Dustyn Winder

This and That — Housekeeping

I’ve been somewhat complacent in posting the past week, and so I figured I would take a few minutes and cover some stories that are now old news, but that I had intent of discussing.

—-

Kenyan sues over sex ban ‘stress’ — BBC

I couldn’t not talk about this. I cracked up when I originally found out about the ban. I never could have guessed the story could be escalated to a greater level of hilarity.

I won’t make any attempt at rewording the story from the BBC — mainly because there’s a link — but it basically goes: A man named James Kimondo is suing the organizers of the sex ban because his wife took part, and as a result, he suffered ”anxiety and sleepless nights”.

Wasn’t the boycott a week-long? Maybe I’m wrong, but I don’t think so. If this guy was stressed out after a week without sex, then married men everywhere are scoffing at his expectations.

—-

Over 4,000 former rebels to receive resettlement package — The New Vision

I’m not going to begin to address a side on the issue of granting amnesty to rebels, but it seems to be sweeping across Central/East Africa, recently.

First Kinshasha and Kabila granted amnesty to rebels from the Kivu provinces — turning the CNDP into a real political party and inviting other rebels into the ranks of the government.

Now, and by now, I mean last Friday, one day after the announcement from the DRC, it’s reported that over 4,000 former Ugandan rebels will receive resettlement packages. I’m not going to comment too much because I don’t know all of the details and The New Vision doesn’t really offer much in the way of specifics… But, I’ll just say, it’s one thing to offer a resettlement package to an abductee, but, and specifically in Uganda, it’s another thing entirely to offer resettlement packages to voluntary rebels or abductors.

I’m just saying.

—-

And now it seems, as of a couple days ago, that the amnesty deal in the DRC is already backfiring.

Former Congo Rebels Threaten to Re-Start Insurgency Over Pay Dispute — VOA

I don’t think this should come as a shock to anyone. In fact, and I can’t remember where I saw it (I’ll update this if I find it), I’m pretty sure that Didier Bitaki made it quite clear that he was accepting amnesty on the grounds that he could and likely would rebel again. I’m just shocked at his turnaround time.

Apparently, Kinshasha isn’t meeting the demands of the rebels. Wait… Kinshasha isn’t meeting demands? And rebels former rebels demand a lot?

—-

And just briefly:

Have you written your letter to Oprah yet? — Denialism Blog

Though they’re calling for letters over the O’s support of Jenny McCarthy and her anti-vaccine flag waving, I say let’s steal their idea and write Oprah over her blind support for Invisible Children (here and here).

—-

I have another post coming up, but it’s recent, so I’ll keep it separate from my housekeeping.

Big thanks to Oprah for getting so many people off the streets of Chicago

You know, since that’s what matters and all.

Just a quick rant — I promise.

I really must be at least some part masochist because I continue looking at the Twitter trends for #therescue, and it makes me sick.

Just a few recent Tweets showing the ignorance involved with Invisible Children:

• @nbrooks8: Thank you @Oprah for coming to Chi-town’s rescue! We knew you wouldn’t let us down! #therescue
  • Me: Hmm. So, is it about Chicago or is it about those actually abducted? And by “actually,” I mean not hanging out in a concert festival like setting. You know, abducted.
• @coalescex: #therescue thanks @oprah for her support! What a great way to save the last city.
  • Me: Is Chicago the last city? Correct me if I’m wrong, but I would say the last “city” would be somewhere in Garamba. Or maybe Gulu where people are still in IDP camps, trying to cope with over twenty-years of war in ways that don’t involve a sensationalized film or t-shirts with insensitive imagery.
• @Anna_Iana: TOGETHER WE ARE FREEEEE!!!!! THANK YOU OPRAH!!! IC IS AMAZING!!!!!!! #therescue
  • Me: Who is “WE”? Is it the American teenagers who have been having such a hard time as they hang out with their friends, are well-fed, and endure all other horrible types of suffering? Is IC amazing? Do they educate their followers? Where’s this war you care so much about? Most IC supporters I’ve spoken too still seem to believe that the LRA are wreaking havoc on northern Uganda, failing to realize that Garamba National Park is in the DRC and the DRC is not the same as Uganda. So, I ask again, who is “WE”? Are we all good to go now that these American kids in trendy t-shirts can go home?

I can’t get over the blind following Invisible Children has been able to amass. What’s immensely sad and even more frighetning is that they have a wonderful opportunity to bring real attention to a war that has gone largely unnoticed by the world until the last few years, and instead, they choose to worry about making slick films and hipster clothing. These kids follow blindly with Invisible Children as their cause and little idea of the real situation in the Great Lakes Region.

IC does great development work in northern Uganda. Schools for Schools has arguably done more for education in northern Uganda than any previous program. They facilitate wonderful micro-finance programs. Sadly though, they choose to focus on sensationalism and the sensibilities of a West-Coast culture, forgetting entirely about Acholi culture… You know, the people they claim to support.

IC is a peace building nightmare — Completely unaware of the culturally grounded efforts being undertaken to heal in northern Uganda. Militarized language and insensitivity will help no one. IC is not a savior, nor should they be. It’s time they step back and realize the harm that they’re doing. It’s time that they realize what’s being done in Uganda by Ugandans. It’s time that they become a little more invisible as an organization and begin worrying about truly helping people — not because they’re helpless, but because they’re human beings.

———

I just had to get that off of my chest. I’ve been rather incognito due to a hard drive crash, coupled with finals, but I think I’m back on a regular schedule now.

Making progress…

Been in contact with the IC filmmakers. It appears they’re at least receptive to constructive criticism and want to hear our connections. We’re making progress, and it’s encouraging.

I’m not sure if I linked to what we’re making progress on, before, so I’ll do it here.