Rally Against Racism

On one of the sunniest Saturday afternoons I can ever remember in Belfast, thousands gathered at the Belfast City Hall for a Rally Against Racism. This event followed the controversial comments of Northern Ireland's First Minister, Peter Robinson, whereby he patronizingly expressed having enough trust in Muslims to 'go to the shop' for him or provide him 'the right change' in a transaction. In an attempt to lend support to Pastor James McConnell's hateful demonizing of Islam, Robinson dug himself into a hole the size of his own ignorance. His flippant remarks and unapologetic condescension inspired the people of Belfast to take to the streets in a gathering for a better Belfast. This episode of anti-Islamic political discourse is occurring during a prolonged period of increased hate crimes across our city, whereby ethnic minorities are being attacked in the streets and put out of their homes. 

In times when our leadership (eg: religious leaders and politicians) should be defending basic human rights and promoting respect in our communities, it is an outrage that these very same people are propagating hate and mistrust.

In a heartfelt, tear filled interview; Alliance Representative Anna Lo called for a DUP apology in the wake of Robinson's ill-conceived actions. In her message she explained that the personal racist attacks against her have been enough to drive her away from Northern Ireland, a place she has loved and contributed to for much of her life. She spoke to the crowds chanting her name and holding "I stand with Anna" signs on Saturday saying, ''I came here for 6 months, that was in 1974. And I'm still here (crowds cheer) and I am not going to go away. I am not going away because of you." She continued to wow the crowds, myself included, as she described we were coming together in support of all ethnic minorities, citing opportunities like finalizing the Racial Equality Strategy, which has been under construction for nearly a decade. 

The straw that broke the camel's back and brought people to the streets was the anti-Islamic sentiments expressed, and subsequently defended, by the First Minister Peter Robinson. Since the blunder made on the 28th of May, the First Minister has apparently made a private apology to a small group from the Islamic Cultural Centre in Belfast. One man who was in that room spoke during the rally and explained the fear some members of his community feel in leaving their homes. His reply "Today I will say, my sisters go out. The people of Northern Ireland are with you. We are one of them and they are one of us." In his inspiring message he explained that although they accepted Robinson's apology, he sees now that if the comments were made in public, so should the apology be made in pubic. With this I agree wholeheartedly. 

Peter Robinson owes an apology, not only to a few Muslims, but to the entire Muslim community. He owes an apology, not only to the Muslim community but to ethnic minorities in Northern Ireland. He owes an apology, not only to ethnic minorities, but to all those he represents. He owes an apology to all of us living in Northern Ireland and dreaming and working for a better Belfast and a more understanding world. He owes us an apology for allowing hate and disrespect to colour the world's view of Northern Ireland, and for encouraging racism to breed in our wee country and beyond. 

Family passes the Flag Protest following the Rally Against Racism

The Northern Ireland I fell in love with all of those years ago, and which I now call home, is not a place of racism and fear mongering. It is a place where people are kind, welcoming and above all clever! Northern Ireland is a place where humour and wit seep into every conversation. It is a place where people make jokes with one another, but never at someone else's expense. The Rally Against Racism is a testament to the kind of place Northern Ireland can be. The rally was an emotive and powerful day for me as I was united with people, newcomers and home-grown alike, who believe in a world where people are connected, not because of where they were born and what community they belong to, but because of what they share. This Saturday I shared a great deal with the people with whom I stood side by side. I shared a powerful love and hope for Belfast, and the fervent belief that together, we can make change in Northern Ireland. 

Conflict: Pretty in Pink!

Today the tires of the Giro d'Italia are turning, as yet another international event has found value in Belfast as a world stage. Alongside this reminder that Northern Ireland is transforming, are the lingering legacies of the past. These photos make some attempt to portray this dichotomy, and of course capture a bit of our wee city. 

Watching the bike go by

East Belfast supports the Giro

"End British Rule" in Italian on
Black Mountain, West Belfast

Freshly painted, "Political Status Now" on the Giro route

Yardmen: Pretty in Pink! Newtownards Road

Memorial Garden dressed in Pink

Giro atheletes on the Newtownards Road

The bookkeepers support the Giro!

Orange is the new pink!

A Reflection from Terezín Concentration Camp

Terezin is a small garrison town about 30 minutes outside of Prague. Despite the impressive fortifications, underground passageways and moat - this location never came under siege and was therefore never utilised as intended. Instead, Terezin found its purpose around 150 years later, housing political prisoners during WWI and victims of the Holocaust shortly thereafter. The prison fortress was transitioned into a Nazi run work and transit concentration camp in the early 1940s. More than 150,000 Jews from the Czech Republic and its borderlands passed through its gates and suffered intolerable cruelty within. 

This was my first experience visiting a Concentration Camp. I had never heard of Terezin/Theresienstadt, perhaps because it wasn't a "death camp" in the way we understand it and therefore was never central to the history books. However, it was a place of torture, subjugation, and hatred where around 35,000 people lost their lives to disease, malnutrition and maltreatment and a further 90,000 passed through on the way to extermination at Auschwitz, Bergen Belsen, Dachau any many others. A place people went to suffer before they went to die. 

In 1944 Terezin was used to manipulate the world into believing that Concentration Camps were not the horrific prisons of torture and death that they are now known to be. The International Red Cross was invited into the camp to see the humanity of the space. Propaganda films were created to exemplify the fair and safe conditions, directed by Jewish artists who were used for their talents and discarded when the Nazis had stolen enough. What the inspectors didn't know when they gave it a stamp of approval is that just prior to their arrival, massive beautification projects and renovations took place to give an air of comfort and normality. The inmates were coordinated into sports teams and clubs. Artists show-cased their work in the forms of paintings, literature and poetry; strengthening the illusion even more. To avoid the overcrowding, which was of course a constant reality in Terezin, 17,000 of the old and sickly were transited across the region to death camps, giving a false sense of space. Lying to the world about the reality of Terezin seems to be one of the great injustices perpetuated by the Nazis, for it permitted people to continue turning a blind eye to what so many knew to be true. It was a truth no one wanted to contemplate, much less believe. 

When I asked our guide what the local populations thought, he admitted that people knew what was happening. The train lines would stop in the town and Jews were forced to walk several kilometres to reach their new prison-homes. He explained that people did not want to believe something so horrendous could be true. I have contemplated many arguments which would use ideas of justice and morality to pass judgement on this claim. To me, it makes sense that people could refuse to believe the grim, dark, ugly things that were right in front of them, for to believe them would be to accept them in our world. We want to live in a world where the Holocaust could not happen. Sadly, we do not live in that world that so many of us try desperately to imagine. 

We live in a world where we must strive to understand hatred and indifference so that we may endeavor towards healing. To disbelieve does not change what really is. 

The town of Terezin has not has the transformation that other cities of conflict have had, perhaps because the pain was too great and the loss too deep for such a small and isolated place. What it is though, is a symbol of what we as humans are capable of. It is a reminder of what can happen when we perceive others to be unworthy of our respect. 

"Oftentimes have I heard you speak of one who commits a wrong as though he were not one of you, but a stranger unto you and an intruder upon your world. But I say that even as the holy and the righteous cannot rise beyond the highest which is in each one of you, So the wicked and the weak cannot fall lower than the lowest which is in you also." Kahlil Gibran in The Prophet

Coursera - The Conditions for War and Peace

Early this year I competed a free online course with Coursera, which offered free lectures from the University of Tokyo and open discussions with lifelong learners from every corner of the world. One of the assignments asked us to think about the greatest peacekeeping measure, suggesting military power, democracy and free market as potential tools for peace. These short thoughts were then peer reviewed and open to discussion. The entire process was very rewarding in terms of keeping me connected to a field of study that inspires me and others who feel motivated to consider similar pursuits. The following ideas were my initial thoughts from this process. 

Conditions for War and Peace: Final Essay

It is the combination of many factors, such as military power, democracy and free market, that contribute to peacekeeping efforts. 

Realists would argue that military prowess acts as a deterrent against potential attacks, following the adage that defense is the best offense. The argument of Huntington, that military professionalism can limit war, is very compelling in that often the 'experts of war' will only take calculated risks to avoid loss and damages wherever possible. Also, it should be highlighted that it is usually the case that those who have experienced war are the greatest advocates for peace. Military power has great potential for limiting war although it does not promote peace - as peace in its truest sense is not only the absence of force, but it is the presence of hope.

Arguments for Economic Liberalism carry potentials as they explain complex power dynamics and allow for the protection of self-interest. Dr Fujiwara explained clearly that the United States and China may not have a hegemonic war in the traditional sense because free market and interrelated economies means that one cannot be destroyed without destroying the other. In this sense, the United States and China are economically interrelated. This argument has merit but it will not be strong enough to stop China from invading the United States should the benefit at some point outweigh the cost. Without an ethical basis of mutual respect and/or a value for human life, the arguments of Free Market Theory are not strong enough to lead to the elimination of war.

I agree with Dr Fujiwara that democracy will have a role in building global peace in the long term, however, democracy alone will not end wars. The example of the United States, a rich, powerful and stable democracy, engaging in warfare is proof alone that civic institutions and the majority of people themselves can support violence and war - and therefore democracy does not equate to peace. Where the people and their institutions do not equally value the lives of others living outside of their political boundaries, democracy will never eliminate war.

Finally, it will be a universal commitment to valuing human life that will be the greatest potential for peace, alongside the appropriate conditions of democracy, free market and possibly military power. It will be through developing empathy within individuals, communities, nations and international institutions that true and lasting peace will be supported. This has links to Liberal Institutionalism, Pacifism, Humanism and other theories but in its core it is the ability for people to value the greatest potentials for peace locally, regionally and internationally that will ultimately be the greatest deterrent against war. This of course has yet to be proven on a large scale but can be seen clearly in grassroots peacebuilding efforts around the world, where emotional inter-personal connections can reduce the incidence of violence and promote a warm and lasting peace. 

Las fronteras - Borderlands

A few days ago I passed between Europe and Africa via a 12 kilometer crossing at the Straight of Gibraltar. This was not my first time passing from the First World to the Third World - leaving the global North and entering the global South in a matter of minutes. 

There is something unsettling about the potentials for an invisible boundary to impact many of our opportunities in life and the people we may meet along the way. Even in Northern Ireland seen and unseen boundaries have limited mobility, the schools where we study and the people we love. In other places, where the borders are even more restricted, this harsh reality is even more powerful. 

El Paso, TX, Inside US but looking to Mexico

My first experience of this stark division was in my own country along the border of Texas and Mexico. I felt angry that I could move so easily between these countries while others were separated from their families without any hope of reuniting. When I returned home I wrote a reflection of this experience in my university newspaper (http://goo.gl/0dw2NP) excluding some of the realities of violence and exploitation I'd yet to fully process. After years of reflection and study on the nature of ethnic conflict it became clear that the border between the United States and Mexico is among other divisions around the world whereby people of different ethnicities and class are separated by physical barriers. This worldwide phenomenon has been illustrated by the Guardian's Walled World interactive map including my wee city of Belfast, the two cases discussed here and other similar expressions of division the world over (http://goo.gl/61MwEs). 

The border between Ciudad Juarez and El Paso

The truth is that El Paso, Texas at the time of my visit was the third safest city of its size while Ciudad Juarez is among the most dangerous in the world. These cities are essentially one large settlement, divided by fencing fortified by border patrols and a meager stream that was once the Rio Grande. In Ciudad Juarez people are threatened by drug wars, femicides and poor working conditions in maquilas. Hundreds each year are recorded to lose their lives in pursuit of the American dream, burning in the desert, drowning in the waterways and dying from unbearable trafficking conditions en route. 

Border patrol on the border of Tangiers, 12 km from Europe

The issues facing Africans trying to reach Europe are much the same. The European Union pays the Moroccan government to prevent people and drugs from leaving its border - a difficult task which challenges even the most advanced countries. After the disaster of Lampedusa this October where over 400 people lost their lives travelling between North Africa and Europe, where the waters of the Mediterranean clash with the tides of the Atlantic, the world is beginning to pay closer attention to the importance of protecting human security in the case of immigration. The US as well is undergoing extensive immigration reform - asking important questions about the human rights of newcomers.

Where Europe meets Africa

The real question we should all be asking is not how can we stop illegal immigration, but how can we open legal immigration? At present these borders have been exploited by wealthy governments seeking cheap labour. They have been controlled by criminals in the trade of humans, drugs and illegal goods. But there is another way. There is a way we can end illegal trafficking. There is hope for reconnecting families. There is potential for globalisation to exist beyond the technological revolution through open mobility of people and goods. The question to ask now is not should we, but how should we we maximise the potentials for this close proximity of diversity so that we can all benefit? Rather than spending all of our resource on borders and defense why don't we find legal and fair ways to utilise migrant workers, offering benefits and fair wages in exchange for hard work? Instead of rejecting ships of 'illegals' in search of a better life, why don't we openly accept people eager to build a more peaceful future via regulated means of transit? 

There are radical answers to immigration reform that are not under consideration because of the fear people in positions of power feel when considering the potentials of open borders. The current situation of injustice, exploitation and death must be fully understood so that we begin to fear what will continue to happen if we do not consider such an alternative. There is more to be gained rather than lost, if only we open our minds, and borders, to the possibilities!

Creation Myths in times of War

How to write the history books of Northern Ireland is one of the most complicated challenges for "dealing with the past." This difficulty is shared across deeply divided societies working towards peaceful transformation. 

Using myths, or as cultural anthropologist Geertz describes "the stories we tell ourselves about ourselves," to understand our world is universal across place and time. However, these myths become evermore complicated in the case of deeply divided societies where they perpetuate hatreds and act to divide "us" from "them;" often in direct contradiction to one another. 

In an attempt to reconcile divisions, particularly in post-conflict or transitional societies, there is a pluralist approach invoked to accept a multitude of "truths", despite their contradiction. However, the Freudian return of the repressed leads to a cycle of competing mythologies that oftentimes interfere with this attempt to accept difference through pluralism. 

Noel Malcolm beautifully articulates this idea in the case of Bosnia in the early 1990's where he points to the destruction and ruination of the Oriental Institute, Sarajevo Library and architectural heritage of the Ottoman Empire. He writes, 

"The people who have planned and ordered these actions like to say that history is on their side. What they show by their deeds is that they are waging a war against the history of their country" (Malcolm; xxiv). 

How true this idea of people waging war against their own history, perhaps because it is painful to remember or perhaps because the history is contradictory to their myths. Understanding and combating this war against history is essential for building a shared narrative for the future. 

The Survivor's Commission in Northern Ireland is exploring the potentials of a pluralist storytelling approach whereby listening to the stories of one another will yield a diversity of understanding, connecting people on a level of empathy and shared experience of trauma. This is an idea that inspires me in much of the work I do, particularly in the case of storytelling, which has an ethical imperative to promote diversity of experience and thought in order to foster critical self-reflection. By this I mean we endeavor to facilitate a situation whereby destructive myths (eg: that defend violence or perpetuate feelings of victimhood) are put into question by the experiences of others.

Interestingly Malcolm spoke to this point saying, 

"The fact that there is an almost symmetrical pattern of conflicting claims and justifications does not mean that one can reach an accurate conclusion by treating all claims as equal and merely averaging them out" (Malcolm; xxiii). 

Oftentimes in Northern Ireland the dynamic and complex issue seems to get boiled down into a two primary claims - which are unfortunately "averaged out" in an attempt to promote "equality". This speaks to the importance of listening to varied and multi-dimensional stories, which go beyond a two sided blame game. 

The Institute for the Study of Conflict Transformation and Social Justice (ISCTSJ) at Queen’s University Belfast hosted a Symposium at the Lyric Theatre entitled Location of Narratives: Storytelling and Archives. Alison Jeffers of the University of Manchester discussed points from her paper, Giving Audience: Storytelling and Storylistening in Post-conflict Narrative. She spoke to the potentials of storytelling and storylistening but also qualified that listening and showing empathy could limit action. Here again we face difficulties with writing history. Furthermore, a condition for the Ethical Storytelling, as promoted by the Towards Understanding and Healing project, operates on a no judgement principle.This principle safeguards the stories of individuals, however, it does not mean we should accept the validity of myths. 

Ultimately strength will come from the ability to stay open to others, particularly when one's stories may one's deep seated beliefs in the truthfulness of their own myths. It will be essential to remain critical and reflective of one's self and surroundings while holding true to certain ethical principles that guide positive human interactions. 

Finally, it will be imperative to differentiate between passing judgement on the story of an individual as opposed to the myth of a group. Whereas it is possible to participate in storylistening without judging the storyteller or assessing truthfulness of their story - it is essential we differentiate that person's story from the oftentimes destructive ideology of their myths. Just as Malcolm is able to claim that he has "no doubt" one side has more "burden of responsibility for the destruction in Bosnia" so too may history books pass judgment in the case of wrongdoings, on both sides. 

It will be important to critically analyse myths, particularly in deeply divided societies moving into times of peace, in order to build a narrative that allows for a diversity of memories while respecting the events of history. 

 

 

The day our neighbours moved out

I still don't have words to describe my thoughts on my neighbours fleeing their home Monday morning after attacks on their house. The image of the family carrying their bedding out of their home in the middle of the night will stay with me forever, this picture taken later is the only image I have to share.

"World Peeler Games"

It's been an exciting 10 days for our wee city, welcoming thousands of police officers and firefighters from around the globe to compete in some of the most light-hearted sporting and gaming events known to man. There's something uplifting about cheering for community heroes basking in their own strengths and talents. The team spirit and international ethos of the World Police and Fire Games (WPFG) have uplifted the city, and the country, from the opening ceremonies and throughout the week. The free events offered an opportunity for local enthusiasts to participate in exciting competitions from tug-of-war to wrist-wrestling to ladder climbing. Following the buzz of the 2012 Olympics, it kept the flame of sportsmanship and excitement alive in this part of the world.

But in Northern Ireland nothing is so simple. The centenary of the launch of the Titanic was also the centenary of the Ulster Covenant, marking the pride of shipbuilding alongside the history of deeply entrenched political division. The Christmas Market in the front of City Hall and riots at the back during the flag riots of December 2012 also highlighted this dichotomy inspiring newpaper titles like 'A Tale of Two Cities' and harkening back to the research of Murtagh's 'Twin Speed City,' immortalizing this strange reality of our town in press and publication. 

Tonight as well we feel the pulls of the past preventing us from fully embracing the potentials the WPFG bring.

Underneath the graffiti of Black Mountain reading 'PSNI - M15: Political Policing' fought Northern Irish citizens in the heart of our city over issues of internment and divergent pasts. This is not the only fighting in our city. 

On the playing fields, leisure centres and make-shift arenas of our city there are other fights taking place. On the surface these are competitions of world athletes and heroes fighting for the victory of their countries and squads - but deeper than that they are fighting, in a way, for our city to move closer to peace. 

While we should not overlook and ignore the violence and voices of division that have persisted - we also should find ways to empower these other fights taking place in our city - the fights for a Northern Ireland we can all feel proud of.

The Bony - 2013

Fun and Games - 11th July 2013

Flags - 11th July 2013

Bonfires - 11th July 2013

Boglands of Peace

Killala boats

Last weekend we took a trip from Belfast to the furthest western reaches of Ireland. The drive was a beautiful one, passing through the lakelands of Fermanagh, Cavan and Leitrim and the hills and lighthouses of Sligo, until finally we reached County Mayo. The wonderful thing about traveling in Ireland is that each hill and country road is every bit as spectacular as the destination.

Ceide Fields

We rambled through North Mayo sampling hill lamb in Ballina's Market Kitchen, visited the old fishing village of Killala (where many brightly painted boats seemed to go to die), and ventured into the Megalithic Tombs near Rathlackan. In the heavy rain the boglands soaked up our feet just as quickly as the rainwater. The bogs are made up of 90% water and the remainder residual plant matter, acting as a unique habitat for flora and fauna and preserving places, such as the Ceide Fields, for thousands of years. 

The site of the Ceide Fields is Ireland's earliest known settlement. Walking around the nearly 6,000 year old stone structures, overlooking the Northwestern hills and beneath the pitter patter of soft rain, was like going back in time. There were no weapons or fortifications found among the well preserved remains buried deep within the blanket of bog. Here is evidence that thousands of years before the Vikings, the Normans, the British, the Planters and the Troubles - there was peace in Ireland!

If our towns and cities were deserted today and consumed by boglands, it's interesting to think what people may learn of us in the years to come. 

Keem, Achill Island

We continued on to the Irish Country Life Museum and Turlough Cemetary, each sharing insights into a more recent history of Ireland's West. We slept in beautiful hotels and enjoyed delicious meals in Westport. We drove through Ballycroy National Park and danced on the beach at Achill Island. As we drove through the dramatic hills we lost track of mankind - only reminded that this land wasn't solely inhabited by the many sheep dotting the landscape by the freshcut peat drying in the fields. 

I spent the next few hours of our journey soaking up every experience of peacefulness Mayo was introducing. I left feeling rejuvenated by the settlement at the Ceide Fields and by the striking natural beauty and calm that our wee island embodies - both in spirit and now also in history. As we traveled back to the land of Seamus Heaney I felt I understood a bit better his poem of the Bogland. At the very least I was quite inspired to write a few lines on the majestic powers of the boglands myself.