19th edition, 30 September 2015 – Pike & Hurricane

Starting again in Your Own Country: The Peruvian Example

Aurore Menard — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 10:08:17 +0000

Each region of Peru has its own characteristics that vary with its natural environment and its culture. Just like most places in the world, people migrate between the different regions of their country to obtain better standards of living. The Amazon (selva) is mostly inhabited by natives that use the natural resources in the forests and the rivers in order to survive, eat and build their villages. The Andes (sierra) are influenced by the Inca culture and the cold winter temperatures which in return results in a hostile climate. Subsequently, the coast (costa) is now the economic center of the country where the majority of imports and exports of various products are exchanged.

Each area has its advantages and disadvantages, however many Peruvian still migrate in search for a new start. Between 1960 and 2013, the percentage of urban population increased from 46,81% to 77,95%. This is impressive yet interesting for a country that praises its support towards projects concerning resources in rural areas. Why is Peru facing this phenomenon of urbanisation and what happened in the past 50 years?

First of all, the political changes during the Peruvian civil war (Sendero Luminoso 1980-1992) have had their consequences on migration. The reasons are simple; burned houses, neighborhoods where they lived devastated, extreme violence and the expansion of coca traffic. As a result, an estimated 200,000 people between 1980 and 1990 in the Department of Ayacucho moved from rural zones to urban centers by obligation, inter alia, to Lima, Ica and Huancayo. The department of Ayacucho was paralyzed for nearly 10 years after the arrest of Abimael Guzman ( leader of the Sendero Luminoso).

Once they moved, migrants formed their own villages and illegal settlements, all without obtaining any compensation from the government, or anyone for their losses. However, this is only displacing the problems of poverty, unorganised zones and violence. The migrants are often attacked by the police and suspected of being members of the Sendero Luminoso, a movement that oppose the government and eventually paralysed the country into a civil war. After the civil war, there has been a growth of discriminationwithin the Peruvian community towards those who come from regions where the left-Maoist movement was very active and supported. Because of the racism towards these migrants, constant clashes with the police and the state have put a burden on mending the relationship between the two parties.The government is trying not only to stop the Sendero Luminoso for good, but continually fight against drug trafficking and money laundering. However, the population has lost faith in the state, especially in rural areas. Cities are expanding at a remarkable rate and the problems faced by the people arebeing displaced. Thus, social insecurity is an expanding issue, inter alia, cause by political history of the country.

As for the Peruvian Amazon, internal migration is a phenomenon that can be observed in the blink of an eye. Each year, the cities of this region are expanding and the small villages disappear. This area represents 13.4% of the total population in Peru. In the 1940s, Iquitos was the only town included in the Peruvian city system. Today, we can count not only Iquitos but also six other major city in the country. The development of local markets, the exploitation of hydrocarbons, alternative cultures and the black market (wood, gold, coca, and fisheries) have encouraged these mass movements.

There is also the question of social mobility. For most Peruvians, symbolic wealth is something important, such as having a house or financing the education of their children. When the natives of the Amazon area migrate to these cities, they often cannot afford to buy a house immediately and end up living in pitiful conditions. However, they make this sacrifice in order for their children to have access to better education.

The natives, accustomed to bartering,have a traditional trade system that is not recognised in the cities. This forces them to integrate themselves into the market to obtain the money they need to survive. By integrating themselves to the market, individuals therefor understand that it is easier to do the transactions in an environment where trades are conducive, which means in the cities. Traditional medicine which has been a reliable form of medicine through a healer is slowly becoming more and more uncommon throughout the population. The transmission of knowledge is interrupted and that does not mean that because the migrants are now in an urban zone they will get “better” medical care. Often they do not have access to drinkable water or proper sanitation buildings.

There is also non-voluntary migration caused by, inter alia, illegal mining, the expansion of land set aside for coca crops or the burning of agricultural fields. Each year, 150 000 hectares1 of Peruvian rainforest disappear. In other words, lands are being destroyed and people are forced to move.

As presented on the web-site of the Education Ministry (Ministerio de Educacion), the government has a certain amount of money for programs already in place for each department in the Peruvian provinces. These allocations are determined by the density of the population of each province. Thus, urban centers are often the focal points of the ministries since it is where the majority of the population is located. The current education system set up by the government does little to help the educational institutions in my opinion, even though there is three levels of government that are responsible for ensuring the “right of education”. There is a continuous improvement but still, a lot needs to be done.

Some Peruvians will migrate to rural centers to have access to better social services, better education, a sense of security, becoming integrated to new markets and decision-making processes, but in the end, is the new urban life any better than where they came from?

By Aurore Menard

Image credit:

Picture 1: Geraint Rowland, licensed under CC BY 2.0

Picture 2: Alex Proimos, licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0

Picture 3: Rob Sinclair, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

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“Refugees Welcome”: Protest on Stortorget

Michael Schätzlein — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 10:06:37 +0000

The population of Malmö tends to be very active politically, which is shown by numerous protests, be it against neo-Nazi violence, the Swedish branch organisation of the German anti-Islamisation group PEGIDA or, more recently, in the name of Free the Nipple.

On the backdrop of the ongoing refugee crisis, around 4,000 people gathered on Stortorget on the 13th of September in order to protest for a more humane treatment of refugees. The protest, which was held under the motto of “Refugees Welcome”, was organised by the youth of organisation of the Greens Party, but was also attended by groups from many other parties and creeds, including a delegation from the Student Union.

[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”2″ gal_title=”Refugees Welcome]

By Michael Schätzlein

Image credit: Michael Schätzlein

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A Breakfast Date with Kofi Annan

Céline Sonnenberg — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 10:00:19 +0000

“I am in the Swedish Parliament, Kofi Annan is holding a speech, the Crown Princess is only about 3 meters away from me and I am officially invited!” While this may sound like my description of a look into the Mirror of Erised, this is exactly what happened to me only a week ago.

I and four other members of the Malmö Association of Foreign Affairs were kindly invited to the 20th Anniversary of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) in Stockholm, also attended by Mr Annan and Her Royal Highness. IDEA is an intergovernmental organisation focusing on supporting sustainable democracy around the globe. The organisation celebrated its 20th anniversary with a commemorative session and a panel discussion with the theme “Democracy: Achievements and Challenges in the Past 20 Years and Prospects for the Future”.

IDEA´s goal is the production and distribution of knowledge about electoral processes, constitution building, political participation and representation, and democracy. This is done by conducting own research on successful electoral processes and democracy formation, publishing books on the same topics and developing IT systems, for example a software monitoring and mapping possible conflicts before or during elections. IDEA also works with local actors on the ground using its extensive knowledge to advise countries in formulating their constitutions, holding elections in unstable regions and supporting and enabling dialogue between parties to encourage democracy formation. IDEA also encourages diversity in politics and the involvement of ethnic or religious minorities, as well as equal representation and participation of women and men in the formation and lived reality of democracy.

IDEA believes that there is no single way and concept of developing and living democracy, which is why IDEA tries to find the right approach for each society it, is working with. This not only guarantees more participation and involvement of larger citizen groups, but ultimately allows a deeper identification with democracy in the society and a more legitimate government through the incorporation of the opinions and ideas non-elite groups.

Additionally to groundwork on the local level, IDEA also organises seminars, conferences and capacity-building workshops with various political actors and leaders on a regional and global level, aiming to a further exchange of knowledge.

While IDEA´s headquarters are located in Stockholm, just a stone´s throw from the Swedish Parliament where its 20th anniversary was celebrated, it is active all over the world. IDEA has regional offices in all global regions and is active even outside of the realm of its 28 member states.

We learned all this during our visit to IDEA`s headquarters in Stockholm after attending the ceremony for the 20th anniversary of the organisation.

I am in my third year of studying International Relations and naturally in international politics there are a lot of fancy pants events and I got to go to some of them, be it Model United Nations or an award ceremony for the founder of Doctors without Borders organised by the human rights organization I interned for. However, I have never in my life attended anything as formal and impressive as IDEA´s 20th anniversary. Anyone who knows me know that I may not necessarily the best suited person for anything fancy, I am famous for spilling things on my clothes or ripping them or tripping over nothing (and that´s without wearing heels). So naturally, I wasn´t necessarily calm when I stumbled into the Swedish Parliament in my friend´s high heels and a dress from Primark. Everyone around me seemed very important (I later on learned that most of the attendees were Swedish politicians or ambassadors from all over the world so they definitely were) and very chic. But a few steps into the parliament, I was simply too excited about being able to attend such an impressing and interesting event to worry about my looks or how fitting I was for such an event.

I just indulged in the beautiful architecture and the great atmosphere and I was honestly feeling like an excited little child.

The speakers, who were invited by IDEA were offering extremely interesting insights into democracy formation and I could see and feel in person that a great speaker like Kofi Annan is able to grab everyone´s attention and evoke an incredibly special atmosphere with a few words only. Whether you are interested in politics or not, his speech about democracy would excite anyone. Him acknowledging that there is no one right to democracy and that democracy just like human-beings needs to continuously evolve further seems very logical, but was something I have never really questioned.

Additionally to having him hold a speech, IDEA also organised an interesting panel discussion with representatives from all over the world, including Margot Wallström, the Swedish Foreign Minister, and Dr. Surin Pitsuwan, former Secretary General of the Association for Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Hearing all of these different viewpoints from all over the globe, showed how differently democracy is approached depending on what region or even country we are targeting. One of the quotes that stuck with me the most was by Margot Wallström, saying that “democracy cannot be exported, it can only be supported”.

The whole event was very intriguing and captivating and I am really happy IDEA also let us visit its headquarters. I am really happy I got to take part in this experience and learn about IDEA, even if I had to take of my heels behind my desk halfway through, to stop my feet from killing me. If you are interested in IDEA’s work, you can browse its free online database of publications or order books through IDEA´s website.

By Céline Sonnenberg

Image credit: UF Malmö

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MUNmö 2015 – West Africa: Contemporary Issues and Challenges

EditorChief — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 10:00:12 +0000

In November (19-22), 120 young people from Sweden and abroad will gather at Malmö University to simulate the United Nations at the Model United Nations of Malmö conference (MUNmö, previously MUNOM). Together, they will debate current issues facing the West African region. They will for instance discuss terrorism in the Security Council, or debate Boko Haram as one of the 47 members of the Human Rights Council. They will also meet individuals who share the same passion, while representing internationalism at its finest.

The United Nations (UN) was founded in 1945 after the Second World War and consists of 193 Member States. The organisation is based on the notion of peace. Thereby, the UN works towards preventing war, improving humanitarian and social conditions, strengthening international law and advancing development. The UN is comprised of six main organs, the most important being the General Assembly, the Security Council and the UN Secretariat. The main bodies of the UN, apart from the Secretariat, consist of delegations from Member States that are bound by instructions from their respective governments.

It is from this point that the concept of Model United Nations (MUN) began. MUN conferences provide an environment where young people can take the role of a delegate from a Member State within the UN, and thereby, try what it would be like to represent the ideas and opinions of different countries. MUNmö 2015 provides the opportunity to either be a member of the Security Council, the First and Third Committee of the General Assembly, dealing with disarmament and international security, and social, humanitarian and cultural affairs respectively, or the Human Rights Council. Delegates have the chance to debate issues such as discrimination based on sexual orientation on behalf of Russia or Saudi Arabia or discuss illicit trade in weapons on behalf of the United States or India. This is also one of the beauties and difficulties of MUNs, as it gives the participants the possibility to expand their horizons and challenges them to think outside of their own perspective.

Furthermore, MUNmö aims to broaden the delegates’ mind-set, and contributes to an atmosphere full of highly engaged young people that can become professional contacts and friends for life. At the same time, participation in MUNmö provides an opportunity to experience the life of a diplomat, the language, customs and clothing of international politics, and gives an insight into how the UN system works. It also provides an educational context where skills and abilities in public speaking, researching, debating, writing, critical thinking and leadership can develop and grow. This year, MUNmö’s aspiration is also to deepen delegate’s knowledge in relation to the West African region, its role in the international community and the global challenges it presents in the contemporary world.

‘West Africa: Contemporary Issues and Challenges’ is the theme of MUNmö 2015, with subtopics such as ‘Threats to International Peace and Security caused by Terrorism’, ‘The Relationship between Disarmament and Development’, ‘Assistance to Refugees, Returnees and Displaced Persons in Western Africa’ and ‘Discrimination and Violence against Individuals based on their Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity’. The West African region has at times been prevalent, but is often missing from the mainstream media picture. It is, however, an important region in global politics, considering the various past and current conflicts taking place, the recent Ebola outbreak, the attacks of the terrorist group Boko Haram, and the following vast amounts of refugees and internally displaced persons.

Foremost, Boko Haram, a militant Islamic group originating in Nigeria, has spread to neighbouring countries such as Chad and Niger. The group has been behind bombings, massacres and abductions, and has caused the displacement of 1.4 million children according to UNICEF, along with thousands of deaths. Militarism is one of the largest barricades to ending poverty in developing countries and regions, and especially the countries of western Africa have suffered from conflict, examples being Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria and Sierra Leone. Several factors are influencing the conflicts in West Africa, such as poverty, human rights violations, corruption and ethnic marginalisation. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to examine and discuss West Africa in order to also create a greater focus on the region.

To conclude, MUNmö 2015 is a platform for innovative thinking and internationalism where engaged young people will tackle the difficult issues and challenges that West Africa is facing at present. The team of MUNmö 2015 invites you to join us between the 19th and the 22nd of November at Malmö University. The price of SEK 550 (€60) includes all conference material, three lunches, three dinners, fika and social events. Moreover, you will also be able to attend our preparation sessions in October and November, and you can host international delegates to further expand your perspective and gain even more friends!

All information is provided on our website: http://www.munmo.se/

By Julie Gjerlufsen

Image credit:

Erika Lundqvist and Aurore Menard for MUNmö

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Dar Al-Islam – Propaganda for the Caliphate

Michael Schätzlein — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 10:00:02 +0000

The Islamic State has set a new standard for Islamist terrorist groups. Now, blurry footage of executions or of a few men surrounding a flag will not do any more. The propaganda videos of the Islamic State are generally of a high quality, and include interviews, documentaries and reports, apart from the usual terror videos. The Islamic State employs various highly professionalised institutions dedicated to spreading its message and attracting foreign fighters from all over the world. The Al-Hayat Media Centre is probably the most prolific one – it has published multiple videos with Islamic State fighters and the captured journalist John Cantlie – alongside an English-language magazine, Darbiq, and a French-language online magazine, Dar al-Islam. As part of my minor thesis, I translated and analysed the first two issues of this latter magazine.

The first issue, which was published in December 2014, is dedicated to the project of the Caliphate itself. In it, the anonymous writers introduce the reader to the Islamic State and seek to establish the legitimacy of the Caliphate through quotes from the Qur’an and hadiths that propagate the gathering of Muslims, the naming of a Caliph, the pledge of allegiance to him, and the killing of anyone who opposes this idea. Another article in this issue lists a number of pledges of allegiance by jihadist groups from Algeria, Libya, Egypt, Yemen, and Saudi Arabia to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the Islamic State.

In this first issue, the Muslim community as a whole is portrayed to experience a time of trials, evident in the oppression and persecution by the infidels. This also indicates the nearing of the end of times. The gathering of the “armies” from different parts of the Arabic world, then, is seen as the fulfilment of a prophecy, an event that will lead up to a final battle against the infidels, which can be equated to the concept of Armageddon in the Christian religious tradition. The key to victory is the Caliphate; only through its establishment can victory over the infidels and the governors installed by them be accomplished. The Islamic State will not stop there, though. According to the magazine, it is only a matter of time until the Islamic State will “liberate Rome”, which is the seat of the Catholic Church.

The last article of the first issue is dedicated to the proposed new currency, and in particular the coins, which were created in an attempt to increase the Islamic State’s legitimacy. Each of the seven coins, which are made of gold (dinar), silver (dirham), and copper (feloos), has its own symbol, stemming from quotes from religious texts. The goal, according to the authors, is to deliver the Muslim community from infidel-imposed money and the “satanic usurious world economy”.

The proposed 5-dinar coin, depicting the envisioned Muslim world empire

The second issue is more aggressive in its tone. It was published after the Paris Shootings of the 7th to 9th of January 2015, in which Amedy Coulibaly, a follower of the Islamic State, shot and murdered six people. As a result, the main goal of this second issue was to justify the killings, and to call on other Muslims to commit similar acts of violence.

The calls for violence are backed up by a “history of France’s enmity towards the Islam” reinterpreted to fit the views of the Islamic State. The fact that Pope Urban II, the instigator of the first Crusade, was French, suffices as a proof for France’s enmity in general. After the French Revolution, Roman Catholicism was replaced by the “religion” of laicism and democracy, yet the persecution of Muslims prevailed in the form of the colonial wars. The authors further complain the anti-terrorist laws in modern-day France, and claim that France is conspiring with Zionists, aiming to conquer the Levant from the Muslims and give it to the Jews.

In an attempt to whitewash the atrocities committed by the Islamic State, Coulibaly is being depicted as an “ideal Muslim”, as “an example to follow”. Numerous positive traits are ascribed to him, and unnamed sources are cited to back up the claims. While it is mentioned that he is a former convict, the reason for it – armed robbery and later his involvement in a plot to free an Islamist terrorist – is not, and it is claimed that he used his time in prison to convert a liberal Muslim into a fervent believer. The article is illustrated with a picture of Coulibaly, which is contrasted by a picture of Muslim men holding “Je suis Charlie” signs, who are called “apostates”.

Another article from the same issue is an interview with Coulibaly’s wife, Hayat Boumeddiene. As it was the first sign of life after a sighting in the border town of Tell Abyad in northern Syria on the 10th of January 2015, this article managed to draw the attention of both French and international media. In it, Hayat calls upon Muslims to read the Qur’an, and on Muslim women in particular to support their husbands and other relatives by giving them comfort and advice. As ideal Muslim women, she names Assiya, the wife of the Pharaoh who lived during the time of the Israelites’ Exodus, as well as the Virgin Mary. This article is interesting in particular as it is both the only article with an author known by name, and as it constitutes the only article specifically aimed at women.

The covers of the first two issues

The image of the enemy that is propagated in Dar al-Islam is rather broad. It includes Jews and Christians, the latter of which are usually called “Crusaders”, as well as Shia Muslims. Both Christians and Shia Muslims are seen as polytheistic idolaters; while Christians revere the Virgin Mary and Jesus, the Shia Muslims revere for the twelve Imams. The war against the West is justified as a righteous punishment for the persecution of Muslims. However, Christians are still allowed to live under the Caliphate, as long as they recognise Allah as the only God and as long as they pay the taxes. Jews, on the other hand, are seen as a “band of vipers” that needs to be exterminated. They are accused of slandering and killing prophets, as well as controlling the world, partly through the Masons, who according to the magazine control the banks and instigated the French Revolution.

In terms of style and design, the magazine is rather lacking in quality. Spelling mistakes and bad syntax are common, and in the introduction of the second issue, the authors complain about criticism from Western journalists and academics for it. They also condemn the “pseudo-partisans of jihad” on the social networks – which is self-contradicting, as the Islamic State is very much guilty of the same crime.

It is also notable that only a minor percentage of the text was actually written by the authors. Large parts of the text consist of quotes from the Qur’an, hadiths, and speeches given by spokesmen of groups affiliated with the Islamic State. Instead of presenting a convincing argumentation, the authors count on the reader’s belief – through the insertion of quotes from religious works, they make it hard for a believing reader to contradict the claims made in the text.

Overall, it is noticeable that Dar al-Islam only enjoyed minor attention from the propagandists at the al-Hayat Media Centre. The English-language equivalent, Darbiq, has more content and is professional in terms of style and design. Meanwhile, the war in Syria and Iraq rages on, and it can only end if the steady flow of foreign fighters is halted, and the Islamic State and its propaganda are put to an end.

By Michael Schätzlein

Image credit:

Picture 1, 2: The Internet Archive

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