Top 10 World Events of the 1st Decade

This is a list of top 10 world events that marked the first decade of the 21st century. I did this through what I consider as most significant in term of impact to the peoples, maybe fisherman in Banda Aceh or Wall Street Banker. Obviously many events are not accounted for in term of casualty and loss with natural disasters and man-made conflict. Certain selection may be even be considered as controversial such as no.2 below. Why is not iPhone or Facebook selected? Likewise, no 8-10 maybe contentious as well. This is no science and certainly abitrariness on my part is inevitable.

1. 10 March 2000
Dot-Com busted. Nasdaq tanked from 5132 on 10 March 2000 until October 2002 wiping out 5 trillion in market value.

2. October 2000
Google Adwords launched and since the world information becomes more accessible through Google's internet search technology

3. September 11, 2001
The American learns the word security and the air travel becomes less convenient experience

4. January 1, 2002
The world monetary system gains a new and powerful currency - Euro

5. Feb-April 2003
SARS outbreak reshapes peoples view on hygience and mask wearing extend from medical field to community

6. December 26, 2004
The word tsunami becomes popular vocabulary after arguably one of the least expected natural catastrophe

7.September 2008
Lehman collapsed and the world hit by the worst global recession since the Great Depression. Finance pages are all about credit crunch and stimulus packages.

8. 4 November 2008
Barack Obama won the American Presidential election and we are now watching the history unfolding

9. 1 October 2009
Marking the emergence of an aspiring world power with mixed record where observers are still arguing whether she will be good or evil

10. December 2009
Copenhagen Climate Change Conference - what the earth will be?

Key issues about the world according to Lee Kuan Yew

Lee Kuan Yew is a great man and one of my heroes since I was old enough to discuss news and current affairs with my late-father who held him in high regard as well. In fact, there is a family story that during my grandfather's funeral back in 1960, when the time came to place the headstone to his grave, my great-grandmother (a very pious and spiritual woman - but who did not read newspapers - and who died in 1970 age 80 ) told everyone to wait. Why they asked? She simply said she had a feeling that a great person would be passing by. Who? No idea. So everybody waited no knowing what would happen next. And then she gave the signal to go ahead to place the headstone. At that very moment, Lee Kuan Yew's motorcade drove past the cemetary. Then, he was only 37 years old and one year into being Chief Minister of Singapore.

Lee Kuan Yew has his critics and yes, he has his flaws. But as Henry Kissenger once said, whatever one's view of him - good or bad - one has to listen to him because you always learn something from him. My own take is that he is a pragmatist so, in fact, as far as he is concerned much of the criticisms about him are irrelevant. He is not a romantic so he has no yearning for his ideas or his actions to be perfect. He is not a populist or revolutionary so he is not always looking for an opponent or strawman to knockdown. He is not after money otherwise he would be a failure on that count. He knows there is a price to pay for everything, so everything considered whatever he has achieved is more lasting and significant than the costs for achieving it. This is such a simple notion but one that is very hard to apply unless one has a clear understanding. He is obsessed above-all with delivering what he feels to be necessary for his passion - Singapore - so he has no qualms about his methods (unless he feels it was not working).

Which brings me to something else my father always tells me. He says everytime a new US President comes into office, not long after that he would see Lee Kuan Yew to get advise and learn about the world. So this week, Lee Kuan Yew is in town and looks like he will be meeting everyone there is to meet in the Obama Administration, including the President himself this coming Thursday.

So which is why last weekend, I get to watch him interviewed by Charlie Rose (one of the few smart and serious TV journlist left in American TV - but then, he is on PBS the high quality public TV channel). Even at age 86, I hear a towering intellect giving an astute reading of the world with the mind of a strategist. This is too good not to share.

His life-long experience of understanding politics and world statesmanship lent him a clear mind to discerne short-term noise and distractions from the fundamental strategic issues. Every one of his statements made a point; there was no political non-answers. He recalls his statistics carefully and not - as it is tempting for many public figures to do so - make them up to make a point. I appreciate listening to someone who observes the world in order to learn and not to "prove or disprove" some pre-conceived position.

Put simply, he is in a class of his own.

Please enjoy (this is part 1 out of 6).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNhcOwhpR1E

10 Forecasts for 10 Years Out

Let me start a new annual tradition to present 10 projections about 10 years in the future.

October 20, 2019.

1. The biggest source of anxiety in the whole world is bewilderment at how quickly the world is changing all around everyone. Bewilderment and feeling disconnected from the future of the world becomes the "mother-of-all-fears" that show itself in more extremist activities rooted in nationalism, religion and economic grievances.

2. Action against climate-change becomes a money-spinner, vote winner and source of national pride. The public came around to realise that those who pollute stays poor and governments also learnt that they always gets blamed for poor environment that leave their people sick. The biggest new boom industry is "Clear Industries" which involves scrubbing and filtering technology to produce clean water and clean air. And the winner in this turn-around game (so far) is ... China.

3. The world is in a new financial crisis driven by bursting of an economic bubble in China after 10 years of loans growth, real estate boom and unfettered investment. The economies of the US, Europe and Japan are not strong enough to compensate, while most of the rest of the developing world is, by now, wrapped in reliance on the Chinese economy. Chinese youths - reared on a diet of "China-never-makes-a-mistake", being unfamiliar with self-reflection and coping with disappointments - behaves in volatile and dangerous ways increasing regional tensions. China responds with policial reforms but finds it hard to manage expectations.

4. The biggest source of social and regional instability comes from environmental degradation especially lack of access to water. Tensions breakout into violence and wars in Africa, Middle-east, Indian-subcontinent, Central Asia and within China amongst people who are trapped by poverty or national borders from shifting life sustaining resources.

5. India promises but sputters as age old divisions (and sheer numbers of population growth) stayed ahead of growth. Intense dislocation and "bewilderment" within its massive, under-educated and traditionally conservative population creates a volatile domestic and international situation with politically motivated clashes with China. Indian politicians vie to become the new global spoilers as the standard bearer for the "have-nots" against the global economy which China and the US champions.

6. Iran - the ancient civiliation of Persia - flowers after reformist factions takes power after overthrowing the reactionary elements. The economy is in shambles but politically, together with Iraq, it tries to be a model of "The Shiite Way" of a modern Islamic nation that combines piety, traditions with modern progress. Meanwhile, Egypt and Saudi Arabia slides towards anarchy as the state falters in botched political successions.

7. America gets to a point of reckoning if it will retain its pre-eminent military power which it can no longer afford, or reorientate to rebuild its economy to cope with an ageing population, global competition and gross inefficiencies (despite the best of efforts in 8 years of the Obama Presidency) in its healthcare, infrastructure, education and governance systems.

8. Thailand starts to remind people of the Philippines. Philippines begins to remind people of Zimbabwe. Malaysia becomes more like Thailand with a succession of weak governments, stronger civil society and resulting in a lost generation. Vietnam is the stunner which trumps them all with the most vibrant economy in Southeast Asia. Indonesia thrives on diversity and finally show its promise but also rearing its heads with regional ambition. Singapore roars ahead and settles into a comfort zone like Danmark. Brunei has trouble with over-population which nudges closer and closer to 1m. Sri Lanka becomes the economic dark horse and tries to join ASEAN.

9. Mass and conspicuous consumption becomes unfashionable as the average age of the "haves" in the world gets older (but the world's "have nots" gets younger). Shopping malls become a place associated with the lower classes. Instead, people spend more time and money on creative arts, health, experiences and investing in human relationships. The health, vacation and education industry keeps booming. The quest for authenticity in experiences of nature creates stress on world's cultural and natural heritage leading to persistent tension between the "haves" and "have-nots".

10. Brazil finally becomes the global power it always had the potential to be but never did. Vast new energy resources, unrivalled prowess in farming, prolonged political stability and (finally) social reforms and stronger rule of law creates a new force in the world equal to Japan and EU and below that of only US and China. The main driver for Brazil's rise came from Brazil's strategic economic partnership with China (also Australia) where Brazil is both a source of raw materials and a new 400m people market for China in Latin America.

Kokang Incident

I had wanted to write something on this back in August. But most of which are out of the limelight now and I decided to give it a pass.

Suffice to say, with some googling, one can get to know about this tiny sino-burmese community and her history. The Chinese community particularly those in the mainland was very vocal when the Burmese junta went to eject the ruling force then and replaced it with its proxy.

What is of interest to me is how this once autonomous Burmese region is replicating everything China including the military parade.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJA6JUVw6mM

Impressed? Puzzled?

Zardari's Photographs

I thought the aide was walking on to the podium with a folder containing his speech, but in fact it was a prop. As Pakistan's President Zardari spoke, right next to him was a photograph of his late wife former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto who, in that photograph, was herself posing with a portrait of her late father Zulfikar Ali Bhutto the late-former Prime Minister of Pakistan. I felt that was a political stunt destined for his domestic audience - that he was heir to the Bhutto dynasty - and an honest admission that his position was by the reflected glory and popularity of the other two. Zardari was a suave and personable man, but in my observation, not much in terms of levity or seriousness of purpose. For some reason, he just seemed a little desperate to be relevant. For a leader of nearly 190 million souls with some the trickiest and most dangerous political and economic challenges in the world (not to mention nuclear triggers on his fingers) I did not feel that he is anything close to a good hand for Pakistan. His aides were serious and smart looking but I had a feeling tha the real power - if ever there is one - in Pakistan lies elsewhere.

The Chairman of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, was a warm and affable looking man. He was quite humble and generous with his time. But he came across as rather tired and forlorn. He was greeted more as a symbol rather than who he is or what he said and there was a lot of symphathy for what he stands for. But I wonder how much of those expressions of symphathy extend beyond who he was "fighting" rather than for the betterment of the daily lives of the Palestinian people.

Talking about lip service, I began to notice that among many smaller countries, the statements made by their Presidents often - in almost identical wordings - expressed support for ROC-Taiwan's entrance to the WHO and urging for its greater participation in international bodies. No doubt the Taiwanese authorities have been hard at work with the few countries who it still maintain diplomatic relations with. Although I wonder if, in terms of strategy, it would be better not to celebrate those memberships a if there is some kind of point-scoring if the argument is that those are non-political bodies.

I listened to two leaders of Caribbean countries and heard two different messages. I was very impressed with the Dominican Republic not only from learning that they intend to rely 100% on renewable energy by 2015 but also for the positive tone of its message that focused on what the country was able to do. Antigua and Barbuda on the otherhand raised much the same issues but concluded by blaming others and urging mainly others to take responsibility. I have much more faith in Dominican Republic succeeding in whatever they want to achieve.

In between I took a break and paid a visit to the peoples in the room most relevant to me: the Brunei delegation. For a few days I have been dropping my and chatted. This time I noticed HRH Princess Masna was there in attendance. She had her handbag on the table and another briefcase next to her. And she has got her highlighters and pens out and were busy making notes. She was working hard and really paid attention to the speakers. I went up, greeted her and paid my respects. She was warm and friendly; and also amused and perhaps impressed to learn that I am (i) Bruneian (ii) the only Bruneian in the UN system and (iii) I had done this myself on my own accord. She told me I was setting a good example.

Netanyahu and Other Observations

Today was more of a parade of speeches by lesser known leaders. But it was fascinating all the same but in a less predictable way. I noticed a few things. Right after speaking, Latin American leaders were almost always greeted by huge groups of fawning fellow country-men and women and from their neighbouring countries too. Even as they spoke to one other in Spanish, a language I admit I do not speak, the generous overflow of compliments, back-slapping and flattery was obvious. The crowds were almost always dressed like socialites. They were the elites of their societies - rich and well-connected hanger-ons to power and political celebrity with whom there appear to be a truly symbiotic relationship. I saw one head of government literally looking punch drunk amidst the adulation, getting more and more enthusiastic at granting requests for photographs and the crowd was more than happy to keep heap on the attention.

The same was true for many African leaders. The President of Sierra Leone was greeted by a whole line of African dignitaries and their elaborately dressed (and head-dressed) wives. Although one of the poorest and most war-ravaged countries in the world, the line of dignitaries that greeted the President of Sierra Leone all had a pampered and well-"shopped" look about them: soft smooth skin, fine clothes and jewellery. My thoughts wondered around to blood diamonds and how much suffering lay behind those wealth.

There were a few higher points in the day. Prime Minister Zapatero of Spain came across as a fine looking, intelligent but serious figure in his very well-cut suits. After he soke, he too was mobbed by fans and supporters from Spain and the Hispanic world. I come to realise that Spain still has immense cultural and political influence as the leader of the Hispanic world. When his path crossed with the President of Mexico, they put their arms around one another like pals for a photoshot.

All delegations were quite modest and not difficult to deal with. The President of Lithuania looked like a no-nonsense librarian. He overheard me asking her aide how long her speech were going to be and piped up, “only 15 minutes, not to worry, I will keep it short!”

I spent sometime in the same room as the Prime Minister of Japan. I have a good feeling about him - he came across as distinguished, intense and has an air of nobility about him. He appears to be anything but a career political hack. He speaks English reasonably well.

Prime Minister Erdogan of Turkey was a stately gentleman; austere-looking, reserved but oozing with charisma. He has a gentle but alert demeanor behind his stately reserve. He seemed like someone who - when he chooses to - can disarm someone with the smallest gesture or a single word or may be even a joke. Turkey is a major power in its own right and the delegation conducted itself with great confidence and purpose.

I saw Ahmadenejad again. Ever keeping an open mind, I could not help noticing again that both he and the delegation came across as thugs. They were scruffy, impatient, vacuous and fearful in their eyes. They were also poorly dressed and did not smell too good (unfortunately that was the biggest impression I had.)

Which brings me to the 30 mins I stood in a corner, observing the Isreali PM Netanyahu as he sat across the waiting room. My conclusion is that he is a brilliant speaker and advocate for his position but I did not sense someone who can see beyond his position or winning his corner. He was animate with his staff, more speaking than listening, fidgety and restless but very clearly the top dog. In fact, he got his aide to bring him a taller chair to sit on. Vanity perhaps. In short, he can be a formidable competitor but not, I feel, a true leader who is willing to risk his power for a larger purpose. From his demeanor, he seem to be someone who will try to win by convincing others of his strength or bullying. I just sensed he was not someone I would count on to protect or look after the interest of others.

The Day I Shook Hands with President Obama

There was a slight commotion as the President swept into the delegates lounge. As he got in he rested his palm gently on Hillary Clinton's shoulders and waited a split second to make sure that she got in with him. He shook one hand and then another and he was heading down my line. In that familiar sonorous voice he said "hello" and "thank you". Sometimes he has a modest little nod with a swallowed smile - a little gesture that reminded me of the Hong Kong actor Tony Leung. He was tall but not overpoweringly so. He moved - no, glide - gracefully like a dancer, appearing confident but not cocky. He was trying to hear Hillary telling him something. And that's when I shook hands with President Barack Obama. And my hairs stood on end.

Earlier in the morning, I brought Hugo Chavez to the reception area. There was a crowd at the security point, he smiled and motioned "relax, just your time" and he asked me in English, "where are you from?" I said, "Brunei" and he shook my hands quickly and I left him at the lounge. He seemed like a pro at this and enjoying the attention no doubt.

The Emir of Qatar came by in a large and well-perfumed delagation. Later on, he greeted one of the protocol officers very warmly. He too has done this many times before. The Bahrainians and Jordanians too were well perfumed. You can always tell if an Arab delegation has just gone past. Surprising numbers of them also came with several sophisticated-and-good-looking women delegtes in tow. Minor members of royalty may be?

I just recognised that a dapper and professorial-looking gentleman whom I kept seeing the day before as the Prime Minister of Turkey. There was always attention when he moved around.

There were so many world leaders that I was getting jaded. In the past two days, I must have walked 2 dozens of them to where they needed to go. Not many people could produe any ounce of excitement anymore - until that is, when the US First Lady Michelle Obama came up the stairs. She was phenomenal. A rush of electricity went about the whole room. Looking splendid in a bright red dress, she greeted the protocol officers so warmly and graciously. She is definately a star. I reckon she is an even more powerful presence in person than her husband. More powerful than any world leader I met in the past two days in terms of charisma.

Colonel Gaddafi came in with a different kind of excitement in tow - one of notoriety and the age-old fascination people always had for the bad boys. I was amazed at the sight of his female body guards - big brawny girls with long curly hair in military fatigues. One of my colleagues, Lynn, was keen to get herself in the photo with all the bad boys. Earlier she got to walk Mugabe and Ahmadenejad to the reception room - but as I had gotten Chavez earlier, she wanted Gaddafi bad. So when Gaddafi came up the stairs, I shoved her forward.

Admadenejad was surrounded by a large security detail and being quite short he looked swamped by them. He smiled the smile of a con-man. Even I meet him on the streets, I won't buy anything from him.

Prime Minister Belusconi came up with a bevy of aides. None of them I noticed looked like teenage girls. He seemed busy talking to a military aide but I led them to the reception room anyway. He looked ghastly. His face was grey, powdery and inanimate. He looked like wearing a wax mask. The only sign of life on his face was in his eyes. Later, as I was walking him to his table for lunch he wanted to stop at the bathroom. I duly waited outside. He did not walk very well. He came across as neither very energetic nor charismtic.

Mugabe on the otherhand seemed quite fit. Although when he walked by closely, I could hear his breathing was wispy almost seething. He has the look of a despot, one used to sowing fear with one look of disapproval. Not someone one would want to invite around for a drink.

Many leaders were extremely normal looking. The Prime Minister of Hungary looked like a youthful CEO. The President of Finland is her red/orange hair doing her own stuff. President Christina Fernandez of Argentina looking statuesque and pretty, looking slightly hapless at times when she was without her interpreter. She gestured like a school girl when the Prime Minister of Austria came by to tell him that he was to sit next to her.

President Medvedev of Russia also looked very clean cut and normal. He was slight in built and appeared intelligent but a little shy. I stuck out my hands and we shook hands as he came by. He was accompanied by a pretty young interpreter who look like Anna Sharapova the tennis player. She was a nervous wreck, first demanding to have a chair set up for her behind her president; and then when she was blocked from entering the lunch area with her president, she broke into argument in the sharp melodramatic Slavic-style with the UN security guards who really wouldn't say no anyway.

I felt embarassed though when the same thing happenned to President Hu Jin Tao's interpreter. Instead of using his words, he simply shouted "interpreter! interpreter!" and got into a shoving match with UN security and literally pushed and elbowed his way through. It was an embarassing display of unrefined and thuggist instincts. After he got through, he grumbled "jen shi de! (really unbelievable!)" to President Hu who appear to nod in agreement. I believe his actions arose from overwhelming fear. But on the whole, I think it reflects a lack of professionalism of the Chinese advance party who should have briefed and double-briefed the security. My feeling is that China definately still has some way to go in terms of graciousness on the world stage.

Numbed as I was by the comings and goings of the day, my most emotional moment was right outside the holding room when President Obma first arrived. I was standing there as his entourage all filed in: Rahm Emmanuel the White House Chief of Staff, David Axelrod the President's top political adviser, Jim Jones the National Security Adviser, etc. and beside me was a well-decorated young USAF officer with a briefcase. "Is that bag what I think it is?" I asked. He was very friendly, and he said "yep" In that bag was the launch codes for the US nuclear arsenal. We talked a bit, he asked me where I was from and he joked that he bought the medals on hi uniform from the shop. But I was just feeling overwhelmed thinking that in that black leather bag is everything that is needed to kill and destroy everything I know and everyone that I care about.

3 Films and Lesson for Humanity - Comments

Bro, thanks for a wonderful post. 3 movies with the backdrop of 3 terrible atrocities spanning 3 continents Asia, Africa and Europe. I think it is sobering that the most recent one happenned merely 15 years ago. And goodness knows what is happenning in Burma or North Korea even today?

What intrigues me the most is how the movies uncovered 3 different sets of reactions by both the perpetrators and victims. Along with the previous post about CCP's stance on reforms - or rather the lack of it - I am afraid it betrays some uneasy signs of immaturity amongst Asian governments and may be, even within Asian societies. I have a terrible feeling that we have not seen the last of barbarism and violence on an inhuman scale even within the most modern Asian societies. Underneath the veneer of Asian modernity and economic progress, there are dark violent impluses, deep insecurity and intolerance still festering and seething.

The Germans admitted the Holocaust as a tragedy and a national shame. The Nazi leadership was tried (by the Allies) but the rest of the nation - who bore some responsibility one way or the other - admitted responsibility and was forgiven, even by the victims.

Likewise for Rwanda. The victims - the Tutsis - came into power with the help of regional allies and from their bases in the Congo. In a region that is often prejudiced against by many who consider them uncivilized and barbaric, they exhibited extraordinary magnanimity and humanity against the people who earlier butchered them and their families. What does this say about the quality and leadership of the Rwandan people?

The important point is not only to recognise that the Germans and the Hutus were guilty but also that they were forgiven by their victims. That is an important concept. Calls for justice and responsibility must be accompanied by forgiveness not hatred.

In Asia, memories are long and are subject to political manipulation to create new generations of victimhood. That will only feed the demons of fear, intolerance and violence that can erupt uncontrollably at any moment. Asia still awaits the kind of leadership that not only call for responsibility and apologies but who also simulteneously offer forgiveness and tolerance.

I re-read with some poignancy your email to me from June 4 this year. That was a good article by Kristol. Little did I expect that a week later, one would experience a re-enactment in the streets of Iran. Comparing the young people in Beijing circa 1989 and in Tehran circa 2009, I see so much similarities: especially in their hope & haplessness, righteousness & recklessness, impressive people & tragic repressions. I saw perfect mirrors in their impulses for freedom and progress against a corrupt and reactionary regime. I saw their pride in their respective nations and ancient civilization. I also see patriots wanting reforms and change while respecting the "revolution" but ended up being smeared by their oppressors using unimaginatively identical language: as counter-revolutionaries and terrorists supported by foreign powers.

It is tempting to over-rely on analogies but there are important differences. For decades, the Iranians had some power of the ballot through elections. The powers-that-be still try to preserve a fig-leaf of ruling by popular mandate. The tanks were not (yet?) on the streets. The opposition leaders were not (yet?) locked up or shot. And the protest goes on in many ways. In an echo of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, every night at 10pm, protected by darkness, Iranians go up to their roof tops .... and repeatedly prayed out loud: "Allah-u-akbar" and soon they were joined by others from other roof tops, and then from more and more rooftops until the city roared with prayers. From a news report today, this still goes on for half-an-hour every night.

And through it all, I believe the Iranian people have gained the respect of many people in the world who are seeing them for the first time as intelligent, dignified, passionate, educated and fine-looking individuals - not the crude, turbuned, nihilistic caricatures painted by warmongers looking for a pretext for a war with Iran. With a people like this, its just a matter of time for change for the better in Iran.

3 Films and Lesson for Humanity

In the past one month, I watched 3 films with setting at different time and space.

One of which is The City of Life and Death (known in Chinese as Nanjing!Nanjing!). This is a story of the Rape of Nanjing. The film tells the story of, among other, a brave Chinese soldier who resisted the Japanese in street fighting following the retreat of his commander. He was eventually arrested and forced to march with thousands of Chinese POW to the Yangze River bank where they were all mercilessly machine-gunned down. This was not war. This was mass murder, masacre of the highest order against POW. The commanding officer of Imperial Army in Nanking then was Prince Asaka who lived a post war live filled with golf and died only in 1980s never was he brought to account for his role.

The films also tell about John Rabe, a German businessman with the Nazi membership who saved many Chinese civilians through setting up the Nanking Safety Zone. In the films, there were also other brave characters who gave their life to save other as well as the unsavoury who tried to save their own by selling out others.

There were also many uneasy scene where the girls were raped and enslaved as the comfort women. I remember from my reading that the girls at Jinling Girl College were mass raped by the Japanese soldiers. We are talking about thousand and thousand of violent sex victims many of whom didn't survive to tell the story.

It always anger me that someone out there, be it the right wing Japanese or the China bashers whatever their nationality, who denied the attrocity simply because they either cannot accept their responsibility or just hold the Chinese in contempt. The latter has their theory that the CCP made up or exagerate the Nanking massacre in order to give its rule the legitimacy. I find this Cold War era theory ludicrous and these peoples are no different from those who denied the Holocaust.

Back to the film, Lu Chuan, the film producer gave a sympathethic portrayal of a Japanese soldier for which he received death threat from the angry Chinese netizens. Again, this show the immaturity of many mainland Chinese who are unable to accept even a slight variant to the standard description of the Imperial Japanese army.

On the other hand, I am very happy to see more diverse perspectives introduced into the film making. What they did is not a revision of the history rather it is a microscopic perspective of a world with unlimited spectrum of characters and possibilities.

With hindsight, largely due to the Cold War, the perpetrator of war crime particularly the Japanese Imperial Family was not brought to justice. Emperor Hirohito was spared. So was Prince Asaka, the commander at the time of the Rape of Nanking.

Nevertheless, this responsibility in granting the immunity to the Imperial Family is largely that of Douglas MacArthur who single-handedly deprieve any notion of justice to the victims in the region and the humanity at large. What MacArthur did was equivalent to installing Hitler as the German Chancellor.

I will call for MacArthur family and the American government (vicarious responsibility) for a formal apology.

Moving on the second film Rwanda Hotel. This is a story of a Hutu hotelier, Paul Rusesabagina, who shielded hundred of Tutsi and moderate Hutu from the Hutu militia during the 1994 genocide in which an estimate of 800000 were killed.

The film blamed the Westen inaction against and the French complicity in arming the Hutu in wiping out the Tutsi. (It is disgusting that the France today are taking a high moral ground on human right)

It is really sad watching the so-called peacekeeper withdrew from a guarded compound full of refugees who minutes later were slaughtered by the advancing Hutu militia.

The conflict traces its root to the colonial era. The racial stereotyping and prejudice are human's greatest folly which is reenacted generation after generation. By the way, Rwanda is very much a Christian country most observers failed to highlight.

One thing strikes me was the role played by the media. In this case, the radio broadcast by the Hutu extremist repeatedly went on to the airwave to call for blood against the cockcroach, a code name for Tutsi. The radio also urged the Hutu to "taste" the Tutsi women.

In those senseless age, I wonder what one would do in those circumstances. Kill your neighbour? Protect your neighbour at the pain of being killed yourself if discovered? Tragically, the 1994 genocide saw many chose to be the latter. Catholic priest included.

Maybe the defence of duress is available but does that exculpate such a large scale of mass killing. Almost every surviving Hutu took part. There is simply no jail big enough to house them. Thus punishment is meted out to the organizer and the militia activist, the rest are rehabilitated in return for admission of guilt.

If this is called justice, this is justice. If one disagree, I could only fan out the message from Gandhi, an eye for en eye make the whole world blind.

The last film is the Reader starring Kate Winslet. It tells a story of a female Nazist who was tried and sentenced for killing the Jews at the Concentration Camp. Actually it was more of a story how a new generation of Germans come to term with the attrocity commited by their kins and loved one.

To a large extent, the German had dealt with the truth of Nazi crime much better than the Japanese. The Rwanda led by the Tutsi today are wise enough to forsake retribution im favour of truth and reconciliation.

As for the Japanese, short of a heartfelt apology from the Japanese emperor, the collective conscience of the Japanese will never be absoved of their involvement and complicity in the most attrocious crime against humanity committed in the region's history.

May Fourth and the SEA Chinese - KH

Let us all spend a moment with the unsung and unnamed heroes who lived and some who perished in the spirit of the May 4th Movement.

May be it get romanticised, but I really admire those idealistic youths as truest patriots who saw China not as it was but as what it could be with modernisation.

The only regret is that unlike Japan's Meiji restoration, such progressive forces failed to be matched by benign political forces to bring constructive change to the nation.Their cause spanned not just science and democracy, but also encompassed liberalism, socialism, social justice, constitutionality, equality - even nationalism - and other progressive ideas.

It shows the power of ideas. A cause based on nothing but "ideas" could inspire an entire people - even when the nation was crushing under feudalism, superstition and narrow-mindedness - spread over violence, chaos, hunger, wretched poverty, corruption, national demise and suffering on a grand scale.

In the midst of all that, the May 4th generation created a beautiful period in Chinese consciousness that has not been matched ever since; the passionate flowering of culture, literature, social reform and education.

My own appreciation of the May 4th movement lies with its impact on the overseas Chinese especially in SEAsia. Between 1910-1930s, SEAsia went through a tremendous period of change when Chinese population were growing fast both in number and in wealth. The wealthier members of Chinese society began to devote themselves to starting schools for the community. Different dialect groups started their own study halls.

Then 1919 and the May 4th movement came and there was a new consciousness for the "Chinese" nation, people began to look beyond their clans and dialect groups. With the political persecution that followed Chinese intellectuals in 1920s and 30s, large numbers of May 4th generation of educated youths fled China and as exiles and refugees many of them ended up teachers in these new Chinese schools in SEAsia.

So in SEAsia, entire generations of childrens of uneducated peasants and coolies suddenly came in contact with some of the intellectual cream of China. And instead of teaching in dialects, these new teachers began teaching in this modern language of one China - plain spoken Mandarin. That is why if the language of my grandparents were dialects, the language of my parents (and their siblings and peers) are all Mandarin. It all happenned within the space of one short generation.

So I disagree that May 4th will be forgotten. Its too soon to tell. I believe once history is recalled in 100 years from now, May 4th could well be seen as the true Chinese revolution of the 20th century. All others were changes of government but I believe May 4th drew a veil over "old" China and brought forth the modern China. A change in the nation is easily bigger than change in its government

Moments from My Metropolis - What Price? Civilization

Two recent experiences in my metropolis reminded me of both the gift - and the economic reality - of enjoying the abundant fruits of civilization.

Exhibit No.1. Two weekends ago, we decided to spend the afternoon with our daughters at the main branch of the New York Public Library (NYPL); the imposing Beaux-Art marble palace dedicated to books and learning on 42nd street at Fifth Avenue now being cleaned to be readied for its centenary. The NYPL system is one of the great joys of New York city living. According to its website, its 4 research libraries and 85 branches carries 50.4m publications for the benefit of 2.2m members. And it is totally free.

What that mean for us is that we would visit the Children's Room at the library, which carries a wonderful collection of children's books (in many languages), with a space to the side for children's activities and we would - literally - empty out whole stacks of books from the shelves and borrow them home. On that particular Saturday, we came out with about 30 books which we could keep for weeks - although the girls needed only a few days to run through them. For the past few years, we hardly bought any books because wherever we wanted we would find at the library. We can reserve them online and they would be delivered for collection at a nearby branch.

I imagine that is what a book loving multi-billionaire would feel, to collect and build up an endless collection of books (and CDs and DVDs) at his disposal. For us, we can enjoy the same thing as the billionaire - and its totally free.

Exhibit No.2. The next day we were out for some exercise and fresh-aire in Central Park. The weather promised to be warm(er) and sunny. I had brought along the children's kick-scooters so that they could ride along the lake/reservoir. But what we did not anticipate was that a slight shower of rain broke the moment we got there - so we sought refuge at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, one of my favourite places in the world.

Housed in yet-another giant Beaux-Arts mansion, but one built of sandstone unlike the library which was built of marble, we dove into its 1.3m pieces of enclyclopaedic collection from civilizations around the world. We wondered around the Byzantine arts, to the medieval collection when Hue, our 5-year old daughter, wanted to see the mummies. So I went with her to learn about the mummies while Mewyee went with our 7-year old Ning (who is terrified of mummies) and we agreed to meet at the American Wing. Along the way, Hue and I saw and learnt about arms and armours, art and furnishing from the Middle Age Europe and finally mummies and other sacred art work from Ancient Egypt. Eventually, we had lunch at the museum cafeteria and by then the rain cleared and we resumed our original plan.

A few days later, Mewyee and I decided to visit the Met on an impulse. We ended up spending an hour on a gallery tour about the meanings behind costumes through-out the ages led by an expert curator. Such tours brings the collection to life by bringing out the meaning and significance behind the art. We have been on many such gallery tours and there are perhaps a dozen each and everyday (in multiple langauges and for different age groups) but this one stood out as the best we have ever heard for as long as we could recall.

And all the while, I was thinking how wealthy does one have to be to enjoy what we just did? A multi-billionaire would take years and billions to build and house a world-class collection like the Met - even if that is at all possible this day and age - and even more to engage world class brains and experts to create intellectual enjoyment for a lay-person like me. And for that, we paid $5. The suggested entry is $20 but payment is actually voluntary; once I stood behind a person who paid 10cents.

I was profoundly humbled by thoughs and experiences like these. What is the meaning of wealth and abundance? What is the meaning of a civilized society? And what price the "haves" of society should be willing to bear in exchange for a civilized society?

In many ways, New York is a great case study for that last question. Unlike the major capitals of the world - London, Paris, Washington DC - that host the national intellectual and cultural collections, New York do not enjoy state patronage. The great public institutions and collections in New York are privately endowed for the general public by the wealthy; many from the 19th century but contributions continue to pour in to this day from the great and the good of local society. One of the most attractive social tradition about New York City is that the wealthy tend to keep a low profile. For a city full of real estate moguls, the tradition is never to put one's name in bright lights on the building (one reason why New York is usually scornful of a certain Mr Trump, who is from New Jersey by the way). The only exception to this low profile is when it comes to giving: come charity balls and naming rights to a new concert hall, hospital wing or museum pavillion, one sees the New York high society in ferocious competition to see who is giving how much.

And the city as a whole is richer from all those giving. That is how even a homeless person can (if he wants to) read a different book a day for the whole of his life, or a small child get to learn to draw by sketching a Degas, or a delivery boy can listen to Placido Domingo at a public performance in the park, or new immigrant parents can get books for their children to learn English (and DVDs in their native language for themselves).

And I think about all manners of public services, the police for keeping the peace, the fire brigade for rescues in distress, the public buses that takes people about without need for a car, the utilities that brings us clean water, the public schools for giving everyone an education - with the glaring exception of a decent health system that keeps one healthy without costing personal financial ruin. On public schooling, it was said that despite the Great Depression in the 1930s and 1940s a whole generation got the best education in the world in the New York Public school system, which at the time was staffed by brilliant emigre scientists and intellectuals escaping from totalitarian regimes in Central and Eastern Europe.

Everywhere I looked and the more I learn the more I realise public services and amenities are not ill-afforded luxuries, or creeping socialism, or ill-deserved rewards for the poor amd unsuccessful. They are the very foundations of a civilized society; one where the rich, no-so-rich and the poor made a choice that their society shall stand and fall together; and who resolved that a civilization is sustainable only when it is not to be enjoyed in isolation but one to be shared.

As one casts one's eyes to the many societies and metropolis that are developing all around the world - across Southeast Asia China, India, Latin America and the old-Soviet Union - often we see enclaves for the wealthy esconced behind high walls, security guards, manicured lawns, satellite TVs, lavish shops, spas, private hospitals, private schools and darkened car windows. And beyond that are the rest of society; one of indifferent infrastructure, crime, corruption, pollution, poor schools and trash. And I am sure the conclusion must be that the value of civilization is indeed priceless.

2 Days Before Valentine

This coming February 12, 2009 is a very special day.

On this day 2 centuries ago, February 12, 1809, it was an exceptional day of human history. 2 great men were born on each side of the Atlantic.

The first man contributed the theory of Natural Selection. He is Charles Darwin, a British scientist and explorer.

His theory becomes known as the theory of evolution providing an unifying logical explanation for the diversity of life in the biological world.

This new understanding of lifes upstaged the prevalent theocratic if not mystical explanation of life that dominated the largest of our human history. The proposition that every life forms are attributed to a certain divine creation, though is no longer mainstream, is still common in certain societies where tolerance and moderation are not the general rule.

The second man is Abraham Lincoln, arguably the most well regarded American President in history.

Among his many firsts, Lincoln was the first President from the Republican Party and the State of Illinois. None really matters.

What count was his deeds and words. Lincoln is a very rare President whose deed is praised and celebrated everywhere and whose speech is memorized and recited again and again by successive leaders of all stripes. He is an unifying figure across the political divides.

Lincoln succeeded in ending the civil war and reunited the country. His term was brief but what he accomplished was really belonging to the ages.

He inspired a nation with renewed purpose and introduced moral vigor into the American constitution.

Don't forget to propose a toast to Darwin and a toast to Lincoln on February 12, 2009 on their bicentenary.

A personal note:

My convertion into atheism at the age of 13 was in large part supported and sustained by Darwinism. It was a rare excitement for a young boy to challenge and contradict the religious orthodoxy. To atheism and by extension Darwinism, I owe my emancipation from religion.

Abraham Lincoln recalibrated my views on public duty and political ideal. This is in large part thank to BHO who tried to mimic AL. No surprise, I came to know Abraham Lincoln much better only late last year after reading the Team of Rivals.

Africa - Ethiopia and Kenya

Now I can understand why the British loved Kenya so much. I am sitting here on a terrace at the hotel, overlooking lush green forested hills that surround Nairobi amidst the fertile red volcanic soils. The weather is 25 C +/- 3C almost all year round - heavenly in otherwords. The Kenyan hotel staff are impeccably trained, gentle and move about with a noble grace. The standard of living and modern conveniences ranges from comfortable (Kenny Hills comes to mind) to mostly relatively good ("Cheras level") down to "Jakarta level" in some of the slummier areas. The English language is spoken here with a certain accent-free polish. There is a large and well-organized Indian population as evident from the profusion of Indian temples. From the design and diversity of the Hindu, Sikh and Jain temples seen from the road, there seem to be more from Western and Northern India here than from the Tamil south. Like in Malaysia many of them seemed to have been drawn here by the twin drivers of the British Empire - the railway and the military. The Indians here seem to be more organized and belong to different social and educational class compared to Malaysia. For example, there are many Indian-linked colleges, academies and even a hospital run by Sikh-charities.

Kenya suffers from the usual flaws of developing countries in terms of society and government. It is shocking to think that a year ago racial conflict killed hundreds and forced the uprooting of hundreds of thousands. My colleague (a military doctor) told me that racial discrimination by the Kikuyus against the Luos are longstanding and wide-spread, forcing many Luos when they obtain their ICs to add a 'K' in front of their names which always begins with 'O' (like in Obama) otherwise they would never get into college. But from the sound of it, the coalition government that under a peace deal brought the opposition party (who apparently won last year's elections) into the Kikuyu dominated government pending an election, has been working hard to improve the infrastructure and responding to the people's needs, in part hoping to win votes in the next election. There seems to be a free press where expose of corruption scandals and criticism of the President were unapologetic in the mainstream papers. A special independent parliamentary tribunal is about to begin to investigate and press charges against perpetrators of last year's racial clash. So overall, I notice a bedrock of sensibility, professionalism, old British rule of law that is bolstered by the determination of a sizable educated middle-class to stay on the path of progress because they know they deserve better.

Outside the city, as I discovered yesterday, lie the some of the grandest and most majestic display of nature in the world. There the fields of golden shrubs and grassland stretch out for as far as the eyes could see, dotted only with scattered trees . From the vistas, one could see rocky hills in the distance, slopes of extinct volcanoes and riven by valleys that look like creases in the land. On those fabled savanna, thousands upon thousands of beasts roam in a display of life as old as life itself. Yes, I was reminded that we humans are only a detail and a recent on at that in the marvellous canvas of nature. Even at the Nairobi National Park which is literally a turn off the airport road on the city's southern fringe, I was amazed to see hundreds of wild zebras, hundreds of impalas and gazelles, tens of ostriches, dozens of giraffes, flamingos and - to my good fortune - a pride of lions 5 female and one male staking out a herd of wild buffalos.

Further out, the central highlands around Mt Kenya produces world reknown tea and coffee. Further on, the fabled Masai Mara National Park and its sister parks are world famous - and judging from the tour brochures, the last word in refined world class tourism. Each year in August, tens-of-millions of animals passes through the Masai Mara from the Serengeti on their annual migration; you can watched over from the lawns of century old British colonial estates, or a modern tented camps on top of a nearby rock, or from elaborate tree houses, or buzz over from a small plane, or glide silently in a hotair balloon. The logistics and training for Kenyan hospitality is so organized by the British Raj that even in the wild, five-star comfort and service follows you. West of Nairobi, the land falls away over a sharp cliff into the 50km wide Rift Valley before rising up again on the other side. In between are more glorious savannas interlaced by a string of lakes where the flamingos congregate in their millions. In the Eastern coast, there are lush jungles, beaches and coral reefs surrounding old fortified towns belonging to Omani merchant settlements. In the west and in the north, the 'real' Africa rose around Lake Victoria and where the Sahel semi-desert begins.

The north is where I began this trip in Ethiopia. Ethiopia is truly fascinating, an ancient kingdom with an uninterrupted history going back more than 3000 years. They have been many empires and many centres of power, but one at Axum is well-known as a rival first to Ramses pharoah of Egypt and later to Rome. This is also where a number of 2500 years old obelisks were looted by Mussolini in the 1930s, placed in Rome but which Italy has agreed to return them to Ethiopia. Rare for African nations, the Ethiopians have their own writing, Amharic which is of ancient origin; the alphabet looks like a cross between Greek and heiroglyphic symbols. They have their own calendar which is 8 years and 8 days different from the Gregorian version (they had their millenium year 2000 on January 8, 2008). That's not unusual because we know of Buddist or Muslim calendars, but what is more interesting is that they have their own time, which starts and ends at 6am on the 'normal' time rather than at midnight, probably to coincide with sunrise. All very exotic and impressive.

In a place in the north called Lalibela is world famous for stone churches the shape of a cross that are carved vertically into the rock, and become underground churches. Somewhere there is also an enclosure where the Ethiopians believe holds the Holy Grail; every so often one monk would be appointed to be entrusted with the secret of the grail and there he will live and guard the grail for the rest of his life. Ethiopia also lay claim to some majestic scenery being the lower extension of Wadi Rum in the Jordan Valley and the northern extension of the Rift Valley.

Unfortunately, I did not get the time to truly explore Addis Ababa or anywhere in Ethiopia for that matter. Work and meetings had taken up all my time. However, one aspect I could observe was the people. I was truly impressed by the dignity and confidence by which Ethiopian people carries themselves. By this I am refering to a sense of dignity that is internal rather than an externally directed arrogance or superiority complex. I believe this came from their pride in their culture. They are certainly economically weaker than even Kenya. Its level of development is akin to that of a county level city in China. Even though many of them live in poverty, the streets are clean and tidy. Even in poverty and material disadvantage the people tend to be courteous and honest in dealing with foreigners. They are some of the warmest, gentlest, curious and helpful people I have ever met. They glow with happiness and pride whenever anyone point to their unique culture - which is deeply rooted in their blend of ancient Christianity.

Ethnically, they are striking in their good looks. The Ethiopians are a Semetic people not negroid like most oif Africa although given the proximity there must be a great deal of mixed ethnicity. The skin tone tend to be brown the colour of coffee or mahogany not purely dark. The hair are wiry and fizzy but not in deep curls. The facial features are sharp and fine boned with large dark eyes beneath full eyelids, on top of high - but not sharp - nose bridges. Both men and women tend to be lithe and thin, but (unlike the Masai we encounter in Kenya who are 6 foot + giants) not too tall. Some women especially look like giraffes with their absurdly long limbs and small thin faces. Sometimes I wonder if they are a mix of Indian, European and African genes; because they seem to have the fine bones and slim bodies of Asians, the sharper facial features of Europeans, some elements of the dark(er) skin and hair of Africans. May be its true after all that this is the origin of mankind. Ethiopia lay claim to being the origin of humans from the archeological finding of "Lucy" the oldest homo sepien bone in the world, currently in the Addis Ababa museum.

Everywhere you go in Addis, you see multi-domed Eastern churches looking much like the St Mark's cathedral in Venice. People wears or carries with them elaborate crucifixes and icons, often made from wood or metal with the most intricate designs of weaving knots that reminded me of Celtic designs in Ireland.

Nonetheless, one source of pride in Ethiopia is religious harmony. Although it is one of the oldest Christian nation in the world it also boast one of the oldest Muslim community in the world. And the two has lived side-by-side largely in peace for longer than anywhere in the world. I suspect that has a lot to do with the powerful effect of the Ethiopian nation and culture which has been around far longer than either Chirstianity or Islam. When those religions arrived, it got absorbed into an established kingdom and culture. Hence, for the Ethiopians they were already had an identity before religion had the opportunity to create new group identities and divide the people.

Ethiopia

A short post to say that I am on my way to Addis Ababa on official business between 14th January and 25th January 2009. Ethiopia is one of the great living civilizations extending - unbroken - more than 3000 years. For centuries it was the major rival to the Egyptians even before the Greeks and Romans appeared. It was major power in Biblical times and was heavily referenced by the Judeo-Christian traditions, particularly in reference to the story of King Solomon and Queen Sheba from Ethiopia. Ethiopia was also the one of the earliest Christian nations and still has its own branch of the Eastern Orthodox Church. Ethiopia has its own spoken and written language Amharic. So I am curious and looking forward to learning more of this place. Watch out for my postings from Addis Ababa.

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

This year is the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted on 10 December 1948. Yesterday, I read it fully for the first time and I was lifted by the noble and idealistic sentiments it encapsulates. I imagine back in 1948, how abstract and unrealistic many of the concepts in the declaration must be for its drafters [which I found, included the Chinese scholar 張彭春 representing Asia, who apparently introduced classical Chinese philosophical ideas from Confucius and Mencius; and sought to unify Eastern and Western ideals while the Declaration was debated] and for most people in the world, which is why I have full admiration for the drafters to put in words a world not as it is or as it could be, but a better world as it should be. Although not every one might agree with every article, it is amazing to see how those ideals in the Universal Declaration have moved from Western liberal ideas towards being shared ideals by people around the world.

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Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Preamble
Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world,

Whereas disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind, and the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people,

Whereas it is essential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human rights should be protected by the rule of law,

Whereas it is essential to promote the development of friendly relations between nations,

Whereas the peoples of the United Nations have in the Charter reaffirmed their faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal rights of men and women and have determined to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom,

Whereas Member States have pledged themselves to achieve, in cooperation with the United Nations, the promotion of universal respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms,

Whereas a common understanding of these rights and freedoms is of the greatest importance for the full realization of this pledge,

Now, therefore,

The General Assembly, Proclaims this Universal Declaration of Human Rights as a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations, to the end that every individual and every organ of society, keeping this Declaration constantly in mind, shall strive by teaching and education to promote respect for these rights and freedoms and by progressive measures, national and international, to secure their universal and effective recognition and observance, both among the peoples of Member States themselves and among the peoples of territories under their jurisdiction.

Article 1
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
Article 2
Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.
Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty.
Article 3
Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.
Article 4
No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms.
Article 5
No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
Article 6
Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law.
Article 7
All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination.
Article 8
Everyone has the right to an effective remedy by the competent national tribunals for acts violating the fundamental rights granted him by the constitution or by law.
Article 9
No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.
Article 10
Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him.
Article 11
Everyone charged with a penal offence has the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law in a public trial at which he has had all the guarantees necessary for his defence.
No one shall be held guilty of any penal offence on account of any act or omission which did not constitute a penal offence, under national or international law, at the time when it was committed. Nor shall a heavier penalty be imposed than the one that was applicable at the time the penal offence was committed.
Article 12
No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honour and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks.
Article 13
Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each State.
Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country.
Article 14
Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution.
This right may not be invoked in the case of prosecutions genuinely arising from non-political crimes or from acts contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations.
Article 15
Everyone has the right to a nationality.
No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his nationality nor denied the right to change his nationality.
Article 16
Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion, have the right to marry and to found a family. They are entitled to equal rights as to marriage, during marriage and at its dissolution.
Marriage shall be entered into only with the free and full consent of the intending spouses.
The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the State.
Article 17
Everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in association with others.
No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property.
Article 18
Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.
Article 19
Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.
Article 20
Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.
No one may be compelled to belong to an association.
Article 21
Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country, directly or through freely chosen representatives.
Everyone has the right to equal access to public service in his country.
The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures.
Article 22
Everyone, as a member of society, has the right to social security and is entitled to realization, through national effort and international co-operation and in accordance with the organization and resources of each State, of the economic, social and cultural rights indispensable for his dignity and the free development of his personality.
Article 23
Everyone has the right to work, to free choice of employment, to just and favourable conditions of work and to protection against unemployment.
Everyone, without any discrimination, has the right to equal pay for equal work.
Everyone who works has the right to just and favourable remuneration ensuring for himself and his family an existence worthy of human dignity, and supplemented, if necessary, by other means of social protection.
Everyone has the right to form and to join trade unions for the protection of his interests.
Article 24
Everyone has the right to rest and leisure, including reasonable limitation of working hours and periodic holidays with pay.
Article 25
Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.
Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance. All children, whether born in or out of wedlock, shall enjoy the same social protection.
Article 26
Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit.
Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace.
Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children.
Article 27
Everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the community, to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement and its benefits.
Everyone has the right to the protection of the moral and material interests resulting from any scientific, literary or artistic production of which he is the author.
Article 28
Everyone is entitled to a social and international order in which the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration can be fully realized.
Article 29
Everyone has duties to the community in which alone the free and full development of his personality is possible.
In the exercise of his rights and freedoms, everyone shall be subject only to such limitations as are determined by law solely for the purpose of securing due recognition and respect for the rights and freedoms of others and of meeting the just requirements of morality, public order and the general welfare in a democratic society.
These rights and freedoms may in no case be exercised contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations.
Article 30
Nothing in this Declaration may be interpreted as implying for any State, group or person any right to engage in any activity or to perform any act aimed at the destruction of any of the rights and freedoms set forth herein.

Terrorism is not far from us

I just learn from a friend from the industry who escaped unharm during the terrorist attack at Oberoi Hotel of Mumbai.

According to him, the terrorists were shooting indiscriminately at the restaurant guests. The terrorist didn't sort out certain nationalities before shooting. It was indiscriminate shooting to churn out the heaviest casualties.

As the terrorists were shooting, everyone were running for their life and my friend was fortunate to have escaped and survive. His American colleague and a local business partner were not as fortunate. They were killed and another local business associate were severely injured.

Not until I learn this first hand from someone I know personally, terrorism is always somewhat inpersonal and remote. This is the closest experience I had with terrorism. It really send a chill down my spine.

I had traveled to Mumbai and I had stayed at Oberoi. The victim could have been me, and indeed anyone who happens to be at the place and at the time.

Moments from My Metropolis - Thoughts on Racism and Social Progress from a Cosmopolitan City

KY's wonderful post on racial discrimination merits an echoing - a rejoinder - from across the seas than just a comment.

I have just finished reading Newsweek's wonderful seven-part fly-on-the-wall account of the 2008 Presidential Campaign [http://www.newsweek.com/id/167581]. And what struck me was - despite the negativity and hostility we saw - how sensitive and adverse all the candidates were in general to the perception of racism. Which is not to say there are no more racists or racial politics, but that social change in the US has reached a tipping point where racism is now so socially-unacceptable that any temptation to exploit it will quicky be overwhelmed by the backlash. This shows the powerful social consensus in the US against racism has expanded and matured since the Civil Rights movement a mere 45 years ago.

I marvelled at this wonderful evidence of social progress first made de jure than became de facto and then becoming a universal value. KY provided some excellent examples of enlightened leadership that tries to make the ideals and aspirations of social progress tangible first through legislation which hopefully will create the condition for such progress to take root. Social progress takes time, but I am hopeful of a growing cross-cultural consensus throughout the world that is making racism less and less socially acceptable - and hence less politically attractive which then creates a virtuous cycle by creating a more conducive climate for racial tolerance. I believe this is how social progress happenned and (mostly) pushed slavery, child labour and polygamy to the margins of any society that considers itself civilized. Wither the societies and political systems that stand against the forces of enlightened global social consensus.

One of the joys of living in New York City for the past 34 months has been the daily experience of a tolerant, diverse and cosmopolitan society. I have come to admire the fact that here diversity comes naturally. Deliberately, I observe my children, ages 7 and 5 1/2, for their world-view and I must say (so far) they do not differentiate any of their friends by race. Although being in the UN International School - where every class may be a mix of more than 20 nationalities when those of both parents are counted - they are very aware of the different nationalities but interestingly, racial or national "labels" were hardly ever considered. To Ning, her friend Sara is just her friend Sara - and not an ethically Indian of the muslim religion who is South African by nationality. I find this notion of seeing people as individuals and not as labels a very refreshing and positive experience.

Being in a diverse environment means being different no longer means being a curiousity, so ironically children are more relaxed about their own cultures. During the recent UN Day, my daughters carry both the Bruneian and Malaysian flags - and they both wore a Chinese dress (although for some reason, this year she also wants to carry a Chinese umbrella). And her friend Claire (center, last row) who is American, decided she would wear a Moroccan dress and everyone thought it was interesting. The picture below is my younger daughter Hue's class where you can see at the back row, the flags of Western Samoa and Fiji among others.

Sometimes they ask, why do we have to go to Chinese school on Saturdays? And I would say, because you are Chinese - and same goes for Jeremy who also goes to Chinese school, Julie and Aram who goes to Korean school because they are Korean and Beyan who goes to Russian school because she is Russian etc. So quite ironically, diversity can also be characterised as something they have in common with their classmates.

Well, what happens outside the UN school? I enjoy the fact that in my time here, I have not been conscious of being seen in a racial light - I said "conscious" because I do not know what goes on in their minds. In casual small talk, which is a common social interaction in the US be it on the bus, in the lift, at the cafe - I am still yet to be asked (or presumed) about my race except in Chinatown where people automatically speak Chinese to me. Only in more lengthy conversations people ask where you are from i.e. which I assume to be nationality as opposed to ethnicity.

On the streets you (over)hear all kinds of languages - English, Spanish, French, Russian, German, Chinese, Korean - and I notice people either don't hear or they don't care because no one (except me) paid any attention. In my neighbourhood, there are all kinds of restaurants, French, Jewish, Turkish, Chinese, Japanese, Indian etc. I have a feeling that generally, people treat the mix of races like having a choice of restaurants in the neighbourhood - as "different cultures" rather than "different people" that add to the richness of society - to be explored or disregarded - without any personal reaction whether to approve or disapprove, like or dislike, neither to be affirmed or threatened by their presence.

My good friend Nasri came to visit last week; first time he came to the US and to New York. And I tried to take a fresh look at my city through his observant eyes and keen and curious mind. First he said, on three occasions when told people actually knew about Brunei. Second, he wonders about the racial mix in New York because he was expecting to see more Caucasians [40% white, 25% Latino, 25% blacks, 10% various-mostly-Asian; although on a working day in Manhattan its more like 60% white, 15% Latino, 15% blacks, 10 various mostly-Asian. 3x more people come to work in Manhattan than living there]. Thirdly, on a bus, as he observed the mix of people boarding the bus, he remarked to me how the racial diversity is observed throughout the city as opposed to enclaved.

I feel those are quite astute observations of a open and cosmopolitan environment; but I also had to remind him New York is not representative of all-of-America (for the record, NYC voted 85% for Obama) but more like a prototype "world city" that places like Hong Kong and Singapore openly aspire to be Asia's very own. I have to confess that living in the midst of all these made me more hopeful for the world.

Post Racial Society and Race Discrimination Law

Obama is often described as a post-racial President (elect). What matter more however is a post-racial society.

In that respect, many parts of America especially the traditional blue states have reached, if not close to, that status.

Prejudice takes a long time to eradicate. America history can testify to that. America took more than a century from the Civil War to the Civil Right movement to remedy its once racially exploitative and divisive society.

The issue is not how long it takes but rather whether it is done to eradicate racism which is arguably one of the men's greatest threat with maximum hatred with a minimum of reason.

Hitherto, the choice of public policy dealing with a society comprising of different races have been either one of assimilation/integration, accommodation, discrimination, segregation or outright inaction. All decent countries have abandoned the wide variety in favor of accommodation with equality.

My attention is drawn to two pieces of racial discrimination legislation recently passed in Asia.

One was passed by my city, Hong Kong, on July 10, 2008. The Post-handover Hong Kong doesn't practise any institutionalized racism however it must be admitted that just like all other societies there are sections of the Hong Kong society that are still possessing racial prejudice. The complaints are often related to employment and education opportunity available to the ethnic minority in Hong Kong. There are also complaint related to the provision of goods and service.

The Race Discrimination Ordinance is enacted to outlaw any discrimination, harassment, victimization and vilification on the ground of race in the areas of , among other, employment, education, provision of goods, facilities, services and premises, election and appointment to public bodies, membership and access to clubs.

The significance of this legislation in the context of Hong Kong is that we are talking of a society that is 95% Chinese that recognize the evil of racism.

The other one which is more interesting comes from Indonesia.

The law passed on October 28, 2008 treats racial discrimination as serious crime. The Anti-Discrimination Act imposes imprisonment as minimum sentence to deter people from committing racial discrimination. For leaders of public institution found guilty of adopting discriminatory policies, the law introduces a jail term one-third more severe than usually meted out.

This is a rare achievement by a country that was besieged with bloody race riot with reported mass killing and rape as recently as in 1997. Success can actually come quickly with enlightened leaders.

Eradicating racism through legislation doesn't necessarily guarantee its success but legislation is always useful to define the parameter of acceptable behaviour. Enforced by early childhood education and concerted civic education and publicity, the new and the reborn generations of the society can surely rid of racism. The issue is for the society concerned to take the first step in that direction.

Sadly, many SEA countries, Brunei, Myanmar, Malaysia and Singapore included have not ratified the International Convention on All Forms of Racial Discrimination. If this baby step is not taken, these societies is surely in need of treatment.

Hopefully with Indonesia making giant strides in human right, these neighboring countries can quickly learn the meaning of equal right for all, special privilege for none.

The Future of Freedom - a book review

In The Future of Freedom, Fareed Zakaria studied the tension between liberty and democracy and call for restoration of balance between the two.

He argued favorably with facts why constitutional liberalism and up to a point, the capitalist system provides more condusive and stable conditions for democracy rather than the other way around. Constitutional liberalism is a reliable restraint to the democratic majority.

Zakaria's book is very penetrating in that he highlighted the problem faced with democracy in its various forms whether illiberal or unregulated.

In Chapter 2, Fareed called it the twisted path of democracy when the democracy without constitutional liberalism went awry. Nazist German was the classic example.

In Chapter 3, he cited Russia and Venezuela among many other in Balkan, Central Asia and other parts as example of illiberal democracy. India, with its increasingly Hindu fundamentalism advocated by BJP is in danger of heading to the same direction.

Fareed's observation that without constitutional liberalism, the introduction of democracy in divided societies has frequently formented nationalism, ethnic conflict and war. Suharto's Indonesia or the former Yugoslavia maybe autocratic, yet the order and stability they provided were much preferred to the state of ethnic cleansing and war following their demise.

In Chapter 4, the Islamic Exception, he noted that the Arab world is trapped between an autoritarian state and an illiberal society. As the state becomes more repressive, the opposition within the society grows more pernicious, goading the stateinto further repression. It is a vicious circle.

Only with political liberalism allowing the Arab intellectual and the peoples the freedom and the economic reform to allow for improvement to peoples lives, will religious extremism and violence be arrested. The road to democracy in the Middle East is not distinctively different.

One particular point that Zakaria made regarding Islam is worth noting. Contrary to the popularly held view that Islam is about devotion to authority as suggested by Islam as meaning submission in Arab, Islam has actually an anti-authoritarian streak. It orginates from some hadiths - that says, obediance to the ruler is incumbent upon the rulers observing the God's law (simialat to Mencious' right to rebel against a ruler who lost the heavenly mandate). With Sunni Islam without a religious establishment, the decision to oppose the stae on the ground that it is unislamis and insufficiently islamis belongs to anyone who wishes to exercise it.

In Chapter 5, Fareed calls it too much of a good things when he pointed out the problem of having too much democracy. With the politicians are frequently in the state of permanent campaign and the increased practice of referendim and initiatives, a lot of power is now highjacked by an ever growing class of professional consultants, lobbyist, pollster and activist.

In Chapter 6, the Death of Authority, Zakaria studied the decline of varios institutional authority in America. The best example given was the decline of the mainsteam churches - Episcopalian, Methodist and the rise of Evangelical Christianity.

The rise of Evangelical is attributed to its taking the more populist and democratic stance. The tactis employed is to mimic the mainstream culture and values and preaching what the peoples wants, which is a less religiously demanding and more warm and service oriented Christiantity.

In this chapter, one senses Zakaria's elitism. He lamented the suicide of American elite as part of the death of authority. He suggested that the increasing democratization has done away with the ruling elite class and released them from a string of responsibilities that comes with their privileges.

On this, Zakaria gave the story of the real Titanic history where one of the richest American on board, after fighting to put his wife on the rescue boat, refused to take a seat observing the convention of "women and children first". It is honorable that the elites observe an unwritten code even though it meant certain death, it is another to suggest non-elites are not as capable. Zakaria gave the statistic that 70% of the men in first class perished, 90% in the second class. He didn't go into giving the survival rate of men in the other lower classes.

Suffice it says that there were still 30% of men in the first class survived, 20% more than the second class. Who knows whether those perished in the first two classes are more altruistic than the third fourth and others.

This is not a good example and I find this segtion most disagreeable.

In the final chapter, Zakaria's precsription to America is less democracy as the way out. He argued that delegated democracy subject to democratic control is the right dose for good governance with legitimacy. Invoking Federal Reserve and the Supreme Court, that are both well functining and well regarded in opinion poll, as successful example for delegating specialised areas to specialists, Zakaria advocate further use of delegation.

In developing countries, he was highly positive of the successful liberal authoritarian regimes - Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore, Chile, Indonesia and even China (to my mind, China at best qualified as economically liberal authoritarian country). He seems to suggest that to make democratic system works, the pre-condition is the economic development and followed by a healthy dose of constitutionalism and delegation.

The problem in this final chapter is that Zakaria didn't disntinguish the difference between political and economic liberty in the developing countries, like in China

Also problematic is that Zakaria recognise only that liberty thrives with constitutionalism, least he knows is that constitutionalism can survive without liberty. Singapore comes to mind.

Overall, this is a deligthful book to read and I am looking to reading his next book - the Post-American World.

Globalization of Conflicts

KY made a good point in the earlier post about globalization and religious conflicts. I quite agree that globalization has the potential to add fuel to age-old human conflicts.

With the movement of ideas, destructive ideologies are able to migrate and gain new converts. It is quite possible that globalization enables marginal ideologies the ability to gain critical mass which hitherto they were unable to. With the movement of people, there are increasing opportunities to sow division. Arguably, the greatest impact comes from the rapid societal changes that globalization entails creating new reasons for frustration, envy and dislocation. Hence, the very same power that globalization are able to unleash for growth, opportunity and human progress; also bring malignant influences.

In the end, what we are talking about is still the eternal race between light and darkness within the human soul. It is part of the human condition to engender conflicts because the tendency is to look for division and to seperate the world into 'us' and 'them'.

Every extremist dream of an idealised homogeneous society (everyone like them of course); whether we are talking about religious extremists, racial extremist or national extremist. In human history, that idea is the probably the most destructive fantasy ever sold; and millions have bought it. It is a dangerous idea that has no place in a modern society.

It is also a false idea that conflicts will magically disappear society will be at peace once it is 'purified' either somehow made religiously or ethnically homogeneous. Without religious or ethnic conflicts, there would be other conflicts. Violent conflicts exist even within societies without religious differences (may be Cultural Revolution China and Taliban Afghanistan are 2 examples on different extremes). All societies are human and conflicts are part of all human society.

Where I agree with you completely is that religion and ethnicity is historically a common cause for conflict. When we talk about religion or race we are talking about them as society's fault lines, and religion and race are particularly powerful fault lines that are easily turned into mass hysteria to be exploited by the power that be. Careful analysis of conflicts throughout history often find complex but usually logical drivers of conflicts: economic, political, personal; but those conflicts are often cloaked in the more emotionally convincing (and dare I say, more convenient) banners of religion and race.

What I am deliberately careful about is any response that amount to to replacing one fault line with a new fault line; and notwithstanding our positive intentions replacing one conflict with another. The reason is that once we set ourselves as an arbiter of what others can be or do or say or believe, we are setting up a conflict between our views, no matter how logical with their views no matter how misconceived. Criminal law still entail great amount of divisions and conflict, even when (after thousands of years of consensus building) everyone agrees certain behaviors to be wrong and to be subject to sanctions of society. Even then I wonder how much public order (e.g .why people tend not to murder or rape as they please) can be credited to the fear for the law? or is it out of enlightened self-control as a civised member of a modern society? I believe a lot of credit has to be given to the latter especially when you observe how people respond during extreme situations such as survivors of earthquake in Sichuan. (The same cannot be said always, the aftermath of Katrina comes to mind.)

The reason is that, from my perspective, the future of human survival depends on breaking down barriers. As globalization breaks down distance and political barriers, my chief concern is whether the human barrier can be broken down fast enough. Climate change is going to result in massive displacement of people because there will be losses and gains all over the world in terms of how livable the place is. If you look at the world's populations, they are congregated in the same places - usually in the river valleys or river deltas of major rivers - for historical reasons as determined by the technologies and politics from 1000 years ago. For that reason, they are not even concentrated in the most productive regions of the world by today's technology e.g. the great plains of North America, Brazil, Ukraine, Argentina and Canada produces large percentages of the world's food but they are not densely populated.

Hence, if you look at the areas where population pressure on the land is the greatest and then accelerating it through climate change, you can get a sense forboding that large numbers of people will need to move or hundreds of millions will die. The reason that keep people from moving are distance and political barriers. Political barriers are serious impediments to the natural distribution of people to resources. If you look at the Sino-Russian border, on one side you have population density of less than 10 per sq km; the otherside is more like 1000 per sq km. held by just a line on the map. If you dry up the harvests in the Ganges and Indus or the Yellow River by 50% you will have massive problems .. and the fact that Russia and Canada will be warmer, more productive and offset the loss in production will be of little comfort to those people and those countries.

So one way or the other, the people have to move or resources need to move. Either way, we need to be talking about removing barriers.