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[email protected] @theglobalspirit Issue 02 | November 2013

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Games despite radiation fears

“Let me assure you,” began Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe as he addressed the mem-bers of the International Olympic Committee on September 7th, “the situation is under control.”

He was referring to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, which was devastated on March 11, 2011 by a lethal com-bination of earthquake and tsu-nami. Ever since, Tokyo’s Olympic bid has been overshadowed by the frightening potential for total meltdown.

Yet the Committee took Abe at his word, and Tokyo was comfort-ably awarded the 2020 Games. Within Japan, Tokyo’s selection, and the role of Prime Minister Abe in its realization, was celebrated among citizens and authorities alike. However, it has drawn renewed attention to the unstable nuclear clean-up operation, and many people both within Japan

and abroad retain grave concerns regarding safety.

On-going issues, such as the estimated 300 tons of radioactive groundwater pumped into the sea daily, have yet to be resolved, call-ing into question the suitability of holding the Olympics in a city only 230 kilometres from the plant.

The latest plan is to freeze the groundwater around the ruined plant – a method never before attempted on such a large scale, with an estimated cost of ¥30 billion (roughly £190 mil-lion). The Head of the Atomic Society of Japan and Professor at the University of Tokyo Satoru Tanaka admits “the whole process will be trial and error”. Indeed, trial operations begun in June were postponed three times after malfunctions were detected.

Estimates from the Japanese government and the Tokyo Electric Power Company (both notorious for a lack of transpar-ency in dealing with the crisis) suggest that at least another forty

years will be necessary for a full clean-up. The considerable costs of the recovery operation are set to continue for the foreseeable future.

But the price to be paid is not merely economic. There are still 286,000 ‘nuclear refugees’ – indi-viduals and families displaced by the meltdowns – whose harsh reality of temporary accommoda-tion and separated families sees no end in sight.

In light of such hardship, it is difficult for many former Tohoku residents to feel enthusiastic about the Games. As one mother of three living in temporary accommo-dation explains, “It just doesn’t seem real that the Olympics will be held here. It seems like some-thing taking place in a country far away from my own.”

Alongside feelings of detach-ment, consistent incompetence on the part of the authorities has fostered deep mistrust of offi-cial assurances. Many resent the

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The proposal to open a drug consumption room in Paris’s 10th arrondissement has been rejected by the French Conseil d’Etat for failing to comply with national drug laws. The room was set to open in November as part of a public health strategy, offer-ing addicts a sanitary location for supervised drug injections. Now, the future of the project remains uncertain unless politicians can find a legal solution to appease the Conseil d’Etat.

Drug consumption rooms, often disparagingly called ‘shooting galleries’, were first pioneered in Switzerland in 1986 and have since been adopted in 90 locations around Canada, Australia and Europe. Even city officials in Brighton are courting the idea of opening one next year. As part of a harm-reduc-tion approach to drug use, the facilities provide clean syringes, medical supervision, information on treatment programs, and emergency care in the event of an overdose. The goal is to reduce risky injection practices that lead to infections, the trans-mission of blood-borne diseases, and death, all by giving intravenous drug users a safe and sanitary environment where they can inject.

Proponents of the harm-reduction approach also argue that the facilities reduce the visibility of drugs in public spaces. In northern Paris, where homeless addicts are often forced to take shelter in metro stations and parking garages, the visibility of drug use is a real concern for many residents. It is not uncommon to witness people cooking heroin in the stations at night, away

Tokyo, JapanAnton Bridge

page 6 - As part of a special report into the problems in Syria, we examine US opinion on the issues and the US relationship with Syria.

pages 1-2 - Controversy over French plan to open safe 'drug room'

page 4 - Fringe culture in Japanpage 8 - Dasain festivalpage 12 - Indian Himalayan retreat

page 3 - The life and legacy of Ovadia Yosef

page 5 - Theatre for freedom in Palestine

Workers examining water tanks at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant last August. Image: Bloomberg

France’s first drug consumption room stalled amid legal concerns

Paris, FranceCarrie Benjamin

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‘Here 32 children: 1 shooting gallery!’ Residents hang posters protesting the drug room in Paris Image: Carrie Benjamin

The Global Spirit | November 20132

from the eyes of the police. Moreover, while there are sanitary disposal boxes and needle exchange programs throughout the 10th and 18th arron-dissements, syringes are often found abandoned in public toilets or in the gutters.

Although many studies of super-vised injection facilities around the world have demonstrated that these sites reduce the number of drug-re-lated deaths and help remove drug use from public spaces, the project has been a contentious issue among resi-dents and local politicians. Elected officials from the conservative Union for a Popular Movement have been staunchly opposed to opening a drug consumption room in Paris, arguing that the government should focus on stopping drug use rather than encouraging and organizing the illicit activity.

For many residents, opening a facility that will attract addicts is just another problem for a neighbourhood plagued with high rates of crime, unemployment and homelessness. At a recent neighbourhood council meet-ing, discussion of the drug consump-tion room evoked angry reactions from attendees, with one individual yelling ‘Why here? Why not put it in front of the mayor’s office?’

Despite the debates, the drug con-sumption room in Paris will be the first of its kind in France. The city council has approved the project, and

diversion of funds from reconstruction to the Olympic Games; and some even fear that the Games will promote rushed operations in order to achieve tangible progress within the next seven years.

However, in Tokyo itself the crisis to the North goes all but unnoticed. Life continues unimpeded, and with the exception of regular news updates concerning the latest developments at Fukushima, the disaster seems to be little more than a background concern. Even the energy shortages caused by the temporary decommissioning of Japan’s other ageing nuclear reactors have had a negligible impact on day to day life.

Furthermore, the safety of tap water and foodstuff radiation levels are repeatedly monitored by independent

organisations, helping to dispel some of the overblown scaremongering prevalent among much coverage of the Fukushima disaster.

It is in this context that the International Olympic Committee deemed Tokyo a worthy host city. While nuclear accidents are by their nature unpredictable, the likelihood of the situation at Fukushima deteriorating sufficiently to impede the 2020 Games is miniscule. The Tohoku region retains deep scars from the calamity, but Tokyo is as lively as ever – perhaps even more so in anticipation of the 2020 Games.

This issue brings a variety of topics to the fore, from concerns about radiation in Japan overshadowing their winning the 2020 Olympic Games,

to the life and legacy of leading Israeli politician and religious leader, Ovadia Yosef. Many on the writing team have settled down well into life abroad, yet not all have found everything to be as they anticipated. Some of them have already enjoyed unique traveling experiences and in this issue you can read about a trip taken into the Indian Himalayas and the holy mountains of China.

Syria continues to be an important topic in middle-eastern and world politics, and I've tried to cover the Syrian problem from a unique perspectve. We have a writer who has attended lectures in the US about the problems in Syria, as well as a writer reporting from neighbouring Jordan about the refugee situation there and elsewhere in the Middle East.

For those with a cultural eye, look out for our piece on fringe culture in Tokyo, and of course the reports on important recent festivals: Diwali in Indian and Dasain in Nepal. If it's going on, we've got a writer there to cover it for you!

Andrew Thomson(Editor)[email protected]

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officials in the 10th arrondissement have selected a site along the border with the 18th arrondissement, where intravenous drug use is most preva-lent. To quell neighbours’ concerns about having the facility installed in their backyards, planners have made it clear that the drug consump-tion room will have its own private entrance separate from any busi-nesses and residences. As the building overlooks the railway leading to Gare du Nord, agreements have even been made with the French rail company SNCF to allow access to the facility through one of their service roads.

Unfortunately for the associations that have lobbied in favour of open-ing the supervised injection facility, the project is now on hold. In early October the Conseil d’Etat ruled that opening a drug consumption room would violate current French laws that ban the use of controlled substances. The Conseil wants lawmakers to find a legal solution that will allow for the existence of supervised injection facilities. However, with municipal elections coming up in March 2014, few politicians on the Left are willing to champion the unpopular issue. Although the ruling Socialist Party has vowed not to let the drug con-sumption room be forgotten, current Deputy Mayor Anne Hidalgo has said that there will be no resolution of the issue before the spring elections.

Tackling drugs in Paris

Image:ApurCoordinationToxicomanies

Japanese People celebrate winning the 2020 Olympic Bid Image:AdamPretty/GettyImages

(Left) The number of syringes abandoned in public toilets in Paris, marked in red based on

extrapolated data for 2011.

continued from page 1

At a recent neighbourhood

council meeting, discussion of the

drug consumption room evoked angry

reactions from attendees, with one individual

yelling:

‘Why here? Why not put it in front

of the mayor’s office?’

“It just doesn’t seem real that the Olympics will be held here. It seems like something taking place in a country far away from my own.”

The Global Spirit | November 2013 3

In Judaism there exists a tradition that, upon seeing a large crowd, one should say “blessed is he who is wise in secrets”. These words could quite easily describe the man whose funeral was the largest event in Israel’s history, with an estimated 850,000 people turning out to the streets to witness his body being carried from the religious seminary where he began his career to his final resting place. Amid the hundreds of mourners, many of whom had rend their garments in despair, gathered in the central plaza of the sem-inary was a eulogist giving out one interesting description, “[He was the] Prime Minister of Torah [the Pentateuch, or more generally, Jewish law and teaching]”. Although never officially elected Prime Minister, nor even officially leader of a political party, the man, Ovadia Yosef, may well have been said to have been the most powerful Israeli pol-itician for the past 40 years. Indeed, every major Israeli politician came to comfort the

bereaved family. Ovadia Yosef, born Abdullah

Yusuf, was an Iraqi Jewish religious scholar who became the most important spiritual leader of Arab, or “Mizrahi” Jews, who constitute a major-ity of Israel’s Jewish popula-tion. Ovadia Yosef was also an astute politician who ingrati-ated himself with many of the leading figures of Israeli pol-itics throughout his lifetime, both as a religious leader, and then as founder of a major political party, Shas. Two major events defined his polit-ical career: firstly, his support for the right-wing Likud party as religious leader and later leader of the Shas party, and secondly, his switch in alle-giance to the Labour party of Yitzhak Rabin, the anniversary of whose death at the hands of a Jewish religious extremist fell within a few days of the death of Yosef. The mourning of Rabin’s death, a national event in Israel, created an awk-ward juxtaposition; Ovadia Yosef was one of the most profound influences on the

creation of the religious-right-wing culture that enabled the murder of Rabin to hap-pen. Indeed, the murderer of Rabin, Yigal Amir, came from exactly the sort of group that Ovadia Yosef’s message most powerfully reached: under-class and disenfranchised Arab Jews who had been removed from their religion by a white, European elite. Through his association with the right-wing Zionist “revi-sionists” of the Likud party in the 1970-80s, Ovadia Yosef was responsible perhaps more than any other for the synthe-sis of right-wing ideas with religion among Arab Jews. By empowering a disenfranchised group, Yosef had taken the fate of the entire community into his hands, and, through his ambivalence, or, apathy, the apotheosis of settler ide-ology had begun. In 1990, he withdrew his Shas party from the right wing government of Yitzhak Shamir and changed allegiances, joining the Rabin government instead. But as soon as he had joined Rabin, he broke with him again over the issue of tentative peace talks. His pronouncements regarding this issue were often contradictory, though supporting a theoretical peace deal, he condemned measures like the disengagement from Gaza. His comments were often polemical, about this as with every other issue. He saw no problem in condemning political opponents to hellfire or guaranteeing heaven to the supporters of his party. The boundary line between his party, indeed, himself, and the extremist right -wing was never clear, his own son becoming a settler leader and his own par-ty’s leaders endorsing others. It often seemed at times that Ovadia Yosef only saw the needs of his own constituency, those ultra-religious who form the core base of his political

power, and, as such, only acted in their interests. By contrast, every other issue, even regard-ing questions as fundamental to morality as the continuing occupation, just didn’t seem real to him. Another eulogist at the funeral took the opportu-nity to speak of the “Darkness! Darkness!” following the death of the rabbi; perhaps the leg-acy of Ovadia Yosef is dark-ness, a black tunnel vision for his ultra-religious followers in Israel and a luminescent snow-blindness for those Arab Jews who settle the West Bank in the name of religion.

Ovadia Yosef was the last of the great patriarchs in Israeli Judaism, a man of immense religious learning and a reformer who attempted to spread religion to a group who had been deprived of it unjustly. In the process, Ovadia Yosef acquired a power over the entire community of Arab-Jewish Israelis, a com-munity it was clear that he was simply incapable of lead-ing. His apparent knowledge of “secrets” that had to all

been lost to history, namely those of the true, “authentic” Judaism of the Arab-Jewish past, caused Ovadia Yosef to become a blessed figure for this community, and his sim-ple inability to adequately lead them, or even see beyond the ultra-religious community, has and will exercise a deci-sive influence on the future of Israel. Israeli newspapers in the aftermath of his death have taken no shortage of oppor-tunities to begin suggesting successors, or what will hap-pen in lieu of one. But what is important isn’t whether recent regional elections show a weakening of Shas, but that through his own inability to deal firmly and consistently with political issues, the legacy of Ovadia Yosef is left open to everyone. His successors were the 850,000 (and more) that mourned him. Each of these may lay claim, through their mourning, to his mantle. The repercussions of such a diffuse legacy cannot be known, but “blessed be he who is wise in secrets…”

Blessed is he who is wise in secrets

Jerusalem, IsraelBin-Nun

Images:EmilSalmonandDanielRosenblum/Starfoot

Bin-Nun looks back on the life and legacy of one of Israel's most influencial politicians and founder of the Shas party, Ovadia Yosef.

His apparent knowledge of “secrets” that had to all been lost to history, namely those of the true, “authentic” Judaism of the Arab-

Jewish past, caused Ovadia Yosef to become a blessed figure for this community

Yosef’s funeral saw thousands of people line the streets in Jerusalem. Image:theblaze.com


What are you looking for? An avant-garde accordion euro-jazz ensemble? An all-Japanese Elvis tribute dance troupe? For what is considered to be an emotion-ally repressed culture, Japan definitely manages to conjure up one of the weirdest and wackiest scenes in the world.

At first glance these oddities will not seem evident. You will walk around in a touristy haze amazed by the ominously tall buildings and sheer amount of people bustling through the usual hectically organized chaos. Tokyo at first seems to be just one big crawling mass of people, waiting at the crossroads in sync, crossing the roads in sync, and cram-ming themselves into trains in sync. However, if you pay more attention to this seem-ingly homogenous crowd, you will suddenly wonder if you did indeed just spot someone walking a duck on a leash. Or whether the baby in the pram was, in fact, a Chihuahua. The

smoky smell of food will lure you down streets just wide enough for two people, and suddenly you will emerge onto huge illuminated cross-roads, utterly blinded by the noise and the lights. Tokyo is cool, fun, and awesome - and yes, these gloriously banal but succinct words perfectly describe this city for me.

Dancing Elvis Troupe

Writing about every weird and wonderful thing I have experienced in Tokyo would probably be never-ending, but Yoyogi Park is a good place to start. Yoyogi Park is a big (by Tokyo standards) park situated near the trendy area of Shibuya. When taking a stroll there on a Sunday I was immediately confronted by a troupe of dancing Japanese Elvis Presleys. In addition to around 20 Japanese men of all ages with slicked back hair and leather trousers gyrating to the jail house rock, there

was also a woman donning the Elvis look. They weren’t performing for anyone, com-pletely ignoring the circle of tourists and Japanese people that had formed around them, continuing song after song to twist and turn in every imag-inable way. If you keep going down Yoyogi Park, you will see many people practicing their hobbies. You might walk past a guy practicing his didg-eridoo, or someone practicing their fire-breathing skills, or someone juggling 8 balls whilst on a unicycle.

Underground Music Haunts

In Tokyo you can get a variety of different shops and bars in one building. In many districts they will have rows and rows of buildings with, for example, an Irish pub on the ground floor and an all-you-can-eat/drink bar on the 5th floor. It’s such a crammed city that this is necessary if you want to experience the

countless offerings they have. This is an aspect which is quite different to London, where the upper floors are usually residential. The base-ments of these buildings are frequently used for tiny and hidden live-music dens big enough to fit a maximum of 10 people. The one I went to was an all-night 5pm to 5am jazz jam, where musicians could freely drop in and play, the other was probably the world’s smallest jazz club, where some of the country’s most prominent musicians came in for free to play an impromptu concert for about 8 of us. Once the pianist is seated, it is impossible to enter the room due to the lack of space. Whilst listening to this world-class music, you are served an endless amount of Japanese dishes, all for a fixed price. Another basement bar far out in West Tokyo, slightly bigger but just as well-hidden, often houses an accordion ensemble playing avant-garde jazz. These tiny

basement haunts barely have any publicity. They might have one fading road sign outside giving proof of their existence, but anything more would just be surprising.

Tokyo is a city itching to be explored. Previously named Edo, it was already the big-gest city in the world by 1721 with an estimated population of one million. To this very day, while expanding tech-nologically and culturally, Tokyo manages to relish its traditional Japanese culture, giving us an eclectic cross of the old and the new. Samuel Johnson once said, “No, Sir, when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford.” This applies even more so to Tokyo. This sprawling metropolitan mass of concrete has something for everyone, ranging from a res-taurant full of dancing girls and robots, a cat and rabbit petting café, to simply a visit to the shrine to look at the cherry blossoms in full bloom.

The charms and allure of Tokyo's concrete jungle

Japan definitely manages to conjure up one of the

weirdest and wackiest scenes in the world. This sprawling

metropolitan mass of concrete has something for everyone...

Tokyo, JapanLucy Tasker

Elvis Presley impersonators dancing in Yoyogi Park Image:AntonioVidigalviaflickr.com

Small alleyway in Shinjuku, filled with rows of small restaurants. Image:MiguelMichánviaphotoree.com

‘Hot House,’ maybe one of the world’s smallest jazz clubs. Image:Timeout


Since moving to Nablus in the West Bank I have been sad to discover a lot of frustration and disappointment among fellow students who are enthusiastic to practice their English since one of their biggest aspirations is to ‘get out of here’. As the Israeli occupation limits their freedom, international capital and oligarchs control the economy, unem-ployment among young people reaches 21% and rigid societal structures make life incredible hard for young women and men. University fees have almost doubled in the West Bank this year and at the same time most young people struggle to find employment without at least two degrees. So how can young Palestinians who find themselves at a similar point in life than myself design their own future and live the kind of life they choose for themselves?

It is in this environ-ment that I am ever-more amazed and inspired by young people who succeed in building spaces of freedom and creativity that create opportunities and ‘make life possible’ in a world that seems to have turned on them. This is the kind of atmosphere that welcomed me as I visited the Jenin freedom theatre located in the Jenin refugee camp, which due to its leading role in the intifada is one of the most stigmatised and neglected areas of the West Bank. The freedom theatre was set up during the first intifada by Juliano Mer Khamis and draws much of its inspiration from the projects of his mother Arna Mer Khamis who used

theatre and art to address the chronic fear and depression many of the youths in Jenin refuge camp suffered from. The film ‘Arna’s children’ shows the life of this revolutionary woman and tells a fascinating story about the background of the theatre. Juliano Mer Khamis has been General Director of the theatre until he was assassinated just outside its entrance in 2011. The perpetrators are still unknown. Despite everything, the theatre has grown into a hub of cre-ativity where inhabitants of Jenin, the West Bank and internationals come together and work on an ever expand-ing programme while their perfor-mances and exhibitions tour across the West Bank and the rest of the world.

Besides a three-year acting school and drama workshops, the theatre offers courses in photography, film-making and storytelling to encourage

young women and men to explore new ways of creative self-expression. The theatre is currently working towards set-ting up a professional school for writers so

they will be able to tell their own stories instead of enacting the words of others. Another important part is the ‘playback theatre’ where actors travel to villages, listen to the stories of the inhabitants and enact them on the spot. People see their own stories come to life and can relive and reflect on their experiences from a distance which is a valuable experience especially when it comes to traumatic situations. One of the main obstacles has been to encourage girls to become involved in the theatre’s activ-ities as many families do not like their daughters to go to the refugee camps

due to the stigma and reputation that has been put on them.

Once considered the heart of Palestinian resilience and resistance, the camps are now mainly portrayed as sites of poverty, unemployment and chaos. Seeing bullet holes in almost every building in the camp, the occupa-tion is constantly present and only ten years ago, during the second intifada, the IDF committed a massacre in Jenin as soldiers bulldozed dozens of houses burying the inhabitants underneath. However none of the prejudices can hold and the freedom theatre, so it seems, is one of the few places where people can truly feel save and be them-selves. It is a space full of enthusiasm, laughter and energy, where young peo-ple can turn anger and frustration into productive resistance and support each other.

I planned to visit the theatre again only a few days later to watch the performance of ‘Our sign is the stone’ however the night before the play, Israeli forces entered the camp and killed 19-year-old Islam al-Tubasi and it was therefore cancelled to honour his death. Just a week later the Palestinian secret police arrested Qais Alsaadi, an actor, director and member of the theatre, the reasons are still unknown. As every active member of Palestinian society becomes a target of the ‘secu-rity apparatus’ of the occupation, the members are under constant threat of interrogation and arrest. But despite all the struggles and setbacks the the-atre will keep on growing just as young Palestinians will put their energy to building their own lives and resisting the occupation.

Freedom Theatre in the West BankJenin, PalestineMarlene Soulier

People see their own stories come to life and can relive and

reflect on their experiences from a distance

The freedom theatre’s production of the South African apartheid-era drama ‘The Island’ Image:thefreedomtheatre.org

Being in China as a student rather than the typical tourist has proven to be a lot more challenging than I ini-tially presumed. As the latter, prepa-rations for the trip usually involve flight issues, accommodation book-ings, foreseeing which clothes to take, spending money, and sun cream. It might take some planning, or simply done at the last moment if necessary. However, preparing yourself for your year abroad is something entirely dif-ferent. Personally, I didn't tackle this in the best way, leaving a lot of impor-tant things to the last minute, like renewing my passport, getting a visa, and so on, all the while taking a more touristy approach, thinking, “Oh, I'll be home in a few weeks. It's not an issue.” I think this saved me to some

extent from the heartache of leaving my family and friends behind, but proved to be completely useless once I arrived in Beijing.

Flying over with my father, who has visited China many times, once again helped me ignore the fact I was to be here for a year. Visiting the markets- something I suggest everyone must do at least once- and buying presents to take home for friends left me with no time to think of what I was going to do once my father left. The markets alone are a unique addition to the wonders of China. The multitude of replica designer items (handbags, shoes, wal-lets, clothes, etc.) is unfathomable, and the experience of haggling, in both Chinese and English, with the vendor is what keeps me returning. The first week after my father left was both fun and scary, particularly with gain-ing independence and a new sense of freedom to explore the uniqueness of

my surroundings in China’s capital. It felt like the beginning of a gap year; an adventure waiting to begin.

In the first few weeks you are in awe of the wonders a new place brings and in shock of the unfamiliarity that encompasses you from all angles, such as the infamous squat loos or the incomparable busyness of the underground.

The pollution is a much-talked about topic of concern in China. As I first stepped off the plane, I was pleasantly surprised to be greeted with clear blue sunny skies and the 30 degree warmth that accompanied it. I did not expe-rience the choking smog that would prevent me from seeing 100 meters ahead of me. The US embassy air qual-ity index provides a constant update of the particulate matter count (PM2.5), and, if high, can cause asthma, res-piratory problems, and even lung cancer. Now, almost three months in, according to the index I have experi-enced the pleasant lows of 36 and very hazardous highs of 500, but I am yet to have my vision greatly impaired.

Unlike in the UK, the teaching sys-tem in Chinese universities is quite regimented. Cramped into a desk not built for anybody over 6ft tall for two hours and told to systematically repeat by heart sentences or phrases taken from the textbook, leaves you feeling as if you were back at school. Not only are you subjected to the monotonous structure of the classes, but it's also all delivered in Chinese, and for the few of us who are yet to partially understand the language, we find ourselves lost as soon as our attention is diverted.

Upon returning from your year abroad, people expect you to be fluent in the given language. Sadly, it is not as simple as one would expect. Being in Beijing, I've learnt that it is very easy to get by with basic Chinese, viva-cious hand gestures and a lot of point-ing. Unless you truly Sinicize yourself by actively submerging yourself in the culture, the year will fly by and you will come back merely an advanced beginner.

When in China...The student experience studying in Beijing

Beijing, ChinaReiss Palmer

Beijing skyline from Jingshan Park. Image:AndrewThomson


The chemical attack in the suburbs of Damascus on 21 August has sparked a controversial debate about the neces-sity of humanitarian intervention. President Obama’s threat to launch a limited cruise missile strike to “deter and degrade” Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s chemical weapon capability, has convened scholars, political activ-ists, journalists and a few Syrians in the premises of Harvard University and MIT. Concerned with yet another war, I joined several lectures and became part of this spectacle. Narratives ‘for’ and ‘against’ an intervention have been invoked in the debate and merit scruti-nising on their own right.

To begin with, it has been argued that the Obama administration needs to uphold an international norm against the large-scale use and proliferation of chemical weapons. The premise under-lying this rationale is that such a policy would deter a future chemical attack against civilians, U.S. allies, and most importantly against the U.S.

Advocates of greater involvement in the Middle East have also repeatedly invoked the notion of credibility. Those who view U.S. credibility at stake point out that Obama deterred al-Assad in a statement in 2012 from employing chemical weapons, arguing that this would mark a “red line”. In an attempt to mobilise Congress, Obama referred to his earlier warning and said “if we won’t enforce accountability in the face

of this heinous act, what does it say about our resolve to stand up to others who flout fundamental international rules?” Some in the audience seemed to believe that a failure to forcefully respond to the use of chemical weap-ons would result in a substantial loss of U.S. credibility with severe conse-quences for American foreign policy. Brian Haggerty, an affiliate of the MIT Security Studies Program, says “were al-Assad to go unpunished, Iran would believe the U.S. has been bluffing in its vows to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and therefore dis-count future U.S. threats”. Moreover, interventionists argue that toppling al-Assad would fragment the “axis of resistance” in the region, depriving Iran’s only Arab ally Syria.

Sceptics on the other hand believe that weakening al-Assad’s regime would only increase Iranian fears of regime change, thereby increas-ing the value of possessing nuclear weapons. Opponents of greater U.S. involvement also believe that efforts to topple al-Assad by humanitarian intervention will empower the various radical elements of the Syrian oppo-sition. In response to questions from the audience, Amr Al-Azm, associate professor at Shawnee State University, Bassam Haddad, visiting professor at Georgetown University, and Jonathan Alpeyrie, a French-American pho-tographer abducted by a rebel group

in Syria, repeatedly claimed that inter-vening in the country after two years of civil war was now too late. Accordingly, the ship sailed a long time ago.

So, here we are philosophising about possible outcomes of a U.S. interven-tion in Syria. Once a while, Syrians interrupt the debate, desperately refer-ring to the tragedies of family members. They point out that al-Assad’s regime has already driven more than 2 million refugees into neighbouring countries and killed hundreds of thousands of Syrian civilians by conventional weap-ons. To them the means through which they are being killed, whether by chem-ical weapons or the more acceptable methods of bullets is irrelevant. After a few seconds of silence, they would col-lapse back into their chairs. One could see, how they realised in that very moment that the question was not how the U.S. could save the remaining lives of civilians in the country but rather how U.S. interests could be prioritised, best advanced, and how Obama’s face could be kept.

As arguments rage it must not be forgotten that the lives of 20 million Syrians are at stake. This is not a strat-egy game, as some like to believe. As long as these ambiguous narratives overshadow the conflict, any inter-vention in Syria is unlikely and not desirable.

Syria: the debate and the wider picture

Sporadic tented settlement in Zahle, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon Image:NarelleAlbrecht,UNICEFLebanon

Massachusetts, USAEvrim Camuz

When civilians are left out of the equationGlobal Spirit writer, Evrim Camuz, reports on the debate from her attendance at a variety of lectures held in the US during the summer.

U.S. - Syrian foreign policy, as seen by cartoonist, Gary Barker. Published in The Times.


The initial influx of Syrians to Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey and Iraq began in April 2011, fol-lowing the harsh military sup-pression of anti-government protests by the Assad regime. The escalation of violence spreading across Syria, with no end in sight, has meant the number has mushroomed. Lebanon has taken in the great-est number of Syrians, with

just over 750,000 registered to date. Jordan and Turkey come in next with approximately half a million registered ref-ugees in each country, and Iraq with 200,000 (UNHCR October, 2013).

These regional neighbours all face a similar challenge in responding to the increas-ing needs of a Syrian refugee population on the steady rise.

Assistance from international organisations such as the UN has differed in success and outcome, partly due to the varying degrees of cooperation from both the government and the public, both inextricably linked. Lebanon and Jordan present the most polarised responses to the Syrian cri-sis, which is also a reflection of their respective refugee histories.

Lebanon’s relationship with its refugee population has

historically been a challeng-ing one; it is extremely telling of its current laissez-faire approach at best and antag-onistic on average response to the Syrian crisis. The 1948 Arab-Israeli War and 1967 Israeli-Palestinian War left Lebanon with over 400,000 Palestinian refugees. The gov-ernment’s response was one of discrimination and hostility. Palestinians were barred from integrating with the Lebanese society through denial of citi-zenship as well as entrance to over 40 occupations, including medicine, law and engineer-ing. Over half a century later, moreover, around half of the Palestinians in Lebanon still live in refugee camps and are viewed as a burden to the state.

Jordan, however, has had a more positive rapport with

Palestinian refugees who have come to make up around half the population. From the onset, their tune was differ-ent from that of Lebanon, as King Abdullah I of Jordan set out to assimilate Palestinians after the Arab-Israeli War with policies such as the freedom of occupation and citizenship, albeit limited, being a key dis-tinction. 50% of the 3 million Palestinians in Jordan now have Jordanian nationality. The reason for such a starkly different response from the Jordanian government as well as society is simple- Jordan benefitted from this radi-cal population growth. The Palestinian businessmen, industrialists and agricultural producers provided Jordan with a much-needed economic stimulation, transforming the sparsely inhabited land into a modern state.

The Lebanese and Jordanian response to the Syrian crisis has been equally polarised, Lebanon once again view-ing the refugee influx as an unwanted problem, shrugging off its responsibility and not taking a clear stance. Burying one’s head in the sand does not prove effective in most circumstances, particularly not when the problem is pro-gressively deteriorating. The government’s reluctance to establish refugee camps illus-trates their fear of another per-manent refugee community. While this may be a legitimate concern, avoiding structured forms of assistance to Syrian refugee hardly provides a desirable solution, quite the opposite. The Lebanese gov-ernment’s initial reliance on host communities is becom-ing increasingly unrealistic.

While at the beginning of the conflict Lebanese refugees were welcomed by Jordanian host communities, the strain is causing tension and even violence in these areas. The majority of Syrian refugees are living in the North of Lebanon, which is least equipped to accommodate such a large number of people, with half of its Lebanese inhabitants already living below the pov-erty line. The Syrian presence has both raised prices for goods and lowered wages for the unskilled sector, creating hostility towards Syrian refu-gees in these areas. The lack of a coherent governmental policy to assist the Syrians or these host families will lead to a worsening of conditions for both parties.

While the Syrian refugee situation in Jordan is far from ideal, the establishment of refugee camps has provided a far more effective response. Namely, it allows international aid organisations to pro-vide goods and services with greater efficiency. The Zataari refugee camp in the North of Jordan represents a joint effort by the Jordanian gov-ernment and international aid organisations such as UNHCR to host over 100,000 Syrians. Lebanon’s lack of such an initiative will become increas-ingly problematic in the com-ing months, with numbers of Syrians expected to rise to two million by the end of the year.

Syria: the debate and the wider picture

Sporadic tented settlement in Zahle, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon Image:NarelleAlbrecht,UNICEFLebanon

Lebanon

Jordan

Iraq

Turkey

Israel

Syria

JordanKai Kamei

Syria's neighbours

...around half of the

Palestinians in Lebanon

still live in refugee camps

and are viewed as a

burden to the state.


I never was an avid mountain climber… That is, until I came to China three months ago. Before I knew it, I was sucked into this hiking craze that holds so many Chinese in its throngs. Opportunities for mountain climbing around Beijing are never lacking, as the Chinese capital is surrounded by verdant hills and mountains, and let’s not forget to mention the indomitable Great Wall.

After about a month of rushing and stressing over the start of term, hik-ing was the perfect outlet to escape from bustling Beijing. A friend recom-mended I join a small group of regulars who go hiking around Beijing more or less every weekend to neighbouring mountains as well as the Great Wall, and although the introductory hike was a painful one, I do not regret doing it. Climbing mountains has its advan-tages; good exercise, breath-taking sceneries (if one knows where to go!), and perhaps rather importantly: it’s

free! You don’t need to be particularly fit, as long as you’re able to keep a steady pace.

China is home to some of the most avid climbers I have ever seen… I cannot recall the number of times my hiking partners and I were overtaken by a synchronised single file of march-ing Chinese men, wearing North Face equipment from head to toe, bran-dishing walking sticks as their leader shouted, “kuai yidianr!” (Faster!)…

This, however, is not without rea-son, for such a vast country as China is bound to be blessed with a variety of landscapes, including more moun-tains than a hiker could dream of. The country counts a handful of Sacred Mountains, which are strongly con-nected to both Taoist and Buddhist culture, and which often served as destinations for imperial pilgrimages. Aside from their religious significance, these are also popular tourist desti-nations. Here is an introduction to

China’s most beloved peaks:

Huangshan, or the “Yellow Mountain”Situated in eastern China’s Anhui prov-ince, this mountain range is best known for its pine trees and granite shaped peaks, often featuring in Chinese tra-ditional art and literature. Most people make the trip from Hangzhou and head for Huangshan’s most well-known peaks: the Lotus Peak, the Bright Summit Peak, and the Celestial Peak (all over 1,800m high).

Taishan or Mount TaiThis mountain in the Shandong prov-ince of north-east China has a rich reli-gious history, thought to date back as early as 1,000BC. As a key ceremonial centre in China, it comprises of a vari-ety of ancient temples scattered along its slopes. The tallest peak, or Jade Emperor Peak, rises above 1,500m in height.

Huashan or Mount HuaLocated just outside of Xi’an in Shaanxi province, this is perhaps one

of the most challenging of the Chinese mountains to climb. On rainy days it is strongly recommended not to climb this mountain for its slopes can be particularly steep. It counts five main peaks, of which the highest is the South peak (2,154m).

Lushan or Mount LuImmortalised by the great Chinese poets, the Lushan lies lost in Jiangxi, south-eastern China. The local village, Guling, was highly prized by early for-eign missionaries as the prime location to build their country homes. It is also famous in China for its association with Mao, Chiang Kai-Shek and his wife, Song Meiling, who also owned houses near Mount Lu.

Mountainous ChinaBeijing, ChinaClotilde Yap

A fairy-tale peak at Yading nature reserve, Sichuan Province Image:AndrewThomson

...such a vast country as China is bound to be blessed

with a variety of landscapes, including more mountains than a

hiker could dream of...

One of the peak of the Huang Shan range Image:AndrewThomson

Malala Yousafzai, a name no longer alien to anyone living in Pakistan, is a schoolgirl and education activist from the town of Mingora in the Swat District of Pakistan’s North-western province, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. She is best known for her activism promot-ing the right to education, particularly for women. Malala hails from an area where the Taliban have overruled the writ of the Pakistani government. She has struggled against the Taliban since 2008, when she first spoke out against them for banning female education in her village and destroying several schools. As Malala’s popularity rose, so did the Taliban’s threats on her life. On 9 October 2012, Malala and two of her classmates were brutally attacked while returning to their homes from school. This attack left Malala’s speech hampered and face disfigured, but her courage and determination remained unscathed. Following this unfortunate attack, Malala has not only become a household name in Pakistan, but also has the world’s focus on her. Almost

fully recovered, she now lives and studies in Birmingham whilst still proactively pursuing her mission to speak out for girls’ education. She has garnered worldwide support for her mission through organizations such as the United Nations, and set up her own fund for girls’ education, ‘The Malala Fund’. She has also been given the hon-our to hold meetings with the likes of Queen Elizabeth and President Barack Obama, and was recently nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in November 2013. Malala has also released this year an autobiography detailing her life’s journey.

There is no doubt that this young girl has, at the mere age of 16, managed to highlight an issue that many others in Pakistan have not. “I am very proud of her, it takes a lot of guts to do what she is doing,” says Zainab Farid Shah, a housewife from Lahore. It is undeniable that the support she has received from the world is overwhelming. Yet, the sad truth is that many people in Pakistan cringe at the mere mention of her name. Why is this so? According to Saad Khan, a marketing professional, “the impres-sion she gives is that there are no rights

to education given to girls in Pakistan and people are living in caves. This is in fact quite far from the truth; girls in Pakistan are not just receiving the best possible education but are also excel-ling at it”. Furthermore, Mr Khan says that “Malala is being heavily backed by American agencies and, contro-versy theories aside, it seems that her achievements have been overhyped by the media. This may be due to the fact that the American government wants to justify their drone attacks by por-traying the Talibans as barbarians who must be purged from the region”. The

credibility of this comment is question-able, however the fact remains that 376 drone strikes have been carried since 2004 by the American government in the very province that Malala comes from killing thousands of innocent peo-ple (source: Amnesty International). It can be said that although American support may have helped Malala gar-ner funds for her mission, this associ-ation has certainly tarnished her image in her own country due to the ill feel-ings harboured by many against the American government. The fact of the matter is that people want her to stand up against state-sponsored violence as strongly as she does against terrorism violence.

All things said and done, there is no doubt that Malala is a symbol of cour-age and perseverance. She serves as a role model and motivation for young girls, not only in Pakistan, but around the world. As she herself put it: “One child, one teacher, one pen and one book can change the world”, and she is certainly taking a step towards that.

Profile of an activist - Malala YousafzaiIslamabad, PakistanMyra Ejaz


After the Delhi gang rape last December, we have witnessed a forceful rise in media attention concerning gender issues in India. The country is now listed as the worst place for a woman to live, according to Hindustan Times. Female foreign tourism decreased by 25%, leading the government to loosen its grip on tourist visas. The fear culture around the umpteen cases of molesta-tion, groping, rapes and violence has quickly spread like a highly contagious disease. Horror stories featured in every newspaper and magazine have suddenly made female security the pri-mary concern.

Is India really so dangerous for women?

When I think of my personal expe-rience in India, I can hardly find an instance in which I felt threatened or unsafe. Since my first visit in 2010 I have always travelled alone, making full use of every means of transportation at any time of the day or night, including government buses and sleeper class trains,. Apart from the occasional stares or comments, nothing major has ever happened to me. I have always felt very safe. But something has changed

since last December. I now find my way of being somehow heavier, as if carrying a new burden in a place where I once experienced a unique sense of freedom. I believe that if not for the weight of media coverage, I wouldn't be as overly suspicious as I have come to be. Certainly, it is necessary to be aware of cultural differences and habits and always use one's common sense. Why should India be any different from any other place in the world? How can I explain this shift in people's percep-tions and attitudes, including my own?

It is worth notic-ing that the media has focused on crimes committed against women who transgressed traditional social norms. They were out late, they drank alcohol, perhaps they wore a miniskirt or surrounded themselves with male friends. Rapes or murders of low caste village women generally do not incite major worries or get such international attention. Such women are less likely cited as responsible for any culturally normative 'deviance'. It is important to remember this as it is easy for girls to slip into a feminization of patriarchy, perhaps unintentionally embracing

the very same patriarchal values aimed to reform. The fear that “it could have happened to us” may have an immedi-ate shift in the tendency to not go out late at night and avoid male company, but the atmosphere of fear is power-fully palpable in India right now. One can almost feel the turn of the tide- women hindering their pursuit of inde-pendent careers and higher education, and finding a renewed appeal to more

domesticated and dependent married lives.

Aside from the positive aspects which have undoubtedly emerged in the wake of the media coverage - namely activism in the form

of protests and an effort to change the attitudes towards gender violence of a large section of population - press and news channels have generated a new culture of fear. Instead of empowering women, it becomes extremely counter-productive in that it has the potential to frighten and keep women from greater independence. This type of crime has always existed, yet it seems to have attracted a disproportionate amount of attention, especially now that the modern Indian woman is achieving

an unprecedented emancipation and presenting a threat to male dominance. The message seems to be that: “If this is the price to pay, better to stay quietly at home”.

Overall, I am very critical of such selective news reporting. I would strongly urge you, as consumers and targets of the media, to push back against such a negative and alarming portrayal of India. Chances of unpre-dictable bursts of violence are just as likely to happen in Delhi as they are in London or Milan. The scenes depicted in India should be viewed with the same critical eye as all dramatic media coverage; we must take into account the tendency of such events to be ill-proportioned. We should be asking ourselves why this is happening only now and why only certain cases have been given such attention. This is not to discredit or condone instances of violence in any way, but rather to stop passively accepting the constant expo-sure of the brutalization of women by the Indian and international media, and become wary of the consequences of creating a culture of fear. Is this the case of India becoming increas-ingly unsafe for women, or rather of the country being unprepared to face the women’s courageous step towards pushing the boundaries of established social norms?

Alongside many people around the world, the major-ity of Indian nationals have celebrated one of the coun-try’s most important festivals: the Hindu festival of Diwali known as ‘the festival of lights’ observed by Hindus and Jains, and the Sikh festival of Bandi Chhor. Celebrated annually on the same day, both festi-vals took place on Sunday 3rd November this year, and just as with Christmas, arrange-ments began weeks in advance in India. In the run-up to Sunday, an exciting ambience filled with expectation grew from the transformation that

took place in cities across the nation.

Jaipur had not one street left untouched as the local council hung up decorations against road barriers, gates and lampposts. Large compa-nies and buildings, including Jaipur’s Wold Trade Park Mall, were draped with rows of fairy lights and luminous diya (traditional India oil lamps) decorations. A joint effort by shopkeepers completely transformed the bazaars, and this was replicated by local resident’s homes. Decorations were particularly majestic in Johari Bazaar, the shopping sector that specialises in jew-ellery, accessories and gems, where some stores had deco-

rated their shop fronts with set-like scenes of the Diwali story of Rama and Sita.

The first day of Diwali, Dhanteras, is considered an auspicious day when each household pur-chases a new item for their home. These include new dishes made of

silver or steel, jewellery, and for some this means investing in a new vehicle. Traditional Indian-sweets shops in the Pink City were crowded and remained so from this day on throughout the festive period as customers flocked at the counters to buy boxes of mixed Indian sweets for their friends and family. A worker at Sodhani Sweets, a popular sweets destination in Bapu Nagar, described the days of business that would follow as “a peak period, hectic, and con-tinuous”. He expressed his dis-belief at the amount of sweets that he knew would be bought and consequently consumed over the week. Motisons, an iconic multi-coloured pet-al-shaped building and the home of one of Jaipur’s major jeweller outlets, had put on a grand and intricate display of bows, ribbons and birds that was draped around the entrance. Homeware stores, Jewellers and clothing shops remained open for most of the day as customers continued to visit and browse in a correl-ative fashion. The lighting of diyas began on the evening of Dhanteras and this continued into the second day of Diwali, Chhoti Diwali.

Residents began mak-ing sweets, decorating and

cleaning their homes. On the pinnacle day, the offering of prayers by Hindus to Ganesh and Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth, took place and many Sikhs visited the temple to pray for the happiness and good health of their loved ones and to light diyas in the spirit of good prevailing evil- a mes-sage shared by both festivals on this day. Many were pres-ent at the local Mandirs and Gurdwaras joining in prayer.

It is tradition for friends and family to be gathered after this for spectacular firework displays, which prevailed from Sunday night onwards. The social code for letting off fireworks in India is gener-ally relaxed. It was not just against the sky that fragments of light were being scattered. Firecrackers were being let-off by adults and little children

on walls, in vertical and hori-zontal directions, on the roads and in parks. The sight of auto-rickshaws and cars duck-ing and dodging from rolling firework-bombs persisted during the evening periods of the festival and the crackling, popping, and thudding of fire-works echoed into the night.

India’s Prime Minister Manmohan Singh greeted his citizens with a message in which he expressed how this period of celebration was an “occasion for strengthening the bonds of love and brother-hood” in Indian society. This atmosphere of communal har-mony always leaves one look-ing forward to the next year of celebrations, and it has sweet-ened the air for a peaceful and successful remainder of 2013 in India.

Instead of empowering women, it becomes extremely counterproductive in that it has the potential to frighten

and keep women from greater independence.

Fear, culture and gender in India

Night sky glittersin Pink City

IndiaSara Boccacci

Jaipur, IndiaAmarpal Khuttan

Festival lights on Johari Bazaar. Image:AmarpalKhuttan

Organised chaos behind the counter at Sodhani Sweets Shop.Image:AmarpalKhuttan


As a foreigner in Lebanon, the aftermath of the wars is plainly visible with its bomb-ravaged and bullet-riddled buildings; on the other hand, war seems a somewhat distant and vague notion when visiting the Qadisha Valley, ancient Byblos or sipping cocktails on the beach. The Lebanese hold as diverse notions over the direc-tion of the ‘New Beirut’ as one would expect, some advocating a break from the past, others emphasising the importance of preserving the memories of war.

Modern cafes, clubs and beach resorts are testimony to a society which has moved on from the war, in full mod-ernisation swing along the Western model. Amidst this there is also a great appetite for exploring the Lebanese varied landscape with numerous out-door trekking, adventure and sightseeing groups.

It was in the aftermath of

the Israeli-Hezbollah war in 2006 that Mark Aoun, a Lebanese who has been work-ing in the ecotourism field since the age of 15, set up the trekking and adventure group ‘Vamos Todos’, meaning ‘let’s go all together’ in Spanish. The promotion of ‘another view, another idea of Lebanon' was central to the group, encour-aging Lebanese and foreigners alike to explore the areas of Lebanon untouched by the dev-astations of war. Day trips are organised to enjoy Lebanon’s many natural beauty vis-tas- challenging the image of Lebanon as a country of vio-lence, asserting that Lebanon is not 'all bombs, killings and terrorists'. Vamos Todos’ ethos is essentially positive in dealing with conflict, focusing on those areas unaffected by the wars and tensions.

Other groups however, emphasise the need to embrace and remember Lebanon’s his-tory in order to avoid a recur-rence of events. One of the most stark reminders of Lebanon’s

past is its war-affected build-ings, which have been increas-ingly replaced by the shiny and new, all-modern constructions sprouting up everywhere. It is difficult to drive for more than five minutes in Beirut without seeing such developments. This has faced criticism within Lebanese society, who perceive the preservation of these build-ing not only as historically but also culturally important, as part of Lebanon’s identity.

The Association for the Protection of Lebanese Heritage (APLH) is one such group which strongly opposes

these new developments, crit-icising the destruction of 80% of the buildings classified as heritage sites by the Ministry of Culture. The result has been the destruction of around 600 Ottoman era and French mandate era buildings, said to be aided by corruption within the Lebanese political system, allowing for bribes and pay-offs to override the national interest.

A prime example of such an endangered building is Beit Barak, constructed in 1924 by Yousif Aftimos, a highly acclaimed Lebanese architect. Beit Barak was occupied by middle class families until the outbreak of the Civil War, dur-ing which the building became a key strategic position, with Christian militia moving into the building. In 1997, the Barak family decided to tear it down in order to sell the land, which was in a prime real estate area. The process was prevented

by Mona Hallak, an architect and preservation activist who chanced to come across the building before it was demol-ished. Hallak proceeded to launch a press campaign to prevent the destruction of Beit Barak, and after nine years the government eventually issued a decree to renovate the build-ing. The building is currently undergoing renovation to preserve the snapshot of war the house offers, and will even-tually become the ‘Museum of Memory’, and has already been renamed Beit Beirut, meaning ‘The House of Beirut’.

The current socio-political climate in Lebanon is fragile, primarily due to the influx of over one million Syrians fol-lowing the harsh military sup-pression of anti-government protests in Syria. This threat-ens to destabilise the delicate social, political and religious balances. Syrian anti-Assad rebel groups are increasingly targeting Hezbollah strong-holds because of Hezbollah support for the Assad regime. The car bomb on the 15th August perpetrated by the Sunni Syrian group Aisha Umm-al Mouemeneen killed 27 citizens, targeting a Shia Hezbollah stronghold in the South of Beirut. The Tripoli car bombings on 24th August targeting Sunni Al-Salam Mosque and Al-Tawqa Mosque killed at least 47 and wounded more than 300. Sheikh Ahmad Gharib, a key suspect and an affiliate to the Syrian regime-backed Baath Party, was arrested that day.

Such incidents are feared to incite Sunni-Shia conflict which so crippled Lebanon in the past. While Aoun acknowledges that some areas in Lebanon are not entirely safe, he believes that while “the whole situation in the Middle East is not so good...

we [Lebanon] are still on the safe side, we still have a lot of rules, a lot of principles… a lot of people who like to welcome foreign people”.

While it is evidently of great importance to remember Lebanon’s history of warfare, especially with the current socio-political situation, the diversity of what constitutes Lebanon’s cultural fabric how-ever, epitomises the tolerance that characterises Lebanese society. Embracing both Lebanon’s war-affected build-ings as well as its unaffected sites is equally necessary, espe-cially for Lebanon’s national interest. The social tensions at present are a strong deterrent to foreigners visiting Lebanon, a loss on both sides. Seeing as Lebanon’s economy relies on tourism, which is estimated to have decreased by 25% this year, both Beirut’s historical buildings and Lebanon’s natu-ral attractions hold significant pulling power.

Civil War• Spanned from 1975-1990• Triggered by the arrival of armed PLO (Palestine

Liberation Organisation) forces in Lebanon, following their expulsion from Jordan

• Fighting mainly between Maronite Christians and Palestinian forces, although there were dozens of different political groups and militias

• Car bombings was a popular weapon, with at least 3,641 used during the Civil War

• Land mines were also prevalent, with thousands still scattered around Lebanon

• Resulted in approximately 120,000 deaths, 76,000 displaced and one million migrating abroad

• The Taif Agreement in 1989 was the first step to peace, aiming for ‘coexistence’ and changing the status quo from a Maronite Christian-dominated ruling elite to a power-sharing system, with a 50:50 ratio between Christians and Muslims

Israeli-Hezbollah War• From 12 July 2006 - 14 August 2006• Fighting mainly between Hezbollah paramilitary forces

and Israeli Military • Triggered by Hezbollah firing rockets at Israeli border

towns, followed by an anti-tank missile attack; Israel responded with airstrikes and artillery fire

• The conflict killed around 1,300 Lebanese and 165 Israelis; displaced around one million Lebanese and approximately 300,000-500,000 Israelis

• The conflict came to an end with the United Nations Security Council’s Resolution 1701 on 11 August 2006 calling for the disarmament of Hezbollah, withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon and deployment of Lebanese forces in the South

Beirut, LebanonKai Kamei

A new Beirut

Modern Beirut from the Cornish Image:KaiKamei

Modern cafes, clubs and beach resorts are testimony to a society which has moved on

from the war


Dasain is a 15-day Hindu holiday when everybody gets time off work, goes home to their village and relatives, and meticulously destroy themselves with ridic-ulous amounts of meat, alcohol and gambling. It is the longest and the most auspicious festival in the Nepalese annual calendar, celebrated by Nepalese people throughout the globe. So far, sounds like Christmas. But here are a few notable differences. Religiously, Dasain celebrates the victory of the gods over demons, symbolizing the victory of good over evil. And what about mass murder of tens of thousands of goats, buffaloes and ducks, decap-itated in sacrifice to the goddesses, Durga and Kali, feared and loved for their unquenchable thirst for blood? Cattle is brought into the Kathmandu valley by truck and tied to posts throughout the city. At least they get a grand tour of the city before their heads roll... So, picture the scene. I arrived in a village belonging to the Newar ethnic group, the “architects” of many of the Kathmandu valley’s palaces and temples, also known (but alas, not by me) for their ten-dency to spill more animal blood at festivals than any other ethnic group. Falling out of bed at 6am in order to observe the morning ritual at the village temple, I was blissfully unaware of the horrors lying ahead. Naturally, it was a particularly misty morning, as if more dramatic effect were needed... I headed up the centu-ry-old stone steps leading from the main square to the temple, and after a dozen steps I heard excited shouts, closely followed by a dull thump. As the thumping

noise grew louder, I barely had time to jump out of the way before something big and hairy whooshed past me, smearing the stairs with a sticky red liquid. The thing came to a halt at the foot of the stairs, and the buffalo’s head stared at me with cloudy eyes. Shaken, I nevertheless continued

up the stairs and stopped before a strange specta-cle. The temple was surrounded by smiling peo-ple, and if it

weren’t for the blood one would think this was just another mar-ket day. People happily chatted and gossiped while they pinned down helpless goats and terrified buffaloes, and the man handling the hatchet chopped their heads off almost casually, with practiced precision. The smell of blood and animal excrement was strong, and dogs were going berserk and lapping furiously at the red pools on the floor. The bizarre contrast between the animals defacating in fear as they saw what was awaiting

them, and the celebrating people proved too much for me, and after standing transfixed for a few min-utes, I left, slightly disgusted by mankind.

Now, with the benefit of hind-sight, I am less willing to con-demn that violent ceremony. Barbaric it may be, beyond doubt, but it is first and foremost an act of catharsis, a time when one’s frustrations and difficulties are forgotten if only for a while, and in their place come plentiful supplies of meat, an expensive delicacy that few households can afford on a regular basis. Dasain is a time of plenty, when families are reunited and give each other new clothes. It is a time when people try not to think about the future as they enjoy the present. For after Dasain the sobering process is swift and hard, sons and husbands leave their families yet again to return to Qatar, or Doha, or South Korea, not knowing when they will see their loved ones again, and know-ing deep down that they will not be able to afford to come home the following year.

Seoul is a busy city. When compared to low-rise London, Seoul is full of apartment buildings that are more than 20 stories high, and parks are far more difficult to find. However, there are several ways to enjoy your time outdoors, ones you most definitely wouldn’t want to miss as a visitor to this dynamic capital.

In the centre of the city, there is a big park in front of City Hall, covered with grass and surrounded with high-story office buildings. You can simply wander around or sit on the grassy field, and sometimes you can be lucky enough to witness the Hi Seoul Festival. The festival was launched when Oh Sehoon was the mayor of Seoul, and it was also held from the 2nd to the 6th of October this year. During the festival, you can enjoy various performances and participate in art programmes on the street for free. In 2013’s festival, for example, there was a firework event combined with a modern play based on lyrics written thousands of years ago in Korea.

Alongside the Hi Seoul Festival and the green open square, you can also enjoy your free time cycling along the main river in Seoul, the Han River. Similar in that aspect to the Thames in London, it is easily 2-3 times larger than the English river. There are several “Han River citizen parks” along the river, and you can see people having a good time with their families on weekends. You can also enjoy water sports like windsurfing, a popular activity with several places from where you can borrow equipment and get lessons. Sometimes you can meet Seoul street musicians. I personally came across a jazz band and enjoyed listening to their music. You can find more information on the Seoul street artist webpage provided in the link below the article. Or, if you just want to simply use your time to rest, you can bring a mat and place it on the open grass field on the riverside.

When the sun goes down, visiting Cheonggye creek is a good idea. It was once covered with an elevated highway, but when Lee Myeongbak was the mayor of Seoul, in the name of restoring nature to the city, it was rejuvenated in 2003. The creek runs through high office buildings and is beautifully decorated with lightings. People sometimes bring a can of beer from nearby convenience stores, sit aside the creek, and have a drink with their friends or lovers. Seoul Lantern Festival is held annually, and at the moment when I am writing this article, the festival is being held from the 1st to 17th November. You can simply go to Cheonggye creek and there will be a long line of lantern works on the creek. You can visit the website to find more information and pictures (http://seoullantern.visitseoul.net/). Just make sure to wear warm clothes as the weather is getting quite cold.

If the weather is sunny, taking a walk in Jeongdong street is a good idea. Jeongdong Street is located right next to Deoksu Palace, so it is also called “Deoksu Palace Stone Wall Street”. When walking down the street, you will be able to find long rows of paintings similar to those you may find at street markets in London. You can also visit palaces like Deoksu or Gyeongbok as they are very close by.

This issue our local writer advises on the best ways to enjoy a restful time outdoors in Seoul.

Like-a-Local: Korea

A bloodbath fit for the gods - the Dasain festival

Seoul, KoreaKyungran (Emily) Lee

Kathmandu, NepalRemy Geoffroy

Barbaric it may be, beyond doubt, but it is first and

foremost an act of catharsis

The streets of Kathmandu during the Dasain festival

A typical Dasain sacrifice Image:RosalindHenwood

Live music by the river Han Image:KyungranLee


Tucked away in the foothills of the Himalayas is a small village by the name of Mukteshwar; at an altitude of 7500ft, views from the world’s highest mountain range are abundant. The nearest train station is in the town of Kathgodam, the Nainital district in the north-ern state of Uttarakhand. It was from this train station where four friends and I made our ascent up the narrow twisting mountain road to the top of the world. We passed gorgeous-smelling deep-green pine trees, swinging mon-keys and small Hindu mandir (temples) teetering on the edges of cliffs.

When we arrived in Mukteshwar, famished from the long journey from Jaipur, it would be safe to say we had

never been so pleased to see food in our lives. Sitting in the front garden of our guest-house, a charming 99-year-old colonial cottage, we gleefully ate aloo parathas, masala ome-lette, and locally made plum chutney, and of course drank the obligatory Indian chai. Our guesthouse, Somerset Lodge, was decorated with hun-dreds of different flowers and vine-creepers over its white-washed walls, with butterflies, bees and dragonflies flocking to the flora. The owner of the guesthouse is an expert on botany and takes pride in the variety of plants at the lodge. Situated near the guesthouse is a small shop called Kilmora, which, in collaboration with local NGOs, sells goods such as hand-woven shawls, earrings,

chutnies, oils and knitted products made by the local Kumauni community, espe-cially the local women.

After much needed sleep, we headed to Chauli-ki-Jali, a popular spot for rock-climb-ing and zip-wiring, where the views are second to none. Sprawling evergreen hills with jagged cliffs and eagles soaring in the dense blue sky make a perfect backdrop for the val-leys of the surrounding rural areas. A short walk into the for-est was a 350-year-old Hindu temple called Mukteshwar Dham. Prayer bells tinkled in the breeze, colourful strips of material, tinsel and prayer flags of all colours hung from trees around the old stone mandir, giving it an even more enchanting and otherworldly aura. Mountain mandirs are simple in design, but this quiet majesty is what gives them their allure and beauty. Having gone inside and completed a puja, we received tikas – a red mark on our foreheads.

As we were leaving, the sun was setting behind the rolling hills, and we stumbled upon a goat farm with every breed of goat you can think of (!), including the coveted Pashmina goat. There is some-thing quite magical in watch-ing a sunset, let alone a sunset in the Himalayan foothills. On our return to the guesthouse for dinner, we were walking through the forest and we saw many candles lit along the path. When we reached the end we saw a mass of people gathered round for a Catholic funeral. It was a very sad yet eerily beautiful moment to witness, a simple funeral in the middle of the forest after sun-set. In India, death is not seen as a taboo subject and so most funerals are carried out with

little elaboration. The next day, we got up at

6am and went on a short trek to an isolated mandir. From there we saw the most magnif-icently breath-taking view of the Himalayan peaks yet – the white snow glistening in the orange morning sun definitely made it all seem worthwhile. In the afternoon, we visited Sattal – ‘Seven Lakes’, an inter-con-nected group of freshwater lakes surrounded by dense forests, where Hindu gods are said to have wandered. We took two colourfully decorated boats out and rowed around the lake, observing the birds chirping questioningly at us in the trees. After Sattal, we trav-elled to Nainital – a large town famous for its lake and many appearances in Bollywood films; it was also frequented by the British in colonial times. Nainital is moreover renowned for the Tibetan mar-ket, run by Tibetan immigrants selling everything from deli-cious momos (dumplings) to Tibetan style Buddhist statues, and even Playboy jumpers. Within the perimeter around the lake, there is a gurdwara,

a masjid, a church and a man-dir – a perfect example of the diversity in India.

Unfortunately, the next day marked our return to Jaipur. To anyone who is interested in India, I urge you to visit Uttarakhand, and especially Nainital and Mukteshwar, not at all touristy areas. The stereotypical noisy, dirty and polluted India is a world away from the serene and tranquil Himalayas. Namaste.

Somerset Lodge:facebook.com/SomersetLodgeNainital

Aarohi NGO:www.aarohi.org

Discovering a Himalayan retreat

Jaipur, IndiaPriyanka Mehra

Image:PriyankaMehra

Boat men on Sattal Lake Image:PriyankaMehra

Prayer bells tinkled in the breeze, colourful

strips of material, tinsel and prayer flags of all

colours hung from trees around the old stone

mandir...

global spirit - soas spirit insert issue 2

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