Rwanda

From surveillance tool to weapon of war, drones have quickly captured the attention of the world. Most notably used by the U.S. military in Pakistan as a part of the “War on Terror”, many have come to only see the violent side of this technology. In some circles, the word drone has become synonymous with civilian casualties. With the number of civilian deaths, it is hard to argue against this view.

Rather than act as a deterrent to musical protest, the imprisonment of members of Pussy Riot serves as inspiration for other musicians, especially women, to speak truth to power. Pussy Riot is not the first to tread this gender-musical path, though. Amanda Dugan reports on the successes of Drupatee Ramgoonai in Trinidad and Tobago and Odile “Kiki” Katese in Rwanda, female musicians who are turning music and cultures upside down.

[read Part 1 here]

Invocation of the “Ceased Circumstances Cessation Clause”: Is Rwanda Fundamentally Altered Enough?

While the focus of this blog is meant to be international affairs, occasionally domestic events in America prompt a change of topic; the shootings in Arizona this weekend qualifies as one of those events.  By now you've heard about the work of gunman Jared Loughner, which left Congresswoman  Gabrielle Giffords gravely wounded, killed six others – including a nine-year old child – and wounded 12 others.  Once the immediacy of the shooting faded, talk inevitably turned to the why of the event.  The theory being pushed by many conservative, right-wing pundits

Sixteen years after the campaign of mass genocide in Rwanda, the aftermath of this grave tragedy is still ongoing. On Tuesday March 2, the widow of assassinated President Juvenal Habyarimana was arrested by French Police on an international arrest warrant issued from Rwanda. This came only a week after French President Nicolas Sarkozy was visiting Rwanda on a diplomatic mission to mend fences with President Kagame, who has been previously accused to have been involved in the genocide, although he has vehemently and continuously denied this claim.

Last night at the venerable 92Y, Council on Foreign Relations president Richard Haass took a few questions from a smiley, curious, leggy Katie Couric. Haass has a new book out, War of Necessity, War of Choice, and The MANTLE would love a good progressive critique of it--so get crackin'!