Noon Against Putin: Russian Citizens Continue Navalny’s Mission

April 16, 2024

In Russia, protests in opposition to Putin’s rule continue despite the death of Alexei Navalny.

The late Alexei Navalny. Mitya Aleshkovskiy. CC BY-SA 4.0

On February 16, 2024, Alexei Navalny, outspoken critic of Vladimir Putin and major activist in Russian domestic politics, died in a Russian prison. On March 17, 2024, believers in Navalny’s vision took the next step in opposition to the president.

Despite his death, Navalny’s anti-Putin rhetoric continues to echo through the streets of Moscow. On the final day of the 2024 Russian presidential election, groups of silent protestors gathered at polling places across the country at exactly twelve o'clock noon in a demonstration dubbed “Noon Against Putin.” The plan had been endorsed by Navalny prior to his death, and the call was taken up afterwards by his widow, Yulia Navalnaya, via a video on YouTube in the days before the election.

The demonstrators voiced their disapproval of the unfair elections by either writing in Navalny’s name on their ballots, invalidating their vote, or simply leaving without voting at all. Around the world, Russian citizens also formed silent queues at embassies in Berlin and London, standing in solidarity with the demonstrators in Siberia and Moscow. Many also took to social media to decry what they called an unfair and rigged election, denying the Kremlin’s repeated claims that their president is always democratically chosen.

Protestors outside of a polling place in Moscow. Konopeg, CC0

Navalny was one of the few Russian citizens willing to outright oppose Vladimir Putin’s rule. He was arrested several times for leading protests against corruption in the Kremlin and eventually joined a centrist political party to work towards fair and just elections, among other humanitarian improvements in the daily lives of the Russian people. Navalny’s death in a Russian prison in the Arctic sparked outcry worldwide, with many world leaders accusing Putin of direct involvement.

A procession outside the Russian Embassy in Berlin. A.Savin, Free Art License

“Noon Against Putin” was carried out with the knowledge that some arrests were inevitable. The demonstration ended with at least 60 citizens imprisoned and 15 criminal charges filed. Not only did the people gathering at the ballot boxes understand that their demonstration would not change the election, but they also came in spite of the laundry list of potential punishments from the authorities. The threats of imprisonment, and possibly death in captivity, hang over the heads of any Russian citizen who speaks out against the Kremlin. But the community that Navalny has built seems unafraid of these consequences. Even though Putin was still reelected, this brief and solemn display of unity among the Russian people shows that even without their vocal leader, the anti-Putin masses are still here, and are still willing to show their disapproval.

The Kremlin, and thus Vladimir Putin, still holds complete control over Russia and its government, but the forward momentum that these protestors represent, no matter how small it may appear now, suggests a potential shift in the balance of power. In the past, Russian citizens have had little choice but to put their heads down and keep moving forward. Today, Navalny’s memory has spurred those same citizens to take action towards a vision of change.

Ryan Livingston

Ryan is a senior at The College of New Jersey, majoring in English and minoring in marketing. Since a young age, Ryan has been passionate about human rights and environmental action and uses his writing to educate wherever he can. He hopes to pursue a career in professional writing and spread his message even further.

What India’s Successful Moon Landing Means for Space Exploration

October 26, 2023

India is now the fourth country to land on the moon, and its lunar rover is making some big waves in space exploration.

The Chandrayaan-3 lunar exploration craft was launched from the south of India on July 14. Sky News. CC BY-SA-NC 2.0

On August 23, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) landed its Chandrayaan-3 craft near the moon’s south pole, marking both the country’s first ever moon landing and the world’s first on that specific lunar region. Not only has this achievement finally placed India among the ranks of other space exploring nations, but has also made it one of only four countries to land a craft on the moon. The location of the craft’s landing near the unexplored south pole is significant given the multiple failed attempts by other nations to do just that in the past and stake a claim to lead future research in the area. Chandrayaan-3’s successful landing will hopefully cement the credibility of the ISRO on the international playing field and allow for continued collaboration with other foreign space agencies. During its two-week lifespan, the rover investigated the existence of frozen water deposits beneath the surface of the moon, and has made a number of surprising discoveries that orbiting crafts were unable to.

A digital rendering of the Chandrayaan-3 craft and its lunar rover. NDTV. CC BY-NC 2.0

While India’s space program was first established in 1962, it took another decade or two for the ISRO to really pick up steam. Many of the first projects involved sending satellites up into Earth’s orbit in order to map and survey the country from above, bringing telemedical and communication services to communities in remote regions. Chandrayaan, a Sanskrit term meaning “mooncraft,” is the name of India’s lunar exploration program, which made its debut between 2008 and 2009 with the Chandrayaan-1 lunar space probe, which found water deposits on the moon using various mapping techniques and reflection radiation. The next craft, launched in 2019, was comprised of an orbiter, moon lander and rover, and was actually intended to be the first to land on the south pole of the moon, but after successfully entering lunar orbit, the ISRO lost communication with the landing craft and rover before touchdown.

Chandrayaan-3 is therefore the culmination of more than a decade of scientific research and technological development and is undoubtedly the crown jewel in India’s space program. The probe was launched on July 14 from Sriharikota Range, the country’s largest launch site located in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh, and successfully touched down on the moon on August 23. Unlike its recent predecessor, the Chandrayaan-3 traveled without an orbiter module, further cementing its intention to land on the moon and conduct experiments in situ. Additionally, while this craft was unambiguously an Indian project and creation, some of the technology on board resulted from various collaborations between the ISRO, NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA), proving once again the importance and benefits of scientific collaboration.

Students in India watch a video explaining the lunar mission. Al Jazeera. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Aside from proving that landing on the south pole of the moon is indeed possible, the information sent back by the Chandrayaan-3 rover has already resulted in some groundbreaking discoveries about the moon. One such finding has to do with understanding the temperature of lunar soil, an important factor when considering building long-lasting structures or even settlements on the moon. The Indian rover is equipped with a temperature probe that can reach nearly four inches (10 cm) beneath the surface, and found that the temperature drops 140ºF (60ºC) at a depth of just roughly 3.14 inches (8 cm). This has provided an updated and more accurate reading as compared to the data currently in use from NASA’s 2009 Lunar Reconnaissance mission, which lacked precision because it was an orbiter and therefore not actually on the lunar surface. Another interesting discovery took place in the form of a series of strange vibrations detected by the rover’s seismograph: scientists have suspected it as being a minor moonquake, although further exploration and longer-term observations would need to confirm this.

While these scientific discoveries are of course extremely significant and promising for the future of lunar exploration and research, the Chandrayaan-3 project also set a historic precedent in terms of the budget they used to complete this mission. The ISRO has a long held reputation amongst international space research circles for their ability to work on limited funds, at least compared to other major space exploration agencies. NASA, for example, has a $25.4 billion budget for the current fiscal year, while the ISRO received a measly $1.5 billion from the Indian government for the fiscal year ending this March by comparison. If that wasn’t enough, the ISRO actually spent 25% less than what it had been allocated. The Chandrayaan-3 mission cost a total of $74.3 million USD, ironically less than half of the budget that director Christopher Nolan had to make Interstellar, his award winning film about space travel.

The actual Chandrayaan-3 craft before it was launched into space. The Week. CC BY-SA 2.0

In addition to finally taking its place amongst the other lunar landing nations, Chandrayaan-3 has opened countless doors for both the ISRO and the space exploration community as a whole. Going forward, the example that this mission has set with regards to the resources it used as well as through the international collaboration it benefitted from. The moon’s south pole has now been unequivocally proven accessible and investigable, new information about lunar composition has been brought to light, and like all other missions into space, has helped to deepen our understanding of both the universe and ourselves.

Tanaya Vohra

Tanaya is an undergraduate student pursuing a major in Public Health at the University of Chicago. She's lived in Asia, Europe and North America and wants to share her love of travel and exploring new cultures through her writing.

The Peace Walls in Belfast and the Politics of Separation

June 17, 2023

Today, there are efforts to take down the walls that have separated the loyalist and nationalist neighborhoods in Belfast for over fifty years.

Murals along the Falls Road side of Belfast’s Peace Walls. Megan Coughlin. CC BY-ND 2.0

The Walls are not only a reminder of a violent history, but a medium for artistic expression and international solidarity.

The origin of the partition that defines Ireland today can be traced back to the early 1920’s, when a successful Irish rebellion from British rule led the island to be broken up into two countries. The Irish Free State gained independence from the United Kingdom, while Northern Ireland remained part of the British state. Irish Nationalists, who generally support an island-wide Irish republic, are predominantly Catholic, while British Loyalists/Unionists are mostly Protestants.

The 1960s saw the beginning of ‘the Troubles’ in Northern Ireland. The Troubles refer to the period of violence, riots, and unconventional warfare between the British state and Loyalists paramilitaries, who believed Northern Ireland should remain part of the United Kingdom, and Irish Nationalist paramilitaries, who wanted Northern Ireland to join the rest of the island as a United Ireland.

It was within the context of the Troubles that the first Northern Ireland peace walls were built in 1969, after days of intense rioting in Belfast and Derry/Londonderry. Originally constructed as a temporary structure to ensure peace between the two sides, the walls have hardened into semi-permanent lines that continue to divide the cities today.

The signing of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, marked the end of the Troubles. The agreement set up an autonomous legislature and government that could legally only be governed by a coalition of Unionist and Nationalist political parties. Furthermore, while still recognizing Northern Ireland as a part of the U.K., the agreement also acknowledged the possibility for the area to one day unite with the rest of Ireland should a majority vote to do so.

The Good Friday Agreement was a pivotal marker of peace and cooperation between the two sides. However today, some 25 years after its signing, peace walls continue to divide Catholic and Protestant neighborhoods in Belfast.

One of the largest of these peace walls runs along the Falls and Shankill Roads in West Belfast and divides two major Catholic and Protestant neighborhoods. The wall is interrupted by stretches of metal gates, several of which still maintain a curfew, including the Townsend Street gates which closes every weekday night and throughout the weekend. The enduring curfew speaks to the continued tensions between Belfast’s Catholic and Protestant communities, which have been reinforced by the 2016 Brexit referendum.

But today, the walls are not just borders of separation. They’re also a canvas of artistic expression.

The Shankill and Loyalist side of the divide depicts memorializations of those killed by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) and tributes to the Ulster Defense Association, a Loyalist paramilitary organization founded in 1971. A portrait of King WIlliam, known as William of Orange, looks out upon the neighborhood where Union Jacks decorate the streets.

In contrast, the Falls Road and Irish nationalist side of the divide touts the orange and green Irish tricolor. Here, murals celebrate national pride with depictions of Gaelic sports and memorializations to national heroes, including a large portrait painted on the side of Sinn Fein Political Party Press Office of Bobby Sands, a popular IRA leader and elected MP who died of hunger strike while imprisoned.

It is also on the Falls side that one can see the famous International Wall, depicting images of global civil rights leaders the likes of which include Fredrick Douglass, Nelson Mandela, Harriet Tubaman, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., and Bob Marley. In this neighborhood, it is common to Palestinian flags hanging in people’s windows, aligning a mission to free Irish land from British rule with that of occupied territory in Palestine. A mural on the International Wall depicts hands clasped between prison bars, one of which is draped in an Irish national flag, the other in a Palestinian flag.

Murals along the peace wall that runs through Shankill and Falls Road. Mike McBride. CC BY-NC 2.0

In 2013, a project called Together: Building a United Community was launched by the Northern Ireland Executive. The project called for the removal of all walls in Northern Ireland by 2023, but progress has been slow and in January of 2023, about 60 walls still remain. In a 2015 survey by Ulster University on public attitudes towards the peace walls, about 35% of respondents wanted the peace walls ‘come down some time in the future’ with 40% of Catholics and 25% of Protestants surveyed sharing this position, while 44% of Protestants and 23% of Catholics ‘would like things left the way they are now’.

While the future of the peace walls remains uncertain, their presence serves as a striking visual reminder of division within a city that is increasingly embracing a global economy and multiculturalism, the very extent of which is exemplified by the international calls for peace and solidarity in the artwork that lines the divided city.

To Get Involved

The Social Change Initiative (SCI) is working to support peacebuilding and dialogue between Nationalists and Unionists. Based in Northern Ireland, SCI partners with local activists and publishes articles and reports that detail the strategies and reflections of those working directly within divided communities. SCI also connects local leaders to a global community of human rights activists through fellowships and mentoring programs, in an effort to create an international network through which individuals can share communication and advocacy tactics as well as strategies for peacebuilding and conflict disruption.

How To Visit

One of the most popular ways for travelers’ to experience and learn about Belfast’s peace walls is through Black Taxi Cab tours.

The tours began in the 1970s and are recognized for their effort to provide a balanced and unbiased history of Belfast. The black taxis were first employed as a kind of bus service in the midst of the Troubles in order to transport working class people from their neighborhoods to the city center. The tours are notably co-run by Catholics and Protestants, allowing visitors to hear perspectives from both communities as they travel across the Falls and Shankill roads.

Jessica Blatt graduated from Barnard College with a degree in English. Along with journalism, she is passionate about creative writing and storytelling that inspires readers to engage with the world around them. She hopes to share her love for travel and learning about new cultures through her work.

Rewriting Constitutions: An Un-American Art

May 12, 2023

What the United States can learn from the world’s newest Constitutions.

We the People' by Nari Ward -- Sun Splashed Exhibit at the Barnes Foundation Philadelphia (PA) June 2016, Ron Cogswell, CC BY 2.0.

When the United States Constitution was first written only white landowning men had the right to vote, African Americans were legally considered two-thirds of a person, and there was no guarantee from year to year that the United States would continue to exist. Despite these shortcomings, among many others, the United States Constitution was revolutionary for its time, paving the way and serving as an example for virtually all the world’s early democracies. For this, it is and should be revered, and deserves a place in history books across the globe.

Today, the United States Constitution is over 230 years old and is the oldest functioning national constitution in the world. The document hasn’t remained untouched, with new additions such as a universal right to vote and other significant changes saving the constitution from becoming obsolete over the centuries. In total, the Constitution has been amended 27 times. The most recent change technically came in 1992 with the 27th amendment, which made it more difficult for Senators to change their salary. However, the last major change occurred 21 years before that with the 26th amendment, which lowered the voting age to 18. Back then, Richard Nixon was president, the US was still mired in the Vietnam War, and the internet did not yet exist.

March For Our Lives student protest for gun control, Fibonacci Blue, CC BY 2.0.

While some parts of the Constitution have managed to stay relevant, others have become detached from their original purpose. The second Amendment of the constitution, the right to bear arms as part of a well-regulated militia, was designed at a time when the strongest weapon available was a musket that could fire once every 15 or 20 seconds. Today, US citizens can buy weapons that can fire up to 45 times per minute. A well-regulated militia was allowed in case a need arose to fight back against a potentially tyrannical new government, a fear that, in the nascent weak United States unsure of its future, was justified. With the government and its democratic institutions now being well established, and the US military arsenal harboring thousands of planes, tanks, missiles, and many other deadly weapons, overthrowing the US government is not necessary or realistic.

Protest against a constitutional amendment banning same sex marriage, Fibonacci Blue, CC BY 2.0.

Beyond this, several critically important human rights are not included in the US Constitution. The United States Constitution is one of 28 in the world that does not guarantee gender equality. Moreover, the constitutions of 142 countries protect the right to universal health care and of 160 countries guarantee the right to education. The United States Constitution does not do either of these things.

The idea of a constitution as a sacred untouchable object is a uniquely American one. Many countries around the world either completely rewrite or heavily edit their constitutions quite frequently. Most nations will create a new constitution if their old one starts to become obsolete. This practice, over the past 3 decades, has led to some of the most liberal constitutions in the world.

Ecuador

Ecuador rewrote its constitution in 2008, its government riding a political wave to create one of the most liberal constitutions in the world. This constitution became the first in the world to recognize that the environment has rights, a landmark moment in the international environmental movement. It also was one of the first constitutions to extend rights to people of any gender identity or sexuality. Beyond these progressive changes, Ecuador established an immigration grace period, allowing anyone to enter the country for 90 days without a Visa. The Comparative Constitution Project, an organization devoted to studying constitutions, says the Ecuadorian constitution guarantees 99 rights to its citizens. The next closest constitution only guarantees 88.

South Africa

The South African Constitution was ratified on December 4, 1996, two years after the end of Apartheid. This constitution is well-known for being the first in the world to ban discrimination based on gender identity. This led to South Africa becoming one of the most progressive nations in protecting the rights of gender minorities. The constitutional law has had tangible results. Most notably in 2019, a transgender woman in a male prison was unable to express her identity, which the courts ruled was unconstitutional. In addition, similar to the Ecuadorian Constitution’s environmental protections, the South African constitution guarantees the right to a healthy environment.

Tunisia

The newest constitution of the Republic of Tunisia was passed in 2014 and is most notable for its advanced environmental laws. Like Ecuador and South Africa, the Tunisian Constitution gives citizens the right to a safe and healthy environment. However, the Tunisian constitution goes further, guaranteeing its citizens the right to participate in environmental protection. Finally, it even promises government support to ecological causes, noting that “the state shall provide the necessary means to eradicate pollution of the environment”.

First Amendment to the US Constitution, elPadawan, CC BY-SA 2.0.

This is not to say the US Constitution should be rewritten. In fact, this article is not recommending a particular course of action. Rather, it is simply posing the idea that the constitutions are not as untouchable as they seem.

Jeremy is a Writing Seminars and International Studies major at Johns Hopkins University. He is an avid writer and the Co-Founder of Writers’ Warehouse, Johns Hopkins’ first creative writing group. He is an advocate for Indigenous rights, and studies how Indigenous philosophies can be used to help prevent climate change. Using his writing, he hopes to bring attention to underrepresented voices in today’s world.

Kazakhstan's Journey From Nuclear Devastation to Disarmament

April 27, 2023

The harrowing story of Soviet nuclear testing in Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan, and the wrangling with its legacy.

The center of the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site.Alexander Liskin.CC BY-SA 3.0.

It was the summer of 1953. Valentina Nikonchik was outside playing in Semey, a village in eastern Kazakhstan, then part of the Soviet Union. The ground suddenly trembled, and the air filled with a deafening boom that shook Nikonchik to her core. Little did she know that she had witnessed the first detonation at “the Polygon” of a thermonuclear device, a monstrous weapon of mass destruction that released a force equivalent to 400 kilotons of TNT.

West of Nikonchik’s hometown of Semey lies Semipalatinsk, the testing location where the Soviet Union’s nuclear visions were accomplished. A once-thriving region, now a desolate wasteland, has a dark history. In this Central Asian Soviet Republic, the Soviets conducted nearly 400 nuclear tests, blasting a lethal storm of radioactive isotopes into the environment and soil from 1949 to 1989. Even now, the consequences of these tests are still felt, with environmental damage and public health risks ongoing in the area.

At a conference commemorating the ninth anniversary of the Nevada-Semipalatinsk movement, the first anti-nuclear protest movement in the USSR, statistics showing that between 500,000 and 8 million people were directly impacted by the test site’s operations were presented. The detonations, with their tragic and predictable repercussions, represent one of the twentieth century’s major ethical violations. Altogether, the total force of the nuclear explosions at Semipalatinsk equals more than 2,500 Hiroshima bombs. The long-term health effects for the region were harrowing, including an alarming spike in health issues such as miscarriages, birth deformities, and suicides blamed on “unsanitary conditions” in the area by Soviet military scientists in the following decades. What is so disturbing about these dismissals is that the same medical professionals had been performing creeping radiation tests on the villagers for years.

The testing site, despite being uninhabited, is encircled by villages, and the major hub of Semipalatinsk lies just 160 km away. But the testing was kept secret, known only to top Communist Party officials, while anyone who spoke out against the detonations was immediately silenced. Russian scientists confessed that they failed to follow burial and nuclear material protection protocols, as they thought that no one would be in the area. The newly independent Kazakh government officially acknowledged 1,323,000 people as negatively affected by nuclear testing in 1992. However, just 1,057,000 of them received radiation passports, leaving over a quarter of those affected without the requisite documentation. From 2003 to 2017, a $30.5 million reimbursement was intended to give relief to over 700,000 passport holders. Divided between them, a pittance of only only $40 was allocated to each individual each year.

Map of Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Range, Area “N”. Martin Trolle Mikkelsen.CC BY 2.0.

In 1990, a year before independence, the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW) and Kazakh poet Olzhas Suleimenov’s Nevada-Semipalatinsk Movement banded together and pushed Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev’s to issue declaration of a nuclear testing moratorium. Kazakhstan seized the opportunity to declare independence the same year and promptly closed down the infamous Semipalatinsk plant. Then, the nation went further, renouncing its inherited position as the world's fourth-largest nuclear weapons owner, and relinquishing its stockpile.

Despite this, the inhabitants go about their regular lives, seemingly unaware of the danger that surrounds them. They swim and fish in the lakes, graze their herds and pick wild strawberries all while being exposed to the poison lurking in the ground and air. However, the danger does not end there. The area will remain a bleak wasteland for millennia, poisoned with plutonium, strontium, and cesium, unfit for human habitation. Residents continue to graze their animals and collect contaminated scrap metal on the polluted land as the 7,065 square mile region is devoid of barriers, fencing, and warnings reminding people of its radioactive status.

Semey, once a thriving city, has suffered the brunt of the devastation. While acute blasts of radiation produced immediate harm, repeated modest doses of radiation over time can accumulate to cause great damage. The wind on the Kazakh steppe has brought the radioactive fallout to nearby settlements, amplifying the impact. The repercussions of nuclear testing have been passed down to future generations as a result of radiation-induced mutations in the population’s chromosomes. As a result, the region’s life expectancy is seven years lower than the national average due to a rise in the prevalence of cancer, thyroid sickness, and birth abnormalities. Tolkyn Bulegenov, Vice President of Semey Medical University, confirms that “in the zones adjacent to the test site, one can encounter 10 to 15% more malignant thyroid and blood malignancies - hematological blastoma, leukosis, lymphoma, and chronic leukemia - than in other regions of Kazakhstan.”

Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test, the effect of radiation on the fetus. Perrona Patrick André Perron.CC BY 3.0.

The late 1980s saw a glimmer of hope for the people of Kazakhstan. As the world was introduced to Gorbachev’s nuclear testing moratorium, the Nevada-Semey movement was born on Kazakh soil with a mission to shut down the Semipalatinsk polygon. Kazakhstan destroyed its inherited weapons testing infrastructure and disposed of the remaining vulnerable nuclear material with the cooperation of foreign partners, including the United States.

On August 29, 1991, President Nursultan Nazarbayev signed the proclamation closing the test site, popularly known as the Polygon, which marked a watershed point in Kazakhstan’s recent history. As part of the Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction Program, the United States collaborated with Kazakhstan between 1995 and 2001 to seal 13 boreholes and 181 tunnels at the test site. From 2012 to 2019, the National Nuclear Security Agency and the Netherlands led two major radiological security operations in Kazakhstan, securing approximately 13,000 radioactive sources from the National Nuclear Center and the Mangystau Atomic Energy Complex. Kazakhstan confirmed its commitment to a nuclear-free world in 2021, in accordance with the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.

Kazakhstan’s commitment to disarmament has allowed the nation to serve as an example of a responsible state that has relinquished its nuclear weapons, setting a global precedent for responsible statehood. Kazakhstan has created an environment conducive to the formulation of a multifaceted foreign policy by abandoning its nuclear weapons and closing the world's most extensively used nuclear test site, allowing the country to collaborate with China, Central Asia, Europe, and the United States. While each nuclear-armed state faces unique problems, Kazakhstan’s peaceful approach to disarmament has encouraged many, and its lessons serve as a guide for other countries seeking a similar path.

TO GET INVOLVED:

The Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) is a nonprofit global security organization focused on reducing nuclear and biological threats imperiling humanity. You can learn more about NTI and its records on nuclear disarmament in Kazakhstan here.

Togzhan Kassenova’s Atomic Steppe: How Kazakhstan Gave up the Bomb explains Kazakhstan’s denuclearization process in detail. Kassenova’s book explains how Kazakhstan’s leadership considered security interests as well as economic, political, and diplomatic priorities when making the decision to give up nuclear weapons. You can learn more about Atomic Steppe on Amazon here.

Hope is a Chinese international student at Wake Forest University in North Carolina studying sociology, statistics, and journalism. She dreams of traveling around the globe as a freelance reporter while touching on a wide range of social issues from education inequality to cultural diversity. Passionate about environmental issues and learning about other cultures, she is eager to explore the globe. In her free time, she enjoys cooking Asian cuisine, reading, and theater.

Japan’s Population Crisis Hits a Record Low

March 28, 2023

Japanese birth rates are falling exponentially, and it could have major effects on the country’s economy.

Harajuku District in Japan. @paulkrichards. Instagram

Many around the world consider Japan a futuristic country, a view drawn from its creative technology and its unique culture. A popular destination for tourists all around the world, this East Asian country makes up 1.6% of the world’s population with its approximately 125 million residents.

However, this number is set to rapidly decline as Japan teeters on the precipice of a population crisis. Its Prime Minister has issued a dire warning, saying that the country is “on the brink of not being able to maintain social functions” due to the falling birth rate. Japan has one of the highest life expectancies in the world, which means that most will grow old and require care from others, but the workforce is shrinking as aren’t enough young people to fill the gaps in Japan’s stagnating economy.

Why is this? To use simple terms, Japanese people are having fewer babies. Women are postponing their marriages and rejecting traditional paths to focus on their professional lives, and the percentage of women who work in Japan is now higher than ever. However, there are also fewer opportunities for young people, especially men, in the country’s economy. Since men are still widely viewed as the breadwinners of the family, a lack of good jobs would also mean the men would avoid having children — and settling down — knowing they can’t afford it. With Japan’s high cost of living, it adds more reason for couples to steer clear of having a family.

The problem has only gotten worse since the Covid pandemic. In 2021, the birth rates in Japan declined to around 805,000 — a figure that was not expected until 2028. With much of the population choosing to focus on their careers instead, this number will only continue to fall.

In the early stages of the pandemic, there were jokes circulating that the lockdowns would cause another baby boom. However, the opposite came true. Japan experienced a reduction in birth rates, as well as other countries such as Taiwan and China — to an estimated 1.07 children per woman.

Japan’s population pyramid in October 2021. Kaj Tallungs. CC BY-SA 4.0

There are more and more elderly people in the country and not enough working-age adults to support them. The economy is at risk. But Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida promises to combat the low birth rate.

With Japan “standing on the verge of whether we can continue to function as a society,” Kishida urges the national government to focus on policies regarding children and ramp up child-related programs, saying it “cannot wait and cannot be postponed.” He wants the government to double its spending on child-related programs and in April, he will launch a new Children and Families government agency to help in the endeavor.

This agency will unify policies across multiple government ministries to better deal with issues that concern children, such as declining birth rates, child poverty, and sex crimes. Kishida has plans to double the budget if necessary, without elaborating.

In the mid 1990s, the Japanese government launched a series of programs addressing their country’s low fertility, hoping to provide parenting assistance through increasing provision of childcare services and advocating for a better work-life balance. And in the 2010s, fertility policies were incorporated into Japan’s macroeconomic policy, national land planning, and regional and local planning.

Despite all these efforts, however, Japan’s goal to boost population remains unsuccessful. By forming the new agency, Kishida hopes these problems will be taken more seriously.

One thing remains clear, though — Japan is facing a population crisis. And if birth rates keep falling, the country’s economy will struggle under its effects.

A Grassroots Youth Movement Is Changing the Political Narrative in Peru

February 28, 2023

Recent political instability in Peru has resulted in violent uprisings led by the nation’s youth, who are fed up with longstanding corruption.

Protesters Take the Streets in Lima, Peru CC BY-SA 4.0

Over the past few months Peru’s political system, and especially its President Dina Boluarte, have come under the scrutiny of protestors demanding fair and just elections. A country that ranks 101 out of 180 on the 2022 Corruption Perceptions Index, Peru is categorized as one of the nations with the most public sector corruption. Facing regional criticism with polarization, impeachment threats, and violent manifestations across the country, Peru’s current turmoil is opening a path towards a new Peruvian identity for young citizens who wish to set their nation on a different course. Seeking democracy and transparency, a group of Peruvian students are increasing awareness of structural changes that they feel must take place in their country.

Former Peruvian President Pedro Castillo was arrested in January 2023 after an attempted coup from above, resulting in the ascension of the then Vice President Dina Boluarte to head of state. Many citizens, however, especially those outside of the capital Lima, felt that this was an attack on their freedom because there was no democratic input in the transition. Throughout the pandemic Peru suffered an economic downturn that reduced access to basic services, especially for health care and education. Triggered by the political unrest, civilians have since taken to the street in violent anti-government protests, demanding that their nation allow transparent elections and eliminate elite privilege.

Demonstrations at Plaza Manco Capac following the Ayacucho massacre CC BY-SA 4.0

Peru’s youth have been key to these protests, taking a stand and raising their voices to demand what they view as a better future free of corruption with access to quality basic services. Creating their own slogan, #TheyMessedWithTheWrongGeneration, Peru’s younger population warns authorities that they will not rest, and plan on continuing the fight for an end to systematic dishonesty and fraud. Considered a grassroots movement, the non-partisan group is gaining momentum as even some among the older generations feel that the current government no longer represents them and that their country deserves better. One activist in the movement, a 33-year-old publicist named Diego Cruz, gave the following statement to reporters at a march, “It’s not just one generation marching here, it’s everyone, because we feel outraged that [congress] is carving up the country.”

The youth movement also demands university reform, adherents arguing that access to college is not possible for everyone, especially those that live in rural communities far from the cities. Politicians and traditional political analysts mistook the youth’s dissatisfaction of the old ways for political apathy, a supposition which has now proven woefully false. Members hope that their movement can pave the way to a better, more transparent Peru. It remains to be seen whether they will achieve this.

Having obtained a MA in International Policy, Kimberly seeks to bridge the gap between global development and government legislation. Growing up between the United States and Spain, she believes that travel is the best way to discover yourself and understand the world. Her goal is to promote a deeper awareness of the effects of climate change in society and politics.

A Country Divided: Marking the 75th Anniversary of the Indian Partition

September 7, 2022

Decades after India and Pakistan gained their independence in 1947, the cultural and political ramifications of partition continue to shape the lives of the new generation.

India celebrated their 75th Independence Day on August 15, 2022. Sanstuthi Nath. CC BY-NC 2.0.

2022 marks 75 years since British colonizers divided up the Indian subcontinent, officially declaring India and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan as sovereign states and leaving a trail of violence in their wake. Unlike the 50th anniversary of the event celebrated back in 1997, many, if not most, of the generation who lived through the horrors of partition have aged or gone, leaving fewer and fewer with first-hand memories of the difficult time. Despite this, discussions of South Asian affairs continue to be inextricably linked to the birth of Pakistan, the idea of an unified Indian nation, and the difficulties of birthing a new democracy in the wake of such upheaval.

Refugees desperate to escape massacre cram themselves onto trains during partition. Derek Barry. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

The pro-independence movement in India had long preceded partition, gaining most of its following in the years just after World War II. By this time, the country had been under British colonial rule for just under a century, and the country, while still heavily divided by caste, religion and ethnicity, largely agreed upon their desire to be self-governed. The newly elected British government at the time also appeared to be on the same page, but their exercises in subjugating the Indian population, in order to maintain control over them, had the unexpected consequence of inter-group violence, specifically when it came to deciding who would inherit the British Raj’s political power. This was especially true among religious groups: influential Hindu, Sikh and Muslim groups in politics were unable to agree on their vision for the new India with one such failed conference in 1946, resulting in Muhammed Ali Jinnah, head of the Muslim League, demanding the creation of a Muslim state. This call to action incited violence all over the country which the British decided would only end by partitioning the country into a Hindu-majority India and a Muslim-majority Pakistan. Their minimal logistical support, however, resulted in even more violence and ethnic cleansing, causing millions of people to flee their homes after discovering they were on the wrong side of the border. A million people perished in the refugee crisis and fifteen million were forced from their homes.

The Beating the Retreat ceremony is performed by Indian Border Security Forces and Pakistani Rangers at a border post. AFP Photo. CC BY-NC 2.0.

The ramifications of partition, 75 years after its occurrence, are still prevalent in many aspects of life for the younger Indian and Pakistani generations that may not even realize it. Their experiences of partition, unlike those of their grandparents, are largely based on knowledge learned in school and second-hand accounts from elder relatives. To those interested in the rapidly diminishing value of independence in an increasingly globalized society, the younger generation’s lack of connection to the event, which single-handedly birthed the modern nation of India as we know it, is placing a much larger burden on other institutions -- the media in particular -- to ensure an accurate historical memory of partition. In light of the waves of recent cultural, political, religious, gender and border conflict that have reignited across the subcontinent, remembering the sacrifices and hardships endured by those who fought for a unified India could provide a useful point of mediation.

Millions of displaced peoples set up refugee camps after being forced to flee their homes due to religious violence. The Guardian. CC-BY-SA 2.0.

If nothing else, celebrating 75 years of Indian independence has caused a lot of stories to resurface. Younger generations are making more of an effort to retrace their family histories across time and borders, digging into family archives and questioning their relatives before they are lost to time. The decades have done nothing to erase the history and emotions of what happened, and it is becoming increasingly common among those who have inherited the burden from their parents and grandparents to rediscover these narratives, both sweeping and personal, in the name of developing a personal identity. By posting these stories and sharing them online, young Indians and Pakistanis are building a community of their own and collectively defining what partition means to them. Hopefully, it will also be these communities that can overcome the legacy of pain and trauma that has followed the event through the years, and turn it into a new foundation of strength of unity for future generations of Indian and Pakistanis to come.

Will Bougainville Become the World’s Newest Country?

August 10, 2022

98% of the Bougainville population voted for independence from Papua New Guinea in 2019, but the quest for nationhood remains uncertain.

A view of Bougainville. Jeremy Weate. CC BY 2.0.

In 2019, Bougainville, an island that is politically part of Papua New Guinea (PNG) but culturally and linguistically separate, voted overwhelmingly for independence. Around 98% of the population voted to leave PNG to form their own country. With such a large majority supporting independence, the government of PNG cannot ignore the demands of Bougainville, and negotiations are currently underway to devise a peaceful path to independence that satisfies both parties involved.

Located around 160 kilometers from the island of New Ireland and 1,000 kilometers from Port Moresby, the capital of PNG on the island of New Guinea, Bougainville is geographically part of the Solomon island chain. Due to its remote location from the rest of PNG, it has a unique history. A part of the German Empire until 1946, PNG was then transferred to Australian administration. When Australia granted independence to PNG in 1975, Bougainville was to be included in the new country, against the protests of the people there.

The people of Bougainville made several attempts at independence over the years, including in 1975. In the late 1980s, the region got plunged into a civil war due to the disagreements over the operation of the Panguna mine, one of the largest and most profitable mines in the world. To the residents of Bougainville, the mine, which was supported by the PNG government, represented another imperial imposition to their land. As part of the peace settlement that established Bougainville as an autonomous region in 2001, the residents of Bougainville were to be entitled to an independence referendum every 10 to 15 years. That first referendum happened in 2019, which resulted in overwhelming support for independence.

The location of Bougainville relative to the rest of PNG. Mr Accountable. CC BY-SA 3.0.

The next steps are uncertain. It is not feasible for any entity to gain complete independence overnight so there will be a transition period before Bougainville becomes a fully sovereign country. The agreement between Bougainville and the rest of PNG stipulates that independence shall be attained no later than 2027. Both parties are now trying to figure out the best way forward.

PNG is generally reluctant to grant independence to Bougainville, as their prime minister James Marape is worried that giving independence to Bougainville will set a precedent for other secessionist parts of the country. He insists that the parliament of PNG must approve independence. The government of PNG also points out that the referendum is non-binding.

The Bougainville side, however, says that the role of the parliament is only to ratify the actual results of the referendum or the outcome of the post-ratification consultations. After over a year of negotiations, both parties, in 2021, agreed to have a political settlement “no earlier than 2025 and no later than 2027.” Most governmental powers will also be transferred to Bougainville by 2023, with the rest to follow by 2027.

However, challenges remain. Today, Bougainville has a GDP per capita of $1,100, which is around the same level as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Niger and Somalia, all of whom face notable challenges in poverty, health and political stability. It remains to be seen whether Bougainville will be able to secure recognition by other nations, as well as become a member of the United Nations, usually considered one of the benchmarks of independence. Ensuring a peaceful transition that results in a stable government that does not depend on foreign aid will be essential in the future success of Bougainville. While not there yet, the world could welcome a new country by 2027.

How Climate Change and Political Unrest Created a Famine in Sudan

July 19, 2022

The war in Ukraine has drastically raised the price of food, worsening an already dire situation in Sudan.

Children in Bahr El Ghazal, Sudan wait for food from the World Food Programme. United Nations Photo. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

Famine was officially declared in Sudan more than five years ago, due to a variety of factors which range from climate change to political unrest. South Sudan was engaged in a civil war for roughly five years from 2013, which tragically left about 4,000 people dead and a staggering four million displaced and fleeing. While a ceasefire was reached in 2018, peace was rocky and sporadic attacks continued to make production nearly impossible for Sudanese farmers.

With famine being officially declared in 2017, the suffering still raged on in 2019, when extreme rain and flooding began to hit Sudan. The flooding continues in 2022, as the global political situation only makes matters worse in Sudan. The war between Ukraine and Russia has had an impact on Sudan in a number of ways. With over half of Sudan’s wheat being exported from the Black Sea region in Turkey, the war has caused food prices to skyrocket. Additionally, food aid programs are primarily focusing their efforts on Ukraine at the moment. While Ukraine clearly needs aid as well, Sudan has been all but abandoned and ignored in this dire moment due to global attention to other political conflicts.

What used to be a market in Thonyor, Sudan. DFID - UK Department for International Development. CC BY 2.0.

CBS News interviewed a Sudanese mother, Nyabany Kong, who reported not having eaten in two weeks. Like many others, she had to flee her home, which was subject to torrential floods that completely destroyed her farm. Kong has also lost her husband and her other child to this flooding and famine. Kong’s horrifying story is one of thousands.

Get Involved

Unfortunately, Sudan’s situation has been exacerbated severely by aid organizations lacking funds due to massive allocation to Ukraine. The best way to get involved is to donate to food relief organizations such as The World Food Programme, which is trying to get as much food as possible to Sudan, but simply doesn’t have the funds to do so. If monetary donations are not an option, simply spreading the word about the crisis and suffering in Sudan is also essential. Unfortunately, the western world often gets weary when spreading awareness, and suffering continues without any attention. The war in Ukraine has also required a lot of attention and money, which has drained Sudan of aid even more than before. Doing your own research about this conflict and then alerting the people in your life to the critical need in Sudan can also help organizations deliver the resources that are needed.

Calliana is currently an undergraduate student at Boston University majoring in English and minoring in psychology. She is passionate about sustainability and traveling in an ethical and respectful way. She hopes to continue her writing career and see more of the world after she graduates.

Art Campaign Draws Attention to Detention of Human Rights Student

May 4, 2022

Coptic Christian University of Bologna graduate student Patrick Zaki has been detained in Cairo for his human rights work. He awaits his trial amidst international protest and artistic efforts to raise awareness of his case.

**Patrick Zaki pre-detention in 2020. Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights. CC BY-SA 4.0.**

Cutouts and paintings of a line-drawn young man with “Freedom for Patrick Zaki” scrawled across the chest are plastered on almost every surface around the college-town of Bologna, Italy. Zaki is a Coptic Egyptian master’s student with an Erasmus scholarship to pursue a degree in Women and Gender Studies at the University of Bologna. He also serves as a researcher and advocate for the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, a Cairo-based human rights organization.

Zaki returned to Egypt for a short family visit on February 7, 2020. Upon arriving at the airport in Cairo, he was arrested by the National Security Agency (NSA) of Egypt and detained on the grounds of “disseminating false news” and “inciting to protest” because of an article he published about discrimination faced by Coptic Christians in Egypt. He was taken to an undisclosed location, where, according to Zaki’s lawyer, he was blindfolded, handcuffed, threatened, beaten on the back and stomach, and tortured with electrical shocks during a17-hour-long interrogation about his human rights work and time in Italy.

The drawing on the cutouts was created by artist Gianluca Constantini a few hours after the news of Zaki’s disappearance broke. The illustration was then adopted by Amnesty International’s campaign for his release. It can be seen printed on giant posters at Piazza Maggiore (the central square) and under the Two Towers (Bologna’s main tourist attraction). It was featured prominently in the protests organized by students, human rights organizations and several Italian universities, which have led 100 cities in Italy (including Bologna, Florence, Milan and Naples) to grant Zaki honorary citizenship.

The audience of the drawing and its intended audience depends on where the cutouts are placed. Those placed around college campuses—including 150 filling an entire university library—immediately after Zaki’s arrest were meant to generate awareness and outrage. Now, students in Bologna have known about the case for two years, so the purpose of the cutouts isn’t as much to inform and inflame but to serve as a reminder that the struggle is far from over. The drawings placed in and around popular tourist attractions serve to draw international awareness to the ongoing issue.

Following a robust student movement and international outcry, Zaki was released from prison on December 9, 2021, after 22 months behind bars. The charges against him have not been dropped, and if convicted, he faces up to five years in prison. His hearing has been postponed from February 1, 2022 to April 6. Zaki, who sees the drawn out judicial process as another form of torture, has requested authorization from Egyptian authorities to return to Italy.

Still, Zaki and his family are thankful for the partial victory. When he was released, his mother told journalists, “I’m jumping for joy!”

Zaki, with quiet optimism, says, “The first thing I will do when I return to Bologna is to go and spend the whole day in Piazza Maggiore, meet my friends from the university and eat the exquisite Italian food.”

He is also aware of the drawing and the accompanying journalism.

“Art plays a leading role in advancing the cases of political prisoners and expanding their circles of support by creating awareness of their legal affairs” Zaki said. “My case is living proof: art has played a fundamental part in regaining my freedom, albeit still partially. I would like to thank Gianluca and journalist Laura Cappon who wrote a book about the case illustrated by Constantini for their activism over the past two years and for their support. I hope they continue to use their talents to free other prisoners of conscience.”

To Get Involved

As Zaki’s case continues and the hearing unfolds, artwork by Gianluca and others will likely play a central role in stirring public consciousness and continued investment. To support the case and continue to apply international pressure, you can sign the Scholars at Risk Network (SAR) letter of appeal to release Zaki. The organization also provides a letter template to send to your representatives, requesting they engage with their Egyptian counterparts to work towards freeing Zaki. Social media can also be used to raise awareness by tagging your elected officials in tweets with #FreePatrick.

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Izzy Balaban

Izzy is a student at the University of Chicago, currently pursuing a Creative Writing degree with a minor in Human Rights. She is originally from Atlanta, Georgia. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys traveling, trying new food and reading in her hammock.

Rising Tides of Trouble: Piracy Amidst a Pandemic

October 29, 2021

As the pandemic threatens lives globally, it has allowed for unseen tragedies to take hold: Naval vessels are increasingly vulnerable to piracy.

Royal Marines on Counter Piracy Operations Near Somalia. Defense Images. CC BY-SA 2.0.

Many adverse effects result from the pandemic lasting for nearly two years, including one that landlubbers are likely unaware of. For over a year, COVID-19 has exacerbated a problem that has permeated the seas for centuries: piracy.

In the first six months of 2020, fifty armed attacks at sea were recorded throughout Asia, twice as many than the year prior. Though the attacks spanned from the South China Sea to Bangladeshi coasts, Maritime Southeast Asia is the true threat for commercial naval traffic as most Asian naval attacks are concentrated within the Malacca and Singapore Straits. The region’s island geography is responsible for such prevalence of piracy, featuring dense clusters of three archipelagos whose waters are treacherous and often unsupervised.

Beginning in April 2021, naval hijackings in Central America increased significantly. Mexico’s opening of its oil industry to international investments is suspected to be the cause. As Central American pirates target shipping containers and oil platforms within the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean. In addition, transnational criminal networks are lured by prospects of lucrative loot, such as technical equipment sold on the black market and inadequate security in Latin American countries.

Maritime security experts are most concerned about the naval violence surging off of West Africa coastlines. Whereas Asia experiences the highest frequency of piracy, West African waters, specifically within the Gulf of Guinea, suffer from the most severe crimes spanning from armed robbery to crew kidnappings. It’s also challenging to quantify the scale of piracy. Shipping companies may resist reporting pirate-related incidents to insurers. Up to 60% of all naval attacks on merchant vessels, fishing boats or passenger vessels occurring within the Gulf of guinea are unaccounted for. Many incidents of West African piracy take place as far as 100 nautical miles from coastlines, in areas unprotected by coast guards or naval forces.

Worsening Factors

The pandemic’s devastating effect on the global economy has increased poverty and unemployment, incentivizing individuals towards pursuing criminal activities. A decline in international trade has prompted shipping companies to decrease crew sizes and armed guard escorts, normally mitigating naval hijackings. Travel restrictions and border closures forced many vessels to be stranded at sea or port for months, yielding such ships as static quarries for premeditated piracy. Lastly, most nation-states prioritized public safety programs to contain the outbreak of COVID-19 among their land-based populations. Government focus has been redirected from possible threats at sea to definite ones on land. Resources and staffing have been shifted away from the security of bulk carriers, product tankers and container vessels—the types of ships most commonly preyed upon by pirates. Quarantines, fragile port security, and inadequate responses to the virus’s spread have enabled a global rise in piracy.

Rohan is an engineering graduate from Brown University. He is passionate about both writing and travel, and strives to blend critical thinking with creative communication to better understand the places, problems, and people living throughout the world. Ultimately, he hopes to apply his love for learning and story-sharing skills to resolve challenges affecting justice, equity, and humanity.

Afghanistan’s Looming Humanitarian Crisis

October 16, 2021

After 20 years of war between the U.S. and the Taliban, Afghanistan continues to crumble. The recent Taliban takeover has disturbed foreign aid, leaving 18 million nationals in need of assistance.

Afghanistan had relied on foreign aid and donors to support its economy even before the Taliban regained control of the nation. According to Al Jazeera, more than one-third of the nation’s GDP was composed of foreign funding. However, the U.S.’s withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Taliban’s recent takeover caused the departure of relief workers and funding cuts. While the U.N. appealed for almost $200 million in additional funding for support for Afghanistan, nations are struggling to navigate how to deliver resources to Afghan civilians successfully. As the country approaches economic collapse and widespread hunger and poverty, foreign aid is crucial to saving innocent lives; however, interaction with the Taliban is the primary delivery route. Donors and foreign governments are hesitant to assist the Taliban due to their track record of human rights violations and fear of corruption and misuse of funds.

Because the Taliban’s regime is not internationally recognized, The World Bank cut financial aid to Afghanistan. In addition, the International Monetary Fund said that the Taliban would not be granted access to use its new reserves. As a result the U.S., E.U. and the U.K. have ceased their aid programs in the region. Despite this and the sanctions on Afghanistan, the U.S. will continue to provide aid for Afghanistan via non-governmental organizations. One method to minimize the misuse of relief funds by the Taliban includes assisting with food, medicine and other necessary resources instead of financial aid. Some nations, including Pakistan and Iran, have taken to this method over the years. Another way for countries to work around the Taliban includes channeling relief programs through U.N. agencies or the World Bank. Despite these efforts, there is no guarantee that the funds will be distributed appropriately, and there is always a risk of fund misuse.

Sanctions and other restrictions also hinder the delivery of aid. At the end of August, conditions at the Kabul airport impeded The World Health Organization’s attempts to send 500 tonnes of medicine to Afghanistan. The Pakistani government facilitated the WHO in this effort and delivered 12.5 metric tonnes of medicine to Kabul. However, sanctions could disrupt other deliveries unless formal exemptions are issued. Some humanitarian groups have previous experience providing aid to areas controlled by the Taliban and have even been assured by the Taliban that their efforts will not be interrupted. The Taliban recently tweeted that the World Food Programme’s humanitarian efforts are appreciated and assured of the organization's security.

According to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Afghanistan’s poverty rate is expected to increase from 72 percent to 98%by mid-2022. Around 14 million people (35% of the population) and two million children are food insecure in Afghanistan due to rising food prices, severe drought and displacement. The United Nations reported that there had been a 50% increase in the cost of wheat, sugar, rice and cooking oil compared to pre-pandemic prices. Flour, oil, beans and gas prices have also hiked by around 63%. Food prices continue to skyrocket as economic sanctions impact the availability of imported goods. According to a survey conducted by Save the Children, many families have accumulated debt to purchase food. Some families have resorted to selling their belongings, cutting back on meals and putting their children into the workforce to pay off this debt. Banking issues and asset freezes may continue to further food insecurity for locals. More than 18 million people — half the population — in Afghanistan rely on humanitarian aid to survive. The necessary resources must be delivered soon to derail the region from snowballing into a more profound economic and humanitarian crisis.

GET INVOLVED

While these crucial deliveries have been limited in Afghanistan, there are still ways to help through independent and reliable organizations. For example, the Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund is one of the U.N.’s country-based pooled funds collecting donations. Through this pooled fund, contributions are controlled by local U.N. representatives and funds are made available to various partner organizations on the front lines. Another U.N.-based program that is collecting donations is the World Food Program. The Taliban recently negotiated with the director of the WFP, David Beasley. They assured him that the new government would facilitate the organization’s efforts and grant them access to deliver relief resources. Beasly told PBS that the Taliban had honored their word thus far. Similarly, Save the Children is accepting funds from donors to help Afghan children and families in need, mobilizing to meet the urgent needs of refugees.

Deforestation in Myanmar Amid Political Unrest

August 12, 2021

While deforestation has been a major issue in Myanmar for decades, recent data shows a surge in deforestation that could be linked to the nation’s recent coup and ongoing internal conflict.

Environment and Food Security in Myanmar. United Nations Development Programme. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

On February 1, a coup took place in Myanmar. The Tatmadaw, Myanmar’s military, overthrew many democratically elected members of the National League for Democracy , the ruling party in Myanmar following the November 2020 general elections. After the coup, the Tatmadaw enforced a year-long state of emergency, transferring power from the elected democratic authorities to the Commander-in-Chief of Defense Services Min Aung Hlaing. The military assumed control of the nation and invalidated the November vote on the premise that the elections were fraudulent; however, many question the legitimacy of this premise. Some believe that this reasoning was a cover for the Tatmadaw to step in because many members of its party lost in the election.

Interestingly, the coup took place the day before the Parliament of Myanmar swore in the newly elected members from the November 2020 election, preventing the election. Unsurprisingly, residents did not welcome the control of the Tatmadaw with open arms—many protested the coup and experienced grave, and sometimes deadly, consequences. Citizens who spoke out against the Tatmadaw authorities were punished, as freedom of speech and the press are not guaranteed by law in Myanmar. Since the conflict began, over 900 civilians have been killed by military or police forces and at least 5,000 people have been arrested, charged or sentenced. Additionally, three prominent members of the NLD have died while under police custody in March.

While this political situation in Myanmar is new, its environmental situation is not. When the nation achieved its independence from the British in 1948, Myanmar, previously known as Burma, had a landscape that was 70 percent forest. In 2014, there was around 48 percent forest cover, as the nation lost around 19 percent of its forests between 1990 and 2010. Although Myanmar’s deforestation rate is less than some of its neighbors, including Indonesia and Vietnam, deforestation is still a major concern in the region. Deforestation in Myanmar is often attributed to three major factors: unsustainable and illegal logging, unresolved land disputes and agricultural development. Despite deforestation, Myanmar has the largest tropical forest in mainland Southeast Asia that is home to more than 80 endemic species. Despite the size of Myanmar’s forests, only around six percent of its land is protected by law while the rest is susceptible to deforestation.

Myanmar’s Tanintharyi region exemplifies the consequences deforestation can have on Myanmar’s wildlife. Satellite data from the University of Maryland shows that deforestation is increasing in the nation, especially in the Mergui and Kawthoung districts of the Tanintharyi. According to UMD, Mergui and Kawthoung lost around 15 percent of their tree cover between 2001 and 2019, and recent data from UMD’s Global Analysis and Discovery lab suggest that this number may be higher in 2020 and beyond.

Gurney’s pittas, small birds with a stubby tail, live in the area between Mergui and Kawthoung in the Tanintharyi. These birds were thought to be extinct until they were rediscovered in the 80s. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the Gurney’s pitta is a critically endangered species with only between 1,000 and 2,500 remaining in 2019, a drastic decline from the 10,300 to 17,000 that were alive 15 years earlier. Habitat loss is the reason behind this decline.

Gurney pitta. darwin_initiative. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.

Beyond threatening extinction for wildlife that has been around for decades, deforestation in Myanmar is also threatening the advancement of science in studying biodiversity. New species have recently been discovered in the Tanintharyi region. In 2015 and 2016, researchers discovered two species of geckos, genus Cyrtodactylus, that are known for their bent toes. In 2019, another group of researchers discovered an Asian rock gecko known as Cnemaspis tanintharyi. Some scientists are worried that continued deforestation in the Tanintharyi region could mean the extinction of undiscovered and recently discovered species, in addition to well-known species.

Myanmar’s political climate has implications for its environmental situation. With Myanmar’s 70-year-long and ongoing internal conflict as well as the recent coup, displaced individuals have turned to its forests for support. Many have taken up farming in the Tanintharyi to make a living and others have sought refuge in surrounding forests—both of which have contributed to increased deforestation in the Tanintharyi region and the decline of unique, local species.

In addition to the environmental consequences of displacement, experts speculate that the coup has opened the nation to increased illegal deforestation as international oversight and trade partnerships deteriorate. With other nations increasing sanctions against Myanmar and refusing to cooperate with the country because of the coup, Myanmar is more susceptible to illegal deforestation and the selling of illegally obtained wood to foreign partners who neglect to question its legitimacy. Satellite data by Planet Labs, Google Earth and Global Forest Watch show that large patches of forest have been removed between January and April of this year. Despite this incriminating data, there is no clear evidence that directly links the recent deforestation to illegal activities conducted by the Tatmadaw.

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Cubans Protest Government’s Response to Economic Crisis

July 15, 2021

Political turmoil, severe economic struggles and lack of freedom have pushed Cubans to take a stand against their government.

People walking the streets of Havana, Cuba. Tiago Claro. Unsplash.

Thousands of Cubans marched the streets of Havana on Sunday, July 11 in protest against the poor economic conditions and governmental response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Among other hardships, many demonstrators have faced long-term hunger and medicine shortages due to the Cuban government's lack of action to address the struggles of its people. These protests have led to the damaging of police equipment, the detainment of a journalist and the death of a civilian.

Besides having a mere 15 percent vaccination rate, due to shortages, pharmacies and hospitals lack even the most basic medicines such as penicillin and aspirin. According to Cuban healthcare authorities, on Sunday there were almost 7,000 new reported COVID-19 cases, with a total of nearly 240,000 COVID-19 patients across the country. Many Cubans have also reported having to wait hours in line to purchase food, if they even have access to food to begin with.

These cruel living conditions have pushed many Cubans to a breaking point—in fact, these protests mark the first large-scale acts of defiance that Cuba has seen since the fall of the Soviet Union in the 1990s. The main difference since then is the easy accessibility of the internet, which has been used to spread the word about the protests and inspire a larger turnout. In an attempt to silence protesters on social media, internet access across Cuba was cut off for roughly 30 minutes amidst protests on July 11, with shutdowns intermittently continuing. This makes the stories from activists who were arrested or beaten by police difficult to corroborate due to lack of evidence.

Despite suppression efforts, protesters have managed to maintain a far reach, with Cuban communities such as Little Havana in Miami gathering in solidarity with Cubans. The Cuban protest movement has also garnered international support on social media with the hashtag #SOSCuba, and many celebrities have gotten involved to raise awareness about the protests.

In response to the unrest, the Cuban government has directed the blame toward the American trade embargo, which they believe is responsible for the nationwide shortages. While some activists agree with this point, others have argued that the issue goes far beyond the American embargo, and that it is more due to governmental financial mismanagement and a lack of tourism revenue.

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Zara is a third year Communication student at the University of California, San Diego. Her passion for journalism comes from her love of storytelling and desire to learn about others. In addition to writing at CATALYST, she is an Opinion Writer for the UCSD Guardian, which allows her to incorporate various perspectives into her work.

Muslim Victims of India’s Worst Riots Fret Over Delayed Justice

March 18, 2021

For victims of any crime, the wait for justice to be served is often a painstaking process where emotions run high. The victims of last year's Hindu riots in New Delhi now feel that any hope for justice has fizzled away.

A Muslim praying in a mosque in New Delhi. Riccardo Maria Mantero. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

Almost exactly a year ago, India’s bustling capital of New Delhi broke out into the worst religious rioting seen in the country since 1984. For four bloody days, Hindu mobs ravaged the city targeting Muslims, many of whom grew up experiencing peaceful relations with their Hindu neighbors. The mobs set fire to Muslims’ homes and mosques, while others dragged Muslims into the streets where they were mercilessly beaten to death. Muslims were also wounded by crowbars and iron rods, while others were lynched. Families were burned alive as the violence ensued, often by Hindus wearing helmets to prevent police identification. One victim, Mohammad Zubair, was seen crouching on a dirt street with his hands over his head; he prayed as a group of men beat him senseless. Zubair narrowly survived after the mob left his barely conscious body for dead in a nearby gutter.

“… a letter was found from a police chief calling on officers to ease punishments toward Hindus involved.”

Although a horrific scene, religious tensions and rioting are certainly nothing new to India. Hindus make up around 80% of the country’s population, while 15% are Muslims. The two groups have been in conflict since the country’s inception, but the election of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has exacerbated tensions to unprecedented levels.

Now, a year has passed since the riots. Although the peak of violence has passed over, neither the widespread tension nor the fear among Muslim residents has eased. Most victims of the rioting find themselves at a dead end: police have often refused to help victims due to political ties with the currently elected Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has connections to Hindu nationalist groups. Many victims worry that the ruling party actually supported the riots against Muslims.

Local police view the situation differently. They claim that the necessary investigations were carried out, and that almost 1,750 perpetrators were punished. Evidence seems to show otherwise; a letter was found from a police chief calling on officers to ease punishments toward Hindus involved.

In addition, the complex situation has led to a web of accusations. Kapil Mishra, a leader of the BJP, believes that the riots were started by the Muslim population to incite violence against Hindus. Other Hindus claim that Muslims were behind the rioting, claiming that the goal was to tarnish India’s image on the world stage.

Unfortunately, the situation for Muslim victims appears bleak. All that can be done now is for the anguished residents to wait some more and hope for a new path forward.

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Ella is is an undergraduate student at Vassar College pursuing a degree in Hispanic Studies. She wants to assist in the field of immigration law and hopes to utilize Spanish in her future projects. In her free time she enjoys cooking, writing poetry, and learning about cosmetics.

Maurice the Cockerel: an Unexpected Symbol of the Fight for Rural France

March 4, 2021

One French couple filed a lawsuit against the owners of Maurice, a rooster, whose piercing call at 6:30 am disturbed their peace. The case sparked outcry all over the French countryside.

Glacial Avalanche in Himalayas Draws Attention to Climate Change

February 25, 2021

The topic of climate change is widely discussed in political and scientific circles; while many wholly deny the concept, others experience its consequences firsthand. In the most recent example of climate change’s widespread impacts, natives of the Himalayas have taken a firm stand in protecting their homes.

Pristine Himalayas—for now. David Zanchettine. CC BY-NC 2.0.

Just over a month into 2021, the climate crisis struck the Indian Himalayas when a portion of a massive glacier in Uttarakhand state broke off. The incident occurred at the base of Nanda Devi, India’s second-tallest mountain; the gargantuan mountain’s lower slopes are peppered with villages where locals raise cattle. The incident was exacerbated by a snowball event: the avalanche struck construction sites, pushing more deadly debris toward locals. Villages were obliterated by the falling debris, while a raging river of melted ice shot down rocky hillsides. Officials claim that over 200 are missing, many of whom were workers on construction sites; 30 people have been declared dead. The cause of the slide has not been fully determined, but officials suspect that warming of the ice due to climate change caused the rocks to slide off with greater ease.

As tragic as this recent incident was, it was not the first episode of the Himalayan climate crisis and certainly will not be the last. The Himalayas are already vulnerable to catastrophic weather changes, especially during the monsoon season. However, it is the human-caused damage that locals are imploring the government to prevent.

India faces a daunting dilemma with the Himalayan climate crisis. Many residents of the hilly landscape live in poverty, so the government has jump-started many development projects to help the local population. However, as well-intentioned as this work may have been, it has proven deadly to the area’s residents. Many argue that the ecosystem of the Himalayas is simply too fragile to sustain such heavy construction. Locals explain that the rocky area is prone to landslides, and the ever-rising temperatures leave glaciers closer to their melting point. In addition, climate change has contributed to unpredictable weather patterns in the area, which further adds to the locals’ anxiety of potential catastrophes. Yet, the government has chosen to continue the projects anyway. As a result, human interference with the landscape compounded with rising temperatures due to climate change leave residents constantly teetering on the edge of disaster.

Little can be said at the moment of what kind of change lies ahead for India’s Himalayan population. However, what can be said is that failure to act swiftly will guarantee a deadly future for the area’s residents.

To Get Involved:

To learn more about how the India Development and Relief Fund approaches disaster relief in the region, click here.

To look into ways to help with disaster relief through volunteering for the India Development and Relief Fund, click here. Telecommuting is available for most positions.

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Ella is an undergraduate student at Vassar College pursuing a degree in Hispanic Studies. She wants to assist in the field of immigration law and hopes to utilize Spanish in her future projects. In her free time she enjoys cooking, writing poetry, and learning about cosmetics.

*A patient receiving a vaccine via an injection similar to those used by some of the COVID-19 vaccines. NIAID. CC BY 2.0.*

Developing Countries Get Left Behind as COVID-19 Vaccines Gain Approval

January 20, 2021

As COVID-19 vaccines began to be approved and distributed worldwide at the end of 2020, the consequences of global inequality were starkly revealed. Poorer countries now find themselves uncertain as to when they will be able to administer their first vaccinations.

Wealthy countries secured the bulk of the initial supply of vaccines through preorders placed in mid-2020, with the majority of available vaccines being distributed first to countries in Europe and North America. Of the three major vaccines which have received full approval for use, the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines had promised the majority of their first round of doses to high-income countries, and the Sinopharm vaccine, which was approved for use in China, had all of its initial doses promised to upper middle-income countries.

“We need to show global cooperation, global solidarity”

Richard Kozul-Wright, director of the division on globalization and development strategies at the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, expressed concern over unequal vaccine distribution in an interview with The New York Times.

“It’s clear that developing countries, and especially poorer developing countries, are going to be excluded for some time,” Kozul-Wright said. “Despite the understanding that vaccines need to be seen as a global good, the provision remains largely under control of large pharmaceutical companies in the advanced economies.”

A December 2020 report by the People’s Vaccine Alliance found that if virus distribution continues unaltered in its current state, nearly 70 poor countries would only have enough vaccines for one in 10 people by the end of 2021, in comparison with wealthier countries which would have enough doses to vaccinate their populations nearly three times over.

Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director John Nkengasong called this unequal distribution of vaccines a “moral issue” in a December press conference urging the United Nations to call a special session to address vaccine inequities.

“We need to show global cooperation, global solidarity,” Nkengasong said. “The time to translate those powerful words into action is now.”

These initial preorders have left many developing countries scrambling for support as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to break global records on a day-to-day basis. South Africa, a middle-income country with half of its population living in poverty, was deemed “too wealthy” by international organizations in charge of distributing vaccines to developing countries. As a result, experts believe the country, which has reported the most confirmed cases of COVID-19 on the continent, will not administer its first inoculation until mid-2021.

Elsewhere, prospects for a swift vaccine distribution process remain grim. The People’s Vaccine Alliance report also stated that five of the countries which are currently expected to receive enough vaccines for only one in 10 residents by the end of 2021, Kenya, Myanmar, Nigeria, Pakistan and Ukraine, had collectively reported 1.5 million cases when the report was published last month.

The COVID-19 pandemic is not isolated in regard to having a patchwork system of global protection. Polio, which had been eradicated throughout the Western world by the mid-20th century, was only deemed eradicated in its wild form from Africa in August 2020. Tuberculosis, another disease which has been all but eliminated as a threat to life in the West, killed 1.4 million people worldwide in 2019, the majority of cases being reported in developing countries.

In an effort to mitigate the effects that global inequality has on vaccine distribution, a number of public and private organizations have undertaken various vaccine efforts. The ACT-Accelerator Partnership, a collaboration between the World Health Organization and several philanthropic and economic organizations, seeks to facilitate the equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines. However, as of this article’s publication, the partnership had only received a little over $5.8 billion of its targeted $38 billion to facilitate the effort.

Other countries, like India and South Africa, are trying to circumvent problems with global vaccine distribution efforts by developing their own vaccines. These efforts, though, have largely been stalled by the World Trade Organization due to disputes regarding patent rights for the vaccines.

As of mid-January, only 41 million COVID-19 vaccinations had been administered worldwide, representing .4% of the global population.

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Jacob is a recent graduate from the University of California San Diego where he majored in Political Science and minored in Spanish Language Studies. He previously served as the News Editor for The UCSD Guardian, and hopes to shed light on social justice issues in his work.

*LGBTQ+ pride flags in the Kerala town of Aluva. Kandukuru Nagarjun. CC BY 2.0.*

With Recent Progress, LGBTQ+ Equity in India May Soon be a Reality

December 4, 2020

For members of the LGBTQ+ community in India, the world’s second-largest country with a population of 1.4 billion, civil rights have only recently become something viewed as attainable. Up until 2018, any sort of same-sex sexual activity was illegal, and consensual cohabitation between two same-sex partners was only legalized by a court order in June 2020.

The status of future progress toward full LGBTQ+ rights in the country has been jeopardized by a recent statement from Solicitor General Tushar Mehta. Mehta, who is the second law officer only after the country’s attorney general, told the Delhi High Court in September that, “our laws, our legal system, our society and our values do not recognize marriage, which is a sacrament, between same-sex couples.”

Mehta’s sentiments stem from a complex history of colonialism, religion and social conservatism. While religious scholars debate whether or not Hinduism, India’s predominant religion, looks down upon the identities of those within the LGBTQ+ community, anti-LGBTQ+ sentiments in their modern form are considered to be a result of British colonial rule. Ashok Row Kavi, one of the petitioners in the 2018 case which legalized same-sex activity, spoke with Al-Jazeera about the role that the British played in shaping the status of India’s LGBTQ+ community today.

“There was no persistent homophobia in Indic faith systems,” Kavi said. “There were no ancient injunctions against homosexuals or transgenders, known as hijras, here. Societal homophobia that we see now seems to have been injected by the introduction of this anti-homosexual law, Section 377, by colonial British rulers.”

Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, which was introduced in 1862, stated that: “Whoever voluntarily has carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any man, woman or animal, shall be punished with [imprisonment for life], or with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to 10 years, and shall also be liable to fine … Penetration is sufficient to constitute the carnal intercourse necessary to the offense described in this section.”

While formal British rule in the subcontinent ended in 1947, the law was maintained in its entirety up until a court case in 2009 began the process of dismantling it, which did not formally end until the aforementioned 2018 court ruling.

As it stands today, public opinion on LGBTQ+ rights in India is at best mixed. According to the spring 2019 Global Attitudes Survey, the most recent data available, only 37% of those surveyed in India believe that homosexuality should be accepted by society. Conversely, a 2018 Ipsos survey found that 80% of those surveyed in India would like to see discrimination against transgender individuals end.

It is important to note that the reliability of public opinion surveys in India is questionable due to constraints on achieving a true random sample in a country with such a vast, diverse population. That said, there are several movements currently underway which, combined with support from around the globe, could create a new era of LGBTQ+ civil rights in India.

With continued support from those abroad, LGBTQ+ rights activists in India could be able to fully realize their goal of a truly just society for all 1.4 billion who call the country home.

To Get Involved

Sign “Petition to Legalize Same-Sex Marriage in India,” which urges the Supreme Court and President Modi to legalize same-sex marriage, by clicking here.

To find out more information on opportunities to get involved, visit the Humsafar Trust, a Mumbai-based nongovernmental organization which promotes LGBTQ+ rights by providing counseling, advocacy, health care and education, by clicking here.

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