More on Rwanda

I actually posted my thoughts on the Rwanda genocide on the Lonely Planet’s Thorn Tree Forum and several travellers actually replied to my post. It provides a deeper insight into what exactly was the cause and bits of Rwanda’s history. Very useful info and I’ve certainly gained much knowledge from the information provided. Many of the travellers are actually ‘veterans’ in the area of travel to Africa and some actually are scholars in the area of African studies. Below are some snippets of what some of the travellers wrote and hope they will give you a better understanding of the whole situation then.

Quoted from me:
"How could human beings be so cruel to one another? Especially when everyone are fellow men in the same country? Is it due to a lack of education, I often wonder?"

From one responder:
"Wonderful you got interested in what happened in Rwanda due to the film, but know that the reasons behind the whole thing are hugely complicated and not to be explained by a 'bunch of savages' that weren't educated. Rwandese are a very, very proud people with a high level of education, especially up to the runup to the genocide. A film is always a film (especially when it's hollywood) and I encourage you to read books, talk to Rwandese, visit Rwanda, talk to ex-soldiers etc when you want to try to grasp more of how this happened. Tutsis and Hutus were living in harmony before the Belgians since they both had their specialities. Because Tutsis look wore 'western and refined' they were indeed put on a piedestal by the Belgians. Only after the Belgians left, the French promoted the Hutus in power...in my eyes the whole thing was almost a nasty secret war between the French and the Belgians if you read some books. Also when you know that the massacre was being extremely carefully prepared (eg census were taken in schools of Tutsis months in advance, so all the dead-lists were ready for when the 'the signal' came; the Interahaiwe was a dedicated and highly effective deadsquad being hyped up with the task of infiltrating and brainwashing, months in advance by the Hutu government; there was radio Milles Colines that slowly started preparing the masses, run by a Belgian I believe....). Also realize that some other countries were also hardcore involved; eg Uganda...Kilama helped Museveni to overthrow Obote, with the idea that Museveni would help overthrow the Hutus later on; Museveni however made a 180 and was trying to kick out the Tusti refugees out of Uganda back into Rwanda after he came into power - things that all added to the momentum. Finally, know that even saying it was Tutsis versus Hutus is very untrue; many moderate Hutus were also killed and eyed for when the madness began."

From another responder:
“With one or two exceptions, eg Ethopia, most of the countries in Africa were created and imposed on Africans by European imperialist powers in the 19th century. So just because people ended up in the same country may have been just luck. They may have hated their neighbours for centuries, then found themselves under the one government.About 10,000 separate clans/tribes/kingdoms were condensed into about 50 states.�

Yet another responder:
“Nigeria is a perfect example of this. Nearly 200 different tribes exist there alone. Look at countries like Liberia which are the product of America forcing slaves to return to an Africa they may not necessarily have even been born in. This in combination with the West's thirst for shiny stones makes Liberia a pretty f*cked up place really. Before the carving up of Africa tribes certainly had their own boundaries (roughly speaking) and certainly might not have got along with one another in some cases....but it worked in significantly better harmony than today’s jigsaw of European created borders.�

“I agree with #1's sentiments, and also a little with #3's contrary opinion. It is true that one of the reasons the West pulled out and left Rwanda to annihilate itself, was because a bunch of Belgian UN workers were kidnapped and killed. It was felt that the whole situation had reached a state of irreversible chaos, and that there was nothing to be done but pull out.This is interesting considering the amount of people who are being kidnapped and beheaded in iraq every week. BUT...as #2 said, there is plenty of oil in Iraq to be sacrificing a few hundred truck drivers' heads for."

"let's not forget that most of the torture methods used by the Hutus and by the likes of Mengistu, Mobutu and Idi Amin etc. werelearnt from the colonialists. The Belgians had a true passion for cutting off hands in Congo. And the Portuguese were quite fond of it in Angola as well.The west is really to blame for all of Africa's problems. I don't know how anyone can argue with that.�

There’s actually quite a lot more details posted by other travelers, but I shall just paste these here. Anyone interested to know more can just drop me an email and I can send u the webpage that I saved. There's a BBC article that is recommended reading as there's links to other information: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/world/africa/4211621.stm

Hotel Rwanda

It’s been 5 days since I last watched the movie, ‘Hotel Rwanda’, on 24th Jan (Mon). The movie is great, with a superb cast who were able to portray, in my opinion, a very accurate re-enactment of the situation then. Bloodshed was not the main focus of the film, but instead the focus was on the bravery of the one man and the love that binds his family, his community and him. It’s a heart-wrenching film as with so many other war films. However, this film has another point to make besides your usual war movies. Why was there no international intervention at all? As Colonel Oliver (played by Nick Nolte) said in the film: because the Rwandans are blacks, because the international committee feels that the country is not worth their effort.... How long more does prejudice has to go on before we learnt our lessons? Does it mean the blacks' lives are not worth as much as other humans? And does the UN, United States or the European nations have to make sure that they would gain something out of Rwanda before they would intervene?

How could human beings be so cruel to one another? Especially when everyone are fellow men in the same country? Is it due to a lack of education, I often wonder?

The website below emailed to me by my friend provides a very good insight into the entire film. Not too heavy reading. Lotsa links and useful info. The timeline was especially interesting as it dawned on me that the racial discrimination could date back all the way when the Belgium government gave unequal treatment to the 2 tribes in the 1918! And in the period (between late April and mid-July) prior to the dispatch of U.N. soldiers back to Rwanda, what an "efficient" way the various governmental bodies are making decisions. SHAME ON THEM! In this case, saying sorry is really no cure.
http://www.mgm.com/ua/hotelrwanda/main.html

I highly encourage everyone to watch this movie as everyone should be aware of what’s going on in the world around them. Things like this are still happening in the Congo, Somalia and Sudan. You would be gripped by the reality that this is so real in some parts of the world. And be thankful that you are so sheltered right here in Singapore.

There are very few, in fact, almost no bloody scenes in which u would be forced to cringe at the sight of dismembered bodies. However, the way the family was forced to live in anxiety and fear everyday, not knowing when their time would come may get to you… it can be emotionally draining…. And I can well understand that as I have experienced similar emotions in the darkest period of my life before…

This movie also brought to mind what a close friend told me about what Angelina Jolie said after she’s been to Sierra Leone to shoot the movie, “Beyond Borders�: “I’ll never feel self-pity for myself ever again, as I’ve never experienced real poverty.� It may not be the exact words, but the meaning to be conveyed was along these lines.

Everyone of us may undoubtedly would have our very own problems, be it with family, studies, relationships, monetary, stress, personal expectations…. But as compared to all those children or teenagers out there in the 3rd world, we have so much more than them… We have the most basic necessities of a shelter, clean water and sanitation, food & clothing. Many millions out there don’t. The next time u decide to procrastinate about something, think twice. We are indeed luckier than many out there.

"Nothing can bring you peace but yourself."
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Thirteen Tips for the Accidental Ambassador or How to be an ethical traveler (more or less!)

The below were posted by a traveler on the LP travel forum website and I visited the website, only to find it very interesting and of utmost relevance to my own blog. So here they are, being posted online here to remind everyone of the little details that they may have forgotten when they travel. The website has some fabulous photos of life in Afghanistan. Do take a look if u r free! http://www.ethicaltraveler.com/guidelines.php

"Rules" to being an ethical traveller
1) BE AWARE OF WHERE YOUR MONEY IS GOING, and patronize locally-owned inns, restaurants, and shops. Try to keep your dollars (or baht, or pesos) within the local economy, so the people you are visiting can benefit most directly from your visit.

2) NEVER GIVE GIFTS TO CHILDREN, only to their parents or teachers. When giving gifts to local communities — from schoolbooks to balloons, from pens to pharmaceuticals — first find out what's really needed, and who can best distribute these items.[See: "A Fistful of Rupees: Coping With Begging on Third World Trails"]

3) Before visiting any foreign land, TAKE THE TIME TO LEARN BASIC COURTESY PHRASES: greetings, "please" & "thank you," and as many numbers as you can handle (those endless hours in airport waiting lounges are a good time for this). It's astonishing how far a little language goes toward creating a feeling of goodwill.

4) REMEMBER THE ECONOMIC REALITIES OF YOUR NEW CURRENCY. A few rupees one way or another is not going to ruin you. Don't get all bent out of shape over the fact that a visitor who earns 100 times a local's salary might be expected to pay a few cents more for a ferry ride, a museum entrance, or an egg.

5) BARGAIN FAIRLY, and with respect for the seller. Again, remember the economic realities of where you are. The final transaction should leave both buyer and seller satisfied and pleased. Haggling for a taxi or carpet is part of many cultures; but it's not a bargain if either person feels exploited, diminished, or ripped-off.

6) LEARN AND RESPECT THE TRADITIONS AND TABOOS OF YOUR HOST COUNTRY. Each culture has its own mores, and they're often taken very seriously. Never, for example, pat a Thai child on the head, enter a traditional Brahmin's kitchen, or open an umbrella in a Nepali home!

7) CURB YOUR ANGER, AND CULTIVATE YOUR SENSE OF HUMOR. Anger is a real issue for westerners — even the Dalai Lama remarks on this. It's perversely satisfying, but it never earns the respect of locals, or defuses a bad situation. A light touch — and a sense of cosmic perspective — are infinitely more useful. As Wavy Gravy says: "When you lose your sense of humor, it's just not funny anymore."

8) It makes an enormous difference if you ARRIVE WITH A SENSE OF THE SOCIAL, POLITICAL, AND ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES faced by the people you are visiting. Our site will direct you to good profiles of most travel destinations; we also recommend you read the political and historic sections of your guidebook (Lonely Planet, Moon Publications, and Rough Guides are especially good for this), as well as a country's English-language newspapers.

9) LEARN TO LISTEN. People in other nations often feel underestimated or dismissed by American society. Such convictions lead to anger and resentment. As an American traveler, be aware that many people believe that having the ear of an American is tantamount to having the ear of America. They're right — when you come home, you'll spread the word about such encounters.

10) LEARN TO SPEAK. People from developed nations often express their opinions as if they are the absolute truth. We suggest tempering conversations with phrases like "I believe," or "My view is," rather than, "Everybody knows..."

11) The single most useful phrase any traveler can learn: "CAN YOU PLEASE HELP ME?" Rarely, in any country or situation, will another human being refuse a direct request for help. Being of service, and inviting others to reciprocate, is what the phrase global community is all about.

12) LEAVE YOUR MASS MEDIA-BASED PRECONCEPTIONS ABOUT THE WORLD AT HOME. The inhabitants of planet Earth will continually amaze you with their generosity, hospitality and wisdom. Be open to their friendship, and aware of our common humanity, delights, and hardships.

13) NEVER FORGET KURT VONNEGUT JR'S BEST LINE: "Strange travel suggestions are dancing lessons from God." In other words: go with the flow, and give free rein to your sense of adventure!

A trip to MacRitchie Reservoir (to go to the tree-top walk!)

It was quite a last minute decision last Sat when my friends and I decided to go to MacRitchie Reservoir with my friends to explore the tree-top walk. It was a rainy morning and rainy afternoon. We decided to cancel it at 12pm but then decided to make our way there at 1250 after the rain stopped.

We met up at 220pm at the bus stop and the weather was FABULOUS. Overcast, with the occasional peek of the sun out of its hiding place. And rather breezy. We have been to hike this area before, from Bt Timah Nature Reserve to MacRitchie (11km in all!) and this time, we took a totally different route by walking on the broad walk that bordered the reservoir for about 4km before entering the rainforest.

We climbed up onto a tower (see the pic where there were the 3 of us) and it happened to rain at that point in time! So took shelter and had a little picnic there for about 20mins before we continued. The rain pattered down hard and we needed to walk around with our umbrellas! It was such an adventure cuz the tree-top walk actually closes at 5pm! And we were still about 2km away at 415!

Hastened our speed and managed to make it to the tree-top walk which is actually a suspension bridge at 433pm! The time for the last entrance is at 445pm! It was raining hard still, and we made it amidst the wet and muddy grounds. One great thing that the rainy weather brought was the fewer number of visitors to the park. It was unlike the other Sunday walks that we used to do as the park was flooded with runners, families and walkers alike. It can really spoil the pristine tranquility as people chat too loudly.

It was a great hike and we would not have gone if one of the friends is not going off to Belgium for 6mths. Aww… Would miss her company on the future walks that we r going to do! :p I would certainly go back there again on a day when it’s dry and I would be able to see more animals. Actually, did not see any on that day at all. :p Too bad another friend could not make it with us. She’s going to be a teacher… Heh…

To define what do I mean by ‘Nature’, as requested by a friend. J Well, to put it simply, it’s anything that is not man-made. MacRitchie is where nature abounds, with the lush greenery and the many animals that inhabit the forest which are not easily spotted by the human eye. Galapagos Islands off Chile is where nature thrives too, with all the animals in their original environment untouched and protected from the prying hands of greedy Man. Closer to home, as long as there is abundant greenery(since there are no savannahs or bushlands or deserts or glaciers to talk about in Singapore here), there will surely be animals and insects found alongside. And that is what I termed Nature. Since it’s actually a patch of living area, anything that Man does to interfere with it will cause a disruption of the balance in it. Animists believe there are spirits living in the forests, water, mountains and they are what keep them(both Man and animals) alive and living, they worship Nature and do not dare to provoke it, for they fear repercussions. In a way, I may be considered half an animist? I don’t worship mountains, forests or the oceans, but I respect them for their powers. They calm me in a way that nothing else can. That’s why I love running into this area near my place which is not developed due to it being used for military purposes. A canal running through the place, I’ve seen kingfishers, egrets(during this migratory season from Oct to Mar), dogs(both alive and dead), water monitor, wild rabbits(most prob released by man), wild chickens (? They always scurry away whenever I approach), a dead snake, eagles flying overhead and numerous unidentifiable colorful birds throughout my many months in this special ‘relationship’ with this stretch of running route.

Being up in the mountains give me a sense of how tiny I am actually in this wide universe and out in the sea is something I love best. I dunno how to explain the feeling, but it’s something I’ve always enjoyed since young. Maybe it’s in the genes, since both my parents used to live by the sea when they were young. And the urbanized me, being deprived of this chance, treasures every single opportunity to be out there.

Hopefully I’ve provided an explanation of what Nature means to me. No need the help from a dictionary, just what I feel deep down in me.

The map of MacRitchie! 

My 2 hiking partners for the day! 

Broadwalk that is right beside the waters! 

Us on top of the Jelutong Tower 

Limino on the broadwalk 

As u can see, it's raining heavily... 

On the suspension bridge! 

Making our way down after the tree-top walk 

Who is Scott?

Mmm… Who is Scott? Is it one of my many friends who are reading my blog and yet does not identify himself? Or is it a stranger of whom I do not know? From the link that he has provided on the oil exploration info, I would suppose he’s a stranger as the news is US based.

Let me try to set myself straight first. First, that was no conspiracy theory that I came up with, or that I agreed on. I merely chanced upon that on the travel forum and did not even read it in detail. Just thought that posting that link on my blog would be interesting. And read what I’ve written in the previous post, “If oil exploration activities really did play a part in inducing the earthquakes, then isn't it Man's own doing? It totally tallies with what I had in mind: That Man has taken too much out of Nature and this is Nature's way of punishing us.� Since Scott is most probably a stranger, that would simply means he does not know me personally. And he certainly would not know that Im a Nature-lover/conservationist/ ‘green’ person. What I mentioned were merely used to ATTEMPT to explain such a terrible disaster, why is it happening and why has it killed so many? I always believe in KARMA. Quoted from a friend on her blog, it’s ‘always a good way to explain things.’ To many Nature lovers out there, they all would have noticed the drastic changes done to Earth’s landscape over the past century. And it’s all due to Man’s doings. Miraculously, no animals were killed in this disaster. Which further explains that the disaster is all due to Man’s own doings if u want to explain it based on Karma. And no conspiracy theories here. There’s no conspiracies here at all! It’s out clear and simple. Nature or a stronger force out there is simply punishing Man for having exploit Earth for far too much and far too long….

“You need to get over your conspricy theories and look at the world from the perspective of reality. But I guess that would not allow you to not blame someone for this horrible natural event and get on with helping those that survived and finding way to prevent this from happening again.�
Mmm…. I guess I would have to be the most realistic person around, if you know me in person. I just returned from Sri Lanka a few days before the disaster and should the tsunami struck Galle just one week before, I might not be here typing this away. But I have said in an earlier blog that i do not feel like im the luckiest person around, but I can really empathize with the locals. Go read my past posts. Dun wanna repeat myself. Hahaha…. When am I blaming anyone? Never. Does any other readers actually smell a hint of hatred here? I’ve been devoid of hatred long ago ever since I came to realize that the world is NEVER fair. And I’ve been through enough life events at the age of 21(only close friends will know what) to understand certain things that even people older than me would not. Hatred, anger, jealousy… These are what strip a person’s mind of sanity and proper reasoning… And they make you age faster as well! Why forth would I harbor such negative and degenerative thoughts?

Coming back to the question again…. Who is Scott?? Mmm…. Anyone out there can email me at eyyz17@yahoo.com.sg to let me know??

"Do unto others as you would like them do unto you."

BBC news.

Just watched BBC news on cable at 8pm while having dinner. And the journalist in Sri Lanka interviewed Kofi Annan when he went to survey the area. He actually mentioned Singapore as one of the aid countries! I was so pleasantly surprised. “Countries like the U.S., Australia, Japan and even Singapore…..� something about the aid that we are pouring in… It’s amazing that Singapore could actually be on his mind when he talked about the ‘superpowers’ of the world. Well, just something that I thought I should share…

Guess most of us would be concerned about whether the huge amount of aid would be channeled into the right places. Especially corruption is not unheard of in places like Indonesia and India. We’re talking about more than $3billion of cash and lotsa food, clothing, and medical supplies coming from the whole world. And to be distributed to all these developing nations where even communication within their own countries is a problem. Perhaps UN should set up a committee to overlook where all the funds go to, and to account for every single cent that’s going into a particular country’s rebuilding project. The money must not go into the wrong hands.

Something that I read from an Australian who wrote on the Lonely Planet’s travel forum about the insufficient funding proclaimed by UN. This came about as one traveller wrote in to say that the entire world seems to have shift their focus to aiding the tsunami victims in Asia and seems to have forgotten all about Africa. Mmm… Wonder if the part on govt capitalising on the event to get more funds from people is true… It’s something for u to ponder on and gauge for yourself…

"I work for a government agency and I know from experience (especially the Bali bombing) that the majority of goverments use natural disasters such as this as a fundraising exercise for their operations that they want to remain secret. Basically they use the public outpouring of grief and sympathy to capitilise on the event and get peoples cash to use as they please. Medecins Sans Frontiere (Doctors without borders for us English speakers) have it right, they have enough cash already to do all they can in Asia and yet most western countries are still saying that several billions of dollars is needed to help with the efforts there, why is there such a discrepancy ?

Unfortunately as Africa's crisis is not something that is a natural disaster and because of the western worlds attitude that the spread of AIDS/HIV is easily stopped by the use of condoms nothing will ever change to help these poor people out of their situation. What a lot of the western world doesn't realise is exactly what ZoSo has pointed out, most of the women in Africa don't have the same civil liberties that women in the western world have and so if their husband or partner doesn't want to use a condom (or doesn't have access to them or simply can't afford them) then she isn't in a position to argue and so the disease continues to spread. The problem is also compounded by the fact that most African establishments (Hospitals, Dentists, Tattooists etc) don't have the money to purchase disposable needles or proper steralising equipment.

I think the best thing that us informed and morally responsible travellers can do to help is to make as many people in western society as we can aware of the plight of the people in Africa and ask them to do all they can to pressure their own government to provide not only much needed funding but also access to the medicines that us westerners take for granted and which can extend the life expectancy of someone infected with AIDS/HIV or in most cases almost remove the "terminal" component of this horrible disease. "

On a happier note, Sudan is finally ending their civil war! The longest in Africa’s history… The government and the Southern part signed an agreement today. I do hope the rebels are really putting down their arms. So many innocent have died needlessly. And cannibalism actually went on during all these wars. It’s a tactic to scare their enemies and to punish them. What ghastly acts. It’s taking place in the Democratic Republic of Congo(DRC) as well. What a ‘democratic’ country eh….
Read more about it here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4157707.stm

Kudos to Australia for being the largest donor country so far. For a country that small, it has been able to fork out more than $700 million! And the Australian celebrities even held a concert at Sydney Opera House to raise funds for the victims... Now, where is America in the standing of the donor countries??

Year 2005:A year of renewal

My 1st blog of the year. Just thought that I wanted to share something on the recent disaster. Could it be oil exploration activities that have induced the earthquake? I got this website from someone else who posted this on the LP travel forum. It's interesting and is well worth the read. If oil exploration activities really did play a part in inducing the earthquakes, then isn't it Man's own doing? It totally tallies with what I had in mind: That Man has taken too much out of Nature and this is Nature's way of punishing us. Both physically and psychologically. UN warned that the surge in psychological problems could be the next big challenge to tackle as the many survivors battled to fight the nightmares in their own minds.
http://www.independent-media.tv/item.cfm?fmedia_id=10211&fcategory_desc=Under%20Reported

I have 2 other 'theories' from friends who said that it's a sort of way to get the people in the world to unite as the world is very much split into 2 groups with the people fighting against the terrorists & the terrorists themselves. So in a way, by means of a catastrophe befalling on the human race, we all gotta stand as one no matter what. No more killing or harming one another, as Mother Nature is the one with the ultimate power to destroy everything in her path. Just a note to add, as quoted from one of my friends, "Who knows, the terrorist base could be in Aceh, for all we know." Yeah, only God knows.

Another explanation for this disaster is that Nature is seeking a balance since there's overpopulation in so many underdeveloped nations. And the people there are not living in the best conditions, so Nature might as well help them end this tough life. Cruel, but yeah, work of Nature.

The most recent reports got to be those about the child trafficking and prostitution going on in some refugee camps. Those people, erm, or do they even deserve to be called so? They're aliens, as one 'TODAY' newspaper reader had called them. For they're of a different breed on this planet we call Earth. We do not know them. We are unable to comprehend their actions. Of abducting orphaned children to make money. No words can describe them. They're constantly in my curses. DAMN.

2005 has arrived and it's already the 8th day. May the new year fill u with a new level of energy and aspirations to last the whole year through. As the rebuilding is going to continue for many months and years to come, I would like to urge everyone to set aside an amount of money(it need not be a large amount) to contribute to the fund every month. I do believe that the various ways of contribution are going to continue and the survivors would need our help in any way that we could contribute in.

Year 2005: A year of renewal and rebirth? At least that's for the countries which are affected. It could be for everyone of us too. With new resolutions. I would continue to travel and learning a 3rd language is my aim this year. Already starting off with Malay. Hope to do Spanish as well. And maybe do a full-distance biathlon this year, if I can find the time to train for it. For im starting work in June! SCARY! It's here! Certainly not looking forward to it. That's just Life and time is my greatest enemy now.

Hope you will find ur direction/s for this year soon, if u haven't.

~~~Vive como quieras (Live life the way you want it) ~~~
Ernesto Che Guevara