Justice for all

If you have been keeping up with the news lately, I am sure you have heard of Roxana Saberi, an American journalist who has been imprisoned in Iran with a sentence of 8 years for spying for the US government. However, these allegations are said to be unfounded.

Saberi is a freelance journalist who has been living in Iran for six years. She’s worked for top news organizations like NPR and the BBC, and grew up in Fargo, North Dakota. She has a diverse family background: her father is Iranian and her mother is Japanese. She was chosen as Miss North Dakota in 1997, and went on to get Master’s degrees from Northwestern and Cambridge.

Since I’m a current Northwestern student, I have to say I deeply empathize with her situation, and hope she is freed soon. I am sure the immense pressure on the Iranian government will help Roxana’s cause. After all, the campaign to “Free Roxana” has gained a lot of traction via Twitter, freeroxana.net, and the international news media. Most impressive, Iranian President Ahmadinejad made a statement that Saberi should be allowed to offer a full defense at her appeal. President Obama has publicly called for her release, expressing concern for her safety.

But why does Saberi get all the attention of heads of state and news media around the world? I say: because she is American. People rally behind her cause mostly because she’s American.

But what about Iranian people suffering under their government? Rarely is their plight so publicized, and rarely do Americans fight for the rights of an Iranian. Why is no one fighting for Mohammad Khamami, who has been sentenced to death by stoning by Iranian authorities? Oh, and how about two brothers - Arash Alaei and Kamiar Alaei - doctors specialized in treating HIV/AIDS, who were tried and sentenced in January for plotting to overthrow the Iranian government - but were not given a fair trial by international standards? Hmm…maybe it’s because their names are hard to spell, and of course, because they don’t have any connection to America. And US media would never talk about the fact that Iran has arrested and tortured many Iranians who attempted to visit the Ashraf Camp in Iraq in order to visit their relatives; women as old as 85 have been punished.

One positive development: Recently there has been a lot of support for 20 year old Iranian Delara Darabi, who has been sentenced to public hanging for a murder that occurred when she was 17 years old. At that time, her 19 year old boyfriend had forced Delara to falsely confess to the murder of a relative - to protect him from execution. Despite the evidence to the contrary, she’s on death row. The good thing is, her execution was postponed 2 months in part because of international pressure. Still, she has only 403 followers on Twitter, compared to Roxana Saberi’s 3602 followers. That’s a big difference. And the US news media definitely hasn’t written about her as much. Mostly because she’s not American.

Sure, it’s natural for people to support those they feel an affinity with — and Americans emphatize more strongly with Roxana Saberi. But this narrow-minded Western focus becomes a problem when it completely ignores the plight of local Iranians - and nationals of other countries as well. Saberi is lucky; she has the political connection to America and thus is having her voice heard. But most local Iranians are not so lucky to have such a network or such connections, and their problems get completely ignored.  Americans have a powerful voice and with that voice, can cause international outcry that can save lives. But inevitably, the US media selectively ignores many of those situations that don’t endanger Americans, leaving more marginalized populations to struggle alone just because they don’t have that connection to the US. Americans, along with the Western world as a whole need to look past their biases and understand that there is more going on than simply the abuse of one American journalist. With great power comes great responsibility, and this responsibility needs to be fulfilled.

I have a more in-depth post I’m writing, but in the meantime wanted to post this awesome video interview of rapper K’naan, as a follow-up to my previous post about Somalia’s crisis. K’naan is from Somalia and raps about various social and political issues affecting his country. His music is amazing and poignant, and I urge you all to check it out if you haven’t already. He has been a strong voice recently speaking out against the failure of the media and international community to recognize and accurately portray the underlying problems of piracy off the shore of Somalia. Here’s the video:

So, Refugees International beat me to this topic, but I’ll put my opinion out there anyway, because I believe it’s incredibly important to understand.

Recently, I’m sure you’ve heard a lot about the pirate situation off the coast of Somalia. Currently, 15 ships and 300 crew members are being held hostage by Somali pirates. On April 8, a group of Somali teenage “pirates” kidnapped and held for ransom the captain of an American container vessel. In a “successful mission,” the pirates were shot dead by U.S. Navy Seals. More recently, a Russian cruiser stopped three pirate ships off the coast of Somalia and detained 10 pirates. Yesterday, a teenage Somali pirate captured by U.S. forces and brought to New York for trial was ordered to face the court as an adult on piracy charges; he could be jailed for life.

True, people need to be held accountable for their actions. But the focus on punishing the pirates is wrong: political leaders, the international community, and the news media need to focus on addressing the underlying causes of piracy instead. These pirates were driven to engage in criminal behavior because of the poverty, lack of opportunity, and chaos in Somalia. What about the more important story: Somalia’s history, and it’s dire situation?

The media frenzy is wrongly focused on the issue of piracy because it’s sensational, news-worthy. What about everything else going on in Somalia? I don’t know if you’ve realized, but Somalia is a country. With a history, a long legacy. There’s a lot more to Somalia than just pirates. Somalia is a failed state, a humanitarian crisis - and piracy is just a symptom of this. In 1991, a civil war destroyed Somalia’s government, and since then the country has suffered famine and utter chaos. Somalia has split into several mini-states and does not even have a central government. The country is also being exploited by Ethiopia; since Ethiopia, backed by the US, overthrew Somalia’s government, the country has been consumed in anarchy. Somalia’s situation is even worse than that in Darfur. One third of its people are currently refugees. More than 3 million are dependent on external assistance. Piracy is a result of this horrible situation; people are driven to desperate measures in order to survive. In spite of this ongoing crisis, the entire media is focused on the few pirates who have been caught - not the millions dying of violence and poverty. Where are our priorities?

The severe international response to punishing the pirates is also unfair since it’s largely a reaction to the decades of exploitation Somalia has undergone at the hands of more powerful nations. For decades, the country’s long coastline has been pillaged by foreign vessels. Fishing fleets from around the world have long plundered Somalia’s rich waters; trawlers from places like South Korea, Japan, and Spain have fished illegally on the Somali coast. This has forced the country’s own poor fishermen out. Impoverished Somali fishermen lacked the advanced boats and technologies of their competitors, and were sometimes even shot at by foreign fishermen. Somalia - with all its chaos - has no way of monitoring its coastlines; it has no navy or coast guard. “According to another U.N. report, an estimated $300 million worth of seafood is stolen from the country’s coastline each year.” As a response, poor Somalis living by the ocean were forced to start defending their own fishing expeditions; the first pirate gangs emerged simply as a method of self-defense. They simply had no option if they were to survive.

The international community needs to understand that the problem of piracy isn’t something that can be solved by punishment or even worse, violence and war. If we want to end piracy, we have to attack the root cause of the problem - which is the overwhelming poverty and anarchy of the country. If we help the Somali people to establish a stable government, as well as help improve the overall quality of life in the country, perhaps they wouldn’t have to resort to desperate measures like piracy. And we need to shift media focus away from the pirates and onto the humanitarian crisis occurring in the state: there’s more to Somalia than pirates, and it’s time people realized this.

Hey everyone! Welcome to Justice for all - part 2! I recently bought a personal domain (http://akhilak.com) to serve as a personal portfolio, and have moved my blog over here as well. If you’re already subscribed, you don’t need to change a thing as the feed is the same. If you are a new reader, please check out some of my past posts and subscribe!

However, if you have linked to my blog or bookmarked it anywhere, please change your links to http://akhilak.com/blog.

I love my new design and I spent quite a bit of time customizing it. I hope you like it too, and can’t wait to interact with you all over here!

And I’d also like to ask you guys, my audience, a question: What would you like to see in the future at Justice for all? Do you like my posts on human rights and international issues? Do you prefer my posts on my own life/career experiences and advice? Let me know what types of posts you’ve most enjoyed reading, and what I can improve in the future. I’d love to hear from you.

As I’m currently on Easter Break, I’ve been constantly traveling. Right now, I’m at Northwestern University, visiting friends, studying for final exams, as well as catching up on meetings and activities. It’s been an exciting time, but since I’ve been so busy I haven’t had much time to update and write here. Forgive me for being M.I.A. — but in the meantime, check out some of these links for the latest and greatest in human rights news and blogs:

1. To Africa, From New York: “No, I said I’d only waterboard if I HAD to, and then only for 20 minutes….”
   The Obama Administration released some previously top secret documents about tactics used by the CIA today, at the same time that he promised those who implemented these tactics immunity from prosecution
2. Change.org Humanitarian Relief blog: When Aid Becomes Morally Indefensible
   So do you ask for the food, know that most of it will be used to further the insidious aims of the regime that has driven the country into the ground, but hoping that at least a few hungry people will benefit - or do you ask for the aid to be withheld, hoping to cutoff one of the regime’s own lifelines, even if more people will go hungry?
3. Internet and Democracy blog: Connecting India: Why Elections Need The Web
   Despite India’s bewildering diversity of languages, customs and religions, technology is building a bridge to more robust civil society. I am heartened by the cacophanous and lively blogospheric debates about the elections, which now compete with the Indian MSM and party propaganda machines for attention…
4. UN Dispatch: Death and Destruction in Sri Lanka While Few Pay Attention
   For the past three months the Sri Lankan government has engaged in a military campaign against the Tamil separatists, believing that this offensive can deliver the once and final blow to the Tamil Tigers 25 year violent insurgency…According to a document leaked to the AP, the United Nations puts the civilian death toll at around 4,500 with 12,000 civilians wounded.  Five children a day are dying from starvation and diarrhea.
5. Change.org Humanitarian Relief Blog: Challenging the Western approach to advocacy
   If we genuinely want to get governments to respect the rights of citizens, then we need to inspire them to do so, rather than shaming them when they don’t.
6. On the Ground by Nicholas Kristof: Free Roxana
   Today Roxana Saberi, an Iranian-American from North Dakota working as a journalist in Iran, was sentenced to eight years in prison by the Iranian government. My heart aches for her and her family.
7. DPH: Vijay Mahajan speaks about new economics and micro-finance
   For the longest time there was only one bottom line and it was money. Then there was talk of a double bottom line, which meant monetary and social accountability. But now most leading corporations are trying to perform on a triple bottom line, namely profits, people and planet.
8. Mashable: How to use social media to champion international causes
   Essentially, your social networking profile makes you a public figure, and like Brangelina, you too can champion an international cause…If you’re a social media guru with an interest in international projects, below are a few ways you can contribute to humanitarian organizations.
9. Change.org Social Entrepreneurship blog: Plato and Brancusi on Branding and Responsible Media
   I wonder how much irresponsible media is actually symptomatic of an irresponsible worldview and irresponsible action which starts from the division of the world into the philanthropists and those to be helped? I wonder if the photos of fly-bitten, distended-bellied children are effect, not cause?
10. WSJ: Obama Can Make a Difference in Darfur
    The U.S. needs to lead the international community in presenting Sudanese regime officials with a choice. If they allow access to aid organizations, sideline their indicted president, and secure peace for Darfur and the South, then they will be offered a clear path toward normal relations with the U.S. and other coalition partners.