Whitaker,+Emma

(#13) Week of 3/8-3/12 Title: Abducted Chinese Fisherman Freed in Cameroon Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8573690.stm

Seven Chinese fisherman kidnapped on the Bakassi peninsula in Cameroon have now been freed. The two Chinese fishing boats were attacked on March 12th and seven men were kidnapped. The kidnappers were a previously unknown group call the Africa Marine Commando. Whether the ransom of $25,000 was paid to the African Marine Commando cannot be determined. A Cameroonian foreign ministry official has stated that it is Cameroonian policy to not pay off ransoms. The release however had been secured after Chinese and Cameroonian officials had been negotiating with the African group. The Bakassi peninsula is oil rich and has been the site of kidnapping of foreign nationals before in 2008 and 2009. In recent months however the area has been relatively stable. Following this kidnapping the Cameroonian government is deploying an intervention battalion to control the area. The kidnapped Chinese fisherman are heading back to the coastal town of Limbe, China and will be arriving by boat.

Source for Comparison: http://www.worldbulletin.net/news_detail.php?id=55670 Article Comparison: The first source I used for this article was BBC, the second article was found on a Turkish news site called the World Bulletin. One clear difference between the two article was the title, while BBC titled their article "Abducted Chinese fisherman freed in Cameroon" the second article gave a more confusing title "Chinese fisherman freed after Cameroon kidnap." To the reader this second title could be misinterpreted as the kidnapping being done by Cameroonians rather than the event simply occurring in that area. Also, while both articles mention that kidnappings have occurred in this area the World Bulletin article names a specific event that occurred in November when pirates attacked an oil tanker killing a Ukrainian worker and then stealing the ship's contents. Lastly, the BBC article mentions the exact amount that the African Marine Commando was demanding while the World Bulletin Article simply mentions that a ransom was involved but Cameroon's policy was not to pay it.

My Opinion: It is relieving to hear that the seven fisherman were in fact released but it would be interesting to hear what the Chinese government had to do in order to obtain them. What strikes me though is the fact that numerous pirate disputes have occurred in this area and the governments of Cameroon and other coastal countries have not grouped together to fight the problem. Clearly this area is high risk as it contains 10% of the world's oil and gas supplies and therefore should be properly governed and defended from pirates. Thankfully the Nigerian African Commando Group did not harm the fisherman and hopefully the battalion will in fact be able to stabilize the area.

(#12) Week of 2/22-2/26 Title: North Korea life expectancy falls Source: http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia-pacific/2010/02/201022282235216444.html

According to statistics recently released by the United Nations, the life expectancy in North Korea has fallen by 3.4 years from 72.7 in 1993 to 69.3 in the 2008 census. The figures released from a census conducted in 2008 show that both infant mortality and maternal mortality rates have increased since 1993. The infant mortality rate has gone from 14 per 1,000 live births to 19 and the maternal mortality rate has gone from 54 to 77 deaths per 100,000 live births. Despite a famine in mid to late 1990s which was believed to have killed hundreds of thousands of people the population of North Korea had increased from 21.2 million to 24.05 million. Even with the famine over, aids groups say food shortages are still a serious problem. In protest to North Korea's nuclear weapons many donations from other countries have been cut back. In current living conditions, 1/3 of the country's children under 5 are malnourished and a similar proportion of women are malnourished. Housing has also been found to be very basic with 65% of households living in cramped two-bedroom units. Interestingly, 85% of homes had access to running water but only 58% had flush toilets.

Source for Comparison: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/feb/22/north-korea-life-expectancy-falls Article Comparison: The second article I used was from a British news source called The Guardian. One obvious difference in the two articles was the Guardian's focus on how unusual it was for North Korea to be publishing these statistics. In comparison the Al-Jazeera article focused more on the data itself as well as the poor living conditions represented by the study. A second difference I noticed was that the Guardian mentioned that North Korea's claim to have over 1.2 million people is actually false and that the military is currently at about 600,000. This information highlighting a North Korean false claim was not mentioned in the Al-Jazeera article. While both articles mention the increase in infant and maternal mortality rates, as well as the lower life expectancy, only the Guardian article mentioned the number of people with university educations over the age of 16. According to the census 1 in every 7 men over 16 years of age have finished a university education while only 1 in 12 women have had this same privilege.

My Opinion: Not knowing much about North Korea I was surprised by the poor living conditions they have their. The infant and maternal mortality rates seem extremely high and the life expectancy is dropping. I also found it rather interesting that North Korea claimed to have a larger army than it truly did. From what I have heard about North Korea and their government it seems like they would attempt to prevent the publication of information disproving their previous claims to higher military power. Overall it seems sad that North Korea is facing this large food crisis and seeing lower life expectancies because of it. I also think however, that if North Korea seriously considered closing down their nuclear program they would like see larger overseas donations and with that the need for less food aid.

(#11) Week of 2/15-2/19 Title: Malaysia to extradite foreign terror suspects Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8521418.stm

Malaysia plans to extradite nine foreigners arrested last month on terror charges. According to Home Minister Hishammuddin the nine foreigners posed a "very serious threat." The Home Minister also said that the nine had links to international terror organizations. The nine suspects from Jordan, Nigeria, Syria and Yemen were arrested after attending a religious class near the capital of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, on January 21st. They are currently being held by the controversial Internal Security Act (ISA), the controversy is due to the act's allowance of indefinite detention without trial. The authorities have yet to confirm the identities of the detainees as well as which individual terrorist groups they are connected with. This lack of evidence for the detention is sparking negative reactions from human rights groups such as the chairman of the Abolish ISA Movement. The government has faced speculation in the past for the ISA group since the possibility for power abused is highly possible. The Abolish ISA Movement says the government must now at least ensure the safe travel of the nine people when returned home.

Source for Comparison: http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=550770&publicationSubCategoryId=200 Article Comparison: The second article I used was found on an online Filipino website but was first written by the Associated Press. Interestingly the AP article mentions the nine people being detained then continues to say, "All 10 have been held...the 10 were arrested..." This article gave conflicting information since it first mentioned nine people being detained but continued to talk about 10 people being detained. The AP article also mentioned that the religious meeting that the nine people arrested were attending was Islamic whereas the BBC article mentioned the meeting simply as "religious." Though this doesn't necessarily affect the people's imprisonment, it does affect the reader's view of the detainees' background. Lastly the AP article mentions that some of the detainees' names appeared on suspected terrorist lists issued by various organizations and countries, including a list issued by the United States. This is extremely important seeing as it gives more probable cause for detaining the individuals.

My Opinion: I think that Malaysia does have a fair reason to hold these men, seeing as they are on suspected terrorist lists. It seems a bit unfair however, for the government to continue to hold these men in a controversial act (the ISA) without ensuring their safety and safe travel home. It is good to see that the foreigners are being extradited instead of tortured or punished, this solution seems more fair and removes any issue from the country of Malaysia. Hopefully Malaysia will find that detaining these men was a good choice and not a mistake that they may have to pay for later on.

(#10) Week of 2/8- 2/12 Title: Jakarta hotel bombs trial begins Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8507530.stm

The trial of Amir Abdillah, alleged to have assisted in a twin suicide hotel bomb, has begun in Jakarta. The two hotels under attack in July 2009 were the JW Marriott and Ritz Carlton, the bombing resulted in the death of seven people. Abdillah is now being charged under the anti-terror laws of concealing information and harboring terrorists. Prosecutors say Abdillah was the driver for the terrorist Noordin Top, who was shot by police in a September raid on a central Java village. These bombings ended a four-year hiatus of terrorism in Indonesia. Abdillah was arrested one month after the attacks and was the first suspect case. Though Abdillah was smiling and joking with journalists before and during the trial, when asked if he regretted his actions he replied, "Yes." Abdillah is also connected to giving information that led to the arrests of several other terrorists and booking the hotel room in the JW Marriott in which the bombs went off. Indonesia has taken measures to maintain peace such as creating new laws, giving anti-terror training and increasing international cooperation.

Source for Comparison: http://www1.voanews.com/english/news/asia/Trial-Begins-for-Suspect-in-2009-Jakarta-Hotel-Bombings--83999217.html Article Comparison: The second article I used for this topic was from a website called Voice of America. One significant difference between the BBC article and the VOA one was the mention of Abdillah being an Islamic terrorist and affiliated with al-Qaida. This is quite important because the BBC article lacks this information giving the reader an unclear background on Abdillah and his political motives. The VOA article also mentions Abdillah's involvement in a plot to kill the Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. This information also adds to the reader's understanding of Abdillah as well as the background of terrorism Abdillah has leading up to this case. Lastly, the VOA article mentions the injury of over 50 people in the July bombing of the two hotels. In comparison BBC only mentions the seven deaths as a result of the bombing, this information on the wounded number adds to the seriousness of the bombing.

My Opinion: It seems like Abdillah is facing rather serious charges, the BBC article even mentioned the possibility of a death sentence. Based on the information from the two articles it seems like Abdillah is not taking his trial seriously since he is acting upon faith and political affiliation. Hopefully Indonesia will continue to maintain the peace that it had for the years before the bombing and Abdillah's case will come to a fair and just sentencing.

(#9) Week of 1/25-1/29 Title: China jails Tiananmen activist Source: http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia-pacific/2010/01/201012091539229504.html

Zhou Yongjun was sentenced last Friday, in the city of Shehong, China, nine years in prison on attempted fraud charges. Yongjun was a Chinese democracy movement leader who became well known after kneeling on the steps of the Great Hall of the People beside Tiananmen Square pleading for China's communist leaders to change the political system and end the corruption. It is believed that hundred, possibly thousands, were killed in the army's crackdown on these student-led demonstrations. Yongjun has been living in America since smuggling himself out of China in 1993. In a return visit to his homeland to visit his parents in August 2008 Yongjun was arrested for attempting to enter Hong Kong with a fake Malaysian passport with the name Wang Xingxiang. Yongjun supporters claimed that Hong Kong was violating its own laws in sending Yongjun back to the mainland since the British colonial-era legal system it still uses does not have a deportation and removal treaty with legal China. Besides these charges Yongjun was placed on a money laundering watch list after a complaint about a suspicious transfer of $773,000 in a Hong Kong bank under his false name Wang Xingxiang. Chen Zerui, Yongjun's lawyer, has said that besides the prison sentence he was also fined $11,700 but an appeal is being planned for this conviction. Other veterans of the movement in Tiananmen Square, who were not exiled, have continued to suffer government harassment.

Source for Comparison: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article6994862.ece Article Comparison:

My second article source was the Times Online and in comparison to the Al-Jazeera article I noticed one fact that was different in each article. In Al-Jazeera they state that Yongjun has been living in America since smuggling himself out of China in 1993 whereas in the Times Online they state that he has been living in America since 1992. Though the difference between these two statements is only one year it is interesting to see the difference and is significant as the reader because one of these articles may be using less reliable sources for their information. The Times Online also quotes one of Mr. Yongjun's lawyers, Mr. Mo Shaoping, and this quote is not included in the Al-Jazeera article which is significant because the Al-Jazeera article includes no quotes or mention of Yongjun's other lawyers. Lastly, the Times Online also states that Amnesty International, a human rights organization, believes this case is politically motivated which as the reader gives a more negative view to the Chinese government handling this case whereas the Al-Jazeera article shows little bias in their presentation of information.

My Opinion: It seems like the Chinese government has been trying to track down Yongjun for many years and since they now have probable cause to arrest and imprison him they are acting upon this. It does not seem like Yongjun was involved in the suspicious money transfer but rather his fake name was connected with it. At the same time, it seems like Yongjun was not making a good decision in returning to China or Hong Kong for that matter. Yongjun would probably have been safest if he had stayed in America and found a way to have his parents sent to America as well or not visited them.

(#8) Week of 1/18- 1/22 Title: China allows texting in Xinjiang six months after riots Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8464881.stm

Nearly six months after a ban has been placed on text messaging in Xinjiang, China, text bans are lifting and services are being provided. Following large ethnic group fights and riots between the Han Chinese and the Muslim Uighurs mobile communication services were cut off in Xinjiang to prevent the starting of riots. Nearly 200 people, mostly Han Chinese, were left dead following these riots six months ago in the regional capital Urumqi. Besides text messaging, internet and phone services were cut off as well until sanctioned sites could be approved and then used for viewing. According to an unnamed official, services are gradually coming back for use starting Sunday, January 17th. The regional government acknowledges the inconvenience for people but also strongly believes that this was necessary for security. These events have brought light to the deep hostility between the two ethnic groups, the Uighur Muslims and the Han Chinese who have moved into the region over the last five decades.

Source for Comparison: http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia-pacific/2010/01/201011883518837762.html Article Comparison: The first article written by BBC focused on the restoration of mobile services whereas the Al-Jazeera article focused more on the limitations of internet and cell-phone use still in place. For example BBC says, "Internet access, which was also cut off, is being gradually resumed." This is quite different in comparison to Al-Jazeera, "Users are also limited to 20 text messages a day, and cannot transfer unused messages to subsequent days..." Although both articles mention the progressing usage of text messaging, the focus on limitations of that usuage is different. Both articles however, quote the unnamed official claiming that services were gradually increasing as of Sunday. Lastly, Al-Jazeera includes detailed information such as the increased amount of funding going to security in Xinjiang for 2010, BBC does not include this information.

My Opinion: Although the 200 killed in riots is unjust and has not been done in decades, I still find the service limitations to be an invasion of your rights and freedom. Using the internet is something that can be done by almost all people and to have it purposefully taken away from you seems unjust. It is however, good to see that the measures take were at least a bit effective, otherwise the government would have been invading the freedom of many people for no reason with no results. I am also glad to see the government increase their security budget so that they can insure that something similar to this never happens again.

(#7) Week of 12/7-12/11 Title: Senegal Imams use prayers to condemn giant statue Source:http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8409233.stm

A giant statue, larger than the statue of liberty when complete, is stirring up controversy between the Senegalese president Abdoulaye Wade and the Imams (Islamic leadership). The Imams claim that the statue is idol worship as it depicts a muscular man holding a small child while sweeping a woman behind him. According to the article the statue is 'pure socialist realism- and not very African.' Besides this, the issue of cost is also being disputed in the poor country. The statue will cost $27 million when completed. Imams have used their Friday prayers to denounce this statue as a waste of money. Imams have also quoted text from the Koran and the Hadith (Islamic sayings), which denounce the use of statues for idolatrous purposes. This campaign against the statue is coming quite late in the building process which may lower its effectiveness. One imam said the first thing travelers to Senegal will see as their plane descends is a near-naked man and woman. Senegalese are also frustrated by the fact that President Wade plans to charge visitors to visit the statue and will himselp be receiving some of these profits because of his help with design. The statue, claimed to be not very African, is actually being built by North Korea.

Source for Comparison: http://www.guardianweekly.co.uk/?page=editorial&id=1368&catID=17 Article Comparison: The second article I used was from a British newspaper called The Guardian. The two articles were quite different especially in the display of information. To begin with, the titles were different. The Guardian called the event a 'Row over a giant statue' whereas BBC discussed the condemning of the statue by Imams. The focus was clearly focused from these two titles because as the BBC illustrated the Imams' issues with the statue as well as a couple overall issues, The Guardian included information on the controversy from a global and national perspective. Most significantly, The Guardian article included a picture showing the statue up on a hillside with a trashy, garbage-covered plot of land stretching beneath it. Though the BBC article mentioned the extravagant price of the statue in the poor country, to see a visual of that contrast was more significant as the reader. Also, the BBC article mentioned once that North Korea was building the statue. In The Guardian the North Koreans are mentioned numerous times for the controversy they have caused since they are providing the builders for the statue. The Guardian also mentioned the use of the statue for a ceremony commemorating the 50th year of the country's independence. The BBC article had no mention of the potential ceremonies surrounding the statue. Both articles did mention however the controversy following the president receiving some of the profits from charging tourists to visit and tour the statue. 

My Opinion: I find that to build such a ridiculously large statue with such a large price tag is unjust seeing as their are starving and jobless people on the streets. This statue could have been a great job opportunity for thousands of people to help with construction, instead North Koreans are in the country for building. Furthermore, the fact that the president is profiting from this is rather absurd. Instead of making such extravagant statues he should be pushing for health care, job improvement and housing. A greater quality of life in the country would be more valuable than a large statue to display in a ceremony. I hope the Imams are able to make some changes to their country and convince the president to assist them in helping the nation develop and decrease their poverty level. 

(#6) Week of 12/1-12/4 Title: Norwegian and UK fail in death appeal in DR Congo Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8393814.stm

Two men's, both Norwegian (one with joint British citizenship), death penalty appeal has failed in Congolese courts. The plea was rejected by a military tribunal in Kisangani and on top of the death penalty the men are being ordered to pay $500m in damages. The men have been accused of espionage and of killing their taxi driver in Kisangani. Both men, Joshua French and Tjostolv Moland deny the accusation saying that the driver was killed in am ambush by gunmen on the road. This ruling has received much protest from international sources. Norway, a strong opponent of the death penalty, will be complaining to the government of Congo through their foreign minister, Jonas Gahr Stoere. A human rights group by the name of Reprieve claims that the two men have been poorly treated since their arrest. According to Reprieve director Clive Stafford Smith the 'legal process' has included torture, parading in front of lynch mobs and statement signing under the threat of death. Witnesses testifying against the two gentlemen have received $5,000 each as compensation, the average daily earning in DR Congo is $3-4. Both gentlemen have been detained since May when the driver was found shot to death in the north-eastern part of the country. 

Source for Comparison: http://www.afrol.com/articles/34860 Article Comparison: To begin with the title of the two articles, one from BBC and one from afrol News, differ. BBC calls the event in its title a 'fail in death appeal' while afrol calls the event an upholding of Norwegians death sentences. Both articles include information on the $500m payment in damages as well as the compensation that Congolese people are receiving for testifying against the two men. The BBC article includes information on the torture that Joshua French has received such as 'parading him around the town in front of lynch mobs.' In comparison, afrol News included a line that said the reason the two were being accused of espionage was because they were both holding military ID's (both were former Norwegian soldiers) and Norway denied them being spies. This information is essential in understanding the men's side of the case and would have been beneficial to the BBC article. The afrol News article did present the information in a way that supported the two men, using statements about their false esiponage conviction, whereas BBC presented the information in a less biased way saying that the men denied their claims and saying tortures they've undergone in a bipartisan manner. 

My Opinion: I find that the evidence the Democratic Republic of Congo has is very low and unrelated. Having a military ID while being a soldier is not uncommon and in no way points to being a spy. From the information it sounds like some sort of ambush occurred and for whatever reason the government is attempting to cover up the shooters involved by blaming the two European men. This is evident from the large compensation those who testify are receiving as well as the fact that they are accused of espionage simply for having military IDs. I definitely think the death penalty is not appropriate in this case and further examination into what really happened in the shooting should commence. Hopefully Norway and possibly Britain will become more involved and demand more in-depth reasoning on the death penalty from Congo. 

(#5) Week of 11/23-11/27 Title: New life for South Africa ID suicide family Mhlongo Source:http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8382426.stm

A family in South Africa is finally moving on after their 22-year-old son, Skhumbuzo Mhlongo, committed suicide. In Mr. Mholongo's suicide note he claimed that an official had torn up his application for an ID and after working hard to receive an ID saw no other option. Upon hearing of these events the Mhlongo family received a house and identification documents. The two officials in the Home Affairs office who handled Mr. Mhlongo's case have since been fired. When the Home Affairs Minister, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, heard of the events she paid a visit to the office where Mhlongo had gone and found "a lot wrong with the office." She believes that the officers were looking for a bribe from Mhlongo. Over the years the Home Affairs office has been under heavy scrutiny for inefficient passport and birth certificate issuing. Some people have claimed that it took them four years to receive their needed documents. The Home Affairs officers believes that now some changes towards more efficient day to day work will be put into place in the offices. Mhlongo's sister stated that she was sad about how the situation had unraveled, especially since now the family would be able to receive jobs with their IDs. 

Source for Comparison:http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=&art_id=nw20091126121830339C660807 Article Comparison: My second source for comparison was a website called www.iol.co.za. Overall this article used more detailed information on the organizations involved in the process of giving a house to the Mhlongo family and the more positive nature of the results of the suicide. More quotes were included from the Home Affairs Minister, such as when she hoped that nothing similar to this tragic event would ever occur again. Interestingly the second article also mentioned an organization called the Kabelo Thibedi ID campaign that was founded by a man imprisoned for holding Home Affairs officers at gunpoint after they refused him an ID. The article by BBC however contained information about the Minister investigating the day to day work in the Home Affairs Office and how it seemed like many things were inefficient about their operating system. Even the titles of the two articles differed, the iol article was ID Suicide- family gets house compared to BBC's New Life for South African ID Suicide Family Mhlongo. Ocverall, as can be seen from the titles, the iol article was more detailed about the community support of the family instead of focusing the the suicide and the inefficient system the Home Affairs office currently has and improvements needing to be made. 

My Opinion: I think it is truly tragic that someone would result to suicide when unable to receive and ID. This seems extreme, however it seems like the ease with which people can receive IDs is very low. Can you imagine having to pay someone extra, bribe money, when getting a birth certificate? This seems unjust and clearly a large systematic change needs to happen here. I mean besides the suicide, one man held HA officers at gunpoint after they refused him an ID. This is truly ridiculous and to have to work so hard for such simple documentation is absolutely unfair. I hope the Minister sticks to her word and does begin to make improvements to the current system since clearly, if it drives one man to suicide, it is not working. 

(#4) Week of 11/16- 11/20 Title: Scores die in south Sudan clashes Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8267308.s

More than 100 people have died in Southern Sudan as a result from ethnic clashes. Militiamen from the Lou Nuer ethnic group attacked civilians and security officials from the village of Duk Padiet in the Jonglei state. This year 2,000 people have died from similar clashes with 185 Lou Nuers dying only last month. Major General Kuol Diem Kuol from a nearby company of the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) has reported that the villagers that were attacked have since been able to retake the village. He also commented that the attack was aimed at the security officers of the village, over 22 of the dead reported were soldiers, it was not a raid for cattle. In 2005 a peace deal ending a two-decade war between north and south Sudan allowed for former rebels from Southern Sudan to form a power-sharing government with President Omar al-Bashir in Khartoum. It was commented by Major Ngor the commissioner of the surrounding Duk County that this attack was a campaign against this peace deal. In a national election next year it is supposed to be determined whether Southern Sudan should secede from the north in 2011. Some southern politicians believe that the government is organizing armed militias on both sides in order to destabilize the country and delay the votes. The south however is made up of rival ethnic groups who have fought for years over resources. Khartoum denies any involvement in the violence in the south. 

Source for Comparison: http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900SID/SODA-7W4KEU?OpenDocument Article Comparison: The second article I used was from a source online called ReliefWeb. Overall the second article had more specific details in terms of overall number of people killed, injured and displaced. Though both articles used the same quote from Major Kuol about how the militia attack was aimed at the security officers, not the cattle, the ReliefWeb article included another quote from the major about the number of affected by the attack. Also, the second article included information about 10 areas in which the north and south have agreed to work together such as the upcoming elections. Lastly, in the Al-Jazeera article it was mentioned that 'Khartoum' denied any involvement in the events. Whereas in the ReliefWeb article they said the National Congress Party (NCP) denied involvement which was more specific than the capital name. Overall the content was the same between the two articles except the ReliefWeb article had more details about the results of the attack on the village as well as the history on the cooperation currently underway between north and south Sudan. 

My Opinion: I find this situation very interesting and connected to our current learning about rebels taking advantage of civilians for resources. Though the situation is not as extreme as war in Sierra Leone, I think this is very similar in that there is constant conflict between two sides and murder and displacement happening. It seems like the government is pushing instability and hopefully that will be changed so that steps can be taken to keep both north and south Sudan peaceful. I am curious why the government wants to delay the vote and what they see as the advantage to this? Overall I feel very strongly that the government is wrong and aiding to murder by supporting instability. 

(#3) Week of 11/9-11/13 Title: Clinics used as 'bait' in DRC war Source: http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2009/11/2009116214150467977.html

Medical clinics in rebel controlled areas in the Democratic Republic of Congo went under heavy fire on October 17. The clinics had been set up in 7 rebel controlled areas by a French aid agency known as Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF). Thousands of civilians at the clinics had to flee from the locations and are currently in unknown areas and therefore cannot be vaccinated. The clinics were set up for the purpose of providing measles vaccinations to children in the neighboring villages. Luis Encinas, the head of MSF in Central Africa, feels as though the clinics were used as bait for the Congolese military groups. He comments that the attacks coincided with the vaccination and now those without vaccinations, due to the shooting, are at risk. Maynee Nicolai, MSF's Operational Director, stated that armed actors were informed of the vaccinations and the MSF asked for their security guarantees. He also stated that the teams from the clinics had to evacuate to the hills as well but are now in continuous contact with the MSF. The MSF denounced the actions of the military groups calling the event "unacceptable abuse of humanitarian aid for military purposes." 

Source for Article Comparison:http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8347503.stm Article Comparison: My article for comparison was written by the BBC and overall shows more detail about the country's response to the shooting than was done by Al-Jazeera. The same quote from the head of MSF Central Africa Luis Encinas was used about him feeling as though the clinics were used as bait. The quote continues however and says, "How will MSF be perceived by the population now? Will our patients still feel safe enough to come fore medical care?" This section went unused by Al-Jazeera however, Al-Jazeera included a very long quote from the Operational Director of MSF Maynee Nicolai that went completely unmentioned in BBC'c article. BBC included some information about the UN's reaction to the event and how it withdrew its support for a government army unit after hearing of the shooting. Some very important facts that went unmentioned in the Al-Jazeera article was the number of civilian casualties, 62, and that the civilians were Hutu, both facts are necessary for being well-informed on the issue. 

My Opinion: I find that the actions of the Congolese military group were awful and unforgivable. Can you imagine a mass shooting at a hospital because it was known that people would be going there for a much-needed vaccine? I am curious what the motive was for the military to shoot. Was it simply for their cause or were they perhaps confused about who the people were and why they were gathering? I hope more information about the shooters is produced so that their reasonings can be better understood. Though it may take a long time, I hope that someday the shooters are put on trial for their actions since the MSF's cause was so noble. Its ironic because the military group will suffer from this even as well since the vaccine will not be made as available to them and more people will go without the vaccine and spread the measles, possibly to the military.

(#2) Week of 11/2-11/6 Title: Africa trial for malaria vaccine Source:http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2009/11/200911341029993119.html

In Africa scientists have begun final-stage trials on a vaccine for Malaria known as Mosquirix. This is the first malaria vaccine to make it this far in trials and scientists are predicting a large global impact because of the vaccine. Seven nations in Africa, 16,000 children, will be involved in the testing for the vaccine that is said to be about 50-55% effective. According to the World Health Organization malaria kills about one million people per year, mostly children under the age of five. 40% of the world's population, mainly in the poorest countries, are at risk for the disease. If the vaccine is approved and distributed in the next few years these numbers are expected to drop according to Dr. Salim Adullah a Tanzanian malaria expert. Being that malaria occurs in some of the world's poorest countries vaccine prices would be low to allow access to the vaccine for all people. Currently malaria is the world's third-deadliest infectious disease, behind AIDS and tuberculosis. Though the vaccine would reduce the risk of developing the disease as well as disease-related issues, daily preventative measures like bed nets and insecticides will still need to be used. 

Source for Article Comparison:http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/booster_shots/2009/11/massive-malaria-vaccine-trial-has-begun-in-africa.html Article Comparison: The second article I used for comparison was done by the LA Times and used a lot of scientific information about malaria as well as additional statistics about those infected. For example both articles mentioned that the study would be done in seven different African countries but the Times added that this was because they wanted to test different environments since each has its own issues with malaria. The Times also wrote 2+ paragraphs on the disease spreads in the body initially from a female mosquito. Both articles used the same quote from Andrew Smith Witty of GlaxoSmithKline discussing the low cost of the vaccine making it accessible to the poor. Both articles also mentioned the financial support from various groups including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Unlike Al Jazeera the Times also discussed more vaccines in the making as well as the hope that by, "2025 a vaccine that is 80% effective and last for at least four years." Overall Al-Jazeera quoted more local doctors but included less scientific information and vaccine information than the LA Times. 

My Opinion: Having read about the seriousness of the disease I think it is great that a vaccine has finally had enough success to make it to these further rounds of trials. Currently it seems like the effectiveness of the vaccine is about 50/50 and while some protection is better than none it would be nice to see the percentage of effectiveness increase before distribution. I think it is great to see that the producing companies already plan to lower the price of the vaccine to accommodate the poor who would not otherwise be able to afford the vaccine. Even more exciting is the large amount of financial support being given by various companies and non-profits including our local Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Overall it is always good to hear about success in vaccinations for the world's deadliest infectious diseases because any progress made lowers the number of lives lost by the disease. 

(#1) Week of 10/26-10/30 Title: Somali fighters execute spies Source:http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2009/10/200910262730831260.html

Gunmen from Somalia's al-Shabab group have publicly executed two young men convicted of being spies. According to senior members of the al-Shabab group the teenage spies had confessed to spying on the Islamic administration after being held for three months under investigation. Hundreds of people witnessed the event on Sunday. The aims of the al-Shabab group include toppling the UN-backed government and introducing their own Islamic law into the country. Al-Shabab has also created strict laws for themselves, these include no movies, playing or watching soccer and even mobile phone ringtones. Recently the al-Shabab group has closed a local non governmental organization known as ASEP and detained several of the organizations members. According to the US the al-Shabab are a 'proxy force for Osama Bin Laden's al-Qaeda group.' In the fighting occuring in Somalia between the al-Shabab and government about 19,000 civilians have been killed and another 1.5 million forced out of their homes since the start of 2007. 

Source for Article Comparison:http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=322373&version=1&template_id=39&parent_id=21 Article Comparison: To begin the titles of the two article defer, Al-Jazeera uses the word fighters whereas the Gulf Times uses rebels. Though both are similar terms the Gulf Times opens in a very straightforward way by stating the position of the Somalians. Both articles used the same quotes from Sheikh Suldan, an al-Shabab official. In these quotes he states the confession of the two young men and about their confession. The quotes were presented in the same context as well. Interestingly the Gulf Times went into much more background information about the al-Shabab group. Towards the end of the article it mentions, "... the insurgent group organised a Koran recital competition for youths in Kismayu and awarded the 17-year-old winner an AK-47 rifle, two hand grenades, a computer and an anti-tank mine as prizes." Similar events are mentioned in the Gulf Times which paints a picture for the reader of a much more corrupt and dishonorable insurgent group. In Al-Jazeera the strict laws about banning movies, etc. are mentioned, same as the Gulf Times, but overall the actions of the al-Shabab group do not seem as severe or outrageous. These articles differed greatly in how in-depth they wrote about the al-Shabab group. Both sources did mention the same numbers about the number of people killed and forced out of their homes in the fighting occurring in Somalia. 

My Opinion: I find that the al-Shabab have proven no legitimate reason for executing these so called spies. Also, I find it ironic that the confession came after three months of being held by this group, what could have happened in those three months? I stand by the UN and hope that somehow peace can be made with these rebels and the strict laws set in place by the al-Shabab can be lifted. I think the US helped me understand the motives of this group by saying that they were the proxy of Osama Bin Laden's al-Qaeda group. Al-Shabab seems corrupt and should not be allowed to govern the country of Somalia.