An Article about the Sri Lankan War... and other updates

Here is an article from the Nation that Natty passed on to me:
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20090223/raychaudhuri

It's hard to find some good analysis about what is happening in northern Sri Lanka nowadays. It's almost similar to what is happening in Colombia and Palestine, with obvious geographic and political limits. It's disgusting and outrageous what is happening there.

Just to fill you in on what's been going on around here, other than dancing and biking. From January 28th to 31st, in El Prat de Llobregat (basically a suburb of Barcelona), the 1st Global Forum of Producers of Declared-Illicit Crops brought together some 40 growers of cannabis, coca leaf and poppy to discuss the global war on drugs and to establish a common position on these policies, along with some 20 representatives and experts. From March 11th to 12th in Vienna, heads of state will meet to evaluate the goals set at the previous UN's Special Session of the General Assembly on the Worldwide Drug Problem (1998), and to most likely recommend similar failed policies (attack the producer and continue the criminalization of narcotics use). For an analysis of the situation, see TNI's report here. I was an informal translator and participant. In the work sessions, the drug war was linked to the war on the poor; the medicinal, traditional and cultural uses of these plants were highlighted; and the discussion of true alternative development was debated. I'll put up a link to the conclusions when they are posted on CERAI's website. Until then, check out the pictures! Update: Obama's new Drug Czar brings mixed reviews.

Also, this past weekend, a group called SeminariTAIFA held an interesting seminar on the history and projection of the European Union. It was interesting to see through the rhetoric that the EU employs, and understand it to be another intent at creating a market, exploiting workers, damaging the environment and increasing poverty. One of the things that struck me was that I think in general, Europeans believe that they are so much nicer than Americans. They are only more subtle. Apart from the EU trying to copy the exact same US neoliberal model, there are other cases. For instance, in the US, when the army puts out ads calling on youth to join, the ads are typically Chuck Norris- or Rambo-fashion: painted faces, huge guns, flags, etc. (I guess there was one ad of the AirForce I believe where it looked like they were helping some black people in a flooded zone... was that really New Orleans? Those had to be actors!). We don't hide the fact that we don't mind killing anyone to get what we want. But here, in Spain for example, the ads portray a more "humanitarian" army: baby-holding, giving medicines, etc. Ugh... Europe needs to get its head out of its ass.

Anyways, that's the story from Lake Wobegone. I bummed a guitar off a friend, so now I can practice once again. And annoy everyone in the house.

PS: I don't think anyone reads this anyways. I feel sort of silly. Hmm... Well, I'll leave you all with this great video... é un mondo difficile!