[Peace-discuss] Bonus Bulletin: The Good News (fwd)

[patton paul]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: 9 Jan 2003 21:48:42 -0000
From: MoveOn Bulletin <moveon-help at list.moveon.org>
To: Dr. Paul Patton <ppatton at uiuc.edu>
Subject: Bonus Bulletin: The Good News


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                                 THE GOOD NEWS

MoveOn Peace Bulletin, International Edition
Wednesday, January 8, 2003
Susan V. Thompson, Editor
susan.thompson at moveon.org
Leah Appet, Editorial Assistant
leah at moveon.org

Read online or subscribe at:
http://www.peace.moveon.org/bulletin.php3#sub


CONTENTS
--------
1. Introduction: 2002 in Review
2. One Link: Study Says Protesting is Good for You
3. Good News for Peace: Top 5
   1. There's Still Time to Stop a U.S.-led War on Iraq
   2. The Internet
   3. Democratic Republic of Congo/Rwanda Peace Pact
   4. Angola/UNITA Cease-Fire
   5. Sri Lankan Cease-Fire
4. Good News for the World: Top 5
   1. World Becoming More Free
   2. Ozone Hole Closing
   3. Kyoto Protocol to Take Effect Soon
   4. The International Criminal Court Gains Jurisdiction
   5. Bahraini Women Given Right to Vote
5. Credits
6. About the Bulletin


INTRODUCTION:  2002 IN REVIEW
-----------------------------
It is often difficult to watch the news without developing a sense of hopel=
essness.
The past year in particular has been filled with bad news, as we have been =
constantly
inundated with threats of war, information about humanitarian crises, and o=
f course,
a massive amount of journalism about the tragic events of Sept. 11.

However, there was good news in 2002 as well.  Peace agreements and cease-f=
ires were
signed by warring factions in some of the world's largest conflicts, includ=
ing Africa's
world war--so named because it has claimed the lives of some 2 million peop=
le.  Despite
fears about terrorism and oppressive governments, a major survey concluded =
that the world
actually became more free in 2002, and that in general, the world is moving=
 towards more
open and democratic systems of government.  Some important international tr=
eaties were
signed that will help make the world a better place, and there was even goo=
d news for the
environment as Australian scientists announced that the hole in the ozone i=
s finally beginning
to close.

And of course, we here at MoveOn are also very encouraged by the continued =
growth of
our organization and the enthusiasm of our members, which is constantly ins=
piring.

That's why we decided to kick off 2003 with ten pieces of good news--five p=
ieces of
good news for peace, and five pieces of good news for the world in general.=
  They are
by no means the only pieces of good news from 2002, but together, they demo=
nstrate that
despite the many social and political challenges facing us, the world is st=
ill moving
forward and making progress.  May that knowledge inspire you and offer you =
hope as we
face the new year.

ONE LINK: STUDY SAYS PROTESTING IS GOOD FOR YOU
-----------------------------------------------
A new British study suggests that taking part in campaigns, demonstrations,=
 strikes, or
protests helps improve psychological and physical health.  According to res=
earcher Dr. John
Drury, "The take-home message from this research therefore might be that pe=
ople should get
more involved in campaigns, struggles and social movements, not only in the=
 wider interest
of social change but also for their own personal good."
http://thunderbay.indymedia.org/news/2002/12/2599.php


GOOD NEWS FOR PEACE
-------------------

1)THERE'S STILL TIME TO STOP A U.S.-LED WAR ON IRAQ
The Bush administration has sought a U.N. mandate for war, due in large par=
t to mounting
domestic and international pressure.  Despite U.S. pessimism, Iraqi leader =
Saddam Hussein
has agreed to U.N. weapons inspections, which haven't found anything signif=
icant so far.
It's thus still possible that war on Iraq can be averted.

In response to the threat of war, the global peace movement continues to gr=
ow.  Massive
demonstrations continue to be held around the world.  Some activists have t=
raveled to
Iraq to act as observers and human shields.  A peace group in Canada has ev=
en committed
to sending a group of citizen weapons inspectors to the U.S., holding the c=
ountry accountable
for its double standards about weapons of mass destruction.
http://www.rootingoutevil.org/index.php3/Home

According to a recent poll by the Los Angeles Times, most Americans don't b=
elieve that a
war on Iraq is justified.  The poll concluded that "72 percent of responden=
ts, including
60 percent of Republicans, said Bush has not provided enough evidence to ju=
stify starting
a war with Iraq, " and "63 percent of respondents said war would be justifi=
ed only if the
United Nations finds a pattern of serious violations by Iraq, while just 22=
 percent agreed
with the administration's position."
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=3D/chronicle/archive/2002/12=
/17/MN126102.DTL

Many major U.S. cities are signing resolutions opposing war on Iraq.  For a=
 list of cities
that have passed resolutions, and more information on the campaigns behind =
them, see:
http://www.citiesforpeace.org

The U.S. peace movement is far more diverse and technologically savvy than =
past peace movements.
Perhaps the best news is that massive demonstrations have already been held=
 before any U.S.
soldiers begin dying in Iraq, while in Vietnam, it took many, many American=
 deaths to begin fueling
opposition.
http://www.alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=3D14874

The antiwar movement in the U.S. has made the leap from the left to the mai=
nstream.  The work of
groups such as MoveOn has helped make this happen.  (Note: This article is =
Salon premium content,
meaning that unless you're already a member, you'll need to sign up and pay=
 to read it.)
http://www.salon.com/politics/feature/2002/12/12/peace/index_np.html

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter won the Nobel Peace Prize in what has be=
en widely interpreted
as a direct challenge to President Bush's policies. Nobel committee chairma=
n Gunnar Berge stated
that the award "can and must also be seen as criticism of the line the curr=
ent U.S. administration
has taken on Iraq."
http://www.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/europe/10/11/carter.nobel/


2) THE INTERNET
Thanks to the Internet, anyone with a connection can post their opinions, d=
o research, make a
donation, sign a petition, discuss events with others, or even run a politi=
cal campaign.  The
Internet has made it possible for people to access a wide range of informat=
ion unavailable on
major television networks, and to connect with others who share their views=
 on current events.
So while there are still many flaws in the system, not the least of which i=
s the digital divide
between the connected and the unconnected, we believe that the continued gr=
owth of the Internet
is good news.

Since Sept. 11, the Internet has helped spawn a peace movement that can res=
pond rapidly and on
a massive scale.  It has given people the ability to communicate and plan a=
ctions in ways that
were unheard of in the past.
http://www.organicconsumers.org/corp/internetpeace100101.cfm


3) DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO/RWANDA PEACE PACT
The presidents of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo have signed a=
 peace agreement.
The agreement has the potential to end a war which has killed 2.5 million p=
eople in the past
four years, and thus is often referred to as Africa's world war.
http://onenews.nzoom.com/onenews_detail/0,1227,120567-1-9,00.html

The text of the peace deal has been provided online by the BBC.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/low/world/africa/2163459.stm

After two weeks of fighting following the signing of the peace deal, three =
Congo rebel groups
have now signed a new cease-fire in an effort to support it.  It is hoped t=
hat democratic
elections will be held in 2 1/2 years.
http://www.etaiwannews.com/Taiwan/2003/01/01/1041392476.htm

For a complete description and discussion of this conflict, please see our =
previous bulletin,
"World War in Africa."
http://peace.moveon.org/bulletin35.php3


4) ANGOLA/UNITA CEASE-FIRE
After three decades of a civil war which has claimed at least half a millio=
n lives, the
Angolan government and the UNITA rebel movement signed a cease-fire.
http://www.africaonline.com/site/Articles/1,3,46801.jsp

Although they are facing famine, and have seen several peace deals fall apa=
rt in the past,
displaced Angolans are beginning the process of returning home to rebuild. =
 The new peace
is expected to last, a fact that is giving many people hope for the first t=
ime in years.
http://www.csmonitor.com/2002/0422/p06s01-woaf.html


5) SRI LANKAN CEASE-FIRE
In 2001, the ethnic =93Tamil Tigers=94 separatist rebels and the Sri Lankan=
 government signed
a cease-fire agreement, halting a conflict that has produced 64,500 casualt=
ies.
http://www.dawn.com/2002/02/23/int13.htm

In December 2002, the cease-fire marked its one-year anniversary.  Rebuildi=
ng trust is
difficult after such a long war, and the longer the cease-fire holds, the b=
etter the chance
that progress can be made between the previously warring factions.  So far,=
 as a result of
the cease-fire, tourism in the country has been up, as has economic growth.
http://www.worldpress.org/Asia/773.cfm


GOOD NEWS FOR THE WORLD
-----------------------

1) WORLD BECOMING MORE FREE
The Freedom House Survey, which has been published as an annual report for =
30 years, "is
a comprehensive independent study of political evolution, evaluating countr=
ies according
to their civil liberties, independent civil institutions and independent me=
dia, as well
as their electoral politics."  Despite repeated accusations of a link betwe=
en Islam and
extremism in the U.S. press, 2002's survey doesn't show any important link =
between religious
affiliation to Islam and lack of freedom, and in fact demonstrates a gradua=
l move towards
democratization in many Islamic countries.  As the Washington Post notes, a=
ccording to the
survey, "it seems that most of the world's 1.2 billion Muslims actually liv=
e under democratically
elected governments."  The survey also indicates that less free countries a=
re more likely to
export terrorists, indicating that focusing on developing a more "open" pol=
itical climate in
such countries will help decrease terrorism.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A35419-2002Dec24.html

This is the main page of the survey, which includes links to charts, the pr=
ess release, and
other related materials.
http://www.freedomhouse.org/research/survey2002.htm


2) OZONE HOLE CLOSING
In September, the Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Researc=
h Organization
announced that the hole in the ozone is closing.  It should fully recover b=
y 2050 if current
trends continue.  At its peak, the hole was three times the size of Austral=
ia.  A global
ban on CFCs under the Montreal Protocol of the 1990's has helped reduce CFC=
 usage to the
point where their levels in the atmosphere have begun to fall.  Scientists =
say that the
closing of the hole demonstrates how well global environmental protocols wo=
rk, which could
help gain more support for the Kyoto Protocol.
http://www.aig.asn.au/ozone_hole_closing.htm

This is a short interview with one of the Australian scientists who helped =
conduct the
research on the ozone hole.  You can either read the transcript or listen t=
o it using
Media Player.
http://www.abc.net.au/am/s678136.htm


3) KYOTO PROTOCOL TO TAKE EFFECT SOON
The Kyoto Protocol on greenhouse gas emmissions will take effect when it is=
 ratified by
enough countries to total 55 percent of emissions covered by the treaty. Mo=
re than 95
countries have ratified it so far.  The U.S. and Australia have been the on=
ly countries
to reject any possibility of ratifying the treaty.

The U.S. refusal to ratify has been viewed as particularly damaging since t=
he U.S. is
accountable for a whopping 25% of all greenhouse gas emissions worldwide.  =
The U.S.
refusal thus meant that in order to come into effect, the Kyoto Protocol ha=
d to be
ratified by almost every other country.

Canada was the most recent country to ratify, after months of debate over t=
he issue
and heavy lobbying by the energy industry.
http://www.greenhousenet.org/news/Dec-2002/ratifies.html

Since China has also ratified, the Kyoto Protocol is now one country away f=
rom taking
effect.  If Russia ratifies the Kyoto Protocol, it will take effect even de=
spite the
U.S. refusal to participate.  The good news is that Russia has already prom=
ised to
ratify "in the near future."
http://www.news24.com/News24/WorldSummit/0,5733,2-1381_1251831,00.html


4) THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT GAINS JURISDICTION
The International Criminal Court gained jurisdiction in 2002, ratified by 7=
6 nations,
despite the unprecedented U.S. "unsigning" of the treaty.  The court is a p=
ermanent
and independent body that will make it possible to try war criminals and pe=
rpetrators
of crimes against humanity.
http://www.usaforicc.org/facts_faqs.html


5) BAHRAINI WOMEN GIVEN RIGHT TO VOTE
The tiny Islamic kingdom of Bahrain became the first Gulf Arab state to all=
ow women to
vote and run for national office. One hundred seventy candidates campaigned=
 for the new
parliament, eight of whom were women.
http://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/Pages/gnngod.html#Bahrainelection

Women in Bahrain explain the feelings of triumph and hope they have as a re=
sult of this
landmark vote.
http://www.mafhoum.com/press/womfeb17.htm

A short blurb on the election includes a picture of a woman casting her vot=
e.
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/longisland/photos/ny-dailygallery1024,0,7=
712922.photogallery?coll=3Dny-li-photos-features&index=3D9

CREDITS
-------
Research team:
Dean Bellerby, Joanne Comito, Anna Gavula, Keiko Hatch, Russ Juskalian, Mah=
a Mikhail,
Vicki Nikolaidis, Kim Plofker, Ben Spencer, Ora Szekely, and Sharon Winn.

Proofreading team:
David Taub Bancroft, Madlyn Bynum, Carol Brewster, Melinda Coyle, Nancy Eva=
ns, Judy Green,
Anne Haehl, Mary Kim, Dagmara Meijers-Troller, and Alfred K. Weber.

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