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50.0%ANMag Issue 24 Public Surveillance
Annapolis: Future for Peace: Analyzing the Failed Israeli/Palestinian Peace Process
By Vanessa Zuabi, Staff Writer
Orange County, California − The peace negotiations between the Palestinians, Israelis and sixteen Arab countries throughout the region received mixed reactions from people throughout the world. The intention of the Annapolis conference was to establish a Palestinian state alongside Israel. Optimists are hoping that Annapolis will be the next “giant step” towards peace but many are doubtful. After a series of failed negotiations including Oslo in 1993, Oslo Interim Accord II in 1995 and Camp David in 2000, many believe that Annapolis will only be another failed attempt to add to the list. [More]
IMF/World Bank: A Safe Haven for Profits and Decimator of Economic Independence
By Yousef Salama, Staff Writer
Toronto, Canada − The issue of equality comes into question when discussing the impact of the IMF (International Monetary Fund) and World Bank imparts upon the dependent nations to which it supposedly caters. By the end of the 1990s, the IMF and World Bank took in $77 billion more than they lent out. This massive fiscal imbalance has forced dependent governments to adopt structural adjustment policies (SAPs), which force them to cut essential social services and divert from their own interests to pay off their debts, eliminating their ability to run a democratic system. Because the IMF and World Bank do not function democratically themselves, and their owners are essentially elitist Western governments, the countries they have usurped have become increasingly dependent for financial assistance. Furthermore, local financial markets run the risk of capital flight as the majority of global funds are funneled towards paper assets as opposed to physical investments. As a result of these speculative investments, the markets have become inherently unstable, while also forcing dependent countries to adhere to the Western investors. Without a major overhaul in its current structure and policy making decisions, both the IMF and World Bank will continue to drive developing nations further into debt and away from any form of real democracy. [More]
If Americans Knew : The Case of Hebron
By Farah Salka, Staff Writer
Beirut, Lebanon − Hebron is a West Bank city of 150,000 Palestinians, 500 Jewish settlers and 450 Israeli soldiers. Hebron used to be divided into two areas: H1 is composed of 130,000 Palestinians and is under Palestinian control, and H2 is composed of 20,000 Palestinians and is under Israeli control. This city is notorious for the mounting level of violence against Palestinians in it, violence by settlers and soldiers, but especially that perpetrated by the settlers. Yehuda Shaul, a former Israeli soldier, explains the real situation behind the headlines of the newspapers, having served in Hebron himself. ‘What I did in Hebron every night is firing grenades into Abu Sneina neighbourhood; that is what the Israeli press called, “IDF forces returned fire to the source of fire.” I do not remember once that I recognised the source of fire.’ [More]
Memoirs of a Geisha? Nope, Just the Memoirs of a Chinese
By Hanin Ababneh, Staff Writer
Beirut, Lebanon − With the world’s new obsession with China’s rapid economic growth and phenomenal breakthrough into the global arena, we cannot help but notice the absence of human perspective. As images of workers scattered across widespread rice fields and enormous factory buildings crammed full of laborers come into our minds with the mere mention of China, it is evident that a whole side of a comprehensive story is lost. We must not forget the tortures suffered by the people and the torments they were directly subject to before they became such a celebrity in world affairs. The human side of this drastic change in life systems and daily normality has slipped through the cracks of the glamorous façade of modernity. [More]
Lebanon, the Center of the Universe
By Farah Salka, Staff Writer
Beirut, Lebanon − It is a common ground in several countries to find the nationals spelling out jokes about other countries which tend to develop into sometimes unconscious racist and abusive remarks. We find this iterated between Chinese and Japanese, Pakistanis and Indians, Ukrainians and Russians and even on a closer spectrum, Lebanese and Syrians. The funny part is that Lebanese (and I certainly am not a fan of generalizations but believe they do deserve a quick stop in some cases) are not contempt in simply focusing their creativity on disdaining Syrians, but Lebanese tend to further disseminate their efforts by extending the parameters of their condescension to many other people. Discrimination, racism or mere over superiority might be potential adjectives to describe this state of mind and action although other words might also be used in this context. I shall try to color my words with live examples; perhaps the picture will then be clearer in a sense. Some people not only feel genetically superior to Syrians but also to SriLankans, Palestinians, Indians, Sudanese, Ethiopians and several other “third world” nationals. We find this apparent in their attitude, jokes, conversations, advertisements and newspapers. In short, Lebanon is a country where Syrians, Palestinians and others have to be keen on hiding their accents in order to avoid trouble. [More]
The Balancing Acts of National Image
By Naseem Javed, Contributing Writer
Toronto, Canada − Who are the new champion nations on the global stage delivering the finest performances and altering the course of branded imagery of goods and services? Where are the old traditional nations and what is happening to them today? The global shifts on image repositioning are causing minor quakes throughout various continents as brand new landscapes are erupting, while previously cherished perceptions are being swept away. The art of detection of these seismic tremors in advance, to pursue the balancing act for creating new imagery and brand positioning has now become a serious science. [More]
End the Siege of Gaza: Ceasefire Now
By Avaaz.org
The years-old blockade of Gaza is at crisis point: with the humanitarian crisis growing, the southern border has been breached and 350,000 Palestinians are pouring across. The situation is out of control -- the world must step in.
Please sign the "End the Siege of Gaza: Ceasefire Now" Petition by clicking on this link. [More]