It's pretty much sweltering here. With temperatures averaging in high 30s (I know, I know, it will get hotter… I was here last summer too). What amazes me though is how quick it cam on. It seems like only a month ago I was still wearing a sweater at night and complaining that it was too cold out to wear t-shirts. Now I can't even thing of spending more than 5 minutes outside of an air-conditioned space between the hours of 8am – 8 pm.
I think things in Erbil (a sneaking suspicion) may heat up here too in other ways. Things have been pretty kinetic down Mosul way (as usual) but in a different sort of way. Now that the arab political parties have seized power, the violence has shifted to the Kurdish population (or more specifically the peshmerga) effectively blocking the arab politicians from accessing anywhere they deem to be "Kurdish" areas. Whilst doing this, they are also denying many of the people in these areas essential public services… then blaming it on the current, majority Arab government (I'm sure this tactic was also used in reverse when the kurds held power there). This has led to clashes between the Iraqi forces and the Kurdish Peshmerga (the KRG's army).
Now I'm no expert in political science… (maybe a master…) But I'm pretty sure somewhere in Statebuilding 101 they go over how more than one army in a country (particularly armies that represent different ethnic groups and exclusively responsible for certain… contested areas) could set you up for future… don't know… disasters.
To boot, the GOI is now stoking the fire with the Kirkuk question again. To be honest… rightly so. The country should have voted on the status of Kirkuk (KRG or GOI?) many moons ago, but both the GOI and the KRG have put it off for various reasons. This has enraged the KRG and maybe some of the reasons (amongst many) of the upswing (again) of violence in that contested area.
Now I'm bring all of this up because on June 25 there are suppose to be elections here in the KRG. I'm curious to see what will happen in and around the "safe" region of Iraq. Whilst it seems that everywhere along the green line is going to hell in a handbag, here is still cool (ok hot) and calm. I'm not a fear mongerer. I like to give people and places the benefit of the doubt. I am, however, a realist. And to my knowledge the KRG has its fingers in too many pots – where they happen to be stirring some serious shit. It's only a matter of time.
Then again, the GOI provincial elections went off without a hitch… stranger things could happen.
Monday, 25 May 2009
Monday, 18 May 2009
Do no harm?
Arg. There are certain principles that we (the collective we of aid workers) need to live and act by. Below is the ICRC Humanitarian Code of Conduct, signed by pretty, much every major NGO has signed up to:
ICRC Humanitarian Code of Conduct
I put this up because I have dealt with two episode this week that reflect a flaunting of these principles. One major... one a bit more minor.
1) Major - the SPOT
Good old US gov trying to get aid agencies to tell the military in Iraq where we're working (GPS location), who are staff are (?!?!?), if any major events happen in the area, and whether we have to evacuate or not (?!?!). It will become a requirement for anyone signing a US grant.
It's suppose to be for security - which in theory you may think - hey! having the military know where you're working may not be a bad thing... which in general... it's not. But staff names? numbers? exact locations? if there is a security incident? What happens if there is an incident - you report, then the military carries out an operation directly afterwards. Then community x goes... those NGOs are all working with the occupiers... lets make their life hell.
The blurring of military and aid work is a serious issue that will make any humanitarian work more difficult in any volatile country - having an even bigger impact on those most vulnerable. Let's hope this doesn't happen...
2) More minor but with a big impact...
One of my friends on facebook has joined one of those - click and feed a child groups. I was drawn to this because the profile pic of the group is a horrid image of an emaciated child near death. Now... I'm not an expert, but I'm thinking that's nearing 80's World Vision infomercial exploitation levels of target beneficiaries. Something any humanitarian knows... i hope... is a no-no. We pledge that we're suppose to use any images of our beneficiaries that are exploitative - they should depict resilience and respect the dignity of humans.
I was going to let the thing go, but I opened up the group and saw that it had 3 MILLION MEMBERS!!!! I had to write something to the group organizer - saying I thought the picture he chose was exploitative, and I respect his cause, but its promotion wasn't done in a very dignified way. He actual wrote back - but stated that all pictures were posted to show the state of the problem around the world - which may be - but there are only a few pictures posted... and they are all by him... and they are all exploitative. He can also monitor and remove any exploitative photos as the moderator of the group. What is more... I was referring mainly to the profile picture, something he has put up.
I'm very skeptical of these click and food goes to hungry child sites anyways - i think it's pretty dubious (where do they get this food/money from the click?). Moreover, I have mixed feelings about food aid unless in the most extreme cases. But to display these photos to so many people makes the public think this is ok! To exploit people is ok!
It's not.
ICRC Humanitarian Code of Conduct
I put this up because I have dealt with two episode this week that reflect a flaunting of these principles. One major... one a bit more minor.
1) Major - the SPOT
Good old US gov trying to get aid agencies to tell the military in Iraq where we're working (GPS location), who are staff are (?!?!?), if any major events happen in the area, and whether we have to evacuate or not (?!?!). It will become a requirement for anyone signing a US grant.
It's suppose to be for security - which in theory you may think - hey! having the military know where you're working may not be a bad thing... which in general... it's not. But staff names? numbers? exact locations? if there is a security incident? What happens if there is an incident - you report, then the military carries out an operation directly afterwards. Then community x goes... those NGOs are all working with the occupiers... lets make their life hell.
The blurring of military and aid work is a serious issue that will make any humanitarian work more difficult in any volatile country - having an even bigger impact on those most vulnerable. Let's hope this doesn't happen...
2) More minor but with a big impact...
One of my friends on facebook has joined one of those - click and feed a child groups. I was drawn to this because the profile pic of the group is a horrid image of an emaciated child near death. Now... I'm not an expert, but I'm thinking that's nearing 80's World Vision infomercial exploitation levels of target beneficiaries. Something any humanitarian knows... i hope... is a no-no. We pledge that we're suppose to use any images of our beneficiaries that are exploitative - they should depict resilience and respect the dignity of humans.
I was going to let the thing go, but I opened up the group and saw that it had 3 MILLION MEMBERS!!!! I had to write something to the group organizer - saying I thought the picture he chose was exploitative, and I respect his cause, but its promotion wasn't done in a very dignified way. He actual wrote back - but stated that all pictures were posted to show the state of the problem around the world - which may be - but there are only a few pictures posted... and they are all by him... and they are all exploitative. He can also monitor and remove any exploitative photos as the moderator of the group. What is more... I was referring mainly to the profile picture, something he has put up.
I'm very skeptical of these click and food goes to hungry child sites anyways - i think it's pretty dubious (where do they get this food/money from the click?). Moreover, I have mixed feelings about food aid unless in the most extreme cases. But to display these photos to so many people makes the public think this is ok! To exploit people is ok!
It's not.
Tuesday, 12 May 2009
Not your typical disaster...
All of our staff from Baghdad had come up for a week long training. To celebrate the first time we had gotten all of the organisation's staff together for the first time, we went on a day-long excursion through the mountains north of Shaklawa (Erbil, KRG). It's beautiful up there – very mountainous, with lots of areas to picnic and hike. Erbil governorate being relatively safe allows you to travel pretty freely without any fears of roadside bombs or sketchy check-points, which gave our Baghdad staff freedom they would not normally have.
Here are two anecdotes from the trip.
The KRG approach to nature conservation: "Cover it in concrete and nothing will touch it"
Bekhan is one of my favourite places in the whole country because it is… well… absolutely fascinating. Bekhan has a large natural spring that spills into a giant waterfall. It's where most of the bottled water in the KRG comes from. They have built a treatment plant conveniently and directly beside the waterfall…
Surrounding the waterfall there is a picnic area where people can camp and eat. It's not your typical picnic area that you would find in many places. Instead, to preserve the waterfalls natural beauty, the government has covered the entire area with concrete. To boot, stalls up on stalls of shops selling Chinese junk and Turkish junk food have been opened up surrounding the entire picnic area, which is 3 floors and works it way up through the waterfall itself, connected by a series of very uneven and dangerous concrete steps. The area is completely covered with corrugated tin roofing, and plastic lawn chairs and tables scatter the area. What is more, the whole are has connecting "steams" of water from the spring that run through concrete channels. Due to a lack of garbage cans… and most patrons inability to throw anything in one most of these streams are filled wit refuse from picnics and snacks. It's truly an amazing site/sight.
Theme parks… Yes I said Theme park.
As I was speeding down a hillside on a rollercoaster I thought to myself… maybe this isn't the best idea I've had in while. I have been on some scary midway rides before at less than well maintained community fun fairs before, but a rollercoaster at a theme park in the developing world? In a war zone no less? Then it hit me, the irony of it all. In one of the most dangerous countries in the world, I may fall to my death or be seriously injured not by a suicide bomber or an ambush, but in fact, a carnival ride. The news papers back home would write: "Canadian female, 26, seriously injured in Iraq on midway ride". Instead of sympathy, that maybe my family deserves more than me, we would get: "It serves her right… what the heck was she doing on a rollercoaster in Iraq?" This turned my minute-long joy-ride into a thrill-ride of sorts.
All in All – I clearly made it out alive. To report, the Bumper Cars were more fun, the rollercoaster wasn't really a rollercoaster per say, it was cars on tracks that went down a spiral on the side of mountain – and I must say looked fairly well maintained. I didn't touch the Ferris Wheel though. I had to draw the line somewhere.
Here are two anecdotes from the trip.
The KRG approach to nature conservation: "Cover it in concrete and nothing will touch it"
Bekhan is one of my favourite places in the whole country because it is… well… absolutely fascinating. Bekhan has a large natural spring that spills into a giant waterfall. It's where most of the bottled water in the KRG comes from. They have built a treatment plant conveniently and directly beside the waterfall…
Surrounding the waterfall there is a picnic area where people can camp and eat. It's not your typical picnic area that you would find in many places. Instead, to preserve the waterfalls natural beauty, the government has covered the entire area with concrete. To boot, stalls up on stalls of shops selling Chinese junk and Turkish junk food have been opened up surrounding the entire picnic area, which is 3 floors and works it way up through the waterfall itself, connected by a series of very uneven and dangerous concrete steps. The area is completely covered with corrugated tin roofing, and plastic lawn chairs and tables scatter the area. What is more, the whole are has connecting "steams" of water from the spring that run through concrete channels. Due to a lack of garbage cans… and most patrons inability to throw anything in one most of these streams are filled wit refuse from picnics and snacks. It's truly an amazing site/sight.
Theme parks… Yes I said Theme park.
As I was speeding down a hillside on a rollercoaster I thought to myself… maybe this isn't the best idea I've had in while. I have been on some scary midway rides before at less than well maintained community fun fairs before, but a rollercoaster at a theme park in the developing world? In a war zone no less? Then it hit me, the irony of it all. In one of the most dangerous countries in the world, I may fall to my death or be seriously injured not by a suicide bomber or an ambush, but in fact, a carnival ride. The news papers back home would write: "Canadian female, 26, seriously injured in Iraq on midway ride". Instead of sympathy, that maybe my family deserves more than me, we would get: "It serves her right… what the heck was she doing on a rollercoaster in Iraq?" This turned my minute-long joy-ride into a thrill-ride of sorts.
All in All – I clearly made it out alive. To report, the Bumper Cars were more fun, the rollercoaster wasn't really a rollercoaster per say, it was cars on tracks that went down a spiral on the side of mountain – and I must say looked fairly well maintained. I didn't touch the Ferris Wheel though. I had to draw the line somewhere.
Friday, 1 May 2009
Spring comes to Iraq
Things seem like they are starting to improve - with Baghdadis taking pride once again in their city. But fortification still remains, attacks are becoming more targeted and sophisticated and summer is coming. Spring is the nicest time of year here, with temperatures moderate 24-hours a day. The weather is glorious in Erbil, but a glorious spring for the entire country? Maybe next year baghdad...
Iraq's false spring
Iraq's false spring
Saturday, 25 April 2009
Monday, 20 April 2009
Addressing YOUR emergency from the comfort of a starbucks
While my sister is finishing up her last shifts as SBux (hopefully ever- last time I checked nursing in Canada was still a viable employment option - certainly more secure than my own) I'm starting my new shifts.
I have now settled into the dubai-ified West Amman, joined my local Fitness First and have taken to weekends writing proposals from the comfort of what is possibly the largest Starbucks I have seen. Ever. There's probably a bigger one. It's probably in Dubai. But for now, Abdoun SBux is reigning supremo. I have my choice of coffee shops to work in, harking back to my student days - in Canada - living a block away from the closes Second Cup (yes... i live a block away from Abdoun's Second Cup). I can also choose from Java U (re-living a quebec only experience) or Caribou Coffee for all you east-coast and mid-west US people. I haven't seen a Timmies yet, but I'm sure it's just a matter of time before one enterprising expat Jordanian returns home an over-caffinated Tim Horton's addiction (they have it in Afghanistan - only a hop, skip, and a jump).
At first, living here still seemed like vacation (albeit with work). Amman is a great mental break from the immobility and frustrations faced with compound living in Iraq. Not to mention the infrequency of food poisoning and the availability of curries and sushi. But now I'm starting to wish I was still in the field. Speaking with one of my visiting technical advisors, we were talking about how people are writing proposals from headquarters in New York and London without the foggiest of what they are talking about. Laughing, I came to the realisation that I am now doing the same. Writing and developing programs for a population I have never seen. Yes. I have lived in Iraq for the past year, and hae experience in our areas of operation. But I was working on Peacebuilding with Youth. Not Internally Displaced People (IDPs), refugees or returnees (IDPs or refugees that have come back). I'm program for a population that I know limited amounts of knowledge. Based on field staff (who only really know the north) and reports published by international organisations, like the UN (which... errrrr.... are no help... sorry guys), and think tanks (which are more help... thank you USIP).
It's really incredible that I have turned into exactly what I do not want to be. I want to remedy this soon, by going back in (inshallah soon - after all I'm suppose to spend 50% of my time there), but even then, I will not know anything about who or what I'm dealing with in Baghdad. AS one of 3 people who have been in Baghdad, and the person who has been there the longest, I've become a sort of default go to on all-things central region. While I can answers questions about the best places to eat in IZ or what time the gym is busy, I can still only talk youth and peacebuilding. Sorry. Now with my new position, I stay in the north as well... soooooo... the knowledge of that area will reduce even further as time passes.
I still am learning a lot, particularly about the state of IDPs across Iraq, the way the government views and is dealing with it, and what is happening with the slow trickle of returnees that are coming along... slowly. I've also realised that Iraq is SCREWED if there is a mass return (which I highly doubt for the time being). There is no infrastructure in place to support this at all. Since 2003, 2.8 million people were displace, in addition 1.5 million before 2003. Can you imagine resettling the population of Ireland?
So far only 40 - 50 thousand people have returned, mostly displaced people from close by, and mostly those who have been displaced for 6 months or less. Very few people have returned from abroad... almost none of the returnees are from Iraq's minority populations (Christians, Armenians, Yazidis, Chaldeans etc etc). These groups were specifically targeted during sectarian violence and probably won't come back. Other displaced groups targeted such as Palestinian refugees are (doubly) screwed because they cannot go anywhere. Last I heard a few were being resettled in Romania... but a lot have been pushed out of Baghdad to camps along the border with Jordan.
The more I write, the more I realise this is the tip of the iceberg (and one depressing post). More things will be in store, but I don't think Iraq will get boring anytime soon.
I have now settled into the dubai-ified West Amman, joined my local Fitness First and have taken to weekends writing proposals from the comfort of what is possibly the largest Starbucks I have seen. Ever. There's probably a bigger one. It's probably in Dubai. But for now, Abdoun SBux is reigning supremo. I have my choice of coffee shops to work in, harking back to my student days - in Canada - living a block away from the closes Second Cup (yes... i live a block away from Abdoun's Second Cup). I can also choose from Java U (re-living a quebec only experience) or Caribou Coffee for all you east-coast and mid-west US people. I haven't seen a Timmies yet, but I'm sure it's just a matter of time before one enterprising expat Jordanian returns home an over-caffinated Tim Horton's addiction (they have it in Afghanistan - only a hop, skip, and a jump).
At first, living here still seemed like vacation (albeit with work). Amman is a great mental break from the immobility and frustrations faced with compound living in Iraq. Not to mention the infrequency of food poisoning and the availability of curries and sushi. But now I'm starting to wish I was still in the field. Speaking with one of my visiting technical advisors, we were talking about how people are writing proposals from headquarters in New York and London without the foggiest of what they are talking about. Laughing, I came to the realisation that I am now doing the same. Writing and developing programs for a population I have never seen. Yes. I have lived in Iraq for the past year, and hae experience in our areas of operation. But I was working on Peacebuilding with Youth. Not Internally Displaced People (IDPs), refugees or returnees (IDPs or refugees that have come back). I'm program for a population that I know limited amounts of knowledge. Based on field staff (who only really know the north) and reports published by international organisations, like the UN (which... errrrr.... are no help... sorry guys), and think tanks (which are more help... thank you USIP).
It's really incredible that I have turned into exactly what I do not want to be. I want to remedy this soon, by going back in (inshallah soon - after all I'm suppose to spend 50% of my time there), but even then, I will not know anything about who or what I'm dealing with in Baghdad. AS one of 3 people who have been in Baghdad, and the person who has been there the longest, I've become a sort of default go to on all-things central region. While I can answers questions about the best places to eat in IZ or what time the gym is busy, I can still only talk youth and peacebuilding. Sorry. Now with my new position, I stay in the north as well... soooooo... the knowledge of that area will reduce even further as time passes.
I still am learning a lot, particularly about the state of IDPs across Iraq, the way the government views and is dealing with it, and what is happening with the slow trickle of returnees that are coming along... slowly. I've also realised that Iraq is SCREWED if there is a mass return (which I highly doubt for the time being). There is no infrastructure in place to support this at all. Since 2003, 2.8 million people were displace, in addition 1.5 million before 2003. Can you imagine resettling the population of Ireland?
So far only 40 - 50 thousand people have returned, mostly displaced people from close by, and mostly those who have been displaced for 6 months or less. Very few people have returned from abroad... almost none of the returnees are from Iraq's minority populations (Christians, Armenians, Yazidis, Chaldeans etc etc). These groups were specifically targeted during sectarian violence and probably won't come back. Other displaced groups targeted such as Palestinian refugees are (doubly) screwed because they cannot go anywhere. Last I heard a few were being resettled in Romania... but a lot have been pushed out of Baghdad to camps along the border with Jordan.
The more I write, the more I realise this is the tip of the iceberg (and one depressing post). More things will be in store, but I don't think Iraq will get boring anytime soon.
Tuesday, 7 April 2009
You would think development was tricky...
There's a proverb in Chad that says "a pregnant women has one foot in the grave". It captures the terrifying risks faced by millions of women in the world's poorest countries.
I'm not posting a full post today. I'm still very jetlagged, and don't have enough to speak of. But this article caught my eye. It's by Kevin Watkins and it was in the Guardian. It is a simple article that states exactly what all other editorials on development state. That big problems globally can be solved so easily. It's infuriating.
What is more is that the majority of these major problems are faced by women and children - and of that group girls and women. This article is about death in child birth, and simple steps that even some of the worlds LDCs (least developed countries) are doing to combat it. This may put a small dent in how far we are behind in catching those Millennium Development Goals, but it's a start.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/apr/07/pop-stars-adoption-africa
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