xtoph/anth469metro/

Naturally I found this discussion quite fascinating. Having witnessed suffering, both in my soul and the lives of so many others, I can relate to how the depressed have a more focused view of the world. I can see how they are disillusioned because they see disparity, they see how things can be stripped away in the blink of an eye, that nothing is constant. However, one can't deny that people who are depressed are often so for rather insular reasons. Not necessarily the plight of humanity...though it often forms a gloomy backdrop.

So I guess the question is..How does one delude oneself into a positive state of existence when wars rage, people starve and compassion seems to wane? Of course I have no answers. Though I imagine that this would be an internal crisis for many. We as humans try to control every aspect of our lives yet the world has so many ways of countering our arrogance.



So is my inference that happiness is a result of a delusion and sadness a product of reality? As dramatic as that sounds, it's very possible, though I can't claim it is so with total conviction. There's no denying that there are many things in this world, in people, that are inherently beautiful (as relative as it all can be) ...the problem is that it can often feel like a drop in a dark ocean. When one cares, truly cares about the world and all in it...one brings upon a great weight on to his/her shoulders...a weight that causes the bearer to question everything.

And some of us wonder why apathy is such a stagnant obstacle in this world. It's a paradox that we could talk about ceaselessly....but I feel I have voiced my point....I agree with Jacobs...but delusion vs reality is a steep choice for me and I envision choosing the former as disconnecting myself from my heart...as it is inextricably tied with the happiness of others and the welfare of this world as a whole. Am I doomed or am I merely alive t0 reality?

Either way I walk on


Shanil